English

We don't make understanding the language easy, as these sentences below illustrate.

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture..

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert..

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear..

19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Hat tip to Deb.

Doritos Commercials

Vote for your favorite.

The one with the most votes will be featured in the Super Bowl.

My favorites:

1)  What Could Go Wrong?
2)  Trouble in the Backseat
3)  Selfish Sneezers

Be careful with the voting.  I ended up voting for the wrong one by accident.

Enjoy these thirty second breaks.

https://crashthesuperbowl.doritos.com/finalists

How e-Readers Are Informing Publishers

If you read books on an e-reader, publishers are able to access a database with all kinds of info about your reading habits.

This is a good thing, right?

Can technology ever go too far?

You be the judge.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/publishers-know-you-didnt-finish-the-goldfinch-heres-what-th?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Vox%20Newsletter%20All&utm_campaign=vox%20sentences%20-%201%2F22%2F2015#.jiNeDoQK7

An Architecture's Dream

That is Dubai.

Home of the world's largest vertical maze.

Maze Tower of the Dubai-based Al Rostamani Group has been confirmed on Monday by records tally-keeper Guinness World Records as the worlds largest vertical maze

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/worlds-largest-vertical-maze-unveiled-in-dubai?utm_source=Communicator&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=ISIL's%20advance%20has%20been%20halted,%20Kerry%20tells%20coalition

The Whiteness of Oregon Explained

Did you know Oregon was founded as a "white utopia?"

I must have been asleep during this part of American History class.

http://gizmodo.com/oregon-was-founded-as-a-racist-utopia-1539567040

New England Patriots Cialis Commercial Parody (For Deflated-Balls) [Bens...

You knew this was coming, right?

I love it!

Cheaters! Cheaters!

PLEASE.

SOMEONE.

ANYONE.

TAKE A STAND . . .

And

GIVE THE PATRIOTS THE BOOT!

They absolutely should be disqualified from playing in the Super Bowl!

What message are we sending to every athlete from the peewee players to the professional guys:

"They should strive to win at ANY COST, including cheating their way to the top?"

COME ON NFL!

GROW A PAIR . . .

And

DO THE RIGHT THING!

BOOT the BASTARDS!

(Pardon my French)

Jon Stewart Confronts Mike Huckabee over hypocritical Beyoncé remarks

I like Jon Stewart, but can only take him in small doses.

This "small dose" below is priceless.

Keep Pushing

The folks at Charlie Hebdo keep pushing, and not surprisingly, people are pushing back.

There are lessons to be learned here, but is anyone listening?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/01/19/charlie-hebdo-cross-line-free-speech-covers-islam-limits-wickham/21960957/?csp=Opinion

Studying Sewage Water

This is really, really interesting.

Who knew that sewage water could reveal so much about us?

http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2015/01/09/what-does-cambridge-sewage-say-about-residents-mit-plans-find-out/qxBK9jbHYJFMcNGiTM2L2I/story.html

Yes We Can . . . Code

Van Jones is aiming to teach 100,000 kids of color how to write code.

Money quote form the attached article:

"Every time you see a black kid wearing a hoodie, you say: there's a thug. If you see a white kid wearing hoodie, you say: there's Mark Zuckerberg," Jones said. "I said, 'that's because of racism. And Prince said, 'maybe so, or maybe you civil rights guys haven't created enough Mark Zuckerbergs.'"

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/01/19/van-jones-yes-we-code-diversity-technology/21889543/

Poor Tiger

Can't catch a break.

A cameraman accidentally knocked his tooth out.

Not that I'm sympathetic to him or anything . . . but still.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/01/tiger-woods-tooth-lindsey-vonn

Our Weather

It was freezing . . . literally, in some parts of the UAE yesterday.

That was followed by strong winds, heavy rain, sleet and hail - all novelties for this area, for sure.

I pulled out my heavy coat and was so glad I did.  It really was cold as a booger bear.

Click the link below to see some pictures.

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/environment/hail-rain-and-floods-uae-wintry-weather-in-pictures#1

Fascinating Read

I read this book when it was first published years ago.

It is the parallel stories of two young men, with the same name, from the same poor neighborhood.  One grew up to be a Rhodes Scholar, the other an inmate serving a life sentence.

The author, the Rhodes Scholar, delves into why their fate turned out so drastically different, when they were on the same path for many of the years.

It is well worth your time to check it out.

http://theotherwesmoore.com

UC Berkely Scientist vs. Big Corporation

His story is being told about his discovery that a common herbicide might be causing gender and reproductive deformities in animals.

The big corporation that makes the product says, "No way."

Who do you believe?

From the New Yorker -

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/02/10/a-valuable-reputation

From Mother Jones -

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2011/11/tyrone-hayes-atrazine-syngenta-feud-frog-endangered

From Salon -

http://www.salon.com/2015/01/18/“dude_why_didn’t_you_just_sue_these_people”_portrait_of_an_environmental_whistleblower/

Dover Police DashCam Confessional (Shake it Off)

This is my favorite policeman . . . HANDS DOWN!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/01/17/dash-cam-taylor-swift-police-shake-it-off/21921527/

Mean Til the End

Mean girls don't grow up, they just grow old.

Sigh . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/opinion/sunday/mean-girls-in-the-retirement-home.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-top-span-region&region=c-column-top-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-top-span-region

A History Lesson for the NYPD

A strike in 1919 by the Boston Police lead to a hardline approach by President Coolidge.

It's the same one President Reagan used on the striking air traffic controllers.

Do you think this is the right approach for the folks in NY to use with the police department?

http://www.salon.com/2015/01/17/nypds_needed_history_lesson_what_it_can_learn_from_the_boston_police_strike_of_1919/?source=newsletter

Alternative Modes of Transportation

Bicycle cars?

Check these out.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2015/01/16/future_cycles_from_the_future_people_are_human_powered_car_bike_hybrid_vehicles.html

A Nice Gesture . . . Bungled

Duke University tried to extend a kindness to their Muslim students and staff by having the call to prayer played in the campus tower, but the execution, and then the retraction, was not pretty.

Here's one guy's take on it.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/01/duke_reverses_decision_on_muslim_call_to_prayer_in_campus_chapel_the_university.html

"Be My Eyes" App

Through video technology, you can help a blind person "see" with this really cool app.

Check it out below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/16/be-my-eyes-app_n_6488230.html

The Blacademy Awards

Truth in comedy.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/trey-ellis/white-actors-shutout-at-b_b_6483476.html?utm_hp_ref=tv

National Fig Newton Day

January 16.

Remember that for future reference.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/14/fig-newtons-name-change_n_6472072.html?cps=gravity_2439_-1121463061675170852

In celebration of this tasty treat, here's a recipe so you can make them at home.

Of course, I'm not, but maybe you will.

So, here's to a baking good day.

http://food52.com/blog/9405-fig-newtons-made-at-home

And the Winner Is . . .

A six old race car driver from my neck of the woods.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/15/sports/autoracing/rashid-al-dhaheri-a-precocious-driver-at-6-builds-a-following-in-the-united-arab-emirates.html?mabReward=R4&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&region=CColumn&module=Recommendation&src=rechp&WT.nav=RecEngine

Peeking Behind the Curtain

Students at Stanford have figured out a way to gain access to their records.

What you wanna bet other kids at other schools will follow suit.

And why not?

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/17/us/students-gain-access-to-files-on-admission-to-stanford.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

Prisoners Response to Current Events

This is a really interesting article about an inmate at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York, and how he came to write about current events as seen through the eyes of his fellow prisoners.  He's writing for Rolling Stone Magazine.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/sing-sing-reacts-to-police-shootings-20150114

How to Save a Choking Baby

This is worth sharing.

Please pass it on.

From Upworthy.

Students Learn A Powerful Lesson About Privilege

From Upworthy.

A high school teacher wanted share an important life lesson with his students. 

But a dull lecture just wouldn't do. So he planned a simple interactive exercise. All he needed was some scrap paper for each student and a recycling bin at the front of the room.

He set up the exercise by telling the class that they represent the country's population and everyone has a chance to get rich. But there was a catch:

"To move into the upper class, all you must do is throw your wadded-up paper into the bin while sitting in your seat."

The results were about what you'd expect. Most of the students in the front made it into the bin, and most of the students in the back didn't.

The teacher explained: "The closer you were to the recycling bin, the better your odds. This is what privilege looks like."

Understandably, the only students who complained about fairness were those in the back of the room.

Students in the front of the room, however, focused only on the task at hand with little consideration for their advantage — their privilege.

That's how privilege works. It can give us clearer insight into both our present and future. But it can also distract us from the challenges people behind us face in pursuit of the same goals.

In that sense, people with privilege can themselves be an obstacle to social mobility for the underprivileged.

The teacher concluded with a statement that gets to the heart of the matter:

"Your job as students who are receiving an education is to be aware of your privilege and use this particular privilege called 'education' to do your best to achieve great things, all the while advocating for those in the rows behind you."

Watch the full video:

Really Oscar?

There was quick and spirited backlash to the whitewashing of the Oscars.  Talent wasn't lacking in the movies and performances of people of color, but they are certainly missing in the lineup of Oscar nominees.

There are two images that have been making the rounds in reference to this.

Both speak volumes.

This is progress, right?

Common Sense

Ben forwarded a couple of great articles on the Charlie Hebdo controversy and the response to this incident.

Money quote in the first article:

. . . “free speech,” in the hands of many westerners, actually means: it is vital that the ideas I like be protected, and the right to offend groups I dislike be cherished; anything else is fair game.

https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/01/14/days-hosting-massive-free-speech-march-france-arrests-comedian-facebook-comments/

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/they-are-not-exactly-charlie-20150115?utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=daily&utm_campaign=011515_16&utm_medium=email&ea=YnNoYXJwZThAZ21haWwuY29t

Let me be clear:  The murders were an atrocity.

But . . .

With the freedom of speech comes a responsibility to use that speech with some common sense.

Poking fun at Muslims and Islam is thinly veiled racism, I don't care how you slice it.

And . . .

It is TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY DISRESPECTFUL.

I live in a Muslim country where everything is steeped in the teaching of Islam. Certainly I don't agree with everything that is said or done, but I didn't agree with much of the religious discourse in the US either.

One of the things I love about the UAE is the freedom they have graciously allowed for other religions to prosper and flourish here.  There is no stifling of other ideas as long as you don't use those ideas to proselytize.

They don't care who I pray to or what I believe, as long as I don't bother them, they don't bother me.

That's a lesson we could all learn.

I Don't Know

This article features a chart that shows the most popular food in each state.

Some of these seemed a little far fetch.

What do you think?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/14/most-popular-cuisine-state_n_6457252.html

Well . . . ?

We see the world from our own lenses.

Our experiences, our very lives, color the way we view the world.

It is through this filter that we can review the much celebrated Golden Globes Awards Presentation from this author's perspective.

Check it out.

It's telling.

http://www.salon.com/2015/01/14/hollywoods_political_deafness_what_cosby_selma_hebdo_reveal_about_white_liberal_consciousness/?source=newsletter

When Being the Best Isn't Good Enough

Full disclosure:

These article are long, but worth the read.

The first one is about what SAT scores actually measure.

The second one is about a valedictorian whose SAT score proved to be the gate keeper that kept him out of his desired schools.

Grab some coffee, cocoa, or maybe some tea, sit back and soak in what all of this means and who benefits from it.

http://www.salon.com/2015/01/11/ivy_leagues_meritocracy_lie_how_harvard_and_yale_cook_the_books_for_the_1_percent/

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/01/when-being-a-valedictorian-isnt-enough/384451/

Smart Dog

Here's a really cute story of a Seattle dog who rides the bus alone to the dog park.

Gotta love her sense of independence.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/13/seattle-dog-rides-bus-public-transit-park-black-lab_n_6463364.html

Changing the World, One Word at a Time! | The Queen Latifah Show

Out of the mouths of babes . . .

The Other Palo Alto

This article does a great job of shedding light on East Palo Alto, the dark side of Silicon Valley.

http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/10/east-of-palo-altos-eden/?src=longreads&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Vox%20Newsletter%20All&utm_campaign=vox%20sentences%20-%201%2F12%2F2015

Worth Repeating

You've probably seen this video clip of Common accepting the Golden Globe for Best Song at the ceremony on Sunday night, but his quick, but oh so powerful speech, is worth repeating.

An App For "Ooooops"

This young lady has created an app that will allow you to retrieve a text message that was sent in error, or in the heat of the moment.

Check out her story below.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/wish_you_could_get_that_text_back_there_s_an_app_for_that.html

Recovering

Months ago I had a nasty fall in the bathtub that resulted in a wicked bruise that is still evident.

Several weeks ago, I aggravated my already bruised knee, that left me in tolerable pain.

Last week the pain ratcheted up to the top of the pain scale, forcing me to see an orthopedic surgeon three hours away.

I'm following his instructions to a T, and the pain has subsided greatly, thank God.

Anyway, that's why I've been silent.

More soon.

Inshall'Allah

If Only This Ingenuity Was Used For Good

Here's an article about the most prolific counterfeiter in US history.  The story begin in 2009.

Fascinating!

http://www.gq.com/long-form/the-great-paper-caper

Special Interest

It was with a renewed sense of excitement that I watched the premiere of the new season of Downton Abbey.  I visited Highclere Castle this past July on my way to the US.  Seeing the characters fill the spaces where I walked is a real treat.

Sweet dreams to you.

Good afternoon to me.

A Daring Experiement

Was conducted by Oprah 23 years ago.

Check it out.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/02/jane-elliott-race-experiment-oprah-show_n_6396980.html

Remembering Stuart

In a house full of men, growing up and with my boys, I couldn't help but appreciate sports.  Stuart Scott, the ESPN anchor who passed away yesterday, was a breath of fresh air to the broadcast booth.

The article below summarizes quite well, the role he exemplified for so many.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/stuart_scott_spoke_the_language_of_my_generation.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr%3Acontent%26

Milestone!

I just published my 1000th post!

For those of you who read this blog in whole or part, every day or once in a while . . . thank you!

For those of you who click on it to see what crazy thing "she's talkin' about" today . . . thank you!

For those of you who click on it and regularly roll your eyes . . . thank you!

For those of you related by blood who may feel obligated to check it out . . . thank you, too!

This continues to be a wonderful journey in discovery of new places, which has been awesome, but more importantly, it's been a great journey into a deeper discovery of myself.

As always, thanks for hitching' a ride with me.

Best.

Can You Imagine?

If this had been me or my boys?

I'm betting the ending to this story would have been quite different.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/05/opinion/charles-blow-privilege-of-arrest-without-incident.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-top-span-region&region=c-column-top-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-top-span-region&_r=0

Agree?

From The Vox Newsletter

• "The internet makes dumb people dumber and smart people smarter."
  [Mother Jones / Kevin Drum]

Texting Codes for Parents

This is from an article in USA Today, linked below.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/komando/2015/01/02/texting-acronyms-parents/21098099/?csp=tech

Your kid has something to hide

CD9: Short for "Code 9," which means parents are around.

KPC: Keeping Parents Clueless

MOS: Mom Over Shoulder

P911: Parent Alert

PAL: Parents Are Listening

PAW: Parents Are Watching

PIR: Parent In Room

POS: Parent Over Shoulder

Your kid's personal information or safety is at risk

ASL: Age/Sex/Location

F2F: Face to Face. Asking for a meeting or video chat

LMIRL: Let's Meet In Real Life

NAZ: Name/Address/ZIP

MOOS: Member of the Opposite Sex

MOSS: Member of the Same Sex

MORF or RUMORF: Male or Female, or Are Your Male or Female?

RU/18: Are You Over 18?

WUF: Where You From?

WYCM: Will You Call Me?

WYRN: What's Your Real Name?

Your kid shouldn't be involved in this

143, 459 or ILU: I love you

1174: Invited to a wild party

420: Marijuana

GNOC: Get Naked On Cam

GYPO: Get Your Pants Off

AMEZRU: I Am Easy, Are You?

IWSN: I Want Sex Now

KFY or K4Y: Kiss For You

KOTL: Kiss On The Lips

NIFOC: Nude In Front Of The Computer

RUH: Are You Horny?

TDTM: Talk Dirty To Me

Not every acronym is bad

BRB: Be Right Back

CWYL: Chat With You Later

CYT: See You Tomorrow

IMHO: In My Humble Opinion

IMNSHO: In My Not So Humble Opinion

L8R: Later

LMK: Let Me Know

NM: Never Mind

ROTFL: Rolling On The Floor Laughing

SOHF: Sense Of Humor Failure

More Fun Learning

These apps were featured on News360.

Check out . . .

"Toontastic" - create and share your own cartoons on iPads. (www.toontastic.com)

"Learn with Homer" - teaches pre-schoolers and pre-readers how to read. (www.learnwithhomer.com)

"Dragon Box Math" - teaches algebra as a game in a fun, non-threatening, easy to understand way.  (www.dragonboxapp.com)

Video Games

Confession -

I'm not a fan, but this website caught me eye.

It teaches kids how to create their own video games, they can then share with others.

And . . .

They don't have to know how to code to accomplish this.

So . . .

If you know someone who's into gaming, consider passing this on.

Also . . .

Check out the video.  It's quick but quite informative.

https://gamestarmechanic.com

Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud [Official Video]

Somehow, setting this song to dance makes it come alive.

I like this kid, but seriously, I just want to comb his hair.

A Rare Breed

A black cinematographer in Hollywood.

His story below.

http://deadline.com/2014/12/selma-bradford-young-black-cinematography-1201338543/

Too Adorable!

A dog helps to reunite lost items to their rightful owners, in the airport.

Just darling!

http://www.chonday.com/Videos/dogairgpklm2

Hat tip to Forrest.

A Changs is Gonna Come

This daddy can blow!




Now, enjoy the original version by the one and only Sam Cooke.

In these turbulent times, it is still quite fitting.

Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk ft. Bruno Mars

Bring in the new year with some old school funk!




HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Super Cool Apps!

The first one is a fireworks app to help bring in the new year.  This is the closest I want to be to the real thing.

The iTunes link is below.

Real Fireworks Artwork Visualizer 4-in-1 HD 2014 - Play Awesome Light Show, Enjoy Fun Visuals, Make Cool Pictures for Instagram and Draw Amazing Art with Colors & Glow

My absolute favorite is BitGym.  It's a virtual landscape app (for lack of a better description) that puts in the place you see on the scene.  It uses the camera on your device to monitor how fast you're going, and the scene slows down or picks up speed based on your movement.  It's totally interactive.  It's for exercising on a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, etc.  On my treadmill, I was walking through an Italian countryside, then I moved to a boardwalk in Venice.  Really amazing.  It made the walk go so much faster and was so much more interesting.  Once you sign up (it's free), you have access to many more trails from around the world.

You have to see it to believe it.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitgym/id651190653?mt=8

Do Your Baby's Hair!

Ah, the challenges of white folks combing natural black hair.  (See previous post).

To save everyone grief, especially the kid from being teased, as we all know kids will do - white mommas and daddies - learn how to comb your baby's hair.

Black or White - Official Trailer HD

My favorite scene - when he's is trying to comb her hair.

Fool the Kids With a FAKE New Year's Eve Countdown - Netflix

Fool your kids into thinking the new year has arrive hours earlier with this fake New Year's Eve celebration.

Simply brilliant!

Quick. Fast. In a Hurray.

That's how I like my news.

I discovered a sight that gives it just like that.  If I want to read more, I can, but otherwise I get the highlights and can move on.

It's the daily newsletter from vox.com that arrives via email.

Sign up at http://www.vox.com/newsletter

A sample is below.

1. Flight 8501 

• A plane with 162 passengers went missing in Indonesia Sunday.
  [Vox / Joey Stromberg]

• The flight, en route from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore, was operated by Indonesia AirAsia, an affiliate of the Malaysian carrier AirAsia. 

• The head of Indonesia's search and rescue team said the plane was probably "at the bottom of the sea."
  [NYT / Thomas Fuller]

• "If all of [Malaysia-based AirAsia] Flight 8501’s passengers have perished, that would mean the three deadliest aviation disasters of 2014 are all tied to Malaysia."
  [NYT / Michael Forsythe]

• It appears that weather is the likeliest explanation for the disappearance, but we don't know enough to say yet.
  [Slate / Jeff Wise]

• By contrast, the disappearance of a Malaysian Airlines plane in March doesn't appear to have been weather-related. 

• Even including this flight and the Malaysian Airlines flight, 2014 had relatively few deaths from plane accidents.
  [Vox / German Lopez]

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Brrrrrrrrr!!!

Yesterday I was cocooned  in my hotel room, not knowing how cold it was outside.

My first hint today was at breakfast where I could see from the windows the new fallen snow and the trees blowing in the wind.  It was a brisk 27 degrees with no wind, a couple of days ago, so I knew I'd need to bundle up.

Sho' nuf, when my face hit the door, there was a blast of freezing cold air.

It was 23 degrees, but with the wind chill, it felt like 13!

Now, I could have been better prepared with wool scarves, but I don't like buying heavy clothes that I will very rarely wear.  So, I decided I'd just layer.

That worked until my feet got wet from the snow.  My cute boots were no match for the slushy snow.  Once my feet got cold and wet, I was cold all over.

I left the hotel about an hour earlier than I needed to, so that I could stop by that beautiful church, St. Francis of Assisi, to check and see if it was open.  It wasn't.

Snow along the path to St. Francis of Assisi Church

I then walked to the bus stop, but I still had an hour to wait.  Too long to be standing in this weather, so I was headed back to the hotel, when I decided to stop in a cafe along the way instead.  I had some steaming hot tea.  That warmed me up.

After about 45 minutes, I headed back outside to the bus stop, but saw another shop I wanted to explore on the far side of the church.  When I got over to that side, I saw someone going into the church, so I forgot about the shop and proceeded to check out the church.

It was simply stunning, but in a classic, understated way.  I've seen Catholic Churches that are gaudy and over-the-top with gold and jewels, but this one was plain by comparison.  It looked and felt like the neighborhood church that it is.  I think I was in one of the small chapels, as the main doors were locked.  I didn't take any pictures of the inside because there were others in there praying, and I didn't want to intrude on their time.

From there, I walked across the street to my bus stop and had to wait just a few minutes before the bus pulled up.

Once on board, I had to make a change a couple of stops later, to access the other route that I had not seen.

This was away from the center of town, and it featured the Schoenbrunn Palace, which I definitely wanted to see.

Snow-covered landscape of the Hofburg Palace

Hofburg Palace 2
This is the same place I photographed
in my previous Vienna post.

Hofburg Palace Statue

Hofburg Palace 3

Typical road sign, written in German

Schoenbrunn Palace.
It is surrounded by a wall of buildings,
so it wasn't easy to see.
It was way too cold to venture outside to get a closer look.

The Arsenal Military Museum

Online photo of the Arsenal above gives a much better view

The Belvedere

The gates of the Belvedere - online photo

The temperature was dropping by the minute, so when the bus stopped and there would be a half hour wait for the next one to take me back to my original stop, I cheated and caught a taxi to the hotel. That cut about an hour off my trip, plus I wouldn't have the walk that last mile or so from the bus stop back to the hotel in this inclement weather.

Well, that's it.

This concludes my Vienna adventure.

I'm thrilled to have had this experience.

As always, thanks for taking this journey with me.

Auf wiedersehen (goodbye).

Locked Up Lover

I always wondered about women who hook up with inmates.

What is that about?

I get it if they were involved with the person before prison, but to hook up after they're locked up.

Why?

How does that work?

The women spend all of their time, energy and effort trying to maintain a grossly one-sided relationship.

What do the guys have to offer?

What am I missing here?

How do the women benefit from these relationship?

Below is a really interesting article about a woman who shed some light one this. She describes her relationship with a death row inmate, and the witnessing his execution.

http://www.salon.com/2014/12/28/what_it’s_like_to_watch_him_die_2/?source=newsletter

Robot Jockeys From My World

Camel races are a huge deal in the UAE.  This video clip shows the use of robots, instead of the now banned kid jockeys.

Great News!

From theroot.com - 

5 Black Students Named Rhodes Scholars

They were among 207 finalists from 86 colleges and universities who were selected in 16 geographic districts.

BY: LYNETTE HOLLOWAY

Posted: Dec. 27 2014 12:10 PM

 

(Left to right) Tayo Sanders, Rachel Harmon, Ridwan Hassen, Sarah Yerima, Robert Fisher

RHODES TRUST

Five black students have been selected as Rhodes Scholars in one of the highest academic achievements for U.S. college students, according to the Rhodes Trust, which administers the program, and the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.

The 2015 class of Rhodes Scholars was chosen from a pool of 877 students who were endorsed by 305 colleges and universities. There were 207 finalists from 86 colleges and universities who were selected in 16 different geographic districts, the Journal says. Two students from each district were chosen as Rhodes Scholars. Students can enter the competition in the district in which they reside or the district where they attended college. The 32 outstanding students will begin their studies at Oxford University in October 2015, according to the Rhodes Trust.

Alain LeRoy Locke, who graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1907, was the first black Rhodes Scholar, according to Henry Louis Gates Jr., The Root’s editor-in-chief and the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and founding director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard. Locke was born in Philadelphia in 1885, the only son of a lawyer and teacher, both of whom had been born free, Gates writes. Since then, others have joined the exclusive ranks.

Here is a list of the five most recent winners, according to the Rhodes Trust, which made the announcement in November.

Robert A. Fisher is a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is majoring in political science with minors in history and Africana studies. He previously won a Truman Scholarship. Fisher is the student body president at the university and has a perfect academic record. Fisher will study for a master’s degree in comparative social policy at Oxford.

Rachel V. Harmon is from Champaign, Ill. She is a senior at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y, where she is majoring in industrial and labor relations. Before starting her college career, Harmon was an AmeriCorps volunteer at a rural elementary school in the Mississippi Delta. She plans to study for a master’s degree in evidence-based social policy at Oxford.

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Ridwan Y. Hassen is a senior at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. He is majoring in computer science with an emphasis on neuroscience. He began his college career at Emory University and transferred to Dartmouth after two years. He is the son of refugees from Somalia and Ethiopia. At Dartmouth, he is a member of the Endurance Racing Team. Hassen is planning to pursue a master’s degree in public policy at Oxford.

Tayo A. Sanders II is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he is majoring in materials science. Sanders previously won a Goldwater Scholarship. He has conducted research in the nanomaterials laboratory at the University of Strasbourg in France. Sanders is a triathlete. At Oxford, Sanders plans to earn a PhD in materials science.

Sarah E. Yerima is a senior at Princeton University in New Jersey. She is majoring in sociology. During the summer of 2013, Yerima completed an intensive program in Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro. She will enroll in a two-year master’s degree program in politics at Oxford. After studying at Oxford, Yerima plans to enter a joint JD/PhD program and hopes to become a professor of law.

Read more at the Rhodes Trust and the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.

Greetings from Vienna!

In my quest to visit someplace that looks and feels Christmas, I landed in Vienna, Austria for a few days.

It's a beautiful city that reminds me of Prague in its architecture and feel.

Vienna is known as the City of Music because some of the most extraordinary classical musicians - Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Schubert - lived and worked here, and (according to Wikipedia) it's also known as the City of Dreams because it's the birthplace of Sigmund Freud, the world's first psychoanalyst.

I ventured out midmorning, headed to one of the Big Bus Tours bus stops.  Armed with directions from someone in the hotel and my trusty Google Maps on my phone, I was off.

One of the first things I noticed was the temperature.  It was 27 degrees.

The nearest bus stop was about a mile from my hotel.  It was a beautiful, brisk, sunny day so the walk was really pleasant.  I stopped a couple of times to ask directions, making sure I was on the right track, and each time, I was graciously helped.

St. Francis of Assisi Church
This was the landmark across the street from the bus stop.

Another view of the church

My pictures just don't do this church justice.
It truly is magnificent as this online photo illustrates.

Once on the bus, I sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the ride.

When we arrived in the heart of the city, there were crowds of people, but not nearly as many as I expected.  I got off the bus and mingled.  I also got something warm to drink.

Like in Prague, there was hot wine, but I settled for something described as hot punch.  I had mine sans the rum.  It was delicious and warmed me right up.

The language spoken is German.  It's not pretty.  Definitely not easy on the ears.

Interestingly, it's easier navigating in the Middle East than it is here because the signage there is bilingual (Arabic - English), here its only in German, so this makes getting around tougher.

I know.  I know.

I'm just as guilty as the next American - expecting the world to speak English.

I know.  I know.

When in Rome, do like the Romans and learn another language or two!

City streets

City streets 2

Hofburg Palace - Open Christmas Market

Another view of statute at Hofburg Palace

Another view of the market

Market 2

Danube River
What you can't see very well
is the amazing street art that lines the riverbank.

Side note - Apologies to those of you who receive these posts when I click publish. Oftentimes, like today, I hit the button by mistake and have tons of correction, additions and/or deletions, to do in the editing process.  Anyway, please omit the previous one.

Cheers.

The Better Way to Board an Airplane

If it's better, why isn't it widely used?

Real Guys Respond to Fashion Issues

These guys make so much sense.

Maybe we should listen to the guys in our world more.

http://www.whowhatwear.com/how-real-men-solve-common-fashion-problems?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange

Inside Hockey - Subban Brothers

As promised.

See previous post.

The Best of P.K. Subban [HD]

I read an article this morning, that quite frankly, I muddled through, but the subject of the piece is a very interesting young guy name PK Subban, who is one of the best hockey players in Canada.

The link to the article is below.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/12/15/ice-breaker

This video shows PK in action.





The next post also features PK and his brothers, great hockey players in their own right.

Side note - I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to add both videos to the same post.

In the technology fight this morning, the score is:

Technology - 1

Faye - 0

A Great Series from USA TODAY

The tag line is -

Smarter. Faster. More colorful.

I love that!

This series features folks who have chosen to color outside the lines.

To step out of the ordinary and dare to be different.

To think differently.

Act differently.

And . . . 

Produce differently.

This article features a young, black entrepreneur and CEO in Silicon Valley.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/12/23/tristan-walker-smarter-faster-more-colorful/20647441/?csp=tech

Sending best wishes to you and yours this Christmas Season!

Year in Photos 2014

I woke up this morning to find this cool little video, made by Google+, in my inbox.

It represents my year in pictures.

I'm headed out of town today.

More soon.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!