It's been another quiet day; the weather has been cloudy and cool, one of my cousins and I went for an evening walk, and at present only one group of trick-or-treaters has come to the door. It's been a light-paced Halloween.
This isn't the case for the people in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, and for those in New Jersey in particular. Superstorm Sandy has affected millions of people, and they'll be too busy recovering from the storm to be able to celebrate. It'll be weeks before the mess is cleaned up and repairs are complete.
I wish the best to all the people affected by Sandy.
Wednesday 31 October 2012
Tuesday 30 October 2012
In Norwich
I spent the day in Norwich, the largest city in Norfolk, with my aunt. She had some birthday and early Christmas shopping to do, and I was happy to come along to both spend some time with her and to see Norwich. It was lovely to walk around the city, and then to ride a double-decker bus on the way back (we sat at the front on the second level). I have some pictures and will post them at a later date.
Monday 29 October 2012
A much quieter day
Today has been a much quieter day than yesterday; my aunt has been out
with a friend, one of my cousins has been out with his friends, and my
other cousin here has been with her boyfriend for much of the day
(when they both came back they cooked dinner for everyone, which we're grateful for!). I spent a portion of the early afternoon talking to my uncle about his work, and then we went for a walk later on.
The day was more interesting than it sounds, although not surprisingly I don't have any pictures to post.
The day was more interesting than it sounds, although not surprisingly I don't have any pictures to post.
Sunday 28 October 2012
Southwold
My aunt, uncle, one of my cousins and I spent the afternoon in the coastal town of Southwold. It's the first time I've been to the English coast since I've been back in the United Kingdom; the last time I went to any coast was to Florence in Oregon in September 2006. I have a few pictures of our visit to the town and will be uploading some when I return home.
We're supposed to be going to see a film later this evening; I'm looking forward to it.
We're supposed to be going to see a film later this evening; I'm looking forward to it.
Saturday 27 October 2012
The East of England
For the first time in about eighteen years I'm at my aunt and uncle's house in the county of Suffolk. I look forward to my time here, and will be in Suffolk until next Friday.
It's hard to believe I was only four the last time I was here! I've already taken a few pictures and will be posting them when I return to Northamptonshire.
It's hard to believe I was only four the last time I was here! I've already taken a few pictures and will be posting them when I return to Northamptonshire.
Friday 26 October 2012
Voting early
President Barack Obama recently became the first president to cast an early vote in a presidential election, with First Lady Michelle Obama already having voted a couple of weeks ago. I consider the Obamas' move to vote early a good thing, not just because I support them but also because voting early fits in with what I wrote a few months ago on voting times.
I am pleased that most of the attempts to restrict early voting in the 2012 presidential election have failed. Allowing people to vote early has several benefits: for one thing, it reduces the crowds on the main election day; if strict voting times are enforced then fewer people will risk being turned away if they had already voted days or weeks before.
Early voting gives people who would otherwise be unavailable on election day the ability to vote: some people with disabilities may not be able to leave their homes because of their conditions but they are afforded the chance to vote anyway. It ensures a vote for people who are busy with work on election day or would prefer to spend the time engaging in last-minute get-out-the-vote campaigning. Members of the armed forces and people who have to travel on the day also get to vote without having to worry about not being able to. It's also simply convenient for people who consider it important to vote but don't want to spend all day in a line waiting. Everybody benefits from early voting, regardless of political party.
Oregon does all of its elections via the mail-in vote, eliminating - or at least reducing - the need for polling booths, and is the first state to do so; for 2012 it has been voting since the 19th of this month. Under Oregon's system most of its electorate will have already voted by election day. Other states do allow for the mail-in vote but not to the extent Oregon does.
Critics cite the reliability of the postal service being a major problem with the mail-in vote. I should note, however, that a mail-in vote and an early vote should not be conflated: in-person early voting exists and there are states that allow it; President Obama made his vote this way. Oregon also has ballot return boxes for people to manually place their votes in: you fill in the form at home and drop it in the box.
I completely endorse the president casting an early vote, both to support him and to help raise the awareness of early voting and its importance. The ability to early vote is something to be embraced and expanded, not shunned and restricted. More states and even countries should adopt the early and mail-in/drop off voting.
I am pleased that most of the attempts to restrict early voting in the 2012 presidential election have failed. Allowing people to vote early has several benefits: for one thing, it reduces the crowds on the main election day; if strict voting times are enforced then fewer people will risk being turned away if they had already voted days or weeks before.
Early voting gives people who would otherwise be unavailable on election day the ability to vote: some people with disabilities may not be able to leave their homes because of their conditions but they are afforded the chance to vote anyway. It ensures a vote for people who are busy with work on election day or would prefer to spend the time engaging in last-minute get-out-the-vote campaigning. Members of the armed forces and people who have to travel on the day also get to vote without having to worry about not being able to. It's also simply convenient for people who consider it important to vote but don't want to spend all day in a line waiting. Everybody benefits from early voting, regardless of political party.
Oregon does all of its elections via the mail-in vote, eliminating - or at least reducing - the need for polling booths, and is the first state to do so; for 2012 it has been voting since the 19th of this month. Under Oregon's system most of its electorate will have already voted by election day. Other states do allow for the mail-in vote but not to the extent Oregon does.
Critics cite the reliability of the postal service being a major problem with the mail-in vote. I should note, however, that a mail-in vote and an early vote should not be conflated: in-person early voting exists and there are states that allow it; President Obama made his vote this way. Oregon also has ballot return boxes for people to manually place their votes in: you fill in the form at home and drop it in the box.
I completely endorse the president casting an early vote, both to support him and to help raise the awareness of early voting and its importance. The ability to early vote is something to be embraced and expanded, not shunned and restricted. More states and even countries should adopt the early and mail-in/drop off voting.
Thursday 25 October 2012
"Poorly written article"
It always annoys me to read a comment where someone dismisses a piece of writing as a "poorly written article" with absolutely no explanation as to why they think the quality of the article's writing is low. Sometimes I'm not convinced that the person has any problem with how the article is written, but rather because they disagree with the content.
I single out this particular term because it is the one I observe the most in regards to comments about writing quality. "Poorly written article" does not provide any helpful feedback to the writer. Are there spelling errors? Grammatical problems? Too few or too many commas? A few misused words? Without any examples the comment comes across as unhelpful at best and insulting at worst.
As to my second point about the term, there are occasions when I cannot find any fault with the article's writing whatsoever, and the rest of the critic's comment is about their disagreement with the subject. Disagreeing with something does not make it badly written: there are times when I agree with what an author is saying, but the writing quality is terrible, and in other cases the quality is superb but I disagree with their opinion.
With any criticism, giving tips on how someone can improve is the best way forward: it's how we learn. In conflating disagreement with writing quality, it is perhaps a matter of perspective, but I for one usually separate my opinons on the writer's message from the way they wrote it. Irregardless, a vague "poorly written article" comment is useless if it's not backed up.
I single out this particular term because it is the one I observe the most in regards to comments about writing quality. "Poorly written article" does not provide any helpful feedback to the writer. Are there spelling errors? Grammatical problems? Too few or too many commas? A few misused words? Without any examples the comment comes across as unhelpful at best and insulting at worst.
As to my second point about the term, there are occasions when I cannot find any fault with the article's writing whatsoever, and the rest of the critic's comment is about their disagreement with the subject. Disagreeing with something does not make it badly written: there are times when I agree with what an author is saying, but the writing quality is terrible, and in other cases the quality is superb but I disagree with their opinion.
With any criticism, giving tips on how someone can improve is the best way forward: it's how we learn. In conflating disagreement with writing quality, it is perhaps a matter of perspective, but I for one usually separate my opinons on the writer's message from the way they wrote it. Irregardless, a vague "poorly written article" comment is useless if it's not backed up.
Wednesday 24 October 2012
Glenelg
Here's a small, day-brightening piece: the town of Glenelg in Scotland recently held a ceremony to twin itself with a part of Mars with its namesake:
The Curiosity rover is supposed to visit Glenelg on Mars twice, which prompted the twinning. When humans colonise Mars and the Glenelg over there is incorporated the twinning can be reciprocated! Imagine the community exchanges between the two places.
The Curiosity rover is supposed to visit Glenelg on Mars twice, which prompted the twinning. When humans colonise Mars and the Glenelg over there is incorporated the twinning can be reciprocated! Imagine the community exchanges between the two places.
Tuesday 23 October 2012
Out-texted
I bought a new phone over a month ago; to make use of our existing handsets my old phone was given to my brother and my brother's old phone was passed over to my mother. Mum was glad for the "upgrade" as she always had trouble using the tiny buttons and seeing the content on small screen of her phone; the better buttons and the bigger, brighter screen have given her plenty of texting practice.
Over the past month Mum has sent out more texts than she has in the all the previous months of her life combined, but what's even more surprising is that my own recent texting activity has trailed off to the point where she has out-texted me 2-1! Normally I'm the person who does the most amount of texting in our house.
Now I certainly don't want this to come across as though I'm complaining...I'm not! After all, in the grand scheme of things this isn't really that important; I merely find it funny that Mum is our biggest texter at the moment while at the same time my own texting has slowed down after I purchased a new phone. It's a double irony!
Over the past month Mum has sent out more texts than she has in the all the previous months of her life combined, but what's even more surprising is that my own recent texting activity has trailed off to the point where she has out-texted me 2-1! Normally I'm the person who does the most amount of texting in our house.
Now I certainly don't want this to come across as though I'm complaining...I'm not! After all, in the grand scheme of things this isn't really that important; I merely find it funny that Mum is our biggest texter at the moment while at the same time my own texting has slowed down after I purchased a new phone. It's a double irony!
Monday 22 October 2012
"Everything" - Alanis Morissette
I heard "Ironic" by Alanis Morissette on the radio a few days ago, and so I decided to find the song on YouTube to both watch the video and listen to the song in its entirety. The page for that song linked me to one of my favourite songs of hers - "Everything", from her 2004 album So-Called Chaos:
I love Morissette's music, yet of her eight studio albums I only have one, and that's So-Called Chaos. I received that as a gift for Easter back in 2005. One day I'll have to get her other albums, especially Jagged Little Pill - where "Ironic" comes from - and Havoc and Bright Lights, as that's her newest album (released back in August).
After this post being about a music link and the ones before it containing almost exclusively pictures, I'll have to put some pieces with a high proportion of written content up soon!
I love Morissette's music, yet of her eight studio albums I only have one, and that's So-Called Chaos. I received that as a gift for Easter back in 2005. One day I'll have to get her other albums, especially Jagged Little Pill - where "Ironic" comes from - and Havoc and Bright Lights, as that's her newest album (released back in August).
After this post being about a music link and the ones before it containing almost exclusively pictures, I'll have to put some pieces with a high proportion of written content up soon!
Sunday 21 October 2012
The resilient roses
We are now a month into the fall, yet the roses in our yards refuse to acknowledge the season despite my family's initial thoughts to the contrary. For the past few weeks Mum has wanted to deadhead the roses, but with all the buds still growing it is not yet possible for her to do so:
I took this picture with my phone two days ago. Unfortunately, this particular flower has been knocked off the plant since then, but several flowers growing below the top of the fence are still intact. They truly resilient roses!
Saturday 20 October 2012
The fiery sky
This was the sky at today's sunset:
It's great when the clouds are positioned in such a way that when the Sun sets it lights them up. As my brother said, it looks like the sky is on fire. It is a beautiful sight.
Friday 19 October 2012
The large caterpillar
Dad noticed this large green caterpillar on our driveway this afternoon; it's the largest caterpillar he has ever observed in the United Kingdom:
After some research, Dad thinks this is a caterpillar for an Eyed Hawk-Moth, as they were the only British moth species he could find with caterpillars this big. It's been a long time since we last saw a caterpillar this size!
Thursday 18 October 2012
The three trees
When out on a walk this afternoon I took a few pictures. I originally made this capture for the middle tree and the other prominent tree to the right, but when I viewed the picture on the computer I realised there was another prominent tree on the far left. I like the view of the fields mixed with the cloudy sky and trees in the background:
The Sun is just outside the image in the top left corner; it's probably what obscured my view of the left tree through the screen of my phone!
Wednesday 17 October 2012
Britishisms in America
This is a fascinating piece that I read on the BBC this morning; it's about the increasing amount of British terminology being used in the United States. I'm so used to hearing about Americanisms being used in the United Kingdom that I rarely think about the reverse:
I have heard Americans use some of the words listed there: "autumn", "holiday", "roundabout", "cheers" and "mate" are a few that spring to mind. While they're not mentioned on the list, I have also heard Americans use the word "bugger" and the term "see you": a "bugger" is normally an irritant ("building that fence was a bugger!") or a playful insult ("she's a clever bugger!"), although it does have a more vulgar meaning, too. "See you" is a common British term for goodbye.
On a similar note, I would like to see an article covering Americans adopting British pronunciations. There are several American pronunciations that are taking hold over here (most people under forty use the American pronunciations of "lieutenant" and "schedule", and the ones who don't are normally being pretentious), but I've yet to read anything about the opposite. If British terms are being used in the United States then there's a good chance British pronunciations are as well.
I have heard Americans use some of the words listed there: "autumn", "holiday", "roundabout", "cheers" and "mate" are a few that spring to mind. While they're not mentioned on the list, I have also heard Americans use the word "bugger" and the term "see you": a "bugger" is normally an irritant ("building that fence was a bugger!") or a playful insult ("she's a clever bugger!"), although it does have a more vulgar meaning, too. "See you" is a common British term for goodbye.
On a similar note, I would like to see an article covering Americans adopting British pronunciations. There are several American pronunciations that are taking hold over here (most people under forty use the American pronunciations of "lieutenant" and "schedule", and the ones who don't are normally being pretentious), but I've yet to read anything about the opposite. If British terms are being used in the United States then there's a good chance British pronunciations are as well.
Tuesday 16 October 2012
Scholastic Student Vote
For the past couple of weeks the polls for the presidential election in the United States have gone haywire. Given both the abundance of polls and how President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney are continually switching back and forth in swing states and in the national popular vote, no one really knows whether to trust any of the polls or not. Do we really need yet another poll?
The results of the Scholastic Student Poll were released today, and 51% of the poll's respondent's chose to re-elect Obama, with 45% going to Romney, and remaining 4% going to other candidates. They predicted that Obama would win all of his 2008 states minus Indiana and Virginia, but would pick up Arizona and South Carolina. Only young people below the age of 18 could participate in the vote.
Why is this vote significant? After all, who cares what kids think...right? I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the result: the Scholastic Student Vote has correctly predicted the outcomes of 16 of the past 18 elections. The only two they got wrong were 1948 and 1960 - backing Thomas E. Dewey and Richard Nixon over the victors in each election; neither of these are surprising given how the polls showed that Harry S. Truman was supposed be defeated in 1948, and the 1960 election was incredibly close with John F. Kennedy winning only 0.2% more of the popular vote over Nixon.
I am glad that the vote does spark young peoples' interest in politics; with the way adults often behave, I'm inclined to trust kids more - in a variety of circumstances! Will the Scholastic Student Vote correctly predict the results for the seventeenth time? We'll just have to wait and see what happens.
The results of the Scholastic Student Poll were released today, and 51% of the poll's respondent's chose to re-elect Obama, with 45% going to Romney, and remaining 4% going to other candidates. They predicted that Obama would win all of his 2008 states minus Indiana and Virginia, but would pick up Arizona and South Carolina. Only young people below the age of 18 could participate in the vote.
Why is this vote significant? After all, who cares what kids think...right? I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the result: the Scholastic Student Vote has correctly predicted the outcomes of 16 of the past 18 elections. The only two they got wrong were 1948 and 1960 - backing Thomas E. Dewey and Richard Nixon over the victors in each election; neither of these are surprising given how the polls showed that Harry S. Truman was supposed be defeated in 1948, and the 1960 election was incredibly close with John F. Kennedy winning only 0.2% more of the popular vote over Nixon.
I am glad that the vote does spark young peoples' interest in politics; with the way adults often behave, I'm inclined to trust kids more - in a variety of circumstances! Will the Scholastic Student Vote correctly predict the results for the seventeenth time? We'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Monday 15 October 2012
More pancakes
We made pancakes for dinner and dessert; unlike the past two batches, we accidentally made the batter too thin and the pancakes split as I turned them over. The meals were delicious, as the dinner pancakes were served with baked beans and ham:
For dessert, we added chocolate powder to the mixture; these pancakes fared better in the pan as the powder thickened the batter. These were served with golden syrup:
A fine dinner and dessert! The basic recipe can be found at the bottom of my previous post on pancakes.
Sunday 14 October 2012
Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini and midrange smartphones
The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini was officially announced on the 11th of this month; shortly after its release it received a significant amount of criticism for not having the same specifications as the Samsung Galaxy S III, just in a smaller-sized phone. One other piece of criticism was that the S3 Mini was "yet another midrange smartphone".
In reading tech sites, I am surprised that there appears to be a number of people who object to midrange smartphones, mainly because they are not "up to spec" with the more advanced phones. To me, the whole point of a "midrange smartphone" is to give people who can't afford the higher models of smartphone the benefits of a smartphone, but without the pinnacle features and specifications.
At present, on Amazon.co.uk the HTC One X costs around £360, Samsung Galaxy S III around £410, and the iPhone 5 (16 gigabyte) around £680 (note that the prices of all three change daily). Not everyone can afford these prices, and not everyone needs all the features built into each device, so why not design midrange units? It has the dual-advantage of giving the company wider demographics of people to sell to and those who purchase the handsets join in the smartphone experience.
Complaining about the existence of midrange smartphones seems pointless to me. It's unreasonable to expect them to have the same specifications of a One X or an S III, as that would defeat the purpose of anything that's "midrange". Perhaps the only thing worse than midrange complaints are when people write reviews about feature phones and compare them to smartphones. It's not at all a fair comparison - imagine if this was about cars: it would be like wanting to buy an old Volkswagen Beetle, but somebody recommends you buy a Rolls Royce because has more features and "is better". At the end of the day, you want functionality at a price for your budget, not something fancy.
Some of the complaints could also be trolling and others from people who simple enjoy complaining, but regardless, midrange smartphones are here to stay. As for the S3 Mini, no offence to it but I have no plans to obtain one anytime soon...I am content with my current (new) phone!
In reading tech sites, I am surprised that there appears to be a number of people who object to midrange smartphones, mainly because they are not "up to spec" with the more advanced phones. To me, the whole point of a "midrange smartphone" is to give people who can't afford the higher models of smartphone the benefits of a smartphone, but without the pinnacle features and specifications.
At present, on Amazon.co.uk the HTC One X costs around £360, Samsung Galaxy S III around £410, and the iPhone 5 (16 gigabyte) around £680 (note that the prices of all three change daily). Not everyone can afford these prices, and not everyone needs all the features built into each device, so why not design midrange units? It has the dual-advantage of giving the company wider demographics of people to sell to and those who purchase the handsets join in the smartphone experience.
Complaining about the existence of midrange smartphones seems pointless to me. It's unreasonable to expect them to have the same specifications of a One X or an S III, as that would defeat the purpose of anything that's "midrange". Perhaps the only thing worse than midrange complaints are when people write reviews about feature phones and compare them to smartphones. It's not at all a fair comparison - imagine if this was about cars: it would be like wanting to buy an old Volkswagen Beetle, but somebody recommends you buy a Rolls Royce because has more features and "is better". At the end of the day, you want functionality at a price for your budget, not something fancy.
Some of the complaints could also be trolling and others from people who simple enjoy complaining, but regardless, midrange smartphones are here to stay. As for the S3 Mini, no offence to it but I have no plans to obtain one anytime soon...I am content with my current (new) phone!
Saturday 13 October 2012
"The Sweet Escape" - Gwen Stefani featuring Akon
I was listening to "The Sweet Escape" by Gwen Stefani and featuring Akon this afternoon. It was the second single from Stefani's second album, The Sweet Escape, and was a hit back in 2007:
Another great song from the 2006-2007 era. I miss hearing it on the radio.
Unlike many of the artists I've written about, Stefani has not disappeared into obscurity. I see her name at least once a month in celebrity news, and while she has not released any more solo albums since The Sweet Escape she has been working with her band No Doubt as of late; last month, No Doubt released Push and Shove, their first studio album in over ten years. Stefani is not going away anytime soon!
Another great song from the 2006-2007 era. I miss hearing it on the radio.
Unlike many of the artists I've written about, Stefani has not disappeared into obscurity. I see her name at least once a month in celebrity news, and while she has not released any more solo albums since The Sweet Escape she has been working with her band No Doubt as of late; last month, No Doubt released Push and Shove, their first studio album in over ten years. Stefani is not going away anytime soon!
Friday 12 October 2012
Diamond planet
Aren't the wonders of the universe amazing? I love it when they discover something new in space; how would you like a planet-sized diamond?
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/huge-alien-planet-is--made-of-diamonds---say-scientists.html
What's the catch? Well, 55 Cancri e is 40 lightyears away, so it would take an incredibly long time to get there at the current fastest human-achieved speeds; and if you even made it there to begin with, the surface temperature is around 3,900 degrees Fahrenheit...not exactly an attractive place to want to visit!
While diamonds are valuable only because we consider them to be, the existence of a diamond-world is fascinating! I hope that by the time humanity finds it technologically possible to visit the world we will have placed less emphasis on resource-stripping and will appreciate the planet for what it is.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/huge-alien-planet-is--made-of-diamonds---say-scientists.html
What's the catch? Well, 55 Cancri e is 40 lightyears away, so it would take an incredibly long time to get there at the current fastest human-achieved speeds; and if you even made it there to begin with, the surface temperature is around 3,900 degrees Fahrenheit...not exactly an attractive place to want to visit!
While diamonds are valuable only because we consider them to be, the existence of a diamond-world is fascinating! I hope that by the time humanity finds it technologically possible to visit the world we will have placed less emphasis on resource-stripping and will appreciate the planet for what it is.
Thursday 11 October 2012
Pasties
Have you ever heard of or eaten a pasty before? It's a type of wrap dish in that it consists of meat and vegetables folded up inside a pastry. Here's a picture:
The pasty is on the right, below the baked potato and next to the baked beans. Pasties are associated with the English county of Cornwall, located in the south-west of the country; it is assumed that they originated in that county, but from what I understand the exact origins are not clear.
The pasty is on the right, below the baked potato and next to the baked beans. Pasties are associated with the English county of Cornwall, located in the south-west of the country; it is assumed that they originated in that county, but from what I understand the exact origins are not clear.
Wednesday 10 October 2012
Sheer disrespect
Discussions about politics often become heated. This is to be expected, but normally the conversations are respectful and there are no hard feelings by the end. This year, politics are extremely hot given the major election that has been taking place for the last ten months; even so, people should try their best to keep a cool head on and avoid insulting each other and their respective preferred candidates.
Which is why it appalls me to read hateful comments on Internet articles about President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. There is a huge difference between disagreement and sheer disrespect/irrational loathing of a political figure. I am an Obama supporter, but I will listen to and sometimes even agree with reasoned argument and criticism; however, I will always dismiss offensive and hateful comments about him.
Over the past week alone I have read comments that contain insulting variations on his name and frequently call him a traitor, un-American, or that he outright "hates America". A number of comments say that Obama should be arrested, imprisoned, and some have even said he should be executed! The fact that Obama has not done anything to justify any of those things notwithstanding, I find the name-calling and potential violence these people spout to be blatantly disrespectful to someone who is the President of the United States and considered the most powerful man in the world. I could not imagine this sort of language ever being allowed to flourish under George W. Bush, and during his presidency I would have disagreed with anyone who suggested that he should have been executed (I haven't changed from this opinion).
It's at the point now where most comment sections I read on articles about American politics have immediately devolved into a thread devoted to hating the president and anyone who supports him - and these include British news sites. When someone writes "liberals are a cancer" or "death to Obama supporters" it makes me angry, but at the same time it upsets me that there are ordinary people who believe that stamping on their political opponents is the way to win elections and "take the country back" - that is what happens in dictatorships, not democracies.
To be fair, I have seen hateful comments directed at Obama's main challenger, Mitt Romney, although they are less vitriolic and I've yet to read anyone say that Romney should be executed or that his supporters are un-American and should be killed. On several occasions I have observed people who do not plan to vote for Obama argue against and scold people using hateful or violent commentary against him.
In the case of the First Lady, I almost always dismiss any criticism of her because I believe that she has not done anything to warrant it, she does not create policy or change any laws, and because she has not commented negatively about her husband's political opponents. I disliked criticism of Laura Bush, too - for the same reasons as Michelle Obama; both are decent women.
I worry that, regardless of who wins, the rhetoric will continue after the election has concluded. People need to stop the insults and pure hatred and go back to getting along and compromising (and by "compromising", I mean that everyone makes the effort to get along/work with others, not one side gives in to the other). As I said earlier, keeping a cool head is the way to go.
Which is why it appalls me to read hateful comments on Internet articles about President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. There is a huge difference between disagreement and sheer disrespect/irrational loathing of a political figure. I am an Obama supporter, but I will listen to and sometimes even agree with reasoned argument and criticism; however, I will always dismiss offensive and hateful comments about him.
Over the past week alone I have read comments that contain insulting variations on his name and frequently call him a traitor, un-American, or that he outright "hates America". A number of comments say that Obama should be arrested, imprisoned, and some have even said he should be executed! The fact that Obama has not done anything to justify any of those things notwithstanding, I find the name-calling and potential violence these people spout to be blatantly disrespectful to someone who is the President of the United States and considered the most powerful man in the world. I could not imagine this sort of language ever being allowed to flourish under George W. Bush, and during his presidency I would have disagreed with anyone who suggested that he should have been executed (I haven't changed from this opinion).
It's at the point now where most comment sections I read on articles about American politics have immediately devolved into a thread devoted to hating the president and anyone who supports him - and these include British news sites. When someone writes "liberals are a cancer" or "death to Obama supporters" it makes me angry, but at the same time it upsets me that there are ordinary people who believe that stamping on their political opponents is the way to win elections and "take the country back" - that is what happens in dictatorships, not democracies.
To be fair, I have seen hateful comments directed at Obama's main challenger, Mitt Romney, although they are less vitriolic and I've yet to read anyone say that Romney should be executed or that his supporters are un-American and should be killed. On several occasions I have observed people who do not plan to vote for Obama argue against and scold people using hateful or violent commentary against him.
In the case of the First Lady, I almost always dismiss any criticism of her because I believe that she has not done anything to warrant it, she does not create policy or change any laws, and because she has not commented negatively about her husband's political opponents. I disliked criticism of Laura Bush, too - for the same reasons as Michelle Obama; both are decent women.
I worry that, regardless of who wins, the rhetoric will continue after the election has concluded. People need to stop the insults and pure hatred and go back to getting along and compromising (and by "compromising", I mean that everyone makes the effort to get along/work with others, not one side gives in to the other). As I said earlier, keeping a cool head is the way to go.
Tuesday 9 October 2012
New York City, the place without a Walmart
I've listened to the song "I Ain't in Checotah Anymore" by Carrie Underwood a few times over the past few years. There is a very interesting line in the song:
I took this particular lyric to be an exaggeration, like the hotel having more people than her hometown or what she paid for a meal being the equivalent to a down payment on a house in Oklahoma, although in fairness, I was unsure of the point of the line. I found out recently, however, that the lyric can be taken literally as New York City does not have a single Walmart store (this link is from 2011, but a Google search will confirm that the city does not have one).
Walmart wants to build in New York City, but so far they have been unsuccessful and in the short-term this is unlikely to change. It is surprising that there aren't any Walmart stores in New York City, given that the place is the United States' largest city and home to over 8,000,000 people. It's a fascinating fact, nevertheless!
"You can get anything you want here,
Except a Wal-Mart store"
Except a Wal-Mart store"
I took this particular lyric to be an exaggeration, like the hotel having more people than her hometown or what she paid for a meal being the equivalent to a down payment on a house in Oklahoma, although in fairness, I was unsure of the point of the line. I found out recently, however, that the lyric can be taken literally as New York City does not have a single Walmart store (this link is from 2011, but a Google search will confirm that the city does not have one).
Walmart wants to build in New York City, but so far they have been unsuccessful and in the short-term this is unlikely to change. It is surprising that there aren't any Walmart stores in New York City, given that the place is the United States' largest city and home to over 8,000,000 people. It's a fascinating fact, nevertheless!
Monday 8 October 2012
Other bad ways to break up
Back in March I wrote a post about bad ways to end a relationship with someone. Here are a few more:
1. Under the influence of alcohol
A break up should always be done when both parties are completely sober and in a (mostly) stable state of mind. If the person initiating the breakup is drunk, the recipient will have to judge whether their partner is going off on a drunken tirade or is actually genuine in wanting to break up; in the case of the former, it will lead to problems in the relationship, even if they did not mean what they were saying while under the influence.
2. A public display
This only serves to humiliate the person being dumped. No one wants to be embarrassed, and certainly not in front of friends, family, or even random people. The only justifiable reason I can think of to break up with someone while surrounded by other people is in case the person on the receiving end has been abusive in the relationship and the initiator is seeking some sort of protection or incentive to not be bothered by them again.
3. During a date
You're out with your partner at a lovely restaurant and are having a wonderful time. It's only halfway through the night and you're looking forward to more! Suddenly, they announce they have something important to tell you...and it's that the relationship is over. After a short discussion, they leave.
You were brought out on the pretence that the date was supposed to be just that: a date, a fun and romantic outing together. Nothing about a negative change in the relationship. If someone wants to inform their soon-to-be-ex that they want to break up, but would prefer to do it over a meal or something similar, they should at least say in advance that they want to discuss the relationship; it should not be brought up out of the blue.
Also, if someone does do this to you, ensure that they pay.
4. On Valentine's Day
It's supposed to be the most romantic day of the year. Breaking up with someone on a day devoted to love and romance is an extremely mean thing to do. Need I say more about this one?
I'll re-iterate from the last post on this topic that as amusing as any of these may sound (I think this bunch are less funny than the last), the person on the receiving end of a breakup will always be hurt, but it will be worse if the circumstances in which it is announced to them are embarrassing or just plain "douchy".
1. Under the influence of alcohol
A break up should always be done when both parties are completely sober and in a (mostly) stable state of mind. If the person initiating the breakup is drunk, the recipient will have to judge whether their partner is going off on a drunken tirade or is actually genuine in wanting to break up; in the case of the former, it will lead to problems in the relationship, even if they did not mean what they were saying while under the influence.
2. A public display
This only serves to humiliate the person being dumped. No one wants to be embarrassed, and certainly not in front of friends, family, or even random people. The only justifiable reason I can think of to break up with someone while surrounded by other people is in case the person on the receiving end has been abusive in the relationship and the initiator is seeking some sort of protection or incentive to not be bothered by them again.
3. During a date
You're out with your partner at a lovely restaurant and are having a wonderful time. It's only halfway through the night and you're looking forward to more! Suddenly, they announce they have something important to tell you...and it's that the relationship is over. After a short discussion, they leave.
You were brought out on the pretence that the date was supposed to be just that: a date, a fun and romantic outing together. Nothing about a negative change in the relationship. If someone wants to inform their soon-to-be-ex that they want to break up, but would prefer to do it over a meal or something similar, they should at least say in advance that they want to discuss the relationship; it should not be brought up out of the blue.
Also, if someone does do this to you, ensure that they pay.
4. On Valentine's Day
It's supposed to be the most romantic day of the year. Breaking up with someone on a day devoted to love and romance is an extremely mean thing to do. Need I say more about this one?
I'll re-iterate from the last post on this topic that as amusing as any of these may sound (I think this bunch are less funny than the last), the person on the receiving end of a breakup will always be hurt, but it will be worse if the circumstances in which it is announced to them are embarrassing or just plain "douchy".
Sunday 7 October 2012
500+
About a week ago I surpassed the 500 posts mark! While the topic of the 500th was one of a saddening nature, the post is nevertheless a milestone: it means I'm halfway to 1000 posts!
Thanks again to everyone who reads my blog. I really do appreciate you.
Thanks again to everyone who reads my blog. I really do appreciate you.
Saturday 6 October 2012
Random scenery
I've recently been taking some random pictures of the countryside here in Northamptonshire and felt like sharing a couple of them:
This is a field and rolling hills near one of the major roads.
A view of fences and trees near a path alongside the aforementioned major road.
These were both taken a few days ago, as it's been sunny and somewhat warm here today. Quite a surprise, considering we thought we'd seen the last of this year's warm weather last week.
These were both taken a few days ago, as it's been sunny and somewhat warm here today. Quite a surprise, considering we thought we'd seen the last of this year's warm weather last week.
Friday 5 October 2012
Another spider, another web
These next two images probably aren't for people who can bear seeing spiders in pictures, let alone in person, but I made these two captures of a spider in our backyard. I was able to get one from the spider's front and the other from its back:
The web was more impressive to see outside these two photographs, as it was expertly built between our shed and the branch of a plant located some six feet away. I use the past tense here because the spider its web are no longer there.
Thursday 4 October 2012
A thought on the debate in Denver
The media in the United States - and to a point, here in the United Kingdom - is currently buzzing with activity over President Barack Obama's unexpectedly flat performance in last night's debate. Not surprisingly, my family and I have been discussing the debate extensively for much of today, and there was something we thought of that may help explain why Obama wasn't on his game: Syria.
Just before the debate, the situation in Syria had changed with a mortar explosion in Turkey, and Turkey retaliated against Syria. Naturally, everyone is worried about the situation in the Middle East and in Syria especially, but the media, the general public, and even other presidential candidates are not privy to the same information that the president is.
We think there's a possibility that Obama was informed about the changing circumstances in the Middle East before the debate. We think that any intelligence briefing prior to the debate could have contained incomplete facts about Syria and Turkey (not because of poor reporting, but because not all information may have been available yet), and given how volatile the Middle East is he could have been expecting a far worse briefing after the debate, which could have said that the two countries were at war. If that had happened, I doubt anyone would have wanted to have been in Obama's position at that particular moment...even his opponent.
If this was the case, it does not show weakness on behalf of the president: he is entitled to worry about the situation in the Middle East as the rest of us are, and anxiety may have caught him at the wrong moment. On one hand, I think Obama is concerned about the continued loss of life and the affect the conflict may have on the rest of the world, but on the other it is likely that he would be blamed - regardless of whether or not anything was his fault - if the situation exploded...and so he could have been worrying about that, too.
We are speculating, of course, but let's face it: Obama is the president. He has been running the country for four years, and he hasn't exactly had an easy time. This year has been especially difficult for him, with having to govern the country and face excessively challenging international challenges while running for re-election in the most vitriolic presidential race we have ever observed. Even George W. Bush had a difficult time in his debates against John Kerry, and he was under less pressure than Obama currently is. One could just say "deal with it, you're the president, forget any sympathy/leave if you can't handle it" or mock him outright, but he is human, and all sane and reasonable people will find intense pressure too much. The important thing is to find the path to bounce back, and it will be interesting to see how Obama recovers and handles the next debate.
Again, this is all only a possibility, maybe there is another reason. I don't know all the facts and I do not speak for the president, nor do I want this post to be interpreted as "making excuses" for him or making some sort of questioning of his mental state when that is not the intention. I think Obama and his team are very much aware that he will have to pick up the pace in the next two debates and avoid the mistakes of the first round.
Just before the debate, the situation in Syria had changed with a mortar explosion in Turkey, and Turkey retaliated against Syria. Naturally, everyone is worried about the situation in the Middle East and in Syria especially, but the media, the general public, and even other presidential candidates are not privy to the same information that the president is.
We think there's a possibility that Obama was informed about the changing circumstances in the Middle East before the debate. We think that any intelligence briefing prior to the debate could have contained incomplete facts about Syria and Turkey (not because of poor reporting, but because not all information may have been available yet), and given how volatile the Middle East is he could have been expecting a far worse briefing after the debate, which could have said that the two countries were at war. If that had happened, I doubt anyone would have wanted to have been in Obama's position at that particular moment...even his opponent.
If this was the case, it does not show weakness on behalf of the president: he is entitled to worry about the situation in the Middle East as the rest of us are, and anxiety may have caught him at the wrong moment. On one hand, I think Obama is concerned about the continued loss of life and the affect the conflict may have on the rest of the world, but on the other it is likely that he would be blamed - regardless of whether or not anything was his fault - if the situation exploded...and so he could have been worrying about that, too.
We are speculating, of course, but let's face it: Obama is the president. He has been running the country for four years, and he hasn't exactly had an easy time. This year has been especially difficult for him, with having to govern the country and face excessively challenging international challenges while running for re-election in the most vitriolic presidential race we have ever observed. Even George W. Bush had a difficult time in his debates against John Kerry, and he was under less pressure than Obama currently is. One could just say "deal with it, you're the president, forget any sympathy/leave if you can't handle it" or mock him outright, but he is human, and all sane and reasonable people will find intense pressure too much. The important thing is to find the path to bounce back, and it will be interesting to see how Obama recovers and handles the next debate.
Again, this is all only a possibility, maybe there is another reason. I don't know all the facts and I do not speak for the president, nor do I want this post to be interpreted as "making excuses" for him or making some sort of questioning of his mental state when that is not the intention. I think Obama and his team are very much aware that he will have to pick up the pace in the next two debates and avoid the mistakes of the first round.
Wednesday 3 October 2012
Hungry bulls
Whenever I'm walking past a field of animals, and the animals are close to the gate or fence, it doesn't surprise me when they watch what I'm doing and "say hello"...or rather, see if I'm carrying any food. One thing that was different recently, however, was a few bulls coming up to me and my mother to see if we had anything for them to eat.
I'm used to horses or cows coming up to see if I have a meal for them, but I don't recall bulls ever doing it until we encountered the above group. It's good to discover something new!
Tuesday 2 October 2012
Where is Oregon?
It shouldn't surprise me that people here in the United Kingdom don't know a great deal about geographical locations in the United States. After all, the reverse is true: in my case, had we not made the decision to move back to the UK I would not know the geography of the country.
Still, it does bother me somewhat when people have no idea where Oregon is, or worse, have never even heard of the state. Fortunately, everyone has heard of California and knows where it is located, making it easy to tell people where Oregon is, but Oregon is a state with a significant history - vital to the United States' expansion west to the Pacific Ocean - and it shouldn't have to be cheapened by merely being "the state north of California". It shares a common ancestry with California and Washington, and the three states often work together, but Oregon is still its own state.
Oregon isn't really in the news much either, and when it does I despair that it's often an article about some bizarre behavior from someone, or a tragic event of sorts. Occasionally there is a piece of good news, such as a local hero, but reporting on the positives isn't commonplace.
Which is why I speak highly of the state when explaining it to people! I begin with how magnificent the landscape is, how friendly the people are, and how wonderful the wildlife is. I talk about the little things like the hummingbirds and the obsidian to the mountains and the coastlines. I tell people a little about Oregon's culture, and if they're interested in its history and/or its politics I'm happy to discuss them, too. Last but not least, I recommend it to people who express an interest in visiting the United States.
So, in a nutshell, where and what is Oregon? It's located on the west coast of the United States, just to the north of California; it's full of impressive terrain and great people, with a rich history and various cultures. It's somehow not as well known as its southern and northern neighbors yet it holds just as much significance as them. I haven't lived there for over two years, but it was my home for close to ten years and I love it as much now as I did when I left!
Still, it does bother me somewhat when people have no idea where Oregon is, or worse, have never even heard of the state. Fortunately, everyone has heard of California and knows where it is located, making it easy to tell people where Oregon is, but Oregon is a state with a significant history - vital to the United States' expansion west to the Pacific Ocean - and it shouldn't have to be cheapened by merely being "the state north of California". It shares a common ancestry with California and Washington, and the three states often work together, but Oregon is still its own state.
Oregon isn't really in the news much either, and when it does I despair that it's often an article about some bizarre behavior from someone, or a tragic event of sorts. Occasionally there is a piece of good news, such as a local hero, but reporting on the positives isn't commonplace.
Which is why I speak highly of the state when explaining it to people! I begin with how magnificent the landscape is, how friendly the people are, and how wonderful the wildlife is. I talk about the little things like the hummingbirds and the obsidian to the mountains and the coastlines. I tell people a little about Oregon's culture, and if they're interested in its history and/or its politics I'm happy to discuss them, too. Last but not least, I recommend it to people who express an interest in visiting the United States.
So, in a nutshell, where and what is Oregon? It's located on the west coast of the United States, just to the north of California; it's full of impressive terrain and great people, with a rich history and various cultures. It's somehow not as well known as its southern and northern neighbors yet it holds just as much significance as them. I haven't lived there for over two years, but it was my home for close to ten years and I love it as much now as I did when I left!
Monday 1 October 2012
"Where'd You Go" - Fort Minor featuring Holly Brook
In October of last year I wrote about Skylar Grey/Holly Brook. I covered some history of Grey, which included the hit single she featured in, "Where'd You Go" by Fort Minor, from 2006. After six years of her album, Like Blood Like Honey, somehow "evading" me whenever I wanted it, I finally received a copy from Amazon this past weekend.
Hearing Like Blood Like Honey encouraged me to listen to "Where'd You Go" again:
Hearing Like Blood Like Honey encouraged me to listen to "Where'd You Go" again:
Another great song from 2006...it's unfortunate that Fort Minor is listed among Billboard's most notable one-hit wonders of the 2000s, although Mike Shinoda - the originator of Fort Minor - is still achieving plenty of success with Linkin Park. From what I understand Fort Minor is merely on hiatus, although I don't know what Shinoda's future plans for it are.
I should also note that since my post about Grey from last year her new album has not yet materialized. She is active, as she recently created a song for Frankenweenie Unleashed!, an album with music inspired by the upcoming Tim Burton film Frankenweenie. I am ever-hopeful of a second release from her...more so after finally getting Like Blood Like Honey, and her recent song for the aforementioned film "inspired by" soundtrack!
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