Dec 30, 2006

Saddam Hussein has been executed.



At least two Arab-language television networks (Alhurra, US-based; and Al Arabiya, Dubai-based) are now reporting that Saddam Hussein was hanged in Baghdad at 10:05 PM Eastern Time. Reports say he was executed with two co-defendants. Update, 1035PM ET: Iraqi state television (Al-Iraqiya) is now reporting the same, as are other Iraqi TV networks and Al Jazeera. CNN now reports that a senior US military official has confirmed.

Link to CNN's coverage, Wikinews here, evolving Wikipedia article here, New York Times coverage here.

Related: in the New York Times, a report on debate at television networks today over whether and how to broadcast images and video of the execution. In the age of abundant online video, it seems inevitable that explicit footage will soon show up on the internet. How does that -- or should that -- influence editorial decisions at television networks? Will they show greater restraint on-air than online?

We are all on our own journey from the home we were born into toward the home we make for ourselves. (Mike Warren)

So then why don't we feel free yet?

G&P left M arrives. This in anothere journey, not sure it'll ever be a transition.
Tomorrow will be the last day of 2006.

Together with my usual wishes of stopping smoking and being happy, next year I want to really make an effort.

I'd like to find the strenght to accept what I have, to find peace for my contorted mind, to start a year, - a odd one, so should be better - with a different set of mind.

Wish the all world could be in a good mood. That will be so cool.
Wonder what will it take to make everybody happy at once.

Dec 29, 2006

Day 7


Well the last day of work and I probably have never been so pleased to go all year.
They went browsing around, where Gina found this magnificient object...lurvely
Gina quote of the day so far... "Basta che non mi diventi Gea" basically she said.. as long as you don't become gay as you never know in this crazy city! Er..........

Just to create a bit more spice in her kid immagination... I invited an old friend of mine, which happens to be sikh and is prepared to stared at by Gina.
I warned him, if you want a cooking bash come over, but be ready to silly questions and outreougeous comments.. He assured me not to worry as the last time he went to sicily they stopped him in the street to interview him.

Tales to come after dinner darlings.
Just to give you an idea yesterday on the way back from Paris she just picked up the magazine on the lady in front, in french and started going through it. I apologised in her behalf.. and she just said.. Why are you apologising? What's wrong with browsing through it, I'm not gonna eat it.. Mum.. that's called personal space, mind your own business, don't invade my life, buy your own paper.... but no it's not normal..
Ahahah... She's starting with the questions. Sikh, isn't God only one.. see I never understood this thing about religion, it really depends what they embed in our mind when we are kids ( oh mum.. see even you say that, so why did we stay 2 hours standing on Xmas day? )



Day 6

Following the 5 floor on foot as the escalator broke down and the war at the exit of the hotel, we went touring again. The highlight of the day was however the dinner, when Gina fell in love with the waitress at the restaurant and we had to take a picture together.
All the waiters were G&P friends.. drinking Calvados, smoking at the bar..


Ah... and the Bastille... where is it? Wasn't it the storming of the Bastille? Did they storm the statue? Well they didn't believe me so they asked 5 passers by and not happy went to the waffle store to ask the lady, in an obviously an unindentifed language..

Day 5



Pina went to the Louvre. In her reply to her message : I've been queuing for 2 hours to get the ticket, Gina said "cu culu". So Gina & I went shopping... and she managed to pee in the Prada shop, apparently everything was weird and made of steel



Gina & Pina

Gina


Pina


Dec 28, 2006

Day 4

Ok.. we woke up early as eurostar was at nine and Gina requires a couple of hours of setting, as she has a cream for eyelashes, one for eyebrows, one for lips, one for face, one for neck one for every part of the body..

Anyway.. Eurostar... She also thought the Eurostar just jumped into the waves instead of going through the tunnel.


We all asked.. Gina.. this is your holiday to Paris. What do you want to see?

The Eiffel Tower..

Perfect.. We arrive, go to the hotel and then straight to the Eiffel Tower.
Now.. check the pictures and spot the difference.

Well.. we were in the queue to go up the Tower.. when Gina says: Let's go, "naaaaz ( sound made with rolling tongue ancora sapia... il pilone e' meglio, almeno e' colorato, da' sul mare, e' gratis e non si fa la fila" Now for the English speakers .. " all this for what? il pilone is better, il pilone is the limelight to show ships in Sicily crossing the strait their way, at least it's coloured, you have a beatiful sea view, it's free and there is no queue..

Now.. who's gonna tell the french ( ehm.. she actually did on the way back to a parisian!) that their beloved symbol, once the tallest building in the world it's actually nothing more that the imitation of a white and red thing in Sicily.. She also added : "ma va onestamente figlioli non dite cazzi.. parigi.. torre eiffel torre eiffel.. ancora non sapia.. "

She is still going on about the disappointment proved in seeing the Eiffel Tower. So.. Pina and I silently left the queue and well, went on to admire the next monument..





Dec 25, 2006

Still day 3

Oh well.. and as Pina put it, we watched the movie of the holy festivity.
While other families might have watched Jesus Christ Superstar, or the miracle of Lourdes, well, my Xmas family watched Salo' ( the 120 days of Sodoma).. and guess what, wasn't even mine the choice.

Day 3

I just woke up and the argument started again.
I don't have "uno sparecchiatavola" I don't even think the word exists in English. It is a table where you put your pans etc etc while you prepare the table.. I think she comes from an another era.
Then I don't have a step so she can climb and clean the windows. You know what? whatever.
Anyway, holy mass last night, I had to stand for 2 1/2 hours, there was a scene that really attracted my mind, they had a new born kid to play the Jesus part, they were holding the baby high in the air making him do the tour of the church and you could see the sense of pride of the parents following, he was their creature their miracle for everybody to see, a newborn child after 15 years, a miracle, surely not because they didn't use a condom.
With their chest full of pride and the tears of the standing followers. I don't know why but this scene made me think of Lady V.
Btw the catholic church made progress yesterday there was a girl serving the mass, maybe really Dan Brown opened their minds more than centuries..despite Pina said that she refused to read the book or watch the movie as she doesn't have any doubt.
But why then you have to repeat Credo in una chiesa cattolica e apostolica, credo nel battesimo... mah!

I just have a question, if I truly believe in the church, the birth of Christ and the miracles, will I be happy? Were the people there happy? I don't know

On a different note, I should buy the machine to home bake pasta to do the famous ravioli. They are delicious, but I can't forsee me with no time homemaking pasta. In a second life maybe, when I'll be born again, as an housewife, as a mother and lovely wife, till them I'll buy premade ravioli.

More to follow as lunch has not began yet.


Sorry more on the pasta..
Why do women from Emilia Romagna are beautiful
because the cycle in the morning ( good for their legs)
home make pasta ( good for their arm's muscles)
I thought they were famous for giving the best blowjobs!! Well I didn't say that.

Dec 24, 2006

Day 2

As day 1 I ended up going to Hussy Santa, hardly a sign of holyness, day 2 I woke up a little hangover. Well the arguing started quite early at showering time when mum decided to enter in the toilet twice in five minutes.. as there is nothing wrong with it. I obviously said that that was invasiojnn of my privacy, but that only generated a bad mood, tears and blablabla.. I don't think she's right on this at all, but hey.. Then shopping time, god... yes I should get a persian carpet and get rid of that sh!t on my floor ( actually a cactus silk rug from Morocco, which doesn't burn even if you switch off a cig on it). Anyway... the table which in my house is never used because everybody enjoys a good meal in front of the telly on the sofa, is now covered in red tablecloth, silk strip to go on top ( courtesy of the usual friend that send a porcelane elf last year).

Then I had to call the Italian church to check at what time tonight the mass starts.. And.. as they told me 12.00 Gina and Pina started screaming: but that's when Jesus comes to life, ask ask, it's not possible, the mass should start earlier so we assist to his birth..
Ehm.. Mass starts at 12.00 it's England, pubs shut at 11 drink up till 11.30 and then off they go.

I had to leave them for 1 hour and go and see Filippo, actually met Le duc today as well, glad to meet somebody that likes the job he does and finds it interesting too.

Off I go.. coffee otherwise the church experience will be crazy.
Holy Xmas darlings, I shall pray for all of you. Let's hope we find a seat as last year I had to stand for 2 hours while Gina sat with the nuns on the altar...

At least dinner was great, home made cavatelli ( shaped with their thumbs) with tomatoes and mushroom sauce.
Nice.. Nappy you should totally learn to do them.

Dec 23, 2006

Day 1

Well.. not even a whole day, I already had super enough.
we already covered the Matt subject, the when I do the thesis, when I find a husband when I gonna have kids, and why I'm not happy of listening to her every single fuking night of the year.

All the planet had trouble to arrive or depart from London, Gina & Pina landed 10 minutes early and the planned engineering work on London rail, just anticipated their arrival.
Oh well..
They even discovered info from the Olga's store grumpy woman from which a and I haven't mastered a hello yet, despite we are regular customers.

It's 10.15 honestly I had enough already.
Ah.. also mentioned the idea of tattoo and that launched a massive fight.
I want to scream, probably it's me, proobably I'm a bad daughter, probably I should be thankful to be alive to be here, well I'm not and she annoys me.

Dec 22, 2006

In name of selfpreservation

didn't go out. Well not yet at least. But even chinese woman in the office squeezing the skin between my thumb and index said I should go out less.. ah and buy a pillow from Japan to sit in the office. Go figure. I must attract weirdos.. well like all of you anyway.
It sort of pi$$ me off on the last night of freedom, but I suppose it must be done. As too much sanity could however be dangerous watching this should provide of good balance.
And then you know when you start thinking and wandering and ... how would the community behave on mescaline? I'm laughing loud. No no no.

Entry in honour of my stupidity

It must be the chinese herbs, I don't see what else.. ( well ehm! ) but my phone disappeared while I was texting last night.
Somebody must have spiked my drink, I haven't been that drunk with so little probably ever.
I'm also getting headaches lately... mah! either my brain totally caught up with the amount of abuse or I'm just getting old.. or normal... like anybody else and get hangovers...
Glad I only need to go to work at 12 as I woke up full clothed, shoes on at 8.16 and they couldn't even have had any way of reaching me. Oh well the waking up early to clean before tomorrow mamma arrives didn't really go that well.. and I really can't face the going to the vofafone shop to quarrel to get a new phone... and go to work..
Laters...
Also promised mother I'll go out dancing again tonight.. Water children, water... the new me...

Dec 21, 2006

IT'S XMAAAAAAAS

and in my attempt to be .. well a bit more pc and diplomatic next year..


Christmas Wishes to Everyone
I wanted to send some sort of Christmas greeting to my friends and
colleagues, but it is so difficult in today's world to know exactly what
to say without offending someone. So I met with my attorney yesterday, and
on his advice I wish to say the following:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes
for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress,
nonaddictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced
with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular
practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or
traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or
secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and
medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted
calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of
othe cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country
great (your country of choice) and without regard to the race, creed, color,
age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms:

This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely
transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no
promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for
her-/himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is
revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to
perform
as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of
one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever
comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance
of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

Shortbus.. completely taken

it's not about sex it's about sexuality, it's not about life, it's about living..

I watched it twice.. Have I catched the movie mania.. no... only watch the weird ones..

Dec 14, 2006

And this week... I might as well get slitty eyes...

Monday: I finished the 100 steps tai-chi form, I also did Alexander technique... ( in the quest for solving my back pain issues


Tuesday: Osteopath


Wednesday: Couldn't move.. So I embraced the last chance saloon... Chinese remedies.We started with needles.. well.. acupunture and these.. It looks like a lot, but it's just a week supply. Basically take 4 of each after each meal. I made sure I googled the lot before intaking it. 24 hours on, I'm not dead, not yet.




Thursday: It all got out of hands..
I only knew what this was because some other "normal friend of ours" bought a kit to home do it. Can't feel pain in my neck at the moment, just because this is overwhelming.. And I got another 3 of those.. Cupping... I think now I'm allowed to cry.

Long time no Blog...


So S. was the official photografer of the weekend, therefore for visual evidence please see oat's blog.

Highlights:


Thursday: I was so happy, I wished it was my birthday.. brilliant, all the friend reunited shaking the a$$ well & the gift of the Pirelli calendar


Friday: Molly kindly join me at dinner with a client (with shaved arms... I really have to refrain myself to ask if he shaved his pubes too)
Then Andrea & Matteo awaited us for champs and frolics.... Then out again


Saturday: early dinner with S and F where we learnt never say never... The last famous words... I'm not gonna meet such and such will I? Well yes, sat behind us.. Oh well..
Then I acquired this.. and some other poster..
Then chocolate lounge...
And.. got the opportunity of my life.. Seven people in my house, five in my bedroom.. and didn't abuse any of them.. oh ok! one.. but I'm not a saint.. am I?
There was also the tragic event of the loss of LRR, yet to be found.

Sunday: sunday lunch and some goodbyes, monday also the last friend left
So.
Thanks darlings for the amazing time, we should do it more often..

Dec 5, 2006

Thanks oats and pod for the tribute..

Ready for the weekend???

Dec 2, 2006

Compromise??

Why should we? Why do we? For the sake of what? Somebody else happyness?
I'm home, I'd like to be out like usual. What for? why? other people?
Do we need them? Probably.. but why can they not be like us.
I know .. I ask too many questions. Probably I shouldn't. I want to be free again. Free to think, free to dance till I fancy it, free to decide what I do/ Why do I limit myself for the sake of company?
Is it worth it? Probably not.
For some people probably is, but as for me going out and enjoy is the only reason why it make sense to fuking continue to be in this world. Here u go. My life. Superficial. Yeah! So what?
I worked 60 hours this week, just to be out. And you can't violate my persona.
I need an escapade. I need to get moving.
Here you go... I maybe found the answer to one of my question.
What are my priorities. Futile ones I know, but they do matter for my survival. I'm not gonna withstand any more nights in for the sake of love? No I won't.
Loneliness, I can cope with that. Boredom, not.
Here I am I want to be still out, I'm in, blogging. What's the fuking point.
Wish decisions wouldn't be so difficult. But I can do it. I will. Losing another special person. Oh well, not really my fault.. Just incomprehension, or maybe just different priorities.
I hate to be in this world, as I don't believe in the reason why I'm here unless I think of egoism from my mother that wanted a friend so created me.
Hence... whatever. I'm not ready, but I'll do it again, put a preposition to the world. Will I lose? of course, but does that make a big difference? No really. Life for the sake of freedom, or freedom for the sake of life.
I reckon me being alive is more important for some people than me being in a grave, therefore, here I come. Disillusioned, bored, maybe superficial, but take my social life away from me and you take the only reason that keeps me want to continue.

"Somebody once said we never know what is enough until we know what's more than enough." Billie Holiday

My friday night!

Nov 29, 2006

Tho shalt not ...

Frustration

Solitude

Nov 28, 2006

Why do I exist?

I must say.. today I touched on a lot of subjects at work.

The one above is one of the questions that turbate me. And many others. Probably it's the most asked question, the one that differenciate human from animal. Well some people don't ask themselves and some others have found their way to answer it, and on the latter I was interested, I am interested.Why today and no other day? I was reading this article about secondlife.com, basically the website where you live a second life, a virtual one. This woman, one of the user is making millions developing properties in the virtual world.
Strangely enough, you can change the virtual money in real $.
I completely understand why people pay for a cool character, a different house, because it looks cool and it takes a long time and destirity to create one.
However despite the debate was about if Us should tax the gains, I think that secondlife creates wealth from nothing ( well our obsessions!). Generally wealth is only transferred from one place to another, here is created from nowhere.

Then another question, what has changed in the human mind? Why people now are more willing to make more effort to interact in a virtual life than they ever were in the real one?
I'm sure people could unleash their fetishes, they can fulfill their secret life in it, but I think most of all they can be free to choose who they are, where they come from, which sex they want to be, which life they conduct, how many hours they watch of porn every day and what they want to achieve.
Why would we give up our free time to do that? Because we are free to be who we wanted withouth the limits imposed on you on your birth.

The trend I think came to life with the Tamagochi, feeding the little pet, we evolved into the Sim, and I don't deny myself not sleeping to make my Sim sleep.

So, is our ideal life, sitting in front a pc playing the virtual life we wanted? And this can also become more addictive as you will be able to smell and touch through a pc.
So if more and more people prefer to live a different life. Why do we exist? Why do I exist? So I searched on google, expecting to find, obviously not an answer but different views, opinions.
Uhm, my research on the internet was not in depth at all, however I was quite shocked to find out that the easiest explanation is because God created us.

I found this http://www.allaboutworldview.org/why-do-we-exist-faq.htm

"Why do we exist" is a reflective question that has been pondered for millennia. Many have attempted to answer this question in the past. Some make an entirely unsubstantiated claim we exist because of random occurrences and that there is no purpose to life. They must accept on faith alone that this is the case, where as a theistic view is embedded in evidence.

Many popular books and seminars will tell us to look within ourselves to discover why we exist. This self-centered philosophy, propagated by many New-age philosophers, neglects to account for the notion that we did not create ourselves. Were that the case, we could not find the truth of our origins within ourselves. You cannot solve the mystery of the existence of a synthetic object if you are not familiar with it; the object cannot tell you the purpose of its existence. Only the creator of the object can describe its creation. Oftentimes a creator will provide a handbook to tell us why his or her creation exists.

Our Creator has given us a handbook for life that explains our origins and purpose. The Creator of life has given us the Bible, which is composed of law, historical information, poetry, prophecy, and divinely inspired letters that explain our role in the universe. The Apostle Paul writes:

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him" (Colossians 1:16).

Errrrrrrrrrrr....

But finding this website was incredible.. The guide for atheist parents to help explain their kids how to approach the question.

Leibniz said there are two types of statements - those which are necessarily true and those which are not necessarily true.

Necessarily true:

"All bachelors are unmarried."

Not necessarily true:

"My wife is reading a book downstairs."

Likewise there are two types of questions (Leibniz did not say this):

Necessarily foolish:

Why aren't cats dogs? (or the famous 'Why isn't a woman more like a man?' - My Fair Lady)

Not necessarily foolish:

Where are my socks?

(Actually, my wife would think this is necessarily foolish. Where my socks are is not her business - oops! it might be foolish.)

"Why do we exist?" is in the 'necessarily foolish' category. Remember the old dictum: "Ask a silly question and get a silly answer."


I mean????? more of the above absurdities here http://www.eclipse.co.uk/thoughts/exist.htm

Ministry goes from sexiest to greenest

A boy secretly swaps a environmentally unfriendly lightbulb for an energy efficient one in Eric Prydz's latest music video Eric Prydz's music video featuring a sexy aerobics workout had Tony Blair falling off his rowing machine but the characters in his latest film look more like they deserve an ASBO. The black and white video starts with a gang of school children on a London estate picking up bricks and breaking into flats. But the youths turn out to be green vigilantes, who go into houses to change ordinary light bulbs to energy efficient ones. Their energy saving antics also include turning appliances off stand-by and putting bricks in toilet cisterns so less water is used. It ends with the message: 'You don't need an education to save the planet.' The track, called 'Proper Education', is a remix of Pink Floyd's Another Brick In The Wall while the video focuses on climate change and the issues around global warming. It is the Swedish dance producer's follow up to his Number 1 hit 'Call On Me', which was voted 'Sexiest Video Of All Time' in a series of polls. It is also the first time Pink Floyd have ever cleared a sample of their work. Prydz said: 'There was a lot of anticipation around this video and I was really keen to do something a bit different. 'Pink Floyd would always use their videos to get a message across and I really wanted to carry on this spirit. I'd been reading so much in the press about climate change and global warming recently and felt it would be great to try and empower people to do something about it. It's not making a grand statement. 'It's just simply saying everyone can do a little and it will make a difference. 'It would be great to have another hit. 'Even more so if it means we're getting the video's message across to as many people as possible.' Climate change campaigners Global Cool (www.global-cool.com), who were consulted for the video are now working with Prydz and Ministry of Sound to make the release of 'Proper Education' carbon neutral. Ministry of Sound Recordings marketing director, Iain Hagger, said: 'Everyone involved felt it would be great to show young people what they could do help alter the global warming situation."

Trade protectionism

The FX relevant comments from Paulson are that he is against trade protectionism (not surprising). This is somewhat in response to increased protectionist leanings of Congress under Democratic control. Legislation may be introduced in H1 2007, according to some Senators/House representatives, but until anything concrete is devised there are no FX implications. Overall, protectionist policies should be negative for the USD as any measures that inhibit capital flows is bad for a large debtor nation.

Tsy's Paulson: Can't Allow Protectionism To Stifle Growth

LONDON (Dow Jones)--U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Tuesday said the U.S. should embrace trade liberalization, arguing that open trade promotes growth and better living standards for the majority of people.


Paulson, in prepared remarks to be delivered before business leaders, said the Democratic takeover of both chambers of Congress following this month's elections hasn't altered the U.S. government's commitment to a successful Doha round agreement to lower trade barriers.


He said the U.S. should resist protectionism, which would "stifle" growth, resulting in fewer American jobs over the long term.


"We must not, in the name of a few jobs today, eliminate many more jobs and higher incomes in the future," Paulson said.


Paulson said protectionist sentiment appears to be rising around the globe, despite robust global economic growth. He said the U.S. should resist trade protectionism.


"We cannot allow protectionist elements to stifle our growth, limit our opportunities, and dictate the terms of our engagement with the world," Paulson said.



09:20 28Nov2006 RTRS-U.S. TREASURY'S PAULSON SAYS TRADE PROTECTIONISM ON RISE DESPITE STRONG GLOBAL PROSPERITY

YIELDING TO PROTECTIONISM WOULD SEND "A TERRIBLE SIGNAL" TO POORER NATIONS
U.S. ELECTION OUTCOME DOES NOT AFFECT U.S. COMMITMENT TO SUCCESSFUL DOHA TALKS
MORE OPEN TRADE IN MANUFACTURING, SERVICES JUST AS IMPORTANT AS AGRICULTURAL TRADE

By Glenn Somerville
LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Tuesday trade protectionism was on the rise despite strong global prosperity and warned it was a potentially dangerous trend.


"We cannot allow protectionist elements to stifle our growth, limit our opportunities, and dictate the terms of our engagement with the world," Paulson said in prepared remarks for delivery to the Confederation of British Industry's annual conference.


"Giving in to protectionist sentiment would send a terrible signal," Paulson said during a joint appearance with British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown.


The U.S. Treasury chief, who was in London on a quick one-day stop, said that developed nations must beware of sending a signal that they were unwilling to help poorer countries develop their economies.


Paulson, who recently authored a joint appeal with Brown to restart the Doha round of free-trade talks, said achieving a successful outcome remained the United States' top trade priority.


He said U.S. elections earlier this month which resulted in Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and Senate made no difference to the U.S. commitment toward reopening the Doha trade talks.


The Doha talks broke down in July, primarily due to differences over farm trade.
Paulson said while reducing agricultural subsidies was important, it was just as vital to find ways to boost trade in manufacturing and services.


Paulson said countries that opened their borders to trade almost invariably achieved increased prosperity.

"Despite the known benefits of trade, the protectionist sentiment that is rising in our two nations and elsewhere around the world is predicated on a false assumption that trade harms our economies," Paulson said.

Nov 25, 2006

I want one of those.

Damien Hirst collection. With my usual companion of art mischief I went to the opening at the Serpentine. It must be said, we generally go on the first night to watch the people and sip wine and to eavesdrop ( not eardrop as I usually say) at the totties.. We find that hilarious, but I must say the room was packed with interesting new ideas , from collections of painted skulls to a man body lyiing on ice, to bleeding huge pieces of flesh ..

This was impressive, the first time I saw somebody reproduce glass with paint so perfectly

Then I left my heart there, with the numbered Banksy pieces.. 50 numbered prints, I want one, despite I know that it will be a successful financial investment, the initial outlay is a bit steep, and while lots of pieces were available last night, most of them if not all will have gone by now.. sigh!

Nov 24, 2006

Thanksgiving...



And... not sure if it's reassuring, intimidating, scary or what... , said "I thought I was crazy but after I met you guys I feel perfectly normal " which said by the addiction to the Thanksgiving celebration, a man that lived 23 years on the Death Row.


Why do we eat turkey for Thanksgiving?

Why do we eat Turkey for Thanksgiving?

Although juicy and tender butterball turkeys are the main cuisine of today's Thanksgiving celebrations, these birds were NOT the most popular centerpieces on the first Thanksgiving tables.

In 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians celebrated the first Thanksgiving, they were gobbling up many more foods than just turkey. Since lobster, goose, duck, seal, eel, and cod were plentiful during this time, these foods were most likely the main courses of this first feast. Deer meat and wild fowl are the only two items that historians know for sure were menu of this autumn celebration.

So how did the turkey become the main mascot of modern-day Thanksgiving if we don't know for certain that turkeys were at this first feast?

One story tells of how Queen Elizabeth of 16th century England was chowing down on roast goose during a harvest festival. When news was delivered to her that the Spanish Armada had sunk on it way to attack her beloved England, the queen was so pleased that she order a second goose to celebrate the great news. Thus, the goose became the favorite bird at harvest time in England. When the Pilgrims arrived in America from England, roasted turkey replaced roasted goose as the main cuisine because wild turkeys were more abundant and easier to find than geese.

Turkey Trivia:
  • The long fleshy skin that hangs over a turkey's beak is called a snood.
  • The color of a wild turkey's naked head and neck area can change blue when mating.
  • Male turkeys are nicknamed "toms" while females are called "hens."
  • When turkeys reach maturity they can have as many as 3,500 feathers!
  • Faster than a speeding bullet--Wild turkeys can run up to 55 miles an hour!

Nov 20, 2006

What do you really believe?

Do you think what you think you think ? Well, how could you not? Your beliefs might be right and they might be wrong, but surely you must at least know what they are? Think again.
Being mistaken about our own true beliefs is common and self-delusion is sometimes necessary.
As TS Elliot wrote, 'Humankind cannot bear very much reality". However none of us would like to think we are serial reality dodgers. Indeed, although we commonly find ourselves hiding from the truth, we often also choose to confront it even if we know it will make life more difficult to us. Few things hurt more than realising you have been living a lie.

Ok.. 30 questions. You either agree or disagree to the statement.

Ready? go?

1. there are no objective moral standards; moral judgements are merely an expression of the values of a particular culture.

2. The right to life is so fundamental that financial considerations are irrelevant in any effort to save life.

3. There exists an all-powerful, loving and good God.
4. There are no objective truths about matter of fact; truth is always relative to particular cultures and individuals


5. The environment should not be damaged unnecessarily in the pursuit of human ends.
6. So long as they do not harm others, individuals should be free to pursue their own ends.

7. Voluntary euthanasia should remain illegal.


8. Would War II was a just war.

9. Having made a choice, it is always possible that one might have chosen otherwise.


10. Homosexuality is wrong because it is unnatural.


11. It is not always right to judge individuals solely on their merits.

12. Severe brain damage can rob a person of all consciousness and self hood.


13. It is quite reasonable to believe in the existence of a thing without even the possibility of evidence for its existence.

14. Judgements about works of art are purely matters of taste.


15. The Government should not permit the sale of health treatments that have not been tested for efficacy and safety.


16. Acts of genocide stand as a testament to man's ability to do great evil.

17. Governments should be allowed to increase taxes sharply to save lives in the developing world.


18. To allow an innocent child to suffer needlessly when one could easily prevent it is morally reprehensible.

19. The Holocaust is a historical reality that took place more or less as the history books report.


20. People should not travel by car if they can walk, cycle or take a train instead.


21. The possession of drugs for personal use should be decriminalised.


22. Individuals have sole rights over their own bodies.

23. It is always wrong to take another person's life.


24. The future is fixed; how one's life unfolds is a matter of destiny.

25. Proper sanitation and medicines are generally good for a society.


26. In certain circumstances it might be desiderable to discriminate positively in favour of a person as recompense for harms done to him/her in the past.

27 On bodily death, a person continues to exists in a non-physical form


28. Atheism is a faith just like any other, because it is not possible to prove the non-existence of God.

29.
Michelangelo is one of history's finest artists.

30. Alternative and complementary medicines are as valuable as mainstream medicine.


Compare your answers to the ones below. Only if both your answer match you look at number of the tension on the right.

Q1 agree & Q16 agree = tension 1

Q2 agree & Q17 disagree = tension 2

Q3 agree & Q18 agree = tension 3

Q4 agree & Q19 agree = tension 4

Q5 agree & Q20 disagree = tension 5

Q6 agree & Q21 disagree = tension 6

Q7 agree & Q22 agree = tension 7

Q8 agree & Q23 agree = tension 8

Q9 agree & Q24 agree = tension 9

Q10 agree & Q25 agree = tension 10

Q11 agree & Q26 disagree = tension 11

Q12 agree & Q27 agree = tension 12

Q13 disagree & Q28 agree = tension 13

Q14 agree & Q29 agree = tension 14

Q15 agree & Q30 agree = tension 15

Siobhan in London


What was supposed to be a walk around London transformed in a food and alcohol feast.


We started with cheese that later on baked with white wine, to the food court in Covent Garden, to the oldest wine bar in London,



to watching skaters in the South Bank.

I also made my piece of art splodging.



Then the new Bond movie. 007 my ass.. He almost died twice, the only kit in the car was an advanced first aid kit. And sorry ... even I have a better mobile than that. And despite I appreciate the months of gym to get that body, the new Bond is hardly hot. Rating 0

Nov 18, 2006

Nov 17, 2006

It's time for sharing also the Internet


FON is the largest WiFi community in the world. Our members share their wireless Internet access at home and, in return, enjoy free WiFi wherever they find another Fonero’s Access Point.
-- from en.fon.com
Oh sweet Fonera, Merry me A couple of weeks ago I came by fon.com which is a large WiFi community on the net. The ideaology behind their community is very appealing and immedialy ordered a La Fonera (their sweet little wireless router). Back then the price is extremely reasonable 29euro+shipping.

Dimensions like 9x2.5x7cm it fits in everywhere.
The router comes with two SIDs such that you can split the network into two parts - a personal for you and your family, and a public for all the other Foneros. You can control more or less everything via a webinterface and you can even monitor who's using it directly via the Fon homepage.

So what is the idea with this community? Boiled down to one sentence it could be:
+"iIf you share you internet connection with me, I share mine with you." -i
You can share your Wifi on two levels.

1. fully open for others - then you are a Linus.
2. people need to pay for using your internet - then you are a Bill.

(I love those names :-) )
If you are a Linus, then you will have full access to all fonero's Wifi for free all over the world which is nice if you travel a lot and dont want to waste money on internet cafe's. If you on the other hand want to earn some fast money and dont think that you will use internet in other places, then you should be a Bill. A Bill has to pay for internet access when using other Fonero's Wifi, but you will then also earn something (hopefully) by letting others use your net.

I will probably start out by being a Linus since I dont mind sharing and would love to have the free internet when on the road. If it, on the other hand, takes too much of my internet connection, then I will probably turn into an evil Bill and make some money of it. But we'll see.

You can see a map of where you can find Foneros in the world here

A question for you...


Imagine that you were on the treshold of a fairytale, sometimes billions of years ago when everything was created . And you were able to choose whether you wanted to be born to a life on this planet at some point. You wouldn't know when you were going to be born, nor how long you'd live for, but at any event it wouldn't be more than a few years. All you'd know was that, if you chose to come into the world at some point, you'd also have to leave it again one day and go away from everything. This might cause you a good deal of grief, as lots of people think that life in the great fairytale is so wonderful that the mere thought of it ending can bring tears to their eyes. Things can be so nice that it's terribly painful to think that at some point the days will run out.

Will you turn down the all offer? If you knew that something tasted fantastically good, would you still refuse a nibble if the piece you were being offered only weighed a milligramme?


From the Genius of Jostein Gaarder in his latest book: The orange girl.

Man falling off Jesus

If this happens... there is no hope

Nov 15, 2006

Back from Milan

Oh well...

Positive highlights:

I met a friend haven't seen in ages, probably somebody that will fit the community, you'd like her, the daughter of Pina, remember Gina & Pina's adventure.... And she blogs too www.r-esistere.blogspot.com

I bought a new pair of shoes.

I read the last book of Jostein Gaardner : The orange Girl. I cried.. . weeped ( is it written like that.. I don't really think so!)


The rest, uhm it was cr@p.


Exactly can I know what's fucking wrong with travellers and their obsession with mobiles, blackberries and alike.
In the journey from the gate to the plane, is it realistic that every single individual is shouting telling the entire story of his trip ( his is appropriate as the ratio woman to men is 1 to 50 ) while frantically running his fingers up and down the side of the CraCKberry.. ( if only it could crack in their a$$).
So fuking annoying... and the earpiece???

Nov 11, 2006

Interesting Observation

If you consider that there has been an average of 160,000 troops in the
Iraq theatre of operations during the last 22 months, and a total of
2,112 deaths, that gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000
Soldiers.


The firearm death rate in Washington D.C. Is 80.6 per 100,000 for the
same period.


That means that you are about 25% more likely to be shot and killed in
the U.S. Capitol, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in
the nation, than you are in Iraq.



Conclusion: The U.S. Should pull out of Washington.
whiskas advert

This is from the some person that posted the play tetris on piano... I mean...
Footlose

Nov 10, 2006

Yes I know tacky, absurd..


you are very welcome to errrr and arrrrrrr but I had to post this...

It doesn't matter how much I try

My life is stuck in a loop.


Yes it took forever to take a decision 2 years ago and well I'm now stack with the results without consolation.


**Note to self**

If you really need to ask lots of people before you come up with a decision, remember it's not the right one for you and it might change your perception of life forever.


Probably the best sentence I ever heard in my life is:
"Sometimes you shouldn't try something because it could be so good that you can't do without it"


Since the night I assembled the pomegrate made from Foppa Pedretti in that lost house in Alba, I'm being living in a curse made by myself. You will want to live in a community of people, all in one building. Probably that's my destiny.


You can't rewind, no... only when you are at Uni in a crazy night with your uttermost soulmates, you can think you can rewind your life, rewind your decisions, in real life, in the grown up world, you can't.


The person that invented the sentence is no longer with us and I won't be able to ask anymore oh I'd like to meet you again, as you are gone, nonetheless you have to continue to live.


It could be, after all, that we live in a Matrix, totally possible, I'm a believer of it.


Oh well... back to square one, again & again, hope probably not for me but for my mum, [because indoubtouly after a few moments of turbation, my friends will know], that I'll continue to have the strenght to reassemble and restart.

Still have to clarify with myself why, but why is problably one of the question I'll never answer. Funny that all the questions start for why.

It's late I should go to sleep as in 3 1/2 hours need to get up & it'll be sooner that I forsee.

Nov 9, 2006

From Brazil with Attitude

Cansei de Ser Sexy - Off the Hook

Unknown a year ago, São Paulo's Cansei de Ser Sexy have become one of the world's hottest new indie bands. Peter Culshaw offers 10 reasons why


1 The band's name. Cansei de Ser Sexy means "Tired of Being Sexy", and must be one of the best ever.


2 Their charismatic lead singer, christened Luisa Matsuita, glories in the stage name Lovefoxxx (love those three "x"s) and is a half-Japanese 22-year-old from São Paulo who loves to stage-dive into the audience at any opportunity. Despite the outrageous front, there's a slight vulnerability there too – as with all great pop stars.


3 They inhabit a fertile territory somewhere between the DIY subversiveness of punk, the retro-electro of Kraftwerk and the girl-gang mentality of All Saints or the Spice Girls (the band consists of five girls and a male drummer, producer Adriano Cintra).


4 Whereas most indie groups (especially in the world of "emo") and most female singer-songwriters have a tendency to moan endlessly, CSS are a life-affirming, whinge-free zone. When most bands and performers get on stage what they are projecting is: "Please love me – I'm really likeable and cool." But, like all the best artists, CSS give the impression that they don't give a damn what you think.


5 They represent something hopeful for pop music. A few years ago, new young bands from places outside Europe and the US tended to be copyists, doing usually second-rate rock or hip-hop, whereas they way CSS have packaged their influences is a breath of fresh air and genuinely original.


6 One test of a great band (Nirvana, Sex Pistols, the Smiths and Culture Club spring to mind) is that when you first see them you think, "I cannot believe I've just seen what I've seen." That was the way I felt when I saw them in a small club in São Paulo. Their debut album, while hugely pleasurable, does not quite capture the spontaneous wild rush of their live shows – but they're touring the UK right now.


7 Very few major bands are actually sexy (U2, Coldplay? I think not). CSS, despite the name, are – and with their own unconventional style, rather than the rather desperate, manufactured sexiness of a Christina Aguilera or Britney Spears.


8 The way they mangle the English language with their Brazilian accents is charming. Everyone can sing along: "You're so talented I'm in love / Let's make love and listen to death from above."


9 They are very modern in that, like British bands such as Arctic Monkeys, they built a significant fan base on websites like Tramavirtual and MySpace before releasing a record. The group also take on modern celebrity mania in songs such as Meeting Paris Hilton, which, like many of their creations, has a perfectly formed, insidiously catchy chorus worthy of a Tamla Motown single (except, being modern, the lyrics are along the lines of "The bitch said 'Yeah' ").


10 They are clever without being self-consciously experimental, and enjoyably obnoxious with an impeccable pop sensibility. They are, frankly, unstoppable.


CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy) are currently on tour in the UK.

www.myspace.com/canseidesersexy

Nov 8, 2006

The week in which I'll find myself...


Will I or will I get even more confused.
We'll see..
In the meantime I discovered how to pause Pacman, so when I play at work ( & thanks Google for it.. that's the only game not blocked!) and the phone ring I can pause my game..
Mind you, still can't record the scores.. so if ever managed to go on the list, it'll be frustrating..
Anyhow...

How many hours should a day have to be able to fit everything in?

And then I get invited to this... an old friend.
Anybody fancies Paris ??

Which blog personality are you?

I took the Blogging Personality Quiz and I am...

The Daily Grinder
I love blogging because it's like therapy. I can write about anything and everything that happens to me - from the food I ate to what I was doing when I heard the latest 'breaking news'. Being able to communicate with my friends (online and/or real life) through my blog is important to me.

Nov 5, 2006

Tattoo


As I'm only 3.6kg away from having my tattoo, I was considering something like this.The symbol of my controversial sign.
Sxg.. will you draw your version of it. I'd like 2 women and something sexier than the picture.

Add Pierced Nipples to the List of Things You Can’t Bring On Planes

A female passenger traveling through the Pittsburgh airport found out the hard way that her choice of personal ornamentation was not allowed to fly the friendly skies. She was forced to remove the offending nipple enhancements in a ladies restroom before being allowed through security. I can’t tell you how many times I have thought of holding up a plane and diverting it to some foreign land merely by flashing my breasts. Ah, the power of the nipple

Beach









The snake house