My interesting blog!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

2014-08-11T20:20:00.000+02:00

Tragedy as a marketing tool.

Today I saw a clip on BBC news website that set off a thought process. What do you expect from a news site? The news of course, a lot of which is tragic, showing people at their worst as far as cruelty and greed are concerned, namely our inhumane treatment of each other, occurring across religious and national divisions.

The piece was about the rise of the so called Islamic State. The problem was that the report was somewhat remote from news as such in that it was a dramatization with dramatic music in the background. By dramatizing the story the news value was depreciated. It aso served in some way to glorify bad news and more than likely encourage those about whom the story was created. In the end it ceased to be news. We only need the facts without the dressing.

I have little patience with tragedy being used as a marketing tool.

Farting dog cure.

2014-07-09T16:26:00.000+02:00

Many modern dog foods are created in such a way so as to produce a smelly wind problem. Purely by accident I discovered a solution to the problem,

I feed our dogs pellets and usually add chicken gravy to make the food a little more interesting. It does the job of encouragement to eat but is no help with smelly wind.

Last Sunday my wife prepared a pea and ham-bone soup. On removing the bones and other offcuts we put them in another pot and boiled for roughly two and a half hours, producing a nice thick gelitonous gravy. About half a cup of the gravy is added to each meal. That is all it takes. I think it is the fat content type thet makes the mixture work so well, reducing volume and velocity of the whiffy wind.

The only problem is that we do not make the soup every Sunday. That may need to change.

Nostalgia

2014-05-04T10:47:00.001+02:00

The pic was produced from a neg of a shot that was taken around 1968. I decided to scan a few of my old negs and came across this one, given to me by my girlfriend of the time. The digital reproduction is not perfect, but I find the image more than satisfying, brings back a flood..

BBC News - China and Japan: Seven decades of bitterness

2014-02-14T11:21:00.001+02:00

BBC News - China and Japan: Seven decades of bitterness

I find this most disturbing in that the only real connection between then and now is the word Japan. Most of those who participated in the atrocities or inaugurated them are dead and gone. How can a current populace be blamed for an incident or incidents that happened so long ago? Are current leaders looking for a scapegoat to use as a reason for rabble rousing and gaining a following? It seems like it.

If anybody at all has a credible answer, please give it.

The Beatles-While My Guitar Gently Weeps

2013-12-15T18:13:00.001+02:00

John Lennon - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

2013-12-15T13:02:00.001+02:00

The so called gap between the rich and the poor.

2012-01-10T20:48:00.001+02:00

Who is creating the so called yawning gap between rich and poor?

The answer to that question must come from the poor themselves, or those who consider themselves to be in some way economically disadvantaged. They form a large group, a group that has collectively massive spending power, coupled with the desire to appear prosperous. There is no better way to do that than spend money that you do not have, driving up the demand for 'stuff'. Manufacturers sense this demand and they produce so that the so called poor can have what they want, at a price of course. Everbody should be happy.

But everone is not happy.

There are a few that blame the wealthy, but how can they be responsible when the demand is feasibly created by the so called poor, by spending money they do not have. Blaming the rich is a scapegoat. The situation is compounded further by the multitude of things that are considered necessary, the smart car, the big TV, the out of reach home and the wardrobe stuffed with clothing that is hardly ever worn.

The wealth gap seems to be caused not by the rich, but the unreasonable demands of the poor.

Time unfinished

2011-11-08T08:51:00.001+02:00

Time is a rush
Also stands still
Make the most of it
Take your fill

Smile you can
Brightness found
In step
Come around

Sleepless, yet again.

2011-10-18T01:48:00.000+02:00

I awoke to the sound of the dog snoring loudly and wondered what the time was. Surely near dawn? Wide awake I glanced at the curtained window and convinced myself that it was a shade lighter outside, but curiously no birdsong. The sound of the snoring dog seemed louder now. Sleep was remote so I steeled myself to rise in order to check the time.

One in the morning. I prepared a banana snack together with a slice of buttered bread, to be followed by a cup of tea and a cigarette. Fortunately this wakefulness only occurs once in a blue moon. The only regret I may have is the dead tired feeling tomorrow, which I will try and control with supplements, tea and coffee.

Am I tired? Is my brain functioning? Is that the cold I feel? Should I be here when I have to try and think of ways to fluff out this piece? No, I do not think so.

I am off to bed.

Departmental efficiency

2011-10-16T10:39:00.002+02:00

Main road , Walmer, Port Elizabeth runs to a dead end about half a kilometer or less from the road sign, a sign that warns of a bumpy surface that endures for twenty kilometers. The surface of the road is slighly bumpy, and I can walk the distance in five minutes.

Makes one wonder, does'nt it!!

Ever hopeful.

2011-10-11T00:33:00.001+02:00

Whenever there is something I think I have but cannot find, there is a mess in a room at the back that I climb into with the idea of tidying up, hoping to find the elusive object. In this way there is the prospect of finding what I want, as well as finally achieving a tidy area. I enter the room with a large empty paper bag, hoping to fill it with junk for the scrapheap. This objective is never achieved. I tend consider things at length before putting them in the bag, and plenty of stuff remains out of the bag.

The result is the mess as seen above. Will this state of affairs ever improve?

Malema supporters rioting.

2011-08-31T20:25:00.000+02:00

This is typical of the have-nots being stirred in order to satisfy one man's lust for power. It may begin as a fair game but results in the carnage of riotous crowds, rubber bullets and teargas. And what for?

To drag all down to that level where immediate desires may be fulfilled but ultimately many suffer when investment and confidence leave the country, potential development evaporating into thin air. Surely common sense confirms this

The fine line between youth and children is proved by these actions to be very fine indeed. Children need discipline. The point though is that traditional circumcision and the later 21st birthday promotes to adulthood. In this case these protesters are not youths, but should be conducting themselves in an adult manner. It can be concluded that these 'youths' are being held back by the likes of Malema, to his own ends.

Considering the above in no way can the youth league be referred to as such, seemingly populated by adults. Malema himself left his youth behind more than a decade ago. He is off the pace in more ways than one.

Joe Rotheray

2011-08-18T09:04:00.001+02:00

Joe Rotheray

The use of such a facility is outdated and painfully slow, especially when SARS, in spite of having our user friendly email address, use it.

What the wife said:

2011-08-11T10:12:00.000+02:00

Block the hole

Why?

I do not want the bird coming in.

What if I want the bird?

No, leaves stuff behind.

What stuff?

Baby bird, and what a mess.

Oh!

Lice as well.

I tell you what, if it is a starling, she goes, but if it is a hoopoe, we keep it.

Whatever you say, just get on with it.

Our friend Malema!!!

2011-08-09T20:33:00.000+02:00

Malema's tender bonanza: News24: South Africa: News

Sounds like a true capitalist to me, but without fairness thrown in
for good measure. The backward drag is such a pity.

On occasion some children seem to refuse to learn.

BBC News - Are you being served?

2011-07-23T08:57:00.000+02:00

BBC News - Are you being served?

I must admit that when you walk into some shops you are met with complete disinterest by staff concerned, and that does not encourage you to make your purchase at that particular shop. The problem is especially exasperating when staff are employed on the basis of colour and not of skill. It is the willingness to assist, not forgetting the smile, that achieves the desired result.

The above applies to all sectors of economic activity from top to bottom. The tendency is evident in South Africa, and doubtlessly elsewhere, where services both public and private have taken a dive. It is akin to a child who has a favourite colour, he will take the green one because the colour is right, in spite of the fact that he knows that the blue one will work better.

I guess it is up to what the employer wants. If he wants his business or public service to thrive, he will employ the correct tools to maximize efficiency.

joe_rotheray's photostream

2011-07-08T20:08:00.001+02:00

joe_rotheray's photostream on Flickr.

My collection of images on Flickr.

Settlers Park in Port Elizabeth

2011-06-03T16:24:00.003+02:00

Port Elizabeth’s Settlers Park in 1984 when there seemed to be some hope of beautifying the area as a place to indulge in some of the wonders and pleasures of nature.

Follow this path anticipating what may be seen around the next bend.

Occasional flooding adds excitement and nature's subtle changes to the area.

Down there it was a forest of fun.

Pleasure for the family.

And then our Parks department decided to renovate with the wholesale removal of many of the trees. At the final stages of this removal, it was decided that ring barking was a good method to use for the killing of the trees. Unfortunately, this is a slow process. Furthermore, the remains are not removed when life is gone, but left standing, not exactly adding to the attraction of the area. How long term is this project?

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Night

2011-02-06T00:12:00.001+02:00

I am not used to being struck with the inability to sleep. It is 11.45 pm and just had two slices of bread slathered with butter and home- made tomato jam. Following that a cup of Yorkshire tea. I dreamed of very large meat pies, not sure I ate them though.

I am told the temperature reached 38 degrees centigrade today, extremely hot. I think it has been raining solidly for the past 3 hours, high humidity at the moment.. We have been waiting for the rain for a fair while. Maybe at last the drought is to be broken. The rain can be heard coming down at a rate, an almost forgotten sound, the swishing of passing cars through the water in the street.. Seemingly the humidity refuses to abate. We may have another flood on the way, in spite of what the forecasts say, an average of 30 degrees over the 6 forthcoming days.

Well, cannot sit here all night. I have finished my snack and the tea. I am off to bed and hopefully sleep as well.

Spam on Facebook.

2011-01-08T22:20:00.001+02:00

There is a continuing problem with spam on Facebook and this pic is an example. One needs to watch for the contents of the sharp section in the accompanying screenshot within this note. The red x's mark the entry. If you click it you are led to a black screen which invites you to prove that you are human. This thing first appeared on my page about six weeks ago and I was almost tripped up. I had to change all my passwords. The original post was bogus, that was confirmed by the friend who was supposed to have posted it.

I came across the same posting on two friends FB pages and managed to delete the one. The other is said to be deleted but I still pick it up on my pc. To me this can be serious.

Unfortunately, and this is most annoying, it is difficult to report the problem to Facebook admin. Searching for a 'contact us' facility sends one around in frustrating circles. I now know how to climb a wall with no movement whatsoever.

If anyone knows how to get the message through to Admin, please copy and paste this note and send it on.

Lastly, if you come across a post that you are unsure of, delete it.

Save that Bra

2011-01-06T10:10:00.000+02:00

All is peaceful. My wife is relaxing in front of the television and I am in my favorite spot, in front of my computer, engrossed. Suddenly a black face is peering at me in the doorway, Baxter, with a flesh coloured bra clenched between his teeth. Damn the dog.

It is normally a frustrating procedure to persuade the dog to relinquish 'his' possession. He retrieves, but on his own terms. If I put my hand out, he'll pull back. If I chase him I'll be left for dust. On the other hand my wife does not want any holey modification to her underwear. I suddenly have a bright idea.

Jumping up I yell, "bra alert," and make a dash for the garage, Baxter hammering after me, still clenching his prize. I grab the mower and wheel it quickly onto the grass. He wheels around, dropping the bra. More fun to be had chasing me pushing the mower. I grab the opportunity and run to pick up the garment. There, no holes, just dust and dirt.

Baxter's adrenalin is pumping now, circling the mower at a pace, trying to out-bark the noise he thinks will be made when I start the engine. I push the mower back into the garage and the dog loses interest.

Thank goodness, another bra saved.

One of my Gripes

2010-12-27T12:20:00.002+02:00

Some while back a haphazard plan was hatched to 'improve' the look of our valley by eliminating alien invaders, a fair number of gum and pine trees. Our parks department started felling them and leaving the fallen remains in place. Not too bad, considering that the remains would take approximately seven years to rot.

This killing of trees was done in stages, set a number of years apart. There were three stages, the last of which was the laziest. The decision was to ring bark and leave them to die; birds would be left at least somewhere to perch was the justification. The twigs are still there now, unattractive to bird life and an eyesore.

Strictly speaking it is a beautiful area , especially after heavy rain when the river comes down in flood, a pleasant hike if you do not mind getting your feet wet, or just a pleasant walk during drier periods. The only problem is the long term neglect of our valley, one aspect in particular.

At various points of entry the walker is confronted by a sign that warns of danger ahead, the possibility of being mugged. The sign goes on to indicate that the walker should be one of a group, safety in numbers I presume.

Of course there is no inclination to try and remedy the situation now for whatever reason. The only time improvements may be made is when a tourist is injured or loses his life as a result of mugging.

My interesting blog!: Ten Times the Child

2010-12-19T17:17:00.000+02:00

My interesting blog!: Ten Times the Child

Ten Times the Child

2010-12-19T10:38:00.001+02:00

My dog is a brat, a bit like me. I use the hoover to suck up dust from our wooden floors. As soon as I fetch the machine, Baxter goes into hyper-naughty mode. He knows I am about to clean the house.He dashes outside and fetches a stick which he brings inside and proceeds to chew into little pieces, leaving dust and gooey chewed bits on the floor. I sigh and fetch the broom to sweep up the larger pieces that he has so inconsiderately left lying around.

I then start the hoover and proceed with the task that I rather enjoy. Next, wet wipe with a mop, and as I begin Baxter brings a dusty stone inside with a look of glee, more dust and dirt. I finish the wet wipe and restart the hoover to suck up stony dust, Baxter padding around, his beady eye on me, looking for the main chance.

Eventually Baxter seems to realize that he is not going to get the playful reaction he wants, and thankfully calms down.

Is mine a dog's life or what?

In favour of trees.

2010-12-08T15:18:00.001+02:00

Trees are life and they add it with their presence, lifting your mood as well as providing shelter from the elements, be it wind, rain or shine. They attract birds, adding more life to the atmosphere, never mind bird pooh here and there. If it bothers, you can always wash the car.

Compare two areas, one with trees and one without. The one with looks fulfilled and complete, the other looking a tad barren, possibly lifeless.

Children in an area planted with trees would benefit by having some of the wonders of nature on their doorstep. They would also be provided with the absolute fun of tree climbing, the thrill of climbing to the highest point and being able to see far and wide, also the pleasure of telling mother afterward that she need not have worried, 'I didn't fall'.

Trees add to and fill the picture, enhancing that homely aura, completing the feeling that there is more to life than just simply living it.