We all know how the marketing companies use the internet for sales talk and image boost. Can't blame them. Why miss an opportunity! We also know that we can blast pop-ups with our blockers . Now there seems to be a new thing happening and it worries me. Example: I am Googling away (e.g. Airliners.net), and the sites come up as they always do . Then I click on Airliners.net in the Google page and up comes Devlin.com, a non-related site with links to sex sites. Click on a sex site and you ge...
David Beckham's impending move to Galaxy has provoked mixed reviews in the press today. Some of the comments made about Becks and his multi-million dollar move are quite obviously a sign of sour grapes. Sure, I'd love to earn $90 000 or so a day myself but I don't begrudge Becks' good fortune. Many people forget that Beckham is not just a football player (and one of the best at that), but also a Superstar and creator of wealth for others too. Witness his many sponsorships. I believe he will b...
I have blogged before, on this and other blogs, about the rights of private citizens. I grow increasingly concerned about a Britain that is turning into a nation of "spies". I comment because my daughter lives in Britain and I spend some time there---so I take an interest in the British lifestyle. Today Sky News reported that a couple in Caernarfon were under investigation by their local council because they smoke inside their home. Of course a stupid neighbour complained because she lives...
Once upon a time there was a country that grew corn and vegetables for export, wheat for bread and meat for protein. Zimbabwe,once the breadbasket of Africa, is now bankrupt. They cannot pay for electricity, or imports of food and they cannot bake bread. Inflation is at 1000% and rising. The news today (see link) , threatens more white farmers with eviction and even the black farmers who struggle to make Zimbabwe work. They talk about compensation for land (well, that's new), but it will not ...
We recently bought a 26inch HDTV for my son to use for TV and as a monitor. It makes a very nifty monitor for his gaming (he is a World of Warcraft fanatic), as you can imagine. He asked me to get him a DVI cable from Radio Shack so he could pump up the resolution but he cannot get a good connection with it---the picture flickers and shakes. This leads me to believe that a)the cable is faulty, the connection is poor (he says he checked by re-inserting, swopping ends, screwing the plug in st...
The Muslim World is outraged by the video of Saddam Hussein's hanging. It is not surprising that some have condemned the execution (his supporters), but many , for and against Saddam, are outraged by the video that emanated from the deed. There is also evidence that Saddam was taunted before he dropped into oblivion--and further evidence that there were celebrations around his body. I believe that a few simple measures could have avoided this calamity, bearing in mind the sensitive nature of ...
As the remains of President Gerald R. Ford were carried to the Washington he loved ---and placed in the Capitol Rotunda--it is fitting to reflect that his memory will outlast those such as Saddam Hussein who have denied him so much space in the media over the past two days. I blog here to say that I was moved by the words of outgoing Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert in his eulogy: I quote: "In 1974 America didn't need a philosopher-king or a warrior prince. We needed a healer, we need...
I am seriously thinking about my New Year's Resolutions this year. I suppose it's because I turn "six-oh" and that requires more serious thought. Here are my five resolutions: 1. I shall cut down on alcohol consumption. 2. I shall write another book (The last one took two years and landed in the bin!) 3. I shall walk more (not 1 mile a day but 5). 4. I shall take up more hobbies (I work a full day but I'm bored out of my cranium). 5. I shall endeavour to give more to the poor people of...
Gerald Rudolph Ford (1913 to 2006), was in the words of the BBC and others, an "undistinguished" President who , although he calmed America, was known for his pardoning of Richard Nixon. President Ford was unique in that he became Vice-President after a "dirty" resignation and President by a "dirty resignation" . President Ford (along with Bill Clinton), was also, unusually, a President who had a name change at an early age (Clinton was originally William Blythe and Ford was Lesley King). I ...
Are we paying too much for new technology? I know Joeuser’s are much more savvy than I am when it comes to new technology. I’d appreciate your input on some of my thoughts. I studied electronics as a hobby course some 15 years ago but I am no expert on the latest gadgets to appear on the market. I recently bought an HD TV and paid the price of a good second hand car for it. Before buying I checked out 3 models : Panasonic (Japan-set made in China): 26†Benq (Taiwan-set made in ...
It's Christmas eve and my 19 year old is watching Maury "the sleaze" Povich as he tries to do a Dr Phil and cure a woman of her fear of frogs. No success, but then he goes into lie-detector mode to see whether a boyfriend is sleeping with his girl's mother. She (Mom) is telling the truth and Maury works his magic again. I call this Trailer Trash TV and one step down from Jerry Springer (make that half a step). How anyone can watch this tasteless crap beats me but I guess it appeals to the...
I really enjoyed these : "Santa sat on a worn out computer chair looking as bored as a dead rat." " The elves crept onto the stage looking like young fox terriers with worms." " The actors had the street cred of a lame donkey." " My children wanted to know why there were two Santas in the store. I explained that one was an assistant as Santa's also get the flu" " Just as the Wise Men arrived, the crib collapsed, giving a Titanic sigh." " Santa asked for a buck fifty and all I got wasa...
This Christmas spare a minute or two to think of the people in Africa (Christian and Muslim), who do not know the meaning of this special season: The people in Somalia who are flooded out and have no government to help them. The Sudanese in Darfur who have a government but it is corrupt and it will not help them. The people of Cote De Ivoire, who know what a bullet is, but have no idea, or inclination, to celebrate anything. The citizens of Lesotho who were promised much but had little ...
The Great Holocaust Conference began today in Teheran. As an amateur historian and the son of a man who gave the best years of his youth (He was flying a bomber at age 20 in 1939), helping to overthrow a monster, I am personally disgusted that anyone should deny the Holocaust (and, my friends, that is what they will try to do), and the horrible crimes committed against Jews and Poles and millions of others. I am also shocked and angry (actually saddened), that amongst the guest speakers sp...
I study American History--it hasalways fascinated me. The modern political scene evades me simply because I do not keep up with it. However, reading the Houston Chronicle online I wondered what Joeusers think of these two statements: "Given his current trajectory and speed, Bush is on course to be the worst President since at least Warren G. Harding (I know a fair bit about billiards in the White House--my comment).That would mean that Bush would sink past Jimmy Carter, which is no mean fe...