tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31369352024-03-13T17:49:58.007+01:00....but I digressramblings, ravings, rantingsbritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.comBlogger208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-21857545514422449412022-11-18T18:52:00.003+01:002022-11-18T18:52:58.243+01:00My Alpha and Omega Twitter ExperienceSo, I never really did get into Twitter, I don't think I could ever actually communicaate anything of importance in what was it, 22 characters? Anyways, Twitter is a flaming dumpster right now and I thought it would be a good time to archive all my tweets here for posterity.There are only 9. I did at one time click on some people who I thought might be funny to follow, but then I never logged in, sent all my email notices to spam and really only noticed anything twit related when it was embedded in some other article/posting.
Twitter March 2009 - November 2022
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">oh crap...sucked into twitter.</p>— crsp (@chrispiet) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrispiet/status/1304717121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2009</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I am completely assured that no one will ever follow me on Twitter.</p>— crsp (@chrispiet) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrispiet/status/1315832273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2009</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">going out for a walk...again.</p>— crsp (@chrispiet) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrispiet/status/1341811550?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2009</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">listening to the rain and traffic on Lee High Road</p>— crsp (@chrispiet) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrispiet/status/4687164284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2009</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">logging in here cuz my life is lame</p>— crsp (@chrispiet) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrispiet/status/5832533127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2009</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">best to tweet something before the end of the world</p>— crsp (@chrispiet) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrispiet/status/281702705808961536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">also I need more crap things to do on the internet apparently</p>— crsp (@chrispiet) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrispiet/status/281702847366713344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Stolen iphone morgen streich Basel :(</p>— crsp (@chrispiet) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrispiet/status/303563245648744448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/JustStop_Oil?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JustStop_Oil</a> Stop throwing soup, black liquids etc at works of art, maybe make a SPLASH on the REAL perpetrators, BP, SHELL, EXXON and OPEC governments and their minions.</p>— crsp (@chrispiet) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrispiet/status/1592784351707553792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
NB. About that last tweet to the JustStop Oil idiots....After seeing them glue themselves or throw something yet again to a piece of ART for no apparent reason I thought maybe I'd vent because ...goddamn are they stupid or what? Want to make capitalists stop fucking over everything, maybe go throw some paint on the corporate offices (or officers) of those who are responsible. What did poor Vincent ever do to deserve this? Or maybe the kida are just confused because the art is OIL paintings???
Then again, perhaps I got a goose from the impending downfall of Twitter .
britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-401205741067992862011-07-01T12:34:00.002+02:002011-07-01T12:37:11.874+02:00<span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Happy Canada Day !<br /><br /><object height="390" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/th-WDf42rG0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/th-WDf42rG0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="390" width="640"></embed></object><br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">My 'national anthem'. </span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;" ></span><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-5371410287804250812011-06-16T19:35:00.007+02:002011-06-16T20:26:32.072+02:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Bite Me<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So instead of reading a blog about the wonderful holiday I had in London last weekend; meeting up with an old friend and our exploits at Gordon's Wine Bar, the Veuve Cliquot Champagne bar at Harrods and how much fun we had, you get to find what happens when I get bit by insects in Switzerland.</span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-family: trebuchet ms;">I love all things Swiss, if you've ever read anything here, you know this is true. I've adjusted to the change in climate, food, culture with great ease for the most part (and yeah, maybe a few pounds). But Swiss insects,like mosquitoes and horseflies seem to have some unusual properties that my body cannot handle. Keep in mind, I'm from Canada. I grew up in Manitoba and have been bitten by mosquitoes the size of sparrows, I've survived multiple wasp bites, bee stings and one very nasty bite from a black widow spider (while living on the Wet Coast) without much more than some ice and calamine lotion. Also 'the itch' from Clear Lake on so many occasions during my childhood, I should be scarred. But no, I am Canadian, little biting black flies and dense clouds of mosquitoes don't phase me.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-family: trebuchet ms;">The first summer here, my arms were covered in swollen red oozing bites that I attributed to spiders in the new house. The second summer, after having gone back to Canada and been bitten by both Albertan and Manitoban bugs with no horrendous reactions, I was amazed to return home and watch a simple mosquito bite turn into some large, red, owwy mass that took days to subside. Last summer, I dragged out the Deep Woods Off and basically coated my arms, legs and face every night before I went to bed.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yesterday I was cleaning the pool and got bit by a horsefly. This is what my thigh and knee looked like this morning, even after icing it for hours last night.</span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3g7MCFd7oFA/TfpI9R0mgGI/AAAAAAAAA78/pQ0Qs75ZgpM/s1600/thigh%2Bbite"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3g7MCFd7oFA/TfpI9R0mgGI/AAAAAAAAA78/pQ0Qs75ZgpM/s320/thigh%2Bbite" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618883702691364962" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gmY4-TKlrGE/TfpI9tJ10DI/AAAAAAAAA8E/mKDrX2Hdv_I/s1600/knee%2Bbite"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gmY4-TKlrGE/TfpI9tJ10DI/AAAAAAAAA8E/mKDrX2Hdv_I/s320/knee%2Bbite" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618883710028206130" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YrFnAYNKe8M/TfpI96CkZLI/AAAAAAAAA8M/Noy8j6N9KRc/s1600/knee%2Bcomp"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YrFnAYNKe8M/TfpI96CkZLI/AAAAAAAAA8M/Noy8j6N9KRc/s320/knee%2Bcomp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618883713487365298" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-family: trebuchet ms;">In desperation I took some Benadryl today, all the while knowing that antihistamines are like dropping (bad) acid for me. I get woozy, see little trails of light and basically feel worse for the cure. Then I went and passed out for 4 hours. I still feel achy and weird, but the swelling has gone down a bit and the bites don't look quite so angry.</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></span></div>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-85349486107601189002011-06-07T18:29:00.003+02:002011-06-07T18:31:28.550+02:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">For Dani<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S3RYQlEAy_4/Te5SCZDke_I/AAAAAAAAA7c/FbercjW7AGU/s1600/xlg_plastics.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S3RYQlEAy_4/Te5SCZDke_I/AAAAAAAAA7c/FbercjW7AGU/s400/xlg_plastics.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615515986416663538" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Just a thought.<br />via <a href="http://www.boingboing.net/">boingboing</a><br /></span><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-47749755340647242972011-06-02T19:17:00.003+02:002011-06-02T19:22:32.984+02:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">No Matter What You Do, Be Amazing !<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fS65yyw-zec" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">via <a href="http://tumblr.thedailywh.at/post/6070307750/early-bird-special-no-matter-what-you-do-be">thedailywhat</a></span><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-79072890990891885802011-05-25T16:31:00.017+02:002011-05-25T17:53:56.957+02:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Summer Fun</span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ack! Has it really been almost two months since I've posted ? And it looks like squatters have been in here while I was away.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">* kicks the empty beer cans into the corner, wipes away some cobwebs*</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ahem. Yes, well, what have I been sooo very busy doing that I couldn't even stop in and drop a line or two? It all started with the very early arrival of summer this year. Seriously, since the beginning of April, we have had maybe 3 days with rain and temps above 20C everyday. And with the arrival of summer, I was compelled to deal with some VIP's. </span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Very Important Projects.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The first of these was dealing with the terrasse, which I let slide into some state of disrepair and stainage last year.</span></span></span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i0ooMQSMNok/Td0U482CeaI/AAAAAAAAA6I/mCKOgBbYDjw/s1600/IMGP3916.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i0ooMQSMNok/Td0U482CeaI/AAAAAAAAA6I/mCKOgBbYDjw/s400/IMGP3916.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610663679411517858" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DDQyHv8LgV0/Td0U5R_BH_I/AAAAAAAAA6Q/ER76jtDm5xE/s1600/IMGP3926.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DDQyHv8LgV0/Td0U5R_BH_I/AAAAAAAAA6Q/ER76jtDm5xE/s400/IMGP3926.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610663685086322674" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:78%;" > <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Before</span>                                                            </span></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >After</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br />Once the entire terrasse had been swept and power washed, we had the 70 year old Ungaro (yes, we ARE equal opportunity employers!) come in and repair all the cracks and spalling grout,despite his fervent wish that we replace the entire terrasse with SMOOTH rock.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Then there was this bit of street side property that has been a weed and nettle infested eyesore since we moved in.</span></span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br /></span></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H4nMiymN6kw/Td0WqCmdhoI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/dcp3tNQYuEQ/s1600/IMGP3914.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H4nMiymN6kw/Td0WqCmdhoI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/dcp3tNQYuEQ/s400/IMGP3914.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610665622282012290" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />This required the accumulation of some rocks:<br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XdkND19qCvs/Td0XUja1PfI/AAAAAAAAA6o/4NQsddpyEdg/s1600/IMGP3912.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XdkND19qCvs/Td0XUja1PfI/AAAAAAAAA6o/4NQsddpyEdg/s400/IMGP3912.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610666352646110706" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A-7j-ibRds8/Td0XUDivhmI/AAAAAAAAA6g/mehoPB0X3Hc/s1600/IMGP3913.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A-7j-ibRds8/Td0XUDivhmI/AAAAAAAAA6g/mehoPB0X3Hc/s400/IMGP3913.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610666344089355874" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ut5KnNAo3I/Td0YtFA9goI/AAAAAAAAA6w/cAThHaunNaM/s1600/IMGP4047.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ut5KnNAo3I/Td0YtFA9goI/AAAAAAAAA6w/cAThHaunNaM/s400/IMGP4047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610667873492894338" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Weeds begone...</span></span> </span>                                                             <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >Eh, Voila!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Now if that wasn't enough there was another thorn in my side that had been poking at me since we moved in, this slope:</span><br /><br /></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQ_k0Equz7w/Td0Z6HAYaRI/AAAAAAAAA64/knYPR1lCN-I/s1600/IMGP3931.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQ_k0Equz7w/Td0Z6HAYaRI/AAAAAAAAA64/knYPR1lCN-I/s400/IMGP3931.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610669196877261074" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It is much steeper than it looks and cannot be mowed, which means that for the last two summers I have waved the weedwhacker over it and tried to keep the bunch grass and dandelions at bay. But no more, no I am SO done with that shit. I have rocks:</span></span></span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6pd--S-mguo/Td0asVez_-I/AAAAAAAAA7A/HVoYCJQw6_o/s1600/IMGP3939.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 179px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6pd--S-mguo/Td0asVez_-I/AAAAAAAAA7A/HVoYCJQw6_o/s400/IMGP3939.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610670059756453858" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yoJwa1g0kk0/Td0bRuCOgAI/AAAAAAAAA7I/HznJ6FTTNJA/s1600/IMGP3954.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 181px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yoJwa1g0kk0/Td0bRuCOgAI/AAAAAAAAA7I/HznJ6FTTNJA/s400/IMGP3954.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610670702002601986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Probably not nearly enough, but enough to start. Stripped and ready to go!<br /><br />Also, I have the cutest helper in the world:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q1mQt-H8hX4/Td0cgeHXHsI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/K1WrwUkQBrk/s1600/IMGP3960.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q1mQt-H8hX4/Td0cgeHXHsI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/K1WrwUkQBrk/s400/IMGP3960.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610672054938836674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Did I mention that I'm walking 5 km a day as well? Yeah, because hauling rocks and digging dirt doesn't burn enough calories to rid me of a winter of fondue and raclette, apparently.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Big G and I have done a bit of travelling in the last few months; Basel, the UK, a wonderful luxurious weekend in Lugano and have more travel coming up : 5 days in Paris (starting this weekend !!!) and then I'm off to London to meet up with an old friend. As always there is more than enough to do and see in Switz alone and if I drag myself away from landscaping long enough I hope to do some Swiss tourism this summer too!</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And the pool is open and should be warm enough to swim in by the end of the week! Yaaaaay summer!</span></span></span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-73453116557064770782011-04-13T14:07:00.002+02:002011-04-13T14:10:17.304+02:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">What a drag it is...<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/13olfeD026g?rel=0" allowfullscreen="" width="480" frameborder="0" height="390"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">getting old.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">PS I will really try to post something of substance one of these days.</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-73377855373400343112011-03-25T13:53:00.002+01:002011-03-25T14:00:12.563+01:00<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Vacation<br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2RHTiXvELNg" frameborder="0"></iframe></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Just a note ... I'll be away for the next week, up at the flat where the internet access is slim to none. The Max, The Big G and all 3 kittehs are coming so I'm not sure if it's really a vacation from anything but the interwebs, but even that's a good thing sometimes. I'll leave you with some 80's girlband goodness.</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></span></span></div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-48869292413036781422011-03-19T19:13:00.006+01:002011-03-19T19:26:11.183+01:00<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Astronomical<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mz08ZYi2jiY/TYTzJGnTAwI/AAAAAAAAA58/X9XxI5stKmk/s1600/full%2Bmoon"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mz08ZYi2jiY/TYTzJGnTAwI/AAAAAAAAA58/X9XxI5stKmk/s400/full%2Bmoon" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585856775566066434" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjkjr/5538887699/sizes/z/in/photostream/">mjkjr on Flicker</a></span></span><br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Today – March 19 – features the closest full moon of 2011. Some are calling it a <a href="http://earthsky.org/tonight/high-tide-alert-closest-full-moon-of-2011-on-march-19">supermoon</a>.<br />Ooo oo ooo what a little moonlight can do!<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qxmlDX-NJnI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /></span></span></div>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-70499894521343680912011-03-15T12:07:00.006+01:002011-03-15T12:30:31.422+01:00<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);font-size:100%;" >Kid Charlemagne<br /></span></span><a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/13/owsley-stanley-lsd-p.html" rel="bookmark"></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Owsley Stanley, LSD pioneer, RIP</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PRoXSw8DZkw/TX9LV97KOoI/AAAAAAAAA50/xZ8npIBRlXo/s1600/owsley-stanley-456-031411.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PRoXSw8DZkw/TX9LV97KOoI/AAAAAAAAA50/xZ8npIBRlXo/s400/owsley-stanley-456-031411.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584264903734737538" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Augustus Owsley Stanley III, AKA the "Bear," died in a car crash in his adopted home of Queensland, Australia today. He was 76. Between 1965 and 1967, Stanley homebrewed more than one million doses of LSD in the San Francisco Bay Area fueling a revolution in consciousness, music, art, and the counterculture.<br /><br /></span><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1zmX6_ujBN0" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="425"></iframe></span> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gqag3mRlVkU/TX9JW09RGXI/AAAAAAAAA5s/iQ509F_DUcA/s1600/stanleyIII.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 156px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gqag3mRlVkU/TX9JW09RGXI/AAAAAAAAA5s/iQ509F_DUcA/s400/stanleyIII.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584262719484270962" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Here is a rare interview with "Bear" from 2007.</span></span> <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/07/12/MNGK0QV7HS1.DTL"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">For the unrepentant patriarch of LSD, long, strange trip winds back to Bay Area"</span></span></a><br /><div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;"><br /></div></div>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-32231394444735230362011-03-09T14:20:00.003+01:002011-03-09T14:29:42.715+01:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">L'Image du Jour<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zznngX60biY/TXeAaBLgSEI/AAAAAAAAA5c/rSBLDR4KxyE/s1600/freddie-mercury.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zznngX60biY/TXeAaBLgSEI/AAAAAAAAA5c/rSBLDR4KxyE/s400/freddie-mercury.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582071447630661698" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;">I found this at <a href="http://www.thisisnotporn.net/"> thisisnotporn.net</a>, a most wonderful collection of celebrity candid photos ( and no, not THAT kind).<br />For me, this pretty much sums up everything I love about Freddy Mercury.<br /><br />Oh and this too:<br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MfYcKNqQoJo" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" width="480"></iframe><br /></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></span></div>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-38494139792855506042011-03-04T11:37:00.002+01:002011-03-04T11:42:04.804+01:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Travelin'<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T8S8lMNqUjY/TXDByah5ieI/AAAAAAAAA5U/t0dZAOTPem8/s1600/castello1-big.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T8S8lMNqUjY/TXDByah5ieI/AAAAAAAAA5U/t0dZAOTPem8/s400/castello1-big.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580173010171169250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Off to Italy for a wedding this weekend and yes, we get to stay <a href="http://www.castellolarocchetta.it/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1">here</a>.</span><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-68495327976683925782011-02-16T17:45:00.001+01:002011-02-16T17:48:02.787+01:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Obit<br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tyS1FsUV__8" frameborder="0"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">R.I.P. George Shearing<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">August 13, 1919 – February 14, 2011</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-79678416730188046792011-02-14T17:03:00.003+01:002011-02-14T17:05:34.540+01:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">L'Image du Jour<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v8S-VQr1oXM/TVlSjbvUvpI/AAAAAAAAA5M/YxSdHChggQM/s1600/valentine%2Bbunny.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 585px; height: 600px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v8S-VQr1oXM/TVlSjbvUvpI/AAAAAAAAA5M/YxSdHChggQM/s400/valentine%2Bbunny.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573576782542847634" border="0" /></a><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-73871262332383755042011-02-13T16:38:00.004+01:002011-02-13T16:48:54.605+01:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hand Jive - Basel Style<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ud7aQioP0io/TVf8efDxUOI/AAAAAAAAA5E/JPNYfNLGe4o/s1600/IMGP3477.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 500px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ud7aQioP0io/TVf8efDxUOI/AAAAAAAAA5E/JPNYfNLGe4o/s400/IMGP3477.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573200664557867234" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tGOZ051oH1M/TVf7m8cILOI/AAAAAAAAA48/p6CsA4NYQFk/s1600/IMGP3435.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tGOZ051oH1M/TVf7m8cILOI/AAAAAAAAA48/p6CsA4NYQFk/s400/IMGP3435.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573199710371982562" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qaMSGZn2ts/TVf7mn5p2QI/AAAAAAAAA40/UHzc66pwtGs/s1600/IMGP3433.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qaMSGZn2ts/TVf7mn5p2QI/AAAAAAAAA40/UHzc66pwtGs/s400/IMGP3433.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573199704858679554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qOrQTh_Cq7U" frameborder="0" height="390" width="480"></iframe><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-39729351427272840282011-02-07T13:25:00.011+01:002011-02-07T14:06:32.812+01:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Weekend <span style="font-size:78%;">(a travelogue by Roscoe)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_oz2Mbn7I/AAAAAAAAA3k/rJtZZVBl-8I/s1600/IMGP3548.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_oz2Mbn7I/AAAAAAAAA3k/rJtZZVBl-8I/s400/IMGP3548.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570927241499221938" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />Going up to the mountains is always a nice change of pace.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_pG3aCD5I/AAAAAAAAA3s/UnmukJ4lDec/s1600/IMGP3550.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_pG3aCD5I/AAAAAAAAA3s/UnmukJ4lDec/s400/IMGP3550.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570927568242216850" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There are new things to play with<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_p2I8x7aI/AAAAAAAAA38/SK-n8DeB0hQ/s1600/IMGP3562.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_p2I8x7aI/AAAAAAAAA38/SK-n8DeB0hQ/s320/IMGP3562.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570928380405214626" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_p1xPlCKI/AAAAAAAAA30/ahXfxiLKnaA/s1600/IMGP3555.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_p1xPlCKI/AAAAAAAAA30/ahXfxiLKnaA/s320/IMGP3555.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570928374041610402" border="0" /></a><br />What's that up there?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_qzQdmpdI/AAAAAAAAA4E/sT32F_5h4Ds/s1600/IMGP3564.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_qzQdmpdI/AAAAAAAAA4E/sT32F_5h4Ds/s320/IMGP3564.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570929430393955794" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_qzvN_JXI/AAAAAAAAA4M/6fTjoddLrdI/s1600/IMGP3557.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_qzvN_JXI/AAAAAAAAA4M/6fTjoddLrdI/s320/IMGP3557.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570929438649951602" border="0" /></a><br />Whooooaaaa..it's a lot bigger close up!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_rsSv0DWI/AAAAAAAAA4U/LeCSa8praz8/s1600/IMGP3547.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_rsSv0DWI/AAAAAAAAA4U/LeCSa8praz8/s400/IMGP3547.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570930410259746146" border="0" /></a><br />The shift in altitude is always interesting.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_sJnyJGnI/AAAAAAAAA4c/XnFCQgmljzQ/s1600/IMGP3581.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_sJnyJGnI/AAAAAAAAA4c/XnFCQgmljzQ/s400/IMGP3581.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570930914122865266" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The day winds down and jets make their way to Geneva.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_syvqH9HI/AAAAAAAAA4k/gdPDdtnWWAw/s1600/IMGP3573.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_syvqH9HI/AAAAAAAAA4k/gdPDdtnWWAw/s400/IMGP3573.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570931620611355762" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Argentine lights up briefly.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_tQeMHmmI/AAAAAAAAA4s/bXP1KiIIvDw/s1600/IMGP3572.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU_tQeMHmmI/AAAAAAAAA4s/bXP1KiIIvDw/s400/IMGP3572.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570932131318176354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sunset...off to bed.<br /></span></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-56872845731181199282011-02-06T17:16:00.004+01:002011-02-06T17:23:30.859+01:00<span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Press Leak</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU7JedeCLvI/AAAAAAAAA3c/isCIaGcdVLg/s1600/gutenbergpress.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 245px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TU7JedeCLvI/AAAAAAAAA3c/isCIaGcdVLg/s320/gutenbergpress.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570611314247741170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">A fable for our times:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Dumbing Down of America</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:85%;">by Leonard Pitts Jr.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:85%;" ><br />Once upon a time, there lived a stupid giant.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ></span></div><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:85%;"> The giant had not always been stupid. Or, perhaps it is more accurate to say the giant had once revered intelligence, reason and the byproducts thereof. Indeed, the giant was renowned for an ingenuity and standard of living that made it the envy of the world.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:85%;"> But much of the world did more than envy the giant. Much of the world admired and respected it. Its basic decency, along with its strength and intelligence, set it apart.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:85%;"> There came a time, however, when, though the giant retained its strength and arguably even its decency, it lost its intelligence.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:85%;"> No one can say exactly how and when the loss occurred. There was no great blast of thunder and lightning to herald it, no sudden instant when the giant's intelligence plummeted dramatically from the instant before.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:85%;"> No, stupidity crept over the giant with the stealth of twilight, a product less of one abrupt moment than of a thousand moments of complacency, of resting on laurels, of allowing curiosity to be teased and bullied out of bright children, of dumbing down textbooks so kids could get better grades with less work, of using ``elite'' like a curse word. And, of behaving as if knowing things, and being able to extrapolate from and otherwise make critical use of, the things one knows, was a betrayal of some fundamental human authenticity -- some need to keep it real.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Read the rest </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/02/05-5">here</a>.<br /></p><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-8865990562028414042011-02-04T17:26:00.004+01:002011-02-04T17:31:13.852+01:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Track Back<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zsgcXZzu6io" allowfullscreen="" width="640" frameborder="0" height="510"></iframe><br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I must confess, when I was a little girl I had <span style="font-style: italic;">such</span> a crush on Dean Martin. I don't know which I wanted more, to be grown up so I could marry him, or have him be my daddy and sing me to sleep every night.</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-45521143134676547362011-02-04T17:14:00.003+01:002011-02-04T17:19:39.967+01:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">L'Image du Jour<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUwmykim3XI/AAAAAAAAA3M/0nrm5ePBW68/s1600/detail_butterfly_r3_c1b.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 340px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUwmykim3XI/AAAAAAAAA3M/0nrm5ePBW68/s400/detail_butterfly_r3_c1b.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569869489394605426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUwmzCsgDiI/AAAAAAAAA3U/QZ9DJIBEjSg/s1600/detail_butterfly_r5_c1b.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUwmzCsgDiI/AAAAAAAAA3U/QZ9DJIBEjSg/s400/detail_butterfly_r5_c1b.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569869497489165858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">How fabulous are these globes from <a href="http://artonglobes.com/index.html">ImagineNation</a>? Go check out the Maurice Sendak themed one and more <a href="http://artonglobes.com/globes.html">here</a>.</span><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-23841985529691301922011-02-03T15:15:00.004+01:002011-02-03T15:22:28.783+01:00<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;">L'Image Du Jour</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUq5TsIIGoI/AAAAAAAAA20/VyHMu5OPPBg/s1600/chernobyltreefloor"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 480px; height: 600px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUq5TsIIGoI/AAAAAAAAA20/VyHMu5OPPBg/s400/chernobyltreefloor" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569467637110938242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUq5xyZ7AWI/AAAAAAAAA3E/CCTCvKCfSIs/s1600/chernobylhospital"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUq5xyZ7AWI/AAAAAAAAA3E/CCTCvKCfSIs/s400/chernobylhospital" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569468154192265570" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUq5xu6dBdI/AAAAAAAAA28/3ahqWSKn_g0/s1600/chernobylferris"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUq5xu6dBdI/AAAAAAAAA28/3ahqWSKn_g0/s400/chernobylferris" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569468153254970834" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">There are a lot of blogs and pages out there with photos from Chernobyl, but these ones grabbed me because most of them are basically average snap shots, but there are a few that are simply haunting. Browse the set <a href="http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2006/09/13/lost-city-of-chernobyl/">here</a>.</span><br /></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-7554968305847011842011-02-02T14:35:00.005+01:002011-02-02T14:50:13.404+01:00<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">L'Image du Jour<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUlfjaiLOMI/AAAAAAAAA2o/mhfrct1vk4k/s1600/rainy%2Bday"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 380px; height: 500px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUlfjaiLOMI/AAAAAAAAA2o/mhfrct1vk4k/s400/rainy%2Bday" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569087476243052738" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I found this fantastic French blog, <a href="http://florizel.canalblog.com/">Le Divan Fumoir Bohémien</a>, and spent most of yesterday drooling over the pictures and finding all kinds of nifty little museums to check out next time we're in Paris.</span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />And to keep you in that French state of mind, here's a little Georges Brassens:<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gznDOMKeWkA" allowfullscreen="" width="640" frameborder="0" height="510"></iframe> </span><br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-43689597214304453082011-02-01T15:06:00.008+01:002011-02-01T15:37:38.854+01:00<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">L'Image du Jour<br /></span></span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUgYExZMwlI/AAAAAAAAA1o/sxnuMpoVYzI/s1600/swan%2Bplatter.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUgYExZMwlI/AAAAAAAAA1o/sxnuMpoVYzI/s400/swan%2Bplatter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568727409501192786" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUgYwOS7mII/AAAAAAAAA1w/n24KOKO0N7k/s1600/crow%2Btray.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUgYwOS7mII/AAAAAAAAA1w/n24KOKO0N7k/s400/crow%2Btray.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568728155993905282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUgZs4lHPhI/AAAAAAAAA2A/Zt2EJhxLjEc/s1600/hummingbird%2Btray.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 305px; height: 372px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUgZs4lHPhI/AAAAAAAAA2A/Zt2EJhxLjEc/s400/hummingbird%2Btray.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568729198136606226" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUgZsdpfC6I/AAAAAAAAA14/hl-bnTcqJJ4/s1600/male%2Bhummtray.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 372px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUgZsdpfC6I/AAAAAAAAA14/hl-bnTcqJJ4/s400/male%2Bhummtray.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568729190907186082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;">The Big G and I were in Paris last month (for our first anniversary!) and found FLEUX, a shop full of weird, wonderous and beautifully designed things for your home, office or life in general. We saw these serving trays arrayed along one large wall ... can something be charming and creepy at the same time? See more <a href="http://www.fleux.com/">here</a> (under plateaux).</span></span></span></span><br /></div>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-18874564140451651022011-01-31T17:22:00.003+01:002011-01-31T17:30:19.386+01:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:100%;" >Track Back</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:100%;" ><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eYSbUOoq4Vg" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="510" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">They play this a lot on Option Musique these days and I'm trying to convince The Max to learn the piano bit. I think this video is tres charmant ... kitties and claymation together, yeah!</span><br /></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-5746341673928006012011-01-31T16:20:00.008+01:002011-01-31T17:48:49.312+01:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Fire Good!</span></span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUbZ2DsyBMI/AAAAAAAAA1A/CbwkYSEe_Y8/s1600/Am_Anfang_was_das_Feuer_04.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUbZ2DsyBMI/AAAAAAAAA1A/CbwkYSEe_Y8/s400/Am_Anfang_was_das_Feuer_04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568377512019494082" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(or she likes it when we've got wood)</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;">We've been conducting a little experiment this winter... heating the house with the fireplace instead of the foul smelling, sooty mazout (oil) in the chauffage (central heating device) and I have to admit, I love it. There is some debate about how carbon neutral burning wood actually is, but the consensus seems to be that the carbon released by burning is not adding to the total carbon footprint, as the tree absorbed the carbon to begin with (the same holds true for petroleum products however that absorption was millions of years ago) and that by burning wood, new trees absorb the carbon faster than the earth does to make coal, etc.<br /><br />Of course, the Swiss know a thing or two about forest management, having had a couple of thousand years to get it right. Every commune has a forest, that is planted, harvested and neatly stacked for curing and sale, done in that tidy Swiss way. We've burned through about 4 stere (one stere =one cubic meter of wood) so far and it's considerably cheaper than burning oil.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUba532MscI/AAAAAAAAA1I/fTRijno5ZqM/s1600/IMGP3595.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 671px; height: 446px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUba532MscI/AAAAAAAAA1I/fTRijno5ZqM/s400/IMGP3595.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568378677068870082" border="0" /></a><br />2 stere all stacked.<br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUba6bZNuzI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/-HADquOUvXk/s1600/IMGP3601.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUba6bZNuzI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/-HADquOUvXk/s400/IMGP3601.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568378686610979634" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br />But for me the very best part is caveman TV. I could sit and watch the fire all day. I am soothed by the glow, excited by the whole chemical process going on and find myself relaxing and thinking about things that seem somehow more important than who is in the top running on X Factor or Master Chef this week.<br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUbfebpwAWI/AAAAAAAAA1g/IoBHgMF-Ym8/s1600/IMGP3502.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 672px; height: 446px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TUbfebpwAWI/AAAAAAAAA1g/IoBHgMF-Ym8/s400/IMGP3502.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568383703202136418" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br /><br /><br />PS It's also allowed the Big G to make continuous 'wood' jokes as well, much to his endless amusement.<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></span></div>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136935.post-48271503335823244382011-01-13T18:36:00.003+01:002011-01-13T19:03:04.029+01:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >L'Image du Jour</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TS891jkiJuI/AAAAAAAAA04/xjZ0lPbl3-8/s1600/red%2Bbalons%2Bbig"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 444px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2N9qesCsrk/TS891jkiJuI/AAAAAAAAA04/xjZ0lPbl3-8/s400/red%2Bbalons%2Bbig" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561732055116687074" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Basel October 2010<br /></span></span></span>britehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04814072505496996061noreply@blogger.com3