The few people who read this blog are telling me to give my e mail address so people don't need to join "Blog:" I fear that I have been remiss in not reading the tons of explication relating to this blog and facebook.
I'm sorry. John signed and set of the blog. Sue put me on facebook. I really haven't a clue about all the rules.
at any rate, one can catch me at nblignaut@zoomtown.com.. That is if I read my e mail and I've taken to doing so.
Electronically I am an idiot. I will learn. Sue will teach me.
The Road to Zimbabwe - memories of travel & romamce by John & Nancy Blignaut
Finally! Here is how to order the book.Go to www.lulu.com and type 'The Road to Zimbabwe' into the search bar on that page. When you see the book you can hit 'Preview' to see the first few pages. The alternative way to go to the book is to copy this URL into your browser: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/the-road-to-zimbabwe/9760834
Friday, September 30, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Language
I don't mind language, actually I'm rather fond of it. So fond of it that I taught English for 35 years-not including art, french, history, study skills, and religion.
I FAILED. It's so nice to be part of the current generation which is counseled by Time Magazine to accept failure as an aid to creativity and to go out and make a job. I gather there are no companies wanting workers who live locally (ie. in the United States), so the young ones must get newspaper routes.
Back to language. I endorse plain language. I'm very tired of hearing commentators say, "Of course you can have regulation, but a smart person can always find a way around the rules." I heard this again about a chap from the Swiss Bank (UAB) who misplaced 2 billion dollars. He's in London and has hired a top notch lawperson to defend him in court. (Personally I'd chose a Swiss jail rather than a British one. The Swiss are more likely to keep their jails clean even if their morals are suspect.)
I dispute the word "smart." "Smart" is a very positive word and is inadequate to describe the actual event.
The proper word is "thief," "alleged thief" if you will. People's intelligence has nothing to do with such actions. Bernie Madoff is a thief. He stole peoples money. Enron's players were thieves and liars. Wall Street is littered with thieves and liars.
It's so simple.
I FAILED. It's so nice to be part of the current generation which is counseled by Time Magazine to accept failure as an aid to creativity and to go out and make a job. I gather there are no companies wanting workers who live locally (ie. in the United States), so the young ones must get newspaper routes.
Back to language. I endorse plain language. I'm very tired of hearing commentators say, "Of course you can have regulation, but a smart person can always find a way around the rules." I heard this again about a chap from the Swiss Bank (UAB) who misplaced 2 billion dollars. He's in London and has hired a top notch lawperson to defend him in court. (Personally I'd chose a Swiss jail rather than a British one. The Swiss are more likely to keep their jails clean even if their morals are suspect.)
I dispute the word "smart." "Smart" is a very positive word and is inadequate to describe the actual event.
The proper word is "thief," "alleged thief" if you will. People's intelligence has nothing to do with such actions. Bernie Madoff is a thief. He stole peoples money. Enron's players were thieves and liars. Wall Street is littered with thieves and liars.
It's so simple.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Help!
John Bahener, the head of the congress or something just explained his economic policy vis a vis government spending and I don't get it.
He wants more tax cuts. Haven't we had more tax cuts? He wants to keep tax cuts for the very rich, allow tax loopholes for oil and gas and any other group that owns a lobby.
Hasn't that been the theme of "economic thought" since Reagan? Have you notices an improvement in the economy? I know it's good in Asia, but I thought supply side economics were supposed to help the US.
He doesn't want regulation. BAD REGULATION. We haven't had much regulation for a pot of years. Anyone notice a problem with banks?
Thanks to these conservatives the following is true. Our hard worn money invested in US Treasuries may well give us back less than we put in. We won't just lose interest, we'll lose our money. The stock market goes on in another reality, the small investor will lose money. Social Security will be banished by the Republicans along with Medicaid and Medicare. We can't afford them.
Worst of all, we put our children to die in an unnecessary war and the Conservatives won't pay for their care either, not in the end, not when they see what a closed head injury really means.
Explain this for me. I really don't understand.
He wants more tax cuts. Haven't we had more tax cuts? He wants to keep tax cuts for the very rich, allow tax loopholes for oil and gas and any other group that owns a lobby.
Hasn't that been the theme of "economic thought" since Reagan? Have you notices an improvement in the economy? I know it's good in Asia, but I thought supply side economics were supposed to help the US.
He doesn't want regulation. BAD REGULATION. We haven't had much regulation for a pot of years. Anyone notice a problem with banks?
Thanks to these conservatives the following is true. Our hard worn money invested in US Treasuries may well give us back less than we put in. We won't just lose interest, we'll lose our money. The stock market goes on in another reality, the small investor will lose money. Social Security will be banished by the Republicans along with Medicaid and Medicare. We can't afford them.
Worst of all, we put our children to die in an unnecessary war and the Conservatives won't pay for their care either, not in the end, not when they see what a closed head injury really means.
Explain this for me. I really don't understand.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The wonders of science!
I love science. Science has brought us so many surprises in the last decade. Here are my favorite scientific flashes.
Babies' brains grow after they're born. (I wonder what they thought that soft spot was all about)
Students who do homework do better in school.
Really, really high heels lead to foot problems down the road.
Golly!
The big surprise in my life has been that women wear these heels without stockings. I wish I knew how they manage. Stuffing feet into stiletto heels without stocking and wearing them all day looks ultra painful. Maybe women's feet no longer sweat. The woman of today find that even plastic shoes remain cool and comfortable. Leather shoes are a given but how do women put up with "strappy" shoes? My fashionista friend informs me that these are most desirable of shoes because they're sexy. What I see is shoes held onto the feet with one or two very thin strips of leather (the other straps are for decoration only) which offer damned little support for feet suspended six inches off the ground.
I am in awe of today's women...and the insightful scientists!!!! It's all too much for me.
Babies' brains grow after they're born. (I wonder what they thought that soft spot was all about)
Students who do homework do better in school.
Really, really high heels lead to foot problems down the road.
Golly!
The big surprise in my life has been that women wear these heels without stockings. I wish I knew how they manage. Stuffing feet into stiletto heels without stocking and wearing them all day looks ultra painful. Maybe women's feet no longer sweat. The woman of today find that even plastic shoes remain cool and comfortable. Leather shoes are a given but how do women put up with "strappy" shoes? My fashionista friend informs me that these are most desirable of shoes because they're sexy. What I see is shoes held onto the feet with one or two very thin strips of leather (the other straps are for decoration only) which offer damned little support for feet suspended six inches off the ground.
I am in awe of today's women...and the insightful scientists!!!! It's all too much for me.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Hmmmm.
Why can't dogs talk? I know they can vocalise. When I leave the house the unholy trio howl in wonderful tune.
I understand Nook. God bless him, he was born with diminished brain power. His thoughts run to Huh?...Huh... No do that!...Huh...Huh? Food!...Nook strongly reminds me of some students I have taught.They mean well, are very big but unlike him, they chase balls.
My poor Mick is a classic neurotic. He worries all the time. He thinks "Pet me, please pet me, pet me some more...Ohh! strange noise, hid in dog house, awful, awful, awful, pet me, please pet me, treat?"
Winnie is another kettle of fish. She has an obvious sense of humour and she directs the other dogs in her endless campaign to train me according to her version of proper. To that end she's observant and disciplined.
She controls the in-out movement of the dogs, manages the eating times and the disposal of space on the couches and chairs. (Each dog fancies his own furniture. Naturally their tastes overlap. Winnie doles out space according to her own whim.) Winnie always follows Nook into the kitchen. She's long ago noted that he can knock food to the floor all unwitting-exp. with his tail. She scoops it up.
She's a mutt and thus no one has bred certain strategies out of her tool kit. So why can't she speak?
She was raised in a language rich environment, exposed to books, reading , music and intelligent conversation. She listens well. She rarely wanders off in the middle of my disquisitions on life. I swear she understands a great deal of what I say.
The damndog even understands gestures, not that she obeys them, unless I come after her with newspaper, knife or stick. Then she runs.
There's much we can learn from a dog. I think Winnie figures life is complicated enough without talking about it.
I understand Nook. God bless him, he was born with diminished brain power. His thoughts run to Huh?...Huh... No do that!...Huh...Huh? Food!...Nook strongly reminds me of some students I have taught.They mean well, are very big but unlike him, they chase balls.
My poor Mick is a classic neurotic. He worries all the time. He thinks "Pet me, please pet me, pet me some more...Ohh! strange noise, hid in dog house, awful, awful, awful, pet me, please pet me, treat?"
Winnie is another kettle of fish. She has an obvious sense of humour and she directs the other dogs in her endless campaign to train me according to her version of proper. To that end she's observant and disciplined.
She controls the in-out movement of the dogs, manages the eating times and the disposal of space on the couches and chairs. (Each dog fancies his own furniture. Naturally their tastes overlap. Winnie doles out space according to her own whim.) Winnie always follows Nook into the kitchen. She's long ago noted that he can knock food to the floor all unwitting-exp. with his tail. She scoops it up.
She's a mutt and thus no one has bred certain strategies out of her tool kit. So why can't she speak?
She was raised in a language rich environment, exposed to books, reading , music and intelligent conversation. She listens well. She rarely wanders off in the middle of my disquisitions on life. I swear she understands a great deal of what I say.
The damndog even understands gestures, not that she obeys them, unless I come after her with newspaper, knife or stick. Then she runs.
There's much we can learn from a dog. I think Winnie figures life is complicated enough without talking about it.
Grey day, finally
And to think that I used to mock the English and South Africans obsession with weather! In my latter years I find there may have been a reason for their concern other than the total safety of the topic.
(Well, it used to be safe, now everyone argues about global warming.)
Weather is actually very important. I've noted that tornados, hurricanes, and drought are important to individual survival.
I find endless days of sun drenched in the awful humidity of this area make me cross. Grey days, rain and sooner dark console me. It must be biological somehow. The world migrates to the southwest or to southern California. Still, I can't really fancy living in a desert. Nor can I see living in a canyon. My sister in law in Los Cruces swears by the mountains that surround her. The sun always shines. My brother in Phoenix is happy with sun year round and swears the excessive heat only lasts for three months of so.
I want to move north. My idea of heaven is the shore of Lake Superior bathed in clear sun, warm enough but always breezes scented by the pines I like Lake Superior too when it's cold, when the rain comes, when the great storms rage. Lake Superior eats ships. In a rage it pulls down the great and big ocean going ships.
It's usually fairly placid and very cold. I see it as a barricade against the vast warm wet air that smothers human action and that has likely led to the confusion of warmer climates' human minds.
Speaking of warmer climates, what's with Rick Perry
I can't help it. I wonder if the fires around Austin are God's way of telling him to avoid the presidency.
He's a fundamentalist and thus pays attention to such signs, esp. when they happen to other people.
(Well, it used to be safe, now everyone argues about global warming.)
Weather is actually very important. I've noted that tornados, hurricanes, and drought are important to individual survival.
I find endless days of sun drenched in the awful humidity of this area make me cross. Grey days, rain and sooner dark console me. It must be biological somehow. The world migrates to the southwest or to southern California. Still, I can't really fancy living in a desert. Nor can I see living in a canyon. My sister in law in Los Cruces swears by the mountains that surround her. The sun always shines. My brother in Phoenix is happy with sun year round and swears the excessive heat only lasts for three months of so.
I want to move north. My idea of heaven is the shore of Lake Superior bathed in clear sun, warm enough but always breezes scented by the pines I like Lake Superior too when it's cold, when the rain comes, when the great storms rage. Lake Superior eats ships. In a rage it pulls down the great and big ocean going ships.
It's usually fairly placid and very cold. I see it as a barricade against the vast warm wet air that smothers human action and that has likely led to the confusion of warmer climates' human minds.
Speaking of warmer climates, what's with Rick Perry
I can't help it. I wonder if the fires around Austin are God's way of telling him to avoid the presidency.
He's a fundamentalist and thus pays attention to such signs, esp. when they happen to other people.
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