Saturday, December 24, 2011
@NoradSanta
Tweet from @NoradSanta
Friday, December 23, 2011
In-Flight Conversation Between the Two Crying Babies That Sat Behind You
-Wow, that was some nap.
-Tell me about it. It's almost like I was drugged or something. Hey ... what is this place?
-I'll look out the window. ... Oh my God. I think we have a situation.
-What is it? Are we at the doctor's office?
-No. We're in the sky.
-What?
-We're just, like, flying through the sky.
-Do Mom and Dad know?
-Clearly not. They're just reading like everything's normal. (Looking around) Everybody's reading.
-How do we warn them?
-With screams.
-Which kind? Soft and whiny or piercing and crazy?
-Let's go with piercing and crazy.
Link
Previously on Neatorama: A Real Life Airplane Seating Chart | Read more kids and baby stuff over at NeatoBambino
http://www.neatorama.com/2011/12/23/in-flight-conversation-between-the-two-crying-babies-that-sat-behind-you/
For those who need prayers right now...
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
100-year-old Letter to Santa Found in Chimney
On Christmas Eve 1911, a brother and sister, who signed their names, "A or H Howard", penned their personally designed letter to Santa with their requests for gifts and a good luck message at their home in Oaklands Terrace, Terenure (or Terurnure, as the children spelled it) in Dublin.
They placed it in the chimney of the fireplace in the front bedroom so that Santa would see it as he made his way into the Howard household in the early hours of the morning.
A check of the 1911 census lead Byrne to believe the children were 10-year-old Hannah Howard and her seven-year-old brother Fred, who lived at the address with their parents and older sister. Link -via Metafilter
(Image credit: Eric Luke)
http://www.neatorama.com/2011/12/21/100-year-old-letter-to-santa-found-in-chimney/
Helen Keller
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Santa’s Voicemail Is Now Taking Calls, Courtesy Of Google [News]
Jane
----
Yes, modern technology is responsible for some annoying holiday habits, such as texting at the table (even Mom is doing it now!) Yet it also offers some additional ways to share in holiday cheer – such as personalized calls to and from Santa.
He has a call center and if you'd like to give him a shout, you can do so by ringing 855-34-SANTA. Business keeps him from taking calls, but you can leave him a message. It's the perfect bit of holiday fantasy for those with children.
If you'd like Santa to respond, you can even create a custom phone call from Santa that can be sent to, well, anyone. There's a lot of custom options to choose from, and Santa should even be able to say the recipient's name, as long as it's a somewhat common name. Voice quality from the call is good enough to fool young children and amuse adults, so this is the perfect way to ramp up excitement for a big holiday gift.
Both the voicemail and the Santa call creation tool is provided by Google and offered free of charge to US and Canadian users. Google is hinting that Santa is conjuring up "an extra special way to spread the holiday cheer" – but they aren't unveiling what it is until we're closer to the 25th.
Source: The Official Google Blog
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Makeuseof/~3/INiUP5P7x0Y/
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Postal Service hosting public meeting on possible closure
aboessenkool@bakersfield.com (Antonie Boessenkool Californian Staff Writer) The Bakersfield Californian
Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:48:29 PST
Bakersfield post office officials will hold a public meeting Dec. 28 to hear comments on the possible closure of the local mail sorting facility.
The U.S. Postal Service plans to close about 250 processing facilities to cut costs. The closures and a proposed change in first-class mail delivery standards from one day to two or three are expected to save $2.1 billion a year. One of the facilities under review is the Bakersfield Processing and Distribution Center on Pegasus Drive.
The meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, at the North of the River Veterans Hall, 400 Norris Road in Oildale.
An Area Mail Processing study will "determine capacity needs within the postal network in order to increase efficiency and improve productivity," according to a letter sent to major postal customers in the Bakersfield area.
It will establish whether consolidating mail processing in Bakersfield and Santa Clarita will be more efficient, according to the Postal Service's website.
Bakersfield postal service representatives will present the study results and ask for the public's response, said David Morrison, manager of processing and distribution for the Bakersfield facility.
The study won't involve a federal-level observer coming to Bakersfield, but rather will be done internally at the Bakersfield facility, Morrison said.
A private meeting is planned for this Friday to talk to "stakeholders" -- large postal service customers like mail presorting companies -- about the possible closure, Morrison said.
Dayna Nichols, CEO of Castle Print and Publication, said she has contacted city and county officials, nonprofit organizations and other mailing and printing companies encouraging people to participate in the meetings.
"Hopefully, we'll make a united stand and let the post office know how important the mail is to our businesses and community," Nichols said.
She said she and other big post office customers received notice in September that the Bakersfield facility was being considered for closure. But, she added, the opportunities to give formal input about the process have declined since a council of major postal customers in the Bakersfield area disbanded a few years ago.
Moreover, she said, there is short notice for the private meeting and timing of the public meeting just after Christmas make it difficult to organize people.
"We need to have the meeting," Nichols said. "To have four days to get the word out (for the private stakeholder meeting) is a little tough. There's a lot of people who this will affect."
Morrison said the meeting dates align with the timing of the study of the Bakersfield facility and that the time of year wasn't a factor in setting the dates.
The meeting dates closely follow the announcement from the U.S. Postal Service about the possible closures for a reason, he said.
"It (the meeting dates) is accelerated. We're losing a lot of money," he said. "For us to stay viable ... we've got to get going on this."
Morrison added that following the Dec. 28 meeting, the public will have 15 days to submit comments to the U.S. Postal Service about the Bakersfield facility's possible closing. Information on where to send those comments will be announced at the Dec. 28 meeting, he said.
Also being considered for closure are processing centers in Eureka, Long Beach, Pasadena, Redding, San Bernardino and Stockton. Closures have been approved for centers in Industry and Salinas and for mail originating from Stockton.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Fwd/Repost: Anabaptism / The third way of Christianity —Joe Kissell
Many of the divisions within Christianity arose because someone perceived a problem and, reasonably enough, tried to correct it. More often than not, attempts at reform resulted in still more violence and fragmentation. But a certain oft-neglected thread of church history also stands out as one of the bloodiest, quite ironically because those responsible for the movement were pacifists. The movement was known as Anabaptism, and it survives to this day as a form of Christianity that is neither Catholic nor Protestant—a third way.
The Protestant Reformation
The story begins in the early 1500s. The excesses and corruption of the Roman Catholic church had reached epic proportions. Immorality among priests and bishops was blatant and widespread, and the pope was selling indulgences to pay for construction of St. Peter's Basilica. Feeling that the church's mission had become one of greed, not of genuine spirituality, Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 theses to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517. Luther denounced the decadent state of the church and called for reform. He wanted to rid the church of practices that he felt were not supported by scripture—things like the authority of the pope, the veneration of Mary and the saints, the notion of purgatory, the celibate priesthood, and many others. Luther's complaints didn't make him any friends in Rome, but he did manage to attract quite a large following of people who wanted the Church to return to what they felt were its core values. This movement became known as the Protestant Reformation, because its followers were protesting the status quo of Catholicism.
At nearly the same time in Switzerland, another reformer named Ulrich Zwingli was making waves. Zwingli believed most of the same things as Luther, but wanted to take reforms even further. He wanted to dismantle the traditional church hierarchy and allow each congregation to choose its own leaders. Zwingli also insisted that communion was merely symbolic, whereas Luther kept to the notion of a "real presence" of Christ in the sacrament of bread and wine. Although Luther and Zwingli could not see eye to eye, they and their followers were after many of the same things, and were equally disliked by Rome.
Beyond the Reformers
Among Zwingli's followers in Zürich were Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz. Grebel and Manz agreed with the reforms proposed by Zwingli and Luther, but as they studied the Bible, they became convinced that neither set of reforms went far enough. What they wished for was a return to the simpler ways of the earliest first-century believers as depicted in the New Testament. The modern church had strayed far from this ideal, they felt, and needed much more than reform—it needed a complete rethinking of its basic tenets.
At the top of their list of gripes was the State Church. To be a citizen was to be a member of the church and subject to its rules. While the state government ultimately answered to Rome, it was also true that it could dictate locally what the church could and could not do. Grebel and Manz believed that church membership should be voluntary, and to this end proposed the shocking notion of the separation of church and state. The government, they felt, served one purpose and the church, another. To regard civil rulers as divine agents was asking for trouble, as history had shown all too often.
Grebel and Manz also held that the New Testament teaches pacifism, which ruled out believers participating in any sort of military service or condoning capital punishment. But the issue that caused the greatest stir was that of infant baptism. The Roman Church, in its state-sponsored mandate to assimilate all citizens, received newborns into church membership by way of mandatory baptism. Grebel and Manz, however, found no precedent for infant baptism in scripture. Instead, they argued, baptism was a symbolic act that should be undertaken voluntarily by adult believers as a sign of their faith. Since infants could not decide to believe, it was meaningless to baptize them. Accordingly, in 1525, Grebel took the daring step of rebaptizing an adult believer in his group, and others quickly followed.
Making a Splash
What's so daring about pouring water over someone? At that time, the church—which, recall, was inseparable from the state government—recognized two heresies worthy of death. One was denying the Trinity, and the other was baptizing someone a second time. The reason the church took this so seriously is that baptism symbolized control. To be baptized into the church implied obedience to the church; to accept another form of baptism was tantamount to treason. Grebel, Manz, and their followers were soon labeled "Anabaptists"—a Greek word meaning "rebaptizers." This was no mere description, either, but a cruel epithet, spoken with venom and scorn. It had the psychological import of calling someone a "terrorist" today. True or not, it could get you in very deep trouble. The early Anabaptists themselves did not use that term, not only because it was dangerous but because they disputed its accuracy. If an infant was baptized, they reasoned, that was not a true baptism because it was not by choice; so baptizing that person as an adult was not really rebaptism at all.
The Anabaptists were considered the worst kinds of heretics—not only by the Roman Catholic church, but also by the reformers, with whom they shared so many other beliefs. Both camps saw Anabaptists as a tremendous threat to their authority and control, and began to hunt them down and persecute them relentlessly. Unlike the reformers, Anabaptists rejected the use of violence or force, which, alas, made them easy prey. The classic 1660 Dutch book Martyrs Mirror details the lives and deaths of thousands of Anabaptists who were martyred for their beliefs in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.
Spreading the Faith
Despite this persecution—and in some cases, because of it—Anabaptists multiplied and spread across Europe. In 1536, a Dutch Catholic priest named Menno Simons joined the Anabaptist movement and soon became one of its leaders. Within a decade, Dutch Anabaptists came to be known as "Mennists," which later evolved into "Mennonites." But Mennonites are not the only group to trace their origins back to the sixteenth century Anabaptists. Other offshoots of this movement developed into the Amish, Quakers, Brethren, Hutterites, and (of course) Baptists—among others.
Historically, although Anabaptists are neither Catholic nor Protestant, in a way they're hyperprotestant—they outreformed the reformers, and paid dearly for it. Adult baptism will no longer get you burned at the stake, and the doctrine of the separation of church and state, far from being heretical, is now accepted dogma in most western nations. But the Anabaptist ideals of a simple faith and a simple lifestyle are just as interesting today as they were in the 1500s—and the principle of nonviolence just as radical. Walk into a Mennonite church today and you may see a popular poster that reads: "A Modest Proposal for Peace: Let the Christians of the world agree that they will not kill each other." See what I mean? Utterly crazy. —Joe Kissell
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More Information about Anabaptism...
There are many histories of Christianity in general, and Anabaptism in particular, on the Web. Here are a few to get you started. The Church History Project is a good overview—start with The Dawn of the Reformation and work your way through to The Anabaptists and The Radicals. The Anabaptists.org Web site is a bit on the preachy side, but their section on history has a number of interesting articles.
The Third Way Café is run by Mennonite Media, representing Mennonite churches in the U.S. and Canada. The language tends toward the self-consciously PC, which obscures some of the harsh history, but the section Who Are the Mennonites? does have plenty of useful information.
The book Martyrs Mirror is available in its entirety online. You can also purchase the massive volume in hardcover, paperback, or leather. This is not exactly bedtime reading, mind you.
In 1971, a small publisher began printing a magazine called "The Wittenburg Door"—the misspelling stuck even after it was pointed out and became sort of an inside joke. This magazine, full of religious satire, was (as its name suggested) a call for reform through humor and parody. After many years ownership of the magazine changed hands and the title was shortened to "The Door," though it recently changed back. It's neither as funny nor as thought-provoking as it once was, but it still serves as a much-needed call for Christians not to take themselves too seriously—especially the ones with TV shows.
The poster "A Modest Proposal for Peace" is available for free in either of two sizes from Mennonite Central Committee.
First Mennonite Church of San Francisco is full of extremely interesting people.
Related Articles from Interesting Thing of the Day
Silent Retreats
Public Enrichment Project
Benedictine Oblates
The Wittenburg Door
Pennsylvania Dutch
The Legend of Deolinda Correa
Voodoo
℗ & © 2005, alt concepts. All rights reserved.
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InterestingThingOfTheDay/~3/7Jm1Uekk_h0/r
Francis Maitland Balfour
http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Francis_Maitland_Balfour
Old power plant on Rosedale Highway to be demolished
CALM could quadruple in size
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Real Live Preacher
Robert Wilensky
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Visiting Soon-to-be Closed Post Offices in the United States
This one above is in Junedale, Pennsylvania, and sadly it has a common tale:
The town is just south of Hazleton, which itself is near the intersection of Interstates 80 and 81 in northeast PA. This was a meaningful visit for me; there was a local resident in the office who detailed to me the story of the beautiful landscaping in front of the post office.
Three years ago this post office looked very different. A local Boy Scout earned his Eagle Award for providing community service. What did he do? He fixed up the front of the post office and made it beautiful.
First up: You see the trees and roses out front? This Eagle Scout planted them. The rock gardens? Also his work. If you look closely, you can see a bench right below the sign between the trees. Guess who built it! Yep, he did. He donated the new Junedale Post Office sign as well. Isn't it fantastic?
By my understanding, the final item was to extend the flag pole. Literally, he made it taller. Why? The Postmaster told me that it's because the flag used to drag on the roof of the post office. Now it waves without interference. (It wasn't windy when I arrived there, so we couldn't really see it in action; but we can see how it clears the roof, right?)
This is one anecdote that demonstrates the social importance of the post office to small communities such as Junedale across the country. Even though it's the only business in town, residents sure take pride in it. Outside the post office, when I was taking these photos, I told a resident "I hope you can keep this office open." Her response: "We do, too."
Rural communities across America are experiencing the indignity of being exposed to boilerplate 'public meetings' wherein they're basically informed that the decision has been made to close their post office. According to a resident I asked outside this post office, the public meeting felt canned and the residents felt the decision had already been made to close their office. This story was repeated to me in small towns all across Pennsylvania this weekend. Every single time I asked, I got back the exact same response.
Closing a local post office, especially in rural towns, can have repercussions far beyond just having to drive a bit further to another facility to send your mail - these post offices are often the heart of the community, sort of a de facto town center where people connect with each other.
The sad part? Even closing all of the local post offices aren't going to come close to solving the financial woes of the USPS. Josh Sanburn of TIME Magazine explains:
"Closing post offices has almost nothing to do with the financial problem that the postal service finds itself in today," says Hutkins, founder of savethepostoffice.com. "Virtually nothing. The cost of operating these post offices and the amount of money that will be saved by closing them is minuscule in the context of the budget of the postal service and the deficit that it's running." [...]
By the USPS's calculations, closing all the 3,650 post offices up for review would save just $200 million, or 2% of the deficit of about $10 billion. But it would also eliminate thousands of jobs. "This is a problem I really struggle with because it seems so irrational," Hutkins says.
Links: Going Postal blog and How the U.S. Postal Service Fell Apart over at TIME
Previously on Neatorama: USPS Rescue Plan: More Junk Mail! | US Postal Service: Is Collapse Imminent?
http://www.neatorama.com/2011/11/18/visiting-soon-to-be-closed-post-offices-in-the-united-states/
Sunday, November 20, 2011
George Washington
-George Washington
Reggie Leach
-Reggie Leach
Joe Martin
-Joe Martin
Friday, November 18, 2011
Visiting Soon-to-be Closed Post Offices in the United States
This one above is in Junedale, Pennsylvania, and sadly it has a common tale:
The town is just south of Hazleton, which itself is near the intersection of Interstates 80 and 81 in northeast PA. This was a meaningful visit for me; there was a local resident in the office who detailed to me the story of the beautiful landscaping in front of the post office.
Three years ago this post office looked very different. A local Boy Scout earned his Eagle Award for providing community service. What did he do? He fixed up the front of the post office and made it beautiful.
First up: You see the trees and roses out front? This Eagle Scout planted them. The rock gardens? Also his work. If you look closely, you can see a bench right below the sign between the trees. Guess who built it! Yep, he did. He donated the new Junedale Post Office sign as well. Isn't it fantastic?
By my understanding, the final item was to extend the flag pole. Literally, he made it taller. Why? The Postmaster told me that it's because the flag used to drag on the roof of the post office. Now it waves without interference. (It wasn't windy when I arrived there, so we couldn't really see it in action; but we can see how it clears the roof, right?)
This is one anecdote that demonstrates the social importance of the post office to small communities such as Junedale across the country. Even though it's the only business in town, residents sure take pride in it. Outside the post office, when I was taking these photos, I told a resident "I hope you can keep this office open." Her response: "We do, too."
Rural communities across America are experiencing the indignity of being exposed to boilerplate 'public meetings' wherein they're basically informed that the decision has been made to close their post office. According to a resident I asked outside this post office, the public meeting felt canned and the residents felt the decision had already been made to close their office. This story was repeated to me in small towns all across Pennsylvania this weekend. Every single time I asked, I got back the exact same response.
Closing a local post office, especially in rural towns, can have repercussions far beyond just having to drive a bit further to another facility to send your mail - these post offices are often the heart of the community, sort of a de facto town center where people connect with each other.
The sad part? Even closing all of the local post offices aren't going to come close to solving the financial woes of the USPS. Josh Sanburn of TIME Magazine explains:
"Closing post offices has almost nothing to do with the financial problem that the postal service finds itself in today," says Hutkins, founder of savethepostoffice.com. "Virtually nothing. The cost of operating these post offices and the amount of money that will be saved by closing them is minuscule in the context of the budget of the postal service and the deficit that it's running." [...]
By the USPS's calculations, closing all the 3,650 post offices up for review would save just $200 million, or 2% of the deficit of about $10 billion. But it would also eliminate thousands of jobs. "This is a problem I really struggle with because it seems so irrational," Hutkins says.
Links: Going Postal blog and How the U.S. Postal Service Fell Apart over at TIME
Previously on Neatorama: USPS Rescue Plan: More Junk Mail! | US Postal Service: Is Collapse Imminent?
http://www.neatorama.com/2011/11/18/visiting-soon-to-be-closed-post-offices-in-the-united-states/
Eleanor Roosevelt
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Helen Hayes
Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess
http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Robin_Green_and_Mitchell_Burgess
Harriet Martineau
Jose Ortega y Gasset
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Albert Einstein
-Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
-Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
-Albert Einstein, when asked to describe radio
Albert Einstein
-Albert Einstein.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.
It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God ? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'
In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
Are you laughing yet?
Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.
Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.
Pass it on if you think it has merit.
If not, then just discard it.... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.
My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein
(thanks to John Borgsdorf fb post)
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
BofA is backpedaling on debit card charges
Thursday, October 27, 2011
George Price
George Eliot
Friday, October 21, 2011
Tweet from: @FordLawnmower
Sent: Oct 21, 2011 3:31p
The difference between a nook and a cranny: A nook is a corner and a cranny is a crack.
sent via TweetsFromTheHood
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/FordLawnmower/status/127512354480078849
Coupled Married for 72 Years Dies While Holding Hands
"It was really strange, they were holding hands, and dad stopped breathing but I couldn't figure out what was going on because the heart monitor was still going," said Dennis Yeager. "But we were like, he isn't breathing. How does he still have a heart beat? The nurse checked and said that's because they were holding hands and it's going through them. Her heart was beating through him and picking it up."
"They were still getting her heartbeat through him," said Donna Sheets.
At 4:38 p.m., exactly one hour after Gordon died, Norma passed too.
Link -via Kottke | Photo: Yeager Family
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Sir Winston Churchill
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Georges Duhamel
Rabbi Julius Gordon
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Rainer Maria Rilke
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Arthur Schopenhauer
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Ogden Nash
http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Ogden_Nash
--
This article was sent using my Viigo.
For a free download, go to http://getviigo.com
Friday, October 7, 2011
Doug Larson
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/doug_larson.html
Thursday, October 6, 2011
New California law - booster seats
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Charles M. Schulz
Oprah Winfrey
Michael Patrick King
Saturday, October 1, 2011
W. H. Auden
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Real Live Preacher
Anna Quindlen
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Albert Einstein
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
$16 muffins, $8 coffee served in U.S. Justice audit
@GiggleFlower
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/GiggleFlower/status/116357785163284481
Monday, September 19, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
@FordLawnmower
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/FordLawnmower/statuses/115210390970957824
The America Invents Act and the individual inventor
JB
-----------------------
commentary The newly signed patent reform law offers incentives to folks other than big corporations. The "micro entity" element encourages individual inventors to get back in the game.
--
This article was sent using my Viigo.
For a free download, go to http://getviigo.com
Leo Buscaglia
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Inspired_Ones/statuses/115167308636356608
Friday, September 9, 2011
@GiggleFlower
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/GiggleFlower/statuses/112296303395999745
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
@FastSelfHelp
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/FastSelfHelp/statuses/111263700438106114
Monday, September 5, 2011
Hugh Prather
Monday, August 29, 2011
Hugh Elliott
Friday, August 26, 2011
3 Ways You’ve Sold Your Soul To The Internet
Sure, on the surface they may have cute pictures of birds and silly pokes from friends, but don't be fooled, dear readers. The Internet can be evil, and we're here to make you aware of its malevolent side. Don't say we don't do anything for you.
Facebook Owns Your Image
You might already have some knowledge of what Facebook does with your media. However, you may not have a total understanding, so let's take a look at the terms of service.
For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (IP content), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it.
It's simple – if you put photos and videos up on Facebook, the website could always give them to other entities (maybe for profit). Facebook isn't doing that (yet), so have no worries right now, and chances are if you delete it, then the content might no longer be up for grabs. However, if you simply deactivate your account, you may have something to worry about.
When you deactivate an account, no user will be able to see it, but it will not be deleted. We save your profile information (connections, photos, etc.) in case you later decide to reactivate your account.
To be clear, it might be better to delete your account instead of deactivating it if you don't plan on coming back. Also, check your privacy settings and make sure that people you don't know can't download your photos.
Twitter Borrows Your Thoughts
Twitter has a sweet-sounding brand name, and its powder-blue user interface dotted with innocent-looking birds could make even the burliest of lumberjacks say, "Aww." However, there might be one part of the terms of service that you may have skipped over.
By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute such Content in any and all media or distribution methods (now known or later developed).
Here we have a very similar agreement to Facebook, but this is based only on your tweets. What on earth could Twitter do with those?
You agree that this license includes the right for Twitter to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals who partner with Twitter for the syndication, broadcast, distribution or publication of such Content on other media and services, subject to our terms and conditions for such Content use.
What does this mean? Well, your angry Tweet about your "dumb neighbor who always mows his lawn too short" could end up on the national news, and there's nothing that you can do about it. Sadly, this could be the case with even a protected account, and if you look further down the terms, you'll see that Twitter can modify your material as they please.
Google Knows Where You Are
Ever since Google+ dished out its "real name" policy – which is quite similar to a certain Marvel-related registration act – there has been concern over how Google can ban your account. This isn't the only way to get shut down, so that makes me personally worried. My Google account is tied to my Blogger publication, my Google Docs, my Gmail, and my YouTube channel.
That got me thinking – what other dirt does Google have on me? Here's a tidbit of its privacy policy.
Google offers location-enabled services, such as Google Maps and Latitude. If you use those services, Google may receive information about your actual location (such as GPS signals sent by a mobile device) or information that can be used to approximate a location (such as a cell ID).
Although this section potentially has good intentions, we see that Google can track your location based on your phone. It reminds me a great deal of that movie, Enemy of the State. The company could be watching you at any time, so remember when you lied to your mother-in-law about not being able to come over with the wife for dinner? Google knows what you you were doing instead.
This company's motto may be "don't be evil", but even the Jedi had a code of conduct. Just look at what happened to Anakin Skywalker.
Conclusion
These are the "Big Three" when it comes to giving up your identity rights on the Internet, and with so many agreements that they require for usage of their services, the Internet can be a scary environment. Even if it means using CTRL+F for key words, always remember to look at the terms of service.
What other ways have you sold your soul to the Internet? Do you know of any other shady TOS agreements?
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
Kelvin Throop III
Cherie Carter-Scott
Monday, August 15, 2011
@GiggleFlower
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/GiggleFlower/statuses/103308209401499648
@Inspired_Ones
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Inspired_Ones/statuses/103253622682435584
Minna Thomas Antrim
Thursday, August 11, 2011
@onestopnews
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/onestopnews/statuses/101847067332317184
@Kidlutions
-Paul Boese http://fb.me/DZFbxAGr
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Kidlutions/statuses/101844384630317057
911 Will Soon Accept Texts, Videos, Photos
The plan will enable the transmission of text messages, voice calls, videos and photos, as well as automatic location information. The FCC hopes that such a plan will enable emergency responders to respond faster while also giving individuals more options for contacting 911, depending on the emergency situation.
Implementation of Next Generation 911 (NG911), the official project name, will be charted by the following five-step plan, according to the FCC's press release:
Develop location accuracy mechanisms for NG911
Enable consumers to send text, photos, and videos to public safety answering points (NPRM)
Facilitate the completion and implementation of NG911 technical standards
Develop an NG911 governance framework
Develop an NG911 funding model
Genachowski began working on this plan last year his catalyst for taking action was the fact that trapped students could not text 911 during the Virginia Tech campus shootings in 2007.
Being that texting has replaced talking in the teen demographic, this plan seems like a step in the right directions, as it aligns with the evolving nature of telecommunications.
What are your thoughts on this new plan to roll out text, voice, photo and video for 911 emergency response? Let us know in the comments.
[via The Hill]
Image courtesy of Flickr, loop_oh
More About: 911, emergency, fcc, government, trending
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Monday, August 8, 2011
John Andrew Holmes
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Cree Proverb
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/iain2008/statuses/99991854912778240
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Michael Crichton
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Another day at the office ...
-JB
Saturday, June 25, 2011
@speciallearning
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/speciallearning/statuses/84803275748159489
Friday, June 24, 2011
Alfred Hitchcock
Buddha
The word manifests as the deed
The deed develops into habit
And habit hardens into character
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love
Born out of concern for all beings-
As the shadow follows the body,
As we think, so we become."
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Why essential oils on feet work ... -JB
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/FordLawnmower/statuses/83609258515640321
Sunday, June 19, 2011
A truly rich man
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/IdeaGov/statuses/82669078799589376
@AutisticTomato: @AutisticMama
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/AutisticTomato/statuses/82662618925514752
three stages of a man's life
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/TannersDad/statuses/82641180369747968
Thursday, June 16, 2011
@earlyautism
@earlyautism: Aspergers versus Autism: What's the Difference? http://ow.ly/5j2Nt
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/earlyautism/statuses/81513945977982976
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
@Inspired_Ones
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Inspired_Ones/statuses/80877792186732544
Monday, June 13, 2011
Patience: I-5 bottlenecked between Hwy 58 and Hwy 46 through Oct 2011
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA] TRAFFIC IS REDUCED TO 1 LANE IN EACH DIRECTION 2 MI NORTH OF THE JCT OF SR 58 (KERN CO) 24 HRS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK THRU 10/20/11 - DUE TO
CONSTRUCTION.
Mobile link - enter "I-5".
Friday, June 10, 2011
Chinese Proverb
@GiggleFlower
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/GiggleFlower/statuses/79185480406675456
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
@CA_DMV
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/CA_DMV/statuses/78325560807399425
Key Fire (Kern County)
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/CalFireNews/statuses/78163406162624512
@Inspired_Ones
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Inspired_Ones/statuses/78161921777479680
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Sydney J. Harris
Eleanor Roosevelt
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
From Good at Life: The OHIO Method for Clutter
Either act on it right away (if it's a bill, pay it; if it's a magazine, read it), file it away immediately in an appropriate spot (i.e., not a pile) or throw it away if it's junk — but Only Handle It Once. Your office desktop/bedroom floor/dining room table will never be the same....
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/b5media/blisstree/~3/Kx8y72u9sCM/
Monday, May 30, 2011
Achieving in Higher Education with Autism/Developmental Disabilities
Sign up for the Joey Travolta Film Camp (Jul8 18-29) here!Autism Support & Advocacy for College Students
http://aheadd.org/joeytravolta.html
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/minifeed.php?id=129545793763263&story_fbid=129545793763263_185509891499028
Friday, May 27, 2011
@RevRunWisdom
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/RevRunWisdom/statuses/74305993156214784
Will Rogers
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Madeleine L'Engle
Friday, May 20, 2011
"Zombie Apocalypse" campaign crashes website
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Arts Council of Kern
Fun... thanks to everyone for making the Walk for the Arts a great event. See you next year. Now go ride a bike with Bike Bakersfield!Do a little dance...
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1649270683555
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/minifeed.php?id=361088845633&story_fbid=361088845633_198672023510059
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Jill M Egland - Kern Film Workshop's "Two Week Intensive" in June (6th-17th)
We officially said "YES" to First Presbyterian Church's offer to host the Kern Film Workshop's "Two Week Intensive" in June (6th-17th)! What…First Presbyterian Church, 17th Street, Bakersfield, CA - Google Maps
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/minifeed.php?id=100000950345793&story_fbid=100000950345793_153289344738291
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Evangelist #BillyGraham, 92
Monday, May 9, 2011
@GiggleFlower
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/GiggleFlower/statuses/67753319975763968
Scott Westerfeld
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Zig Ziglar
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/AutismResource/statuses/66935568994533376
Orange County Register
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/AutismResource/statuses/66931238090444800
Edward R. Murrow
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
10 Animation Blogs On The Web That Inform, Teach, & Inspire
Wikipedia tells me that the first animation film was made way back in 1917. We perhaps link the history of animation more with Walt Disney. Even then, from the days of Snow White to today's cutting edge CGI powered flicks like Avatar, the world of animation creates a fantasy bubble which lately adults too have found captivating.
But what's rendered on the screen takes hours of toil and painstaking detailing. Let's see what happens behind the scenes with the help of these top animation blogs that also give pointers to anyone who wants to learn about the art of animation.
Cartoon Brew
This animation blog takes a look at the industry as a whole and covers animation news, views and lots of teasers too. Jerry Beck and Amid Amidi are a duo of animation historians with a really good hold on what happens in the world of animation.
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive
Currently, it has gone into a bit of a temporary limbo because of lack of funding, but this long-standing animation resource deserves a spot because it's a rich source of historical information on animation. The archive is especially useful for students who can see how animation and animators have developed the craft over the years.
Animation World Network
The Animation World Network is the largest animation-related publishing group on the Internet. The site and its network of other animation related websites cover the industry in depth bringing you everything from news to lessons. The free blogging service – Animation Blogspot is also a must follow for animation buffs.
TAG Blog
The daily updated blog is an opinion piece that brings together interviews and news from the animation industry. It is a front row show as the voices belong to the members of The Animation Guild.
Animated Views
The informative animation site has a community and a cool contest corner. Throw in news, reviews, retrospectives, and interviews and you get a model of a well rounded animation website. The site's focus is more on animation in media.
11 Second Club
If you like to stick with contests, then the monthly character animation competition on this website could be worth a look. You have to download an audio file and then take a month to animate a character performing the line, using whatever acting you feel fits the audio best. Feedback from your peers can help to make you a better animator and perhaps you can win the cool prizes while you are on the learning curve.
Drawn
This simple and neat Tumblr blog is not only about animation as such, but you can get inspired with the showcase of cartoons, illustrations, comic art, and animations on display. You can also contribute your own work or something that has inspired you.
Animation Physics
Physics and animation? If you thought you could leave that subject back in school then let this blog and the companion wiki change your mind. Its physics that will help you define the range of motions as you go about animating objects. The lessons on the site should be a great help to teach you all about realistic motion.
Animation Tips & Tricks
As the name says, this blog teaches you all about the insider tricks that go into creating great animation. Animation professionals like Industrial Light & Magic animator Shawn Kelly among a host of others teach you the philosophy behind animation. The lessons extend back to 2008, so do check the archives too.
All About Animation
The animation blog revolves around podcasts that seek to inspire, inform, and entertain. The blog is run by a trio of animators from my own country (India). It is neatly designed and also contains information on the 'master class' they run to teach aspiring animators. The blog seems to be a bit dormant now.
Out of the hundreds of animation blogs out there, these are just ten. You will find a few more core animation links in the blog rolls these ones have. Over the years we also have covered some cool free animation apps which can help you spark your creativity. Which are your favorite animation blogs? Get animated and leave a link in the comments.
Image Credit: Wikimedia
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Monday, May 2, 2011
Doc Beale Facebook Status
Somebody told me Trump is wanting to see the Death Certificate. ;o)
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/minifeed.php?id=1642064822&story_fbid=1642064822_1625985383152
@AncientProverbs
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/AncientProverbs/statuses/65206222403547136
Wish I'd said it ...
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/michaelstjames/statuses/65177057486835712
Brain Size of Children Yields Clues to Autism
@Inspired_Ones
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Inspired_Ones/statuses/64915739978637312
Death of Cursive Handwriting: Will It Make Historical Documents Indecipherable?
Young people rarely use cursive anymore, and that may be fine for their daily communication needs, but consider this report by Katie Zezima for The New York Times: the death of cursive also means that a growing number of historical documents will become indecipherable to them.
Jimmy Bryant, director of Archives and Special Collections at the University of Central Arkansas, says that a connection to archival material is lost when students turn away from cursive. While teaching last year, Mr. Bryant, on a whim, asked students to raise their hands if they wrote in cursive as a way to communicate. None did.
That cursive-challenged class included Alex Heck, 22, who said she barely remembered how to read or write cursive. Ms. Heck and a cousin leafed through their grandmother's journal shortly after she died, but could barely read her cursive handwriting.
"It was kind of cryptic," Ms. Heck said. She and the cousin tried to decipher it like one might a code, reading passages back and forth. "I'm not used to reading cursive or writing it myself."
Link | The Atlantic has the counterargument
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Barbara: Now I lay me down to sleep
5/1: Now I lay me down to sleep, one less terrorist this world does keep. With all my heart I give my thanks, to those in uniform regardless…
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/minifeed.php?id=1045590477&story_fbid=1045590477_1913652554770
@BarackObama
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/BarackObama/statuses/64918866316361728
@BeijingWithKids
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/BeijingWithKids/statuses/64915995583709184
Tonight is a night for sober and mature reflection
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/marwilliamson/statuses/64908248691638272
President Obama Delivers Statement on Death of Osama Bin Laden [LIVE VIDEO]
Around 10:00 p.m. ET, White House Communications Director Daniel Pfeiffer tweeted that the President would be making a statement at 10:30 p.m. ET. As of 11:10 p.m. ET, the President's remarks has not yet started, but reports of Bin Laden's death have spread wildly on Twitter, with outlets including The New York Times, CNN and NBC independently confirming the news.
We've embedded the live video feed from The White House above. Below, an additional feed from CBS News from Ustream. More to come.
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CBS News
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Thursday, April 28, 2011
Paul Graham
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Worst U.S. Air: Bakersfield Calif.; Best: Honolulu, Santa Fe
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Transition to Independent Living at Taft College get new facility
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/TurnTo23/statuses/63067138507800576
Monday, April 25, 2011
Kern Visitor
It's not too early to make plans for Mother's Day. On May 8, the California Living Museum will admit moms at half price -- and they'll hav…KCSOS : CALM : California Living Museum Home Page
http://www.calmzoo.org/
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/minifeed.php?id=1191898181&story_fbid=1191898181_116322621783994
Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Georg_Christoph_Lichtenberg
Comte de Buffon
Sunday, April 24, 2011
@Inspired_Ones
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Inspired_Ones/statuses/62387829468172288
Friday, April 22, 2011
@FarmIQ
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/FarmIQ/statuses/61633991064813568
‘zero tolerance’ enforcement mobilizations
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/CA_DMV/statuses/61565071813386240
@Eco_Boyz
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Eco_Boyz/statuses/61562557122609153
Olin Miller
Shakespeare on Blogging
Although Shakespeare wouldn't have known words like Twitter, social media, and blogging, he no doubt would've embraced these new terms. After all, he coined an estimated 1700 words and had a lot of fun playing with language.
But what do you get when you take Shakespeare's words out of context and apply them to blogging? You get sage advice that has—in its own way—survived more than 400 years.
Here are words from the Bard, applied to blogging.
On the length of posts
Brevity is the soul of wit.
(Hamlet)
Translation: Keep posts and paragraphs short.
On posting too infrequently
I wasted time, and now time doth waste me.
(Richard II)
Translation: Post regularly, or your blog's energy and following will wither away.
On finding images
Suit the action to the word, the word to the action.
(Hamlet)
Translation: Ensure your image is related to your content; if it's not obvious, use a caption make the connection.
On the importance of blog design
The apparel oft proclaims the man.
(Hamlet)
Translation: Appearance is important. If you wouldn't wear 35 accessories, don't put that many on your blog.
On content
More matter, with less art.
(Hamlet)
Translation: Photos and images are important, but fantastic content is what keeps readers returning.
On avoiding controversial topics
Boldness be my friend!
(Cymbeline)
Translation: Don't be overly afraid of divisive topics; they can attract and engage readers. Deal with them maturely, and invite readers to disagree.
On commenting
They do not love that do not show their love.
(Two Gentleman of Verona)
Translation: Ensure you read and comment intelligently on other people's posts. Blogging is about building relationships, and—if you're genuine—commenting is the best way to do so.
On dealing with hostile comments
I am not bound to please thee with my answers.
(The Merchant of Venice)
Translation: Hostile comments are rarely fun to deal with. It's usually best to remember that you don't have to please; instead, aim to critique the idea, rather than the person.
On being preoccupied with statistics
All that glitters is not gold.
(The Merchant of Venice)
Translation: While stats do indeed glitter, they don't tell the whole story of a blog's success. Check them, use them to improve your blog, but don't let them distract you from writing and building community.
On verifying your sources
Lord, what fools these mortals be.
(A Midsummer Night's Dream)
Translation: Don't immediately trust what other people have put on the Web. For example, there are several quotations from seemingly reputable sites that are attributed to Shakespeare; cross-referencing revealed the quotes aren't all his.
On the need to proofread
What's done can't be undone.
(Macbeth)
Translation: Think before you hit publish; ideally, leave your post 24 hours and reread it again.
On helping other bloggers
How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.
(The Merchant of Venice)
Translation: Find someone less established to help out; this is the spirit of blogging.
Leanne's motto is "If you can't laugh at yourself, laugh at your kids"; you can read her attempt to survive parenting at IronicMom.com. Leanne also co-created the website, WordBitches, where she and two friends use sass to motivate each
other to write 500 words each day.
Post from: ProBlogger Blog Tips
Shakespeare on Blogging
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2011/04/23/shakespeare-on-blogging/
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Street Faire moves!
-JB
Art at the Park
It's looking like a great art/craft fair on a pleasant day - I'm glad I didn't miss it!
-JB
@GiggleFlower
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/GiggleFlower/statuses/61194255519059969
@AncientProverbs
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/AncientProverbs/statuses/61187171528359936
Mary Field Belenky
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
@AncientProverbs
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/AncientProverbs/statuses/60548299022794752
Monday, April 18, 2011
Anonymous
Anonymous
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/SusanBoylesCat/statuses/60218079887626240
Michelle St. Amand
But making the years count. Michelle St. Amand
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/SusanBoylesCat/statuses/60218001298952192
Margaret Anderson
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/SusanBoylesCat/statuses/60217739385634816
Read This, Then Think of Japan ...
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/CalFireNews/statuses/60138613270253568
-----------------------
This is proposed 25 years after Chernobyl nuclear accident. After 100 years THEN they can disassemble the reactor!
-JB
Jean-Paul Sartre
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/SusanBoylesCat/statuses/60099911496122368