THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - GOOGLE'S BOUNCING BALLS

The bouncing-all-over-the-place, multicolored balls on the Google homepage will be Google's gift only for today, right? They are driving me nuts.

UPDATE: Doug sends us this link as a possible explanation.

DINING ON THE ISLE OF SKYE

On the Isle of Skye, Cathy (the gourmet cook) and I dined out at a fine restaurant every day or evening. We savored delicious meals at several wonderful restaurants. We were turned away, and not very politely, at the Harbour View Seafood Restaurant in Portree, but we finally had an excellent meal there another day after we make a reservation. From the description of the menu:

Oysters, lobsters, crab, langoustines, clams, mussels, monkfish, scallops, sole, salmon, trout... a truly outstanding selection of the purest, freshest, most nutritious and delectable seafood.

What's not to like?

 

Harbour View Restaurant

After we were turned away at the Harbour View and another restaurant, whose name I've forgotten, we ended up at the Restaurant @ the Rosedale, where we shared a seafood platter for two, which was quite tasty and which we cleaned in a very short time and licked the platter, too.



Check out the gull in flight that I caught in the picture of the Rosedale.

The crowning dining moment came when we dined at The Three Chimneys Restaurant, pictured at the head of the post, in the back of beyond "on the shores of Loch Donvegan" on the Isle of Skye. Cathy knew about the restaurant from an earlier visit to Scotland, but she'd missed out on having a meal there, so she was determined not to miss again. In fact, Cathy was so determined that she made the reservation for our meal a good while before we left for our travels.

Ever since eating outstanding Scottish seafood at the Western Isles B&B in Mallaig on the Isle of Mull and then eating langoustines that I would kill for, from the water right into the pot, at the Glenuig Inn in Arisaig, I gorged on les fruits de mer for most of the rest of the trip. I'm from south Louisiana, and I'm quite accustomed to excellent, fresh seafood, so for me to praise Scotland for its seafood is a compliment beyond measure.

By the time we went to The Three Chimneys, my fingers were so scratched and cut from grappling with shellfish that I knew I had to give them a rest and time to heal, so I chose venison for my entrée. I don't remember what Cathy ordered. In the midst of a dining experience like that offered at The Three Chimneys, who cares what others are eating unless you want a taste? I went at the food with gusto, my readers, as did my travel companion. It's refreshing to dine with another woman who appreciates good food and enjoys it without constant worry about calories. Time enough for that when the holiday is over.

For dessert we both chose the "Dark Chocolate Ganache with Blairgowrie Raspberries & Issy’s Crème Fraîche", which came in two courses, which confused me a little. First came the palate cleanser, the berries and cream and then the dark chocolate ganache. I express my profound gratitude to Cathy for insisting that we have a meal at the restaurant. Without a GPS, I can't imagine how anyone finds their way to the place. One day, I'd like to spend a few days in one of the "6 spacious bedrooms next door in The House Over-By", but I expect that will never happen. But then, I thought the trip to the Northwest of Scotland would never happen.

 

The harbor at Portree

 

A sea gull with pink feet at the harbor in Portree.

And MadChauffeur told us the Isle of Skye was boring! We now know that he is not infallible.

UPDATE: From Cathy in the comments - a reminder:

We had damn good fish and chips in Portree too - that's worth mentioning. (And in Mull, but that's maybe another story?) It took a while to get it at that place at the top of the hill in Portree, only because there was such a long queue though, but when it finally arrived it was everything fish and chips should be.

Indeed, we did.

YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS TEA PARTY CANDIDATE....

From the Borowitz Report:

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (The Borowitz Report) - A rabid Doberman Pinscher jumped on stage at a Tea Party rally in Missouri on Labor Day and barked at the crowd for nearly twenty minutes before people realized he was not a candidate.

The dog, later identified by its owner as "Mister Buster," held the crowd spellbound as he barked, growled, and frothed at the mouth, eventually receiving a standing ovation for his exertions.

Please read the rest at the link above.

I receive the "Borowitz Report" in my email. I'm not sure if Borowitz allows excerpts from the report to be quoted, but I may soon find out. Borowitz has given me many a good laugh as a morning pick-me-up.

LITTLE JAMES IS HOME

From Ellie:

"This is such wonderful news:"

Sent: Monday, September 06, 2010 8:26 PM
Subject: James got to come home today


James got to come home from the hospital today. He still has to be closely monitored but everyone is so glad to be able to sleep at home. Thank you for all your prayers and kind words.
Susan (James' grandmother)

Full story here.

O Lord, your compassions never fail and your mercies are new every morning: We give you thanks for giving our little brother James both relief from pain and hope of health renewed. Continue in him we pray, the good work you have begun; that he, daily increasing in bodily strength, and rejoicing in your goodness, may so order his life and conduct that he may always think and do those things that please you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The hope, rejoicing, ordering his life, and pleasing God will come later for little James, but we pray that they will come.

HOW MANY DEATHS WILL IT TAKE...?

From Michael Jones at Gay Rights/Change.org:

Imagine this as the opening statement of your latest school board meeting.

"Hi, I’m Tammy Aaberg, the mother of Justin Aaberg, who was a gay student at Anoka High School who committed suicide July 9th of this year."

Tragedy. Statistics on LGBT suicide are alarming, and when the numbers fly by -- that LGBT students are 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers -- most of us take a moment to reflect on how hard it must be, still, to grow up LGBT.

But this tragedy gets even worse, at least when it comes to the Anoka-Hennepin school district in Minnesota. Because it's not just Justin Aaberg who committed suicide this year. It was two other LGBT students, too. That's three gay students in the span of one year who have taken their lives, all the while the school district has done nothing to open discussions about LGBT bullying or creating safe spaces for LGBT students in Anoka-Hennepin schools.

Read the rest of the post and links and weep. Watch the poignant video memorial that Justin's family and friends put together.

Why is it so difficult for the Anoka-Hennepin School Board to make rules to stop the cruel bullying? Why can't the board act like adults in this situation and take responsibility for making the schools a safe place for all students? Could it be that they're afraid of the reaction of the bigots in the community?

Obituary from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

H/T to Athenae at First Draft.

PORTREE PARISH CHURCH

On our last Sunday in Scotland, Cathy and I attended Sunday morning services at Portree Parish Church, which is Presbyterian and part of the established Church of Scotland.

As you see the interior of the church is quite beautiful - simple but lovely.

The church was built as a Free Church in 1854, to a design produced by John Hay of Liverpool. Since then its history has reflected the changes that have taken place in the Church in Scotland more widely. In 1900 it became Portree's United Free Church, before finally becoming part of the Church of Scotland in 1929.

I could find only a small picture of the exterior of the church. The church sits right on the main square, Somerled Square, in the town of Portree.



The cover of the service bulletin.


The morning service.

Cathy and I both enjoyed the service, which was quite well done with an intelligent and thoughtful sermon and good participation by the congregation.

At the end of the service, on the way out, folks smiled at us, but no one spoke a word to us, until we greeted the minister outside the church door. Cathy speculated that Scottish reserve may have kept the people from speaking to us. What about welcoming strangers? Reserve or not, to me, it's a vital ministry and responsibility for members of the congregation to speak a few words of welcome to visitors to the church and not leave the greetings only to the minister. Thus sayeth the unofficial mystery worshiper.

Photos and history from Undiscovered Scotland, where you can see more pictures of the interior of the church.

Labor Day 2010

For those who work, have a good holiday.

For those who work, but must work the holiday, have a good work day.

For those who want to work, but have no jobs, may you find work soon.

For those who worked all their lives, but are now retired, have a good day.

For the kids, have fun.

For the Unemployed

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Collect For Labor Day

Almighty God, who hast so linked our lives one with another that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives: So guide us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but for the common good; and, as we seek a proper return for our own labor, make us mindful of the rightful aspirations of other workers, and arouse our concern for those who are out of work; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Reposted from 2009 with the addition of the video. I'm having a busy morning, but I wanted to take note of our workers and all they contribute on this their day.

GUESS WHAT THIS IS

And don't cheat.


Hint: picture was taken in 1956...
Answer below...
*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*
It's a hard disk drive back in 1956... with 5 MB of storage.

In September 1956 IBM launched the 305 RAMAC,
the first 'SUPER' computer with a hard disk drive (HDD).
The HDD weighed over a ton and stored a 'whopping' 5 MB of data.

Do you appreciate your 8 GB memory stick a little more now?


THAT WAS SOME 54 YEARS AGO............WHAT IS TO BE 50 YEARS IN THE FUTURE??????????????????

Note: I did not guess correctly.

Thanks to Doug.

OUR TRAILBLAZING ELIZABETH IS IN THE NEWS

From the Daily Record:

The Episcopal Church of St. Paul's first woman rector and pastor, and the parish's first openly gay spiritual leader, is leaving the parish to figure out "where God might be calling me next," she said.

In her more than eight years at St. Paul's, the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Kaeton brought "challenging" sermons and a new perspective to the Main Street church.
....

Kaeton, a long-time activist in the Episcopal Church who worked with New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay, noncelibate Episcopal bishop, to have his consecration approved amid controversy in 2003, said she sensed it was time to move on.
....

"I think you know when it's time," she said. "You can't take them any further than you have already taken them. And when you can't go any further, it's time to go."

She said she will consider how she can best do the work of the Gospel in communities, and hopes St. Paul's members know she loves them. Kaeton officially resigns as rector on Sept. 1, 2011, and is taking a sabbatical leave until then.

From the website of The Episcopal Church of St. Paul:

Rev'd Elizabeth is on Sabbatical leave. While she is away, the leadership of the church is under the care of the Wardens and Bishop. Rev'd Elizabeth will be doing post-doctoral work as Proctor Fellow at The Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA, during the Spring Semester, 2011. In the interim, she will be busy renovating her home on Rehoboth Bay in DE, spending time with her brother who has early-onset Alzheimer's Disease, assisting at All Saint's, Rehoboth Beach and St. George's Chapel, Harbeson, considering early retirement, and discerning how she can best use her skills and talents, to the honor and glory of God, to pursue her vocation as a Servant Leader of the mission of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She will officially leave St. Paul's on September 1, 2011

Dear Elizabeth, I offer my prayers, blessing, and best wishes to you and Ms Conroy as you set out on the next phase of your lives together. With the people at St. Paul, I say, "Well done!"

Thanks to Ann for the link.

SOMETIMES THINGS GO THE RIGHT WAY

From the Independent:

As the fugitive businessman Asil Nadir flew back to Britain from his North Cyprus bolt-hole last week, Sean O'Neill, the crime editor of The Times, scooped Fleet Street by being the only print journalist on the plane. Yet those searching Google for the latest on the breaking story that morning would have found no sign of O'Neill's exclusive – only follow-up stories by rival news organisations such as The Guardian and ITN.

Two months after Rupert Murdoch's decision to erect a subscription paywall around the websites of The Times and The Sunday Times, thus removing their content from search engines, the bold experiment is having a marked effect on the rest of British media. There are many who still wish the 79-year-old mogul well, hopeful that he is at the vanguard of a cultural shift that will save newspapers. Yet elsewhere there is dismay among analysts, advertisers, publicists and even some reporters on the papers.

Faced with a collapse in traffic to thetimes.co.uk, some advertisers have simply abandoned the site. Rob Lynam, head of press trading at the media agency MEC, whose clients include Lloyds Banking Group, Orange, Morrisons and Chanel, says, "We are just not advertising on it. If there's no traffic on there, there's no point in advertising on there." Lynam says he has been told by News International insiders that traffic to The Times site has fallen by 90 per cent since the introduction of charges. "That was the same forecast they were giving us prior to registration and the paywall going up, so whether it's a reflection on reality or not, I don't know."

The move to put the newspaper's content behind a paywall seemed idiotic to me. The New York Times tried putting their opinion writers behind a paywall but abandoned the practice after several months, because not enough people would pay to read.

I sympathize with the staff who work for the papers, but, as for Murdoch, the result couldn't happen to a better person. Had Murdoch's scheme been successful, before long, the other papers would have followed suit in setting up paywalls.

Nevertheless, as the sub-headline says, Murdoch is digging in his heels:

Advertisers don't like it. Analysts are unconvinced. The paywall at News International may not be winning many fans, but the man behind it is determined to keep it standing.

H/T to Mark at News Corpse, who says:

This was entirely predictable. When there is an abundance of news available online, why would anyone pay to receive information that is not distinguishable from the free information available elsewhere? Especially when consumers are already “paying” as a result of their presence being sold to advertisers. That’s traditionally how media produces revenue.

In addition to the traffic almost disappearing from the The Times site, reporters are anxious about having lost their voice and their reach into the community. What journalist would want to see their readership decline by 90%? What’s more, publicists are avoiding The Times because they know that their stories will not be seen by very many people.

Thanks to Ann V. for sending the link.