Sunday, March 31, 2013

A Sunday Drive


Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and me after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived.  Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again.  The link below the image is to the site itself, and the image is linked to the post it was first included in here.














 Link: [Sojourners]




 Link: [TALON]



Please Also Visit:
and

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Trib Updates



This is a weekly series that will include a brief summary of the latest articles that have been published on The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter.  Hopefully, this will encourage you to go check out some truly outstanding articles that have been published by a number of truly outstanding authors.  Moreover, I hope this will also encourage you to want to become a contributing member/author, as well.  The “Hear Ye!  Hear Ye!” site explanation near the top of the side-bar should answer many of your questions.  Yes, this series also included an “SOS! (Spam On Saturdays)”  segment before, but it just wasn’t working for me.  Therefore, that will be replaced by a republishing of one of the Trib articles.

[Woe Be It Unto The Haughty] has a video and the lyrics for Everlast’s What It’s Like.

[ESPN Additions] shows that Arnold Palmer is still awesome.

[WhiteHeart Wednesday] contains a video and the lyrics for Hold On.

[Do You?] has a video and the lyrics for Casting Crown’s Does Anybody Hear Her.


First of all, I would like to make it as clear as possible that none of this is meant to reflect badly upon [Robin Meade].  For I have watched her with great intensity on her [Morning Express] news show, and I cannot imagine how anyone (from among us, of course) could look any better in front of a camera.

Listening to her is another matter entirely, however.  Although, I am perfectly willing to accept that routinely delivering a big headline and then cutting to a commercial break is not her fault.

A prime example of what I am talking about happened a few days ago when the lovely and talented Ms. Meade leaned in toward the camera and said something about [CBS’ The Amazing Race] starting off their last aired episode with an [apology].  I am sorry.  I do not remember just exactly what she said, but what I do remember is what appeared on the television screen approximately a half-second later was several fairly attractive ladies twirling umbrellas.  Thirty seconds or so afterward, it was made clear that what I was watching was a commercial for Target.  Around 15 minutes and two and a half segments later, the actual report about The Amazing Race’s apology was aired.

No, I just do not get it.   For according to all sorts of news stories on scientific studies, we are now well into an age of 30-second attention spans at best.  So, why would televised news outlets insist upon stringing their viewers along?

Yes, I get that this is a tactic for the benefit of their advertising partners.  For at least a dozen commercials aired between the time that the lovely and talented Ms. Meade delivered that headline about The Amazing Race apology and when the actual report finally came up in the rotation, but with their now being literally thousands of different news outlets available to anyone with access to the internet, just how many of their initial viewers will still be there to hear the rest of the story?  Of course, the lovely and talented Ms. Meade truly is a sight to behold…

Please Also Visit:
and

Friday, March 29, 2013

Sites To See


The SOLE purpose of this weekly series is to help call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another.  Just to be clear, inclusion in this series is not necessarily meant as a recommendation, and I have included sites that are rather disturbing to me.  The link below each image is to the site itself, and each image is linked to the particular post from which it was taken when applicable.  Please, go see for yourself.  Oh, and as of August 10, 2012, I will be no longer including sites that have auto-play and word verification engaged.






 Link: [Amlokiblogs]




 Link: [Bailey Road]











Please Also Visit:
and

Thursday, March 28, 2013

ATF: First Lamentations

This weekly series will include as many of my all-time favorite tunes as I can get my grubby little hands on (so to speak).  Now, each one included in each edition will have some connection with the other—albeit only as a figment of my imagination, but they will not be numbered.  For I just cannot bring myself to rate some higher than others.  So, this will not be a countdown, but if you are enjoying them as much as I do, it won’t matter.  Besides, with no countdown, this could go on forever and ever!  Oh, and despite the fact that there is absolutely no way that your musical tastes can be as exquisite as mine, I welcome any suggestions that you might dare to make.  I am, after all, quite magnanimous by nature.

Link: [The Band]


The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
The Band
Virgil Caine is the name
And I served on the Danville train
‘Til Stoneman’s cavalry came
And tore up the tracks again
In the winter of ‘65
We were hungry
Just barely alive
By May the tenth
Richmond had fell
It’s a time
I remember oh so well

The night they drove old Dixie down
And all the bells were ringin’
The night they drove old Dixie down
And the people were singin’
They went
Na
Na na
Na na na
Na na na na
Na na na na na

Back with my wife in Tennessee
When one day she called to me
Virgil quick come see
There goes a Robert E. Lee
Now I don’t mind choppin’ wood
And I don’t care if the money’s no good
Ya take what ya need
And ya leave the rest
But they should have never taken
The very best

The night they drove old Dixie down
And the bells were ringin’
The night they drove old Dixie down
And all the people were singin’
They went
Na
Na na
Na na na
Na na na na
Na na na na na

Like my father before me
I’m a workin’ man
And like my brother before me
Who took a rebel stand
He was just eighteen
Proud and brave
But a Yankee
Laid him in his grave
I swear by the mud below my feet
You can’t raise a Caine back up
When he’s in defeat

The night they drove old Dixie down
And the bells were ringin’
The night they drove old Dixie down
And all the people were singin’
They went
Na
Na na
Na na na
Na na na na
Na na na na na

The night they drove old Dixie down
And all the bells were ringin’
The night they drove old Dixie down
And the people were singin’
They went
Na
Na na
Na na na
Na na na na
Na na na na na



After The Gold Rush
Neal Young
Well I dreamed I saw the knights in armor comin’
Sayin’ something about a queen
There were peasants singin’
And drummers drummin’
And the archer split the tree
There was a fanfare blowin’
To the sun
That was floating on the breeze
Look at Mother Nature on the run
In the nineteen seventies
Look at Mother Nature on the run
In the nineteen seventies

I was lyin’ in a burned out basement
With the full moon in my eyes
I was hopin’ for replacement
When the sun burst thru the sky
There was a band playin’
In my head
And I felt like getting high
I was thinkin’ about
What a friend had said
I was hopin’ it was a lie
Thinkin’ about
What a friend had said
I was hopin’ it was a lie

Well I dreamed I saw the silver space ships flyin’
In the yellow haze of the sun
There were children cryin’
And colors flyin’
All around the chosen ones
All in a dream
All in a dream
The loading had begun
Flyin’ Mother Nature's
Silver seed
To a new home in the sun
Flyin’ Mother Nature's
Silver seed
To a new home

Lyrics From: [A-Z Lyrics Universe]

Please Also Visit:
and


Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Good, Bad and Ugly Ads


Since I have not been given much of a life, I watch an awful lot of television, which includes an awful lot of commercials.  Now, a “GOOD” ad is one that holds my attention and makes me want to at least learn more about the product or service it is for.  A “BAD” ad is one that quickly becomes nothing more than background noise when it cannot be skipped over.  “UGLY” ads are much worse.  For not only do they make we want to never see them again, they make me want to never have anything to do with the company that paid for them to be produced.  Of course, you may feel differently, but I sure wouldn’t say much about it around anyone with a lick of sense.  For I am, after all, an expert on such things—albeit only in my own mind!

GOOD

BAD

UGLY

Please Also Visit:
and

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

TFT: Blind Faith


Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world.  For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair while others will be quite obviously fervent rants of rebellion.  Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.


Can’t Find My Way Home
Blind Faith
Come down off Your throne
And leave Your body alone
Somebody must change
You are the reason
I've been waiting so long
Somebody holds the key

When I'm near the end
And I just ain't got the time
And I'm wasted
And I can't find my way home

Come down on Your own
And leave Your body alone
Somebody must change
You are the reason
I’ve been waiting all these years
Somebody holds the key

But I’m near the end
And just ain’t got the time
Oh oh oh
And I’m wasted
And I can’t find my way home

But I can’t find my way home

But I can’t find my way home

But I can’t find my way home

But I can’t find my way home
Still I can’t find my way home
And I ain’t got long to roam
But I can’t find my way home


Presence of the Lord
Blind Faith
I have finally found a way to live
Just like I never could before
I know that I don't have much to give
But I can open any door

Everybody knows the secret
Oh
Everybody knows the score
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
I have finally found a way to live
In the color of the Lord

I have finally found a place to live
Just like I never could before
And I know I don't have much to give
But soon I'll open any door

Everybody knows the secret
Everybody knows the score
I have finally found a place to live
Oh
In the presence of the Lord
In the presence of the Lord

I have finally found a way to live
Just like I never could before
And I know I don't have much to give
But I can open any door

Everybody knows the secret
I said
Everybody knows the score
I have finally found a way to live
Oh
In the color of the Lord
In the color of the Lord

Lyrics From: [elyrics.net]

Please Also Visit:
and

Monday, March 25, 2013

Come Monday...Google+/-


“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about,  websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time.  Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.”  This is subject to change, however.  In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while.  For rants promote change, and change can be good—right?  Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

One of the great many truly outstanding things about me that is not nearly appreciated enough is that I am an intrepid reporter of the highest order.  Hey, Ima a-telling yous (Yo, I will even get plumb Jersey Shore to get at mud to sling!) that I will fill in the blanks myself to bring a story home, and the following transcript from a recording of a possible meeting that could have been held in a room filled with skunkweed smoke deep down in the bowels of the catacombs underneath the headquarters compound of Google serves as a good example of that.

Google Bigshot: “How many new versions of the Chrome browser have been released so far this week?”

Soulless Minion: “None, sir.  There hasn’t been any need for any changes.”

Google Bigshot: “Do you know how many new versions of Firefox have been released lately?”

Soulless Minion: “Seven, the last time I checked.”

Google Bigshot: “It’s now up to nine.”

Soulless Minion: “Whoa.”

Google Bigshot: “That’s nine new versions in the last five days.  Now, that’s what I call innovation!”

Soulless Minion: “But change for the sake of change leads to chaos!”

Google Bigshot: “If we don’t innovate, we die.  If it leads to chaos, bring it on.  Do you want to die, Soulless Minion?”

Soulless Minion: “Um, no, sir.”

Google Bigshot: “This is Google.  There is nothing we cannot do.”

Soulless Minion: “I’ll get right on those changes, sir.”

Google Bigshot: “Never mind, I have already shifted my focus elsewhere.  Where are we at with showing Zuckerberg how it’s really done?”

Soulless Minion: “Google+ is coming along quite nicely.”

Google Bigshot: “Nice won’t put Facebook down.  Have you got rid of Google Friend Connect yet?”

Soulless Minion: “Its execution is scheduled.”

Google Bigshot: “What about Google Reader?”

Soulless Minion: “Are you sure we want to do that, sir?  I mean, lots and lots of people truly love Google Reader.”

Google Bigshot: “Ever heard of Facebook Reader?”

Soulless Minion: “No, sir.”

Google Bigshot: “Exactly, and Facebook has over a billion users.”

Soulless Minion: “Yeah, but we’re talking about two different things here, sir.”

Google Bigshot “Advertisers want a captive audience, and the way to get there is to herd everyone into one place and keep them there.”

Soulless Minion: “But as long as something is a part of Google…”

Google Bigshot: “When the numbers are counted, advertisers are only looking at who was where and for how long.  Since Facebook is a one-trick pony, their numbers look much more impressive than ours.”

Soulless Minion: “Are you saying that the billions who use our search engine and maps do not count for us over here in this division?”

Google Bigshot: “Have you seen what the head of the Search and Maps Department drives around the compound?”

Soulless Minion: “I think it is a new Bugatti Super Veyron.”

Google Bigshot: “I want to drive a new Bugatti Super Veyron between buildings.”

Soulless Minion: “That would be something, sir.”

Google Bigshot: “Have you ever heard of the term, dead man walking?”

Soulless Minion: “Yes, sir.”

Google Bigshot: “If we don’t innovate, we die.”

Soulless Minion: “I will start working on the Google Reader obituary right away.”

If you have not already heard, that [obituary] has been released, and I am among the [great, great many] who are mourning the impending demise of such a wonderful service.  For I have used [Google Reader] for years to both keep track of new content from those who have really caught my interest and to keep old content that may prove helpful in some way later on.

The last part of that proved most helpful to a friend, who had let go of their site a few years back.  For they no longer had access to what they had published, but since I had been a long time subscriber to their RSS feed and had not deleted their site from my Google Reader list after they quit publishing to it, I was able to provide them with copies of many of their old posts.

Even though I still have my Google Reader firmly in place, I have started looking for a replacement, and I have found that [The Old Reader] really is, in essence, the old Google Reader.  However, it can be rather slow at times in comparison, and [Ann] is liking what she has seen of [Feedly] so far, as are [hundreds of thousands of others].

Alas, I must admit that the title to this piece has changed from being Google- to Google+/-.  For I have started trying to play with [Google+] a little more, and I can see where it has some distinct advantages over Facebook for bloggers.

Well, that should really be [Bloggers].  For those with [WordPress] and [Tumblr] are not afforded the same advantages, but this is not to say that they are shut out.  For a Google+ member can still “share” an article published on those other blogging platforms with everyone else in their circles on Google+.  I suppose the sharing concept could be expanded to include everyone on both Google+ specifically and the internet in general, if one has their share setting on public, but…

It is in regards to that “but” where those pushing the Google+ agenda are going so very wrong.  For it is a wonderful thing to make it possible for someone like me to be able to give a theoretical shout out to everyone in this world, but it is terrible thing to make it more difficult for that shout out to be actually heard.

May we take my own personal experience with Google+ so far for an example?  Well, at the time of this going to print, I had 589 people in my circle, and all of their stuff was being piled into one gigantic heap.  In other words, I was automatically receiving all of their shares, but seeing specific pieces by individuals was like spotting a single face in a picture of a crowd of thousands.  That is, unless it was on (or very near) the top of the pile, which does not last very long—be assured.  Oh, and every share of another’s piece is mixed in with one’s own stuff, which makes it difficult to determine just whose is what for someone not quite as hip as others.

Yeah, like me.  Happy now?

Be assured that I am learning.  For I am now in the process of placing individuals into different circles in order better see what they have to show, but I will still keep an RSS feed reader around in order to keep what someone has actually published separate from what they like about someone else’s work.

Is there a way to do that with Google+?  Alas, I sure wish there was some sort of manual on how to actually use Google+.  Google has been always very good about this before.  Did I miss another evolutionary step?


***UPDATE***
(03/25/2013@3:00 p.m. CT (+/-)
I have found the [“manual”] to Google+.  I still think I must have missed another evolutionary step, but [this] did help me to delete some of the new circles I had made and change the names of the ones I wanted to keep.

Please Also Visit:
and