Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Holiday Mix
I was feeling like a lazy decorator the other day... I wanted to start my holiday decorating but I only had a few minutes to put something together before the little one woke from her nap. I was looking for instant gratification, something quick and easy. This is what I came up with.
I pulled out a few things from my Christmas decor stash and sort of just piled it all together... the brown ornaments and cone trees are from Ikea two years ago, the white pinecones are Crate & Barrel, crystal bits from Pottery Barn, and the reindeer and penguins are from Loblaws/Superstore. The reed wreath is Ikea too. I was feeling a sort of natural organic look mixed with a bit of holiday glam so I stuck to a palette of browns and whites.
I used my 3-tier stand (also from Loblaws) and hobnail candlestick holders and cake stand to add some height and texture. I love all the different textures, shapes and finishes. Polished off the look with a white ribbon for the wreath and a latte coloured pearl strand. Easy peasy pretty.
Its a bit more relaxed and simple than how the sideboard looked in 2008:
And in 2009:
But then again, so am I these days ;)
I pulled out a few things from my Christmas decor stash and sort of just piled it all together... the brown ornaments and cone trees are from Ikea two years ago, the white pinecones are Crate & Barrel, crystal bits from Pottery Barn, and the reindeer and penguins are from Loblaws/Superstore. The reed wreath is Ikea too. I was feeling a sort of natural organic look mixed with a bit of holiday glam so I stuck to a palette of browns and whites.
I used my 3-tier stand (also from Loblaws) and hobnail candlestick holders and cake stand to add some height and texture. I love all the different textures, shapes and finishes. Polished off the look with a white ribbon for the wreath and a latte coloured pearl strand. Easy peasy pretty.
Its a bit more relaxed and simple than how the sideboard looked in 2008:
And in 2009:
But then again, so am I these days ;)
Brave Sir Julian is wanted dread or alive, by the evil forces
INTERPOL makes it official. Not for thought crime, not for espionage, but for his sexual indiscretions.
THEY are hot on your trail Knight of the Pallid Complexion and Multi-Hued Coif.
Brave Sir Julian's new theme song - thanks to Peter Tosh:
Senate battle on DREAM Act is set
Good news from Washington:
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he would file a motion Tuesday so the Senate could take up the DREAM Act, setting up a showdown over the bill that would provide some young, undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.
[...]
The DREAM Act would open up a channel for citizenship to immigrants who were illegally brought to the United States as children. To qualify for legalization, immigrants must have entered the U.S. before age 16, lived in the country at least five consecutive years before the bill’s enactment; been admitted to a college or earned a high-school diploma or GED certificate; and should have no serious criminal record.
Those who receive conditional resident status would need to attend college or serve in the military at least two years.
Senator Reid getting the 60 votes he need to stop a filibuster is going to be tough and the Democrats will have to compromise with moderate Republicans in order to move the bill forward. That being said, it's great that Congress is FINALLY moving forward on this important piece of legislation.
This is one of those "who do you root for?" moments
If the always reliable wiki-source that is the Daily Beast is correct in this blog post we have an impending cage death match between Vlad 'the Impaler' Putin and Julian 'the Pallid Knight' Assange.
Who wins. That's easy. To quote Dubya re Vlad: Cold blooded.
Who to root for? That's a tougher call. Assange is detestable. Vlad is, well,.. scary, and has a few nukes in his holster.
EMP is to carpet bombing as _________ is to laser guided missiles.
There is a reason the SAT and the GRE folks quit using analogies in their tests. No analogy is perfect, and the person creating one is open to critique for same. So, when you design 'one right answer' multiple choices around them, you'll always get some disgruntled test-taker belly-aching about unfairness and subtle test biases.
Granted all that, I've created the question at the head of this post fully recognizing the high danger in so doing, and here are your prospective answers, diligent and persevering would be subjects..er..test-takers:
a. a saboteur
b. the stuxnet virus
c. the wikileaks organization
d. disinformation
e. a 7/11 burrito or "truckstopper" sandwich
As you can probably tell, and as is usual on multiple choice tests, there is one freebie wrong answer. I have hopefully provided some good "distractors," as well. But, no doubt, this is a lame-oh attempt, not only at humor, but test question crafting. However, bear with me, and let me explain why exactly one answer is the best:
a. A saboteur is a conscious and intelligent agent, that can act both in the sort of broad manner that EMP and Carpet bombing "act", or can be used with pinpoint accuracy. Likewise, he is a bit like the guy in boots on the ground wielding the laser for the benefit of incoming guided missiles. He uses intelligence and sense data to find his target. Given this variability in a saboteur's precision, and given that the laser guided missile is on the narrow end of the precision spectrum, this answer (a) is a bit too inclusive to count as the best, but is nevertheless a brilliantly presented distractor.
b. The stuxnet virus is intentionally designed to disrupt or destroy functionality of the Islamic Republic of Iran's centrifuges. What is more, it has, as an essential feature of its functionality, a designed ability to recognize when it is in the appropriate environment. It can 'choose' to remain dormant as it passes through other environments or hosts on its way (hopefully) to its target host. Because of its coded narrow focus it cannot be used for a broad attack on elements of civilian and/or military infrastructure, as can EMP, but will only click into gear when it recognizes that it is resident in the computers that run Li'l Ahmie's physics experiment and nukie-doo-doo distillery. In that respect, even though there is no conscious being involved, it is an intelligent agent (in the AI sense that is). This has obvious analogs with the laser pointer wielding, boots on the ground guy, who would be able to recognize when he is in the vicinity of the building needing targeting. This clearly makes choice B the correct choice.
c. Wikileaks? Comon. Get serious. Clearly the worst of the choices. Assange Incorporated (r) is a clearly amateurish operation. It has a broad target, the Great Satan, but agents wear Birkenstock instead of combat boots, have a complete incapacity to discriminate carpet bombing from any other exercise of U.S. military firepower (particularly in regard to Apache gunships) and a similar incapacity to discriminate weapon wielding enemy combatants from poor innocent stringers from shady press organizations. Also, the organization as a whole has a remarkable incapacity to exercise discrimination in excising information from released documents that may prove harmful to non-combatants. Also a remarkable incapacity to discern the difference between Nazi era Germany and the United States. Also, an unhealthy reliance on pasty-faced, pallid complected, trendily attired neo-hipsters with vaguely defined messianic complexes. Aside from Bradley Manning, the U.S. military is bereft of such persons. This is clearly the freebie wrong answer to the analogy question. An impossible answer if you have a modicum of analogical prowess.
d. Disinformation is generally ineffective and more broadly targeted. Also, not clearly targeted at infrastructural elements. Does aim to disrupt though, and sometimes succeeds, unlike choice (c). This makes choice (d) perhaps the least attractive of the possible answers.
e. Both of these food items can have marked and rapid effects of a deleterious nature, which can also disrupt the functionality of infrastructural elements (plumbing facilities) while exhibiting marked odoriferous side effects, not unlike bombs of both high and low precision. What is more, these two food items have been ( 7/11 Corp. protestations to the contrary) designed with the express purpose of causing intestinal distress. Clearly this is one of the more plausible distractors, a bit better than (d) but also clearly, not the best choice.
Exit observations: Stuxnet is a very interesting weapon is it not? In terms of some of the desired characteristics of weaponry, it, and other worms, bots, viri, cyberweapons, or whatever you would like to call these bits of computer code, offer tantalizing possibilities. The purpose of weaponry is to either kill enemy combatants or destroy enemy infrastructure. What is more, jus in bello moral constraints on use of military force dictate that weaponry used be as discriminating as is possible given the nature of the intended tactical goal, while also being proportional vis harms inflicted as compared to import of the mission or outcome. If you can destroy the fighting will of the enemy with minimal killing (collateral and otherwise) and/or property damage (collateral or otherwise), you should do so. Your means should not outstrip either the harms you are responding to, or the harms you are preventing. Othewise the jus-in-bello strictures are violated.
The evolution of smart weaponry has allowed these two imperatives to be actively and successfully followed in ways undreamed of mere decades ago, and they have moved us beyond the necessity of having to employ imprecise methods such as carpet bombing, which run greater risk of running afoul of these two strictures. For belligerents concerned with these moral constraints, smart weapons are a godsend.
But, smart bombs are still bombs after all, and still kill non-combatants, and damage or destroy buildings in the process of removing contained threats.
In terms of jus in bello, the stuxnet worm is a step better than the precision low yield conventional guided weapon. It either cannot, or is considerably less likely to, generate collateral death, destruction or damage. I say "cannot" because it was specifically designed with what one might call "Panda" functionality. Like the Panda, it cannot do its business unless it is in the right place. Panda must eat eucalyptus to survive. Stuxnet must be resident in the computer system at Li'l Ahmies Science Fair or it will not turn on. So it cannot damage any other target. This is true even if there is a chance that stuxnet, doing its business might cause property damage or loss of life. However, as compared to conventional weaponry, that likelihood is considerably diminished.
In the case of Li'l Ahmie's Nukie doo-doo plant, and only in that case would it, could it, be able to disrupt functioning of the spinning gizmos, effectively tainting the product, and/or slowing down the process or uranium enrichment. It did this by instructing the hardware to spin at too high a rate, and then drastically slowing that hardware, damaging the spinning bits. What is more, it took a while for personnel to figure out what was going on. By that time, the damage was done, and according to stories on the subject, it will take a year or more for the Iranians to clean out the system.
All this was successfully carried out, despite the fact that the Iranians had taken pains to insulate the computer system running the nukie-doo-doo facility from linkage to the web. The virus was designed to be delivered via the web to the vicinity, innocuously, so that some unsuspecting Jimmy Neutron would carry it into the facility on his trusty thumb drive after having surfed the web. Once he/she inserted the portable drive into the computer (running Windows 7) in the plant, and downloaded his Lady Gaga evil Western Imperialist music files the worm was in its intended environment, able to recognize that fact, communicate with the hardware, and bam, mission accomplished without any damage to the building, and no causalities.
Unlike EMP, which also targets infrastructure, but indiscriminately and stupidly, stuxnet could only operate in one environment, on exactly one infrastructural target. So there was no danger of discriminatory malfeasance, as there might have been with something like EMP, (non kinetic but targeted only at infrastructure, but of wide effect), or as there might have been with a conventional bombing raid or cruise missile attack, (kinetic, and necessarily threatening of life and adjacent properties).
While a terrorist group or a morally unconcerned regime could design a cyber weapon that could inflict large scale damage to infrastructure, (and this is something we should worry about, given that great swathes of our infrastructure are reliant on computer control) a moral regime could take pains to deliver these cyber weapons to command and control centers, disabling ability to communicate and otherwise react, without having to take out a city's power station in order to do so. Effects could be tailored if previous intelligence gathering were thorough enough.
Assuming a U.S. and/or western origin of stuxnet, one can safely infer that it the attack on Li'l Ahmie's Science experiment is intended to be a shot across the bow not only of the Iranian ship of state, but a not so subtle signal to the North Koreans as well. And lest we forget, the Chinese, prone themselves to use of cyber weapons, are probably taking heed.
Granted all that, I've created the question at the head of this post fully recognizing the high danger in so doing, and here are your prospective answers, diligent and persevering would be subjects..er..test-takers:
a. a saboteur
b. the stuxnet virus
c. the wikileaks organization
d. disinformation
e. a 7/11 burrito or "truckstopper" sandwich
As you can probably tell, and as is usual on multiple choice tests, there is one freebie wrong answer. I have hopefully provided some good "distractors," as well. But, no doubt, this is a lame-oh attempt, not only at humor, but test question crafting. However, bear with me, and let me explain why exactly one answer is the best:
a. A saboteur is a conscious and intelligent agent, that can act both in the sort of broad manner that EMP and Carpet bombing "act", or can be used with pinpoint accuracy. Likewise, he is a bit like the guy in boots on the ground wielding the laser for the benefit of incoming guided missiles. He uses intelligence and sense data to find his target. Given this variability in a saboteur's precision, and given that the laser guided missile is on the narrow end of the precision spectrum, this answer (a) is a bit too inclusive to count as the best, but is nevertheless a brilliantly presented distractor.
b. The stuxnet virus is intentionally designed to disrupt or destroy functionality of the Islamic Republic of Iran's centrifuges. What is more, it has, as an essential feature of its functionality, a designed ability to recognize when it is in the appropriate environment. It can 'choose' to remain dormant as it passes through other environments or hosts on its way (hopefully) to its target host. Because of its coded narrow focus it cannot be used for a broad attack on elements of civilian and/or military infrastructure, as can EMP, but will only click into gear when it recognizes that it is resident in the computers that run Li'l Ahmie's physics experiment and nukie-doo-doo distillery. In that respect, even though there is no conscious being involved, it is an intelligent agent (in the AI sense that is). This has obvious analogs with the laser pointer wielding, boots on the ground guy, who would be able to recognize when he is in the vicinity of the building needing targeting. This clearly makes choice B the correct choice.
c. Wikileaks? Comon. Get serious. Clearly the worst of the choices. Assange Incorporated (r) is a clearly amateurish operation. It has a broad target, the Great Satan, but agents wear Birkenstock instead of combat boots, have a complete incapacity to discriminate carpet bombing from any other exercise of U.S. military firepower (particularly in regard to Apache gunships) and a similar incapacity to discriminate weapon wielding enemy combatants from poor innocent stringers from shady press organizations. Also, the organization as a whole has a remarkable incapacity to exercise discrimination in excising information from released documents that may prove harmful to non-combatants. Also a remarkable incapacity to discern the difference between Nazi era Germany and the United States. Also, an unhealthy reliance on pasty-faced, pallid complected, trendily attired neo-hipsters with vaguely defined messianic complexes. Aside from Bradley Manning, the U.S. military is bereft of such persons. This is clearly the freebie wrong answer to the analogy question. An impossible answer if you have a modicum of analogical prowess.
d. Disinformation is generally ineffective and more broadly targeted. Also, not clearly targeted at infrastructural elements. Does aim to disrupt though, and sometimes succeeds, unlike choice (c). This makes choice (d) perhaps the least attractive of the possible answers.
e. Both of these food items can have marked and rapid effects of a deleterious nature, which can also disrupt the functionality of infrastructural elements (plumbing facilities) while exhibiting marked odoriferous side effects, not unlike bombs of both high and low precision. What is more, these two food items have been ( 7/11 Corp. protestations to the contrary) designed with the express purpose of causing intestinal distress. Clearly this is one of the more plausible distractors, a bit better than (d) but also clearly, not the best choice.
Exit observations: Stuxnet is a very interesting weapon is it not? In terms of some of the desired characteristics of weaponry, it, and other worms, bots, viri, cyberweapons, or whatever you would like to call these bits of computer code, offer tantalizing possibilities. The purpose of weaponry is to either kill enemy combatants or destroy enemy infrastructure. What is more, jus in bello moral constraints on use of military force dictate that weaponry used be as discriminating as is possible given the nature of the intended tactical goal, while also being proportional vis harms inflicted as compared to import of the mission or outcome. If you can destroy the fighting will of the enemy with minimal killing (collateral and otherwise) and/or property damage (collateral or otherwise), you should do so. Your means should not outstrip either the harms you are responding to, or the harms you are preventing. Othewise the jus-in-bello strictures are violated.
The evolution of smart weaponry has allowed these two imperatives to be actively and successfully followed in ways undreamed of mere decades ago, and they have moved us beyond the necessity of having to employ imprecise methods such as carpet bombing, which run greater risk of running afoul of these two strictures. For belligerents concerned with these moral constraints, smart weapons are a godsend.
But, smart bombs are still bombs after all, and still kill non-combatants, and damage or destroy buildings in the process of removing contained threats.
In terms of jus in bello, the stuxnet worm is a step better than the precision low yield conventional guided weapon. It either cannot, or is considerably less likely to, generate collateral death, destruction or damage. I say "cannot" because it was specifically designed with what one might call "Panda" functionality. Like the Panda, it cannot do its business unless it is in the right place. Panda must eat eucalyptus to survive. Stuxnet must be resident in the computer system at Li'l Ahmies Science Fair or it will not turn on. So it cannot damage any other target. This is true even if there is a chance that stuxnet, doing its business might cause property damage or loss of life. However, as compared to conventional weaponry, that likelihood is considerably diminished.
In the case of Li'l Ahmie's Nukie doo-doo plant, and only in that case would it, could it, be able to disrupt functioning of the spinning gizmos, effectively tainting the product, and/or slowing down the process or uranium enrichment. It did this by instructing the hardware to spin at too high a rate, and then drastically slowing that hardware, damaging the spinning bits. What is more, it took a while for personnel to figure out what was going on. By that time, the damage was done, and according to stories on the subject, it will take a year or more for the Iranians to clean out the system.
All this was successfully carried out, despite the fact that the Iranians had taken pains to insulate the computer system running the nukie-doo-doo facility from linkage to the web. The virus was designed to be delivered via the web to the vicinity, innocuously, so that some unsuspecting Jimmy Neutron would carry it into the facility on his trusty thumb drive after having surfed the web. Once he/she inserted the portable drive into the computer (running Windows 7) in the plant, and downloaded his Lady Gaga evil Western Imperialist music files the worm was in its intended environment, able to recognize that fact, communicate with the hardware, and bam, mission accomplished without any damage to the building, and no causalities.
Unlike EMP, which also targets infrastructure, but indiscriminately and stupidly, stuxnet could only operate in one environment, on exactly one infrastructural target. So there was no danger of discriminatory malfeasance, as there might have been with something like EMP, (non kinetic but targeted only at infrastructure, but of wide effect), or as there might have been with a conventional bombing raid or cruise missile attack, (kinetic, and necessarily threatening of life and adjacent properties).
While a terrorist group or a morally unconcerned regime could design a cyber weapon that could inflict large scale damage to infrastructure, (and this is something we should worry about, given that great swathes of our infrastructure are reliant on computer control) a moral regime could take pains to deliver these cyber weapons to command and control centers, disabling ability to communicate and otherwise react, without having to take out a city's power station in order to do so. Effects could be tailored if previous intelligence gathering were thorough enough.
Assuming a U.S. and/or western origin of stuxnet, one can safely infer that it the attack on Li'l Ahmie's Science experiment is intended to be a shot across the bow not only of the Iranian ship of state, but a not so subtle signal to the North Koreans as well. And lest we forget, the Chinese, prone themselves to use of cyber weapons, are probably taking heed.
BETHEL: Road repair plan moves forward
The Bethel Patch is doing a great job scooping the News-Times...
Besides the rants from the usual suspects, the vote went as expected and the residents of Bethel will finally have their say on the matter.
...more later.
UPDATE: My GOD! Talk about lack of quality reporting. If you want to know why journalists in the print media are jumping ship and joining the AOL-Patch service, this laughable News-Times blurb on last night's vote in Bethel should explain things.
Bethel voters will finally get to voice their opinion on the town's proposed $2 million Road Renewal Plan next Tuesday, Dec. 7.
The referendum was approved Monday night at a special town meeting held at the Bethel High School auditorium. The original $8.5 million, multi-year Road Renewal Plan was first proposed by First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker back in June, and has since been changed to only bond $2 million, per concern of the Board of Finance.
[...]
After the discussion period, those present officially voted to adjourn the meeting with the plan going to referendum (and its date and time), which only had a couple dissenters.
Knickerbocker said though his original plan didn't make it to referendum, he was happy of the meeting's outcome and that he is "confident that it will pass."
"I strongly think the $8.5 million was better for the town; it would have given our residents assurance that they wouldn't have to go back again and again through this process," Knickerbocker said. "...I want to assure the residents of Bethel that I am going for the rest of the package for the next budget cycle."
[...]
The vote will be held next Tuesday, Dec. 7 from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. at the usual town polling places: the Clifford J. Municipal Center, the Frank A. Berry School and the Stony Hill Fire Station. Absentee ballots will be available at the Town Clerk's Office starting Tuesday, Nov. 30 till Monday, Dec. 6. The office is open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Besides the rants from the usual suspects, the vote went as expected and the residents of Bethel will finally have their say on the matter.
...more later.
UPDATE: My GOD! Talk about lack of quality reporting. If you want to know why journalists in the print media are jumping ship and joining the AOL-Patch service, this laughable News-Times blurb on last night's vote in Bethel should explain things.
Dubya makes the rounds - Round 5, Spaceface..er..Myface..er..Facebook
Dubya is so hip to the web that he could have designed and delivered the stuxnet worm in his sleep. Enjoy:
Watch live streaming video from facebookguests at livestream.com
Monday, November 29, 2010
Holiday Cards & Tiny Prints Giveaway
I really should have called this "Giveaway Week"... but more on that later.
*******
Have you started on your holiday greeting cards? Thanks to Tiny Prints, I've got this task off my To Do list. I really loved loved loved the cards I got from Tiny Prints last year so I was excited to buy from them once again. Not only does Tiny Prints have unique and memorable card designs, but the card stock they use feels great in your hands, and they ship to Canada! Awesome.
Using the Tiny Prints site is so easy too. I really like the "My Picks" feature which allows you to save designs you like as you browse. I like to browse though all the designs, pick out a few favourites, do some mock ups so I can see what the finished product will look like, and buy the one I like best. Tiny Prints makes that whole process fast and easy.
Most of the card elements are customizable; you can easily change the text, font, font size, colours, and layouts. Here's a few of the designs I considered using. I love the round ones you can hang as an ornament!
And here's the card from last year. Wow, what a difference a year makes, eh?
Aren't they fun? You'll have to wait see what I chose for this year's card...it wasn't any of the ones I featured above ;) (Note: I wasn't paid to write this. I really do love Tiny Prints' products!)
*****
Now onto the giveaway... Tiny Prints has kindly offered a $50 gift certificate to one of my readers to print their holiday cards this year! And Canadian readers, there is plenty of time to get your cards shipped to you (I ordered mine on Nov.24 and according to Fedex, they should arrive on my doorstep today!).
Here's how you can win:
1. Receive one entry for leaving a comment below
2. Receive one entry for becoming a follower & leaving a separate comment to let me know you've done so. If you're already a follower, leave a comment to let me know.
3. Receive one entry if you tweet about the giveaway (make sure to include my twitter name @ramblingreno in your tweet so I can keep track)
And don't forget, leave me your email address or blog address in your comment so I can contact you if you win! You have until 10PM EST December 3, 2010 to enter. The winner will be randomly drawn from all entries and announced on December 4th. Good luck!
*******
Have you started on your holiday greeting cards? Thanks to Tiny Prints, I've got this task off my To Do list. I really loved loved loved the cards I got from Tiny Prints last year so I was excited to buy from them once again. Not only does Tiny Prints have unique and memorable card designs, but the card stock they use feels great in your hands, and they ship to Canada! Awesome.
Using the Tiny Prints site is so easy too. I really like the "My Picks" feature which allows you to save designs you like as you browse. I like to browse though all the designs, pick out a few favourites, do some mock ups so I can see what the finished product will look like, and buy the one I like best. Tiny Prints makes that whole process fast and easy.
Most of the card elements are customizable; you can easily change the text, font, font size, colours, and layouts. Here's a few of the designs I considered using. I love the round ones you can hang as an ornament!
And here's the card from last year. Wow, what a difference a year makes, eh?
Aren't they fun? You'll have to wait see what I chose for this year's card...it wasn't any of the ones I featured above ;) (Note: I wasn't paid to write this. I really do love Tiny Prints' products!)
*****
Now onto the giveaway... Tiny Prints has kindly offered a $50 gift certificate to one of my readers to print their holiday cards this year! And Canadian readers, there is plenty of time to get your cards shipped to you (I ordered mine on Nov.24 and according to Fedex, they should arrive on my doorstep today!).
Here's how you can win:
1. Receive one entry for leaving a comment below
2. Receive one entry for becoming a follower & leaving a separate comment to let me know you've done so. If you're already a follower, leave a comment to let me know.
3. Receive one entry if you tweet about the giveaway (make sure to include my twitter name @ramblingreno in your tweet so I can keep track)
And don't forget, leave me your email address or blog address in your comment so I can contact you if you win! You have until 10PM EST December 3, 2010 to enter. The winner will be randomly drawn from all entries and announced on December 4th. Good luck!
Congressman Murphy speaks out against Gov. Rell's recommendation to eliminate area rail service
This afternoon, Congressman Chris Murphy paid a visit to Danbury and Waterbury to speak out against Gov Rell's proposal to eliminate of the Metro-North rail service. The recommendation to eliminate the service in Danbury and Waterbury was one of several spending cut proposals Rell suggested to state lawmakers last week.
From this afternoon in Waterbury, here's highlights of Congressman Murphy's presser.
Press Release:
“We are pumping federal and state resources into the state’s branch lines right now, so Governor Rell’s proposal to cancel service on these lines now would be a foolish mistake. On top of the federal grants we’ve already secured for commuter rail in Connecticut, there may be more to come, ushering in a new era in commuter rail in parts of the state that desperately need it. We can’t give up now - too much is riding on commuter rail,”
Murphy has long been a supporter of the rail branch lines, holding riding meetings on the Waterbury and Danbury lines to discuss how to expand service and increase ridership. He firmly believes that accessible, affordable commuter rail service is essential to Connecticut's future economic development, and he, along with the rest of the Congressional delegation, have been fighting for and winning federal funding for commuter rail in the state.
In Danbury, the line is currently undergoing a signaling system update funded by federal stimulus dollars and state resources. The state has committed $10 million to make a variety of capital improvements to stations along the MetroNorth New Haven line, including the branch lines. The 27-mile Waterbury branch is the longest of the three New Haven branch lines, and is poised to be a major commuter resource if upgraded. Meanwhile, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is nearing the completion of multi-year feasibility scoping studies to examine cost-effective alternatives for increasing ridership on the Danbury, Waterbury, and New Canaan branch lines. Yet last week, Governor Rell sent a letter to the Connecticut General Assembly outlining ways to cut state spending, including eliminating service on the state’s three branch lines.
“Put simply, Governor Rell’s proposal to eliminate service on these branch lines would be a disaster for Connecticut commuters at a time when we are working diligently to secure additional federal support for their expansion and improvement,” said Murphy.
Giveaway Winners - One of a Kind Show Tickets
And the winners of the One of a Kind Show tickets are...
Betty
Wil
Jen C
Gina
Anne-Marie
Congratulations! I'll be in touch with details on where to pick up your tickets.
At the show, be sure to check out the "LOVE" exhibit in the middle of the show floor. They asked some of the artisans to interpret the theme of love and the pieces displayed are some of my favourites. Happy shopping!
Thanks to everyone who entered!
Betty
Wil
Jen C
Gina
Anne-Marie
Congratulations! I'll be in touch with details on where to pick up your tickets.
At the show, be sure to check out the "LOVE" exhibit in the middle of the show floor. They asked some of the artisans to interpret the theme of love and the pieces displayed are some of my favourites. Happy shopping!
Thanks to everyone who entered!
BETHEL: Road renewal plan public meeting TONIGHT
Tonight, the residents of the town of Bethel will have an opportunity to have their say regarding the town's road repair proposal.
Bethel Patch:
The delay in the road repair proposal has angered many residents in Bethel who accused members of the Finance Board of being obstructionists and playing dirty politics.
Given the volatility over this issue, I'm sure tonight's meeting will be eventful.
Bethel Patch:
On Monday, Nov. 29, The Town of Bethel will hold a special town meeting at the Bethel High School Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The meeting gives Bethel's legal voters the opportunity to vote the Road Renewal Plan, which would put it to a town-wide machine vote tentatively on Tuesday, Dec. 7.
The Road Renewal Plan was first proposed by the Board of Selectmen to the Board of Finance on June 1. The original plan proposed to bond $8.5 million over a ten year period to fix 31 of Bethel's 83 miles of road and three parking lots.
After the Board of Selectmen officially approved the plan, First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker presented several bonding scenarios to the Board of Finance at its September meeting, and after much discussion it was tabled till its October meeting. The vote on the plan was tabled yet again in October, mainly because only five of the seven board members were present.
On Nov. 9, the Board of Fiance voted 4-3 to send the plan back to the Board of Selectmen, with an advisory vote of 5-2 to reduce the bonding amount to $2 million. Several Board of Finance members cited the state of the economy as their main concern for the original $8.5 million plan.
[...]
On Nov. 16, The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to bond $2 million as "Phase I" of the Road Renewal Plan. Knickerbocker said he has a list of top priority roads to be fixed in this first phase. That following Thursday in a special meeting, the Board of Fiance approved the new plan that is now in the hands of the Bethel voters.
The delay in the road repair proposal has angered many residents in Bethel who accused members of the Finance Board of being obstructionists and playing dirty politics.
Given the volatility over this issue, I'm sure tonight's meeting will be eventful.
Who said it and in regard to what?
"The documents appear to have been acquired illegally and contain all manner of private information and statements that were never intended for the public eye, so they won't be posted here."
Your choices:
A. The Washington Post, re: the most recent wikileak
B. The Wall Street Journal, re: the most recent wikileak
C. The New York Times, re: the most recent wikileak
D. The Wall Street Journal, re: CRU Climategate leaks
E. The Washington Post, re: CRU Climategate leaks
F. The New York Times, re: CRU Climategate leaks.
The answer is HERE
Countdown to convoluted and baroque ad-hoc explanation of apparent inconsistency in standards begins....NOW.
Delicious beating of dead horse can be found HERE.
Calling Councilor Thurm. Councilor Nathan Thurm! Your services are needed.
"I'm not being defensive. You're the one who's being defensive."
"Is it me, or is it him? It's him, right?"
Command Performance, Christmas Eve, 1942.
Listen or Download HERE
During WWII, this weekly hour long show was exclusively broadcast over Armed Forces Radio Service, via shortwave radio, for men and women serving overseas. This episode features Bob Hope, the Andrew Sisters, Red Skelton, and Spike Jones and the City Slickers. Enjoy
One last Wikiquestion:
Granted that Brave Sir Julian is spreading out the release of the thousands of documents over an extended period of time, I believe it is a safe reading to say that he is milking the Manning teat for as long as possible, not merely as a PR gimmick, but out of necessity. This strategy of his raises the question: what will he do when that source is exhausted? Will he have anything left with which to bludgeon the great beast of the West?
If, as I suspect, he does not have much of anything left that did not find its origins from Mannings teat, and it is also true that he will not have a significant in-flow of newer documents, might Brave Sir Julian simply fold up the tents for lack of business?
This is assuming of course, that he lasts that long, and can go on milking the Manning teat for months. You know, it is entirely possible that THEY may make that technologically impossible through Denial of Service attacks or other nefarious means. (Stuxnet Wiki version 2.0 anyone?)
And, what with the Aussie government now exploring criminal prosecution, adding to the accused rapists international legal woes, Brave Sir Julian may not be on the lam that much longer.
Either that, or he will simply fade into insignificance for lack of new materials. How many Mannings can there be, and how likely is it that any of them would be able to imitate, given the present situation?
If, as I suspect, he does not have much of anything left that did not find its origins from Mannings teat, and it is also true that he will not have a significant in-flow of newer documents, might Brave Sir Julian simply fold up the tents for lack of business?
This is assuming of course, that he lasts that long, and can go on milking the Manning teat for months. You know, it is entirely possible that THEY may make that technologically impossible through Denial of Service attacks or other nefarious means. (Stuxnet Wiki version 2.0 anyone?)
And, what with the Aussie government now exploring criminal prosecution, adding to the accused rapists international legal woes, Brave Sir Julian may not be on the lam that much longer.
Either that, or he will simply fade into insignificance for lack of new materials. How many Mannings can there be, and how likely is it that any of them would be able to imitate, given the present situation?
Intertubal Wikilinkage
Bing West over at The Corner
1. Death sentence should be on the table for Manning.
2. AQ is bound to use this to track down collaborators.
3. THEY need to make life for Brave Sir Julian a little more difficult.
4. The New York Slimes: "Well since this was going live anyway..why not?"
5. Wall Street Journal: "Because it's wrong."
6. 'Law of Unintended Consequences' consequence of all this: The sorts of walls that existed between law enforcement and intelligence agencies, that allowed 9/11 to occur will now be rebuilt, and further walling off between military and civilian information systems will occur. Nice work Manning.
Daniella Pletka at AEI.
1. Tell us something we don't already know, Asschapeau.
Wings Over Iraq
1. Much ado over nothing..and, good news, we are not planning on taking the Falklands!
Kings of War
1. Brave Sir Julian is Dr. Evil, with a messianic complex, stroking his white kitty and dreaming of revolution.
Max Boot at Commentary
1. The press entities that collaborate with Brave Sir Julian are shameless. (Didja folks hear that over there at the Slimes? Didja?)
2. Wikileaks can't make up its mind who it hates more, the U.S. military or the U.S. diplomatic corps. (Hint Max: WL doesn't like either. Brave Sir Julian and his minions see the U.S. as irredeemably evil. They subscribe to the dime store Marxist worldview of Chomsky. Look at the laughable introductory material they provided. This last bit thanks to the blog Mystical Politics.)
1. Death sentence should be on the table for Manning.
2. AQ is bound to use this to track down collaborators.
3. THEY need to make life for Brave Sir Julian a little more difficult.
4. The New York Slimes: "Well since this was going live anyway..why not?"
5. Wall Street Journal: "Because it's wrong."
6. 'Law of Unintended Consequences' consequence of all this: The sorts of walls that existed between law enforcement and intelligence agencies, that allowed 9/11 to occur will now be rebuilt, and further walling off between military and civilian information systems will occur. Nice work Manning.
Daniella Pletka at AEI.
1. Tell us something we don't already know, Asschapeau.
Wings Over Iraq
1. Much ado over nothing..and, good news, we are not planning on taking the Falklands!
Kings of War
1. Brave Sir Julian is Dr. Evil, with a messianic complex, stroking his white kitty and dreaming of revolution.
Max Boot at Commentary
1. The press entities that collaborate with Brave Sir Julian are shameless. (Didja folks hear that over there at the Slimes? Didja?)
2. Wikileaks can't make up its mind who it hates more, the U.S. military or the U.S. diplomatic corps. (Hint Max: WL doesn't like either. Brave Sir Julian and his minions see the U.S. as irredeemably evil. They subscribe to the dime store Marxist worldview of Chomsky. Look at the laughable introductory material they provided. This last bit thanks to the blog Mystical Politics.)
The Detestable Sir Julian Asschapeau gets attention he craves
Thanks in part to the willing cooperation of the NY Slimes, der Spiegel, the ironically monikered "Guardian" and the usual international journo suspects. Among other shockers, we get these shattering revelations:
The Outrageously Outrageous Confirmation of the Obvious:
And things only get worse.
Gird yer loins folks, for this one:
I know, that's a real face melter.
And, speaking of our friends the Saudis, they are real intent on the U.S. taking out some pesky Iranian nuclear facility, as are other regimes in the area. But, get this.. you will never believe this.. all these folks want to remain on the hush-hush about that eagerness, let us take care of the thing, and then act outrageously outraged.
And..get this..the Zionist entity is not as keen on that little bombing project as are these other regimes that seem to be lining up with our friend the Saudis...shhhh...don't tell anyone, especially the anti-American/Israeli left. Faces might melt er sumpin'. Cognitive dissonance ya know.
Oh...but there is more. Much more:
Next: From the (until now) jealously guarded State Department pool of 'Take Your Meds' poster child candidates, the favorite:
Dear God in Heaven!
And in a related vein, the (until now) favored nominee for the Capt. Louis Renault "We're Shocked..Shocked!" Award goes to this bombshell:
NO! Say it aint so Mo. And I thought Mo's Bro was a nice little Elf.
The (until now)jealously guarded 2010 recipients of the "Lucy and Ethel Friendship" Award:
Li'l Kim and his bosom buddy Li'l Ahmie. They love each other so much that they are sending each other fireworks laden care packages. Ahhh. Ain't that cute. Oh..and Li'l Ahmie's compared to...wait for it....Hitler. (No freakin' duh.)
[Curiously absent from the picture, Official Iranian Salute Guy. ISG we hardly knew Ye.]
And, speaking of Iran..the Islamic Republic smuggles arms to the Hezbos via Red Crescent Ambuli!!!!
[Message from Iran on being outed on this ingenious plan..]
Further revelations..
Vlad Putin and Dimitri Medvedev are Batman and Robin,
Need help with that package Batman, do ya? Go ask Li'l Kim...He has some customers.
And, hard to believe this: There is a Russian Mafia with which the Ruskie gubmint does business!
There's more!
Muammar Gaddafi is bat-guano crazy, and has a well endowed "Ukrainian Nurse" with which he spends buku quality time. [And he's still ticked he couldn't erect..er.. put up his 'Big Mo Tent o' Pleasure' palace on the grounds of the U.N.]
But wait...even more! Try not to avert your eyes. You must see. Must see!
The Chicoms Google bombed...er..bombed Google..cyber-style of course. (and helped Li'l Kim and Li'l Ahmie exchange fireworks gifts).
You know. After having perused the revelations, I've had a change of heart about Brave Sir Julian Asschapeau, Knight of the Rueful Countenance and Multi-hued Coif, International Man of Mystery.
I know. I know. You shake your head in disbelief. But. I'm big enough to admit when I am wrong. So, a message to you, Brave Sir Julian: You have well and truly removed the scales from our collective eyes. You have exposed the imperialist Amerikan Empire for what it is.
Thank you Brave Sir Julian. Thank you. You are super awesome.
Excelsior!
The Outrageously Outrageous Confirmation of the Obvious:
U.S. State Dept. thinks it is wise to spy and data-mine U.N. Diplomatists. Yes, even Hillary approves it. I'm sure somehow or another Nixon's ghost is responsible for this, or maybe Dubya.. Maybe Darth Cheney, with those Jedi mind tricks?
And things only get worse.
Gird yer loins folks, for this one:
Saudis are a substantial source of funding for AQ.
I know, that's a real face melter.
And, speaking of our friends the Saudis, they are real intent on the U.S. taking out some pesky Iranian nuclear facility, as are other regimes in the area. But, get this.. you will never believe this.. all these folks want to remain on the hush-hush about that eagerness, let us take care of the thing, and then act outrageously outraged.
And..get this..the Zionist entity is not as keen on that little bombing project as are these other regimes that seem to be lining up with our friend the Saudis...shhhh...don't tell anyone, especially the anti-American/Israeli left. Faces might melt er sumpin'. Cognitive dissonance ya know.
Oh...but there is more. Much more:
Next: From the (until now) jealously guarded State Department pool of 'Take Your Meds' poster child candidates, the favorite:
Big Moe Karzai is bipolar.
Dear God in Heaven!
And in a related vein, the (until now) favored nominee for the Capt. Louis Renault "We're Shocked..Shocked!" Award goes to this bombshell:
Mo Karzai's brother, Ahmed (Shermie the Drill), is corrupt, and tied to the drug trade in Afghanistan.
NO! Say it aint so Mo. And I thought Mo's Bro was a nice little Elf.
The (until now)jealously guarded 2010 recipients of the "Lucy and Ethel Friendship" Award:
Li'l Kim and his bosom buddy Li'l Ahmie. They love each other so much that they are sending each other fireworks laden care packages. Ahhh. Ain't that cute. Oh..and Li'l Ahmie's compared to...wait for it....Hitler. (No freakin' duh.)
[Curiously absent from the picture, Official Iranian Salute Guy. ISG we hardly knew Ye.]
And, speaking of Iran..the Islamic Republic smuggles arms to the Hezbos via Red Crescent Ambuli!!!!
[Message from Iran on being outed on this ingenious plan..]
Further revelations..
Vlad Putin and Dimitri Medvedev are Batman and Robin,
Need help with that package Batman, do ya? Go ask Li'l Kim...He has some customers.
And, hard to believe this: There is a Russian Mafia with which the Ruskie gubmint does business!
There's more!
Muammar Gaddafi is bat-guano crazy, and has a well endowed "Ukrainian Nurse" with which he spends buku quality time. [And he's still ticked he couldn't erect..er.. put up his 'Big Mo Tent o' Pleasure' palace on the grounds of the U.N.]
But wait...even more! Try not to avert your eyes. You must see. Must see!
The Chicoms Google bombed...er..bombed Google..cyber-style of course. (and helped Li'l Kim and Li'l Ahmie exchange fireworks gifts).
You know. After having perused the revelations, I've had a change of heart about Brave Sir Julian Asschapeau, Knight of the Rueful Countenance and Multi-hued Coif, International Man of Mystery.
I know. I know. You shake your head in disbelief. But. I'm big enough to admit when I am wrong. So, a message to you, Brave Sir Julian: You have well and truly removed the scales from our collective eyes. You have exposed the imperialist Amerikan Empire for what it is.
Thank you Brave Sir Julian. Thank you. You are super awesome.
Excelsior!
Ah, Man...Leslie Nielson has died.
From the volume of posts around the inter-tubes, he was appreciated, and will be missed.
Signage (I): Motel
.
Star Lite Motel, Dilworth, Minnesota, winter: photo by Tadija, 2010
In winter
as in summer
our heritage
here
in the motel
room mirror
Star Lite Motel sign, Dilworth, Minnesota: photo by railguydust, 2009
we see what is
to come
evaporating into the thin
air of what was
once
expected
Star Lite Motel, Dilworth, Minnesota, view through trees in front of the motel, with neon sign in background: photo by Tadija, 2010
Signage (II): Edward Ruscha: Word Works
.
I'm Just Crazy About That Little Girl: Edward Ruscha, 1976 (Tate Gallery/National Galleries of Scotland)
Pretty Eyes/Electric Bills: Edward Ruscha, 1976 (Tate Gallery/National Galleries of Scotland)
Smells Like Back of Old Hot Radio: Edward Ruscha, 1976 (Tate Gallery/National Galleries of Scotland)
Dirty Baby: Edward Ruscha, 1977 (Tate Gallery/National Galleries of Scotland)
Hope: Edward Ruscha, 1998 (Tate Gallery/National Galleries of Scotland)
The End #40 : Edward Ruscha, 2003 (Tate Gallery/National Galleries of Scotland)
Signage (III): Ian Hamilton Finlay: Word Works
.
Idylls End In Thunderstorms: Ian Hamilton Finlay, 1986 (Tate Gallery/ National Galleries of Scotland)
Starlit Waters: Ian Hamilton Finlay, 1967 (Tate Gallery)
Lead Us: Ian Hamilton Finlay, c. 1967-1968 (Tate Gallery)
![Ian Hamilton Finlay Interior/Interieur Homage to Vuillard [collaboration with Michael Harvey] 1971](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vkFWT46qvV6tmWPwEpzBbFgOJPIBYshwQDVNeWYqLDlOzdjTGlNkc1S99QThFnG8aP2QedgoN7bQB6WMgfjKkGJ62huo96b7fGN9_s3ltV6h2hH5tDq94=s0-d)
Interior/Interieur: Ian Hamilton Finlay, in collaboration with Michael Harvey, 1971 (Tate Gallery)
![Ian Hamilton Finlay D1 [collaboration with Michael Harvey] 1972](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s3fv-B_hKHIZmHQXfKj1VR6rzrnkEuk2u34zvhtAFg9DZFBGldAjpwWj5DYtnxjdISJE6iMJx0Q_EE103kXaujtrMB4lClUC0DHpMwos2thgqeDkAE5Q=s0-d)
Interior/Interieur: Ian Hamilton Finlay, in collaboration with Michael Harvey, 1972 (Tate Gallery)
Death to the Arts Council (from Posters from the Little Spartan Wars): Ian Hamilton Finlay, 1982 (Tate Gallery)
Let Perish the Money Tyrants (from Posters from the Little Spartan Wars): Ian Hamilton Finlay, 1982 (Tate Gallery)
![Ian Hamilton Finlay from Ian Hamilton Finlay Posters, [no title] 1983](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ulW95duCa1zsTByAAsPJEM50U6j-8-FvLyTghUgkBThCzGA0mHf9iunm2Cv4knTW8DaIlT9xIVtAr5aN7-I9EOy91uO_e17AHDZsJeygKEjJ2WFDokHg=s0-d)
To Cease To Believe in Others Is an Impermissible Luxury: Ian Hamilton Finlay, 1983 (Tate Gallery)
![Ian Hamilton Finlay from Ian Hamilton Finlay Posters, [no title] 1983](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_smLA3Dhx8nWVmSk2RzL2AhfWWoxQu724KNbC2-0UHFzduka7maOijcjIy8VovsRYFl7jp2jmEre5HNNAB78tSAL5_4zOh92WscKCMkq2BxcsH7aB0AZQ=s0-d)
Terror Is the Piety of the Revolution: Ian Hamilton Finlay, 1983 (Tate Gallery)
![Ian Hamilton Finlay from The Garden Proposals, [no title] from 4 colonnes, 8 affiches pour l'abbaye cistercienne de L'Epau été 1986' 1986](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s5RG5YT-AhqsPUSehzH-RrdhGil4iPSrQ9oRdhx4jDBi0slKldYoiFCIEoEt4348GmEQ1YreFqX-dSzA-bmw0il-curu7u6QQh4FE9sP3Mpi6ndVxgmYA=s0-d)
Untitled (from The Garden Proposals): Ian Hamilton Finlay, 1986 (Tate Gallery)
![Ian Hamilton Finlay from The Garden Proposals, [no title] from 4 colonnes, 8 affiches pour l'abbaye cistercienne de L'Epau été 1986' 1986](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tq3iOqmsN8xijXUhgM_bUBbX5PzsYPghow01FtNw_wX9SipKAKzuZfIAK-u7PvufOS7XHbOJX3x21rkp6mpsxTicFp2o9_zsb1uZ_ZSiS2uz_R4jLbjT4=s0-d)
Untitled (from The Garden Proposals): Ian Hamilton Finlay, 1986 (Tate Gallery)
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Keeping It Real
This blog was originally published in the Express Tribune Magazine. It was meant to be published in the Dawn blog, but someone there felt it wasn't relevant. My special thanks to a great fan of the blog who had my back, and to @Nadir_Hassan for offering and succeeding at publishing it at ET.
According to this article, bestiality is a rite of passage in parts of Pakistan. Considering that sexual depravity, even in innocuous terms is no stranger to young, virile Pakistani men, I am reluctant to dismiss this claim as another journo out to malign the image of Pakistan.
Rites of passage after all, are essential to human life.
Take for example the rite of passage involving young bloggers in Pakistan. At some point in their blogging career, all of us write this post.
This post?
You know, the one in which we deride, mock and seek to humiliate the ‘elites’ of Pakistan, their obsession with material goods and facebooks, their cluelessness regarding the local transport network, their obliviousness to the rampant poverty faced by the unclothed majority, their contempt for our local vernacular.
Inevitably, these rants exhort the elites to pacify their ‘liberal extremism,’ to nullify their ‘western-boot-licking’ to pop out of their ‘bubbles.’ Words like ‘reality’ ‘common man’ and ‘masses’ litter these posts like plastic bags in Clifton Beach.
Let us lay aside the implicit irony of English speaking, computer using bloggerati railing against people who are essentially their own friends and family.
Let us look instead, at something far more intriguing.
What makes someone a ‘real’ Pakistani? What makes something a ‘real’ Pakistani experience? From what these posts imply, being rich and privileged strips you of the ability to be real.
What a fascinating idea!
It appears that the venerable Defence Housing Authority is no more than a figment of my imagination, that the Fez nights at Sindh Club are merely a mirage concocted by misfiring neurons in our elitist brains, that those of us going to ‘dance parties’ and ‘social clubs’ are merely computer generated holograms, created to incense the fevered blogger and implode Pakistan from within.
On the flip side, it also implies that the poor are one coagulated mass of noble, wretched, helpless, nameless limbs and faces whose entire destiny depends on whether or not we stop watching ‘Jersey Shore’ and sipping skimmed milk espressos.
What a load of bull.
For starters, while there is no reason to defend the oblivious and corrosive actions of the elites in our country, pointing the fingers at people essentially from the same background as yourself displays stunning self-delusion.
Secondly, holding up the ‘poor’ as some paragons of virtue, as being common or part of an undifferentiated mass, robs them of their individuality, their diversity, and only further intensifies the differences between ‘us’ and ‘them.’
And most importantly, defining some things as ‘real’ and others as not only deludes us from taking responsibility of the fact that every action, every moment, every experience is as real (or not) as any other. Eating out in Burns Road or Anarkali is not more any more ‘real’ than the same activity being done in Zamzama or MM Alam Road. Spurning the advances of nefarious corporations might be healthy for your wallet, but falling to their embraces does not cloak you in a halo of ‘unreality.’
So much like young men allegedly deflowering unsuspecting four-legged mammals, bloggers railing against the elite is one rite of passage we can all do without.
Giveaway: One of a Kind Show Tickets!
What?? Another giveaway? Seems like Christmas came early to Rambling Renovators :)
I have 5 pairs (!!!) of tickets to the One of a Kind Show to give away. The show is on until December 5th, so you still have lots of time to get your shopping done.
To enter to win one pair of tickets:
Leave a comment telling me about the best gift you ever received. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
Easy, right? You have until 3PM EST Monday November 29 to enter so enter soon! I will randomly pick the five winners. Winners will pick up their tickets on site at the show.
I have 5 pairs (!!!) of tickets to the One of a Kind Show to give away. The show is on until December 5th, so you still have lots of time to get your shopping done.
To enter to win one pair of tickets:
Leave a comment telling me about the best gift you ever received. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
Easy, right? You have until 3PM EST Monday November 29 to enter so enter soon! I will randomly pick the five winners. Winners will pick up their tickets on site at the show.
Flooring Flummox
And the basement planning continues. Last we left it, we were still tweaking the layout plan. Now we're stuck thinking about the floors. You see, HandyMan wants the basement to be warm and comfy, a place to escape to, maybe relax and watch a movie, and to him that means carpet underfoot. Normally, I'd agree with him... if I didn't also want the basement to be a place where Chloe and I can create and make crafts and do some sewing and draw and paint and throw glitter around, so to me that means laminate underfoot.
Which leaves us here:
We're at an impasse. We briefly considered doing a portion of the room in carpet and a portion in laminate, but the basement is not that big to begin with so different flooring would make it look too choppy and small. Part of the dilemma is the stairs leading to the basement. They are currently covered in vinyl and beneath that we know there is only construction grade plywood. There is no refinishing and painting those babies; they would either have to be completely covered in some material or refaced (and that seems an expensive option, but I admit we haven't really looked into the cost of refacing).
If we were to do it entirely in laminate (or vinyl flooring like the Traffic Allure product which I've heard great things about from my friends Arren and Lisa), what do we do on the stairs? We've read that laminate on stairs is super slippery (and how do you deal with the nosing?).
If we were to do it entirely in carpet, then lost sewing pins or paint spills would be a hazard. Decisions, decisions. Weigh in folks - carpet or laminate? What do you have in your basement??
Which leaves us here:
We're at an impasse. We briefly considered doing a portion of the room in carpet and a portion in laminate, but the basement is not that big to begin with so different flooring would make it look too choppy and small. Part of the dilemma is the stairs leading to the basement. They are currently covered in vinyl and beneath that we know there is only construction grade plywood. There is no refinishing and painting those babies; they would either have to be completely covered in some material or refaced (and that seems an expensive option, but I admit we haven't really looked into the cost of refacing).
If we were to do it entirely in laminate (or vinyl flooring like the Traffic Allure product which I've heard great things about from my friends Arren and Lisa), what do we do on the stairs? We've read that laminate on stairs is super slippery (and how do you deal with the nosing?).
If we were to do it entirely in carpet, then lost sewing pins or paint spills would be a hazard. Decisions, decisions. Weigh in folks - carpet or laminate? What do you have in your basement??
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Giveaway Winner
And the winner of the Canadian House & Home and Style At Home magazines is...
Congratulations My Notting Hill! These issues will soon be making their way to you State-side.
Congratulations My Notting Hill! These issues will soon be making their way to you State-side.
Ungaretti: Pilgrimage
.
Song-sparrow (Melospiza melodia) in a hawthorn (Crataegus), Léon-Provancher marsh, Québec, Canada: photo by Cephas, 2009
....Valley of the Isolated Tree 16 August 1916
Huddled
in these guts of rubble
hour on hour
I've dragged my mud
worn
carcass
slithering through
the ooze
an old shoe sole or
a seed of rusted whitethorn
Ungaretti man
of pain
illusion
is enough to encourage you
Out there
in the fog
a searchlight
creates a sea
Searchlight beams, Malta: photo via Imperial War Museum
Italian soldiers crossing a stream under fire, 1916 : photo from Collier's Photographic History of the European War (New York, 1918)
Dead French soldiers in the Argonne, 1917: photo from Collier's Photographic History of the European War (New York, 1918)
British outpost in Flanders, 1916: photo from Collier's Photographic History of the European War (New York, 1918)
Pellegrinaggio
....Valloncello dell'Albero Isolato il 16 agosto 1916
In agguato
in queste budella
di macerie
ore e ore
ho strascicato
la mia carcassa
usata dal fango
come una suola
o come un seme
di spinalba
Ungaretti
uomo di pena
ti basta un'illusione
per farti coraggio
Un riflettore
di là
mette un mare
nella nebbia
....Valloncello dell'Albero Isolato il 16 agosto 1916
In agguato
in queste budella
di macerie
ore e ore
ho strascicato
la mia carcassa
usata dal fango
come una suola
o come un seme
di spinalba
Ungaretti
uomo di pena
ti basta un'illusione
per farti coraggio
Un riflettore
di là
mette un mare
nella nebbia
Juniper-quince rust (a fungal infection of Gymnosporangium clavipes), presenting as a canker at the leaf/thorn node of a hawthorn branch, with tubular pinkish aecia extruding from the canker: photo by Ragesoss, 2008
Giuseppe Ungaretti: Pellegrinaggio (Pilgrimage) from Il porto sepolto (The buried harbour), 1916, translated by TC
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