June 16th 2015 - why would 3 muslim women leave their husbands and England with their 9 children to join ISIL?
Sorry folks, for me it beggars belief!
Tuesday, 16 June 2015
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
On-line Time Management, grow-your-own, cooking
Having spent a few hours messing around on line with current affairs stuff, BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/, Sky News http://news.sky.com/, the Daily Beast CheatSheat http://www.thedailybeast.com (US media site), Press Gazette (B2B subscription magazine for the press) and television station NECN (New England Cable News http://www.necn.com/) - because my kids live in Massachusetts - I'm beginning to think I might be part way to addiction!
Then there's local news, thisisderbyshire, and sports news for Derby County FC - my team and I don't care what anyone says - up the Rams.
I also went through the routine of checking emails and clearing out the Inbox and the Junk, (a bit like cleaning out a budgie or the cat's litter tray - necessary). Then there's stuff like checking Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and LinkedIn; and Skype is open so I can communicate visually with people who might want to video speak! The tabs across the top of my screen tell the whole, sad story.
There's more.
I've been on-line checking the university library catalogue to see the availability of some books I need. I've put in a remote request and once they're available, I can go and collect. I've also ordered a couple of Christmas gifts from amazon.co.uk and a birthday card from moonpig.com.
The iPhone's on charge again along with the iPad, iPod and DSLite. And I've switched on the television for some entertainment while I have lunch.
So why have I dedicated such a large part of my day to such stuff?
I'm nosey. Or maybe a better word is curious. I have a need to know what's going on. I confess to not following celebrities, TV soaps, hip-hop, fashion or chocolate-loving-anorexics, but generally the world fascinates me.
I am interested in current affairs, politics, science, engineering, technology, archaeology, opera, ballet, Gregorian chant, polyphony, fine art, geology, and how the heck we expect to survive when we're losing even the most basic skills and understanding about how our planet works.
If you suffer like me from an over abundance of 'that's interesting', there are techniques for managing your time on line. Like giving up smoking/alcohol/chocolate and Call of Duty, it's not easy, so here are my top ten tips to try, ( sorry, 'work in progress').
On a more basic level I log on to web sites for really mundane matters.Tips on how to grow your own veg for example. How ridiculous. I've been growing veg for 40 years! My grandfather, several uncles, my dad, my brother, my sister - we've always grow our own! Maybe I need reassurance that what I'm doing is right.
Then there are recipes and cooking techniques. Why do I look at these sites? I can't remember not being able to cook. Even as a three-year-old I'd stand on the kitchen stool and wash the lettuce or the cabbage; I was allowed to 'make pastry' and beat eggs and stir jelly and blancmange, (look it up!) when mum was cooking, I was cooking.
And it doesn't end there. I've moved with the times; Marguerite Paton, Fanny Craddock, Delia, Jamie and my number one Hugh F-W.
Seems I'm just a net.junky. Apparently, once you've accepted the problem you can do something about it.
I live in hope.
Then there's local news, thisisderbyshire, and sports news for Derby County FC - my team and I don't care what anyone says - up the Rams.
I also went through the routine of checking emails and clearing out the Inbox and the Junk, (a bit like cleaning out a budgie or the cat's litter tray - necessary). Then there's stuff like checking Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and LinkedIn; and Skype is open so I can communicate visually with people who might want to video speak! The tabs across the top of my screen tell the whole, sad story.
There's more.
I've been on-line checking the university library catalogue to see the availability of some books I need. I've put in a remote request and once they're available, I can go and collect. I've also ordered a couple of Christmas gifts from amazon.co.uk and a birthday card from moonpig.com.
The iPhone's on charge again along with the iPad, iPod and DSLite. And I've switched on the television for some entertainment while I have lunch.
So why have I dedicated such a large part of my day to such stuff?
I'm nosey. Or maybe a better word is curious. I have a need to know what's going on. I confess to not following celebrities, TV soaps, hip-hop, fashion or chocolate-loving-anorexics, but generally the world fascinates me.
I am interested in current affairs, politics, science, engineering, technology, archaeology, opera, ballet, Gregorian chant, polyphony, fine art, geology, and how the heck we expect to survive when we're losing even the most basic skills and understanding about how our planet works.
If you suffer like me from an over abundance of 'that's interesting', there are techniques for managing your time on line. Like giving up smoking/alcohol/chocolate and Call of Duty, it's not easy, so here are my top ten tips to try, ( sorry, 'work in progress').
On a more basic level I log on to web sites for really mundane matters.Tips on how to grow your own veg for example. How ridiculous. I've been growing veg for 40 years! My grandfather, several uncles, my dad, my brother, my sister - we've always grow our own! Maybe I need reassurance that what I'm doing is right.
Then there are recipes and cooking techniques. Why do I look at these sites? I can't remember not being able to cook. Even as a three-year-old I'd stand on the kitchen stool and wash the lettuce or the cabbage; I was allowed to 'make pastry' and beat eggs and stir jelly and blancmange, (look it up!) when mum was cooking, I was cooking.
And it doesn't end there. I've moved with the times; Marguerite Paton, Fanny Craddock, Delia, Jamie and my number one Hugh F-W.
Seems I'm just a net.junky. Apparently, once you've accepted the problem you can do something about it.
I live in hope.
Friday, 9 November 2012
PET FOOD PONDERING
This morning I found the mostly black-long-haired-domestic family cat, in the hall supplementing her more than adequate diet with freshly caught animal protein.
The smaller,short-haired-tortoiseshell family cat looked on, feigning indifference but beautifully balanced to pounce should a thieving opportunity arise.
I'm not concerned about other peoples' cat prejudices; nor am I concerned about the safety of local garden birds. They have other predators and the two family cats show no interest in their existence.
Only the loopy, black and white, Springer Spaniel concerns himself with their well-being. He has been known to catch the odd pigeon, bless him, I just wish he was more active on that front when my peas are planted or my red currants ripening.
But back to the Cat and the Mouse and pet food.
Why don't the pet food manufacturers sell 'organic mouse meat' cat food? Why are there no 'vole flavoured' cat biscuits or 'goldfish' mini-treats?
How many cats, even in their most feral state, eat turkey or chicken? Has your moggy ever caught a salmon or, even more unlikely, a tuna? And as for beef - really? Yet this is the stuff we're sold in small tins, large tins, packets and pouches; in gravy, in jelly, in succulent pieces? When will that rabbit turn up in a delicate, white wine sauce?
Cats! Why isn't the food 'Sumptuous Sparrow in Sauce', 'Great Tit Tasty Bit', 'Wren Surprise' or 'Yummy Mouse'?
I'm not advocating the capture, breeding or incorporation of domesticated or wild birds, fish and rodents into the production line, but I can't help wondering...
Dogs seem to eat anything and everything that men do, (for 'men' substitute 'humans'). After all, dogs are all descendants of wolves and their teeth are those of carnivores. They hunt, catch and eat meat. As our closest animal companions for hundreds of thousands of years, I can understand the meaty content of the food products on offer, but vegetarian dog food, cheese and doggy chocolate do puzzle me.
Worse than cheese or chocolate though is the vegetarian option. Has your pup/full grown mastiff, terrier, collie, foxhound ever grabbed a cabbage by the stalk and enjoyed a good munch? Does Rover relish radishes, Bonzo gorge on beetroot or Paddy go bananas every time you peel potatoes or pick peppers?
Whatever they're eating, most pets seem to thrive so I'll be paying silly amounts to keep the pussies placid and the loopy dog loopy, maintaining insurance payments, keeping vet's fees to a minimum and generally make sure their needs are met.
Fortunately, fresh mouse is not scarce in this area, so should beef, tuna, salmon and chicken become unavailable there is an option out there!
It does puzzle me though - why isn't there a mouse-flavoured cat food on the market - is someone missing a business opportunity here?
carolemarsh12@gmail.com
The smaller,short-haired-tortoiseshell family cat looked on, feigning indifference but beautifully balanced to pounce should a thieving opportunity arise.
I'm not concerned about other peoples' cat prejudices; nor am I concerned about the safety of local garden birds. They have other predators and the two family cats show no interest in their existence.
Only the loopy, black and white, Springer Spaniel concerns himself with their well-being. He has been known to catch the odd pigeon, bless him, I just wish he was more active on that front when my peas are planted or my red currants ripening.
But back to the Cat and the Mouse and pet food.
Why don't the pet food manufacturers sell 'organic mouse meat' cat food? Why are there no 'vole flavoured' cat biscuits or 'goldfish' mini-treats?
How many cats, even in their most feral state, eat turkey or chicken? Has your moggy ever caught a salmon or, even more unlikely, a tuna? And as for beef - really? Yet this is the stuff we're sold in small tins, large tins, packets and pouches; in gravy, in jelly, in succulent pieces? When will that rabbit turn up in a delicate, white wine sauce?
Cats! Why isn't the food 'Sumptuous Sparrow in Sauce', 'Great Tit Tasty Bit', 'Wren Surprise' or 'Yummy Mouse'?
I'm not advocating the capture, breeding or incorporation of domesticated or wild birds, fish and rodents into the production line, but I can't help wondering...
Dogs seem to eat anything and everything that men do, (for 'men' substitute 'humans'). After all, dogs are all descendants of wolves and their teeth are those of carnivores. They hunt, catch and eat meat. As our closest animal companions for hundreds of thousands of years, I can understand the meaty content of the food products on offer, but vegetarian dog food, cheese and doggy chocolate do puzzle me.
Worse than cheese or chocolate though is the vegetarian option. Has your pup/full grown mastiff, terrier, collie, foxhound ever grabbed a cabbage by the stalk and enjoyed a good munch? Does Rover relish radishes, Bonzo gorge on beetroot or Paddy go bananas every time you peel potatoes or pick peppers?
Whatever they're eating, most pets seem to thrive so I'll be paying silly amounts to keep the pussies placid and the loopy dog loopy, maintaining insurance payments, keeping vet's fees to a minimum and generally make sure their needs are met.
Fortunately, fresh mouse is not scarce in this area, so should beef, tuna, salmon and chicken become unavailable there is an option out there!
It does puzzle me though - why isn't there a mouse-flavoured cat food on the market - is someone missing a business opportunity here?
carolemarsh12@gmail.com
A Challenging Week Worldwide
Sandy devastated parts of the US east coast. Homes were demolished, washed away, flooded. Transport was disrupted as water poured into subways, power lines were cut and lives were lost.
The US Presidential elections ran concurrently as the storm devastated state after state.
The US wasn't alone in it's grief. Haiti and parts of the West Indies are still trying to come to terms with Sandy's destructive malice.
In other parts of the world, fighting, drought, flooding - all take their toll. Europe played it's own game of monetary mischief.
Racism, child abuse, people trafficking, shooting, stabbing, arson, expenses scandals, fraud and banking anomalies - these are our daily bread. Throw in a few car bombs and suicide bombers and we have a recipe for 'life as it is'.
However,on the bright side, bonfire night went quite well and the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall are having a lovely time in the southern hemisphere.
We heard how a cockatoo used a twig as a tool and that a very, very brave Pakistani girl has survived a brutal shooting by a bigoted group of people trapped in the dark age.
And the public finally found out about the crisis facing our woodlands with the 'ash dieback' disease threatening 80 million trees - bad news. The good news? Something is going to be done about it.
The disease is something that those of us who love trees, (though not by hugging), have known about for a long time.
If you have ash trees locally, in your garden, local park or along the roadside, (and most of us have), check out the Woodland Trust's website to find out more.
woodlandtrust.org.uk/treedisease
The US Presidential elections ran concurrently as the storm devastated state after state.
The US wasn't alone in it's grief. Haiti and parts of the West Indies are still trying to come to terms with Sandy's destructive malice.
In other parts of the world, fighting, drought, flooding - all take their toll. Europe played it's own game of monetary mischief.
Racism, child abuse, people trafficking, shooting, stabbing, arson, expenses scandals, fraud and banking anomalies - these are our daily bread. Throw in a few car bombs and suicide bombers and we have a recipe for 'life as it is'.
However,on the bright side, bonfire night went quite well and the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall are having a lovely time in the southern hemisphere.
We heard how a cockatoo used a twig as a tool and that a very, very brave Pakistani girl has survived a brutal shooting by a bigoted group of people trapped in the dark age.
And the public finally found out about the crisis facing our woodlands with the 'ash dieback' disease threatening 80 million trees - bad news. The good news? Something is going to be done about it.
The disease is something that those of us who love trees, (though not by hugging), have known about for a long time.
If you have ash trees locally, in your garden, local park or along the roadside, (and most of us have), check out the Woodland Trust's website to find out more.
woodlandtrust.org.uk/treedisease
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
How much New Media, iMedia, eMedia is good for you?
Social media, the internet, computer games. It's a huge learning curve. Blogging, tweeting, linking to networking sites, Facebook, YouTube and others, how much time do you (does one?) spend on line?
We used to communicate (in recent history), by that quaint delivery system known commonly as The Post. For a small fee, written correspondence (friends, family, acquaintances), or typed stuff from banks, solicitors and the professional institutions, could be written, dispatched and delivered to the intended recipient within days. And then someone invented the telegraph and the telephone.
Today, The Post comprises junk mail, bills, bank statements and other 'official' stuff, along with the odd birthday card from a distant relative who hasn't twigged on to Moonpig.com or other similar facility.
Now we have the accursed love it or hate it email. Somehow, no matter how hard you try, your inbox will gradually fill with communications because, if you visit websites, use the internet to check your bank account, find a good day out, book a holiday, view the news, the weather forecast, shop on line or go to price comparison websites, someone will email you.
We spend hours looking for anything; bargains, fashion tips, sports results, cars, recipes and shopping are just a few.
How long do you spend reading the emails, deciding whether it's something you want to keep, or delete, or flag, or mark as unread or forward or save or mark as junk or phishing? Too long.
If you're in business or looking for employment or providing/seeking pretty much anything, you need to be engaged with the media. You need a website and all the paraphernalia (other bits) that goes with it. You can spend hours refining your on line presence.
Then there's the calendar to update and the to-do list, and Bob's just popped up in the corner on Chat or Messenger, Chloe's appeared on line with Skype and you've loads of texts on your mobile.
You have 255 hours of television recorded because you didn't have time to watch it and Lucy (age 6) is home from school wanting to play Moshie Monsters on the iPad. Young Freddie (10) arrives half an hour later and he needs to go on line to research his homework - and he needs your help. Duane and Manjit arrive so attention switches to the Xbox in the bedroom for some soccer game.
All you really want to do is hibernate somewhere with your eBook and find out what happened to Merlin after the explosion. But then your partner/best friend/mother-in-law phones to say they'll be late because the Sat Nav's not working and they're lost in the middle of Manchester/Birmingham/ Leeds/ wherever so you won't be able to get to your adult education class this evening. You're on week 3 of the Computers for Beginners course.
You give up and decide a session on Call of Duty, shoot 'em up and let 'em die is what you need to shift the tension. You log in, find an on line session and ...there's a power cut ...no, just joking! You hear the stupid tune you set as a reminder on your iPhone - time to get the tea ready.
Hey ho - such is life.
We used to communicate (in recent history), by that quaint delivery system known commonly as The Post. For a small fee, written correspondence (friends, family, acquaintances), or typed stuff from banks, solicitors and the professional institutions, could be written, dispatched and delivered to the intended recipient within days. And then someone invented the telegraph and the telephone.
Today, The Post comprises junk mail, bills, bank statements and other 'official' stuff, along with the odd birthday card from a distant relative who hasn't twigged on to Moonpig.com or other similar facility.
Now we have the accursed love it or hate it email. Somehow, no matter how hard you try, your inbox will gradually fill with communications because, if you visit websites, use the internet to check your bank account, find a good day out, book a holiday, view the news, the weather forecast, shop on line or go to price comparison websites, someone will email you.
We spend hours looking for anything; bargains, fashion tips, sports results, cars, recipes and shopping are just a few.
How long do you spend reading the emails, deciding whether it's something you want to keep, or delete, or flag, or mark as unread or forward or save or mark as junk or phishing? Too long.
If you're in business or looking for employment or providing/seeking pretty much anything, you need to be engaged with the media. You need a website and all the paraphernalia (other bits) that goes with it. You can spend hours refining your on line presence.
Then there's the calendar to update and the to-do list, and Bob's just popped up in the corner on Chat or Messenger, Chloe's appeared on line with Skype and you've loads of texts on your mobile.
You have 255 hours of television recorded because you didn't have time to watch it and Lucy (age 6) is home from school wanting to play Moshie Monsters on the iPad. Young Freddie (10) arrives half an hour later and he needs to go on line to research his homework - and he needs your help. Duane and Manjit arrive so attention switches to the Xbox in the bedroom for some soccer game.
All you really want to do is hibernate somewhere with your eBook and find out what happened to Merlin after the explosion. But then your partner/best friend/mother-in-law phones to say they'll be late because the Sat Nav's not working and they're lost in the middle of Manchester/Birmingham/ Leeds/ wherever so you won't be able to get to your adult education class this evening. You're on week 3 of the Computers for Beginners course.
You give up and decide a session on Call of Duty, shoot 'em up and let 'em die is what you need to shift the tension. You log in, find an on line session and ...there's a power cut ...no, just joking! You hear the stupid tune you set as a reminder on your iPhone - time to get the tea ready.
Hey ho - such is life.
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Not always a wonderful world
As another week of human detritus flows under the bridge of life, it's easy to see how getting up on a Monday morning can be disheartening.
Apart from issues with the economy such as redundancy threats, benefit changes, education issues and failing care for the elderly, there are floods, food price increases and increased fuel prices as the dark days and long, cold nights approach. (yipee)
Africa, the Middle East, Afghanistan et al continue playing revenge games; Pakistan, Israel, Iraq, Yemen...the relentless inhumanity is revealed somewhere every day. (hurrah)
What registered most highly this week on your 'shock/horror/disgust' radar?
Was it the shooting of Mulala, a 14 year old Pakistani girl who spoke out against the Taliban for depriving her and other girls of an education? Or was it the follow-up threat telling the world they would have another go?
Was it the continuing conflict in Syria or the drug gangs devastating South America? Is it the breakdown of communities in Greece, Spain and other euro zone countries who as nations did what many of us do as individuals - borrowed too much. Is rioting thee answer?
Maybe it's people trafficking that gets your goat, from Eastern Europe, Bangladesh or China for example; or paedophiles being dragged out of the woodwork as DNA evidence convicts more abusers from the past, priests, vicars, teachers and most recently, the furore around the once beloved-by-all, the late Sir Jimmy Savile.
Sport is supposed to be a great bringing together of people with differing political and religious values without prejudice. The 2012 Olympic Games in London was a wonderful demonstration of this.
But in football/soccer particularly, we find this perceived camaraderie breaking down regularly, as
'monkey chants' and personal violence both on and off the pitch manifests itself. This was demonstrated most recently when a Championship league football goal keeper was assaulted during a televised game by a fan of the opposing team.
From the USA, we hear rhetoric from the battle for the presidency. Who wants to live in The White House more - Obama or Romney? Either way, what will happen to the economy or gun laws, and how will the consequences of the outcome affect us?
Stabbings and arson attacks appear in the news daily. Fathers killing their families then killing themselves, women dying at the hand of disgruntled exes and road abusers driving the wrong way down motorways, or falling asleep at the wheel or playing at drive-by shooting, killing or injuring the innocent.
Our response? What have you done to help shift the detritus? Zero or something?
Louis Armstrong sang 'What a wonderful world', it's so easy to see it differently.
Apart from issues with the economy such as redundancy threats, benefit changes, education issues and failing care for the elderly, there are floods, food price increases and increased fuel prices as the dark days and long, cold nights approach. (yipee)
Africa, the Middle East, Afghanistan et al continue playing revenge games; Pakistan, Israel, Iraq, Yemen...the relentless inhumanity is revealed somewhere every day. (hurrah)
What registered most highly this week on your 'shock/horror/disgust' radar?
Was it the shooting of Mulala, a 14 year old Pakistani girl who spoke out against the Taliban for depriving her and other girls of an education? Or was it the follow-up threat telling the world they would have another go?
Was it the continuing conflict in Syria or the drug gangs devastating South America? Is it the breakdown of communities in Greece, Spain and other euro zone countries who as nations did what many of us do as individuals - borrowed too much. Is rioting thee answer?
Maybe it's people trafficking that gets your goat, from Eastern Europe, Bangladesh or China for example; or paedophiles being dragged out of the woodwork as DNA evidence convicts more abusers from the past, priests, vicars, teachers and most recently, the furore around the once beloved-by-all, the late Sir Jimmy Savile.
Sport is supposed to be a great bringing together of people with differing political and religious values without prejudice. The 2012 Olympic Games in London was a wonderful demonstration of this.
But in football/soccer particularly, we find this perceived camaraderie breaking down regularly, as
'monkey chants' and personal violence both on and off the pitch manifests itself. This was demonstrated most recently when a Championship league football goal keeper was assaulted during a televised game by a fan of the opposing team.
From the USA, we hear rhetoric from the battle for the presidency. Who wants to live in The White House more - Obama or Romney? Either way, what will happen to the economy or gun laws, and how will the consequences of the outcome affect us?
Stabbings and arson attacks appear in the news daily. Fathers killing their families then killing themselves, women dying at the hand of disgruntled exes and road abusers driving the wrong way down motorways, or falling asleep at the wheel or playing at drive-by shooting, killing or injuring the innocent.
Our response? What have you done to help shift the detritus? Zero or something?
Louis Armstrong sang 'What a wonderful world', it's so easy to see it differently.
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
A Career in PR?
Writing a publicity campaign for small businesses on a tight budget during a recession has its challenges and pitfalls as anyone involved in PR will know.
It's not unlike trying to sell your home when many similar properties in the area are also on the market.
As I step gingerly into the real world of cut-throat media, I find obstacles appearing which would test Super Mario experts chasing glittering coins in their virtual worlds.
First the client brief - what do they want? Often, a double-page spread in their preferred newspaper/magazine/journal, a television interview on a regional BBC/ITV news programme and a web site bombarded by interested parties. Expectations are high.
Having explained the chances of these events happening lies somewhere between unlikely and impossible, (unless you're a billionaire or listed in the FTSE 100), I suggest a more realistic scenario.
But even lowering expectations to less elevated media such as local papers, local radio and Facebook can be demanding. What benefit will they derive? How will their readership/audience be increased? Where will they find their gold coins? What about mine?
I ask questions. Who are you? Why this business? What is different about you, your business and where is your evidence?
Eventually, a picture emerges, and we begin to see a path. This is where the real work starts and I begin to earn my money.
Success is hardly guaranteed, but for those of us with enthusiasm tempered with skill and a total indifference to rejection, it's a great way to earn a living.
It's not unlike trying to sell your home when many similar properties in the area are also on the market.
As I step gingerly into the real world of cut-throat media, I find obstacles appearing which would test Super Mario experts chasing glittering coins in their virtual worlds.
First the client brief - what do they want? Often, a double-page spread in their preferred newspaper/magazine/journal, a television interview on a regional BBC/ITV news programme and a web site bombarded by interested parties. Expectations are high.
Having explained the chances of these events happening lies somewhere between unlikely and impossible, (unless you're a billionaire or listed in the FTSE 100), I suggest a more realistic scenario.
But even lowering expectations to less elevated media such as local papers, local radio and Facebook can be demanding. What benefit will they derive? How will their readership/audience be increased? Where will they find their gold coins? What about mine?
I ask questions. Who are you? Why this business? What is different about you, your business and where is your evidence?
Eventually, a picture emerges, and we begin to see a path. This is where the real work starts and I begin to earn my money.
Success is hardly guaranteed, but for those of us with enthusiasm tempered with skill and a total indifference to rejection, it's a great way to earn a living.
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