Dear Google,
Please stop ignoring problems from other things you support (or really don't). Stop spending all your energy into Google Play or Voice Detection. I mean, those are all well and good but your treatment of people like me is disappointing. We don't seem to matter much.
This is a problem that I've had for a good long while. Long enough that you should have fixed this by now. There is really no excuse not to fix it.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
The Maltese Falcon
Quick! Go here and get tickets for The Maltese Falcon, an excellent film today! You won't regret it. I highly encourage you to do this. Expand your senses, so to speak.
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Announcing the new Magnolia South Classic Film Awards!
I'm a classic film buff. I have a favorite genre, but I'll watch almost anything. The one thing I can't get myself to really watch, and I need to try and try again, are Westerns. I'm just not a classic Western film fan (yet).
Before I go on, let me announce what I consider to be classic film. It's true that there are what some call "modern classics" such as films in the 70s or 80s. In fact, some will even add the 90s and 00s to that too. For me, the end date is 1959. When 1960 begins, I feel that the golden era of film is (mostly) over, with only a few exceptions. It's clear that television made a huge impact on film making. There just wasn't the depth of substance they used to have. All the stories had been told. All the firsts were finished. The only thing that seemed landmarks were new techniques, or allowances (like nudity). Otherwise, it had been done already. For this reason, the films I will usually talk about will be in my favorite eras: the 1930s and 1940s but there will be exceptions. I won't rule out the 50s or even 60s, but they have to be spectacular!
Before I go on, let me announce what I consider to be classic film. It's true that there are what some call "modern classics" such as films in the 70s or 80s. In fact, some will even add the 90s and 00s to that too. For me, the end date is 1959. When 1960 begins, I feel that the golden era of film is (mostly) over, with only a few exceptions. It's clear that television made a huge impact on film making. There just wasn't the depth of substance they used to have. All the stories had been told. All the firsts were finished. The only thing that seemed landmarks were new techniques, or allowances (like nudity). Otherwise, it had been done already. For this reason, the films I will usually talk about will be in my favorite eras: the 1930s and 1940s but there will be exceptions. I won't rule out the 50s or even 60s, but they have to be spectacular!
Rambling About K-cup Coffees
I have fallen in love with the convenience of k-cup coffees. I actually have this brewer, so it's not a Keurig. I've used this Keurig and this Keurig though and to be 100% honest, my cheapo off brand version is just as tasty. I'm 100% dead serious.
The problem that is then presented is the cost of the k-cups. Those are downright expensive! Sure, I could go another route and get something like these (though my cheapo brewer actually comes with its own, a better buy than a Keurig in my opinion), but then I'm back to grinding my own coffee and so then I may as well use a regular coffee maker.
With that in mind, my quest for the best but cheapest k-cups is rather difficult. I found this article that was not what I really wanted, but it did name a company. Interested, I went to the Angelinos.com website and found the real truth. Yes, you can still get it (at the time of this writing) for only 39¢/cup but you have to buy 192 all at once at the whooping price of $74.95.
The problem that is then presented is the cost of the k-cups. Those are downright expensive! Sure, I could go another route and get something like these (though my cheapo brewer actually comes with its own, a better buy than a Keurig in my opinion), but then I'm back to grinding my own coffee and so then I may as well use a regular coffee maker.
With that in mind, my quest for the best but cheapest k-cups is rather difficult. I found this article that was not what I really wanted, but it did name a company. Interested, I went to the Angelinos.com website and found the real truth. Yes, you can still get it (at the time of this writing) for only 39¢/cup but you have to buy 192 all at once at the whooping price of $74.95.
Monday, February 15, 2016
"Stay tuned to find out more...." Um. No.
Have you ever thought how silly the news sounds these days? They give you 25% of the weather then have the nerve to tell us that we have to wait to find out the rest.
Seriously?!
Gone are those days where you didn't have much choice. You either had to wait to find out or you didn't find out. They were in control and they knew it. They had this power over you like the horrible school master who ruled with an iron fist. They had but not now.
Now I sit in a suspension of disbelief when they have the gall to tell us to wait. No! I'm not going to wait at all. I'm going to turn off the TV and head to my computer. It'll take me all of five seconds to click the bookmark and tada! Now I can see what the weather is. It makes me want to take a selfie with my computer's weather and post it on Twitter @myTVstations and scream, "Guess who isn't waiting?! Screw you @myTVstations!
Seriously?!
Gone are those days where you didn't have much choice. You either had to wait to find out or you didn't find out. They were in control and they knew it. They had this power over you like the horrible school master who ruled with an iron fist. They had but not now.
Now I sit in a suspension of disbelief when they have the gall to tell us to wait. No! I'm not going to wait at all. I'm going to turn off the TV and head to my computer. It'll take me all of five seconds to click the bookmark and tada! Now I can see what the weather is. It makes me want to take a selfie with my computer's weather and post it on Twitter @myTVstations and scream, "Guess who isn't waiting?! Screw you @myTVstations!
The Americans (Season 3) now available on Amazon Prime
I began watching The Americans back in December of last year. I'd heard of it but it's one of those short-season shows and those are hard to find. They start during weird times and end during weird times so finding it takes work and I don't like anything that makes me work to find it.
Lucky for them, they decided to allow Amazon Prime to host Seasons 1 and 2. When I saw it there, I remembered that being a show that I had wanted to see but never managed to.
Let me just say for a moment that I never just decide to watch a series. I sit down and watch a few episodes, maybe. If it doesn't get me on the first try, then it's unlikely that I'll watch it. There are a lot of Breaking Bad followers out there but I didn't think the first episode was all that great. In fact, I found it rather annoying. Guess who didn't get hooked?
Netflix and getting tired of the same 'ol thing.
I hope you all had a romantic Valentine's Day. I'd like to say that I did, but I didn't. It's no fault of my own, nor my husband's but we have extenuating circumstances so that is that. Either way, I hope you all did have a fine one indeed!
I'm not alone in saying that Netflix's streaming service isn't what it once was. There were a number of great films and television shows at one time. They even helped you filter out what you never would watch, ever in your life. They ditched that idea (I cannot fathom why) and now they've ditched entertainment too.
For this reason, I cannot find anything good to watch anymore. I've had to resort to Googling what's good on Netflix. It's too bad that there isn't a really good list out there.
I came across one article and because the title isn't dated, I'm assuming that the list will change monthly. To get my point across, I sent it to archive.org. Let me immediately say that I validate my purpose there in saying that because it is a list of pop-culture popular movies at a certain time, it's archive worthy. That said, the list, while valuable due to its commentary on the films folks are watching, it is a terrible one. This is the archive link in case the page changes. This way if next month, if they clear it and rewrite the page, you'll still be able to look at what I was looking at.
I'm not alone in saying that Netflix's streaming service isn't what it once was. There were a number of great films and television shows at one time. They even helped you filter out what you never would watch, ever in your life. They ditched that idea (I cannot fathom why) and now they've ditched entertainment too.
For this reason, I cannot find anything good to watch anymore. I've had to resort to Googling what's good on Netflix. It's too bad that there isn't a really good list out there.
I came across one article and because the title isn't dated, I'm assuming that the list will change monthly. To get my point across, I sent it to archive.org. Let me immediately say that I validate my purpose there in saying that because it is a list of pop-culture popular movies at a certain time, it's archive worthy. That said, the list, while valuable due to its commentary on the films folks are watching, it is a terrible one. This is the archive link in case the page changes. This way if next month, if they clear it and rewrite the page, you'll still be able to look at what I was looking at.
Saturday, February 13, 2016
The history of the church, for dummies.
It is important for all Christians to understand the history of the church. I'm often surprised by so many who have absolutely zero idea how we got from Jesus to today. Even my husband was mistaken and he's pretty good at getting Christianity, even if he doesn't believe as strongly as I do.
First off we start with the Jewish faith. All Christians are Jews, but not all Jews are Christians. For that matter, all Muslims are Jews too, since they too branch off the Jewish faith. That's right. It may surprise you to know that the Muslims believe in Torah. Yes, it doesn't make sense for them to hate Jews so much, since they are Jewish by foundation, but alas they do.
Anyway, both of those are ancient. The Christian faith does not branch off the Muslim, but only the Jewish. I'm a visual learner so let's look at it like an organizational chart, shall we?
First off we start with the Jewish faith. All Christians are Jews, but not all Jews are Christians. For that matter, all Muslims are Jews too, since they too branch off the Jewish faith. That's right. It may surprise you to know that the Muslims believe in Torah. Yes, it doesn't make sense for them to hate Jews so much, since they are Jewish by foundation, but alas they do.
Anyway, both of those are ancient. The Christian faith does not branch off the Muslim, but only the Jewish. I'm a visual learner so let's look at it like an organizational chart, shall we?
Friday, February 12, 2016
Why vocal atheists suck and cannot be trusted.
I read a bunch of self-proclaimed experts on Christianity every day. Christians are scorned because they sin. Well, I have news for those folks. They have no idea what they're talking about.
Christianity isn't about being perfect. Christianity isn't about not being human. In fact, let's take a look at an angry Jesus.
What those ridiculously unintelligent people fail to see is that the Bible is not an American Law book. That is, it's not about what is fair. It's about what is right. Sure, Jesus said turn the other cheek, but anyone who can read can figure out he meant when it doesn't matter. When it does matter, you need to stand up.
I'm sick and tired of atheists trying to squash Christian freedom of speech. The problem with vocal atheists is that they are a hateful bunch. They really are. Look at what this group tried to do. Thank God their efforts were wasted.
They even lied, saying that the cross received tax dollars and they couldn't even prove what they were saying. They were slanderous and personally, I would have sued them for everything their little organization had.
So why do I call them vocal atheists? Because they open their mouths against Christianity. They say it's offensive. For that matter, one time I was told by one that raising a child in the church is child abuse. Seriously! He actually said that to me.
They also do not apply their protests equally across the religious board. They reserve their anger for Christians only. These are the people who will be cast into hell. We'll have the last laugh.
Christianity isn't about being perfect. Christianity isn't about not being human. In fact, let's take a look at an angry Jesus.
For those silly atheists who clumsily try and quote the Bible saying, "Well, Jesus said to turn the other cheek, so you're supposed to let me walk all over you." You couldn't be more wrong.And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,- Matthew 21:12 KJV
What those ridiculously unintelligent people fail to see is that the Bible is not an American Law book. That is, it's not about what is fair. It's about what is right. Sure, Jesus said turn the other cheek, but anyone who can read can figure out he meant when it doesn't matter. When it does matter, you need to stand up.
I'm sick and tired of atheists trying to squash Christian freedom of speech. The problem with vocal atheists is that they are a hateful bunch. They really are. Look at what this group tried to do. Thank God their efforts were wasted.
They even lied, saying that the cross received tax dollars and they couldn't even prove what they were saying. They were slanderous and personally, I would have sued them for everything their little organization had.
So why do I call them vocal atheists? Because they open their mouths against Christianity. They say it's offensive. For that matter, one time I was told by one that raising a child in the church is child abuse. Seriously! He actually said that to me.
They also do not apply their protests equally across the religious board. They reserve their anger for Christians only. These are the people who will be cast into hell. We'll have the last laugh.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.- Revelation 21:8 KJV
The unbelieving. That will throw them into the lake of fire, or hell. Good.
The thing is, that lawsuit proves that they are liars, they want to squash free speech and they have no idea what they're talking about. It's all we need to know.
Good bless you all!
The thing is, that lawsuit proves that they are liars, they want to squash free speech and they have no idea what they're talking about. It's all we need to know.
Good bless you all!
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Review of Yahtzee at cardgames.io
Before I get to it, let me just say that despite what I say and complain about here, I still love the game, the author and the website. The games aren't something we have to download. They're not something we have to have an account for. They're not something that requires us to watch ads for. They are just the old fashioned games and that's that. For this reason alone, they're all worth playing. I give the author, Einar Egilsson, kudos for giving us these great games for free.
I've played others, but this one is about the Yahtzee game. There are similarities in the other games, but those are for another post on another day. I just want to talk about this one today.
Normally I'm an option girl. I want options. I want to be able to choose single player vs. other players. I want to customize my cards and backgrounds and so on. These are plain and options are limited. I'm okay with that. They're clean, free and ad free. For this reason plain is good here.
I've played others, but this one is about the Yahtzee game. There are similarities in the other games, but those are for another post on another day. I just want to talk about this one today.
Normally I'm an option girl. I want options. I want to be able to choose single player vs. other players. I want to customize my cards and backgrounds and so on. These are plain and options are limited. I'm okay with that. They're clean, free and ad free. For this reason plain is good here.
The Man in the High Castle - Where New Berlin REALLY is
If you've seen the show and you Google it, you're going to see a map. The map is one of the biggest things about the show. However, don't believe everything you see.
With interest I read Val Nolan's blog post about it and there is a sentence that is incorrect. He says,"We see on a map that St. Louis is now New Berlin." Sadly, this appears to be a misconception by a lot of people, here's another example. The funny part is that a little knowledge about St. Louis, geography and reading maps will demonstrate how very incorrect that assumption is.
Let's take a look at both maps, one from today and the one from the show. Yes, they are marked all over, but so what? I'll explain in my little Geography class here. You can click on the images to enlarge them and I encourage you to do so, in order that you can see it clearly.
With interest I read Val Nolan's blog post about it and there is a sentence that is incorrect. He says,"We see on a map that St. Louis is now New Berlin." Sadly, this appears to be a misconception by a lot of people, here's another example. The funny part is that a little knowledge about St. Louis, geography and reading maps will demonstrate how very incorrect that assumption is.
Let's take a look at both maps, one from today and the one from the show. Yes, they are marked all over, but so what? I'll explain in my little Geography class here. You can click on the images to enlarge them and I encourage you to do so, in order that you can see it clearly.
Tuesday, February 09, 2016
Waffle House Facts, Taiwan's Golden Dragon Tower and the news.
I always have opinions. I'm loaded with them. It doesn't mean I'm right, or you're wrong or whatever. It means simply that I'm opinionated. It means that I should be able to speak freely in this society. If I want to insult someone, I should be able to. If I want to compliment someone, I should be able to. I am a firm believer in the freedom of speech and I will exercise that right to the fullest.
Many times though I don't actually have an opinion. I'm indifferent. Wait, not many times. Some times. Whatever. It happens. Moving on.
News comes in waves. Some days there really isn't any major news. It's the same thing every day. I've no problem with that, but those days are repetitive. I don't really have opinions on those days. Today, there isn't really much.
We'll start with something fun. As I've mentioned before, I see a ton of "fun facts" far and wide on the web. Most of which aren't fun and nearly all fall into two categories. They're either incredibly uninteresting or they're something I already knew. Rarely do I come upon an article that's actually interesting and things I didn't know, but also fun. This article on the Waffle House is fun for me.
One thing that stands out for me are the number of waffles vs hash browns per minute. My family and I have said all our lives that people go to Waffle House for the hash browns, not the waffles. For this reason it should be more appropriately named the Hash Brown House. lol!
Here's something that bothers me. You see, there are rules in journalism. The media is supposed to report facts without opinions. If they add opinions, then it's called an editorial, not an actual news article. BIG difference. What I expect to see in an article are facts, not suspicions or rumors. When you start seeing those, then it turns into tabloid journalism. A reputable news agency will state what are facts and what facts are not yet known.
Consider CNN's article whose title is long: "3 arrested for roles in construction of collapsed Taiwan apartment tower". Now keep in mind that by the time you read this, it may have been updated or fixed, so here is the archived article as well. It is a snapshot of the page as I'm reading it when I write this. Now the first thing to notice is its length. Including captions, twitter, instagram text and article text that is on the page, this article totals 2,411 words. However, the part that pertains to the actual headline is only 332 words long. Look at all that filler. Of course, I was including captions in the first one and not the second.
Either way, the article is clearly propaganda. There are no facts that support why these people were arrested. Cans are suspicious, but it doesn't say that authorities cite this as the reason for the arrest. In fact, it doesn't say anywhere what authorities said. It's all speculation. Maybe there was faulty construction, but maybe it's the tallest building, or maybe the ground was unstable there or maybe there were more people in the building than others. I just think that if you're going to report something, back it up with facts or state very clearly that it is unknown. Don't give us sob stories to support your theory.
I am the kind of person who believes in survival of the fittest. I'm not the fittest, so do not wrongly suppose that I'm being high and mighty here. I'd probably be the first to die in a disaster. Well, that's something I have to live with. However, sometimes being clever can save your life. Knowing how to outsmart someone or something is key in survival. Now there I have an edge, I believe. Democrats will probably disagree but who cares? I believe it and that's all that matters to me.
That said, I think the best way to fix the population problem in this world is to remove all warning labels off of everything and let stupid protesters do stupid things to themselves. I have no sorrow for those who are willing to kill themselves over their beliefs. Let them go so we don't have to listen to them anymore. Do I sound dispassionate? Maybe. However I live a life where I believe we're responsible for ourselves. For this reason my doctrine is if they're dumb enough to do it, let them.
For this reason, I feel no sorrow for the man in this article, "Man Dies After Setting Himself on Fire Outside Kensington Palace". Fine. Good riddance. What cracks me up more than anything is the first line of the article. They apparently believe as I do since it says, "The royal family was not at the palace when the incident occurred." Well, thank goodness for that right? That was definitely the first thing I'd want to know. :/
Did you know that New Orleans isn't the home of the Mardi Gras? It isn't. Tell that to journalists today. For those of you who don't know, today is Fat Tuesday. This is the celebration of the beginning of the end of Mardi Gras. I won't go into the details but suffice it to say that Mardi Gras is all over the news. I challenge you all to remind them where Mardi Gras originates and is still held to this day!
Answers to questions no one is asking:
"Katie Holmes Interview: Matt Lauer Brings Up Tom Cruise's Fiery Response From The Past, How Does She React?"
"Why Yahoo Couldn't Adapt to the Smartphone Era"
"Why does Kobe Bryant like LeBron James now?"
Congratulations are in order for the Broncos on their win this past Sunday. Perhaps Peyton Manning can quit teasing the NFL fan community by saying he's going to retire..... every year.
Gloria Steinhem is a bitch. There, I said it. She is and that's that. She condescendingly told women that "there is a special place in hell" for women who disagree with her. Tell me that's not a bitch like attitude. There is a special place in hell all right. It's got her calling card too. That's where I also stopped reading. I've decided she's not newsworthy after all.
News that citizens figured out for themselves and wondered why it took officials this long to figure it out too:
"Islamic State will continue to target the U.S., top intelligence officials say"
"US intelligence chief: we might use the internet of things to spy on you"
"'Happy Birthday' Headed to Public Domain"
How was your day?
Many times though I don't actually have an opinion. I'm indifferent. Wait, not many times. Some times. Whatever. It happens. Moving on.
News comes in waves. Some days there really isn't any major news. It's the same thing every day. I've no problem with that, but those days are repetitive. I don't really have opinions on those days. Today, there isn't really much.
We'll start with something fun. As I've mentioned before, I see a ton of "fun facts" far and wide on the web. Most of which aren't fun and nearly all fall into two categories. They're either incredibly uninteresting or they're something I already knew. Rarely do I come upon an article that's actually interesting and things I didn't know, but also fun. This article on the Waffle House is fun for me.
One thing that stands out for me are the number of waffles vs hash browns per minute. My family and I have said all our lives that people go to Waffle House for the hash browns, not the waffles. For this reason it should be more appropriately named the Hash Brown House. lol!
Here's something that bothers me. You see, there are rules in journalism. The media is supposed to report facts without opinions. If they add opinions, then it's called an editorial, not an actual news article. BIG difference. What I expect to see in an article are facts, not suspicions or rumors. When you start seeing those, then it turns into tabloid journalism. A reputable news agency will state what are facts and what facts are not yet known.
Consider CNN's article whose title is long: "3 arrested for roles in construction of collapsed Taiwan apartment tower". Now keep in mind that by the time you read this, it may have been updated or fixed, so here is the archived article as well. It is a snapshot of the page as I'm reading it when I write this. Now the first thing to notice is its length. Including captions, twitter, instagram text and article text that is on the page, this article totals 2,411 words. However, the part that pertains to the actual headline is only 332 words long. Look at all that filler. Of course, I was including captions in the first one and not the second.
Either way, the article is clearly propaganda. There are no facts that support why these people were arrested. Cans are suspicious, but it doesn't say that authorities cite this as the reason for the arrest. In fact, it doesn't say anywhere what authorities said. It's all speculation. Maybe there was faulty construction, but maybe it's the tallest building, or maybe the ground was unstable there or maybe there were more people in the building than others. I just think that if you're going to report something, back it up with facts or state very clearly that it is unknown. Don't give us sob stories to support your theory.
I am the kind of person who believes in survival of the fittest. I'm not the fittest, so do not wrongly suppose that I'm being high and mighty here. I'd probably be the first to die in a disaster. Well, that's something I have to live with. However, sometimes being clever can save your life. Knowing how to outsmart someone or something is key in survival. Now there I have an edge, I believe. Democrats will probably disagree but who cares? I believe it and that's all that matters to me.
That said, I think the best way to fix the population problem in this world is to remove all warning labels off of everything and let stupid protesters do stupid things to themselves. I have no sorrow for those who are willing to kill themselves over their beliefs. Let them go so we don't have to listen to them anymore. Do I sound dispassionate? Maybe. However I live a life where I believe we're responsible for ourselves. For this reason my doctrine is if they're dumb enough to do it, let them.
For this reason, I feel no sorrow for the man in this article, "Man Dies After Setting Himself on Fire Outside Kensington Palace". Fine. Good riddance. What cracks me up more than anything is the first line of the article. They apparently believe as I do since it says, "The royal family was not at the palace when the incident occurred." Well, thank goodness for that right? That was definitely the first thing I'd want to know. :/
Did you know that New Orleans isn't the home of the Mardi Gras? It isn't. Tell that to journalists today. For those of you who don't know, today is Fat Tuesday. This is the celebration of the beginning of the end of Mardi Gras. I won't go into the details but suffice it to say that Mardi Gras is all over the news. I challenge you all to remind them where Mardi Gras originates and is still held to this day!
Answers to questions no one is asking:
"Katie Holmes Interview: Matt Lauer Brings Up Tom Cruise's Fiery Response From The Past, How Does She React?"
"Why Yahoo Couldn't Adapt to the Smartphone Era"
"Why does Kobe Bryant like LeBron James now?"
Congratulations are in order for the Broncos on their win this past Sunday. Perhaps Peyton Manning can quit teasing the NFL fan community by saying he's going to retire..... every year.
Gloria Steinhem is a bitch. There, I said it. She is and that's that. She condescendingly told women that "there is a special place in hell" for women who disagree with her. Tell me that's not a bitch like attitude. There is a special place in hell all right. It's got her calling card too. That's where I also stopped reading. I've decided she's not newsworthy after all.
News that citizens figured out for themselves and wondered why it took officials this long to figure it out too:
"Islamic State will continue to target the U.S., top intelligence officials say"
"US intelligence chief: we might use the internet of things to spy on you"
"'Happy Birthday' Headed to Public Domain"
How was your day?
Monday, February 08, 2016
The Big Bang Theory's big secret in "The Valentino Submergence"
We are in season 9 and it's been a great 9 years so far! Last Thursday we were surprised by the teaser of this week's upcoming episode.
To my surprise, there isn't much people are saying about it. I'm not sure why, but I can say for certain what I think. I wrote an email to my husband today with my thoughts on the subject and thought I would share it here.
To my surprise, there isn't much people are saying about it. I'm not sure why, but I can say for certain what I think. I wrote an email to my husband today with my thoughts on the subject and thought I would share it here.
Sunday, February 07, 2016
Thoughts on Season One of The Man in the High Castle (Season 1 Spoilers)
Amazon is, I'm sure, celebrating its decision to continue The Man in the High Castle, an Amazon exclusive series available for streaming. It brings to life a question that many have asked. What if Hitler had won the war? How terrible would it be? We all know the quick answer to that: hell on earth, but how many of us have sat here really thinking it through?
Well thankfully a couple of authors have done this for us. Philip K. Dick wrote the novel of the same name. There is another one too that is popular written by Robert Harris called Fatherland. Sadly the cover that is presently at Amazon is a play on the wonderful CGI from The Man in the High Castle. It used to have a different cover, but that's another topic.
Let me just say right now that this will contain spoilers. It's better that we get that out there right now. Right? Right!
Now let's talk about what you see first, the opening title sequence: WOW!
It's very creative and I could talk about it for three times as longer than what I'll call "the intro" actually is. To begin with, it's dark. Not just emotionally but visually. The map is not this bright map that you can compare to Google maps.
Well thankfully a couple of authors have done this for us. Philip K. Dick wrote the novel of the same name. There is another one too that is popular written by Robert Harris called Fatherland. Sadly the cover that is presently at Amazon is a play on the wonderful CGI from The Man in the High Castle. It used to have a different cover, but that's another topic.
Let me just say right now that this will contain spoilers. It's better that we get that out there right now. Right? Right!
Now let's talk about what you see first, the opening title sequence: WOW!
It's very creative and I could talk about it for three times as longer than what I'll call "the intro" actually is. To begin with, it's dark. Not just emotionally but visually. The map is not this bright map that you can compare to Google maps.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Why I hate food bloggers and editors!
I've come to the conclusion that food editors live in a world totally different than mine. They live in a world where you have no life except food. You have all day long to play around with recipes and all day long to prepare these beautiful dishes that take way too much time. It's completely unrealistic!
Let's start with this ridiculous article. 10 Ideas for Lunch (That Aren't Sandwiches). On the surface that sounds fabulous doesn't it? They even touted it was better than leftovers (but after my complaint they took it down, so it's gone now). Taking a lunch with you that not only isn't a sandwich sounds great right? WRONG!
In this list is the most ridiculous painstaking recipe around. Its Pad Thai recipe calls for grilled shrimp and poached eggs. Yeah, I have the time to grill some shrimp and poach some eggs. Well hell then, I may as well eat it for dinner and do what? Make leftovers! Of course, now that they removed the proud "No need for leftovers" brag, that sounds kind of lame. Still, it was ridiculous!
Let's start with this ridiculous article. 10 Ideas for Lunch (That Aren't Sandwiches). On the surface that sounds fabulous doesn't it? They even touted it was better than leftovers (but after my complaint they took it down, so it's gone now). Taking a lunch with you that not only isn't a sandwich sounds great right? WRONG!
In this list is the most ridiculous painstaking recipe around. Its Pad Thai recipe calls for grilled shrimp and poached eggs. Yeah, I have the time to grill some shrimp and poach some eggs. Well hell then, I may as well eat it for dinner and do what? Make leftovers! Of course, now that they removed the proud "No need for leftovers" brag, that sounds kind of lame. Still, it was ridiculous!
Monday, December 28, 2015
Binge watching television and kids today.
I have to admit. Not too long ago I was talking about how trashy television has gotten. From the cheesy Kardashians (I still don't know the names of any of them) to a bazillion dancing shows. I'm sick of reality. I live reality every single day of my life. I prefer the old fashioned waltz and have no interest whatsoever of watching anyone dance (except for Bindy, I mean, we have to love Bindy so I even voted for her). I think there is a law somewhere that says Bindy deserves whatever she wants.
Speaking of which, her father's reality television was fun and amazing. Now THAT is the kind of reality I can appreciate. His enthusiastic smile is truly missed and I wish that family well.
Before I go on and make my suggestions, I must first explain my tastes. I like dark things. I don't like disturbing things, just dark things. I don't like tons of stupid blood and guts. I'm a nurse and I can assure you the gross sounds and pictures of what they're showing you are nothing at all like what it really is. Besides, if I wanted blood and guts I can get that with most anything these days. It's just a waste visually. The story must be compelling for me.
Now, that said. I have an affinity for most anything WWII. I cannot watch Jews suffer though. That is out. it is incomprehensible to me how anyone (Islamic terrorists included) can be such monsters. However, I believe in the fight against it. I don't think kids today understand the evil that truly was. They don't understand patriotism. Many WWII based shows can teach them that. I also like the time period. I believe the best movies ever made were from the 1930s and 1940s. After that, it's all been done already.
I'm amazed at how socialism, despite is sweeping failures in the late 80s and early 90s, is infecting the United States. The kids today don't understand the difference between fear of nuclear war and terrorism. Terrorism is something they've grown up knowing about. It's random and the likelihood that they would be directly affected by it are slim, at best.
Growing up in the Cold War however was frightening. I was sure that I would not live to see 30. Absolutely and steadfastly sure. To my dismay, socialism collapsed in Europe, just as many said it would have to eventually. It's a ponzi scheme and you can't keep it up. Now, kids have forgotten all about it. They know nothing about how socialism is a failure. They are once again wanting to censor speech. We learned nothing! Why aren't parents taking responsibility to teach their kids about this stuff? WHY? Why is the school system such a failure and not teaching it?
For this reason, I'm hoping kids will come along and see my suggestions on binge watching. This one is the evils of what the world was like, and can be like.
Amazon Prime
The Man in the High Castle is a great one to start with. It's based on a book and if you've read the book, fine. Still, this shows us the evils of two things. 1. Fascism. Despite what Fascists will tell you, it is loaded with socialism. They spiteful claim that they hate socialism, but they lie. They do the same as socialists do, but they also get rid of those they don't want to pay for anymore (e.g., elderly, sick, the Jewish). 2. Imperialism. This is close to the same thing as well. You have one dictator and depending on what he believes, that's how things are run. Ever heard an old man say "I don't much care for that new fangled stuff" well imagine if your leader said that. Now what?
Only a single season of this has been made and it is available to stream with Prime. They have renewed it for another season, so that should get interesting. Of all the suggestions here, visually this one is superb. Thoughtfully, this one is also superb. It's a New Europe and the Rocky Mountains are the New Alps and so has a New Switzerland. It's just so cleverly done. You have dark and dreary vs. bright and cheery. It is really an amazing show.
As for acting, it is also amazing. It's hard to really pick out the best of them all, but the multi-faceted performance made by Rufus Sewell is hard not to mention.
The Americans is a good show too. This one, however, tries to remain unbiased. However, I get a little annoyed with how Americans are portrayed. Just as I get upset then they show you that the KGB are liars after all. It makes the show interesting in the very least. You come to almost care about the KGB but then there are times you want to scream at them. What this show does best is show you that the Soviets were willing to kill before getting answers.
This one has aired a total of three seasons, but only the first two are available on Prime. I understand that the third season is about to be released on Prime and that it is even better than the first two. I'm hooked, so I can't wait.
Acting wise, the Welsh actor Matthew Rhys has an astonishingly amazing American accent. I've just about never heard one quite so perfect. Not even from Kate Winslet. He almost even has a light Pennsylvania sounding dialect. You can't get much more American than that! His acting too is brilliant.
Hulu Plus
Deutschland 83 is a fantastic show. Fair warning though. This is a German television show and is not dubbed, it's instead subtitled. I highly recommend it. You'll find that a lot of German is understandable in English. Remember, English is a Germanic and Latin language. Yes, Latin. French is Latin. This shows the evils of socialism and how they keep you under control. many say, "no, they're communists!" Tell them that then. They even call themselves "socialists" in the show! Germans would know too.
The show starts off a bit quirky and visually is way behind American TV. However, by the middle of the season, it has picked up and you don't notice anymore. The acting seems subpar in the beginning until you get to know them. I think it's because I don't speak German and I'm so busy reading subtitles that I can only see their face after they've spoken. It takes some getting used to, but I think you'll be glad you enjoyed it.
Netflix
I hate to say it, but Netflix is lacking when it comes to television such as this. I will however recommend Foyle's War, which has been around for sometime now. It's not about the actual war, though it does get highlighted frequently, but it demonstrates the resilience of the people of British Isles during World War II. It's a lovely made show, is a murder mystery and has the most amazing acting by Michael Kitchen.
If you like serial killers, then add Bletchley Circle to that too. I'm saddened that they are not renewing that show, but it's quick run (I think there are only five episodes) was a good one. The two leading women are indeed great in their parts but Anna Maxwell Martin is stunning as Susan.
This one is post World War II, but has flashbacks during that time. It however is only a McGuffin. The story is about women solving murders.
Summary
So there you have it. No, my suggestions are not New Years holiday suggestions. Just some good entertainment for certain time periods. Most are considered MA, so this is not a list for kids. It's for you as adults to learn and then pass on the reality.
Cheers to you all and let me know if you have any further suggestions! I'm all ears.
Speaking of which, her father's reality television was fun and amazing. Now THAT is the kind of reality I can appreciate. His enthusiastic smile is truly missed and I wish that family well.
Before I go on and make my suggestions, I must first explain my tastes. I like dark things. I don't like disturbing things, just dark things. I don't like tons of stupid blood and guts. I'm a nurse and I can assure you the gross sounds and pictures of what they're showing you are nothing at all like what it really is. Besides, if I wanted blood and guts I can get that with most anything these days. It's just a waste visually. The story must be compelling for me.
Now, that said. I have an affinity for most anything WWII. I cannot watch Jews suffer though. That is out. it is incomprehensible to me how anyone (Islamic terrorists included) can be such monsters. However, I believe in the fight against it. I don't think kids today understand the evil that truly was. They don't understand patriotism. Many WWII based shows can teach them that. I also like the time period. I believe the best movies ever made were from the 1930s and 1940s. After that, it's all been done already.
I'm amazed at how socialism, despite is sweeping failures in the late 80s and early 90s, is infecting the United States. The kids today don't understand the difference between fear of nuclear war and terrorism. Terrorism is something they've grown up knowing about. It's random and the likelihood that they would be directly affected by it are slim, at best.
Growing up in the Cold War however was frightening. I was sure that I would not live to see 30. Absolutely and steadfastly sure. To my dismay, socialism collapsed in Europe, just as many said it would have to eventually. It's a ponzi scheme and you can't keep it up. Now, kids have forgotten all about it. They know nothing about how socialism is a failure. They are once again wanting to censor speech. We learned nothing! Why aren't parents taking responsibility to teach their kids about this stuff? WHY? Why is the school system such a failure and not teaching it?
For this reason, I'm hoping kids will come along and see my suggestions on binge watching. This one is the evils of what the world was like, and can be like.
Amazon Prime
The Man in the High Castle is a great one to start with. It's based on a book and if you've read the book, fine. Still, this shows us the evils of two things. 1. Fascism. Despite what Fascists will tell you, it is loaded with socialism. They spiteful claim that they hate socialism, but they lie. They do the same as socialists do, but they also get rid of those they don't want to pay for anymore (e.g., elderly, sick, the Jewish). 2. Imperialism. This is close to the same thing as well. You have one dictator and depending on what he believes, that's how things are run. Ever heard an old man say "I don't much care for that new fangled stuff" well imagine if your leader said that. Now what?
Only a single season of this has been made and it is available to stream with Prime. They have renewed it for another season, so that should get interesting. Of all the suggestions here, visually this one is superb. Thoughtfully, this one is also superb. It's a New Europe and the Rocky Mountains are the New Alps and so has a New Switzerland. It's just so cleverly done. You have dark and dreary vs. bright and cheery. It is really an amazing show.
As for acting, it is also amazing. It's hard to really pick out the best of them all, but the multi-faceted performance made by Rufus Sewell is hard not to mention.
The Americans is a good show too. This one, however, tries to remain unbiased. However, I get a little annoyed with how Americans are portrayed. Just as I get upset then they show you that the KGB are liars after all. It makes the show interesting in the very least. You come to almost care about the KGB but then there are times you want to scream at them. What this show does best is show you that the Soviets were willing to kill before getting answers.
This one has aired a total of three seasons, but only the first two are available on Prime. I understand that the third season is about to be released on Prime and that it is even better than the first two. I'm hooked, so I can't wait.
Acting wise, the Welsh actor Matthew Rhys has an astonishingly amazing American accent. I've just about never heard one quite so perfect. Not even from Kate Winslet. He almost even has a light Pennsylvania sounding dialect. You can't get much more American than that! His acting too is brilliant.
Hulu Plus
Deutschland 83 is a fantastic show. Fair warning though. This is a German television show and is not dubbed, it's instead subtitled. I highly recommend it. You'll find that a lot of German is understandable in English. Remember, English is a Germanic and Latin language. Yes, Latin. French is Latin. This shows the evils of socialism and how they keep you under control. many say, "no, they're communists!" Tell them that then. They even call themselves "socialists" in the show! Germans would know too.
The show starts off a bit quirky and visually is way behind American TV. However, by the middle of the season, it has picked up and you don't notice anymore. The acting seems subpar in the beginning until you get to know them. I think it's because I don't speak German and I'm so busy reading subtitles that I can only see their face after they've spoken. It takes some getting used to, but I think you'll be glad you enjoyed it.
Netflix
I hate to say it, but Netflix is lacking when it comes to television such as this. I will however recommend Foyle's War, which has been around for sometime now. It's not about the actual war, though it does get highlighted frequently, but it demonstrates the resilience of the people of British Isles during World War II. It's a lovely made show, is a murder mystery and has the most amazing acting by Michael Kitchen.
If you like serial killers, then add Bletchley Circle to that too. I'm saddened that they are not renewing that show, but it's quick run (I think there are only five episodes) was a good one. The two leading women are indeed great in their parts but Anna Maxwell Martin is stunning as Susan.
This one is post World War II, but has flashbacks during that time. It however is only a McGuffin. The story is about women solving murders.
Summary
So there you have it. No, my suggestions are not New Years holiday suggestions. Just some good entertainment for certain time periods. Most are considered MA, so this is not a list for kids. It's for you as adults to learn and then pass on the reality.
Cheers to you all and let me know if you have any further suggestions! I'm all ears.
Thursday, October 08, 2015
Television studios and ridiculous expectations.
I find it interesting that network television refuses to recognize the real world and how we're living in it. Today we get entertainment in a lot of ways. We can stream movies, television shows and whatnot. In fact, when you get right down to it, American television is pretty much a thing of the past.
Why can't they see what they're doing wrong? I have an answer for that: greed. Yes, greed, full blown unadulterated green. Hollywood is politics. That's all it is. They have lost substance, morals and and absolute reality, but that's not the point. The point is that they still think they have a hold on America for entertainment, when they don't.
Let's take a look at I Love Lucy. That show had 11 million viewers. That's an astonishing number of viewers in the 1950s and did you know today the #1 TV show, The Big Bang Theory, only gets 15 million, as of today? Between 1950 and 2010, the US population doubled and so technically, in order for The Big Bang Theory to get the same ratings as I Love Lucy, they would need another 7 million viewers. That's an enormous number! Some shows only get that many and are still considered successful.
The only television show that gets that number in ratings, is NFL football programming. They spank regularly scheduled programming.
All of that is proof that networks have lost reality. The severe decline in ratings is proof that people don't appreciate the way they do it. Desperate means calls for desperate measures. Instead of looking at why people don't want to watch, they decide to charge you instead! Take a look at what CBS thought they could do to gain viewers.
Yes, it's only $6 per month, but think about that for a minute. What if ABC charges the same, then NBC, then FOX then CW? Already you're talking $24 per month. Now, that's just local television. What if cable networks decided to go that route on their own? Do you watch TNT or TBS? Make that $36. How about ESPN and Fox Sports? Make that $48. What about the numerous National Geography or Discovery channels. Let's go with only 4 of those. Now you're at $72.
If you had cable, you may have already surpassed the cost of it, depending on your package. Sadly, you've only got 12 channels! Now do you see the expense?! It's cheaper instead to subscribe to Netflix, Hulu Plus or pay for a whole year of Amazon Instant. Why on earth then would I want to pay a website to see their shows?! It is absolute insanity.
Many TV shows became popular because of Netflix. How many loved Breaking Bad and watched it for the first time on Netflix? What about Mad Men? Downton Abbey? There are loads of TV shows I have come to love, just by watching them on Netflix. I discovered the genius of Once Upon a Time on Netflix and I never in my life normally would have watched it, had it not been on there.
The fact is that the public now wants to binge watch television. The networks become greedy and think they can lure the simple minded by making you pay for it, when the truth is you don't have to. The way I see it is, if you wanted me to watch, then you'd make it easier Besides, I could watch it for free on regular television. Why would I want to pay now?!
From another angle, I have discovered that British television is actually superior to American television. It's not nearly as shallow as American TV. No, it doesn't have the bigger budgets or as many beautiful people, but it has realism, artistic design, great writing and superior direction. I hate to say it, but American TV just doesn't hold a candle to what I call BTV.
Want some binge watching? Here is some amazing television: Midsomer Murders, Poirot, The Fall, Doc Martin, Hinterland, Downton Abbey, Foley's War, Bletchley Circle, Sherlock and Arthur. I'm sure there are more, but those are enough to get you started. Keep in mind that the British love a good mystery, so most of those are mysteries but trust me, they're excellent fun. Stick with them!
Though this is a bit off topic, let me just say that while the older episodes of Midsomer are well dated, keep at it. It has a very dry sense of humor and trust me, you'll get the most interesting murders ever planned before. How about death by catapulted wine bottles? Barnaby is brilliantly funny and poor Joyce can't cook to save her life, but never in all the years that she is on that show, does she ever learn what her family says about her cooking. I noticed that American TV seemed to pick up on their bizarre murder ideas and ABC's Castle seems to copy the idea that Midsomer originated.
Now, back to our show....
CBS could still make money off its shows using Netflix or another service. CBS could limit the number to make you want to watch it live on their station but no, they don't. They want you to pay. Fine, then I simply won't watch. How does that help you now CBS?
I don't mean to sound like I'm just picking on CBS, because I'm not. It's a warning to others who may wish to try it out. What the networks need to do is wake up and realize that they do not own America anymore. We will not be held hostage!
Agree with me? Then send them a message and let them know.
Now go and watch some BTV right now! You won't regret it. What was that? You wonder what I'd suggest first? Well, any really, but to get a grasp on them, try Sherlock first. Once you see that, you'll laugh at the stupidity of Elementary on CBS. Okay, that's just a coincidence. Still not picking on CBS on purpose.
Why are you still reading this? GO WATCH SHERLOCK!!!!
Why can't they see what they're doing wrong? I have an answer for that: greed. Yes, greed, full blown unadulterated green. Hollywood is politics. That's all it is. They have lost substance, morals and and absolute reality, but that's not the point. The point is that they still think they have a hold on America for entertainment, when they don't.
Let's take a look at I Love Lucy. That show had 11 million viewers. That's an astonishing number of viewers in the 1950s and did you know today the #1 TV show, The Big Bang Theory, only gets 15 million, as of today? Between 1950 and 2010, the US population doubled and so technically, in order for The Big Bang Theory to get the same ratings as I Love Lucy, they would need another 7 million viewers. That's an enormous number! Some shows only get that many and are still considered successful.
The only television show that gets that number in ratings, is NFL football programming. They spank regularly scheduled programming.
All of that is proof that networks have lost reality. The severe decline in ratings is proof that people don't appreciate the way they do it. Desperate means calls for desperate measures. Instead of looking at why people don't want to watch, they decide to charge you instead! Take a look at what CBS thought they could do to gain viewers.
Yes, it's only $6 per month, but think about that for a minute. What if ABC charges the same, then NBC, then FOX then CW? Already you're talking $24 per month. Now, that's just local television. What if cable networks decided to go that route on their own? Do you watch TNT or TBS? Make that $36. How about ESPN and Fox Sports? Make that $48. What about the numerous National Geography or Discovery channels. Let's go with only 4 of those. Now you're at $72.
If you had cable, you may have already surpassed the cost of it, depending on your package. Sadly, you've only got 12 channels! Now do you see the expense?! It's cheaper instead to subscribe to Netflix, Hulu Plus or pay for a whole year of Amazon Instant. Why on earth then would I want to pay a website to see their shows?! It is absolute insanity.
Many TV shows became popular because of Netflix. How many loved Breaking Bad and watched it for the first time on Netflix? What about Mad Men? Downton Abbey? There are loads of TV shows I have come to love, just by watching them on Netflix. I discovered the genius of Once Upon a Time on Netflix and I never in my life normally would have watched it, had it not been on there.
The fact is that the public now wants to binge watch television. The networks become greedy and think they can lure the simple minded by making you pay for it, when the truth is you don't have to. The way I see it is, if you wanted me to watch, then you'd make it easier Besides, I could watch it for free on regular television. Why would I want to pay now?!
From another angle, I have discovered that British television is actually superior to American television. It's not nearly as shallow as American TV. No, it doesn't have the bigger budgets or as many beautiful people, but it has realism, artistic design, great writing and superior direction. I hate to say it, but American TV just doesn't hold a candle to what I call BTV.
Want some binge watching? Here is some amazing television: Midsomer Murders, Poirot, The Fall, Doc Martin, Hinterland, Downton Abbey, Foley's War, Bletchley Circle, Sherlock and Arthur. I'm sure there are more, but those are enough to get you started. Keep in mind that the British love a good mystery, so most of those are mysteries but trust me, they're excellent fun. Stick with them!
Though this is a bit off topic, let me just say that while the older episodes of Midsomer are well dated, keep at it. It has a very dry sense of humor and trust me, you'll get the most interesting murders ever planned before. How about death by catapulted wine bottles? Barnaby is brilliantly funny and poor Joyce can't cook to save her life, but never in all the years that she is on that show, does she ever learn what her family says about her cooking. I noticed that American TV seemed to pick up on their bizarre murder ideas and ABC's Castle seems to copy the idea that Midsomer originated.
Now, back to our show....
CBS could still make money off its shows using Netflix or another service. CBS could limit the number to make you want to watch it live on their station but no, they don't. They want you to pay. Fine, then I simply won't watch. How does that help you now CBS?
I don't mean to sound like I'm just picking on CBS, because I'm not. It's a warning to others who may wish to try it out. What the networks need to do is wake up and realize that they do not own America anymore. We will not be held hostage!
Agree with me? Then send them a message and let them know.
Now go and watch some BTV right now! You won't regret it. What was that? You wonder what I'd suggest first? Well, any really, but to get a grasp on them, try Sherlock first. Once you see that, you'll laugh at the stupidity of Elementary on CBS. Okay, that's just a coincidence. Still not picking on CBS on purpose.
Why are you still reading this? GO WATCH SHERLOCK!!!!
Friday, February 27, 2015
Historic Moments: Tuesday, 21 February 1939
Below is what I had written before something happened and I couldn't continue daily. I'll go ahead and publish this one, as is. I will still continue the series, but it will not be daily. At the least, it will be weekly.
This is part of a series detailing in real time World War II, American culture during the war and usually small town life. For information, please see this post, and this one. As a note, direct quotes from the newspaper are in this font, and my comments during direct quotes are [in these brackets]. Parenthesis in quotes, are the paper's own.
This is part of a series detailing in real time World War II, American culture during the war and usually small town life. For information, please see this post, and this one. As a note, direct quotes from the newspaper are in this font, and my comments during direct quotes are [in these brackets]. Parenthesis in quotes, are the paper's own.
Today's random newspaper pick is the Indiana Evening Gazette from Indiana, Pennsylvania.
Previously in Historic Moments...
- President Roosevelt is battling Congress on the sale of planes to France and the building of a naval base in Guam.
- The Spanish Civil War.
- The Japanese invasion of China and its ramifications.
- The execution of Franklin Pierce McCall, though we'll probably get no new news until around the 24th, his next execution date.
- Tensions between France and Italy, in Africa.
- The possible kidnapping of Anne Louise Sweitzer, an 8-year-old girl from Pasadena, CA.
Now, on with today's news.
The biggest headline of the day is about a very disturbing Nazi rally at Madison Square Gardens. A whopping 20,000 people attended in support. Photos that display the enormity of it all can be Googled, and please go look at the link so you can understand what I mean in a minute. It'll only take a second. There were storm trooper guards, hate speeches, the alignment of George Washington with fascism and so forth.
Now, I disagree wholeheartedly with anything fascist, but I must admit that I find the freedom of speech here amazing. These Nazi supporters were protected by local police so they could exercise this very right. What is completely opposite however, is when a journalist called out that it was nonsense. The police were ready to arrest her! Why? In the end, he didn't because another journalist pointed out that her freedom of speech was also being exercised, but it bothers me that he was about to arrest her to begin with.
The other thing is, can you possibly imagine getting on a stage in front of 22,000 people today and shouting how Muslims are what is wrong with the world, or blacks, or anyone? Would we still have that right to shout hate? Or would we be arrested? It is worth looking at the difference of freedom then and now.
I believe in free speech no matter how offensive it may sound to someone. I believe in unrestrained speech. Nazis were pure evil, but just because they blustered about nonsense doesn't mean they should not air their twisted opinions. Today though, we no longer carry that right. Ask Juan Williams, he'll tell you all about that.
However, I digress. The headline mentions it turning violent and there was some fighting. One heroic Isadore Greenbaum leaped onto the stage and rushed the speaker then was immediately attacked by "a dozen or more" storm troopers. The man's clothes were ripped and he was bleeding, but the police rushed in to rescue the man. They subsequently arrested him and his bail was set at $100.
In all, thirteen people were arrested due to fighting. People outside of the rally flocked and demonstrated. It was quite a display of heated opposition. There are videos, articles and so forth out there and I highly recommend you taking the time to learn more about it.
The Chinese war with Japan roars on. Until now, westerners in China were supposed to be safe, but Japan launched an aerial bombardment on Hong Kong, which at the time was a territory of Great Britain. Naturally, it was not well received, in the least, by the empire.
As the paper went to print, there was not yet news of much detail. They knew that a train station was hit, a British policeman was killed along with dozens injured.
The British ambassador to Tokyo was directed to "to protest immediately to the Japanese government in the strongest of terms," and to "press for a reply to the British not of Jan. 14 [1939] asking clarification of Japanaese intentions toward western powers in regard to maintenance of an open door to trade in China. (The United States on Dec. 31 and France on Jan. 19 made similar representations to Japan)."
As the paper went to print, there was not yet news of much detail. They knew that a train station was hit, a British policeman was killed along with dozens injured.
The British ambassador to Tokyo was directed to "to protest immediately to the Japanese government in the strongest of terms," and to "press for a reply to the British not of Jan. 14 [1939] asking clarification of Japanaese intentions toward western powers in regard to maintenance of an open door to trade in China. (The United States on Dec. 31 and France on Jan. 19 made similar representations to Japan)."
Little 8-year-old Anne Louise Sweitzer has been found alive, but her condition is not yet released. They did say that she was suffering from nausea, which is odd. The suspect, Townsend Davis, was not being charged with kidnapping, but instead "a morals charge". His motive, he said, was that "she wanted to leave home. I considered her home a bad environment for her."
The newspaper's headline contradicts itself with the article. The headline says she was 5, but the article correctly says that she was 8. Yesterday's newspaper said that Davis was the 40-year-old nephew of a neighbor who had brought her home two days before and had bought her candy and gloves.
China and Japan both claim victory of an aerial battle over Lanchow. Both sides give different numbers of downed planes.
The other day there was talk that Britain and France were going to recognize Generalissmo Franco as the legitimate leader of Spain. It was an unofficial leak. Today however, France instructed a Senator Leon Berard to "reach a basis for formal recognition of [his] regime."
Have a great day!
---
Images and articles from this newspaper were generously provided by the totally awesome Newspapers.com. I am not affiliated them with them in any way, just a very happy subscriber. Should you decide to subscribe, please let them know magnoliasouth sent you. No, I get nothing for it, I just want them to know. :)
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Newspaper reformatting
Originally I was going to have to put this on hold. I was finding that it was much more time consuming than I expected. However, after thinking on it, I think a weekly newspaper update would be just as interesting. Many of the stories have no new news, so the important ones would be just as easy to still follow.
Also, extra stories are sometimes hard to find. If I pared it down to a week, it will work, I think, much better.
You can follow my clippings if you wish, in the meantime. I will still continue to read the papers on a daily basis, and save the ones I think people may be interested in.
So! Please come back on Friday and I'll have an article up for you and we'll just do the full week.
Cheers!
Also, extra stories are sometimes hard to find. If I pared it down to a week, it will work, I think, much better.
You can follow my clippings if you wish, in the meantime. I will still continue to read the papers on a daily basis, and save the ones I think people may be interested in.
So! Please come back on Friday and I'll have an article up for you and we'll just do the full week.
Cheers!
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Dogs and Knee Braces for cruciate injuries, part II.
Last year, I posted about a brace I had for my dog called the Atrac from WoundWear.com after much research. Our girl has a torn ACL, which is a devastating injury.
Before I go on, I must apologize to so many of you who made comments. I never saw the comment notices and so never posted an update thinking no one had been interested. I am just SO sorry about this. My apologies.
I have to admit that it has been a long bumpy road and sadly, it is not over. She did fairly well, but I noticed that she started having some back problems. She did not like the way the straps attached down her back because of course it would pull a bit, as it should have in order to keep the tension on the brace correct. She would then bend her body just a bit to let off the tension.
If we loosened it ourselves, the the brace would slide down. It was a catch-22. Finally, we felt she was walking pretty well so we took it off. My daughter is living with us and her two dogs live here, so we have 4 large dogs in the house. They would play and she would start limping again.
The problems arose when she started losing weight. While wearing the brace, she wouldn't walk properly and (as I mentioned about her back) but also she began getting very thin. It's just so sad because they cannot tell us what is wrong. :'( As a human nurse, I suspected she was actually sort of grieving, as patients do when they have a major life change such as loss of independence or the loss of a limb.
To add to this, she was starting to act like she was in pain. We figured it was the combination of her back and leg. It took trying several things, but I finally found a regimen that worked for her. She would take tramadol and carprofen in the morning, then tramadol at night and we saw a serious improvement in her walking.
Finally we felt that she had been wearing the brace for long enough. We removed it and though she still limped a bit but it didn't slow her down, she wasn't in pain, she was very happy and began gaining weight again.
Then the worst thing in the world happened. She tore her other ACL. I kid you not! I couldn't afford another bilateral brace. Fortunately, that injury seemed relatively minor. Because she was not able to bear weight for long on either leg, we put the brace back on, grateful there is a cuff on the opposite side of the main brace portion. That cuff made a difference.
So! That's where we are now. You can judge for yourself. I think if you have a dog that isn't as headstrong as ours is, you'll probably do fine. Our girl is a spunky pistol. She's the boss of the house (the alpha dog, even with her bilateral injuries) and though she is obedient, you cannot make her do something she doesn't want to. Thus, the brace didn't work as well as I would have preferred.
I'm nearly 99% certain that if I put it on any of our other dogs, they would have done fine. It's just this one who is a rebellion with stuff like that. Once she had a hot spot that was horrible. She kept licking at it, making it worse. I put on the "cone of shame" to stop her from doing it and she refused to go anyway or do anything. She just pouted.
I hope this answers some of your questions. As many have commented on my original post, it worked out really well for a lot of you, which is what I would expect.
Her walking is definitely improved, but not 100% normal. I am absolutely confident that's because of her, rather than the fault of the brace.
Before I go on, I must apologize to so many of you who made comments. I never saw the comment notices and so never posted an update thinking no one had been interested. I am just SO sorry about this. My apologies.
I have to admit that it has been a long bumpy road and sadly, it is not over. She did fairly well, but I noticed that she started having some back problems. She did not like the way the straps attached down her back because of course it would pull a bit, as it should have in order to keep the tension on the brace correct. She would then bend her body just a bit to let off the tension.
If we loosened it ourselves, the the brace would slide down. It was a catch-22. Finally, we felt she was walking pretty well so we took it off. My daughter is living with us and her two dogs live here, so we have 4 large dogs in the house. They would play and she would start limping again.
The problems arose when she started losing weight. While wearing the brace, she wouldn't walk properly and (as I mentioned about her back) but also she began getting very thin. It's just so sad because they cannot tell us what is wrong. :'( As a human nurse, I suspected she was actually sort of grieving, as patients do when they have a major life change such as loss of independence or the loss of a limb.
To add to this, she was starting to act like she was in pain. We figured it was the combination of her back and leg. It took trying several things, but I finally found a regimen that worked for her. She would take tramadol and carprofen in the morning, then tramadol at night and we saw a serious improvement in her walking.
Finally we felt that she had been wearing the brace for long enough. We removed it and though she still limped a bit but it didn't slow her down, she wasn't in pain, she was very happy and began gaining weight again.
Then the worst thing in the world happened. She tore her other ACL. I kid you not! I couldn't afford another bilateral brace. Fortunately, that injury seemed relatively minor. Because she was not able to bear weight for long on either leg, we put the brace back on, grateful there is a cuff on the opposite side of the main brace portion. That cuff made a difference.
So! That's where we are now. You can judge for yourself. I think if you have a dog that isn't as headstrong as ours is, you'll probably do fine. Our girl is a spunky pistol. She's the boss of the house (the alpha dog, even with her bilateral injuries) and though she is obedient, you cannot make her do something she doesn't want to. Thus, the brace didn't work as well as I would have preferred.
I'm nearly 99% certain that if I put it on any of our other dogs, they would have done fine. It's just this one who is a rebellion with stuff like that. Once she had a hot spot that was horrible. She kept licking at it, making it worse. I put on the "cone of shame" to stop her from doing it and she refused to go anyway or do anything. She just pouted.
I hope this answers some of your questions. As many have commented on my original post, it worked out really well for a lot of you, which is what I would expect.
Her walking is definitely improved, but not 100% normal. I am absolutely confident that's because of her, rather than the fault of the brace.
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