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alphekka_alpha's LiveJournal:
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| Thursday, April 29th, 2010 | | 6:39 pm |
Update
Hm, I do seem to have dropped off the radar a tad. Haven't even felt up to having a good whine. {G} On the plus side, I've lost two and a half stone. Anyone who recognizes the source of the icon will know how. {VBG} Question is, can I keep it off? Not being allowed to drink alcohol any more should help. I'm on beta-blockers. Being able to sleep now is a fair trade-off though. 8-) Daughter Emily got married last year, and being rather more obedient than she ever was, I got me 'air cut! I've kept it short as it's easier to look after. I got a classic double take from son Jonathan when he first saw me, followed by a disbelieving, "Mum???" Jonathan and Chloe are now parents which makes me a delighted Granny. So I made our grandson his own webpage with some funny pics of him on it: http://www.pandemonium.me.uk/henryswebpage.htmOther than that, all I've done is develop my own little Stargate spin-off series, Stargate - the Fifth Generation. It's now up to episode 10 and everything can be accessed from the Home Page. If you're interested: http://www.pandemonium.me.uk/stargate/sg5ghomepage.htmAnd that's about all that's new - oh, and our little pond is more like tadpole soup. ;-) -- | | Thursday, August 6th, 2009 | | 6:48 pm |
| | Tuesday, October 28th, 2008 | | 3:20 pm |
More about Connotations
Yes, I know it's long past now, but I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU! to everyone who made my birthday a real day to remember. It started out with Nikki and Kat singing 'Happy Birthday' as soon I appeared from my bedroom, which was great, and then they produced a dick-shaped birthday cake with a face on one end, plus bubbly for breakfirst. That's a first! 8-) Kat and Nikki, along with Liz/Moth, had put together a really special birthday card, with a strip cartoon which must have taken Kat ages to put together, and drabbles from Nikki and Liz. Wonderful! I shall treasure it forever!!!!!! 8-) And then there were the T-shirts - one each (including one for Damian...) They all had 'The Cottagers Ride Again - Tynemouth 2008' on the back and the prints on the front were all different. And appropriate. ;-) Mine reads, 'Official SGC Slash Inspector' with a scary looking 'inspector.' {BG} I have to say, you guys are seriously brilliant and I loves ya to bits. <3 <3 <3 But don't take that the wrong way! ;-) -- Current Mood:  touched | | Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 | | 1:00 pm |
The Cottagers Rode Again
I'm having yet another go at trying to stuff this under the cut. ( Last year... )I tried doing this with rich text editor and kept getting an 'Error on page' message, which was very helpful. NOT!!! So I'll try this with HTML editor and see if I have any more luck. The preview suggests I won't. 8-( Current Mood:  frustrated | | Monday, July 28th, 2008 | | 1:33 am |
That quiz...
...(Battle of the Brains) starts tomorrow, Monday, 28th July on B.B.C.2 at 6.00p.m. Yep, they put our match on first. At least it gets it over with... ::wry grin::
After sleep deprivation for four hours, courtesy of a refrigerated juggernaut that sounded like it was powered by a Saturn V rocket right outside our hotel window (something Lennie Henry doesn't mention in his advert) I found I was not allowed to say I was knackered in our individual introductory spiel because it was 'before the watershed.' I said, "I suppose 'shagged out' isn't allowed either...?"
Definitely not one of our better days! LOL!
| | Friday, July 25th, 2008 | | 1:15 am |
| | Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 | | 3:40 pm |
Things I've been up to.
Stargate - The Fifth Generation
This is a new project I'm working on. There's an introduction here:
http://www.pandemonium.me.uk/stargate/s5gintro.htm
And the first part was posted yesterday here:
http://www.pandemonium.me.uk/stargate/sg5gprelude1maxine.htm
Short teaser (edited) :
....................................................................................................
"After lunch, Grandfather Daniel took his usual walk in the park while Mom and I had a little 'girl talk,'" Great-aunt Claire continued. "He'd been gone about twenty minutes when a violent storm hit. We were naturally worried about him getting soaked and ending up with pneumonia again. He was usually home by three o'clock, so when he hadn't appeared by ten past three, I went to look for him. [ ... ] By the time I arrived in the park, everything was very confused because although Grandfather's clothing remained - perfectly undamaged and laid out tidily - there was no trace of his body."Maxine gasped. "He'd ascended again?" "I like to think so, and I can't think of any other rational explanation. I identified the clothes and told the police that Grandfather, being ninety-one, had become a little eccentric and out of touch with reality— " "Really?" Maxine asked, her face falling at the thought of poor Grandfather Daniel going slowly ga-ga. Claire laughed aloud. "Lord no. His mind was needle-sharp right up to the end. Thing was, I had to think on my feet and that seemed like the most plausible explanation. [ ... ] I collected grandfather's belongings and the police went off to search for one naked old man. Naturally, they never found anything, and the press ran it as an 'abducted by aliens' story, which, for once, wasn't that far wrong." Something tickled Maxine's memory. "Aunt Claire, what's budge?" Aunt Claire frowned. "Something I've been protecting you from for many years, and thank all the gods, I managed to get it kicked out of the archaeology department, too." "And? What is it? I can't very well avoid it if I don't know what it is," Maxine pointed out with some asperity. "More of a 'who' really. E.A. Wallis Budge. He was an archaeologist of sorts, who became Keeper of the Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities in the British Museum in England. His writings were used, uncritically, as set texts, and they were so wrong in many respects. Grandfather Daniel hated his works with a purple passion... " Her voice faded away as they both suddenly felt a warm draft across their faces and through their hair, and there was a faint smell of cedarwood. Their eyes met and they smiled. "We're not alone, are we." Maxine said. It was a statement not a question. "I don't think we are." "Nice," Maxine smiled and pulled out another journal. It was written in Daniel's own version of demotic script. "I see why you taught me this." [ ... ] Thursday 1st November, 2012. We are now officially in mourning for General O'Neill, who will laugh his socks off when we tell him about it! I think we all deserve Oscars. The plan worked perfectly for once. General Thornley fell for it hook line and sinker, to borrow one of Jack's fishing expressions. We wouldn't have gotten it past General Landry and certainly not past General Hammond. Actually, looking back, I think General Hammond would have been complicit in it.
....................................................................................
And now I have to fly as the T.V. company has changed its filming schedule yet again! 7 - fucking - a.m. tomorrow morning! Oy!!!
Current Mood:  stressed | | 2:22 pm |
Last weekend
More catch-up, and another bash at an lj-cut.
<lj-cut text="If at first...">Rod, friend Brian, and I went over to Stockport to visit our friends Chris and Sue. While there, I was able to meet up with writer friend Liz. There was no time to do the Great Stockpot Supermarket Tour like last year, so we settled for lunch in Tesco. 8-)
There was a big plus however. Liz brought along the wonderful Mistress Kat - my life-saver from last year's Connotations Convention. ;-) Yes, you were, Kat! (((HUGS)))</lj-cut>
Current Mood: frustrated | | 11:30 am |
What have I been up to?
Several people have kindly asked. :-) Now I have to see if I can still remember how to do the 'under the cut' thing...
<lj-cut text="Family stuff (short)">Son Jonathan and his wife Chloë both have new jobs and have relocated to Newark from Bristol. They are now 75 minutes away instead of 4-5 hours of bad roads. So we've been going over there most weekends to help them do up the 80 year old house they're buying.
Daughter Emily and her long time boyfriend have announced their engagement.</lj-cut>
Current Mood:  tired | | Monday, September 10th, 2007 | | 2:15 pm |
And there's more...
An appeal from former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark:http://www.impeachbush.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5225&JServSessionIdr007=gbxxrtpeo1.app5b Highlights (it's a long read):
"The American people are confronted with the fact of a disastrous War of Aggression by George Bush and Company, based on obviously false and fabricated claims that the Bush Administration with all its resources is fighting fiercely to defend. The war has devastated Iraq, brought unbearable suffering to its people, destabilized the region and savaged Constitutional and human rights at home, while extolling summary execution, torture and unlimited arbitrary detention."
"Thirteen years of genocidal sanctions from August 6 (Hiroshima Day), 1990 to March 19 (Shock and Awe assault), 2003 took at least one million lives, most of them children under five, and physically weakened the larger part of the survivors and effectively prevented recovery and rebuilding from the wartime damage."
"Since 2003, U.S. forces and Iraqis fighting the U.S. occupation and each other have killed hundreds of thousands more - largely indiscriminately (a war crime) - driven 4 million from their homes, destroyed additional billions of dollars of infrastructure and property, and infected the entire population with fear of epidemic proportions."
"Bush is quietly spending billions on a new generation of nuclear weapons and upgrading existing ones, all in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, among others, to which the United States is party. He is deeply committed to the biggest Star Wars system Congress will finance. Bush's aggressions may force the United States to use at least tactical nuclear weapons to extricate itself from the calamities he has caused."
"His government is in the service of wealth with its huge military expenditures, aggression to control Middle East oil, trade and environmental policies, tax cuts and opposition to a desperately needed national health service and safe Social Security."
"All of this is only to say the United States will continue its aggression impelled by its rich, who seek more wealth and power at whatever the cost to others at home or abroad - unless they are stopped by the power of the people."
"President Bush will employ every means within his power to maintain U.S. forces in Iraq until the end of "his" Presidency. The dominant wealth and power in the United States will do all it can to maintain U.S. forces in Iraq as long as the oil lasts or Israel wants us there."
"The most effective way to seriously impact U.S. militarism and propensity to aggression is to impeach the President who seeks to glorify his own tragic aggressions."
"President Bush has unlimited resources with which to confuse, mislead, divert, deceive and overcome the real interests and will of the people. The disadvantage at which we work is revealed by the mere $15 million a handful of his former Ambassadors (all rich, including a multi-billionaire named the third-richest American) have contributed for TV ads in the weeks before September 15 to support a continued Surge in Iraq."
"As you consider what you will do, remember these few words of David Brooks, quoted in the New York Times Book Review this August. Brooks is called a more thoughtful supporter of Bush aggression and rewards for the rich. He has written that the Bush war in Iraq is '...one of the noblest endeavors the United States, or any great power, has ever undertaken.' In the same breath, he condemned LBJ's, or 'the left's' war on poverty as 'hopelessly overreaching.'"
I find that last sentence breathtaking. How can one justify the assertion that a War of Aggression against a poor country half a world away is superior to helping the poor people in one's own country? The expression, "Jesus wept!" comes forcibly to mind.
I hope the organizers of the Peace and Impeachment Rally get all the support and success they deserve on September 15th.
--
| | Friday, September 7th, 2007 | | 5:45 pm |
Gagging protest?
Following my entry on 20th August (Is Bush running scared?) on the Bush administration's attempt to censor criticism and stifle legitimate protest comes another post from ImpeachBush.org
***********************************************************
BUSH'S POLICE BREAK UP ANTI-WAR MEETING IN WASHINGTON
Youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EAfPgX7gs0
National Park Service Police turned a September 15 Press Conference, held in front of the White House, into a chaotic scene. On the pretext that there was no permit for a three foot long folding table that the media placed their microphones on, the police intervened in the middle of the press conference to announce that it was an unpermitted activity.
Mounted police charged in to break up the outdoor press conference and demonstration against the Iraq war in Washington on Thursday, and arrested three organizers, Adam Kokesh, an Iraq war veteran; Tina Richards of Grassroots America; and Ian Thompson an ANSWER Coalition organizer who are being held in jail.
An AFP reporter said: "The police suppressed the press conference. In the middle of the speeches, they grabbed the podium erected in a park in front of the White House for the small gathering. Then, mounted police charged the media present to disperse them" said Brian Becker, national organizer of the ANSWER anti-war coalition.
"The charge caused a peaceful crowd of some 20 journalists and four or five protestors to scatter in terror," said an AFP correspondent at the event in Lafayette Square. The ANSWER coalition is trying to rally support for an anti-war demonstration in Washington that is due to take place on September 15. Washington city authorities have said the posters had to come down because they were stuck on with adhesive that did not meet city regulations. "At our demonstration today we were showing the media that the paste we use conforms to the rules," Becker said. "This strategy of suppression has not worked. We expect many tens of thousands of people in Washington for the September 15 anti-war demonstration, he said. The march has been timed to coincide with the release of a report by the US military commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and will be part of a week of protests led by veterans of the Iraq war. A petition calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush, allegedly carrying one million signatures and endorsed by former US attorney general Ramsey Clark, will also be submitted to officials during the week's activities.
********************************************************
Hell, our mounted police in the U.K. are used to break up riots, not disperse a small handful of peaceful protesters and reporters. Over-reaction much!
--
Current Mood:  disgusted | | Tuesday, August 28th, 2007 | | 5:16 pm |
From the bizarre to the slightly more bizarre
After the Lego version of Bo Rhap, there's this duet that Rod found - Monserrat Caballé and Bruce Dickinson:
http://www.deezer.com/
then type Iron Maiden into the search box at the top. It's the eighth link from the top of the list.
And for the really whacky, with the same deezer URL, type Gogol Bordello into the search box and enjoy the 'Gypsy Punk... er... music!'
Whatever else they've got, they've certainly got life!!!
Enjoy! {eg}
--
| | Sunday, August 26th, 2007 | | 12:54 am |
| | Saturday, August 25th, 2007 | | 12:54 pm |
| | Monday, August 20th, 2007 | | 5:55 pm |
Is Bush Running Scared?
I understand from ImpeachBush.org, that there is to be a March on Washington D.C. on September 15th. This is organized by a number of anti-war protest groups and human rights organizations as well as ImpeachBush.org members. I also understand that this mass demonstration is scheduled to coincide with the time that General David Petraeus allegedly makes his report about the progress of the Iraq war, giving an overview of The Surge to Congress and the President. The decision to continue or pull out will, allegedly, be based on the non-partisan general's report. I say 'allegedly' because Phil Plait of the Bad Astronomy Blog tells us that that the report will actually be written by the White House... Apparently, Bush has repeatedly stated that the report will "reflect evaluations by General Petraeus" and others. However, officials from what we Brits might call "The Ministry of Administrative Affairs," have said it will actually be written by the White House, with input from officials throughout the U.S. Government. Moreover, although General Petraeus will make recommendations, legislation already passed by Congress, leaves it to the President to decide how to interpret the report's information. So nothing cloak-and-daggery about that then... The 'running scared' bit?
Well, apparently, the Protest's organizers have been putting up posters, like you do, to advertise the March. Posters have been put up before for earlier demonstrations. They conform to the government regulations and are, apparently, completely legal. So why did Big Brother, in an unprecedented action, slap a $10,000 fine on one of the anti-war organizations for putting up posters promoting the rally in Washington DC? I also hear that Bush's Interior Department is also threatening other large financial penalties against the organizers. Is it me, or does that look like an attempt to strangle Free Speech and conveniently suppress the Protest Rally? First Amendment, my arse!
--
Current Mood: aggravated | | Monday, July 2nd, 2007 | | 5:30 pm |
Just thought I share...
...my thoughts on the recent, somewhat inept, attempts at terrorizing the British public.
...............................................................................................................................
In a terrace house in Barnsley, Yorkshire:
Ring,ring - ring, ring - ring,ring.
"Ell-ohh. Al Quaieda - Baarnsluh branch - Mahmooood Longbottom
speaking..."
"...By 'eck! That soon? Ooh no, joost a minnit. I caan't do next
Thursday. It's t'Roses match in t'Twenty20 Coop..."
"What...? Nay, lad, *crickit!* Caan't miss that..."
"...Satuddy? Eeeeeee, lad! 'Ast tha fergotten it's t'grand finnarly
of 'Doctor Ooo?'..."
"...Raight, Plan B it is then. We pickit t'temple of t'great Satan.
Soondy next, 10 a.m. - Tesco's in 'Eeethcliff Roaad!"
Click.
.................................................................................................................. | | Sunday, February 4th, 2007 | | 5:48 pm |
A Fresno heroine
.
From the Fresno Bee:
.............................................
In a slap at California's ban on gay marriage, the elected official who oversees civil marriages in Yolo County will distribute "certificates of inequality" to same-sex couples on Valentine's Day.
Freddie Oakley, Yolo's clerk-recorder, said she designed the certificates herself as a way to ease her soul over having to deny marriage licenses to gays and lesbians.
"We don't discriminate against people on the basis of age, or health, or disability, or race, or ethnicity, or religion, but we do on the basis of gender in this matter," she said. "I feel it's inappropriate."
Oakley's "certificate of inequality" claims that California wrongly deprives gays and lesbians of the right to marry.
"I issue this Certificate of Inequality to you because your choice of marriage partner displeases some people whose displeasure is, apparently, more important than principles of equality," it reads.
...............................................
Naturally, those who put the right to discriminate above equal rights for all are protesting. I say, if she's rattling a few homophobic cages, more power to her elbow! 8-)
--
Current Mood:  impressed | | Monday, December 11th, 2006 | | 2:00 pm |
| | Saturday, December 9th, 2006 | | 3:14 pm |
| | Thursday, November 16th, 2006 | | 1:31 pm |
May the Force be with you.
. "Two self-styled Jedi Knights are stepping up an intergalactic campaign for formal recognition. Umada and Yunyun, also known as John Wilkinson and Charlotte Law, want the UN to acknowledge "The Force" is worthy of being called a religion. The couple claim to be part of the UK's fourth largest religious group, after 400,000 people recorded their faith as "Jedi" in the 2001 Census." Read on here: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/16112006/140/pair-use-force-jedi-religion.htmlNow, about The Flying Spaghetti Monster and his Pastafarian adherents...? 8-) -- Current Mood:  quirky |
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