Bloggers Who Refuse to Write in English and Other Inexplicable Events

Someone (else) is following this blog...

2012-01-24T16:52:00.000-08:00

Hello Richard. This blog has been up for years(?), and no one but my friend from Austin ever pays attention to it. And that's only when I tell him to.

Welcome anyway.

Moonbot does it with Flying Books

2012-01-24T16:37:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to a hometown art and animation studio - got an academy award nod for this:

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

Hendra in Dogs in Austrailia?

2011-07-26T03:37:00.000-07:00

It was reported this morning (July 26, 2011) that Hendra antibodies have been found in a dog in Australia.

This is a virus carried by fruit bats that is most often fatal in horses, and can be passed to humans. It is not known if dogs can pass the disease to humans. Horses that survive this virus are put down, while any horses exposed to them are also killed, to keep this from spreading.

Most human beings who have had this virus have died. A variant has killed many in Malaysia (CDC, USA).

You can find out more about this in any Australian online news source, such as:

Scientists Baffled by Hendra Dog

Dogs can enter the United States fairly freely (USDA).

Image: Nipeh virus, source CDC

I stole this from Time Magazine

2011-06-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

I make up my own "BAD" Christmas gift lists each year, but Time* has given me a break, and made this video of not-so-good Mother's Day gifts. Saved me time, gave me a no-brainer post, and ... I stayed up past my bedtime to put this on the web.

Civilization must be near its end.

I suggest you read the book, "Amusing Ourselves to Death" to get a handle on the 21st century. If you look at this link, notice the price for a hardcover - is it gilded? Got mine free at the library (um, I pay sale taxes, so not entirely free).

*Maybe not Time, but a link that was related (as least temporally) to something I was reading on the Time website. In other words, stolen from (fill in the blank). Well, all I'm sure of is that I stole it. It did have an embed code. I'm not that clever.

Thinking about unicorns again

2011-05-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

I can't put this on my other blog, but I find it bizarrely funny. By way of the faintingchicken, Scary Ideas "Serenading Unicorn".

You remember the band that wore those beehive hats? Add little boy and unicorn.

The image is of actual unicorn figures that you can buy from Wildlife Treasures. When I was young, I collected horse figures, and they were great fun to play with. These are handmade with goat fur! They're not very expensive (I found this site by accident) - keep this in mind for the young lady you know who is crazy about horses.

I mean, these folks aren't paying me anything - I just like them.

The FBI doesn't need this anymore

2011-05-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

They'll be taking this off the web soon.

Murder of U.S. Nationals Outside the United States; Conspiracy to Murder U.S. Nationals Outside the United States; Attack on a Federal Facility Resulting in Death

USAMA BIN LADEN

Multimedia: Images

Aliases:

Usama Bin Muhammad Bin Ladin, Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin, The Prince, The Emir, Abu Abdallah, Mujahid Shaykh, Hajj, The Director

DESCRIPTION

Date(s) of Birth Used:	1957
Place of Birth:	Saudi Arabia
Height:	6' 4" to 6' 6"
Weight:	Approximately 160 pounds
Build:	Thin

Hair:	Brown
Eyes:	Brown
Complexion:	Olive
Sex:	Male
Nationality:	Saudi Arabian
Language:	Arabic (probably Pashtu)

Scars and Marks:	None known
Remarks:	Bin Laden is left-handed and walks with a cane.

CAUTION

Usama Bin Laden is wanted in connection with the August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. These attacks killed over 200 people. In addition, Bin Laden is a suspect in other terrorist attacks throughout the world.

REWARD

The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Usama Bin Laden. An additional $2 million is being offered through a program developed and funded by the Airline Pilots Association and the Air Transport Association.

SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS

If you have any information concerning this person, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.

Field Office: New York

Poster Classification: Most Wanted Terrorists

Christmas 2010 comes but once a year!

2011-04-29T22:40:00.000-07:00

I seemed to have missed it, but maybe this list will do for 2011. If we make it that long.

Alternatively, this may be a collection of gifts you are happy you did not give, and are taking solomn vows to avoid at all costs.

1. Purse that looks like a spider

I do not like spiders. Seeing one makes me act ... like a girl. It's embarrassing. So who might like such a gift? Someone majoring in entomology? Wrong! A spider is not an insect. They are too gross, and so have been given their own species classification.

The "cute" spider purse:

Strangly, or not, this picture was from the site stupid.com, although this purse really is on sale at Amazon.

The real thing: horrible and squashable:

2. Nun bowling set

The following is a blurb for this thing I found somewhere. I don't know where now.

Get the bowling habit with this irreverent mini kit! Join the biggest, baddest bowling team since the legendary "Hell's Angels" and take part in the ultimate bowling tournament of good versus evil.

(somehow I doubt that)

With this kit, you'll get to bowl for Beelzebub and hurl his hellfire. Send praying nuns rolling for the win!

(ah, this is what you want to do? Really? Want to think about it for awhile?)

The back of this hilarious mini kit is perforated to punch out, allowing the player to attach the enclosed bowling aisle and create the real look and feel of a bowling alley.

(ya think?)

Contents include: ten praying nun pins, one Satanicfireball, bowling aisle, pencil and a 32-page book.

(is it a very complicated game?)

I don't recommend it, but it's as sensible as a joy buzzer or a whoopee cushion.

Let us hurry onward.

3. Asian Fashions

I like this boutique. Honestly. I think some of these fashions are ultra-feminine, and stunning.

Find them at:
Panache Boutique

4. Disney Hannah Montana Pink Flower Radio Wrist Watch with Headphones
I'm having a hard time imagining this.

It's only six dollars. I cannot vouch for the quality of its manufacture.

5. Attractive House with garage in Flint, Michigan, Ebay, $1,125.00 USD
This will be unavailable by the time you read it, but you can find many other desirable residences on ebay.

Comes with garage, at no extra charge. What a deal.

Even if you had to rebuild this from the foundation up, the price is right.

6. A James Bond type car: Koenigsegg CCX.

You may never have heard of this vehicle. You don't know anyone with enough money to buy it. Stripped down, it starts at a half a mill. Is financing available? Have you seen Repo Man?

7. Briggs and Stratton Elite Series 4 Gallon Twin Stack Electric Portable Air Compressor

Normally, I don't recommend buying gifts you understand nothing about. But husband/boyfriend gifts - that's a whole 'nother category. I choose this one for its red color, as well as the two convenient air outlets for compressing air in - you might say it is multi-tasking. From Sears, who fixed my washer with a completely new motor and did not charge me a cent. Of course they didn't. The thing was brand new. However, service was prompt, informative, friendly ... I like Sears.

Can't find it on the Sears site anymore. Get any attractive air compressor - I'm sure he'll like it.

8. God, please forgive me. A rifle, for the older (very mentally stable) female children on your list.

A lovely single shot 22 rifle, in an appealing color. Your youngster won't be complaining about how "plain butt ugly" all that camo hunting gear is! From the Gun Source.

Is this the Sarah Palin influence? Don't know. Please lock it up when not in use. Do not give the key to your teenager. Put the key in a safe deposit box at a bank. Forget which bank you put it in.

There. Now I feel better.

9. Bullets in primary colors

I found this too astounding to leave out.
Worse than the Choke-a-Duck from last year.

Attractive, huh? Please do not buy these. I will feel horrible.

10. Exotic Pets

A flat lizard, colorful but useless. Your children may take good care of it for two days, but that would be stretching it. Ditto most other such animals, which will die, or be relegated to some wildlife sanctuary that I will support with money I would much, much rather spend on something other than your stupidity.

Oh, I, uh, ...

I hate to offend people.

However

I meant every word. On to the next -

11. Possible historic photo

Baby in incubator, 1958. Greenville, NC From the East Carolina University Digital collections.

One of the first incubators? I don't know, but it is a weird, and therefore, interesting picture. Might go great in your den, library, or nursery.

That's it for this year (or last year).

Let me publish this thing, and see if any of the links still work. Merry post-Christmas!

Outer Limits

2010-11-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

Photo: William Shatner in the Outer Limits. He's everywhere!

Because my Thanksgiving get together has been put off for several days, I am watching some movies and old tv shows -

I don't think I'll ever make it through the first season of "The Outer Limits" - was it on every day? The discs are two-sided, more than six hours apiece.

Twilight Zone is my favorite of that genre (I'm working my way through those also). I've noticed these things about "Outer Limits", filmed in the early 60's:

1. Men wore their pants very high - the older the man, the higher the pants. It looks remarkably odd. Charleton Heston wore high (belt-less) pants in Soylent Green, but well, he looked great in them.

2. Women get to be scientists - even mathematicians! At this point in history, it is usually taken for granted that they're working with their scientist husband, or they haven't married the (male) scientist they work with, but they'd like to. In one episode, there is even a woman of color, who is some sort of professional. -wow-

I'm not down on marriage. Marriage is wonderful - a holy relationship. Get married!

3. The aliens are always awful ugly - I mean, plum plain. Big eyes - popular. Why can't aliens be unspeakably beautiful, in some foreign sort of way? Huh? I don't know. We had to wait for Star Trek - although their aliens were often ugly, they were valued occasionally.

4. These ugly aliens were discarded, burned, otherwise ignored when they had to be killed - which was most of the time. Were they too disgusting to study? I don't know.

5. The special effects were not all that bad ... sometimes. Considering what they had to work with, and the fierce schedule television shows adhere to.

6. Women never wore pants.

7. Grace Lee Whitney was a semi-regular. "Controlled Experiment" is the BEST episode. Martian gets enamored with nicotine and caffeine, and love. Simply done (film runs back and forth, slow motion, etc), but very effective.

7. That's it. If something else comes up, I'll add it.

This is actually a random thoughts entry on another of my blogs, but I haven't updated this one in so long, it's making me feel bad.

My Christmas gift selections will be posted soon, I hope.

Username Hall of Fame

2010-03-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

2 fries shy of a happymeal

Will add more as I find them. Happened to see this guy (or gal) make a comment, and knew I should record it for ... my own enjoyment when my memory starts going. In which case, I can enjoy it over and over, if I can figure out how to get to this blog.

A Horror Meme, aka...

2010-03-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

Something easy to write about.

Enbrethiliel gives me an update for (whatever) species of blog this is.

1. What’s the best scene (a.k.a. scene that scared the crap out of you) in a horror movie?

Almost any part of Jaws. Don't tell me that a Great White that refuses to go away, eats boats, and finds children especially delectable is not supernatural in some way. Beach vacations - never been the same.

2. Who hangs out in the scary dark corners of your basement (Nobody, I know, but if someone did)?

The water table is too high where I live for basements, but my younger brother, who lives in the Midwest, has one. It gives me small goosebumps with no one in it. I am of the opinion that there should be a law against them (except as tornado shelters). BUT. If I were to foolishly move into a house with one, the clown from IT (Stephen King) would undoubtedly reside there. I read this story three times in a row - and it's a long novel - because I just knew it was a story of fall and redemption, but so under the radar that it took multiple attempts to let that idea coalesce.

Now I added this later, which I am wont to do, but it took numerous tries to get the spell checker to write "undoubtedly" correctly - because I can't spell - and I do think this could be the beginning to a good horror story. A murky beginning, and reminds me of the short story of the unlikable fellow whose possessions turned against him.

3.Who writes/wrote the best ghost stories?

Ray Bradbury. Not known as a ghost story writer, but surely some of his Martians qualify. Although, sometimes, it is not the ghosts who are the scariest characters, but the humans.

4. What was the last book you read that made you want to check all the locks on your doors?

Things from horror stories can get through your doors - it is futile to attempt to lock them. You see? I am thoroughly indoctrinated.

5. Have you ever been spooked while listening to music?

In the movie The Mist (filmed where I live), "The Host of Seraphim". Can only listen to it if I sprinkle holy water about the room first.

6.If you had to be the victim of a mythical monster, who would it be?

I can't think of a creature exactly like this, but a mermaid (siren)-vampire combination, which would give me the opportunity to actually become a mermaid and have an eternity long tour of all the wonders of the ocean. Also, I don't think Great White Sharks bother mermaids, and certainly not mermaid-vampires. See #1.

7. Were you afraid of the dark as a child?

I was not afraid of the dark until around the 6th or 7th grade, which is when I was able to first think about living in the vicinity of nuclear weapons, the Cold War, and "is that the sound of our Air Force, or theirs?". I would only think about this at bedtime. I don't know why I didn't think I was going to be rendered a carbonized shadow when the sun was shining, but I didn't. Nuclear weapons are, for me, scarier than any horror movie or book. Which is why I classify A Canticle for Leibowitz as more horror than SF.

But, as with most people I know, I try not to think about it.

8. What do you most like in a good horror story?

A new twist, as in Frankenstein revisited by Koonz or Stefan Brijs, The Angel Maker.

Spielburg, I'm Not

2010-03-11T17:58:00.000-08:00

Rudy Vallee with some depression era pictures a friend sent me. My first YouTube video. Not very good, but we all start somewhere.

In that it is my first, it is on every internet site I have access to. Ha!

Poke

2010-03-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

Poke

Is a Puzzlement

2010-03-04T15:09:00.000-08:00

Vesna krasna, 1883, allegorical prints on the occasion of the coronation of Alexander III of Russia. You figure out the rest.

I like them. I wish I could have blown them up more, the detail is interesting.

But they are a puzzlement.

Whilst

2010-02-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

A free flowing examination of my favorite word, whilst, from the internet.

1. Whilst seems to be a word most often used by the British, but I am fond of seeing it written and spoken (with the proper accent). I don't say it myself, because I empathize with this contributor to The Urban Dictionary (I would sound ridiculous):

Whilst
A highly pretentious word used by people who try to sound intellectual.

When visiting this link, either improve or degrade your vocabulary by adding such terms as whimpletudonous.

2. Then there's the person whose blog is called Whilst. Description: "Whilst you were busy, I was doing this". Which could be true.

3. Nicolas Cage Punches A Woman Whilst Wearing A Bear Suit
In a movie said to be a re-make of Wicker Man. I don't remember any bear suits in the original, but it was a creepy movie.

4. Words that rhyme: discalced. Really?

5. "I would sincerely regret, and which never shall happen whilst I am in office, a military guard around the President."
Andrew Jackson

6. Guinness World Records television - Most cans scooped whilst driving on two wheels

7. The Phrase Finder - What is to me an incredibly long discussion on "is there any logic to using the word whilst", and so on. Certainly a cut above this post, but very odd.

8. From Wikimedia, Proposal: Prohibit people from using the word "whilst" in English Wikipedia
Why? "Whilst is too hard for younger people and North Americans to understand." Consequences: "If anyone is caught using whilst in their edit of an English Wikipedia article, they should be banned for 3-5 days." Harsh. I wonder if this proposal is from the same person who composed the definition for The Urban Dictionary.

9. " Look what arrived in the mail whilst I was away on Twitpic - a lovely blend of the old and new." Twitpic?

10. Business Brief: Claiming Holiday Whilst Off Sick

Good example of using whilst while dropping "a" and "the" and the like, as the British (and Canadians) do -
Not "the like" of course, I just put that there.

11. "Why can't the English learn to speak" - with subtitles in one of those other languages.
Begs the question, why couldn't Rex Harrison learn to sing? Probably doesn't contain the word whilst, but it's one of my favorite movies.

12. " If you use the word "whilst," the right is the passing lane."
A discussion on some problem with a Prius (this is apparently an automobile).

13. And last, from a British soldier, "This is a wee video I made of some clips I got whilst serving in Iraq." A nicely put together video, but nothing is funny about it. Sorry. War is hell, always has been, always will be. You can take that to the bank, whilst pondering the perpetual sad state of the world.

Hallucinogenic Insights

2010-01-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

Julian Trevelyan, Leningrad, The Tate

British Surrealist, and member of the "Industrial Camouflage Research Unit", a group of young painters trying to do their civilian bit during WWII. Unfortunately, he admitted, they had not flown much, and knew very little about deception from a "plane's eye" perspective. However, this post is not about his art, or his patriotism.

Julian consumed mescaline (under medical supervision!) three times, and received this revelation of universal beauty:

I had, under Mescalin, fallen in love with a sausage roll and with a piece of crumpled newspaper from out of the pig-bucket.

A far better warning concerning drug use than "Just Say No".

Mescaline may also be spelled without the ending "e", according to a British dictionary.

While I'm at it, I came across the work of William H. Johnson, an American artist. This is Midnight Sun in Lofoton.

It must be admitted. This entire post is another excuse to display pictures I like - I do that for videos too. The quote from Trevelyan found in A Genius for Deception: How Cunning Helped the British Win Two World Wars by Nicholas Rankin. An interesting book, with names you know scattered everywhere, from Chesterton's brother to Ian Fleming.

Wherein I Cheat Horribly

2009-12-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

"On the domestic front, the struggling Chrysler Corp. declares bankruptcy, but its CEO confidently predicts the company will come back “bigger, better and stronger than ever” thanks to its 2010 product line, spearheaded by the all-new Dodge Despair..."

And more of Dave Barry's year end look at 2009. Far better reading than anything you will find here.

Christmas Challenge

2009-12-16T10:55:00.000-08:00

Whether you celebrate Christmas as a religious or secular holiday, sometime in December you may find yourself faced with the challenge of finding a gift - any gift - for the "hard to buy for". If your entire list is made up of such folks, no one on earth can help you. However, I have some suggestions from various sites on the web that may be helpful.

Dinosaur Tooth

You might think this sort of item needs to be handed over to your local university, but maybe they have drawers overflowing with the things. My liberal arts education did not cover this. Still, it's a charming idea for anyone on your gift list interested in old bones and such. No, I don't know what the "such" would encompass, and I don't want to think about it.

Get one (or more) at Two Guys Fossils. Also on ebay.

Ecopod Coffin

One should attempt to "be ready" for that inevitable event, and for the earth-lovers on your list, this may be a terrific idea. Wrapping could present a problem. It may be biodegradable, and I have no information about shelf life if stored in the garage - and your friend's life could be unusually long.

I can see how someone might take this the wrong way, but then you would have one less person on your list next year. Ecopod coffin

DanceDanceRevolution

DanceDanceRevolution, a Wii product from Konami Games. Possibly an incentive to exercise, could be a pre-teen sort of product, not sure, as the screenshot looked like this (left), yet features among other songs "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross. Possible targets: friends and family with poorly controlled ADHD.

Choke-a-Duck

I certainly apologize for not having a source available for this product, as I found it on a German museum's web site. Obviously, it is/was sold somewhere. Try ebay.

You may wonder what type of exhibit this may be - their site is confusing, but it could be part of their Bad or Evil Things showing. I know, sounds desperate.

If you are fond of someone who might enjoy opening a gaily wrapped package with this... poor duck inside (conceived by a soul who was under the influence of ... strange museum exhibits), you should consider including a gift card from a good counselor.

2 lb. Wire Spool

Men are so hard to buy for, aren't they? Do they get tired of sweaters, cologne, and 200 piece tool sets? Probably. I should ask one.

This spool really caught my eye. Hefty and industrial (as well as different). For "fabrication and repair of lightweight structural steel" whatever that means. I'm sure he'll think of a use for it - fixing the washer when it breaks or something. Find it on Amazon by US Forge (doesn't that sound manly?).

The Scream Key Fob

I cheated, as this is another exhibit from that German museum, but is not hand-made or one of a kind. While it is a fascinating painting, I don't know that I'd like to look at it everyday. But someone might like to do that.

Particle Board Bedroom Set

An entire bedroom (dining room, living room) in particle board, the wood product I use most often in my tastefully decorated home.

Wholesaled from Singapore at the link I provided, you may have to search around to get the stuff locally.

I cannot even tell the difference between my more solid wood furniture and particle board concoctions until at least 6 months have passed. But maybe there are products being made of this (what is it, anyway?) that will survive to be auctioned at Sotheby's 200 years hence, and I've been on the cheap end. Think?

Happy holidays to you and yours.

A text item from MSNBC: Gifts people received that were better left ungiven

Scientific Freezing Data

2009-12-02T02:45:00.000-08:00

Not a post on foreign blogs, but a foreign concept. Did you see the movie "The Day After Tomorrow" several years ago? I did. An incredibly cold front(?) moves into New York and the buildings freeze - rather slowly - from the top down. Slowly enough that people can outrun it - eventually into a library, where they hide out in a small room with a fireplace and burn books for warmth. Is a fireplace adequate for, say, -273 degrees F? I think that's as cold as anything gets.

But anyway, people who are extremely talented sprinters can run about 27 miles an hour, and I don't think this is fast enough to escape this descending weather system.

Well, the rain does hit the top of my house before reaching the ground, so there might be something to consider. But I don't think so.

The Day After Tomorrow - New York Begins To Freeze From Above | | SPIKE.com

Finnish Alcohol Consumption in China: A Moralistic Tale

2009-09-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Matkalla maailmalla - Traveling Around the World

A blogger from Finland, in China, possibly on a business/holiday. After dinner one day, he goes to have a beer at a local bar. While one would think he would pay for it and then enjoy his evening, that is apparently not the custom at this establishment. A game is played - and I certainly wonder if it was the Chinese who were the overall winner. However, the game was so odd, it is hard to tell.

As he tell is, "The Finns, at this stage would have already started drinking beer, but the Chinese ordered mugs and dice and playing cards on the table. Juoma pitää ansaita. Beverage to be earned. Pelattiin peliä, jossa jokainen vuorollaan ravistaa mukissa kuutta noppaa ja katsoo silmälukujen summan sekä sanoo aloitus luvun esimerkiksi 8. Played in a game where every turn, shake the dice cup, and considers the six figures, the sum of eye and says, for example, the start of Chapter 8 Seuraava jatkaa lukuja eteenpäin 9,10,11(max. 3 numeroa, voi myös välissä vaihtaa suuntaa tai hypätä vuoron yli). Next to continue forward in numbers 9,10,11 (max. 3 digits can also switch between the direction of turn, or jump over)." Very clear.

As this became boring after a time, and perhaps the patrons of this bar were not winning a sufficient number of drinks, another game commenced. "(a) similar game was such that everyone was given the name (for example, Jack, Larry, etc.). Aloittaja sanoi, että "Larry juo!", sitten Larryn nimellä pelaavan piti sanoa, että "Larry ei juo!", Sitten aloittaja kysyi "Kuka juo" ja Larry vastaa esimerkiksi, että "Jack juo!", Jack vastaa että "Jack ei juo!" Poster said, "Larry drink!", Then playing under the name Larry meant to say that, "Larry does not drink!", Then asked the instigator, "Who drinks," and Larry is responsible for example, that "Jack drink!", That corresponds to Jack "Jack did not drink! "

And so it was that this Finnish man and his Chinese drinking companions began to name themselves Larry and Jack (there's an etc., so I guess there were many more names of this sort). I take this as a sure sign that it was time to stop drinking.

He did, eventually: "We returned back to the apartment around midnight, and I liked the links still home to Finland." Must have received some emails from home.

The moral of this story: Gambling and drinking (together) are questionable pastimes, particularly when they involve playing dice and changing your name. But after a few beers, who cares?

The Fab Four from Afar

2009-08-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

Abcdario musical de Chinelinho

I have hit the jackpot. A Portuguese blog, roughly musical artists A-Z from different eras, with The Beatles - Photo Gallery. The posts go on and on - use the main link to see them in succession. John, Paul, George, and Ringo, to your heart's content. I can't tell you anything about the author (other than he or she has excellent musical tastes) because I can't find a profile link. No other translation is necessary, and I simply must refuse to demean the Fab Four by any further comment.

Indulge yourself further at the Beatles Picture Gallery

Spirits of Despondency, Food, and Felines

2009-08-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

It is a distressing fact of life that one is hard-pressed to distinguish Spanish from Portuguese (to be honest, all languages aside from French and English). Anticipating my needs smartly, Google will provide this service at Translate - Text and Web. Copy and paste any text, and select "Detect language" from the first drop down box. Handy.

Gotowanie na gazie, a blogger page in Polish, a nation that has known some hard times. The title translates "Natural Gas". Not the sort found in the ground, I assume, although it is difficult to make valid assumptions. It may (take this with a grain of salt) be of a philosophical/spiritual bent. I'd like to see that sentence translated into Polish.

Which is what I did, although I first translated it into French, "Il mai (prendre avec un grain de sel) soit d'un point de vue philosophique et spirituelle pliés", and all things French sound profound (I won't go into that). Perhaps I'll start writing things at random and translating them (by way of a soul-less machine) into French as an exercise in raising my self-esteem.

From French to Polish, it comes out "Może (przyjmować tego nieufnie) być filozoficznym / duchowe zakrzywiona." I find this uncomfortably concise for a language known for it's excessive use of letters.

It comes back perfectly in English. I think Google cheated.

Back to the Polish language post, "Shadows", which may even be an accurate translation, as it is accompanied by a textured flat sort of object with ... shadows. The first entry:

"These are the days when man awakes to zaodraz and feel that it is missing something. Like him who odjął hand. Like a shadow you put God on him. As if the world ended and it was not possible to extend the subscription."

Due to the excellent inadequacies of Google translate (without which this blog would not be possible), I am free to make a number of wild guesses. First, of course, the whole "feel" of this (it is good to translate by feel also), is that this fellow detects something missing from his life. Being righteously presumptuous all over the place, let me state that this is common to all of mankind. I have done my share of waking up and wondering. One difficulty with his statement: he awakes to "zaodraz".

No problem. In Serbian, the root (well, the first three letters) translates to "evil". He awakes in a discomfited state, one that goes far beyond the fact that he has not brushed his teeth that morning. We don't do that sort of thing in our sleep. We can know the intensity of this state, being "as if the world ended", and having let one's subscription run out.

I know you think I have gone too far by switching inexplicably from Polish to Serbian, but they are both Slavic languages. According to Wikipedia anyway, that indispensable source for the hurried who are not all that interested in accuracy. As though I would go to the library to look this up.

Now over my lifetime, I have subscribed to a number of things, including magazines like "Time", which despite its title, does not have the profound implications of world obliteration, either personal or actual.

Following down, comments appear concerning shoes and cottages and discouragement, ending with:
"I do not like, do not like."

I can imagine. I wouldn't like it either.

It seems worth my while, I suppose because my whiles are idle at the moment, to look at further posts. Ah, the blog appears to be about cooking, although there is a section on cats. As I have not deteriorated into complete dementia (yet), these sections do not seem to be about cooking cats, which brings my spirits up several notches.

Everything becomes more cloudily clear when I see that he has recently purchased a stove that cooks with natural gas, and he is presenting his favorite snack recipes, pictures of his (or a) cat, and has had at least one morning in which he pondered the meaning of life. His blog is of a blooming eclectic nature.

Could be wrong about that. Although it could be a useful blog for those who wish to make a narobiłem sauce for their ice cream, if you are willing to invent every ingredient.

The picture may be found at Photobucket. Someone spent considerable time (if they have my meager talents at such things) creating this, and I would certainly love to give them credit. I think I may have to plunk down some cash and subscribe to a photo site where I can be reasonably certain that I am not appropriating (er, stealing) someone's work.

Silliness and Sorrow

2009-07-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Communicate @ Ten: Safety and Appropriate Use of ICT - a website using a really neat template - I've never seen this one before. How do I know the title when it's written in (insert some language here)? It has a translation widget, of course.

Enough seriousness. Back to being silly.

Propoleros del Mundo

No matter how you slice this, it translates into "Propoleros the world." I only hope that's nothing obscene. There are only two entries so far, but they are good ones. June (or July) 28th, 2009: "medieval de aqui" (medieval water) turtles - a picture that speaks for itself. I have always been fond of medieval water turtles, in a distant sort of way.

You too?

And then on June (or July) 9th, two dogs, one black and one white, with their forepaws over one another's shoulders, against a fence - you gotta see this. It really is quite a striking picture. Since I seriously love dogs, and it's seriously a neat picture, have a look.

Beats the ancient water turtles.

Mo(t)saiques - a blog from my dreams. In French, a language I should know something about. First, I took French for two years when I was 15 and 16 (the perfect age to acquire a language, n'est pas?). The American standard for bilingual education. Second, I live in Louisiana, where many, many people speak French (or a form thereof). None of them, however, speak it to me.

The title of the article of interest is - "Harry Patch ne denoncerna plus ce "crime organise". I hardly think Harry Patch is French, and it sounds to me like he is denouncing organized crime, but the post seems to be about WWI, and the pictures are wonderful (and terrible, as such pictures must be).

Along with the mostly indecipherable commentary (they are memories of soldiers, and full of words about terror and death - I guess that's enough to know), the author reproduces that extraordinary poem by John McCrae - the last time you read it may have been in high school. It was high time I heard it again, myself.

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Photo from a wonderful website, World War One Color Photos

Sincere and Foreign

2009-07-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

This very interesting site will soon be posted about (or upon) just as soon as I figure out it's title. Won't be long. Could be soon.

Um Novo Cantico Soltando O Verbo

Okay, I'm ready now. An analysis of this blog would be useless without having some idea what the title means. Unfortunately, Soltando does NOT appear to be a word in a language on this earth, according to Google. I've known Google to be wrong, but he has a lot of memory, you know?

Solitas (and other related words) came to mean alone or solitary in our language. We'll go with that definition, because it's getting late. Verbo refers to Jesus Christ, as the Word (and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us). Cantico may mean song, or canticle. Novo looks sufficiently like new, and I feel inclined in that direction. Um and O are useless.

Therefore, it works out to be: A New Song to the Only Word, or more comprehensively, The New Song to the Only Son of God, the Word made Flesh. But that is unwieldy, as the author obviously knows, and therefore he sensibly named his blog Um Novo Cantico Soltando O Verbo.

I've mentioned the blog twice, and given the writer a compliment. That should cut down nasty remarks by half, I hope.

What attracted me to this blog was the picture (This is your cue to look at the web site). As I was skimming through blogs, I originally thought this was something about worshiping demonic things - one sees a distressing amount of that on the web. Brings to mind ancient temples (more or less). However, I think this is a depiction of the throne of God, angels singing, and maybe the martyrs seated around it, along with - not the horseman of revelation but four winged animals - or three winged animals and a winged human shaped being - and again, it is far too late in the evening for me to seriously figure this one out.

Look down a bit (on the site). There's a picture (maybe of the author) wearing a t-shirt that says (in English!) "I belong to Jesus".

Praise God. This is some sort of Christian website. There is also an article concerning (I think the odds are in my favor) humility, but illustrated (cutely) with a snake about to devour a bug. This would make sense, surely, if I could read it.

Um Novo Cantico Soltando O Verbo. A blog by a fellow who loves Jesus. More power to you, brother. Next time, put a Google translate widget on your sidebar. Thanks.

Images: Hscript.com

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