ME AND OPHELIA
Friday, December 31, 2004
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Best wishes for a peaceful 2005
"I am a citizen, not of Athens, or Greece, but of the world."
- Socrates (5th Century B.C.)
"We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth together as brothers."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
Wed Dec. 29 (AFP/Jose Cendon)
Displaced boy: A Sudanese displaced boy finds shelter from the sun behind a big cloth in El-Sereif refugee camp near the town of Nyala in Sudan's southern Darfur region.
- - -
WHY THERE'S NO ESCAPING THE BLOG
Fortune Magazine's blog article
Fortune has posted a great must-read piece entitled "Why There's No Escaping the Blog." It is well written, witty, warm, accurate and not to be missed. Insightfully, it calls us "the swarm" and says "it didn't take long for the blogging world to do what it does best: swarm around a new piece of information; push, prod, and poke at it; and leave it either stronger or a bloody mess." Heh. Power to the people. John Lennon would have loved it. [via Joi Ito]
- - -
GOOGLE RESULTS DOUBLE SINCE YESTERDAY?
Skweezer can strip and reformat your web page
Yesterday, a Google search for "blogs" brought in about 14.7 million results. Today, it's twice that. Jim Elve's post/comments explains why.
See also how Jim refuses to be victimised by Skweezer.
Note, go to Skweezer, type in a URL and Skweezer will reformat the page and will strip most of the graphics (and ads) and resize the text to make the pages fit on a small screen device.
- - -
WORLD CITIZENSHIP
My new blog
This morning I started a new blog for my posts on world citizenship and UN reform. It took only a few minutes using the same template as Sudan Watch but registering the name took several attempts because the titles I wanted were already taken. It looks like Bloggers are starting up free BlogSpots at Blogger.com for ownership of titles or just to be able to post comments at other BlogSpots. A blog named blogosphere has no posts. It would be interesting to know how many individual active bloggers there really are.
- - -
2005 GLOBAL PEACE CONFERENCE
University of San Francisco August 2-5, 2005
The following is an extract from the website of the Association of World Citizens (AWC) who, along with the International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP) are sponsoring the 2005 Global Peace Conference at the University of San Francisco August 2-5, 2005.
"AWC is an international peace organization with World Citizen Centers established in 50 countries. NGO status with the UN, including consultative status with ECOSOC.
"Only with a burning patience can we conquer the splendid City which will give light, justice, and dignity to all mankind" - Rimbaud
JOIN WITH US AS WORLD CITIZENS TO BUILD THE 'SPLENDID CITY" (GLOBAL VILLAGE) FOR THE 21ST CENTURY."
- - -
THE UNITED NATIONS AT 60
The critical years ahead
Join an Online/Regional Meetings Symposium on World Citizens helping to achieve the goals of the UN's Millennium Declaration. This is preparation for the Summit Meeting of Heads of State in New York on September 13, 2005.
"The 2005 Summit will be an event of decisive importance. The decisions to be taken there may determine the whole future of the United Nations." - Secretary General Kofi Annan
The Association of World Citizens (AWC) and War & Peace Foundation will conduct an online and regional meetings symposium on the "United Nations in the Critical Years Ahead" with the focus on how we, as World Citizens and NGOs, can be more efficient at influencing, persuading, and pressuring our governments (and all governments) to honor their commitment to the goals of the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by consensus at the Millennium Summit in 2000. The goals of the Millennium Declaration provide a foundation for creating a world community and better world for the 21st century.
People in over 20 countries will hold regional meetings to discuss this topic from January through March. There will be regular online updates on www.worldcitizens.org under the title: Meeting the Millennium Goals.
AWC will collect the conclusions from the online and regional meetings and issue a report and recommendations that will be published in the War & Peace Digest (which is delivered to UN agencies in New York) and sent to heads of state and parliamentarians.
A review of this project will be part of the 2005 Global Peace Conference held jointly by the AWC and the International Association of Educators for World Peace. This Global Peace conference will be held at the University of San Francisco from August 2-5, 2005. Stay tuned to their website for details: www.worldcitizens.org
To read selected highlights from the United Nations Millennium Declaration, click here to read "United Nations at the Fork in the Road" by Douglas Mattern.
- - -
QUOTATION OF THE DAY
December 30, 2004
"We only want food and milk. We are not asking for everything. But our babies have no milk to drink." PASIDA MUHAMAD, in Nilaveli, Sri Lanka. [via NYT]
- - -
UPDATE ON ASIA EARTHQUAKE:
BBC report confirms the World Bank has announced that it is giving $250m to help victims while the UK increased its contribution to $96m, the biggest donation from an individual country.
Support is also growing for a debt moratorium for some of the stricken countries, with France subscribing to a proposal made by Germany on Wednesday and Italy calling for an extraordinary G8 summit to discuss debt relief.
AFP news agency quoted US Secretary of State Colin Powell as describing the German proposal as "interesting". Mr Powell said the UN had chief responsibility for co-ordinating the aid effort, despite a move by Washington to set up a core group of donor countries with India, Australia and Japan.
KEY AID PLEDGES
World Bank $250m
UK $96m
EU $44m
US: $35m
Canada: $33m
Japan: $30m
Australia: $27m
France: $20.4m
Denmark: $15.6m
Saudi Arabia: $10m
NATURAL DISASTERS
2004 Asian quake disaster - toll so far exceeds 117,000
2003 earthquake in Bam, Iran - official casualty figure is 26,271
1976 Earthquake in Tangshan, China, kills 242,000
1970 Cyclone in Bangladesh kills 500,000
1887 China's Yellow River breaks its banks in Huayan Kou killing 900,000
1826 Tsunami kills 27,000 in Japan
1815 Volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora on Indonesia's Sumbawa Island kills 90,000
1556 Earthquake in China's Shanxi and Henan provinces kills 830,000
Source: Reuters, United Nations via BBC News online.
- - -
PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2004
A Ukrainian woman places carnations into the shields of anti-riot policemen standing outside the presidential office in Kiev, November 24, 2004. Ukraine's authorities raised the stakes in a face-off with their liberal opposition as they prepared to announce results of a disputed election that are likely to infuriate thousands of protesters in the streets. Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko
The National Christmas Tree is seen in front of the U.S. Capitol at dusk in Washington on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2004. Reuters/Molly Riley
Browse 200 more Pictures of the Year 2004 at Yahoo! news photos.
Best wishes for a peaceful 2005
"I am a citizen, not of Athens, or Greece, but of the world."
- Socrates (5th Century B.C.)
"We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth together as brothers."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
Wed Dec. 29 (AFP/Jose Cendon)
Displaced boy: A Sudanese displaced boy finds shelter from the sun behind a big cloth in El-Sereif refugee camp near the town of Nyala in Sudan's southern Darfur region.
- - -
WHY THERE'S NO ESCAPING THE BLOG
Fortune Magazine's blog article
Fortune has posted a great must-read piece entitled "Why There's No Escaping the Blog." It is well written, witty, warm, accurate and not to be missed. Insightfully, it calls us "the swarm" and says "it didn't take long for the blogging world to do what it does best: swarm around a new piece of information; push, prod, and poke at it; and leave it either stronger or a bloody mess." Heh. Power to the people. John Lennon would have loved it. [via Joi Ito]
- - -
GOOGLE RESULTS DOUBLE SINCE YESTERDAY?
Skweezer can strip and reformat your web page
Yesterday, a Google search for "blogs" brought in about 14.7 million results. Today, it's twice that. Jim Elve's post/comments explains why.
See also how Jim refuses to be victimised by Skweezer.
Note, go to Skweezer, type in a URL and Skweezer will reformat the page and will strip most of the graphics (and ads) and resize the text to make the pages fit on a small screen device.
- - -
WORLD CITIZENSHIP
My new blog
This morning I started a new blog for my posts on world citizenship and UN reform. It took only a few minutes using the same template as Sudan Watch but registering the name took several attempts because the titles I wanted were already taken. It looks like Bloggers are starting up free BlogSpots at Blogger.com for ownership of titles or just to be able to post comments at other BlogSpots. A blog named blogosphere has no posts. It would be interesting to know how many individual active bloggers there really are.
- - -
2005 GLOBAL PEACE CONFERENCE
University of San Francisco August 2-5, 2005
The following is an extract from the website of the Association of World Citizens (AWC) who, along with the International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP) are sponsoring the 2005 Global Peace Conference at the University of San Francisco August 2-5, 2005.
"AWC is an international peace organization with World Citizen Centers established in 50 countries. NGO status with the UN, including consultative status with ECOSOC.
"Only with a burning patience can we conquer the splendid City which will give light, justice, and dignity to all mankind" - Rimbaud
JOIN WITH US AS WORLD CITIZENS TO BUILD THE 'SPLENDID CITY" (GLOBAL VILLAGE) FOR THE 21ST CENTURY."
- - -
THE UNITED NATIONS AT 60
The critical years ahead
Join an Online/Regional Meetings Symposium on World Citizens helping to achieve the goals of the UN's Millennium Declaration. This is preparation for the Summit Meeting of Heads of State in New York on September 13, 2005.
"The 2005 Summit will be an event of decisive importance. The decisions to be taken there may determine the whole future of the United Nations." - Secretary General Kofi Annan
The Association of World Citizens (AWC) and War & Peace Foundation will conduct an online and regional meetings symposium on the "United Nations in the Critical Years Ahead" with the focus on how we, as World Citizens and NGOs, can be more efficient at influencing, persuading, and pressuring our governments (and all governments) to honor their commitment to the goals of the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by consensus at the Millennium Summit in 2000. The goals of the Millennium Declaration provide a foundation for creating a world community and better world for the 21st century.
People in over 20 countries will hold regional meetings to discuss this topic from January through March. There will be regular online updates on www.worldcitizens.org under the title: Meeting the Millennium Goals.
AWC will collect the conclusions from the online and regional meetings and issue a report and recommendations that will be published in the War & Peace Digest (which is delivered to UN agencies in New York) and sent to heads of state and parliamentarians.
A review of this project will be part of the 2005 Global Peace Conference held jointly by the AWC and the International Association of Educators for World Peace. This Global Peace conference will be held at the University of San Francisco from August 2-5, 2005. Stay tuned to their website for details: www.worldcitizens.org
To read selected highlights from the United Nations Millennium Declaration, click here to read "United Nations at the Fork in the Road" by Douglas Mattern.
- - -
QUOTATION OF THE DAY
December 30, 2004
"We only want food and milk. We are not asking for everything. But our babies have no milk to drink." PASIDA MUHAMAD, in Nilaveli, Sri Lanka. [via NYT]
- - -
UPDATE ON ASIA EARTHQUAKE:
BBC report confirms the World Bank has announced that it is giving $250m to help victims while the UK increased its contribution to $96m, the biggest donation from an individual country.
Support is also growing for a debt moratorium for some of the stricken countries, with France subscribing to a proposal made by Germany on Wednesday and Italy calling for an extraordinary G8 summit to discuss debt relief.
AFP news agency quoted US Secretary of State Colin Powell as describing the German proposal as "interesting". Mr Powell said the UN had chief responsibility for co-ordinating the aid effort, despite a move by Washington to set up a core group of donor countries with India, Australia and Japan.
KEY AID PLEDGES
World Bank $250m
UK $96m
EU $44m
US: $35m
Canada: $33m
Japan: $30m
Australia: $27m
France: $20.4m
Denmark: $15.6m
Saudi Arabia: $10m
NATURAL DISASTERS
2004 Asian quake disaster - toll so far exceeds 117,000
2003 earthquake in Bam, Iran - official casualty figure is 26,271
1976 Earthquake in Tangshan, China, kills 242,000
1970 Cyclone in Bangladesh kills 500,000
1887 China's Yellow River breaks its banks in Huayan Kou killing 900,000
1826 Tsunami kills 27,000 in Japan
1815 Volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora on Indonesia's Sumbawa Island kills 90,000
1556 Earthquake in China's Shanxi and Henan provinces kills 830,000
Source: Reuters, United Nations via BBC News online.
- - -
PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2004
A Ukrainian woman places carnations into the shields of anti-riot policemen standing outside the presidential office in Kiev, November 24, 2004. Ukraine's authorities raised the stakes in a face-off with their liberal opposition as they prepared to announce results of a disputed election that are likely to infuriate thousands of protesters in the streets. Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko
The National Christmas Tree is seen in front of the U.S. Capitol at dusk in Washington on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2004. Reuters/Molly Riley
Browse 200 more Pictures of the Year 2004 at Yahoo! news photos.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/31/2004
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
MY NEW HOTPOINT DISHWASHER
And frost free freezer
On December 6, my order of a new Hotpoint Aquarius Slimline Dishwasher SDW60 (£302) and Hotpoint Frost Free Freezer FZA30 (£299) arrived.
They were delivered and installed by a semi-local shop. I bought them unseen over the phone. I'd seen the spec and picture of the freezer in the shop's catalogue that a friend picked up for me but not the dishwasher which I ordered at the same time. I chose the dishwasher on the strength of a recommendation from a local friend who used the shop to buy the same model. The bill came to £601.00 plus £107.04 for extended plumbing parts and installation, making a total of £708.04.
When I placed the order, the owner said I could choose to pay by credit card or cheque. I said I would prefer to pay by credit card because there is more come back if anything goes wrong. He said he ran a reputable firm that has been in business for over twenty years and couldn't afford for things to go wrong. btw After the installation, it turned out that when the engineer presented me with the bill, he did not have the facility for accepting credit cards and so I paid by cheque.
Although the dishwasher is slimline, it holds 9 Place Settings, has a smart design with soft contours and a nice work top that make the whole thing inviting to use. Before the order arrived, a friend advised me over the phone to check both machines upon delivery. She once had a new appliance delivered that had been scratched in transit, refused delivery and it was replaced with another. Scratches may appear no big deal at first sight to unfussy delivery men, but a year later any scratch will turn rusty, start flaking and eat the enamel away.
When the machines arrived, I expected to see them in polystyrene wrappings for protection during transit. There were no wrappings. The instruction manuals and guarantees for both machines were not in plastic bags or presented as part of any "welcome" pack - they were photocopies, stapled together. I was a little perturbed there was nothing to tell me the machines were brand new.
The two delivery men worked so quickly, they had installed the freezer in its space before I had a chance to check for dents or scratches. While the dishwasher was parked in the middle of the kitchen awaiting its plumbing, I checked the outer casing and opened the door. I was surprised to see the plumbing gear sitting in the top tray with no wrappings or ties and the inside of the machine was wet with droplets of water inside the door like it had just been used. I pointed this out to the installers. One chap joked they had used it for their tea cups and a load of old rusty pots. I joked back that they'd better not be trying to palm me off with a second hand machine. They said it was normal for dishwashers to be tested at the factory before shipping.
The installer was here for two hours because he had to fit an extra pipe through the back of three kitchen cupboards to reach underneath the sink. He did a neat job and tested the machine and explained how it worked.
After using the dishwasher twice, which works great, I became apprehensive about the freezer because of its noise. I could hear it shuddering from here, in another room, and while trying to sleep. After reading its manual I felt reassured as it said to expect noise for up to two months while it settled down. Yesterday, I noticed it had been silent for most of the day so I was relieved my fears were unfounded.
Last night, I used the dishwasher for the third time. Ten minutes into its cycle, a rather loud clunk sounded. Ophelia sat up with eyes as wide as saucers. I know what she was thinking: a cat was banging on the catflap trying to get in. (I keep it locked because the wind makes it blow open). She could have been right, or a plate or something in the dishwasher could have become dislodged. It didn't seem true because I had filled the machine neatly and carefully all week - even rinsing everything first (!) and ensuring it was not overloaded.
After it had completed its cycle, I opened the door to see what had dislodged. Everything was perfectly in place. Got the manual out again and spent two hours googling for dishwasher symptoms. If the clunking noise did belong to the machine, it did not bode well. Ophelia was right, the noise must have been the catflap?
Just before going to bed, as I reached into the cupboard above the dishwasher for Ophelia's nightcap of fishy treats, I felt the tip of my sock getting wet. Looked down to see a patch on the carpet. I bent down to feel the carpet, it was wet on the left and right side of the machine. And I saw a 12" long scratch in the enamel at the base of the machine ..... grrr
At 8.30 this morning I phoned Hotpoint. They are sending an engineer here tomorrow morning. The manual says there is a 90-day guarantee on exchanges and refunds and a 1-year guarantee covering labour and parts plus a 4-year guarantee that covers parts only. Depending on what the engineer says, I may request for the machine to be replaced with the same model.
The only other thing I can think that could have gone wrong, that I shall tell the engineer, is that I used FINISH 3-in-one-tablets for the machine instead of GLIST 3-in-one-tablets recommended in the manual. FINISH does not list Hotpoint as one of the machines it recommends for its power ball tablets. If anyone else has had this experience, please let me know.
UPDATE Dec. 30: Good news is there is nothing wrong with the dishwasher. Loud clunking noise was the soap dispenser snapping open. scratch is not a scratch but a scuff mark (probably from the vacuum cleaner). Leaking water came from jubilee clips that was fitted during installation. Bad news is the Hotpoint engineer couldn't touch it. He said I had to call the shop. Their installer will be here tomorrow afternoon to assess it. Seems the only likely outcome will be that the machine will have to be moved to the other side of the kitchen, next to the washing machine which will probably mean my having to call out a local plumber to lay some pipes on top of the £100 I have already paid to have the machine installed.
- - -
FACT OF THE DAY
Courtesy Scotsman.com
Yee-har! Texas today is admitted as the 28th US state after a period as an independent republic. The 'Lone Star State' has had a difficult birth mostly due to its proximity to Mexico, a situation that resulted in one of the most famous battles of US history - the Alamo.
- - -
Note previous post here below has various updates.
And frost free freezer
On December 6, my order of a new Hotpoint Aquarius Slimline Dishwasher SDW60 (£302) and Hotpoint Frost Free Freezer FZA30 (£299) arrived.
They were delivered and installed by a semi-local shop. I bought them unseen over the phone. I'd seen the spec and picture of the freezer in the shop's catalogue that a friend picked up for me but not the dishwasher which I ordered at the same time. I chose the dishwasher on the strength of a recommendation from a local friend who used the shop to buy the same model. The bill came to £601.00 plus £107.04 for extended plumbing parts and installation, making a total of £708.04.
When I placed the order, the owner said I could choose to pay by credit card or cheque. I said I would prefer to pay by credit card because there is more come back if anything goes wrong. He said he ran a reputable firm that has been in business for over twenty years and couldn't afford for things to go wrong. btw After the installation, it turned out that when the engineer presented me with the bill, he did not have the facility for accepting credit cards and so I paid by cheque.
Although the dishwasher is slimline, it holds 9 Place Settings, has a smart design with soft contours and a nice work top that make the whole thing inviting to use. Before the order arrived, a friend advised me over the phone to check both machines upon delivery. She once had a new appliance delivered that had been scratched in transit, refused delivery and it was replaced with another. Scratches may appear no big deal at first sight to unfussy delivery men, but a year later any scratch will turn rusty, start flaking and eat the enamel away.
When the machines arrived, I expected to see them in polystyrene wrappings for protection during transit. There were no wrappings. The instruction manuals and guarantees for both machines were not in plastic bags or presented as part of any "welcome" pack - they were photocopies, stapled together. I was a little perturbed there was nothing to tell me the machines were brand new.
The two delivery men worked so quickly, they had installed the freezer in its space before I had a chance to check for dents or scratches. While the dishwasher was parked in the middle of the kitchen awaiting its plumbing, I checked the outer casing and opened the door. I was surprised to see the plumbing gear sitting in the top tray with no wrappings or ties and the inside of the machine was wet with droplets of water inside the door like it had just been used. I pointed this out to the installers. One chap joked they had used it for their tea cups and a load of old rusty pots. I joked back that they'd better not be trying to palm me off with a second hand machine. They said it was normal for dishwashers to be tested at the factory before shipping.
The installer was here for two hours because he had to fit an extra pipe through the back of three kitchen cupboards to reach underneath the sink. He did a neat job and tested the machine and explained how it worked.
After using the dishwasher twice, which works great, I became apprehensive about the freezer because of its noise. I could hear it shuddering from here, in another room, and while trying to sleep. After reading its manual I felt reassured as it said to expect noise for up to two months while it settled down. Yesterday, I noticed it had been silent for most of the day so I was relieved my fears were unfounded.
Last night, I used the dishwasher for the third time. Ten minutes into its cycle, a rather loud clunk sounded. Ophelia sat up with eyes as wide as saucers. I know what she was thinking: a cat was banging on the catflap trying to get in. (I keep it locked because the wind makes it blow open). She could have been right, or a plate or something in the dishwasher could have become dislodged. It didn't seem true because I had filled the machine neatly and carefully all week - even rinsing everything first (!) and ensuring it was not overloaded.
After it had completed its cycle, I opened the door to see what had dislodged. Everything was perfectly in place. Got the manual out again and spent two hours googling for dishwasher symptoms. If the clunking noise did belong to the machine, it did not bode well. Ophelia was right, the noise must have been the catflap?
Just before going to bed, as I reached into the cupboard above the dishwasher for Ophelia's nightcap of fishy treats, I felt the tip of my sock getting wet. Looked down to see a patch on the carpet. I bent down to feel the carpet, it was wet on the left and right side of the machine. And I saw a 12" long scratch in the enamel at the base of the machine ..... grrr
At 8.30 this morning I phoned Hotpoint. They are sending an engineer here tomorrow morning. The manual says there is a 90-day guarantee on exchanges and refunds and a 1-year guarantee covering labour and parts plus a 4-year guarantee that covers parts only. Depending on what the engineer says, I may request for the machine to be replaced with the same model.
The only other thing I can think that could have gone wrong, that I shall tell the engineer, is that I used FINISH 3-in-one-tablets for the machine instead of GLIST 3-in-one-tablets recommended in the manual. FINISH does not list Hotpoint as one of the machines it recommends for its power ball tablets. If anyone else has had this experience, please let me know.
UPDATE Dec. 30: Good news is there is nothing wrong with the dishwasher. Loud clunking noise was the soap dispenser snapping open. scratch is not a scratch but a scuff mark (probably from the vacuum cleaner). Leaking water came from jubilee clips that was fitted during installation. Bad news is the Hotpoint engineer couldn't touch it. He said I had to call the shop. Their installer will be here tomorrow afternoon to assess it. Seems the only likely outcome will be that the machine will have to be moved to the other side of the kitchen, next to the washing machine which will probably mean my having to call out a local plumber to lay some pipes on top of the £100 I have already paid to have the machine installed.
- - -
FACT OF THE DAY
Courtesy Scotsman.com
Yee-har! Texas today is admitted as the 28th US state after a period as an independent republic. The 'Lone Star State' has had a difficult birth mostly due to its proximity to Mexico, a situation that resulted in one of the most famous battles of US history - the Alamo.
- - -
Note previous post here below has various updates.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/29/2004
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
THE SOUTH-EAST ASIA EARTHQUAKE [Updated post]
And Tsunami Disaster
No doubt everyone reading this would join me in expressing deepest sympathy for every person and creature affected by the catastrophic disaster that has struck South-East Asia. It is brain numbing to imagine what is happening right now following the 9.0 earthquake near Indonesia and the resulting tsunami in the Indian Ocean.
The latest from Reuters says the death toll has risen to 36,946 people. Officials fear the figure could rise to almost 57,000.
Ever since the ghastly news broke, bulletins and special reports have appeared on British television. It was good to see Britain responding within a matter of hours: emergency tents, aid, tonnes of equipment and aid workers were flown out and special planes laid on. It is the largest humanitarian disaster ever. Help is pouring in to the region from all over the world.
For information on how to help please visit Conversation with Dina in Bombay and a group of bloggers at SEA-EAT who are providing news and information about resources, aid, donations and volunteer efforts.
Thanks to Ethan for the links and for pointing out the moving story about how local fisherman saved many of the tourists who were visiting the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, off the southernmost tip on India.
UPDATE: See more ways to help at The Command Post's extensively updated Dec. 28 post.
UPDATE Dec. 29: Fears disaster toll could hit 100,000 - The death toll from the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster could eventually rise to more than 100,000 lives, the World Health Organisation warned last night.
Attenborough family in shock as granddaughter is killed in tsunami - Lord Attenborough, the eminent actor and director, is among those grieving after his 14-year-old granddaughter, Lucy, was killed in the Asian tsunami disaster.
UPDATE Dec. 29: World united in sorrow, says Blair. Britain is ready to help those hit by the devastating tidal wave "in any way we can", Tony Blair has declared. The British government immediately pledged £15 million. At least 50 Britons feared dead. On British TV news Oxfam says it needs to raise £3m right away. Aid needs to get there NOW. I have just donated online to Oxfam UK via DEC - Tsunami Earthquake.
TV pictures showed plane loads of bottled drinking water from England and massive numbers of crates from Oxfam being fork lifted onto transporter planes readying to fly out to South Asia and return Britons home. The magnitude of the disaster is unimagineable. In some areas there are not enough people alive to bury the dead. Mass graves are being dug. Hospitals are overflowing and running out of supplies. Many more people will die of curable diseases if adequate aid does not arrive in time.
There is no drinking water. Decomposing bodies are laying around under rubble in towns that have been flattened. There aren't enough people around to look for the dead. Group graves are being dug hurridly by ordinary people with no time for ceremony in an effort to reduce spread of disease. It's horrendous. Governments are in dissaray, there is confusion, fear and panic. It's not clear how the international aid agencies are being co-ordinated. My heart goes out everyone there. The scale of the disaster and areas affected is mind boggling. Here's hoping the UN comes up trumps this time. The world is watching.
And Tsunami Disaster
No doubt everyone reading this would join me in expressing deepest sympathy for every person and creature affected by the catastrophic disaster that has struck South-East Asia. It is brain numbing to imagine what is happening right now following the 9.0 earthquake near Indonesia and the resulting tsunami in the Indian Ocean.
The latest from Reuters says the death toll has risen to 36,946 people. Officials fear the figure could rise to almost 57,000.
Ever since the ghastly news broke, bulletins and special reports have appeared on British television. It was good to see Britain responding within a matter of hours: emergency tents, aid, tonnes of equipment and aid workers were flown out and special planes laid on. It is the largest humanitarian disaster ever. Help is pouring in to the region from all over the world.
For information on how to help please visit Conversation with Dina in Bombay and a group of bloggers at SEA-EAT who are providing news and information about resources, aid, donations and volunteer efforts.
Thanks to Ethan for the links and for pointing out the moving story about how local fisherman saved many of the tourists who were visiting the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, off the southernmost tip on India.
UPDATE: See more ways to help at The Command Post's extensively updated Dec. 28 post.
UPDATE Dec. 29: Fears disaster toll could hit 100,000 - The death toll from the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster could eventually rise to more than 100,000 lives, the World Health Organisation warned last night.
Attenborough family in shock as granddaughter is killed in tsunami - Lord Attenborough, the eminent actor and director, is among those grieving after his 14-year-old granddaughter, Lucy, was killed in the Asian tsunami disaster.
UPDATE Dec. 29: World united in sorrow, says Blair. Britain is ready to help those hit by the devastating tidal wave "in any way we can", Tony Blair has declared. The British government immediately pledged £15 million. At least 50 Britons feared dead. On British TV news Oxfam says it needs to raise £3m right away. Aid needs to get there NOW. I have just donated online to Oxfam UK via DEC - Tsunami Earthquake.
TV pictures showed plane loads of bottled drinking water from England and massive numbers of crates from Oxfam being fork lifted onto transporter planes readying to fly out to South Asia and return Britons home. The magnitude of the disaster is unimagineable. In some areas there are not enough people alive to bury the dead. Mass graves are being dug. Hospitals are overflowing and running out of supplies. Many more people will die of curable diseases if adequate aid does not arrive in time.
There is no drinking water. Decomposing bodies are laying around under rubble in towns that have been flattened. There aren't enough people around to look for the dead. Group graves are being dug hurridly by ordinary people with no time for ceremony in an effort to reduce spread of disease. It's horrendous. Governments are in dissaray, there is confusion, fear and panic. It's not clear how the international aid agencies are being co-ordinated. My heart goes out everyone there. The scale of the disaster and areas affected is mind boggling. Here's hoping the UN comes up trumps this time. The world is watching.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/28/2004
Sunday, December 26, 2004
BRITAIN IS SENDING 3,000 TROOPS INTO DARFUR?
The year's top five world stories
Here below are the year's top five world stories. Sudan's Darfur is number five:
1. Iraq - An anti-U.S. insurgency buffeted the country ahead of elections planned for early next year. A scandal erupted over the abuse of Iraqi detainees by U.S. military guards at Abu Ghraib prison.
2. Afghanistan - Afghans flocked to the polls to cast ballots in the nation's first direct democratic election, choosing Hamid Karzai as president. Violence, however, continued.
3. Arafat dies - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died at age 75. His death triggered mourning among Palestinians but also sparked hopes of a breakthrough in efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
4. Global terror - Terrorists were blamed for more attacks. In Madrid, commuter train bombings killed 190. In Russia, a school siege left more than 330, many of them children, dead. In Saudi Arabia, militants targeted foreigners.
5. Sudan's Darfur - Ethnic fighting persisted in Sudan's Darfur region, where tens of thousands of people have lost their lives and 1.8 million have been driven from their homes.
An unsourced news report is flying around the globe right now about Britain preparing to send 3,000 troops into Darfur - see my post today at Sudan Watch that also explains from 1 January British and French begin to prepare for EU Rapid Reaction Force missions. Yay for Britain AND France working together! At least it's bound to generate some great cartoons and laughs. Non?
The year's top five world stories
Here below are the year's top five world stories. Sudan's Darfur is number five:
1. Iraq - An anti-U.S. insurgency buffeted the country ahead of elections planned for early next year. A scandal erupted over the abuse of Iraqi detainees by U.S. military guards at Abu Ghraib prison.
2. Afghanistan - Afghans flocked to the polls to cast ballots in the nation's first direct democratic election, choosing Hamid Karzai as president. Violence, however, continued.
3. Arafat dies - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died at age 75. His death triggered mourning among Palestinians but also sparked hopes of a breakthrough in efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
4. Global terror - Terrorists were blamed for more attacks. In Madrid, commuter train bombings killed 190. In Russia, a school siege left more than 330, many of them children, dead. In Saudi Arabia, militants targeted foreigners.
5. Sudan's Darfur - Ethnic fighting persisted in Sudan's Darfur region, where tens of thousands of people have lost their lives and 1.8 million have been driven from their homes.
An unsourced news report is flying around the globe right now about Britain preparing to send 3,000 troops into Darfur - see my post today at Sudan Watch that also explains from 1 January British and French begin to prepare for EU Rapid Reaction Force missions. Yay for Britain AND France working together! At least it's bound to generate some great cartoons and laughs. Non?
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/26/2004
Saturday, December 25, 2004
A CHRISTMAS HELLO!
French Father Christmas
Photo via Netlex France
Please click into the QuickTime plug-in of the wonderful music "Vita Brevis de Rodrigo Leão" that Monalisa in Portugal has posted in the sidebar of her blog Sítio da Saudade. It is so neat. Here's looking forward to the day when I find out how to post plug-ins here, along with audio posts - and the Babel translator that can also be found in Monalisa's sidebar.
- - -
PEACE ON EARTH
And goodwill towards all men
God bless you all dear bloggers. Here's wishing you a peaceful Christmas.
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2,11)
Holy Land, Bethlehem history.
The imprisonment of long term chronic illness and loneliness is getting to me these past few days. I shall be glad when it is all over. Christmas I mean. I think. Although I wouldn't be at all disappointed if I went to sleep and never woke up again. I am always very grateful and appreciative of people's kindness and all the help I am given. But at times it does not seem worth it. Solitary confinement is no kind of life at all. My battle is unknown. There is no treatment or cure. They put animals down for lesser suffering. At least I have Ophelia to keep me company. If only she could speak ...
=^.^=
This is the first year I have not sent any Christmas cards. It is the first time I am letting Christmas pass me by. I've done everything to try and avoid thoughts of it incase it gets me too down. I adore everything to do with Christmas time. But when you are trying to forget about it, TV is the biggest reminder. Media really stokes up Christmas. TV commercials sound loud and crass. Pressuring people into buying. Brainwashing them into thinking gifts and stuff spells happiness. There is such pressure for people to be insanely excited and happy. 'Tis the season to be jolly fah lah lah lah lah. Good health in mind, body and spirit seems key to most things.
Back in Autumn, after three of the most awful months of the year (too many home maintenance things going on) I made a decision to change food routine for a while. I'd gone through such a rough patch, the whole business of organising fresh food became a major problem.
So, this year, instead of organising Christmas cards, tree, gifts, etc., I arranged for the guest bedroom to be re-decorated. As I could not manage both projects, it seemed sensible to achieve something constructive rather than spend three months of energy organising Christmas (that I am too ill to enjoy or have too many visitors anyway) and another three months getting over the organising of it, food, turkey etc., like I did the years before.
Because there is always something that needs doing, I am not getting enough rest. Each time I introduce something new that streamlines things in a major way, I think I have this M.E. thing cracked, but no matter what I do, the illness is always there in varying degrees.
Even when I do manage to reduce the pain and other symptoms, it leaves me with a whole range of other problems, ie yearning to go out and knowing if I do, I can't manage when I get back. The suffering is so immense for weeks or even months on end afterwards, it really is not worth it. Besides, I don't believe it's the way to recovery. Like picking at a scab without ever giving it a proper chance to heal. Next year I am putting my six week programme into effect. It's an aggressive rest regime, and extremely boring. I need to get a special alarm clock and timer. More on this next year.
I've not been out since March 2003 and am still horizontal 23.5 hours a day. I think I look awful. Some say I am looking better. But they don't say compared to what. The illness mainly tells in my eyes. Like I've not slept for 4 weeks. They have lost their sparkle and look ill in an invalid/housebound sort of way. Once in a blue moon I get a feeling of well being - it does not last for long though - some times for a whole 24 hours (once it lasted for three weeks) and during those times I did not look so ill. So the damage is not permanent, if I recover.
Several weeks ago, thanks to the help of a very kind friend, I have started a new food routine that requires little input from me. It is helping to reduce the symptoms. Freshly made meals are prepared by a wonderful whole food store that uses its own fresh organic produce and free range/organic meat, fish etc.
Also, last month, thanks to cash gifts from my mother last Christmas and birthday, I have had a new dishwasher and an additional 3-drawer freezer installed. I ordered them from a local shop over the phone. Two friends helped plan where to have the machines installed. The dishwasher took two-hours to install involving extension pipes and plumbing work.
Both machines are Hotpoint and made in the UK. The dishwasher is a slimline beauty for 7 places and works great. My friend includes my shopping list with hers and visits here weekly to deliver a weeks supply of meals so there is always a few weeks of food in the new freezer.
Now all I have to do is (I forgot during the first week) pull open the freezer door before I go to bed, select a meal for defrosting. Next day preheat oven, pop it in (meals are bought in foil trays) on a tray lined with foil (saves on washing up) and set timer for 40 minutes. When ready, open up the over, take out the tray, serve onto two plates - one for lunch the other for dinner and arrange something alongside each - pasta, rice, greens etc. Lately these side dishes have also been frozen. The recipes are amazing - chicken, pasta, salmon, pheasant, madras curry... and substantial portions too.
By next month I shall get the hang of the new routine and prepare fresh side salads and veg etc., each day. Cutting down on cooking and the managing of people to cook has made a huge difference in reducing my symptoms. But as soon as I start trying to do something extra outside of my 15 minute baseline, like walking up and down more than usual or sitting on a stool to plant winter bulbs in my garden troughs, the symptoms return with a vengeance. I rest straight away so it doesn't take weeks for the symptoms to reduce.
This past month, I've been all out of sync with fruit and vegetable deliveries. For the first time in three years, I've not placed any orders and so have hardly eaten any fresh greens these past six weeks. In the new year I aim to buy a new fruit and veg juice extractor, bordering on industrial strength as my other one lasted less than six months (juicing carrots did the motor in). More on this after I've browsed the net for some tips on juice extractors, to post here. Meanwhile, if any readers can recommend tried and tested juice extractors that take whole or halved fruit (no chopping into small chunks) any pointers would be most appreciated.
I shall try and post more here over Christmas/New Year as a diary entry to look back on this time next year. Can't tell when though, my eyes are burning and I'm finding emailing difficult. Must catch up with phone and thank you's. Bye for now. And thank you for all your visits and comments. Hope you all have a good Christmas holiday. Love from ingrid and ophelia xx
- - -
GOAT FOR IT
Goat is a Popular Gift with Britons
Regular visitors here may recall a post I wrote about buying goats for Christmas from Oxfam who will send them as gifts to those in need.
A recent BBC report says Oxfam has sold some 30,000 goats for poor families in 70 countries. "Ethical buying seems to be very popular this year," said a spokeswoman.
"Traditionally, the British public has been less willing to fund overseas development charities, but the "goats for Africa" scheme has succeeded by tapping into the traditional national love of animals," opined "The Guardian" newspaper.
"Less of the Christmas 'bah, humbug,' more of the 'baa'," the newspaper wrote.
A naughty goat eats treats off a Christmas tree at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) Courtesy BBC News online.
- - -
LOVE'S STRANGE EFFECT ON PEOPLE
Love may indeed be blind
BBC News Health report explains Love's strange effect on people.
- - -
NEWLYWEDS ADVISED TO LOWER HOPES
The secret of marriage seems not to expect too much from it
Sorry I have mislaid the link to the following BBC News online report. Here is an excerpt:
If you've got high expectations but you don't have the relationship skills, you may need to work at them.
US researchers say that, unless you have superior relationship skills, your hopes of cosy coupledom are likely to be dashed. Far better, they say, to aim low to ensure you are not disappointed. The key to keeping that newlywed glow appears to be forgiveness and communication.
The number of marriages in England and Wales rose by 2% in 2002, reversing a consistent decline since the early 1970s.
The study, by researchers from Ohio and Florida Universities looked at 82 couples. They quizzed all the spouses independently over four years.
Their study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found those who believed their partner would be unfailingly kind, loving and agree with their every word, could retain their positive outlook by being forgiving, and having charitable explanations for their partner's negative behaviour.
However those with high expectations but without those relationship skills are likely to be brought down to earth fairly quickly as their Prince or Princess Charming falls off their pedestal.
In contrast, the researchers say holding a more prosaic view of your loved one means you are less likely to be disappointed, and therefore more satisfied with your marriage.
Christine Northam, a spokeswoman for relationship counselling organisation Relate, told BBC News Online she felt positive outlooks were not a bad thing - and couples could work at improving poor relationship skills.
"Having high expectations can act as motivation."
"But if you've got high expectations but you don't have the relationship skills, you may need to work at them.
"Maintaining good relationships takes energy and activity."
But Professor Alex Gardner of the British Psychological Society warned people may not live up to their partner's high expectations.
"The guy or the woman, though generally it's the man, can be so thick that they can't see what's being expected of them, or if they can see it, they might resent the expectations placed on them."
Note, the report says previous research has found that people tend to select like-minded partners who they believe will be able to maintain a stable relationship. The finding contradicts the old adage that opposites attract. Instead, the US researchers said people looking for long-term relationships should select partners who were similar to themselves, rather than seeking out the highest quality partner available.
- - -
ON THIS DAY
Courtesy Scotsman and NYT
On this day December 24 the trenches south of Ypres in of World War 1 saw the "Christmas Truce". The truce apparently started when German troops began decorating their trenches and singing carols, to be joined by the British. Holiday greetings were shouted across the lines and soon no-man's-land was crossed and gifts exchanged. The truce lasted in som eplaces for a day and in others till New Year's eve.
On December 24, 1968, the Apollo 8 astronauts, orbiting the moon, read passages from the Old Testament Book of Genesis during a Christmas Eve TV broadcast.
French Father Christmas
Photo via Netlex France
Please click into the QuickTime plug-in of the wonderful music "Vita Brevis de Rodrigo Leão" that Monalisa in Portugal has posted in the sidebar of her blog Sítio da Saudade. It is so neat. Here's looking forward to the day when I find out how to post plug-ins here, along with audio posts - and the Babel translator that can also be found in Monalisa's sidebar.
- - -
PEACE ON EARTH
And goodwill towards all men
God bless you all dear bloggers. Here's wishing you a peaceful Christmas.
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2,11)
Holy Land, Bethlehem history.
The imprisonment of long term chronic illness and loneliness is getting to me these past few days. I shall be glad when it is all over. Christmas I mean. I think. Although I wouldn't be at all disappointed if I went to sleep and never woke up again. I am always very grateful and appreciative of people's kindness and all the help I am given. But at times it does not seem worth it. Solitary confinement is no kind of life at all. My battle is unknown. There is no treatment or cure. They put animals down for lesser suffering. At least I have Ophelia to keep me company. If only she could speak ...
=^.^=
This is the first year I have not sent any Christmas cards. It is the first time I am letting Christmas pass me by. I've done everything to try and avoid thoughts of it incase it gets me too down. I adore everything to do with Christmas time. But when you are trying to forget about it, TV is the biggest reminder. Media really stokes up Christmas. TV commercials sound loud and crass. Pressuring people into buying. Brainwashing them into thinking gifts and stuff spells happiness. There is such pressure for people to be insanely excited and happy. 'Tis the season to be jolly fah lah lah lah lah. Good health in mind, body and spirit seems key to most things.
Back in Autumn, after three of the most awful months of the year (too many home maintenance things going on) I made a decision to change food routine for a while. I'd gone through such a rough patch, the whole business of organising fresh food became a major problem.
So, this year, instead of organising Christmas cards, tree, gifts, etc., I arranged for the guest bedroom to be re-decorated. As I could not manage both projects, it seemed sensible to achieve something constructive rather than spend three months of energy organising Christmas (that I am too ill to enjoy or have too many visitors anyway) and another three months getting over the organising of it, food, turkey etc., like I did the years before.
Because there is always something that needs doing, I am not getting enough rest. Each time I introduce something new that streamlines things in a major way, I think I have this M.E. thing cracked, but no matter what I do, the illness is always there in varying degrees.
Even when I do manage to reduce the pain and other symptoms, it leaves me with a whole range of other problems, ie yearning to go out and knowing if I do, I can't manage when I get back. The suffering is so immense for weeks or even months on end afterwards, it really is not worth it. Besides, I don't believe it's the way to recovery. Like picking at a scab without ever giving it a proper chance to heal. Next year I am putting my six week programme into effect. It's an aggressive rest regime, and extremely boring. I need to get a special alarm clock and timer. More on this next year.
I've not been out since March 2003 and am still horizontal 23.5 hours a day. I think I look awful. Some say I am looking better. But they don't say compared to what. The illness mainly tells in my eyes. Like I've not slept for 4 weeks. They have lost their sparkle and look ill in an invalid/housebound sort of way. Once in a blue moon I get a feeling of well being - it does not last for long though - some times for a whole 24 hours (once it lasted for three weeks) and during those times I did not look so ill. So the damage is not permanent, if I recover.
Several weeks ago, thanks to the help of a very kind friend, I have started a new food routine that requires little input from me. It is helping to reduce the symptoms. Freshly made meals are prepared by a wonderful whole food store that uses its own fresh organic produce and free range/organic meat, fish etc.
Also, last month, thanks to cash gifts from my mother last Christmas and birthday, I have had a new dishwasher and an additional 3-drawer freezer installed. I ordered them from a local shop over the phone. Two friends helped plan where to have the machines installed. The dishwasher took two-hours to install involving extension pipes and plumbing work.
Both machines are Hotpoint and made in the UK. The dishwasher is a slimline beauty for 7 places and works great. My friend includes my shopping list with hers and visits here weekly to deliver a weeks supply of meals so there is always a few weeks of food in the new freezer.
Now all I have to do is (I forgot during the first week) pull open the freezer door before I go to bed, select a meal for defrosting. Next day preheat oven, pop it in (meals are bought in foil trays) on a tray lined with foil (saves on washing up) and set timer for 40 minutes. When ready, open up the over, take out the tray, serve onto two plates - one for lunch the other for dinner and arrange something alongside each - pasta, rice, greens etc. Lately these side dishes have also been frozen. The recipes are amazing - chicken, pasta, salmon, pheasant, madras curry... and substantial portions too.
By next month I shall get the hang of the new routine and prepare fresh side salads and veg etc., each day. Cutting down on cooking and the managing of people to cook has made a huge difference in reducing my symptoms. But as soon as I start trying to do something extra outside of my 15 minute baseline, like walking up and down more than usual or sitting on a stool to plant winter bulbs in my garden troughs, the symptoms return with a vengeance. I rest straight away so it doesn't take weeks for the symptoms to reduce.
This past month, I've been all out of sync with fruit and vegetable deliveries. For the first time in three years, I've not placed any orders and so have hardly eaten any fresh greens these past six weeks. In the new year I aim to buy a new fruit and veg juice extractor, bordering on industrial strength as my other one lasted less than six months (juicing carrots did the motor in). More on this after I've browsed the net for some tips on juice extractors, to post here. Meanwhile, if any readers can recommend tried and tested juice extractors that take whole or halved fruit (no chopping into small chunks) any pointers would be most appreciated.
I shall try and post more here over Christmas/New Year as a diary entry to look back on this time next year. Can't tell when though, my eyes are burning and I'm finding emailing difficult. Must catch up with phone and thank you's. Bye for now. And thank you for all your visits and comments. Hope you all have a good Christmas holiday. Love from ingrid and ophelia xx
- - -
GOAT FOR IT
Goat is a Popular Gift with Britons
Regular visitors here may recall a post I wrote about buying goats for Christmas from Oxfam who will send them as gifts to those in need.
A recent BBC report says Oxfam has sold some 30,000 goats for poor families in 70 countries. "Ethical buying seems to be very popular this year," said a spokeswoman.
"Traditionally, the British public has been less willing to fund overseas development charities, but the "goats for Africa" scheme has succeeded by tapping into the traditional national love of animals," opined "The Guardian" newspaper.
"Less of the Christmas 'bah, humbug,' more of the 'baa'," the newspaper wrote.
A naughty goat eats treats off a Christmas tree at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) Courtesy BBC News online.
- - -
LOVE'S STRANGE EFFECT ON PEOPLE
Love may indeed be blind
BBC News Health report explains Love's strange effect on people.
- - -
NEWLYWEDS ADVISED TO LOWER HOPES
The secret of marriage seems not to expect too much from it
Sorry I have mislaid the link to the following BBC News online report. Here is an excerpt:
If you've got high expectations but you don't have the relationship skills, you may need to work at them.
US researchers say that, unless you have superior relationship skills, your hopes of cosy coupledom are likely to be dashed. Far better, they say, to aim low to ensure you are not disappointed. The key to keeping that newlywed glow appears to be forgiveness and communication.
The number of marriages in England and Wales rose by 2% in 2002, reversing a consistent decline since the early 1970s.
The study, by researchers from Ohio and Florida Universities looked at 82 couples. They quizzed all the spouses independently over four years.
Their study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found those who believed their partner would be unfailingly kind, loving and agree with their every word, could retain their positive outlook by being forgiving, and having charitable explanations for their partner's negative behaviour.
However those with high expectations but without those relationship skills are likely to be brought down to earth fairly quickly as their Prince or Princess Charming falls off their pedestal.
In contrast, the researchers say holding a more prosaic view of your loved one means you are less likely to be disappointed, and therefore more satisfied with your marriage.
Christine Northam, a spokeswoman for relationship counselling organisation Relate, told BBC News Online she felt positive outlooks were not a bad thing - and couples could work at improving poor relationship skills.
"Having high expectations can act as motivation."
"But if you've got high expectations but you don't have the relationship skills, you may need to work at them.
"Maintaining good relationships takes energy and activity."
But Professor Alex Gardner of the British Psychological Society warned people may not live up to their partner's high expectations.
"The guy or the woman, though generally it's the man, can be so thick that they can't see what's being expected of them, or if they can see it, they might resent the expectations placed on them."
Note, the report says previous research has found that people tend to select like-minded partners who they believe will be able to maintain a stable relationship. The finding contradicts the old adage that opposites attract. Instead, the US researchers said people looking for long-term relationships should select partners who were similar to themselves, rather than seeking out the highest quality partner available.
- - -
ON THIS DAY
Courtesy Scotsman and NYT
On this day December 24 the trenches south of Ypres in of World War 1 saw the "Christmas Truce". The truce apparently started when German troops began decorating their trenches and singing carols, to be joined by the British. Holiday greetings were shouted across the lines and soon no-man's-land was crossed and gifts exchanged. The truce lasted in som eplaces for a day and in others till New Year's eve.
On December 24, 1968, the Apollo 8 astronauts, orbiting the moon, read passages from the Old Testament Book of Genesis during a Christmas Eve TV broadcast.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/25/2004
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
HOTEL RWANDA OPENS TODAY
500 bloggers have given it publicity
Hotel Rwanda, which stars Don Cheadle, is a film by Terry George based on the true story of a hotel manager who sheltered more than 1,200 refugees after the West turned a blind eye to that country's genocidal violence a decade ago.
So far, it looks like some 500 bloggers have given it a plug. Here are a few - this list is likely to be ongoing - more later:
French blog Netflex: Films and the making sense of a genocide; American blog Conservative Life: Hotel Darfur; Indian Express article at Sudan Watch: Rwanda film hits raw nerve for Clinton aide.
- - -
MESSING AROUND
At Sudan Watch
My blog Sudan Watch is currently under DIY construction, by me. Last night, I spent four hours working through the template, without any instructions, testing how to make changes to layout, font and colour.
I've wasted too much time at BlogSkins browsing for a new skin. When I did find a two-column and a three-column skin that by MayStar I liked, they would not download. I've thought of asking a professional to help but now is not a good time in the run up to Christmas and New Year.
Attempting to change my existing template is not as difficult as I anticipated. But when it comes to creating new stuff and fine tuning - like how to get a wider space between the title of a post and it's text, or how to stop quotation marks and apostrophes turning weird, I'm lost. If I keep experimenting, I'm hoping something passable will fall into place. So, if I start experimenting here and things start turning a strange colour or text gets all out of whack, it means I'm in a spot bother and the mess will be fixed asap.
- - -
A BIG THANK YOU
Ophelia and Love
A big thank you to friends and readers for their kind emails, cards, gifts, comments and links. I hope to catch up on replying to everyone by the New Year. Ophelia has just come in from the cold wet misty rain and is now curled up on her chair by the fire. She seems to have an affinity with freezing cold winds (but not all winds) and rain (only certain types of rain) and adores getting her fur wet. I think she must have snow cat in her genes. Whatever, I sure do love her. Even at 5am when she calls out and quietly paces up and down for me to wake up - and get up. I marvel at how brave, fit, strong, clean and well behaved she is and how she gets me to do everything she wants without saying a word. She is never a minute of trouble and has me well trained.
This is Ophelia on her chair. Sorry it does not show her off well. She was fast asleep when a friend took the photo. So her eyes are half open and wary. But at least you can see her sheen of smokey grey/brown/cream/ginger brindle markings, black whiskers, golden eyes, bat ears and short legs tucked beneath her.
Imagine the softness of warm chinchilla, a sweet purr, gentle voice and a playful sense of humour, and you get a better picture. I'd like to post much better pictures here but I've not yet tried to figure my new scanner. Luckily a friend emailed me this photo and the one at the top of my sidebar. Next time a house guest is here for a few days, I must remember to ask them to go through it with me so I can post pictures of the sea scene I am looking at, right now, over the lid of my laptop.
By the way, John has written another beautiful post over at Secession about Love where Hamlet's Ophelia gets a mention.
500 bloggers have given it publicity
Hotel Rwanda, which stars Don Cheadle, is a film by Terry George based on the true story of a hotel manager who sheltered more than 1,200 refugees after the West turned a blind eye to that country's genocidal violence a decade ago.
So far, it looks like some 500 bloggers have given it a plug. Here are a few - this list is likely to be ongoing - more later:
French blog Netflex: Films and the making sense of a genocide; American blog Conservative Life: Hotel Darfur; Indian Express article at Sudan Watch: Rwanda film hits raw nerve for Clinton aide.
- - -
MESSING AROUND
At Sudan Watch
My blog Sudan Watch is currently under DIY construction, by me. Last night, I spent four hours working through the template, without any instructions, testing how to make changes to layout, font and colour.
I've wasted too much time at BlogSkins browsing for a new skin. When I did find a two-column and a three-column skin that by MayStar I liked, they would not download. I've thought of asking a professional to help but now is not a good time in the run up to Christmas and New Year.
Attempting to change my existing template is not as difficult as I anticipated. But when it comes to creating new stuff and fine tuning - like how to get a wider space between the title of a post and it's text, or how to stop quotation marks and apostrophes turning weird, I'm lost. If I keep experimenting, I'm hoping something passable will fall into place. So, if I start experimenting here and things start turning a strange colour or text gets all out of whack, it means I'm in a spot bother and the mess will be fixed asap.
- - -
A BIG THANK YOU
Ophelia and Love
A big thank you to friends and readers for their kind emails, cards, gifts, comments and links. I hope to catch up on replying to everyone by the New Year. Ophelia has just come in from the cold wet misty rain and is now curled up on her chair by the fire. She seems to have an affinity with freezing cold winds (but not all winds) and rain (only certain types of rain) and adores getting her fur wet. I think she must have snow cat in her genes. Whatever, I sure do love her. Even at 5am when she calls out and quietly paces up and down for me to wake up - and get up. I marvel at how brave, fit, strong, clean and well behaved she is and how she gets me to do everything she wants without saying a word. She is never a minute of trouble and has me well trained.
This is Ophelia on her chair. Sorry it does not show her off well. She was fast asleep when a friend took the photo. So her eyes are half open and wary. But at least you can see her sheen of smokey grey/brown/cream/ginger brindle markings, black whiskers, golden eyes, bat ears and short legs tucked beneath her.
Imagine the softness of warm chinchilla, a sweet purr, gentle voice and a playful sense of humour, and you get a better picture. I'd like to post much better pictures here but I've not yet tried to figure my new scanner. Luckily a friend emailed me this photo and the one at the top of my sidebar. Next time a house guest is here for a few days, I must remember to ask them to go through it with me so I can post pictures of the sea scene I am looking at, right now, over the lid of my laptop.
By the way, John has written another beautiful post over at Secession about Love where Hamlet's Ophelia gets a mention.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/22/2004
Sunday, December 19, 2004
SPECTACULAR NEW VIADUCT OPENS
In the south of France: the Millau Viaduct
The world's highest road bridge has been inaugurated in southern France by President Jacques Chirac. Like Concorde and the Channel Tunnel, the bridge is Franco-British. French construction group Eiffage - that built the Eiffel Tower - financed the project in return for the right to collect receipts from a bridge toll for 75 years.
Designed by British designer Norman Foster and Partners in association with an engineering group led by the French engineer Michel Virlogeux, the Viaduct illustrates how a collaboration between architects and engineers can result in a structure of breathtaking beauty. Although the soaring structure sets a number of records – it is highest viaduct in the world, for example – its beauty lies primarily in its clarity of expression.
The Millau Bridge opened to traffic on Thursday and is 23 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. Click here for an amazing picture of the Viaduc de Millau.
Cars travelling from Paris to Barcelona will sail over the Tarn valley in southern France at a height of nearly 250 metres, cutting journey times on one of Europe's busiest roads.
The Millau Bridge, now the highest bridge structure in the world, has become a major tourist attraction in its own right. An estimated 10,000 vehicles will use it every day, rising to 25,000 per day at the height of summer. The French government has the right to assume control of the bridge from 2044, if it proves extremely profitable.
Click here for more images and information.
In the south of France: the Millau Viaduct
The world's highest road bridge has been inaugurated in southern France by President Jacques Chirac. Like Concorde and the Channel Tunnel, the bridge is Franco-British. French construction group Eiffage - that built the Eiffel Tower - financed the project in return for the right to collect receipts from a bridge toll for 75 years.
Designed by British designer Norman Foster and Partners in association with an engineering group led by the French engineer Michel Virlogeux, the Viaduct illustrates how a collaboration between architects and engineers can result in a structure of breathtaking beauty. Although the soaring structure sets a number of records – it is highest viaduct in the world, for example – its beauty lies primarily in its clarity of expression.
The Millau Bridge opened to traffic on Thursday and is 23 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. Click here for an amazing picture of the Viaduc de Millau.
Cars travelling from Paris to Barcelona will sail over the Tarn valley in southern France at a height of nearly 250 metres, cutting journey times on one of Europe's busiest roads.
The Millau Bridge, now the highest bridge structure in the world, has become a major tourist attraction in its own right. An estimated 10,000 vehicles will use it every day, rising to 25,000 per day at the height of summer. The French government has the right to assume control of the bridge from 2044, if it proves extremely profitable.
Click here for more images and information.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/19/2004
Saturday, December 18, 2004
THE BLOGGERS : CITIZEN JOURNALISTS
Should be TIME's People of the Year
I have spent today posting at the Passion. Two visitors are arriving in an hours time. Yesterday, the guest bedroom facing the sea was re-decorated the most perfect light but warm pale blue. Blue is not an easy colour to choose for walls as it can look too cold or dark or babyish. Thanks to a dear friend, the room now has the right grey dove blue. It looks so pretty, seasidey and cheery and will look even cosier when the right fabrics and nick nacks and stuff are in place, along with new fitted carpet in January/February after the hallway has been re-decorated 2nd or 3rd week in January. Ceiling and woodwork was painted with Dulux White Linen, a really lovely soft white.
Ophelia is fast asleep on her chair by the fire and is as perfect as ever. It is cold outside and pitch dark, drizzling with fine rain that could easily turn to powdery snow. In honour of my guests, I am wearing a soft wool red scarf around my neck. Well one has to make an effort eh? They are bringing a really good bottle of Port and have warned me it is so great they are unable to leave the bottle behind after we have all had a glass. It must be everso good. But I dread telling them I really do not feel up to even having a sip. Makes me sound such a lemon and seem a real dampener. But these days even a drop of brandy in a sweet goes straight through my veins and into my toes and makes me feel more ill. If my energy slows down any more I'd be dead. Heh. Just joking but you get the idea. I am so glad I've spent some great years burning the candle at both ends and having a fun time, otherwise these days I'd feel like I am missing out on life, which I am but at least I have experienced what I am missing out on and have been almost everywhere I've ever wanted to go. More later.
Here are some eyecatching images:
And InstaPundit's post that explains them via Micro Persuasion.
Good Gift for any law student
This post via InstaPundit is for law student John Fitzgerald to say thank you for attending the Darfur vigil in New York and posting a write-up. I think it's really neat that I found news of a vigil in New York, emailed a blogger to let them know, they attended and wrote it up. Citizen journalism eh?
Should be TIME's People of the Year
I have spent today posting at the Passion. Two visitors are arriving in an hours time. Yesterday, the guest bedroom facing the sea was re-decorated the most perfect light but warm pale blue. Blue is not an easy colour to choose for walls as it can look too cold or dark or babyish. Thanks to a dear friend, the room now has the right grey dove blue. It looks so pretty, seasidey and cheery and will look even cosier when the right fabrics and nick nacks and stuff are in place, along with new fitted carpet in January/February after the hallway has been re-decorated 2nd or 3rd week in January. Ceiling and woodwork was painted with Dulux White Linen, a really lovely soft white.
Ophelia is fast asleep on her chair by the fire and is as perfect as ever. It is cold outside and pitch dark, drizzling with fine rain that could easily turn to powdery snow. In honour of my guests, I am wearing a soft wool red scarf around my neck. Well one has to make an effort eh? They are bringing a really good bottle of Port and have warned me it is so great they are unable to leave the bottle behind after we have all had a glass. It must be everso good. But I dread telling them I really do not feel up to even having a sip. Makes me sound such a lemon and seem a real dampener. But these days even a drop of brandy in a sweet goes straight through my veins and into my toes and makes me feel more ill. If my energy slows down any more I'd be dead. Heh. Just joking but you get the idea. I am so glad I've spent some great years burning the candle at both ends and having a fun time, otherwise these days I'd feel like I am missing out on life, which I am but at least I have experienced what I am missing out on and have been almost everywhere I've ever wanted to go. More later.
Here are some eyecatching images:
And InstaPundit's post that explains them via Micro Persuasion.
Good Gift for any law student
This post via InstaPundit is for law student John Fitzgerald to say thank you for attending the Darfur vigil in New York and posting a write-up. I think it's really neat that I found news of a vigil in New York, emailed a blogger to let them know, they attended and wrote it up. Citizen journalism eh?
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/18/2004
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
GRILL WALKER
Mobile German Hot Dog Man
Grill Walker....a mobile sausage seller
The mobile hot dog man in Alexanderplatz [via Danger! High Postage blog of the 17th best mini-golfer in britain!]
Note, Donna in comments at Danger! High Postage writes: "Erm, I don't think I want the sausage in the middle, thanks!"
Serious detail
[via Baltic Diaries... A journey away from home]
This photo is not of the same hot dog man. I've posted it here because I've noticed a pole sticking out of the back pack in each photo. Maybe it's some sort of sign that dangles above Grill Walker's head so customers can see him above heads in a crowd. It's easy to imagine Grill Walkers working the crowds doing a good turnover and making a tidy profit. Maybe its a franchise. Great idea. Ice creams - donoughts - hot pretzels ...
Mobile German Hot Dog Man
Grill Walker....a mobile sausage seller
The mobile hot dog man in Alexanderplatz [via Danger! High Postage blog of the 17th best mini-golfer in britain!]
Note, Donna in comments at Danger! High Postage writes: "Erm, I don't think I want the sausage in the middle, thanks!"
Serious detail
[via Baltic Diaries... A journey away from home]
This photo is not of the same hot dog man. I've posted it here because I've noticed a pole sticking out of the back pack in each photo. Maybe it's some sort of sign that dangles above Grill Walker's head so customers can see him above heads in a crowd. It's easy to imagine Grill Walkers working the crowds doing a good turnover and making a tidy profit. Maybe its a franchise. Great idea. Ice creams - donoughts - hot pretzels ...
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/14/2004
Sunday, December 12, 2004
UKRAINE LEADER'S SOUP WAS POISONED
A team of Vienna doctors confirmed last night
Ukranian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, pictured here below, was poisoned by dioxins, causing terrible disfigurement to his face, a team of Vienna doctors confirmed last night.
How awful. He must be feeling dreadful. See how fit and healthy he looks in photo here below, taken four months ago.
© Getty Photo
The results of the Ukranian elections, in which he lost to rival candidate Yanukovych, were declared a fraud, and a new date set for a second vote.
© AP Photo/Anatoly Medzyk
Yushchenko pictured here looks fit and healthy on 2 August 2004, before his mystery illness. Read more at nature.com.
- - -
BLACK WATCH ARRIVE BACK HOME FROM IRAQ
With a traditional welcome of bacon and eggs, and beer
Great news at Scotsman.com this morning: the Black Watch arrived home from Iraq yesterday morning.
Well done chaps. You've done Britain proud. I'm pleased Tony Blair proved the naysayers wrong. He kept his word, the Black Watch were back home in time for Christmas. like he promised.
© Getty Photo
Pictured above, the Black Watch soldiers return from duty accompanied by a piper, soon to be reunited with their families.
For six months, they have known nothing but the fog of war. The mist was still lingering on Salisbury Plain yesterday morning, but the men of the Black Watch were home.
It was the moment they had been waiting for. In the chill of the pre-dawn just after 6am, their plane touched down at RAF Lyneham. Back on UK soil at last, the 200 soldiers were treated to a traditional British welcome: bacon and eggs, and beer.
- - -
FACT OF THE DAY
Courtesy Scotsman.com
Today in 1849 the French engineer Sir Marc Isambard Brunel, father of Isombard Kingdom Brunel, died. His most enduring work in Britain is the Thames tunnel, built between 1825 and 1843. Commenting in 1837 on a proposal to begin work on the north bank of the Thames as well as the south, The Scotsman wrote: "One great reason for opening the work at the north side is, that when the bed of the river gives way, the artificial bottom which it then becomes necessary to lay down, requires some days or weeks to consolidate, during which the men are idle, though they draw their wages. At such periods they will in future be employed in advancing the works on the north side.
A team of Vienna doctors confirmed last night
Ukranian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, pictured here below, was poisoned by dioxins, causing terrible disfigurement to his face, a team of Vienna doctors confirmed last night.
How awful. He must be feeling dreadful. See how fit and healthy he looks in photo here below, taken four months ago.
© Getty Photo
The results of the Ukranian elections, in which he lost to rival candidate Yanukovych, were declared a fraud, and a new date set for a second vote.
© AP Photo/Anatoly Medzyk
Yushchenko pictured here looks fit and healthy on 2 August 2004, before his mystery illness. Read more at nature.com.
- - -
BLACK WATCH ARRIVE BACK HOME FROM IRAQ
With a traditional welcome of bacon and eggs, and beer
Great news at Scotsman.com this morning: the Black Watch arrived home from Iraq yesterday morning.
Well done chaps. You've done Britain proud. I'm pleased Tony Blair proved the naysayers wrong. He kept his word, the Black Watch were back home in time for Christmas. like he promised.
© Getty Photo
Pictured above, the Black Watch soldiers return from duty accompanied by a piper, soon to be reunited with their families.
For six months, they have known nothing but the fog of war. The mist was still lingering on Salisbury Plain yesterday morning, but the men of the Black Watch were home.
It was the moment they had been waiting for. In the chill of the pre-dawn just after 6am, their plane touched down at RAF Lyneham. Back on UK soil at last, the 200 soldiers were treated to a traditional British welcome: bacon and eggs, and beer.
- - -
FACT OF THE DAY
Courtesy Scotsman.com
Today in 1849 the French engineer Sir Marc Isambard Brunel, father of Isombard Kingdom Brunel, died. His most enduring work in Britain is the Thames tunnel, built between 1825 and 1843. Commenting in 1837 on a proposal to begin work on the north bank of the Thames as well as the south, The Scotsman wrote: "One great reason for opening the work at the north side is, that when the bed of the river gives way, the artificial bottom which it then becomes necessary to lay down, requires some days or weeks to consolidate, during which the men are idle, though they draw their wages. At such periods they will in future be employed in advancing the works on the north side.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/12/2004
- - -
SUDAN WATCH
European Union must act to stop violence in Darfur
My latest post at Sudan Watch and Passion of the Present, features the European Union and EU-US relations, the new rapid response European battle groups, NATO, EU summit December 17 to discuss UN reform (which Kofi Annan will be attending following his meeting in Washington on Thursday) Colin Powell's visit to Europe, and other snippets of news and information. Also, please see other posts:
Britain may deploy troops to quell fighting in Darfur Sudan:
According to a November 10 report in the Guardian Britain could be asked to contribute troops to a 10,000-strong UN peacekeeping force for Sudan under a draft resolution discussed in the security council, government officials in London indicated November 9, 2004.
Britain to send 143 vehicles for AU force in Darfur:
Reports out yesterday confirm the British government said yesterday it was airlifting 143 vehicles to Darfur, to help African Union troops monitor a cease-fire in the remote western region of Sudan.
- - -
JIM MOORE AT PASSION OF THE PRESENT ASKS:
Why Not Launch Unilateral U.S. Military Action in Sudan?
Booker Rising:
"Why Not Launch Unilateral U.S. Military Action in Sudan?" writes:
"We would support it. Genocide shouldn't be happening anywhere."
- - -
THE HISTORY OF THE BRITISH ARMY
Intervention in Egypt and the Sudan
Please click into these pictures to read the history of the British Army's intervention in Egypt and the Sudan that I've put together, courtesy National Army Museum and BBC online history.
Lord Kitchener of Khartoum (1850 - 1916)
Battle of Tel-el-Kebir © Copyright: National Army Museum 2000
General Charles Gordon (1833 - 1885)
Charge of the 21st Lancers, Omdurman © Copyright: National Army Museum 2000
- - -
ON THIS DAY
Courtesy New York Times
On December 12, 1963, Kenya gained its independence from Britain.
SUDAN WATCH
European Union must act to stop violence in Darfur
My latest post at Sudan Watch and Passion of the Present, features the European Union and EU-US relations, the new rapid response European battle groups, NATO, EU summit December 17 to discuss UN reform (which Kofi Annan will be attending following his meeting in Washington on Thursday) Colin Powell's visit to Europe, and other snippets of news and information. Also, please see other posts:
Britain may deploy troops to quell fighting in Darfur Sudan:
According to a November 10 report in the Guardian Britain could be asked to contribute troops to a 10,000-strong UN peacekeeping force for Sudan under a draft resolution discussed in the security council, government officials in London indicated November 9, 2004.
Britain to send 143 vehicles for AU force in Darfur:
Reports out yesterday confirm the British government said yesterday it was airlifting 143 vehicles to Darfur, to help African Union troops monitor a cease-fire in the remote western region of Sudan.
- - -
JIM MOORE AT PASSION OF THE PRESENT ASKS:
Why Not Launch Unilateral U.S. Military Action in Sudan?
Booker Rising:
"Why Not Launch Unilateral U.S. Military Action in Sudan?" writes:"We would support it. Genocide shouldn't be happening anywhere."
- - -
THE HISTORY OF THE BRITISH ARMY
Intervention in Egypt and the Sudan
Please click into these pictures to read the history of the British Army's intervention in Egypt and the Sudan that I've put together, courtesy National Army Museum and BBC online history.
Lord Kitchener of Khartoum (1850 - 1916)
Battle of Tel-el-Kebir © Copyright: National Army Museum 2000
General Charles Gordon (1833 - 1885)
Charge of the 21st Lancers, Omdurman © Copyright: National Army Museum 2000
- - -
ON THIS DAY
Courtesy New York Times
On December 12, 1963, Kenya gained its independence from Britain.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/12/2004
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE BLOGGING COMMUNITY:
A Digital Green Ribbon Campaign for Darfur, Sudan, Africa!
In Jim's latest post on the digital campaign for Sudan, he says "it looks like we may be able to launch the Digital Green Ribbon Campaign for Darfur, Sudan this week at the Harvard Internet and Society Conference."
Also, he explains that "... the Digital Green Ribbon Campaign is about learning to project the power of witness and the power of communications-enabled social organization into situations of conflict and repression - it's an opportunity for civil society to learn to use the techniques of modern communications to develop rapid response communications systems that can penetrate national borders, can evade censors, and that can help people connect with each other to liberate themselves. ..."
Great stuff. More later. Please note, Jim has opened comments at his latest two posts on the digital campaign where he is asking if anyone out there knows folks in the ham radio scene the might have relationships in Sudan, or could work with us to develop them? He says: " ... the content of ham radio communications could be immediately blogged, and might develop into "ham moblogging" and "ham podcasting." By the way, for the middle east and Africa we might want to rename 'ham' to 'lamb'. ..."
(Heh). If anyone can help with lamblogging please email Jim Moore at the Passion or Jim Moore's Journal. Thank you.
Wear the green ribbon of the Save Darfur Coalition of over 100 faith-based and humanitarian groups:
"It’s easy to make green ribbons. Simply cut 3.5 inch strips (with diagonal ends) of 3/8 forest green ribbon and fasten with a pin. Wear your ribbon everywhere and distribute them to your friends, family, and neighbors."
- - -
ARE "WIRED" CITIZENS CHANGING POLITICS?
December 9-11, 2004, Harvard University
Note details on Harvard Internet Society 2004 conference:
How are technologies changing politics, both in the U.S. and abroad? The purpose of this conference is to take a skeptical, results-oriented look at the current state of politics after the 2004 election and from an international perspective in terms of issue-based campaigns, emerging business models, and new tools that affect politics both online and off. The conference will focus on the following questions:
- Has "citizenship" changed in the online era?
- Are online business models helpful guides for politics and political organizing?
- What international examples are promising?
- Did the web affect the 2004 election?
A Digital Green Ribbon Campaign for Darfur, Sudan, Africa!
In Jim's latest post on the digital campaign for Sudan, he says "it looks like we may be able to launch the Digital Green Ribbon Campaign for Darfur, Sudan this week at the Harvard Internet and Society Conference."
Also, he explains that "... the Digital Green Ribbon Campaign is about learning to project the power of witness and the power of communications-enabled social organization into situations of conflict and repression - it's an opportunity for civil society to learn to use the techniques of modern communications to develop rapid response communications systems that can penetrate national borders, can evade censors, and that can help people connect with each other to liberate themselves. ..."
Great stuff. More later. Please note, Jim has opened comments at his latest two posts on the digital campaign where he is asking if anyone out there knows folks in the ham radio scene the might have relationships in Sudan, or could work with us to develop them? He says: " ... the content of ham radio communications could be immediately blogged, and might develop into "ham moblogging" and "ham podcasting." By the way, for the middle east and Africa we might want to rename 'ham' to 'lamb'. ..."
(Heh). If anyone can help with lamblogging please email Jim Moore at the Passion or Jim Moore's Journal. Thank you.
Wear the green ribbon of the Save Darfur Coalition of over 100 faith-based and humanitarian groups:
"It’s easy to make green ribbons. Simply cut 3.5 inch strips (with diagonal ends) of 3/8 forest green ribbon and fasten with a pin. Wear your ribbon everywhere and distribute them to your friends, family, and neighbors."
- - -
ARE "WIRED" CITIZENS CHANGING POLITICS?
December 9-11, 2004, Harvard University
Note details on Harvard Internet Society 2004 conference:
How are technologies changing politics, both in the U.S. and abroad? The purpose of this conference is to take a skeptical, results-oriented look at the current state of politics after the 2004 election and from an international perspective in terms of issue-based campaigns, emerging business models, and new tools that affect politics both online and off. The conference will focus on the following questions:
- Has "citizenship" changed in the online era?
- Are online business models helpful guides for politics and political organizing?
- What international examples are promising?
- Did the web affect the 2004 election?
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/08/2004
- - -
MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND:
Asia and U.S. are joined at the hip and wallet
Thomas P.M. Barnett's post on how Asia and America are joined at the hip and wallet has a great graph. I am posting it here with a special hello to John, Blimpish, Misspent, Monjo and Outer Life following our discussions on economics that started at John's Wal-Mart Redux.
- - -
HOW AFRICA CAN MATTER
And what we should expect in terms of politics
American blogger Thomas Barnett says Africa is the next long-term battlefield where the world will have a serious desire to change things for the good. Get an insight into his perspective at his post titled "How Africa can matter, and what we should expect in terms of politics."
- - -
CRITICS CIRCLE U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL
See latest post by Blimpish titled "Critics circle UN Secretary General."
- - -
FACT OF THE DAY
Courtesy Scotsman and NYT
On Dec. 8, 1941, the United States entered World War II as Congress declared war against Japan, a day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Remember Beatle John Lennon today on the 24th anniversary of his death. Lennon was killed by crazed fan Mark Chapman outside his New York apartment today in 1980, but his music will live on forever.
MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND:
Asia and U.S. are joined at the hip and wallet
Thomas P.M. Barnett's post on how Asia and America are joined at the hip and wallet has a great graph. I am posting it here with a special hello to John, Blimpish, Misspent, Monjo and Outer Life following our discussions on economics that started at John's Wal-Mart Redux.
- - -
HOW AFRICA CAN MATTER
And what we should expect in terms of politics
American blogger Thomas Barnett says Africa is the next long-term battlefield where the world will have a serious desire to change things for the good. Get an insight into his perspective at his post titled "How Africa can matter, and what we should expect in terms of politics."
- - -
CRITICS CIRCLE U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL
See latest post by Blimpish titled "Critics circle UN Secretary General."
- - -
FACT OF THE DAY
Courtesy Scotsman and NYT
On Dec. 8, 1941, the United States entered World War II as Congress declared war against Japan, a day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Remember Beatle John Lennon today on the 24th anniversary of his death. Lennon was killed by crazed fan Mark Chapman outside his New York apartment today in 1980, but his music will live on forever.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/08/2004
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
GEEK CORPS
For Sudan?
Jim Moore writes a great post titled "A call to digital action for Darfur and Sudan! Creatively applying the lessons of bridging the digital divide in Ghana and other nations, and thus inceasing global citizen witness and local communication and coordination in Sudan and Darfur."
Here's hoping Ethan can to something about Jim's great idea that we have a communications-oriented Geek Corps for Sudan.
Sorry, I'm unable to write any more here right now - except to say I was thrilled to receive my first email from Khartoum yesterday, a great email it was too. More later.
- - -
Save Darfur green wristbands
Pictured below are the "Not On My Watch" green wristbands now available from Save Darfur.org.
Note, in a report out today via United Nations (AFP) the US ambassador to the United Nations, John Danforth, said the international community is "getting nowhere" with the crisis in Darfur. He's a good chap and is one of the few politicians whose word you can believe on Sudan. [Full Story]
For Sudan?
Jim Moore writes a great post titled "A call to digital action for Darfur and Sudan! Creatively applying the lessons of bridging the digital divide in Ghana and other nations, and thus inceasing global citizen witness and local communication and coordination in Sudan and Darfur."
Here's hoping Ethan can to something about Jim's great idea that we have a communications-oriented Geek Corps for Sudan.
Sorry, I'm unable to write any more here right now - except to say I was thrilled to receive my first email from Khartoum yesterday, a great email it was too. More later.
- - -
Save Darfur green wristbands
Pictured below are the "Not On My Watch" green wristbands now available from Save Darfur.org.
Note, in a report out today via United Nations (AFP) the US ambassador to the United Nations, John Danforth, said the international community is "getting nowhere" with the crisis in Darfur. He's a good chap and is one of the few politicians whose word you can believe on Sudan. [Full Story]
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/07/2004
Sunday, December 05, 2004
LET'S DROP ORIGAMI 'PEACE BOMBS'
On Darfur and Khartoum in the Sudan
A story is at BBC online today about the Thai government who have begun peace bombing by dropping an estimated one hundred million paper origami birds in an unusual peace bid:
"The birds are being dropped by military planes over the country's Muslim south after a surge of violence in the area.
Ordinary Thais across the nation have folded and written peace messages on the paper cranes in a campaign devised by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
As the birds fell to their targets in the provinces, school children rushed out to collect them and seek the notes inside.
Some students constructed giant nets stretched across school yards to capture the paper cranes.
There is great interest in finding one paper bird in particular - as it has been signed by the prime minister himself.
Mr Thaksin has promised that the student who finds it will win a scholarship."
Great idea. Here's wishing someone would 'peace bomb' Darfur and Khartoum. In a post over at the Passion today, I've suggested we start a campaign there to raise funds to pay the Thai government to 'peace bomb' the Sudan for us, the citizens of the world :)
The birds are meant to sow peace, harmony and goodwill, officials say.
On Darfur and Khartoum in the Sudan
A story is at BBC online today about the Thai government who have begun peace bombing by dropping an estimated one hundred million paper origami birds in an unusual peace bid:
"The birds are being dropped by military planes over the country's Muslim south after a surge of violence in the area.
Ordinary Thais across the nation have folded and written peace messages on the paper cranes in a campaign devised by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
As the birds fell to their targets in the provinces, school children rushed out to collect them and seek the notes inside.
Some students constructed giant nets stretched across school yards to capture the paper cranes.
There is great interest in finding one paper bird in particular - as it has been signed by the prime minister himself.
Mr Thaksin has promised that the student who finds it will win a scholarship."
Great idea. Here's wishing someone would 'peace bomb' Darfur and Khartoum. In a post over at the Passion today, I've suggested we start a campaign there to raise funds to pay the Thai government to 'peace bomb' the Sudan for us, the citizens of the world :)
The birds are meant to sow peace, harmony and goodwill, officials say.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/05/2004
Saturday, December 04, 2004
NO U.S. RELEASE FOR BAND AID 20
Fran Healy called criticism of the single for Darfur "disgraceful"
Band Aid 20's version of the 1984 charity hit "Do They Know it's Christmas" for Darfur is a smash hit in its opening days on the British charts. The updated tune sold nearly 100,000 copies on Monday, its first day in stores, and was moving 2,500 copies an hour at Woolworth stores, according to Britain's Sun newspaper. UK music magazine NME predicted that first-week sales of the single will hover near 500,000--which would make it the year's second fastest-selling single.
In the UK, the song is expected to be at number one and stay at the top of the Brit pops until Christmas. But it has been dealt a massive blow in its bid to raise awareness and funds for Darfur - the track might not make it to US record shops before Christmas, if at all, according to industry sources - it's not going to be released in America.
Record company Universal is responsible for the global distribution of the single, which will be available across Europe, Asia, South America and Canada. Although US record stores are selling imports of the tune - which is proving popular in Los Angeles and New York - a rep for Universal in New York says there are no immediate plans to release the single in America.
One report says, "The last we heard it is not coming out in the U.S.," says Jerry Suarez, Virgin Megastore's senior music product manager for North America. The chain is selling an import version of the CD single.
"Historically, the American marketplace has proven averse to much of what has been incredibly successful in England," says HITS magazine editor and E! News Live correspondent David Adelson. "Despite the success of the first Band Aid, as well as the noble cause behind this latest one, the chance of replicating the song's U.K. success Stateside is slim at best," he said.
Another report suggests Universal's apparent ambivalence at releasing the tune has something to do with the lukewarm critical reaction. British critics harshed on it ("Nobody's idea of a great record," opined the Guardian), and in New Zealand, one radio station has even banned the tune--calling it "rubbish."
Travis frontman Fran Healy called criticism of the single for Darfur "disgraceful."
The song is available on Apple's iTunes music download service, but only on UK and European versions of the online store.
US fans wanting to hear the new version can go to the official Website, BandAid20.com - and may have to keep trying. I tried to access it a few minutes ago but it wouldn't open on screen. Perhaps it's swamped with other visitors.
Proceeds from the sales are going towards relief for Darfur and to combat HIV and Aids across Africa.
Going by the above news, it would appear that criticism of the single, and doubts that Americans would buy it, have deterred Universal from releasing it in the US. Hey come on USA, please prove the naysayers wrong and help raise awareness by spreading the word.
Public demand could result in the single being released in the USA and millions of copies sold before Christmas. Who knows, it may even reach the ears of the members of the UN Security Council (and their famillies and friends) and shame them into action.
Also, please do not miss Jim's latest post at the Passion: "You can help: Remove Kofi Annan from the United Nations."
INDEPENDENCE OF REBEL COMMANDERS IN DARFUR THREATENS EFFORTS TO BRING PEACE
The latest news from the UN is that raping and fighting are continuing in Darfur despite the peace accords
UN officials say they're noticing splits within the rebel movement. There appears to be little coordination between the military forces in Darfur and the rebel political wing that's negotiating peace. Dozens of local commanders now control their own territories. "The world might soon find Darfur ruled by warlords," warned Jan Pronk, the top UN envoy in Sudan.
RAPES, FORCED MOVES CONTINUE IN DARFUR
Arab Janjaweed militia continued to rape women and girls in Darfur last month while authorities forcibly moved refugees, says the UN. There is very little the UN monitors can do to prevent it while it is happening. Forced relocations are usually undertaken by police and law enforcement officials.
The number of UN human rights monitors is set to double shortly to 32, but they remain basically helpless to halt violations in Darfur, where about 1,000 African Union ceasefire monitors are also deployed.
AFRICAN UNION SOLDIERS ATTACKED AND SHOT
The mandate of the 1,000 AU soldiers currently in Sudan is to observe and protect the UN monitors who are there to observe ceasefire agreements. Fighting between warring parties has escalated. AU troops have come under fire and one has been shot.
The shooting of the AU peacekeeper occurred as a team of ceasefire monitors were travelling to the village of Adwah in north Nyala, to investigate an alleged bombing by the government in breach of a ceasefire agreement with rebels.
On Thursday, an AU spokesman told IRIN: If they come under fire, then they will shoot back. "They have to protect their lives - and they will." The current 830-strong peacekeeping force in Darfur would "not give in to intimidation" he said.
The monitors find their task daunting. AU troops can intervene militarily only if the civilians and aid workers they encounter are "under imminent threat and in immediate vicinity" of attacks. AU monitors frequently witness human rights abuses they are powerless to stop.
"It's not an easy job," an AU spokesman says. "This is not a peacekeeping mission where you can exert some kind of force. Nobody ever agreed to that."
ANARCHY AND LANDMINES
With anarchy breaking out in Darfur, there is no ceasefire to observe. After decades of war in Sudan, landmines are all over the country. A freshly laid mine recently killed two British aid workers. A no-fly zone has not been imposed. Government of Sudan forces still continue to bomb.
Sudan has called for international help to eliminate landmines. "We appeal to the international community to assist Sudan to remove this terrible threat to the lives of peoples and much needed recovery and development in this country," an official said.
A report out today "UN Agency appeals for funds to de-mine Sudan roads" states that a six-year mine action strategy sealed in Nairobi in August between Khartoum and southern rebels has now allowed the UN to begin work in southern Sudan, clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance. Perhaps this is the work that is planned for UN peacekeepers when they enter Sudan to monitor peace agreements, after they're signed December 31, 2004.
KHARTOUM'S CLAMPDOWN
Several days ago, Sudan's government tried to expel two British aid workers for speaking to the press and mentioning recent bombings by Sudan's government forces, without clearing it through Khartoum first. Hard news from the field is not easy to come by. Whatever news comes out of Sudan, the regime in power are such masters at spinning propaganda you can't trust a word they say.
Patrick Hall points out that in June 2004 there was an urgency to speak to foreigners about the massive abuses committed in Darfur among the displaced community. But since September the displaced have become afraid of talking. They are being watched by the security forces and the police within the camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and fear being arrested after being seen speaking to foreigners.
Patrick says Amnesty International's latest report on Sudan, titled "No one to complain to - no respite for the victims, impunity for perpetrators" describes in detail exactly what the refugees are now afraid to report to the outside world.
UN troops are often criticised for not being allowed to intervene
U.N. PROTECTION TROOPS
More UN monitors and AU observers without a mandate to protect and defend? There is no ceasefire to observe and no peace to keep. Tens of thousands of protection troops from the UN are urgently needed in Darfur to back up the AU troops. Everyone on the ground in Sudan - and the people of Darfur - need all the help and publicity they can get. Please spread the word. Thank you.
Please do not miss Jim's post at the Passion "You can help: Remove Kofi Annan from the United Nations." A new broom at the UN could do wonders for Sudan and Africa as a whole.
BLAIR BUYS COPIES OF BAND AID 20 SINGLE
Prime Minister Tony Blair purchased two copies of Band Aid 20 yesterday.
Staff were surprised when the Prime Minister walked into HMV at 0900 GMT, accompanied by aides and local police.
"When Mr Blair came in unannounced, we were all pretty gobsmacked," said HMV manager Clive Smith.
"Our customer helper approached him... it was only then we realised he wanted to buy copies of the Band Aid single, rather than the latest Eminem album."
Fran Healy called criticism of the single for Darfur "disgraceful"
Band Aid 20's version of the 1984 charity hit "Do They Know it's Christmas" for Darfur is a smash hit in its opening days on the British charts. The updated tune sold nearly 100,000 copies on Monday, its first day in stores, and was moving 2,500 copies an hour at Woolworth stores, according to Britain's Sun newspaper. UK music magazine NME predicted that first-week sales of the single will hover near 500,000--which would make it the year's second fastest-selling single.
In the UK, the song is expected to be at number one and stay at the top of the Brit pops until Christmas. But it has been dealt a massive blow in its bid to raise awareness and funds for Darfur - the track might not make it to US record shops before Christmas, if at all, according to industry sources - it's not going to be released in America.
Record company Universal is responsible for the global distribution of the single, which will be available across Europe, Asia, South America and Canada. Although US record stores are selling imports of the tune - which is proving popular in Los Angeles and New York - a rep for Universal in New York says there are no immediate plans to release the single in America.
One report says, "The last we heard it is not coming out in the U.S.," says Jerry Suarez, Virgin Megastore's senior music product manager for North America. The chain is selling an import version of the CD single.
"Historically, the American marketplace has proven averse to much of what has been incredibly successful in England," says HITS magazine editor and E! News Live correspondent David Adelson. "Despite the success of the first Band Aid, as well as the noble cause behind this latest one, the chance of replicating the song's U.K. success Stateside is slim at best," he said.
Another report suggests Universal's apparent ambivalence at releasing the tune has something to do with the lukewarm critical reaction. British critics harshed on it ("Nobody's idea of a great record," opined the Guardian), and in New Zealand, one radio station has even banned the tune--calling it "rubbish."
Travis frontman Fran Healy called criticism of the single for Darfur "disgraceful."
The song is available on Apple's iTunes music download service, but only on UK and European versions of the online store.
US fans wanting to hear the new version can go to the official Website, BandAid20.com - and may have to keep trying. I tried to access it a few minutes ago but it wouldn't open on screen. Perhaps it's swamped with other visitors.
Proceeds from the sales are going towards relief for Darfur and to combat HIV and Aids across Africa.
Going by the above news, it would appear that criticism of the single, and doubts that Americans would buy it, have deterred Universal from releasing it in the US. Hey come on USA, please prove the naysayers wrong and help raise awareness by spreading the word.
Public demand could result in the single being released in the USA and millions of copies sold before Christmas. Who knows, it may even reach the ears of the members of the UN Security Council (and their famillies and friends) and shame them into action.
Also, please do not miss Jim's latest post at the Passion: "You can help: Remove Kofi Annan from the United Nations."
INDEPENDENCE OF REBEL COMMANDERS IN DARFUR THREATENS EFFORTS TO BRING PEACE
The latest news from the UN is that raping and fighting are continuing in Darfur despite the peace accords
UN officials say they're noticing splits within the rebel movement. There appears to be little coordination between the military forces in Darfur and the rebel political wing that's negotiating peace. Dozens of local commanders now control their own territories. "The world might soon find Darfur ruled by warlords," warned Jan Pronk, the top UN envoy in Sudan.
RAPES, FORCED MOVES CONTINUE IN DARFUR
Arab Janjaweed militia continued to rape women and girls in Darfur last month while authorities forcibly moved refugees, says the UN. There is very little the UN monitors can do to prevent it while it is happening. Forced relocations are usually undertaken by police and law enforcement officials.
The number of UN human rights monitors is set to double shortly to 32, but they remain basically helpless to halt violations in Darfur, where about 1,000 African Union ceasefire monitors are also deployed.
AFRICAN UNION SOLDIERS ATTACKED AND SHOT
The mandate of the 1,000 AU soldiers currently in Sudan is to observe and protect the UN monitors who are there to observe ceasefire agreements. Fighting between warring parties has escalated. AU troops have come under fire and one has been shot.
The shooting of the AU peacekeeper occurred as a team of ceasefire monitors were travelling to the village of Adwah in north Nyala, to investigate an alleged bombing by the government in breach of a ceasefire agreement with rebels.
On Thursday, an AU spokesman told IRIN: If they come under fire, then they will shoot back. "They have to protect their lives - and they will." The current 830-strong peacekeeping force in Darfur would "not give in to intimidation" he said.
The monitors find their task daunting. AU troops can intervene militarily only if the civilians and aid workers they encounter are "under imminent threat and in immediate vicinity" of attacks. AU monitors frequently witness human rights abuses they are powerless to stop.
"It's not an easy job," an AU spokesman says. "This is not a peacekeeping mission where you can exert some kind of force. Nobody ever agreed to that."
ANARCHY AND LANDMINES
With anarchy breaking out in Darfur, there is no ceasefire to observe. After decades of war in Sudan, landmines are all over the country. A freshly laid mine recently killed two British aid workers. A no-fly zone has not been imposed. Government of Sudan forces still continue to bomb.
Sudan has called for international help to eliminate landmines. "We appeal to the international community to assist Sudan to remove this terrible threat to the lives of peoples and much needed recovery and development in this country," an official said.
A report out today "UN Agency appeals for funds to de-mine Sudan roads" states that a six-year mine action strategy sealed in Nairobi in August between Khartoum and southern rebels has now allowed the UN to begin work in southern Sudan, clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance. Perhaps this is the work that is planned for UN peacekeepers when they enter Sudan to monitor peace agreements, after they're signed December 31, 2004.
KHARTOUM'S CLAMPDOWN
Several days ago, Sudan's government tried to expel two British aid workers for speaking to the press and mentioning recent bombings by Sudan's government forces, without clearing it through Khartoum first. Hard news from the field is not easy to come by. Whatever news comes out of Sudan, the regime in power are such masters at spinning propaganda you can't trust a word they say.
Patrick Hall points out that in June 2004 there was an urgency to speak to foreigners about the massive abuses committed in Darfur among the displaced community. But since September the displaced have become afraid of talking. They are being watched by the security forces and the police within the camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and fear being arrested after being seen speaking to foreigners.
Patrick says Amnesty International's latest report on Sudan, titled "No one to complain to - no respite for the victims, impunity for perpetrators" describes in detail exactly what the refugees are now afraid to report to the outside world.
UN troops are often criticised for not being allowed to intervene
U.N. PROTECTION TROOPS
More UN monitors and AU observers without a mandate to protect and defend? There is no ceasefire to observe and no peace to keep. Tens of thousands of protection troops from the UN are urgently needed in Darfur to back up the AU troops. Everyone on the ground in Sudan - and the people of Darfur - need all the help and publicity they can get. Please spread the word. Thank you.
Please do not miss Jim's post at the Passion "You can help: Remove Kofi Annan from the United Nations." A new broom at the UN could do wonders for Sudan and Africa as a whole.
BLAIR BUYS COPIES OF BAND AID 20 SINGLE
Prime Minister Tony Blair purchased two copies of Band Aid 20 yesterday.
Staff were surprised when the Prime Minister walked into HMV at 0900 GMT, accompanied by aides and local police.
"When Mr Blair came in unannounced, we were all pretty gobsmacked," said HMV manager Clive Smith.
"Our customer helper approached him... it was only then we realised he wanted to buy copies of the Band Aid single, rather than the latest Eminem album."
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/04/2004
Friday, December 03, 2004
WHAT A MESS
The world needs a womans touch
Please understand, this is not a dig at men. They just can't help the way they are. It's the way they're made. Next time there is "work" being done around your home, note the mess men leave behind (not that they'd notice). Generally speaking, women clear up after men, they see things differently. When men fix something (or even cook) there's messy little bits left behind, little attention is paid to fine tuning or aesthetics. It's easy to tell from someone's home if it has a woman's touch or not.
Why should men act any differently when they work with stuff that goes in outer space, underwater and on land? Think unexploded bombs and landmines, pollution at factories, nuclear dumping, genocide... the list is huge. Aside from tonnes of garbage flying around in space, here are a few things happening on Earth and underwater.
I've collected them over the past few months following an earlier post of mine on the puzzle of the three-headed frog that may be a warning of environemntal problems.
Two headed tortoise
May indicate environmental problems.
Three headed frog
Amphibians in trouble globally - read more below.
Sharp increase in global slime
See graph re global slime.
Monster sunfish
With a strange sense of timing
A sunfish that washed up on a beach in New Zealand is a monster with a strange sense of timing, a marine expert says.
Bowhead whales: Mothers and calves may lose touch
This is so sad too. Biologists say the world's oceans are now so saturated with noise that whales and other marine mammals are dying.
The UK's Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society is launching a campaign, Oceans of Noise, to tackle what it says is the increasing problem of noise pollution.
It says key sources of undersea noise are the search for oil and gas, and the use of low-frequency military sonars.
Jim Moore's new green blog (see next post below) has inspired this post. Thanks Jim. We need some green fingered women to rule the world!
- - -
ON THIS DAY
Courtesy New York Times
On December 3, 1984, more than 4,000 people died after a cloud of gas escaped from a pesticide plant operated by a Union Carbide subsidiary in Bhopal, India.
The world needs a womans touch
Please understand, this is not a dig at men. They just can't help the way they are. It's the way they're made. Next time there is "work" being done around your home, note the mess men leave behind (not that they'd notice). Generally speaking, women clear up after men, they see things differently. When men fix something (or even cook) there's messy little bits left behind, little attention is paid to fine tuning or aesthetics. It's easy to tell from someone's home if it has a woman's touch or not.
Why should men act any differently when they work with stuff that goes in outer space, underwater and on land? Think unexploded bombs and landmines, pollution at factories, nuclear dumping, genocide... the list is huge. Aside from tonnes of garbage flying around in space, here are a few things happening on Earth and underwater.
I've collected them over the past few months following an earlier post of mine on the puzzle of the three-headed frog that may be a warning of environemntal problems.
Two headed tortoise
May indicate environmental problems.
Three headed frog
Amphibians in trouble globally - read more below.
Sharp increase in global slime
See graph re global slime.
Monster sunfish
With a strange sense of timing
A sunfish that washed up on a beach in New Zealand is a monster with a strange sense of timing, a marine expert says.
Bowhead whales: Mothers and calves may lose touch
This is so sad too. Biologists say the world's oceans are now so saturated with noise that whales and other marine mammals are dying.
The UK's Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society is launching a campaign, Oceans of Noise, to tackle what it says is the increasing problem of noise pollution.
It says key sources of undersea noise are the search for oil and gas, and the use of low-frequency military sonars.
Jim Moore's new green blog (see next post below) has inspired this post. Thanks Jim. We need some green fingered women to rule the world!
- - -
ON THIS DAY
Courtesy New York Times
On December 3, 1984, more than 4,000 people died after a cloud of gas escaped from a pesticide plant operated by a Union Carbide subsidiary in Bhopal, India.
# posted by Ingrid @ 12/03/2004
MAIN HOMEPAGE
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003
January 2004
February 2004
March 2004
April 2004
May 2004
June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
October 2004
November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
September 2006
October 2006
Thank you to Blogger for this weblog - you can start yours for free now at:
Please contact me anytime:
Email: Ingrid Jones
Thursday, December 02, 2004
MICROSOFT LAUNCHES FREE BLOG SERVICE
Cross-language blog translation and links
Jim Moore says the quiet launch of Microsoft's free blogging service Spaces.msn.com, is the start of something very big.
I've just spent an hour trying to start up a new blog and leave a comment over at Spaces.msn.com but couldn't get beyond the registration. I thought I'd completed it all OK but ended back at square one because my password wasn't recognised for login. Got fed up and gave up, and wanted to come back here and share.
Microsoft always seem to make things too complicated. Their registration process and ploughing through the rules and regulations are drag. Can't help being wary of Microsoft offering something for free: what's the catch, loads of spam and banner or pop up ads? Signing up with Blogger is a breeze. Takes a minute and flows real reasy.
English blogger Hazy is a whizz at trying new stuff. Here's pinging Hazy to wish her a happy birthday and ask her when she gets back to her computer, if she can please set up a free msn space and post a review on what she thinks of it, so I can share it here. [Note to Hazy: if you manage to set up an msn blog, please can you link a post at the new blog to me here so I can check if the link shows up at Technorati. Thanks. Hope you have a great birthday and good luck for next week.]
If any readers here set up a new msn blog, please let me know in the comments or by email so I can look it up and link to it in a post here. Commentary on the experience of setting up and using an msn blog would be appreciated. And it would be interesting to know how the translating feature works, especially re blogs typed in Chinese, Japanese and Indian.
- - -
UPDATE: I've just received a comment at this post from Hazy. [Thanks Hazy: see, I had a hunch there'd be a catch]:
"Hi Ingrid. Just checking in here and read your post about MSN Spaces. I'm just going to look now but thought you might be interested in this post about the service:
http://www.boingboing.net/2004/12/02/msn_spaces_soylent_g.html
It seems that anything you publish in the blog would end up with Microsoft as the copyright holders - so beware!"
UPDATE: Jim has posted a review of the msn blogs. Note his RSS 2.0 feed source is http://spaces.msn.com/members/strategy/feed.rss. Jim says he intends to develop the blog into a place to discuss strategic thinking, strategy making and the use of ecological concepts in strategy. I'll go visit it now.
UPDATE: Jim's new blog is called Strategy. I've tried to leave a comment to wish him well but found there's a sign up involved, which was off putting and didn't work for me after I'd registered.
UPDATE: A photo has just appeared at Jim's new blog. Heh. Love the "green" amphibian theme too. Over the past few months, I've been thinking green too (politically). I'm getting seriously disillusioned with politics. Democracy is being eroded. Some friends feel the same way. For me, a new ethical and green World Order seems the way to go, which is why I started my Zone of Peace and b-ethical categories. Hopefully, lots of Jim's future posts will land in those categories. I'm convinced women will play a huge leading role in the New World Order. It may not become a reality in my lifetime, but it's the one big thing that has never been tried. What does the world have to lose? Men sure are making a mess of it and the environment.
UPDATE: The new msn blogs do show up in Technorati. Sorry I was not able to leave a comment at Jim's new blog to wish him well. I've tried the login several times and even changed the password. I'm probably doing something wrong because someone has managed to leave a comment.
HELLO JIM
- - -
INDIAN BLOG MELA
Many bloggers are being so productive right now, I can't keep up with all the great posts and comments. I've spent the past few days posting at Sudan Watch (see sidebar here) and not had a chance to check out the links at nominations for the Bharateeya Blog Mela via Madhu's ChaiTeaLatte.
Cross-language blog translation and links
Jim Moore says the quiet launch of Microsoft's free blogging service Spaces.msn.com, is the start of something very big.
I've just spent an hour trying to start up a new blog and leave a comment over at Spaces.msn.com but couldn't get beyond the registration. I thought I'd completed it all OK but ended back at square one because my password wasn't recognised for login. Got fed up and gave up, and wanted to come back here and share.
Microsoft always seem to make things too complicated. Their registration process and ploughing through the rules and regulations are drag. Can't help being wary of Microsoft offering something for free: what's the catch, loads of spam and banner or pop up ads? Signing up with Blogger is a breeze. Takes a minute and flows real reasy.
English blogger Hazy is a whizz at trying new stuff. Here's pinging Hazy to wish her a happy birthday and ask her when she gets back to her computer, if she can please set up a free msn space and post a review on what she thinks of it, so I can share it here. [Note to Hazy: if you manage to set up an msn blog, please can you link a post at the new blog to me here so I can check if the link shows up at Technorati. Thanks. Hope you have a great birthday and good luck for next week.]
If any readers here set up a new msn blog, please let me know in the comments or by email so I can look it up and link to it in a post here. Commentary on the experience of setting up and using an msn blog would be appreciated. And it would be interesting to know how the translating feature works, especially re blogs typed in Chinese, Japanese and Indian.
- - -
UPDATE: I've just received a comment at this post from Hazy. [Thanks Hazy: see, I had a hunch there'd be a catch]:
"Hi Ingrid. Just checking in here and read your post about MSN Spaces. I'm just going to look now but thought you might be interested in this post about the service:
http://www.boingboing.net/2004/12/02/msn_spaces_soylent_g.html
It seems that anything you publish in the blog would end up with Microsoft as the copyright holders - so beware!"
UPDATE: Jim has posted a review of the msn blogs. Note his RSS 2.0 feed source is http://spaces.msn.com/members/strategy/feed.rss. Jim says he intends to develop the blog into a place to discuss strategic thinking, strategy making and the use of ecological concepts in strategy. I'll go visit it now.
UPDATE: Jim's new blog is called Strategy. I've tried to leave a comment to wish him well but found there's a sign up involved, which was off putting and didn't work for me after I'd registered.
UPDATE: A photo has just appeared at Jim's new blog. Heh. Love the "green" amphibian theme too. Over the past few months, I've been thinking green too (politically). I'm getting seriously disillusioned with politics. Democracy is being eroded. Some friends feel the same way. For me, a new ethical and green World Order seems the way to go, which is why I started my Zone of Peace and b-ethical categories. Hopefully, lots of Jim's future posts will land in those categories. I'm convinced women will play a huge leading role in the New World Order. It may not become a reality in my lifetime, but it's the one big thing that has never been tried. What does the world have to lose? Men sure are making a mess of it and the environment.
UPDATE: The new msn blogs do show up in Technorati. Sorry I was not able to leave a comment at Jim's new blog to wish him well. I've tried the login several times and even changed the password. I'm probably doing something wrong because someone has managed to leave a comment.
HELLO JIM
- - -
INDIAN BLOG MELA
Many bloggers are being so productive right now, I can't keep up with all the great posts and comments. I've spent the past few days posting at Sudan Watch (see sidebar here) and not had a chance to check out the links at nominations for the Bharateeya Blog Mela via Madhu's ChaiTeaLatte.
ME AND OPHELIA
This is the personal blog of Ingrid Jones.
I live by the sea in Dorset, England, United Kingdom.
Here on my PowerBook G4 I communicate to my friends.
About things in general and my life with M.E. and cat Ophelia.
Home user technology and business services.
Food and household management.
How it all impacts on my *lifestyle management programme*.
And my battle for more energy.
See Blogger Profile
Additional blogs:
N Korea
Other categories:
ME/CFS/CFIDS
Atom XML feed
Blogroll Me
Archive:
MAIN HOMEPAGE
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003
January 2004
February 2004
March 2004
April 2004
May 2004
June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
October 2004
November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
September 2006
October 2006
British Blogs:
David Stewart - A British Conservative
<
#
?
>
<
#
Scottish Blogs
?
>
Rest of the World:
Bloggers 4 Freedom first person accounts
USA Blogs:
Patrick's Sudan Project on Wikipedia
Stephanie's Daily Vegetable
<
?
ameriBLOGs
#
>
Japan Blogs:
| << ? Japan # >> |
Australia Blogs:
Canada Blogs:
China Blogs:
India Blogs:
Recently Updated Indian Weblogs
Korea Blogs:
Tech Links:
Blog Lists:
Glenn Reynolds Says
-
"I wish I had a cat like Ophelia. Indeed."
Harvard Weblogs - Sites we're hosting
Harvard offsite-hosted weblogs
<<
?
#
>>
Food Links:
Art:
People recovering from ME:
People living with ME:
Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit
People who died with CFIDS/ME:
CFIDS/ME Patient Memorial List
Defining ME:
The Definitive Description of ME - Dr A Melvin Ramsay
Overview of ME - CFS Definitions
The 25% ME Group Online Suppport and Info Severe ME Truths and Facts:
Medical Papers by Drs Dowsett, Findley, Ramsay, Richardson
Government, Parliament, MRC UK
Documents from ME Research Group, Dr Spence UK
What is ME? What is CFS?...information for clinicians and lawyers
Practical issues Living with Severe ME - How to care for someone with ME - DLA link
Links to other good ME sites & UK Regional Support Groups
ME Info and Support:
ME Support & Related Illnesses
Co-Cure CFS & Fibromyalgia Info USA
The National CFIDS Foundation USA
ME Rearch:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention USA
Thank you to Blogger for this weblog - you can start yours for free now at: