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Monthly Archives: November 2012

The Strep/Tic Connection

I was very sick last week, as was my daughter the week before. For us, it was all about being knocked on our butt for a few days, sniffling like crazy, dealing with a few nights of sore throat due to post nasal drip and feeling exhausted.

Stink had a sore throat on Friday and stayed home from school. Unlike the procedure for Pip and me which involves sleep and hot cocoa, I took Stink a day later to Urgent Care.

When I arrived, I was lucky enough to have the same (may I say very handsome) doctor on call. He swaggered in with his deep brown eyes and five o clock shadow immediately sat down on this rolling chair, flipped open Stink’s chart and began the following conversation.

Doctor Dreamy: So, Stink has a sore throat again?

Me: Yup.

Doctor Dreamy: No fever?

Me: Nope.

Doctor: No spots?

Me: Nope

Doctor: But you still want us to do a rapid strep test?

Me: Yup.

Doctor: Works for me.

Five minutes later.

Doctor: He has it.

Me: (grunt grunt grunt) But you can’t explain why?

Doctor: No. It’s very very odd.

Me: Do you think this is why, possibly, he tics? That his basal ganglia has been ravaged so many times that it simply doesn’t have a fighting chance in hell to normalize?

Doctor: Honestly, it very well could be. I wish we had answers. But I can tell you this: You’re on it.

I rushed into his arms in utter thanks for not looking at me like a two-headed Jenny McCarthy anti-Autism Hippy Mama on Crack.

Me: I try.

Stink is now on penicillin, a change from his normal amoxicillin thanks to Doctor Dreamy who thought maybe, just maybe, a change would do him good.

Now back in school, Stink is his old crafty self. No complaints, no exhaustion, and still no major tics!

What do you all think about the correlation between strep and tics?

My takeaway on strep and tics: Kids who have TS have more sensitive immune systems. The better the diet (though not a cure all) and the more tailored the supplements to each child (get a good homeopathic doc) and the more sleep (8 hours at least) the less likely their immune system is to take a hit. And when the immune system does crash, be kind to yourself. (Moms and dads, you didn’t give your kids TS. You are good!)

* Photo above taken the day after our renter’s birthday when the kids helped bake a belated cake. And check it out: massive food dye on the cake, and still no tics! Vitamins? (new ones… will post later) The other supplements we are on? Natural waxing and waning of tics? Who knows! Don’t care! Will take the break while I can.

PS: Renter didn’t complain about the gluten free cake which tasted like rock sponge surprise. Nor did she mind her new skin color. We have the right gal for our house!

Come visit me at the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome where this blog is syndicated.

Supplementally Speaking… All Good

It’s been a whirlwind in our home, hence the lack of posts. I hope you have all been well. As a quick wrap up, here’s what is going on with us:

* My friend with the Leukemia is on Round 4 of chemo. She is as cheery as the day is long and puts my complaints about tics to shame

* I haven’t been able to visit her this week due to a massive chest cold which probably resulted from…

* My daughter’s cold last Friday where she stayed home from school

* Lots of run around due to the Talent Show on Saturday that she and Stink participated in. Stink told jokes with a buddy (buddy not shown.)

Pip danced with Miss L and another friend (not pictured.)

* Running around on Sunday to our local food bank for a Sunday school field trip

* Combine all this with Halloween last week, volunteering at a local crisis pregnancy center on Monday, and the every day going ons of being a mom, well… my immune system was bound to crash

I don’t know about you, but I really have a hard time finding balance sometimes. I am not an idle person who likes to sit on my duff when there are causes to be fought that are near and dear to my heart. And yet, what good is waving my flag if I’m too sick to carry it long?

Today, thanks some good friends at my kids’ school, I stayed on the couch all day. They took my kids to school and will take them home afterwards. I only need to fire up my lap top and write. And sleep!

Oh yeah, and VOTE. Vote, people!

I know the burning question all of you want the answer to is, “How are Stink’s tics?” I’m happy to report that they remain very very mild. Except for that minor shuddering he does, the vocals are still at bay. I am so grateful for that. I really am. It will likely change. Tics are like bad holiday guests… just when you think they are gone from a maddening Thanksgiving they show up on Christmas Eve with friends. My motto is to enjoy the quiet while I can.

Thinking and praying for you all.


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congopygmeedope,   partly done by mcb a magnum who au-pairs at nat geo.

Don’t ask he said to me but Elvis just left the building.

yep, cheap but i am warming up.

via kindland , if y wanna chill usa style, way too fashionable site for me.
weed y smoke but not merchandise it, it is just a fucking plant and we rule on the seeds.
gifs, they are like t shirts with a print,
a bit like reddit. sometimes nice but more for teens.time to party,
it was taxday ,so tx state for robbing me and spending in the idiotic way.as a unicorn in the autistspectrum i have troubles multitasking,

could b repost butt don’t think so. How do y like your eggs in the morning?

woman i’d like to marry of the day.

 Why put an eyeball on a tadpole’s tail?
Fang blennies are a tropical fish that won’t be intimidated, injecting predators and competitors alike with venom released from two long teeth on their lower jaw.
research reveals that rather than stunning foes with a jolt of pain, the venom acts on the bitten fish’s opioid receptors, causing it to become dizzy and lethargic.
Defensive venoms, whether those in cobras or in stingrays, are well known for their extreme pain-inducing action. This venom is very different in that it is pain-freescience & etc.

i once talked about drones, photography and my privacy. i shoot them down but there are alternatives
dronepicture”s “real”estate   at the bottom tap the picca for the interior.
hmm   3 seconds.
                        paddle8 for your absurd sometimes lovely “Art“.
colorised, sometimes neat and handy for modelbuilders/realitytouch but me love the original.
He has a full day time job on it or just a program , anyway anyhow klimbim.
                           well high tech, great exportmovie.
mad max country. and for what , playing who is the boss? who is the right god?who has or is the biggest dick?
you play dead and stay dead, this is just a drill.
found this big boy by blind imagesearch tags nude 1970 dpi res,do an imagesearch and end up at son of God, the lsd church eeh lds , as son of God, Tasschen referrs to it as the forbidden art of  George
and so i hop on to where it actually came from( sorry but that flickbstrd is good)

                                so yes i am curious, nosy always have been.

                            Give up on that  then y might as wel give up on life.
yeah i know way to much russia. can’t help myselve.I’ll go more East.
                                                                            Medication Time.
                                     let’s synchronise..time set 1.13       and 1.20            for the horse steps
judges may i have your votes?
My pick,due to her beauty,body and her charming way to die twice

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Reflections on ECEL 2012

slide1_ecelIn this week’s guest blog, Elaine Mowat, Academic Developer, within the Professional Academic Development team in Human Resources and Development at Edinburgh Napier reflects on her recent conference attendance, the European Conference on e-Learning, which was held in Groningen.

With participants from Japan, Jordan, Iran, the United States, Canada and New Zealand, along with just about every country within Europe, the European Conference on e-learning (ECEL) 2012 was a lively and cosmopolitan gathering. The focus of the conference was on looking ‘Beyond the Gadget’ to find the value in e-learning and the wide spectrum of contributions provided a snapshot of current practice and research across many different educational contexts. For example, we could hear about the experience of using blogs as an assessment tool in Catalan Higher Education and the mobile dissemination of computer based learning in rural India, as well as approaches to elearning evaluation and ideas about how Web 2.0 technologies are affecting academic roles in higher education.

Julia Fotheringham in the Academy Building at the University of Groningen

Julia Fotheringham in the Academy Building at the University of Groningen

From Edinburgh Napier, Julia Fotheringham and I shared our experience of action research into online peer assessment in our presentation Peer to Peer – The Full Cycle: Investigating Online Peer Assessment through Action Research and Keith Smyth reported on Sharing and Shaping Effective Institutional Practice in TEL through the 3E Framework. The buzz and interest generated by Keith’s session underlines the value we have in our benchmark for the use of technology in modules. Colleagues Aileen Sibbald and Mammed Bagher from the Business School were also at the conference to contribute their views and catch up on developments.

The highlight for me was the chance to hear Eric Mazur from Harvard University talk about his rigorous and influential research into peer instruction, as this has greatly informed our use at Edinburgh Napier of the TurningPoint ‘clicker’ student response system.  His keynote lecture ‘Confessions of a Converted Lecturer’ provided an honest and uplifting account of his development as a teacher and underlined the importance of taking the effort to investigate your own practice and to adjust your approach accordingly. As Mazur demonstrates, the impact on the student experience can be tangible and significant.

The Academy Building at the University of Groningen provided a handsome and dignified backdrop for our discussions and the conference was extremely well administered by Academic Conferences International. The destination for ECEL 2013 – Sophia-Antipolis in the south of France – sounds most congenial – I recommend that you consider the call for papers!

You can find out more about the call for papers for this year’s ECEL conference  at:

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Personal Christmas

from by Her Parents

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Happy Birthday on one side, Physical Release on the other. All pressed on heavy vinyl, with digital downloads of each album and a delicious lyric sheet so you can sing along to your favourite Her Parents hits.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Happy Birthday via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days

      £10 GBP or more

from Happy Birthday, released May 20, 2013

all rights reserved

Her Parents UK

just a great bunch of guys playing some punk music. includes members of Internet Forever, Stairs to Korea and Dananananaykroyd. we hope you have a great week and wish you all the luck in the world.

contact / help

Contact Her Parents

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code


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HFP Racing December News

Shannon_with_flowerDecember is always a month that challenges me with what I should be doing in my training. Usually I’m coming off an A race in November and naturally need a bit of a break from structured training but then it comes time to get the mojo back with some structured training. But what to do in December? My first race is over 6 months away…should I really be training that hard? Is so dark and cold (I know I sound like a wimp). The weather this year has been the biggest obstacle with a real winter hitting us in Ohio shortly after I returned from the family vacation in Miami. After a couple weeks of serious cold weather in December that 80 degree weather in Miami seems a season ago instead of just 4 weeks ago.

To get back to the routine I made my way back to my masters swim group this week for the first time in a month. Wow…with just one month out of the pool my fitness level was down significantly.  It was nice to hear the winter training banter among my fellow teammates at the pool…even Ross Hartley flexing his biceps and asking what I thought of his crossfit made guns (they are still tiny Ross ;).  I left feeling very inspired and ready to put together my winter training plan…even found myself on the CrossFit Future website. Might need to give that a try.

In this months newsletter check out the latest updates on the nearly sold out American Triple-T, the Helen GA Training Camp and more information on when 2014 registration opens for all HFP events.  Hopefully this will serve to motivate you too and get you through the cold dark days of winter.

So here’s to a great winter and training.

Bring it!

Shannon Kurek
aka HFP Man

Triple T REV_FOR_embroideryThe American Triple-T continues to be on record pace with just 84 spots left as of December 10th.  All on-site lodging at Shawnee Resort & Conference Center is completely sold out with available lodging still available in Portsmouth and nearby Adams County.  The 2014 participant list is a who’s who of American Triple-T racing with past champions young and old returning to continue the tradition of very deep fields.  Among the returning past champions is Canada’s Richard Pady but this time around Richard’s not going at it alone and we’ll be racing with another TBA fast teammate.  This is gonna be fun! Some interesting facts for the 2014 American Triple-T. As of now 23% of the field is from Ohio but most impressively is nearly 10% of the field is representing Canada. There are 25+ states and 3 countries being represented with a participant from Switzerland coming from the furthest distance. Don’t miss out on the fun – REGISTER NOW.

supersale_tpcenterNow is a good time to start planning your 2014 season and we have just the deal to not only get your entire 2014 season planned out BUT also save you significant dollars in the process. On January 1 all registration opens for the entire 2014 season AND anyone registering for any HFP event through January 15th will get a discount of 25% during HFP’s annual Super Sale. Use the code “HFPSUPERSALE2014” when registering online during this time to get your discount.

Final_meal_CopperPotLooking for a spring training get-a-way to put on your schedule or a carrot to get you out the door this winter? The HFP Helen Georgia Training Camp on March 31 to April 6 may just be the ticket.  In the past this camp has been reserved for the hardcore triathlete looking for a huge training block to kickstart their season. However, this year we’ve added another level to the camp that will feature a less intense schedule but still provide a challenge and all the camaraderie that the camp is known for. This less intense camp will be led by the husband and wife team of Chuck & Deb Battaglia. Along with a reduced training schedule will be a group that will be accommodating for the “less intense” triathlete. Register between January 1-15 and use the HFP Super Sale discount code and get 25% off your camp fee.

Major-AnnouncementLast month we teased you about a major announcement coming very soon…we are very close to being able to release the details.  HFP Racing will also be making a non-race related announcement in the coming weeks too that we are very excited about that will allow us to take our events to another level through some major technology advancements. Stay tuned for more details. We love surprises 🙂

Here are some new events we announced in October you may not of been aware of:
June 15, 2014
Maumee Bay State Park – Oregon, Ohio
(In junction with Maumee Bay Triathlon & Duathlon)

June 22, 2014
Mohican Lodge & Conference Center – Perrysville, Ohio


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Saturday, November 5, 2011

Apple's Siri and the Semantic Web

Maybe not Google will start to build the semantic web as I thought in one of my previous blog posts about "The Internet of Things" but Apple will do so with Siri.

Some interesting links:
Siri at
Siri points the way to next level of semantic web apps
New research helps people to get engaged with the semantic web
Will Siri and her offspring bring the semantic web to life?
Siri - the do engine
Siri internals

Siri was born out of SRI’s CALO Project, the largest AI project in U.S. history:

Siri is “Search” as it should be: Ask a question, receive an answer or get things done.
...great, Siri is what I wanted Quickdroid to be :-).

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You are here

"This, despite being told by a supervisor years earlier that, “There would never be a professional Negro working at the Denver Public Library.”

It looks like its still true. No professional Negro/African-American/Black person seem to work at the main library. Not surprising, just...

Hello, Newcomer!

We are so grateful for the example that Pauline Short Robinson set for librarians of color not only in Denver, but across the United States. If you visit the Central Library (and many of our other branches), you will indeed find library staff of African descent! Hopefully you will have a chance to meet and converse with members of DPL's diverse staff!

If you have any questions or further inquiry, please feel free to contact me!

Where was the Cosmopolitan Branch Library?

The Cosmopolitan Branch Library opened May 1945 and was located in Five Points (2563 Welton St). If you're interested, we have a small collection about Pauline Robinson at the Blair-Caldwell Library. Feel free to call 720-865-2401 or email to make an appointment to check out the collection.

Thank you for this great post! I was happy to learn more about the life of this influential, courageous woman.

Add new comment


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Spleef with EGGS!

What is Splegg?

Splegg. Spleef with Eggs! Watch the video below and learn how to play one of the most ridiculous games you'll see on Minecraft!

When you spawn into the arena you have 10 seconds to find your ultimate beginning point! After these 10 seconds you'll be given a special gun... the Splegg gun. This gun shoots high powered, high popping, super speedy eggs. These eggs do no damage to players... but they destroy the arena!

Use your Splegg gun to tactically remove the Arena around you... but be careful not to fall into the void. Falling into the void eliminates you! It's your quest to remove the blocks in the path of other players and be the last man standing.

Parkour skill can really help you in this fast paced game. Use your skill to eliminate other players and gain tokens to purchase upgrades and other cool stuff... like disco sheep. Yes. Disco sheep.

Power Ups

To make it even more intense whilst you are ducking and diving to avoid the flying onslaught of eggs there are also power ups that are detailed below:

  • Shotgun - Fire 3 eggs each shot for 5 seconds
  • Demoman - 2 pieces of TNT for you to place anywhere on the map
  • Acid Rain - Snowballs rain from above and destroy the blocks they hit
  • Rapid Fire - Shoot faster for 5 seconds
  • Explosive Ammo - Every hit within 3 seconds causes a small explosion
  • Triple Jump - Allows you to jump 3x the height for 15 seconds
  • Invisible Man - Makes you invisible for 15 seconds (perfect to run away)
  • Forrest Gump - Run faster for 15 seconds. Worst reference ever, we know
  • Possession - Possess all other players but yourself. Putting pumpkins on their head for 3 seconds
  • Suicide Sheep - A suicide sheep for you to deploy whenever you want!

Splegg Maps

  • Not Mushroom Here

  • Pokemon

  • Saturn

  • Petal Power

  • Tree Fiddy

  • Inferno

  • Cell

  • Palette

  • Starmie

  • Making It Up

  • Chocolate

  • Balance

  • Time Travel

  • Golf

  • Tree Island

  • Ring Ring

  • Repercussions

  • Mistic

  • Catch 'em All!

  • Burst

  • Splatter

  • Nebula

  • SpaceSwirl

  • PinkMe

  • Storm

  • Oversplegg

    Team Nectar (Fowben)

Rules of The Game

Make sure to follow our global Hive rules when playing this game. You can read those, here.

Top Players by Points


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Saturday, April 12, 2014

Starting Power Shell from SQL Server 2012

It's quite easy as Power Shell is integrated with SQL Server 2012.

It is quite easy to start from SQL Server 2012.

I have SQL Server Express 2012.

I open the SQL Server Management Studio 2012 from it shortcut in All Programs as shown.

In the Connect to Server dialog I fill in the details as shown.

Make sure you have started the SQL Server Windows Service from Control Panel.

If you still cannot connect, you may have connection problems.

Once connected to SQL Server click open a database node as shown. I have chosen Northwind database node, but you can choose any other node including System Databases or even Reporting Services.

Right click database node to display options.

Click on Power Shell to open DOS window for SQL Server Power Shell as shown.

You are in guys!

Well you have to learn how to work with Power Shell and SQL Server.

You can get a good intro to PowerShell/SQLServer 2012 here:

Or you can get some hands-on help here:

You can buy this from here.

You can get details from

For SQL Server PowerShell Provider go here:


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Monthly Archives: August 2015

US Commercials and the Chipping of Body Confidence

I’ve been in America just less than two weeks, and already I’ve become aware of changes in myself. Some of them are good (definitely looking less pasty and discovered a deep love for tacos), but some of them edging on scary.

Being 20, I feel quite relieved in having roughly surpassed the phase of body confidence issues. I’ve stopped wanting longer legs or skinnier arms. I probably won’t ever be able to buy jeans from Zara, and that thigh-gap craze is certainly not one I can aspire to. But I’ve been size 10-12 since I stopped growing and I go in and out in around about the right places. Most importantly, I’m lucky to have been surrounded by friends who place little emphasis on image. I’m no Kim K, but there can only be one of her.

So perhaps to my surprise, yesterday I found myself in CVS studying the backs of tooth whitening kits. I had just left the gym and been staring from the treadmill up at the wide-smiled narrators on commercials that pop up every other second here. Their skin and eyes were brighter than mine. Their eyelashes longer and cheeks less chubby. Their lips a better shape and eyebrows more defined. All a thousand times better looking than me (and any other person I’ve ever seen in real life) –  presumably due to the mercy of their home teeth whitening kits.

Doing my research in one of the many pharmaceutical isles I was torn between whether I wanted a ‘multi-dimensional smile’ from Crest White Lux Supreme, or if  NiteWhite Complete‘s ‘active ingredients’ to ‘safely and effectively bleach your teeth’ were more my thing. Opalescence even offered a choice of between 10% ‘mild peroxide’ to 35% ‘maximum strength for non-sensitive teeth’, reassuring me that even ‘brown or dead’ teeth had some hope. I don’t think mine are brown. I checked them out in the mirrors on the makeup isle and they’re more a sort of light grey. But I did want it to do something. Maybe 15%?

It was $47.99 for an 8 pack in the melon flavor. I got out my currency converter app as I waited in line- just over £32, or about 3 trips to the dentist even with the dental insurance that I didn’t buy.

And then it struck me… I didn’t invest in dental health cover here, yet I’m about to pay to peroxide my own teeth….. Really??!

With North America now accounting for over 44% of the world’s pharmaceuticals revenue, much has been published to analyze, and often criticize the nature of the industry in the United States. A recent report commissioned by the World Health Organization highlighted the increasing ‘conflict of interests’ between the ‘legitimate business goals of manufacturers and the social, medical and economic needs of providers and the public to select and use drugs in the most rational way”. In short – too often Americans are being sold things that they don’t need.

Standing back, it’s not difficult to see that this is an industry the companies have pretty well worked out. As Republican platforms continue to challenge the mild but important progress of Obamacare, the huge costs associated with private insurance sets the industry on a precedent. Compared to European consumers the Americans I’ve met here are far less money-conscious when it comes to pharmaceuticals; with few other options, they’re used to personally devoting large sums to healthcare and thus inadvertently buying into it’s commercialization. And perhaps more dangerously, those without insurance are left especially susceptible as they attempt to meet their own healthcare needs at corner shop pharmacies with little guidance. Trawling through supposedly impartial advice forums on the internet can easily turn into staring at yet more advertisements. With far more relaxed laws on the advertising and distribution of medical drugs than within the European Union the law is on their side; the radio, the television, in shops and magazines, each pristine figure you see beaming through the camera that looks that much more goddess-like than the average human, persuading you – persuading ME – that I’m in need of the new ‘quick fix’. And once you’re paying for the teeth whitening and headache pills and extra protein and weight loss tablets and waist constrictors then it’s not much further down the line to botox for aiding collagen deficiency, breast implants for defeating low confidence or ritalin for the too-common menace of ADHD.

It’s easy for us British (protected by the veil of what is and isn’t covered by NHS)  to critique the american appetite for self-perfection. Yet as someone who considered myself relatively comfortable within myself, being here, surrounded by the commercial possibilities of betterment I’ve both never felt more  inadequate or sensed the need to reach further lengths for a desired outer appearance.

Austin’s Late Night bus riders: Welcome to Texas

A voice came from down the isle. ‘Don’t worry bout her lady, she trippin. She been trippin long time.’ I looked back up at the driver. Her eyes were slow and dim. Her skin was blotchy, lined and her pores stood out of her nose like pinpoints. She was making a kind of humming noise and her eyes couldn’t help darting across the highway, looking me up and down, then darting back.

I had been waiting at the bus stop outside Austin airport for about 20 mins. It was hot, dark and sticky. The insects were screaming in the long grasses either side of the highway and by then, I had been travelling for an entire 24 hours. And now the driver – this small, scatty latino woman with few teeth was in another world. It became immediately evident that a taxi to the motel would have been a far better option.

‘I’m just going past the prison. And I take a right after Walgreens and onto the Interstate. I donno after that. I follow the signs. It’s a long route. So you’re from London England? I love your accent. I been to New York 20 years back but my husband died and I haven’t left Texas since. I been driven this bus for 14 years now. I got some folks in Dallas…. ‘

My back hurt from carrying the luggage and no further progress was being made as to the route of the bus.

The man down the isle called out again. ‘Come on down, leave her.’ I looked in his direction. The dimly- lit bus was empty apart from 3 people sitting in a huddle. An overweight woman carrying a trolley of crumpled plastic bags, a broad old man in cleaning overalls and a skinny woman with a vacant expression wearing what seemed to be pyjamas.  The man held his hand out straight to shake. ‘I’m Walter and I know every bus route in the city.’ He spoke as if it were a title. An accolade to proudly show off. ‘I’ll help you miss, where you tryna go?’

I felt obliged to step on board. I put down my bags and showed him the address. Walter rode the bus each day, twice a day he said, from his home in Clear Creek to Travis County Correctional Facility in the south.  He worked as a janitor there. I didn’t realize at the time, but by car the route takes 20 minutes along two straight highways. On the bus, it’s upwards of an hour, with 30 minutes between each bus.

The bus started again and no one seemed to mind that I hadn’t paid. Following Walter’s directions were like remembering AA route planner directions from London to Edinburgh using only B roads. We went left then right then past this house and past that house and round a few roundabouts and up another highway then looped back and went the other direction on the second time and took the turning to go past this place but Walter was getting off to check on his nephew so Betty (the large woman with the trolley) would take over from here. Betty nodded as if it were a routine shift-change.

And the bus trundled on past grasses and weeds, cruising through the clear highway at the pace of little more than a jog. Apart from Walter, no one got on and no one got off. There was no urgency. The night was empty.

Betty was disabled, she told me. She had a tube that ran from her nose to a bag of fluid she kept under the crumpled bags in her trolley. I didn’t ask what it was for, but it made it difficult to understand what she was saying. Her boyfriend was disabled too, apparently. He lived near Timber Creek and they spent most days together. But he was in a wheelchair and couldn’t get out of the house much so she came on the bus to visit him in the morning and went back each night. They met at the hospital a year ago and ‘the rest is history.’ She burst into raucous laughter after she said this, her eyes glistening and stomach plunging up and down as she slapped her thighs triumphantly. I smiled.

We kept going. More grasses, weeds, street lights and empty diners. I became increasingly worried I had no idea where we were going and had been traveling for almost an hour. Betty was still chatting and the other skinny lady silently listening. They seemed to have forgotten that I would ever need to get off. My internet wasn’t working so I asked if they had a phone I could use. Betty’s was a brick. Too old for 3G and the other lady, as Betty told me, didn’t own one. The lady shook her head to confirm. Perhaps I shouldn’t have complained about my lack of connection.

Betty talked and talked. About her boyfriend, her family, her health insurance coverage and her shopping. And then about the skinny woman sitting beside her who again nodded and shook her head at the appropriate moments. She talked about Texas, and how things had changed. She talked about the Mexicans and the whites and for the first time I heard the word ‘negro’ used as a description of the self. And it was used with pride – her, Walter and the skinny woman were just as much ‘negros’ as they were bus riders, Texans and Americans. It was another title referred to with a sense of communality and understanding. I became aware that I was none of those things, and perhaps in other circumstances that would have mattered, but to them it didn’t.

The bus driver shouted something about the Interstate and opened the doors, motioning for me to leave. I had few other options. None of us seemed to know where we were going or when the bus route ended so I stepped out onto the highway with my bags. Betty shuffled over to kiss me as I left and the skinny lady looked up in recognition.

The heat struck me again. I stood amongst my bags looking out over the flat, never-ending land. So this was it. Fast food chains and gas stations lined the highway. Cars occasionally flew past, but the air was still expect for the crickets rustling the grasses. I felt a thousand miles from anywhere or anything I knew. No recognizable faces or sounds or street names. No one I could phone. No google maps I could check up on. My eyes burnt from lack of sleep. I fell down on the weeds. I couldn’t already be home sick. I had barely started.

In the distance I caught the outline of a stark red and yellow logo. I squinted through watering eyes. The Super 8 motel – so maybe the driver did know where she was going. I trudged on.

In a way, it was the worst introduction to a city. A bus driver that looked like she belonged in rehab, a bus that drifted endlessly through the night and still a fifteen minute struggle alongside the highway to the motel, leaving me covered in dust and far past exhaustion. But in reality, after all of this I couldn’t have hoped for more. People in Texas don’t use public transport, and I can understand why. But the characters of the 350 bus – individuals distinct from the mainstream though they were, for me represented so much of what I came to realize Texan culture stands for. Sure, there are guns. There are rednecks and cowboy hats. But there’s also a fierce communalism. An isolated distrust of outsiders and authority that spawns localized patriotism and self-reliance.  There’s racial tension. Economic inequality and exclusivity. And there’s a genuine kindness, openness and concern for those they encounter. Arriving at the slimy, dim motel room after the epic journey – as sticky, dirty and tired as I was, I couldn’t help but already love the place.

What 20 years have taught me

  1. Determination requires confidence.
  2. Be open and people will be open with you.
  3. Sometimes you can learn the most from the people you disagree with.
  4. Talk.
  5. Know when to think and know when you need spontaneity.
  6. Life is a balancing act between making sure you enjoy the future and making sure you enjoy today. Find the point at which they’re not mutually exclusive.
  7. Everyone is a bank of understanding to be made use of.
  8. Exercise is the short term cure of everything.
  9. Put those who would put you before all else, before all else. *All the baes together*
  10. It’s true that you’ll only regret the things you didn’t do.
  11. Allow people to amaze you.
  12. Keep hold of people. You can’t tell what’s meant to be.
  13. Remember those you helped you. They haven’t forgotten.
  14. Everyone is scared of something and everyone has been through a love story.
  15. Dramas are only dramas for the moment, and there’ll be time in the future to laugh about them. Make sure you do.
  16. Don’t categorize yourself. Stereotypes don’t exist.
  17. Respect what others believe in – especially when you don’t understand why they believe it.
  18. Find someone who is in love with their own life and it will be impossible not to be in love with yours.
  19. Know those you value, and treat them as if you might never see them again.
  20. Believe in fate. Everything happens for a reason.

10 Things I’ve learnt about Britain after 2 days in Austin

  1. We shouldn’t feel bad about talking about the weather – clouds, sun, rain, snow. There’s really quite a lot to spice a conversation up.
  2. The Britain/ United Kingdom thing can truly puzzle
  3. OUR PUBIC TRANSPORT…. too much to love and appreciate. A bus every 30 mins??? None of that on Green Lanes.
  4. We’ve got the clothes shopping down. Definitely the preferred ratio of H&Ms to the overall population, and not even secluded in out of town ‘malls.’ Us British are all up for the high street browsing.
  5. Tea and Hot Tea are different things. Big mistakes can be made here.
  6. LONDON IS EXPENSIVE – and we genuinely aren’t just being paid more and spending more. We work like mad.
  7. We love fruit. And fine cheese. (American selection: ‘white rubbery block’ / ‘orange rubbery block’.)
  8. Sadly, across the Atlantic Britain is actually included in Europe… Seems it’s only us who still retain that ‘continent’ and ‘isles’ distinction.
  9. But saying you’re from London is synonymous to saying you’re from Wonderland. NOTHING COULD EXCITE THE AMERICAN MORE.
  10. Our general enthusiasm for life is abysmal. Should maybe think about introducing that ‘Hey, how are you, what can I get you?’ *flash a toothy smile* the moment you enter a shop. Or maybe not.british_empire

I’m writing to say I’m sorry

I came across this poem on instagram by Marisa Crane. I was ashamed by how much it struck me, but it’s beautiful and I wanted to share.

I’m writing to say I’m sorry.

I’m sorry for putting you in parentheses,

for treating you like an afterthought,

postscript at the end of a letter

but this, this is your letter,

too late, too pathetic,

not the one that should have been about you.

you deserved a novel, not the corner of a page turned down

in case I ever wanted to pick up

where I had left off,

I should have taken the time

to read your footnotes,

to understand the context of your smile,

of your tears, of the nightmares

that plagued you.

I hope that wherever you are,

you are doing well.

I’m sure that you are, having been lifted of the heavy,

apathetic love

that once ailed me.

I’m so truly sorry to those this is about for me. I hope one day to tell you in person. Until then, I hope you will somehow know it and understand.

Fast Food and Britain’s Glass Floor

A few days ago I came across an article by Yehong Zhu that had been sent into The Thought Catalogue as a response to the question ‘What’s it like being at an elite school like Yale and working at a fast food job?’ The author used the prompt to describe her experience of working at Waffle House through the summer months before commencing her studies at Harvard University the following autumn.

Recounting her shifts and the menial jobs involved, the jargon and memorising of orders ‘akin to that of an AP biology midterm’ and the exhaustion of standing for hours on end, her account reminded me of my first few months working at Pret a Manger, a British sandwich and salad take-away food chain.

In many ways our circumstances were fairly similar; like Yehong I had left school with the idea that I was some of ‘academic breed’ of person. I had no idea what I wanted to do in later life, but had trawled through sixth form to manage good grades and secured a place at a respected university (albeit significantly less high profile that Harvard -mine being University College London). Nevertheless, I presume it had a comparable outlook among staff and students; many of my future university friends were occupied saving turtles in Madagascar and discovering the underground bars of Berlin. Or standing in on court cases and shifting papers in Goldman Sachs; that well established territory of the future-leader-of-the-world-/-eighteen-year-old-work-experience typecast. But coming to terms with the unavoidable financial burden of studying in London, I had got to July with few plans for the summer, little to no experience of work and desperately in need of a job.

I found a recruitment centre in Victoria Station. I filled in a questionnaire, answered a few questions in person and I was invited to an experience day the following week. I swept the floor, put some toasties in the machine, made a yoghurt pot as per the ‘How To Card’ and was in.

When I started, I signed a 20 hour a week contract being paid £6.95 an hour to work at the till. In less than 3 months I was working close to full time with significantly greater responsibilities and a significantly higher wage. I couldn’t have imagined that after working so hard at school to get there, university would suddenly take such a serious back seat- and that I would have wanted it to. But perhaps ironically, Pret made undergraduate classes seem empty. I came to think of ‘the day job’ as a different sort of education – one in which I was meeting people outside my usual sphere with views and experiences of the world that differed from my own – and almost every other university student I sat in classes with. Apart from the money, there was something exhilerating about the pace of life I found myself leading. I was no longer as simply a student; I had become a ‘Pret Person’ and to me, that was no bad thing.

Of course there were things I found difficult. I wasn’t used to standing on my feet for 8 hours. I wasn’t used to being managed by someone who was struggling with english and being part of a team whose preferred mode of communication was spanish or italian. I wasn’t used to working at such a high intensity; the idea of making a salad in less than a minute including time to get ingredients from the fridge, clear up after and not forget the cherry tomatoes baffled me. How was I so useless?

I was highly aware when I took on the job that hiring me was a risk. I was the only english person of 49 employees in the shop. I found it strange at first, but soon realised why there were so few of us- the english either become managers within 2-3 years or leave within the first month. Neither is necessarily good for the morale of the rest of the team, and being a bit out of my depths when it came to spanish slang and not so up to date with the latest Russian rap hits (although I did learn, of course…) it was a difficult line to walk. So to an extent, I can emphathise with Yehong’s feeling of ‘other-worldliness’. Nothing was what I expected. But at the same time, that in itself was just as much a challenge as perparing for the end of term coursework – only, to me, a far more interesting one to persue.

And that’s where I found Yehong’s account unusually sad.

I don’t want to necessarily critique her experience in any way; we were working in different companies for different lengths of time and in different continents. (Naturally, being part of the EU drastically alters the labour pool for entry level jobs in the UK and therefore the kind of co-workers you expect to find.) But personally, my own time in Pret only served to highlight a sickening realisation; that it’s rarely intellect that separates entry level/ minimum wage workers from those who can afford to aim high. It’s opportunity. For the majority of workers, the £56 they earn for 8 hours of watching the clock constitutes just as much of an ‘existence’ for them as it does for anyone else – not much, but it’s a temporary means to an end.

Of course you can expect to find people who (on the surface) seem to have few ambitions in life. Those who are happy working on the tills from 7am to 3pm five days a week, greeting customers, passing over coffees, retorting the infamous ‘eat in or take away?’ They know what to expect today, tomorrow and the day after that, and if they haven’t yet made it to team trainer, probably this time next year, too. It might be a bit boring, but if you’ve been packaging clothes into bags at a factory in Lithuania for the previous ten years and now find yourself learning english with a growing pension and paid holidays, for you at least, life certainly is stepping up a gear.

But in honestly these were a very small proportion of those I met. Most of them had stories well beyond my own. (See below.) They were ‘fast food workers’ with as much a planned path in life as the rest of us. Some know exactly where they want to go. Others are hopeful of opportunities. The reason they’re there behind the tills is not because of their character, lack of ambition or bad grades. More often than not, it’s because they’re starting without the base that we’ve been given. They have no backstop in life. No support network. Yes, they have degrees, yes they’ve had ‘good’ jobs in the past. But if your degree was in Czech law and the jobs you can find in Prague barely cover your rent, with a strand of courage you’re going to go look for something else, even if it is starting right from the bottom.

Alongside familiarising myself with which detergents are used for ovens, worktops and fridges and the proper security procedure if we ever come across a bomb under a table, what I really took away from my time in Pret was the extent of the glass floor problem we suffer from in Britain. Much is said about the need for social mobility. The need for fluidity within our social strata, so that familial background no longer inhibits personal merit and acumen in determining our position within the social system. In our capitalist, ‘protestant ethic’, western world the idea of social mobility is inescapably tied up with the undying aspiration for our children to exceed our own successes. Many of the parent’s of my colleagues at UCL undoubtedly saw their children’s education as an investment, paying for their clubs, holidays and school fees. They had prized the importance of ‘soft skills’ such as confidence and presentability – maybe even filtering their offspring through weekend drama schools and singing lessons. And now, on the eve of university they were once again financially supporting them during unpaid internships or work experience. For those without the means to subside for 3 months without student finance, such a luxury is naturally not an option.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The last decade has seen much development on the front of the glass ceiling in society. Additional rights and company quotas for women, the disabled and elderly workers have enhanced the possibilities of the aspirational (generally at the top of society) –  and rightly so.

But just as pressing an issue, and invariably a more sticky one to tackle is the plight of those in the lowest segments of society who find an equal struggle in reaching up. As the expectation and competition for graduate jobs becomes more fierce, parents will feel an even greater pressure to invest in and support the next generation; the invaluable trust fund or the distant relative who works in a big office (and let’s just hope won’t mind having a free assistant for a week) become not just an asset, but a criterion for economic success. This is the glass floor in it’s creation. We all have the merit – this is a race for the everything else. And dangerously, it’s in these everything else societies that economic inequality is the greatest – a comparison of social mobility in US and Canada will tell us that.

So its those without the parents, without the funds or without the contacts that are stuck underneath the glass floor. In the case of Britain, a significant proportion of those stuck are immigrants- in some (but not all) cases suffering from the added disadvantage of poor langauge skills. But immigrants certainly don’t represent all cases; those who have been in social care, those from poorer backgrounds, rural backgrounds etc etc… They’ve got the personal equalities, education and common sense.  But because that’s all they’ve got others are able to slip in ahead of them on the rungs of the social ladder. (And let’s face it – how often do we slide into those algebraic equations we learnt in sixth form in our average ‘graduate’ job?)

As I say, there are few easy fixes. It seems to me there are two strands to take – the broadly leftist or the broadly conservative. The ‘cutting in’ on the social ladder could be targeted – Ed Miliband momentarily took a stand against unpaid internships in the 2015 Labour Manifesto. This would inhibit them from becoming the reserve of the elite. On the other hand, the ability to cut in could made more widely available – particularly to those below much of societies’ glass floor. To varying degrees of success, the academy idea has paved the way in bringing students from poorer backgrounds closer to employers and corporations. (Still largely restricted to urban areas though.) At the same time, the present government’s emphasis on apprenticeships has highlighted the benefits of employees ‘working up the ranks’ rather than recruiting one level of worker for the entry level jobs and relying on a graduate scheme to fill the roles at the top. Realistically, no one can stop people from taking opportunities to enhance themselves. The only approach is to ensure that those opportunities reach the widest corners of our society.

We may still be a long way from resolving the problems and perceptions of inequality within Britain today. But let’s at least attempt to come to terms with it; my time in Pret gave me a small, valuable insight into one particular corner of the lives of those below many people’s glass floor. They’re not necessarily ‘poor’ – they work incredibly hard and get paid relatively well for it. But in many respects it’s a socially isolating life to lead. They work with foreigners, live with foreigners, go out with foreigners and, of course, when it comes to that all-important telephone interview for the next job? No, they didn’t understand what the person was saying on the phone. Talking too quickly. Maybe using some special terms. So they’re sticking around here for a bit….

Pret was tough, inspiring, and the best form of ‘education’ I could have hoped for at the time. I soon realised that the person pushing our cereal boxes through the checkout in Lidl, or the bored security guard at the Oxford Street Primark- they too are the protagonists of their own love stories, and probably wildly better than our own. They may have read more Dickens novels than our entire sixth form English class; they may have more certificates than us and they probably do speak more languages.  They have plans for their route to the nobel peace prize, or UK Top 40 christmas no 1. And dreams for their children and hopes for retirement. And being cynical about it, its only the rest of society jumping ahead of them that’s dragging them down.

In words of the College Dropout himself…..

PS- a few of those I worked alongside:

An Italian ex-circus clown who had toured across europe for 15 years and knew virtually every turkish restaurant in north london (no mean feat). He had almost finished his law degree when I met him, making a coffee each 30 secs, 7.5 hours a day, 5 days a week to pay for his course.

My manager Aga, left Turkmenistan with a friend when he was 24. Speaking no english, he got a job working in the kitchen in Pret where he met and married another employee, a Brazilian woman. He had an engineering degree from Ashgabat University as well as degrees in Computer Science and Finance and Accounting from Birkbeck and City Universities in London. When I met him he spoke Russian, Turkmen, Turkish, Arabic, Portuguese and understandable English. He used to joke about not having any qualifications in cleaning tables, having spent some much time ‘developing the skill.’

And a 22 year old Hungarian who had become redundant after the cinema he worked at in Budapest shut down. Having learnt english from Game of Thrones, he came to London knowing no one. He arrived at work at 8.30pm each evening, made sandwiches until 4.30am and after 3 buses got home at around 6am. He knew every word to every Jay-Z song, timed to perfection. (Yes, I was jealous.) This summer he went to Ibiza for the first time. He wants to be a DJ.

Don’t hate me, but I’m struggling to be a feminist.

I’m having an internal dialogue as to what I think about feminism. It’s been going on for a while (roughly a decade) and I’m concerned I’m not making much progress. I’ve had the opportunity of an education, I can vote, I can work, I can travel where I want. I don’t feel like there’s anything I want to do but can’t solely because I a woman. Granted, occasional unwanted attention from the opposite sex is still a problem today. I think we all know that. But I don’t feel like that diminishes me as a person. To me, that’s not so much the woes of being female – more the woes of being a man who’ll never know what he’s missing.

But despite all this, I still feel some moral obligation to adopt the title:

I am a(n aspiring) feminist.

I still get a bit anxious when the topic comes up. When friends share ultra-empowering, women-rule-the-world statuses and links on facebook, or complain about their daily maltreatment by men. Or when we praise Cara Delevigne for telling us to ‘free the nipple’ on instagram and get excited about the girls of Tehran for wearing jeans and cutting their hair short. Of course, this isn’t any form of western cultural appropriation or neo-colonialism (although if it were Mauri tribespeople instead of Arabs, perhaps we wouldn’t be celebrating their stylistic transitions with such triumphalism) – no, this is feminism, so stand up girls; let’s all clap our hands and dance to Katy Perry because WE LOVE FEMINISM ❤

Well, Michelle Obama’s great. And Queen B. The Bell Jar got me through when I needed it. Can I join the club?

No seriously, I have tried to be a feminist. I started off with If Women Counted by Marilyn Waring – written in the 80s but now considered one of the founding texts of feminist economics. As I understand, her argument suggests that in associating the value of our assets (whether human or physical) with the monetary value of the output they produce, the capitalist set-up is designed to reduce the role of women through undervaluing the work they traditionally do. The male position is therefore secured on a higher rung of the social ladder and women are reduced to their dependants. The argument seems pretty logical – because women more commonly do work with no monetary value attached (caring for children; managing the household for their families; providing basic, but unpaid healthcare), women represent ‘undervalued human capital’ in our capitalist system. Men, who aren’t expected to fill these roles and so aren’t ‘undervalued’ enjoy greater economic freedom, independence, and a higher status in society.

I get, it- feminism is about women having equality with men, and there’s no lack of cases across the world where that still hasn’t been achieved. Certainly in many of the poorest societies women have little option other than to fill these unpaid, undervalued roles. The pure fact that they are female, and nothing else, condemns them to a lifetime of dependency with little ownership and few choices.

But what about the women who are independent? Who can, if they choose, step outside the immediate homestead and work? In most of the Western world isn’t it the financial and therefore social independence that we enjoy that forms the pre-requisite to the luxury of calling ourselves feminists? After all, I doubt many of the women Marilyn Waring was referring to in her economic model would actually labelled themselves with the term. Ironically, it seems to be those women who do enjoy more or less equality with their male counterparts that are able to join the club. `Those who don’t seem to be left outside.

Hence the confusion again set in. Maybe I needed to look at the other end of the social/ economic spectrum. If I struggled to get my head around the relationship between feminism and women without relative power, maybe a better place to start would be looking to those with relative power. And I needed to hear clear arguments. I needed someone to talk to me; to tell me personally without me having to think. So I went to the autobiography section of the Oxford Street Waterstone’s and picked out Lena Dunham’s Not That Kind of Girl. Surely the queen herself, the New York high flyer and all round woman-of-the-world couldn’t let me down.

It was a good read. It certainly filled the criteria of me not having to think, and I found it strangely reassuring to match up her eccentricities to my own – I definitely felt a bit less weird for four or five days and that’s always a good thing. But I couldn’t escape the sense that I was looking onto a very tightly-knit circle of grown women enjoying a kindergarten story time session.

Yes, I recorded what I ate for a month. And guess what…. I eat SO MUCH FOOD. But it’s ok that I’m overweight because on the inside I’m beautiful.’ *General applause and pats on backs all round*

Ok, the essence of the book I agreed with. Women don’t need to be worried. We don’t need to feel like we have anything to live up to, or be pressurised with any constraints. We should be confident, and happy, and feel good about ourselves.

But aren’t these pretty universal messages? I’m sure our childhood friend Arthur the aardvark and the tunes of S club 7 were saying the same things…. Why when we get to adulthood are they being withheld within the binds of daring pink and black ‘feminist’ print?

I understand that there are issues which face women to a greater extent than men. And these are real issues. Emma Graham-Harrison wrote a recent article in The Guardian highlighting how much more difficult survival is for women residing in the migrant camps in Calais purely because they’re women. We as readers can empathise with the fear of unwanted attention when we go out for the evening (mobile phone and house keys in toe). But with no streetlights, no police support, no tampons or soap, and in many cases a child to look out for (three mothers have so far given birth in ‘The Jungle’ camp – quite a feat) daily life takes on a whole new level of challenging.

But I find it difficult not to see the term ‘feminism’ as restricting these issues to the female sphere. Not in their reception – there are plenty of prominent male feminists around – but in their origin. It suggests that these are problems only women have, and society needs to deal with them.

From all that we’ve learnt in the history of the world, surely one of the most important, resounding lessons is not to look at humanity in blocks. Not to divide people up as their nationality, or their religion, their race, political bias – or gender. Not to isolate each block or pose one against another. People are intricate. They’re individual and interconnected in more ways than we realise, and in my opinion, a huge achievement of our generation has been our ability to disassociate ourselves with gender norms. It’s ok for our best friends to be of the other sex. It’s ok to spend time with whoever we want to spend time with – go to dinner with them, go on holiday with them, co-habit with them. As we’ve recently seen with the Women’s football World Cup, women’s sport is for once being regarded just as seriously as men’s. This isn’t because women are becoming more like men – it’s because the individuals on that sports team are now able to do what those individuals want to do. In many cases, our gender is coming to no longer define the boundaries of our societal or social roles and interactions. Yes, there’s a feminine stereotype and a masculine stereotype, but at last we seemed to have realised – 99% of us lie somewhere in-between, as non-gendered people.

I’m saying this because I think that’s the crux of my issue with feminism. That surely ‘feminist’ issues are just ‘people’s’ issues. In response to feminist economics – anyone can be economically undervalued, male as well as female, child as well as adult; in response to Lena Dunham – anyone can feel insecure; in response to the real challenges facing women throughout the world – the challenges you’re facing don’t just apply to you. They don’t exist in their own gendered sphere – they’re part of a wider societal, cultural, economic and political sphere that touches on and involves us all. Their relevance shouldn’t be attached to the block of humans we call ‘women’. The danger; the injustice; the lack of independence or choice; the harassment and exploitation – they all very much exist and they’re all very much causes worth fighting against. But these aren’t issues of women’s rights, they’re issues of human rights.


text:
South Bend, Indiana; Monday; June 29, 2015

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“Chaos, by its very definition, cannot be controlled. Once introduced, all order and intention is rendered useless. The outcome of chaos can never be predicted. The only certainty it brings, is the devastation it leaves in its wake.”

Michael Myers was like no other. He killed without conscience, and left a slew of deaths in his wake. He had just recently escaped from the mental facility where he grew up, and all that psychologist Dr. Samuel Loomis had to do was follow the track of breadcrumbs that lead to Michael. In his youth, Michael was always the outcast, the “other”. He was bullied for having a mom who was a dancer and was ostracized in school. Coming home was no cakewalk either, Michael had a difficult home life. Michael’s “stepdad” figure berated him every chance he got, and his sister Judith could care less. All these factored in to his inclination to chaos, and manifested in his youth as violence towards his pets. When Michael’s mother was called in the principal’s office, she gave him one day of freedom – Halloween – before strict rules were to be put in place. That was the day all hell broke loose in the Myers residence.

On that fateful day of Halloween, the ten-year-old Michael became a murderer. Sounds crazy right? How could a child, one whose smile was so sweet and whose eyes were so clear, kill the people in his life? The personification of the child as the monster is so clearly a reflection of society’s disdain and rejection for children. The child in the horror film, as Robin Wood states, is almost always going to be the “oppressed” – an element common to the horror genre. Michael Myers, with his angelic face and golden hair never grew up. In the mental facility he was treated like a child – by his psychologist, his caretakers, and the janitor – even after 15 years. His physical appearance changed, but his mental state seemed to be stunted. When Michael got out of the mental facility, he looked for the baby sister he left behind many years ago. A girl who grew up to be called Laurie. In this search, he killed many people. We can use Linda William’s article on “When the woman looks”, to show that Halloween had a typical “male gaze” where the women in the film became victims, object of the voyeur. Most of Michael’s victims were female, and he attacked them at their most vulnerable – in their nakedness. In the end, all his efforts were for naught because Michael was not able to be reunited with Laurie.

I think the character of Michael Myers is very interesting, but his “difference” also made the movie Halloween not very likeable. The story of Michael Myers is one of intrigue. Much like the documentary “The Child of Rage”, it is hard not to be curious as to why those people came to be that way but, those stories do not give comfort or pleasure to anyone reading or watching it.

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sample sale!

Thanks to a tip form the darling Miss Winnie; D and I moseyed on up to the super fun sample sale in NW on Saturday. See the flyer below.

Up at 18th and Upshur, I found my new favorite brand.

I swear to you, everything on the Lifetime rack caught my eye. One dress in particular was literally what I would have designed given the chance. So great!  See below for pics of the dress, and a skirt coming up in the next outfit post was from there too! I made off with  two dresses, a super soft sweater tank, and a heavy knitted skirt.. all for $60! $15 a peice! Needless to say I was pumped…. and it restored my faith after teh giant FAIL that was the American Apparel sale the day before…

This dress was my favorite find. I already know I will get tons of miles out of it. Paired it up with some cute Target ankle boots and off to Mike’s birthday we went, that same night!

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Sunday, 29 July 2012

hphosts: Updated 29-07-2012

I am happy to report, the hpHosts server is now back online, and I've just finished updating the server and mirrors (all except one, due to a technical error, currently being worked on), with the new files (were meant to be out earlier this week, but obviously had to be delayed).

The hpHOSTS Hosts file has been updated. There is now a total of 171,879 listed hostsnames.

If you are NOT using the installer, please read the included Readme.txt file for installation instructions. Enjoy! :)
  1. Latest Updated: 29/07/2012 22:00
  2. Last Verified: 28/07/2012 01:00
Download hpHosts now!

Thursday, 26 July 2012

Info: hpHosts downtime

For those wondering, hpHosts has been suffering a dDos attack for the past ~48 hours. Steps are being taken to mitigate it and identify those responsible. Once done, hphosts will be back online. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Wednesday, 25 July 2012

Called by 03339009119?

I recently handled a call my family received, from the following number;

0333 9009 119

The chap on the phone had an Indian accent (surprise surprise), and asked for my brother. When told he wasn't in, I asked who it was, and the chap immediately hung up.

I did a little digging, and it appears this number, has quite the history of cold-calling, and spamming on websites (dating back to 2009), including a site claiming to be for the Punjab Police, bit strange, but we also know the Indian police force don't seem to care about their citizens involvement in fraud (unfair? perhaps, but they don't appear to be doing anything about the cold-calling scammers in Kolkata ....).

If you've received a call from this number, or any number starting with 0333 900, then the company to report it to, would be the phone company that owns this number;

Windsor Telecom PLC

I'd also recommend reporting it to your phone provider (e.g. BT, Sky, Virgin Media).

OfCom: Unsolicited Telesales Calls

Telephony scams: Your machine told them it was infected? Really?

Malwarebytes: Telephony Scams: Can You Help?

Eset: The Tech Support Scammer’s Revenge

Monday, 23 July 2012

Alert: Olympics 2012 malware

Criminals are very predictable;

1. Disaster occurs
2. Serve malware by exploiting [1]

1. News occurs
2. Serve malware by exploiting [1]

1. Someone dies
2. Serve malware by exploiting [1]

As usual, they're also predictable in how they do it;

1. Drive-by's
2. Exploits
3. Phishing
4. Social engineering

In this case, it's all about the Olympics (don't see why everyone is so fussed about it personally, never have), and right on schedule, the criminals have rallied to exploit it;

The Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games is exactly 1 week away and Websense Security Labs researchers are already seeing data-stealing malware that aims to capitalize on the Games. Malware piggybacks on the buzz surrounding current, high profile events like the Olympics in order to steal personal data. Olympics-themed content armed with malware is introduced mainly through social engineering-based attacks. The cyber criminals behind the themed attacks know that they have a better chance of enticing potential victims by appearing current and relevant to a hot topic. That gets clicks, and the chance to spread their data-stealing creations further.

We have been following with interest an advisory released by the Polish Computing Emerging Response Team (CERT) which analyzed an interesting sample of data-stealing malware. This malware, once executed, has the ability to interact with social channels like Facebook, Skype, and Microsoft Live Messenger. This particular variant spreads malicious URLs through those channels and the victim's contact list. To be precise, it employs a socially engineered attack accompanied by a malicious URL that ultimately leads to a malware file that is part of a bot network. Since the sample analyzed has tried to take advantage of the buzz around the start of this year's Olympic Games, we decided it was timely to write this blog post.

Read more

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

vURL server

Just an FYI folks, the servers are going through the routine Windows Updates, so will be down for a few mins or so. server has already been done, and the vURL server is going through its reboot as I write this.

Sunday, 1 July 2012

ICANN’ failure

One of the biggest issues facing those that fight cybercrime, and perhaps “fight” sounds wrong, but it’s what we do, is arguing with hosts, registrars and AS’s, to get domains and servers, taken offline, whether it’s a single IP/server/domain or hundreds of thousands of them, as was the case with a fake meds case last year.

Usually, all we have to do, is send a report with the evidence, to a host/registrar/AS, to get action taken, but in cases where those attempts fail, we first go to the upstream, and if that fails, we then go to the registries or in the case of domains, ICANN.

It’s ICANN I want to talk about today, and the reason for this, is because they have ultimate control over EVERY SINGLE DOMAIN, regardless of it’s TLD, and this is very important. In one fell swoop, they could taken down malicious domains, and I don’t mean compromised domains, those MUST be treat completely separately (i.e. in cases of compromise, you contact those in charge of the domain/server, to get those resolved, which is usually successful, though sometimes takes alot of emails/phone calls).

ICANN however, has other ideas. They want overall control, with none of the responsibilities that go with that control, and it’s that that I have a problem with.

I’m rubbish with the examples and euphemisms, so bear with me, but let’s look at parenting as it’s the only other thing I know about (and don’t get me wrong, I screwed up my first chance at that – still no idea how I screwed it up, but I’m guessing I did, anyway, I’m getting off track), but in the case of parenting, you have a child – you’re responsible for the actions of that child, it’s as simple as that, you buy a car, you’re responsible if the car knocks someone over.

In ICANN’ case, they don’t believe they should have to do anything if a domain is involved in malicious activity, whether it’s directly infecting/phishing, or involved in other malicious/criminal activity.

The question is, why? Why are they getting away with this? This is something I’ve always had problems figuring out. I’m guessing it’s to do with money or politics, it usually is, but it’s troubling all the same, and is something that needs to change if we’re to do so much as make a difference. I personally get domains/IPs/servers taken offline every single day, and I know I’m just one person doing it, there’s thousands of others doing the same thing. However, for every one of us, there’s likely hundreds of criminals involved in malicious activity. Whether it’s “skiddies”, opportunists, or dedicated gangs, which means, if we’re to actually make a difference, then the first thing that needs to change, is for those in control, to start taking responsibility and taking action (and this also applies to the registries, as all they tend to do in most cases, is tell you to reach out to the AS – which is what’s been tried already, and led to contacting the registry in the first place).

I know this blog isn’t going to be read by them. Hell, it’s not exactly well known, so what I’d like to see done, is for people to start either asking their MPs to do something, or write to ICANN and the various registries (in the case of IPs as ICANN has no control over IP addresses), to get their stance to change, and start getting action taken.

I suppose this begs the question, of whether this is ICANN' failure, or ours (for letting things get to this point in the first place)? Either way, in the case of domains at least, ICANN are the only ones with the power to make a real difference.

And if you've got this far, thank you. I'll end my rant now.


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10411: Suša, Orle, Zagrebačka

This is a page about postal code of Suša, Orle, Zagrebačka, with more professional information like latitude, longitude and online map etc.

Postal Code

  • Category: Zagrebačka, Orle, 10411
  • Accuracy: 4
  • Admin Name 1: Zagrebačka
  • Admin Name 3: Orle
  • Latitude: 45.6333
  • Longitude: 16.2833
  • Place Name: Suša
  • Postcode: 10411

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Suša, Orle, Zagrebačka, Croatia


text:
Women behaving badly

Of course alcohol was involved in the situation.
Of course alcohol was involved in the situation.

The anonymous (for your both yours and her benefit) voice screeched down my ear, “I have something to tell you.”

“It can’t be that bad, what is it?”

“I had sex last night.”

“Good for you!” Standard response I guess.

“I might be pregnant.” Oh my God! what? Where? When? How? (Stupid question).

It is times like this when I am thankful there is no chance in hell for me to get a phone call saying that I could be the father. I have my eyes on the convertible car and penthouse apartment instead (one can only dream big I suppose). But I never thought I would have this conversation with one of my friends.

It was worse than being a father. I would be  Godfather, the one who had to buy the child presents out of principle, not love or choice. Tell funny stories to try and impress the panel of judges and lose the crude banter with my friend who would slowly turn into the mother at the school gates. To make things worse she would be a single mum. I would have to be her knight in shining armour who would step in and save the day. If anyone knows me, they will be quick to mention that I am not the saint-like man to save the day. There would be a lot of flapping involved. I struggle with looking after myself, let alone being responsible for a small child, they would end up scarred from the stories I would have to share. “This is what your mummy and I used to do, the rules are you have to down it in eight seconds. Your mummy always used to beat me at this particular game.”

What if she wanted me to be guardian? If my friend died, that would mean that I would end up being  the person I always strived not to be, a father. And a depressed one at that having just lost my close friend, the world would crumble under my feet. The convertible would be a distant regret having no practicality and the penthouse would soon transform into a crèche. The whole situation would be a nightmare!

Children… Kids… “Your egg and his sperm. Why did you not think about all of this before you shagged this stranger?”

“It’s okay, I’m probably not, I’m not at my most fertile, that’s next week.”

I’m sorry what? I know I am not the best person to understand the female anatomy but girls have more or less chance in getting pregnant depending what day of the month it is? My brain works very simply: Woman and man have sex, nine months later and we say hello to little Noah or Bonnie (names don’t matter, either way your life will change forever), along with a lifetime of stress, worry, commitment and potentially an unsexy and stretched body. Men have sex with man, 9 months later and there is no baby, no extra expenses, no stretch marks and no signs of aging. I know which person I would rather be.

My friend has (I hope) learnt her lesson from this rather selfish situation she could have put me in. There is a new rule with being my friend from now on. You may only have a baby if you are in a stable relationship and for heaven sakes, do NOT ask me to be your guardian, I wouldn’t cope and neither will your precious bundle of joy. I will however continue to be your friend and make sure that the little one has plenty of fun adventures in his or her childhood.

So joking aside I do like children; I am looking forward to being the gay uncle that teaches them lots of new and rebellious skills. Like increasing their vocabulary with a dictionary of rude and inappropriate words, how to argue with daddy, and most importantly how to throw a proper tantrum! What a great uncle I am going to be… I hope my brothers are not planning fatherhood anytime soon, although the eldest has just gone an bought a Citoen Picasso (Is this a sign?)

And finally a little advice to my friend who, from this blog will have most certainly understood how I feel about the entire situation. By all means be young and enjoy life.  But your safety, youth and morals should not be sacrificed as a consequence to your drunk actions.

H x

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ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

How to Make an Elizabethan Collar For Your Dog

Updated on April 16, 2011

E-collars may provide priceless peace of mind

It is a natural response for dogs to lick where they hurt. Indeed, if you find your dog insistently licking a spot chances are high that there is something wrong. There may be a splinter, a small wound, a scratch or an insect bite. In many cases, dogs may have allergies and resort to licking their itchy skin for relief.

A big problem often dog owners are faced with however, are cases of dogs licking their wounds and suture areas after surgery. If your dog has been spayed or neutered you will very likely notice that at one point your dog will start to want to lick the area.

If you are fortunate enough, your veterinarian may have thought this in advance and may have provided you with what owners gently like to refer to as ''lampshade collars'', but that are known in veterinary care as ''Elizabethan Collars''. The origin of this name is because they resemble the fancy ''ruff collars'' found in clothes at the times of queen Elizabeth.

However, if you were not provided with the collar and your dog has started disturbing the wound area in the middle of the night you may find yourself regretting the fact you were not offered to purchase an E- collar and that you did not even bother to ask for one.

What to do then if Rover decides to aggravate his suture area right at midnight when all stores and vet clinics are closed?

Well, there are various options....

1) See the ER

Very likely you have some animal emergency center nearby that will be happy to sell you an E-collar even at the oddest times of the night. However, expect to pay a good price for it. You may also want to bring your dog so they may even fit it well on your dog. An extra charge may apply for fitting it as well...

2) Use a bucket

In some cases, a bucket will do for a night until the vet clinic will open in the morning. Simply get a bucket and make a hole in it enough for the head to fit through. Then, carefully sand off the sharp edges or melt them. Tie the bucket to the collar. For pictures and more instructions, visit this reference link.

3) Ice cream bucket

An ice cream bucket may be an alternative for the bucket if the dog is a small one. Simple cut a hole just as the bucket and watch for sharp edges.

4) Use Cardboard

A large poster board or carton may be an easy way to make a temporary e-collar. You must start by making a hole for the dog's hea. Then holes may be punched in order to attach the e-collar to the dog's collar with shoe strings. For pictures and more directions visit this reference link.

5) Daddy's shorts

If the incision area is near the abdomen or the top of the rear legs, a pair of shorts may do at times. Simply make sure they do not come off by tying them on the collar. Always supervise your pet when wearing them!

6) Daddy's shirt

If the wound or suture area is in the abdominal area or shoulder area the dog may wear a shirt in order to avoid chewing the area. However, this should be just temporary as most wounds benefit from getting aired.

A seen, there are various alternatives to the famous lamp shade collars. While these alternatives should only be temporary because nothing really equals the ones professionally made, they ultimately get the job done. Always supervise your pet when wearing an alternative collar because they may not match the safety features of an e-collar provided by your vet.

Some helpful Devices

The Comfy Cone Pet Recovery Collar by All Four Paws, Extra Large, Black
The Comfy Cone Pet Recovery Collar by All Four Paws, Extra Large, Black

Finally a solution for the age old problem of how to let your pet heal in comfort. Made of patented nylon fabric laminated onto ½ inch foam which is soft and yielding while being very sturdy and protective. Has elastic loops to thread the pets own collar through to keep the Comfy Collar secure in place and keeping it from being pulled off or from falling off. Allows your pet to eat and drink in comfort, or collar can be folded back when eating and drinking or when checking wounds and irritations.

Trimline Veterinary Soft Recovery Collar for Cats & Small Dogs
Trimline Veterinary Soft Recovery Collar for Cats & Small Dogs

The Trimline Veterinary Recovery Collar is an effective, comfortable, flexible Elizabethan-style collar for use with cats and dogs experiencing injury, surgery and trauma restraint conditions. It is soft, lightweight and easily applied with a simple drawstring design.

Grannick's Bitter Apple for Dogs Spray Bottle, 16 Ounces
Grannick's Bitter Apple for Dogs Spray Bottle, 16 Ounces

Grannicks Bitter Apple taste deterrent and training aid for dogs. Bitter taste and smell work together to keep puppies and dogs from fur biting, hair chewing and hot spots. Safe and non-irritating

My dog Kaiser with a temporary e-collar made from a ''finding Nemo'' place mat

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    • advisor4qb profile image

      advisor4qb 8 years ago from On New Footing

      The puppy is adorable!

    • alexadry profile image

      Adrienne Janet Farricelli 8 years ago from USA

      thanks, they are my two Rotties Petra (top) and Kaiser (bottom)

    • profile image

      Steph 8 years ago

      I feel for your dog! They do get used to it, but my Dingo had an aural hematoma (not for pics) and had to have a collar for 6 weeks!!! have never had to wipe up so many tilted water bowls ever!

      I wish you and yor dog the best. :-)

    • profile image

      jezy 7 years ago

      this really helps me a lot thanks ! ^^

    • profile image

      roonfields 7 years ago

      Why are the Elizabethan collars made so HUGE!!!!! in depth?? My dog had surgery for removal of his eye and the collar provided was needed but the depth of it was just too much--any ideas to shorten it??

    • PetCollars profile image

      PetCollars 5 years ago from Saint Augustine, Florida

      So cute! I must try this to my pet. Thanks for sharing it!

    • DarkSinistar profile image

      DarkSinistar 4 years ago from North Carolina

      Rotties sure know how to turn on the pitiful look when stuck in an Elizabethan collar, don't they? LOL! Great hub.

    • alexadry profile image

      Adrienne Janet Farricelli 4 years ago from USA

      Yes, they are! my male had to wear a big one when he hurt his paw and he then learned to use it to "attack" my female Rott. It was funny, it was as if transformed into a dog with super powers!

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