The most interesting thing about these flowers is they are all volunteer. They came up in pots I'd left on the deck all winter. I never got around to planting anything in them. One day I noticed they all had flowers in them anyway.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Just Some Flowers
The most interesting thing about these flowers is they are all volunteer. They came up in pots I'd left on the deck all winter. I never got around to planting anything in them. One day I noticed they all had flowers in them anyway.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Masked Face Fox Squirrel
This odd little critter, which apparently is a masked face fox squirrel, showed up at the house again this weekend.
I noticed it Sunday morning when it tried to take a bite out of the house at the back door. This is the second time I've seen it (or its sibling).
Apparently these aren't seen often around here. I can find little mention of this type of squirrel in Virginia online, although it is native to the Carolinas. How this one found its way to my back yard is indeed a mystery.
Note as you scroll through the photos that in one you can see that the squirrel's tail is about twice as long as its body.
I noticed it Sunday morning when it tried to take a bite out of the house at the back door. This is the second time I've seen it (or its sibling).
Apparently these aren't seen often around here. I can find little mention of this type of squirrel in Virginia online, although it is native to the Carolinas. How this one found its way to my back yard is indeed a mystery.
Note as you scroll through the photos that in one you can see that the squirrel's tail is about twice as long as its body.
 |
| Look at the length of that tail! |
Monday, August 10, 2015
Small Minds
--------------------------------------------------R A N T --------------------------------------------------------
It's a little early to start worrying about a non-existent war on Christmas, isn't it? Already I'm seeing those posts on Facebook that say " It's Merry Christmas not Happy Holidays. If you don't agree, leave the USA."
Happy Holidays means "Happy Holy Days" and if Christmas is a holy day to Christians, then I don't see the problem. I haven't heard of anyone being shot or arrested for saying Merry Christmas so of course you are free to say it. Nobody's told you that you can't buy a Christmas tree, either.
This is much ado about nothing, a lot of bluster and air over something that exists only in the minds of small-thinking people who want to think they are persecuted but have no clue what persecution truly is. When Christians in the US are being shot or beaten by the dozens for being baptized, get back to me. There are more important things to worry about than some store clerk saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."
If your skin is that thin, stay home in the dark with the TV and the lights off, and your hands on that Bible that you probably never read.
END RANT
Sunday, August 09, 2015
Sunday Stealing: Crazy
From Sunday Stealing
Crazy Random Twenty Meme
1. Have you ever demolished a wall or building?
A. I have put a fist through a wall. And yes, it hurt, and I wouldn't advise it.
2. If you and a friend both wanted the same thing would you let the friend get it first?
A. I would let my friend have it.
3. Have you ever argued over who should pay for something?
A. My friends and I sometimes banter back and forth over whose turn it is to pay what, but we don't argue about it.
4. Do you have any family heirlooms?
A. My most treasured heirloom is a pair of scissors that belonged to my great-great-grandmother. According to the story, she was sewing near a window when a storm came up. Lightning struck and knocked the scissors out of her hand. They are the best pair of scissors ever.
5. Are you related or distantly related to anyone famous?
A. No, we're just a bunch of peasants.
6. What's your favorite ocean?
A. Old Man Kelsey's Ocean.
7. Do you correct people's mistakes?
A. Apparently I do, since I put in a missing apostrophe in "people" in that question.
8. Have you ever helped out an injured animal?
A. I took my dog to the vet when she was sick. Does that count?
9. Do you throw bread for the ducks?
A. No. The ducks can make their own bread.
10. Do you think babies are little bundles of joy or smelly noisy things?
A. I am having a rough day and I'm not sure you really want my opinion on this question.
11. Do you give money to buskers?
A. I don't even know what a busker is. OK, I looked it up. A street performer. I live on a farm in a rural area. We don't have buskers. We have groundhogs. You want me to give money to groundhogs?
12. Do you ever forward or reply to chain mails?
A. No, I think they are cruel and vicious, and it makes me angry when someone sends me one.
13. Do you often have a tune in your head you can't name?
A. No.
14. Has anyone ever approached you thinking you were someone else?
A. Not in a long time.
15. Have you ever starred in an amateur or professional video?
A. Just the ones I have made that are youtube, like the rest of the world. You can see me playing Scarborough Fair on my guitar here.
16. Have you ever been in a position of authority?
A. I've chaired a couple of groups and I am mistress of my domain. Does that count?
17. If you were ruler of your own country what would you call it?
A. The Land of Odd
18. And what title would you give yourself?
A. Empress of Odd
19. If you invented a monster what would you call it?
A. Fred.
20. And what features would it have?
A. One eye, one horn, one ear, could fly, would eat people, and would be purple. It would gobble up itsy bitsy tiny weeny yellow polka dot bikinis and spit them back out.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
Crazy Random Twenty Meme
1. Have you ever demolished a wall or building?
A. I have put a fist through a wall. And yes, it hurt, and I wouldn't advise it.
2. If you and a friend both wanted the same thing would you let the friend get it first?
A. I would let my friend have it.
3. Have you ever argued over who should pay for something?
A. My friends and I sometimes banter back and forth over whose turn it is to pay what, but we don't argue about it.
4. Do you have any family heirlooms?
A. My most treasured heirloom is a pair of scissors that belonged to my great-great-grandmother. According to the story, she was sewing near a window when a storm came up. Lightning struck and knocked the scissors out of her hand. They are the best pair of scissors ever.
5. Are you related or distantly related to anyone famous?
A. No, we're just a bunch of peasants.
6. What's your favorite ocean?
A. Old Man Kelsey's Ocean.
7. Do you correct people's mistakes?
A. Apparently I do, since I put in a missing apostrophe in "people" in that question.
8. Have you ever helped out an injured animal?
A. I took my dog to the vet when she was sick. Does that count?
9. Do you throw bread for the ducks?
A. No. The ducks can make their own bread.
10. Do you think babies are little bundles of joy or smelly noisy things?
A. I am having a rough day and I'm not sure you really want my opinion on this question.
11. Do you give money to buskers?
A. I don't even know what a busker is. OK, I looked it up. A street performer. I live on a farm in a rural area. We don't have buskers. We have groundhogs. You want me to give money to groundhogs?
12. Do you ever forward or reply to chain mails?
A. No, I think they are cruel and vicious, and it makes me angry when someone sends me one.
13. Do you often have a tune in your head you can't name?
A. No.
14. Has anyone ever approached you thinking you were someone else?
A. Not in a long time.
15. Have you ever starred in an amateur or professional video?
A. Just the ones I have made that are youtube, like the rest of the world. You can see me playing Scarborough Fair on my guitar here.
16. Have you ever been in a position of authority?
A. I've chaired a couple of groups and I am mistress of my domain. Does that count?
17. If you were ruler of your own country what would you call it?
A. The Land of Odd
18. And what title would you give yourself?
A. Empress of Odd
19. If you invented a monster what would you call it?
A. Fred.
20. And what features would it have?
A. One eye, one horn, one ear, could fly, would eat people, and would be purple. It would gobble up itsy bitsy tiny weeny yellow polka dot bikinis and spit them back out.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
Saturday, August 08, 2015
Saturday 9: Rocky Mountain High
Saturday 9: Rocky Mountain High (1975)
. . . because Bev recommended John Denver
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) In this song, Denver sings that he was "born in the summer of his 27th year," because that's when he discovered the place where he felt most at home. What do you remember about your 27th year? (If it hasn't happened yet, what do you want to happen when you're 27?)
A. My 27th year would have found me working full time at a law firm, a job I hated. I also would have been attending Hollins College part-time, and at some point during that year I would have had major surgery.
2) In 2007, the Colorado General Assembly named this one of the state's two official songs. (The other is "Where the Columbines Grow.") Do you know your state song?
A. It used to be Carry Me Back to Ol' Virginny, which now has the title of "state song emeritus." It's fairly racist. A new song for the state has been an ongoing issue since 1997, and apparently this year the legislature designated something called Our Great Virginia, which is basically a rewrite of Oh Shenandoah, as the state song. I have actually never heard it, nor, I suspect, has anybody else. My vote for state song would be Sweet Virginia Breeze, but nobody asked me. I think that one has been given the status of "popular" state song. Virginia is for lovers, and many of her citizens are musically inclined, but apparently that hasn't found its way into the state legislature. I find it all very weird.
3) John Denver was a dedicated environmentalist who wrote an anthem about Earth Day. Are you careful about your energy consumption? Do you recycle?
A. I recycle newspaper and plastic bottles that don't need a lot of rinsing out. I don't see the advantage of wasting water to rinse out things to recycle. That seems to miss the point. I don't think using 2 gallons of water to rinse out a peanut butter jar is useful. I try to combine trips so I don't waste gasoline, and every now and then I go around the house and turn off anything that has a little light glowing (which is everything). I wish companies would put on/off buttons back on things. Real ones, that actually stop the energy drain.
4) 1975 is also the year that Denver released a collection of holiday songs called Rocky Mountain Christmas. On this August day, what's the first carol that comes to mind?
A. Jingle Bells. Which technically is not a carol, but it's a winter song.
5) Denver dabbled in photography in his spare time and friends say he was quite good. Tell us about your hobbies.
A. I write, take photos, read, play guitar, sing, and play video games.
6) In 1975, when this song was popular, mood rings were all the rage. It was said that the ring reflected the wearer's mood. Black = anxious/stressed, orange = worried, green = normal, blue = happy, pink = as good as it gets. As you respond to this week's Saturday 9, what color would your mood ring be?
A. My mood rings were always black. I assume they would be still.
7) Pet Rocks were 1975's other odd cultural phenomenon. Do you have any real-life, breathing pets?
A. I have about 40 cows, lots of wild deer, baby fawns, turkeys, groundhogs, rabbits, multiple types of birds, and a bear. None of them are pets, but I claim them all the same.
8) 1975 saw the premiere of Wheel of Fortune. Are you good at word puzzles?
A. I am just a bit above average.
9) Random question: Did you sleep well last night?
A. I usually get up twice during the night. I don't think that actually leads to good sleep. It is what it is.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
. . . because Bev recommended John Denver
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) In this song, Denver sings that he was "born in the summer of his 27th year," because that's when he discovered the place where he felt most at home. What do you remember about your 27th year? (If it hasn't happened yet, what do you want to happen when you're 27?)
A. My 27th year would have found me working full time at a law firm, a job I hated. I also would have been attending Hollins College part-time, and at some point during that year I would have had major surgery.
2) In 2007, the Colorado General Assembly named this one of the state's two official songs. (The other is "Where the Columbines Grow.") Do you know your state song?
A. It used to be Carry Me Back to Ol' Virginny, which now has the title of "state song emeritus." It's fairly racist. A new song for the state has been an ongoing issue since 1997, and apparently this year the legislature designated something called Our Great Virginia, which is basically a rewrite of Oh Shenandoah, as the state song. I have actually never heard it, nor, I suspect, has anybody else. My vote for state song would be Sweet Virginia Breeze, but nobody asked me. I think that one has been given the status of "popular" state song. Virginia is for lovers, and many of her citizens are musically inclined, but apparently that hasn't found its way into the state legislature. I find it all very weird.
3) John Denver was a dedicated environmentalist who wrote an anthem about Earth Day. Are you careful about your energy consumption? Do you recycle?
A. I recycle newspaper and plastic bottles that don't need a lot of rinsing out. I don't see the advantage of wasting water to rinse out things to recycle. That seems to miss the point. I don't think using 2 gallons of water to rinse out a peanut butter jar is useful. I try to combine trips so I don't waste gasoline, and every now and then I go around the house and turn off anything that has a little light glowing (which is everything). I wish companies would put on/off buttons back on things. Real ones, that actually stop the energy drain.
4) 1975 is also the year that Denver released a collection of holiday songs called Rocky Mountain Christmas. On this August day, what's the first carol that comes to mind?
A. Jingle Bells. Which technically is not a carol, but it's a winter song.
5) Denver dabbled in photography in his spare time and friends say he was quite good. Tell us about your hobbies.
A. I write, take photos, read, play guitar, sing, and play video games.
6) In 1975, when this song was popular, mood rings were all the rage. It was said that the ring reflected the wearer's mood. Black = anxious/stressed, orange = worried, green = normal, blue = happy, pink = as good as it gets. As you respond to this week's Saturday 9, what color would your mood ring be?
A. My mood rings were always black. I assume they would be still.
7) Pet Rocks were 1975's other odd cultural phenomenon. Do you have any real-life, breathing pets?
A. I have about 40 cows, lots of wild deer, baby fawns, turkeys, groundhogs, rabbits, multiple types of birds, and a bear. None of them are pets, but I claim them all the same.
8) 1975 saw the premiere of Wheel of Fortune. Are you good at word puzzles?
A. I am just a bit above average.
9) Random question: Did you sleep well last night?
A. I usually get up twice during the night. I don't think that actually leads to good sleep. It is what it is.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Friday, August 07, 2015
England, Scotland, and Ireland
If someone were to hand me a big wad of cash and tell me, here, go wherever you like in the world, I think I would like to visit England, Scotland, and Ireland.
I have roots in Scotland and Ireland. Scotland in particular seems to call to me, and England, with its visions of moors and heather, seems enchanted. I also have a friend there whom I would love to meet in person. We've been emailing for 15 years; it seems a shame to never be able to shake her hand.
Perhaps this is the reason why I found Downton Abby interesting. It showed me a different way of living, as well as being somewhat historically correct, I think. And who can resist those British accents?
It would be grand to be do like the folks on Who Do You Think You Are? and travel about discovering my history (and all the while being able to pay the researchers to do the work for me!).
Of course, I am romanticizing the countries, I'm sure. But what histories they have! I've seen pictures of the landscape and truly it's not so different from home, here in the Blue Ridge. Maybe a bit cooler with more rain. However, it does look much like the mountains I adore.
I have roots in Scotland and Ireland. Scotland in particular seems to call to me, and England, with its visions of moors and heather, seems enchanted. I also have a friend there whom I would love to meet in person. We've been emailing for 15 years; it seems a shame to never be able to shake her hand.
Perhaps this is the reason why I found Downton Abby interesting. It showed me a different way of living, as well as being somewhat historically correct, I think. And who can resist those British accents?
It would be grand to be do like the folks on Who Do You Think You Are? and travel about discovering my history (and all the while being able to pay the researchers to do the work for me!).
Of course, I am romanticizing the countries, I'm sure. But what histories they have! I've seen pictures of the landscape and truly it's not so different from home, here in the Blue Ridge. Maybe a bit cooler with more rain. However, it does look much like the mountains I adore.
Thursday, August 06, 2015
Thursday Thirteen: Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien quotes:
1. Not all those who wander are lost. (The Fellowship of the Ring)
2. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” (The Fellowship of the Ring)
3. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. (The Fellowship of the Ring)
4. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
5. Never laugh at live dragons.
6. Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens. (The Fellowship of the Ring)
7. The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater. (The Two Towers)
8. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. (The Fellowship of the Ring)
9. There is some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for. (The Two Towers)
10. It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to. (The Lord of the Rings)
11. I will not say, do not weep, for not all tears are an evil. (Return of the King)
12. A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.
13. Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!
Some extras:
Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on? (The Hobbit)
Little by little, one travels far.
I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam. (The Return of the King)
Courage is found in unlikely places.
It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish. (The Lord of the Rings)
“What do you fear, lady?" [Aragorn] asked.
"A cage," [Éowyn] said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.” (The Return of the King)
Here's Tolkien reading from The Hobbit.
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 407th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. Not all those who wander are lost. (The Fellowship of the Ring)
2. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” (The Fellowship of the Ring)
3. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. (The Fellowship of the Ring)
4. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
5. Never laugh at live dragons.
6. Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens. (The Fellowship of the Ring)
7. The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater. (The Two Towers)
8. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. (The Fellowship of the Ring)
9. There is some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for. (The Two Towers)
10. It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to. (The Lord of the Rings)
11. I will not say, do not weep, for not all tears are an evil. (Return of the King)
12. A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.
13. Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!
Some extras:
Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on? (The Hobbit)
Little by little, one travels far.
I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam. (The Return of the King)
Courage is found in unlikely places.
It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish. (The Lord of the Rings)
“What do you fear, lady?" [Aragorn] asked.
"A cage," [Éowyn] said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.” (The Return of the King)
Here's Tolkien reading from The Hobbit.
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 407th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Tuesday, August 04, 2015
Monday, August 03, 2015
Windows 10 Part 2
Blah.
And Blah again.
Microsoft has utterly destroyed the desktop PC experience with Windows 10. It had mutilated it with Windows 8 and now it has completely screwed it up.
They also kind of lied. Early indications were Solitaire would be back, and free, without signing into an Xbox account.
That was the case for a day.
Over the weekend, I went back to look at Solitaire and there was a little Xbox symbol over it. To try to play, it wants me to create an Xbox account. I can play as "guest" (with ads) or I can pay $10 a year to play something that used to be for free. Here's a nice story detailing the Solitaire problem, as well as what privacy users see as a major fault in the program.
You know what? I can go to shockwave.com or games.com, where I already have accounts, and play solitaire without having to sign into an Xbox account that I don't want.
I think the big change with Windows 10 is that nothing, I mean nothing, is free now. You'll pay for the OS when you buy a computer, and then it'll probably want a subscription to keep you up-to-date.
They want you to pay $100 a year to use Office 365. Subscribe, subscribe, subscribe. Use the cloud, subscribe.
Screw that. Really? But I know millions of people and businesses will accept this new "licensing" purchase model, and that will be that. The rest of us will either have to go along or . . . maybe buy a MAC.
Because that is now my plan. To switch to a MAC the next time I need a computer, even if they do cost 5x more than a PC.
Don't get me wrong. This is still an improvement over Windows 8. But it's a backwards move from Windows 7. It's a move that takes the PC environment and tries to turn it into a smartphone.
My desktop isn't a smartphone.
There are people who like it, to be sure. It seems to work well on newer Surface devices, from what I've read. I have a first generation Surface and apparently it isn't going to update to Windows 10, at least, not yet. Maybe at some point. I don't use it much because I don't like Windows 8, and was surprised recently to turn the thing on and find it had updated itself to Windows 8.1.
It is early days yet, and I keep getting downloads. Maybe Windows 10 will improve over time. Maybe this morning I'm simply irked at Dell, which keeps telling me in a pop up message that now that I've installed Windows 10, the only way I can do a back up and restore disc is to pay them money for something else. But sorry, guys, I am not putting out more dough. If I have to restore this thing to the initial Windows 8.1 that came on it when I bought it two weeks ago, then so be it. But you will be getting a word or two from me soon about this, if nothing else so I can find out how to disable your stupid messages.
I wait to see what others says about Windows 10 over the next few months. Maybe in a few weeks, I won't hate it, either. Maybe by then I'll have worked out the kinks and figured out my concerns and rid myself of the irritations.
But for now, I wish I had Windows 7 back on a desktop.
And by the way, I might be in the market for an old MAC notebook, just so I can familiarize myself with the product. I've never used them, not even an iPad, so if you know of anyone selling, let me know.
And Blah again.
Microsoft has utterly destroyed the desktop PC experience with Windows 10. It had mutilated it with Windows 8 and now it has completely screwed it up.
They also kind of lied. Early indications were Solitaire would be back, and free, without signing into an Xbox account.
That was the case for a day.
Over the weekend, I went back to look at Solitaire and there was a little Xbox symbol over it. To try to play, it wants me to create an Xbox account. I can play as "guest" (with ads) or I can pay $10 a year to play something that used to be for free. Here's a nice story detailing the Solitaire problem, as well as what privacy users see as a major fault in the program.
You know what? I can go to shockwave.com or games.com, where I already have accounts, and play solitaire without having to sign into an Xbox account that I don't want.
I think the big change with Windows 10 is that nothing, I mean nothing, is free now. You'll pay for the OS when you buy a computer, and then it'll probably want a subscription to keep you up-to-date.
They want you to pay $100 a year to use Office 365. Subscribe, subscribe, subscribe. Use the cloud, subscribe.
Screw that. Really? But I know millions of people and businesses will accept this new "licensing" purchase model, and that will be that. The rest of us will either have to go along or . . . maybe buy a MAC.
Because that is now my plan. To switch to a MAC the next time I need a computer, even if they do cost 5x more than a PC.
Don't get me wrong. This is still an improvement over Windows 8. But it's a backwards move from Windows 7. It's a move that takes the PC environment and tries to turn it into a smartphone.
My desktop isn't a smartphone.
There are people who like it, to be sure. It seems to work well on newer Surface devices, from what I've read. I have a first generation Surface and apparently it isn't going to update to Windows 10, at least, not yet. Maybe at some point. I don't use it much because I don't like Windows 8, and was surprised recently to turn the thing on and find it had updated itself to Windows 8.1.
It is early days yet, and I keep getting downloads. Maybe Windows 10 will improve over time. Maybe this morning I'm simply irked at Dell, which keeps telling me in a pop up message that now that I've installed Windows 10, the only way I can do a back up and restore disc is to pay them money for something else. But sorry, guys, I am not putting out more dough. If I have to restore this thing to the initial Windows 8.1 that came on it when I bought it two weeks ago, then so be it. But you will be getting a word or two from me soon about this, if nothing else so I can find out how to disable your stupid messages.
I wait to see what others says about Windows 10 over the next few months. Maybe in a few weeks, I won't hate it, either. Maybe by then I'll have worked out the kinks and figured out my concerns and rid myself of the irritations.
But for now, I wish I had Windows 7 back on a desktop.
And by the way, I might be in the market for an old MAC notebook, just so I can familiarize myself with the product. I've never used them, not even an iPad, so if you know of anyone selling, let me know.
Sunday, August 02, 2015
Sunday Stealing: Shout!
From Sunday Stealing
Shout Out The Answer Meme
1. Do you shout out the answers at the TV while watching quiz shows?
A. Only for Jeopardy!
2. Do you get over-involved with TV or movie plots at times?
A. If it is a very good movie or TV show, I might.
3. What's the highest hill or mountain you've ever climbed?
A. The one in my head. Oh, you mean a real one? I don't know. I've been through the Rockies. I've walked up the Peaks of Otter.
4. Do you have a piggy bank?
A. I have a coin bank, but it is not a pig.
5. What's the fastest you've ever traveled in a car?
A. About 95 mph.
6. Could you ever hand milk a cow?
A. Yes.
7. Which was your favorite science? Biology, Physics or Chemistry?
A. How about geology or astronomy? I prefer either of those.
8. Have you ever had a surprise party? (that was an actual surprise)
A. Yes, for my 50th birthday.
9. Have you ever worn clothing with the labels/tags still attached?
A. I am sure I have, though nothing comes to mind.
10. Have you ever slipped on a banana skin?
A. No.
11. Are you scared of the dark?
A. Not generally.
12. Do you have a lawyer?
A. I know people.
13. If you had a paid year off, what would you want to do?
A. Save up the money.
14. How long did you last phone call last?
A. About six minutes.
15. Have you ever helped someone across the road?
A. Yes.
16. Have you ever been wolf whistled in public?
A. Not in a very long time.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
Shout Out The Answer Meme
1. Do you shout out the answers at the TV while watching quiz shows?
A. Only for Jeopardy!
2. Do you get over-involved with TV or movie plots at times?
A. If it is a very good movie or TV show, I might.
3. What's the highest hill or mountain you've ever climbed?
A. The one in my head. Oh, you mean a real one? I don't know. I've been through the Rockies. I've walked up the Peaks of Otter.
4. Do you have a piggy bank?
A. I have a coin bank, but it is not a pig.
5. What's the fastest you've ever traveled in a car?
A. About 95 mph.
6. Could you ever hand milk a cow?
A. Yes.
7. Which was your favorite science? Biology, Physics or Chemistry?
A. How about geology or astronomy? I prefer either of those.
8. Have you ever had a surprise party? (that was an actual surprise)
A. Yes, for my 50th birthday.
9. Have you ever worn clothing with the labels/tags still attached?
A. I am sure I have, though nothing comes to mind.
10. Have you ever slipped on a banana skin?
A. No.
11. Are you scared of the dark?
A. Not generally.
12. Do you have a lawyer?
A. I know people.
13. If you had a paid year off, what would you want to do?
A. Save up the money.
14. How long did you last phone call last?
A. About six minutes.
15. Have you ever helped someone across the road?
A. Yes.
16. Have you ever been wolf whistled in public?
A. Not in a very long time.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
Saturday, August 01, 2015
Saturday 9: Heartbeat
Saturday 9: Heartbeat Song (2015)
. . . because Cat recommended it
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) Kelly Clarkson is singing an upbeat song about falling in love. Think of your favorite love song. Is it about finding love or losing it?
A. Finding it and keeping it. Longer by Dan Folgerberg (my brother sang it at my wedding).
2) This song was co-written by Kara DioGuardi, who was a judge on American Idol. Kelly was, of course, the first American Idol. Do you watch Idol, The Voice, or America's Got Talent?
A. I do not watch any of those shows.
3) In this video, Kelly is blonde. Clairol based a famous ad campaign around the assertion that "blondes have more fun." Tell us another commercial catchphrase (it can be for any product at all).
A. Where's the beef? That's an old one - 1984 Wendy's ad. At my age, maybe it should be Help, I've fallen and I can't get up.
4) As a young girl, Kelly wanted to be a marine biologist. She jokes that she changed her mind after seeing Jaws. Tell us about a movie that really scared you.
A. Rosemary's Baby (the 1968 film, not the new version). In the movie, a pregnant woman thinks her husband has made a pact with their weird neighbors, believing he may have promised them the child to be used as a human sacrifice in their occult rituals in exchange for success in his acting career. I watched it when I was 10 and it scared the life out of me.
5) Kelly is very involved with NASCAR, performing at pre-race concerts and appearing at their Champions' Breakfast. Are you a race fan?
A. My husband is. He watches most NASCAR races. By default, I know more about the sport than I would otherwise.
6) Kelly is married to Brandon Blackstock, stepson of country superstar Reba McEntire. Are you a country music fan?
A. Not really. Pop country, or crossover country, maybe. There are some country songs that I remember from childhood and still sing. I listen to adult contemporary.
7) The Blackstocks have a baby girl, River Rose. In May, the family visited an Australian wildlife preserve and introduced her to koalas and kangaroos. Have you visited the zoo this year?
A. I haven't visited a zoo in 30 years.
8) Upon learning that she was getting criticized on Twitter for being "big," Kelly responded, "Say what you will. It's a free world. It doesn't bother me." How about you? Do you worry what other people think of you?
A. Of course I do. But not as much as I once did. I'm older now and it doesn't matter so much. Unfortunately, I have always had very thin skin and while time has aged it, it hasn't necessarily made it calloused.
9) She bid over $200,000 and won a ring that had once belonged to Jane Austen. (She doesn't have the ring, though; the British government banned its sale because it's a historic artifact and Kelly's money was returned.) She also has a first edition of one of Austen's novels. Who is your all-time favorite writer?
A. I cannot name a single favorite author. If pressed, I would have to respond with Tolkien, I suppose.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
. . . because Cat recommended it
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) Kelly Clarkson is singing an upbeat song about falling in love. Think of your favorite love song. Is it about finding love or losing it?
A. Finding it and keeping it. Longer by Dan Folgerberg (my brother sang it at my wedding).
2) This song was co-written by Kara DioGuardi, who was a judge on American Idol. Kelly was, of course, the first American Idol. Do you watch Idol, The Voice, or America's Got Talent?
A. I do not watch any of those shows.
3) In this video, Kelly is blonde. Clairol based a famous ad campaign around the assertion that "blondes have more fun." Tell us another commercial catchphrase (it can be for any product at all).
A. Where's the beef? That's an old one - 1984 Wendy's ad. At my age, maybe it should be Help, I've fallen and I can't get up.
4) As a young girl, Kelly wanted to be a marine biologist. She jokes that she changed her mind after seeing Jaws. Tell us about a movie that really scared you.
A. Rosemary's Baby (the 1968 film, not the new version). In the movie, a pregnant woman thinks her husband has made a pact with their weird neighbors, believing he may have promised them the child to be used as a human sacrifice in their occult rituals in exchange for success in his acting career. I watched it when I was 10 and it scared the life out of me.
5) Kelly is very involved with NASCAR, performing at pre-race concerts and appearing at their Champions' Breakfast. Are you a race fan?
A. My husband is. He watches most NASCAR races. By default, I know more about the sport than I would otherwise.
6) Kelly is married to Brandon Blackstock, stepson of country superstar Reba McEntire. Are you a country music fan?
A. Not really. Pop country, or crossover country, maybe. There are some country songs that I remember from childhood and still sing. I listen to adult contemporary.
7) The Blackstocks have a baby girl, River Rose. In May, the family visited an Australian wildlife preserve and introduced her to koalas and kangaroos. Have you visited the zoo this year?
A. I haven't visited a zoo in 30 years.
8) Upon learning that she was getting criticized on Twitter for being "big," Kelly responded, "Say what you will. It's a free world. It doesn't bother me." How about you? Do you worry what other people think of you?
A. Of course I do. But not as much as I once did. I'm older now and it doesn't matter so much. Unfortunately, I have always had very thin skin and while time has aged it, it hasn't necessarily made it calloused.
9) She bid over $200,000 and won a ring that had once belonged to Jane Austen. (She doesn't have the ring, though; the British government banned its sale because it's a historic artifact and Kelly's money was returned.) She also has a first edition of one of Austen's novels. Who is your all-time favorite writer?
A. I cannot name a single favorite author. If pressed, I would have to respond with Tolkien, I suppose.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Windows 10
So my new Dell was determined to upgrade to Windows 10 yesterday even though I had asked it to schedule the upgrade to today (Friday). Yesterday morning at 7 a.m. the computer began asking me to do the upgrade. I had a few hours before I had somewhere to be, so I hit "install now."
All was going well and then the power blipped. We've been having strange electrical outages for about a month now, usually at 10 minutes to the hour, as if something at the substation is cycling through and not working properly. I'm not an electrician, so I don't really know.
I have my computer on a battery backup so the computer stayed on. But the blip interrupted the internet signal and the next thing I knew my computer had reset itself back to Windows 8.1.
I was infuriated because the first attempt failed, having wanted a clean and untarnished effort, but the power blip was not Microsoft's fault. I think things like that come back to haunt you, though, with little trickles of data stuck someplace they're not supposed to be.
Windows 8.1 had problems and I was not a big fan. I have it on my MS Surface, which I rarely use because I find the OS frustrating. My Surface has not received any kind of notification about the update, so I am assuming it is stuck with Windows 8.1. It's a first generation product. After using Windows 8.1 on the PC, where I could figure it out, I was able to make more sense of it. But that OS is made for tablets, not a desktop.
And here is where Windows 10 also fails. Why does MS want to make everything work the same? A desktop is not a tablet nor is it a phone. Microsoft appears to want to force things to the cloud, ultimately doing away with the need for hard drives. I don't want my stuff in the cloud, thank you very much. My documents belong to me, not to Microsoft or anybody else. I have no illusions that at some point in the future, there will be proprietary issues over manuscripts and other intellectual property stored on the cloud. Written a best seller? You stored it in the cloud - now give Microsoft its cut. Maybe I am paranoid but that is what I believe will happen in a future closer than we think.
At any rate, after the first failed attempt, I tried again later in the afternoon and this time all went well. I spent several hours fiddling with the new OS to set up my "charms." There are still a few things I'd like to tweak but I can't find the way to tweak them, however.
So on to Windows 10. What do I like? I like that the start button is back, and it doesn't take me three steps to find the power button. I immediately turned off the much-touted Corona, which is supposed to be a helpful digital assistant but which to me was such an invasion of privacy that I would prefer to have the option to remove it completely, but do not.
Microsoft Edge doesn't work with Norton, yet, so I am still using Internet Explorer (also available). They put Solitaire back where you don't have to enter Xbox crap to play the game, but the update of the game is messy and I prefer the cleaner lines of earlier Solitaire versions.
All of the programs that I had installed a few weeks ago under Windows 8.1 work fine, including my outdated version of MS Outlook 2003, which I use for a calendar and contact list, along with Office 2007. I am not going to a subscription version of Office ever, which makes me think that at some point I will need to try out OpenOffice or some other word processing program.
Windows 10 comes with a calendar and I think a contact list is in Corona, but I haven't played with those items enough to determine if I will switch or not. The inability to "print" things, if there, is not immediately obvious and I am a print girl. I don't carry a smart phone or a tablet with me, I keep a little calendar in my purse, and I print out a monthly calendar to keep on my desk so I know where I am supposed to be. I am not changing my habits simply because Microsoft thinks I should.
My husband's computer has Windows 7 on it, and I dislike Windows 10 enough that I plan to not install the new OS on his computer. When he buys something new, he will have no choice but to switch, but for now Windows 7 is fine for what he does.
In fact, Windows 7 was fine for what I was doing, and I would, I think, revert back to Windows 7 if the old computer was still running. This new desktop tower came with Windows 8.1 and I knew when I purchased it about two weeks ago that I would upgrade as soon as I could. Windows 10 feels a bit like Windows 7 except junked up and things are hidden and buried. Microsoft obviously doesn't want you to make changes.
One thing that people don't seem to get about Windows is that it is still actually DOS based. I smiled a little when I found the old C:/ prompt, still hidden but available in all its glory. So "format c:/" is still something one could do, should the insanity to do so prompt such action. I daresay other DOS commands, most of which I have forgotten, are also hidden in there (I used to be decent at DOS but when Windows took over I gave up trying to keep up).
Because Windows is DOS based, still, it will never function without issues. That's the biggest difference between a Mac and a Windows-based computer. The MAC OS is completely different; it's not functioning as something that it's really not, which is what Windows does and always has done.
If I am wrong about my assumptions on that, I am sure someone will tell me, but that is my understanding of it.
At any rate, the verdict on Windows 10 remains a shoulder shrug. It's an improvement over Windows 8.1 but for a desktop, Windows 7 was cleaner and easier. After a few more weeks of use, I'll try to remember to report back with an update on what I think.
All was going well and then the power blipped. We've been having strange electrical outages for about a month now, usually at 10 minutes to the hour, as if something at the substation is cycling through and not working properly. I'm not an electrician, so I don't really know.
I have my computer on a battery backup so the computer stayed on. But the blip interrupted the internet signal and the next thing I knew my computer had reset itself back to Windows 8.1.
I was infuriated because the first attempt failed, having wanted a clean and untarnished effort, but the power blip was not Microsoft's fault. I think things like that come back to haunt you, though, with little trickles of data stuck someplace they're not supposed to be.
Windows 8.1 had problems and I was not a big fan. I have it on my MS Surface, which I rarely use because I find the OS frustrating. My Surface has not received any kind of notification about the update, so I am assuming it is stuck with Windows 8.1. It's a first generation product. After using Windows 8.1 on the PC, where I could figure it out, I was able to make more sense of it. But that OS is made for tablets, not a desktop.
And here is where Windows 10 also fails. Why does MS want to make everything work the same? A desktop is not a tablet nor is it a phone. Microsoft appears to want to force things to the cloud, ultimately doing away with the need for hard drives. I don't want my stuff in the cloud, thank you very much. My documents belong to me, not to Microsoft or anybody else. I have no illusions that at some point in the future, there will be proprietary issues over manuscripts and other intellectual property stored on the cloud. Written a best seller? You stored it in the cloud - now give Microsoft its cut. Maybe I am paranoid but that is what I believe will happen in a future closer than we think.
At any rate, after the first failed attempt, I tried again later in the afternoon and this time all went well. I spent several hours fiddling with the new OS to set up my "charms." There are still a few things I'd like to tweak but I can't find the way to tweak them, however.
So on to Windows 10. What do I like? I like that the start button is back, and it doesn't take me three steps to find the power button. I immediately turned off the much-touted Corona, which is supposed to be a helpful digital assistant but which to me was such an invasion of privacy that I would prefer to have the option to remove it completely, but do not.
Microsoft Edge doesn't work with Norton, yet, so I am still using Internet Explorer (also available). They put Solitaire back where you don't have to enter Xbox crap to play the game, but the update of the game is messy and I prefer the cleaner lines of earlier Solitaire versions.
All of the programs that I had installed a few weeks ago under Windows 8.1 work fine, including my outdated version of MS Outlook 2003, which I use for a calendar and contact list, along with Office 2007. I am not going to a subscription version of Office ever, which makes me think that at some point I will need to try out OpenOffice or some other word processing program.
Windows 10 comes with a calendar and I think a contact list is in Corona, but I haven't played with those items enough to determine if I will switch or not. The inability to "print" things, if there, is not immediately obvious and I am a print girl. I don't carry a smart phone or a tablet with me, I keep a little calendar in my purse, and I print out a monthly calendar to keep on my desk so I know where I am supposed to be. I am not changing my habits simply because Microsoft thinks I should.
My husband's computer has Windows 7 on it, and I dislike Windows 10 enough that I plan to not install the new OS on his computer. When he buys something new, he will have no choice but to switch, but for now Windows 7 is fine for what he does.
In fact, Windows 7 was fine for what I was doing, and I would, I think, revert back to Windows 7 if the old computer was still running. This new desktop tower came with Windows 8.1 and I knew when I purchased it about two weeks ago that I would upgrade as soon as I could. Windows 10 feels a bit like Windows 7 except junked up and things are hidden and buried. Microsoft obviously doesn't want you to make changes.
One thing that people don't seem to get about Windows is that it is still actually DOS based. I smiled a little when I found the old C:/ prompt, still hidden but available in all its glory. So "format c:/" is still something one could do, should the insanity to do so prompt such action. I daresay other DOS commands, most of which I have forgotten, are also hidden in there (I used to be decent at DOS but when Windows took over I gave up trying to keep up).
Because Windows is DOS based, still, it will never function without issues. That's the biggest difference between a Mac and a Windows-based computer. The MAC OS is completely different; it's not functioning as something that it's really not, which is what Windows does and always has done.
If I am wrong about my assumptions on that, I am sure someone will tell me, but that is my understanding of it.
At any rate, the verdict on Windows 10 remains a shoulder shrug. It's an improvement over Windows 8.1 but for a desktop, Windows 7 was cleaner and easier. After a few more weeks of use, I'll try to remember to report back with an update on what I think.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Thursday Thirteen
Recently I became a Downton Abby fan, scarfing up episodes like I was reading some fantastic novel. I'm just starting Season 5 so no spoilers, please!
One of the things that caught my eye in watching this show is the idea and notion of "class" amongst people. The show has an obvious upper and lower class (the wealthy Earl and Countess above, the servants below) but it is more intricate than that. The butler Carson, for example, is above all of the staff, putting him in a different class than say, the kitchen maid. There are tenant farmers, teachers, and shopkeepers, all of whom have their own type of working class. As the show progresses, there seems to be a growing middle class.
Here in the United States, many people think we are a "classless" society, but I personally do not believe that. It is a nice thought, but all one need do is walk around to see that we are indeed a land full of various classes of people.
At any rate, I thought it would be interesting to see what kind of classes I could come up with for the U.S. I went to Wikipedia, source of all Internet knowledge, if not real information, to come up with a list.
1. Upper class. This includes the wealthy 1 percent that we hear talk of, the owners of Walmart and the Koch brothers, Bill Gates and others who have millions or billions to toss about. This class can be divided into a the upper-upper class and the lower-upper class. I leave you to imagine what that might entail.
2. Inherited wealth class. While rightfully part of the upper class, those who inherit wealth, born with that silver spoon stuck in their ear and all that, are more along the tradition of the English Earls as portrayed in Downton Abby. They differ greatly from the nouveau riche, people who came into money through some other fashion, either work or the lottery or whatever.
3. Corporate elite. These folks are the top executives of big companies, major stockholders, and others who rule the business world.
4. Professional/managerial class. Also called the upper middle class, this class consists of the folks who are highly educated working in largely self-directed positions. These people value higher education and include physicians, lawyers, and professors.
5. Middle class. This has become a catch-all and nobody is actually sure what comprises the Middle Class in the U.S. Some say it would be middle management, clerical staff with degrees, paralegals, and others who are loosely supervised.
6. Lower middle class. These folks work in supporting occupations. Here you find folks in good paying jobs who don't necessarily hold degrees.
7. Working class. Much like lower middle class, the working class people are the "blue collar" joes who probably constitute much of the workers of the nation. They are food service people, construction workers, etc. They may also be considered the working poor.
8. Underclass. These would be the very poorest people in the land, the homeless and others whom certain members of the higher classes disdain and completely ignore.
9. Farm workers. Sociologists place agricultural workers into two different classes, with the farm workers being the lowest class. These are the apple pickers of the world, without whom we would all starve.
10. Farmer. A person in this class would generally own and operate a farm.
11. We also divide people by racial class, whether we mean to or not. While generally speaking, class has to do with income level in the U.S., class also varies not only by race but also by etiquette, education, and professions. I believe we also divide people by health, including weight (obesity), disabilities, looks, dress, and other devices, some of which are subconscious.
12. This is straight from Wikipedia: "Class ascendancy—namely that each successive generation will have a higher standard of living than its predecessor—is a central theme in American literature and culture and plays a key role in the American dream. While social class in the United States is thought to be largely based on achievement, on a relative basis social mobility in the United States ranks below many other countries, and climbing the social ladder is more difficult for those born into less advantageous positions.
Occupation (perhaps the most important class component), educational attainment, and income can be increased through a lifetime. However, factors such as wealth inheritance and local education system—which often provides lower quality education to those in poor school districts—may make rising out of poverty a challenge. Class mobility in the United States decreased between the 1970s and the 1990s coinciding with the rise of Liberalism."
13. Do you think about class? Do you think inequality between the classes is important and should be rectified? Is it a good thing? Do we need to have people who are above and/or below others? Do you think the U.S. has a class system in place, or are those who believe we are a classless society correct?
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 406th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
One of the things that caught my eye in watching this show is the idea and notion of "class" amongst people. The show has an obvious upper and lower class (the wealthy Earl and Countess above, the servants below) but it is more intricate than that. The butler Carson, for example, is above all of the staff, putting him in a different class than say, the kitchen maid. There are tenant farmers, teachers, and shopkeepers, all of whom have their own type of working class. As the show progresses, there seems to be a growing middle class.
Here in the United States, many people think we are a "classless" society, but I personally do not believe that. It is a nice thought, but all one need do is walk around to see that we are indeed a land full of various classes of people.
At any rate, I thought it would be interesting to see what kind of classes I could come up with for the U.S. I went to Wikipedia, source of all Internet knowledge, if not real information, to come up with a list.
1. Upper class. This includes the wealthy 1 percent that we hear talk of, the owners of Walmart and the Koch brothers, Bill Gates and others who have millions or billions to toss about. This class can be divided into a the upper-upper class and the lower-upper class. I leave you to imagine what that might entail.
2. Inherited wealth class. While rightfully part of the upper class, those who inherit wealth, born with that silver spoon stuck in their ear and all that, are more along the tradition of the English Earls as portrayed in Downton Abby. They differ greatly from the nouveau riche, people who came into money through some other fashion, either work or the lottery or whatever.
3. Corporate elite. These folks are the top executives of big companies, major stockholders, and others who rule the business world.
4. Professional/managerial class. Also called the upper middle class, this class consists of the folks who are highly educated working in largely self-directed positions. These people value higher education and include physicians, lawyers, and professors.
5. Middle class. This has become a catch-all and nobody is actually sure what comprises the Middle Class in the U.S. Some say it would be middle management, clerical staff with degrees, paralegals, and others who are loosely supervised.
6. Lower middle class. These folks work in supporting occupations. Here you find folks in good paying jobs who don't necessarily hold degrees.
7. Working class. Much like lower middle class, the working class people are the "blue collar" joes who probably constitute much of the workers of the nation. They are food service people, construction workers, etc. They may also be considered the working poor.
8. Underclass. These would be the very poorest people in the land, the homeless and others whom certain members of the higher classes disdain and completely ignore.
9. Farm workers. Sociologists place agricultural workers into two different classes, with the farm workers being the lowest class. These are the apple pickers of the world, without whom we would all starve.
10. Farmer. A person in this class would generally own and operate a farm.
11. We also divide people by racial class, whether we mean to or not. While generally speaking, class has to do with income level in the U.S., class also varies not only by race but also by etiquette, education, and professions. I believe we also divide people by health, including weight (obesity), disabilities, looks, dress, and other devices, some of which are subconscious.
12. This is straight from Wikipedia: "Class ascendancy—namely that each successive generation will have a higher standard of living than its predecessor—is a central theme in American literature and culture and plays a key role in the American dream. While social class in the United States is thought to be largely based on achievement, on a relative basis social mobility in the United States ranks below many other countries, and climbing the social ladder is more difficult for those born into less advantageous positions.
Occupation (perhaps the most important class component), educational attainment, and income can be increased through a lifetime. However, factors such as wealth inheritance and local education system—which often provides lower quality education to those in poor school districts—may make rising out of poverty a challenge. Class mobility in the United States decreased between the 1970s and the 1990s coinciding with the rise of Liberalism."
13. Do you think about class? Do you think inequality between the classes is important and should be rectified? Is it a good thing? Do we need to have people who are above and/or below others? Do you think the U.S. has a class system in place, or are those who believe we are a classless society correct?
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 406th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
These Dreams
Last night, I dreamed I was attending a local town council meeting, along with several other reporters. I don't recall what was so important that it required a slew of media, but one item on the agenda caught my eye.
It read, "What to do about Anita."
When the item came around, the members excused themselves without reading any kind of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) notice (the law requires members of a governing body to cite the FOIA code before entering any closed session).
Another reporter asked me if I knew what they were doing. "I don't know, except they are violating FOIA," I replied.
Council returned. On a motion they declared me persona non grata, and said I was no longer welcome to attend or to write about any of their meetings.
"You have caused nothing but trouble with your reporting," the mayor said. "You find the things we don't want the public to know and tell them about it. Please leave at once and never return."
"You can't do that," I replied. "You made that decision illegally, in an unannounced closed meeting. You just violated the law."
"See," said the mayor. "That's just the kind of thing you do that we don't like. You make us follow the FOIA rules. Nobody else cares what we do. Now get out."
I began arguing more and two deputies came in, grabbed me by the arms, and began dragging me out of the room.
I woke up in a sweat, literally drenched. Even my hair was wet.
______________
Now, you may wonder what prompted such a dream. I suspect it came about because I am no longer freelancing for the local newspaper. I have done that for the last 30+ years of my life, but my doctor and physical therapist convinced me that I needed to stop. Attending four-hour meetings, devoting my life and time to intense government conflict, seemed to make my health issues worse. I'd kept a pain chart for the last several months and it was noticeable how the pain increased when I worked.
To be honest, my doctor told me almost two years ago to stop working, and I didn't listen. I didn't do as much, but I didn't stop writing for the newspaper.
Now I have.
The dream also reflects my dismay with the state of the news in general. These days our media are filled with reports that are full of lies and deception. Mostly, the "news" now is entertainment, things written to play on emotion and not intellect. We have become a society guided by emotional, thoughtless turmoil, reacting to the latest screeching of the day. Last week it was a restaurant owner who yelled at a kid. This week it's a dentist who killed a lion. But do we do anything or read about things that matter? Where are the stories about abject poverty, the struggles of the single mother or father, the real unemployment numbers (today's numbers don't reflect people who have given up), or the real state of the economy.
No, our media has given us a false world, full of illusion and drama, in order to keep us from watching what is really going on. It is not the government that doesn't want you to know - it is the rich and powerful individuals and corporations who want to change the government who don't want you to know what is going on.
Secrecy is a detriment to democracy. It is how plutocracies and oligarchies come to be, and how fascist regimes rise to power. When citizens stop paying attention, and when those who represent the citizens such as the former Fourth Estate (aka news media) cease doing their jobs, then you have a rupture in the system. Through this rupture slithers greed, malice, and contempt. Once those have taken over - and they have already taken over - then it's all over but the shouting.
That is a lot to get from one little dream. But real dreams are dying every day, and those are the things the newspapers and media are not reporting. Little by little, democracy is dying every day.
It read, "What to do about Anita."
When the item came around, the members excused themselves without reading any kind of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) notice (the law requires members of a governing body to cite the FOIA code before entering any closed session).
Another reporter asked me if I knew what they were doing. "I don't know, except they are violating FOIA," I replied.
Council returned. On a motion they declared me persona non grata, and said I was no longer welcome to attend or to write about any of their meetings.
"You have caused nothing but trouble with your reporting," the mayor said. "You find the things we don't want the public to know and tell them about it. Please leave at once and never return."
"You can't do that," I replied. "You made that decision illegally, in an unannounced closed meeting. You just violated the law."
"See," said the mayor. "That's just the kind of thing you do that we don't like. You make us follow the FOIA rules. Nobody else cares what we do. Now get out."
I began arguing more and two deputies came in, grabbed me by the arms, and began dragging me out of the room.
I woke up in a sweat, literally drenched. Even my hair was wet.
______________
Now, you may wonder what prompted such a dream. I suspect it came about because I am no longer freelancing for the local newspaper. I have done that for the last 30+ years of my life, but my doctor and physical therapist convinced me that I needed to stop. Attending four-hour meetings, devoting my life and time to intense government conflict, seemed to make my health issues worse. I'd kept a pain chart for the last several months and it was noticeable how the pain increased when I worked.
To be honest, my doctor told me almost two years ago to stop working, and I didn't listen. I didn't do as much, but I didn't stop writing for the newspaper.
Now I have.
The dream also reflects my dismay with the state of the news in general. These days our media are filled with reports that are full of lies and deception. Mostly, the "news" now is entertainment, things written to play on emotion and not intellect. We have become a society guided by emotional, thoughtless turmoil, reacting to the latest screeching of the day. Last week it was a restaurant owner who yelled at a kid. This week it's a dentist who killed a lion. But do we do anything or read about things that matter? Where are the stories about abject poverty, the struggles of the single mother or father, the real unemployment numbers (today's numbers don't reflect people who have given up), or the real state of the economy.
No, our media has given us a false world, full of illusion and drama, in order to keep us from watching what is really going on. It is not the government that doesn't want you to know - it is the rich and powerful individuals and corporations who want to change the government who don't want you to know what is going on.
Secrecy is a detriment to democracy. It is how plutocracies and oligarchies come to be, and how fascist regimes rise to power. When citizens stop paying attention, and when those who represent the citizens such as the former Fourth Estate (aka news media) cease doing their jobs, then you have a rupture in the system. Through this rupture slithers greed, malice, and contempt. Once those have taken over - and they have already taken over - then it's all over but the shouting.
That is a lot to get from one little dream. But real dreams are dying every day, and those are the things the newspapers and media are not reporting. Little by little, democracy is dying every day.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Monday, July 27, 2015
The Baptism
My niece and my sister-in-law received their baptism in the James River in Buchanan on Sunday afternoon. They have been attending Fincastle Baptist Church for about 18 months.
Fincastle Baptist Church has a long history in Botetourt County. It was founded in 1831 and up until 2005, the ministry was located in the town of Fincastle. The congregation now worships in a large new facility on the outskirts of town.
The church is lead by the Reverend Kevin Cummings.
The river was quite busy Sunday afternoon with people canoeing, floating, and swimming.
Fincastle Baptist Church has a long history in Botetourt County. It was founded in 1831 and up until 2005, the ministry was located in the town of Fincastle. The congregation now worships in a large new facility on the outskirts of town.
The church is lead by the Reverend Kevin Cummings.
The river was quite busy Sunday afternoon with people canoeing, floating, and swimming.
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| The pastor readies his flock for their baptism. |
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| My niece, Zoe, getting ready to be baptized. |
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| Zoe going under. |
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| Coming up, anew. |
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| Getting out of the water. |
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| My sister-in-law, Dina, with the pastor. |
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| Dina going under. |
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| Dina rising up, born again. |
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| Leaving the water. |
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| Dina, Zoe, and my step-mother after the event. |
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| My nephew, Trey, looking on. |
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| My father and husband, also watching. |
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| My father and nephew. |
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| My brother and step-mother. |
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| My niece, my sister-in-law, and my brother |
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| Dina receiving a congratulatory hug. |
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| My brother and nephew. |
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| Dina, glowing. |
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| My niece and her father. |
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| My husband, my father, my stepmother, and my brother. |
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