Sunlight

Flowering

It is warm and humid outside, and this makes me feel cool and calm

Comments - Test

Sunday Morning musings - part 12b

Well, sorry for the delay, life got a bit hectic at the weekend, as while I should have been posting and all good people where breakfasting, we where getting over the after effects of a most fabulous wedding.

The sun shone, the Bride looked stunning, the venue was incredible, the food amazing, the staff excellent, the band where great and it was such good fun to catch up with a whole load of people, and such a privilege to be part of the happy couple's special day.

What else can I say, except if they put as much effort into their future life together as they did for the day, then they will be eternally happy together... thanks D&D x

And so , while I look at all the photos I took of the day, and decide when I am going to get around to sorting them out, here's something I snapped on my mobile the other week, that honestly made me look twice before I realised what I was seeing... .. .



Apologies - seemed to have turned off comments - they should be back now!

Who said that.... .. .

“I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful”. ... .. . Bob Hope did, which goes to prove he was more than just a Funny man ;o)

Sunday Morning musings - part 12

So we see a new look today - thought I'd tweak a few things and see how it goes. It's been a funny old week really, and not just for me by the looks of it.

A report was released last week about the use of the emergency 999 service (911 and others) and the one story that springs to mind was a transcript that was released, I believe from May this year, that highlights the way people shouldn't treat the service.... .. .

"Control Room: "South Wales Police, what's your emergency?"

Caller: "It's not really. I just need to inform you that across the mountain there's a bright stationary object."

Control room: "Right."

Caller: "If you've got a couple of minutes perhaps you could find out what it is? It's been there at least half an hour and it's still there."

Control: "It's been there for half an hour. Right. Is it actually on the mountain or in the sky?"

Caller: "It's in the air."

Control: "I will send someone up there now to check it out."

Caller: "OK."

The mystery was soon solved, as the exchange between control and an officer at the scene, makes clear.

Control: "Alpha Zulu 20, this object in the sky, did anyone have a look at it?"

Officer: "Yes,............................ it's the moon. Over."

Now two things sprang to my mind here, has this person never ever ever ever ever seen the moon in the sky before, and secondly I could rightly imagine their surprise if it was the sun, because we hardly ever see the bastard thing! (I don't normally swear on my blog, but do you recall last week I fitted some new water butts to collect rain water...both are full, in July, in the "summer"!!)

My misfortune this week, was to nod off in a meeting (a really important one too). Suffice to say it won't happen again, and how I escaped with my arse intact will remain as big a mystery as the scary weird drawings in the desert.

In Italy on the other hand, a man wins his case, as he had his driving license taken away from him for being gay? full story here! It's a mad old world sometimes.. .. .

I spotted something on the net the other day, when I was searching for Lalaweenworld on Google, and found to my surprise that the blog had been ranked, I was quite chuffed ;o) Then on closer inspection of all the reams of info that comes up when you do a search, I realised I had a Technorati write up too! ... and a Fan!

So, a week of little surprises, things that make you laugh, others that make you sigh with frustration, but all in all, it's been a funny old week... .. .

Solar radiometer

this is for the Danginmorganmices ;o)

Get stuck into it?

Melee?



Well it's up to you, but this band's music has been flying around my head all week and more. I heard of them a while back, and fortunately for me, I managed to catch them three times on the radio today and eventually I managed to track down Adam at dangerbird records in sunny Hollywood, who said blog away. So thanks to Adam for the permissions to link, and thanks to Radio 2 here in the UK for giving them the airplay, and jogging my rapidly deteriorating memory!

So check them out, see what you think, Link is in the music section on the left as well. Now I really must go to bed ;o)

Sunday Morning musings - Part 11

Well sorry for the delay in getting this out yesterday, but hey, if you watched the British Grand Prix and took in the Men's final at Wimbledon, then you'll be as exhausted as me!

Young Hamilton came from 4th on the grid to win the GB Grand Prix, in atrocious weather, and Nadal and Federer played the most exciting match of tennis I think I have ever seen, this despite all the interruptions due to play being suspended for the rain.

Before that on Saturday we managed to catch up with old friends and new, so a big thanks to the Johnson family for a wonderful party, sorry we had to duck out before we got a chance to catch up properly!



We haven't seen so much sunshine this weekend, and it looks like the forecast is going to give us much more rain than we would like too!



Which means no more curling up with a good book, me and Bob used to sit together on this one and it was always a close run thing to who would fall asleep first ;o) But then that's what comfy chairs in the sun are for!

Got to dash, need to hunt and gather for dinner - for that read turn on oven and root around in freezer... it's a Monday thing.

Typical

I got the sun umbrella out yesterday, cleaned the car, watered the plants..... and it's now pouring with rain... well thank you!

Shame Again, Heinz

Well - I wonder if all those people that complained got the standard "form" letter or email, that I got?? I know that Lee, over at Pink Granite got the same or similar.... ... .. .

"From: Heinzconsumeraffairs@us.hjheinz.com [mailto:Heinzconsumeraffairs@us.hjheinz.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2008 6:52 PM
To: a
Subject: Re: In Response to your Website Comments - Ref # 002855261A HEINZ/JHARRISO


July 2, 2008

Dear Andrew,

Thank you for your recent email regarding the Heinz United Kingdom commercial for Deli Mayo. Consumer feedback is very important to us, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond.

Heinz pulled the ad in the UK because our consumer research showed that the ad failed in its attempt to be humorous and offended people on all sides.

Heinz apologizes for its misplaced attempt at humor and we accept that this ad was not in accordance with our long-standing corporate policy of respecting everyone's rights and values.

Again, our sincere apology to anyone who felt offended. We appreciate you taking time to contact us to express your opinion and allowing us to address this issue

Heinz Consumer Resource Center Heinzconsumeraffairs@us.hjheinz.com

When contacting us, please refer to the following reference number: 002855261A

HEINZ/JHARRISO"


However we now at least have another email address for you to send a note to.... ... .. .

Heinzconsumeraffairs@us.hjheinz.com as well as,
Michael.mullen@us.hjheinz.com. Best not leave Michael out!

Here is another question to ask yourself? Was the advert shown in the States, or just the UK, and if it was just the UK, (and no disrespect for our friends over the pond), then why in hell isn't the PR team in the UK dealing with this??? It could be read, either rightly or wrongly, that Heinz hope the distance will take the heat out of the situation, maybe?
It could also be construed as another insult to the fair minded people that want to make a stand for common sense, because I could feel that Heinz really haven't got the balls to deal with this in a truly sensible way.

My point is, if you object to an advert, you have the free will to turn it off. The same as if you object to eggs, you just don't use or eat them, but will you try and get the Egg Marketing board to stop advertising them?

We live in a rich and varied society, and we should be celebrating that. We live in a free world that allows us expression, we should hold onto that. And I am not saying that those people that objected are wrong, they have every right to their opinion; my objection is to the vast corporate beast that is Heinz, seemingly rolling over on what in this day and age, amounts to what? Two men kissed for all of how many seconds, in a half a minute advert. Grow up Heinz, you had the courage to make the ad, have the courage to show it.

SHAME ON YOU, HEINZ

This is a statement from Heinz:

“Heinz pulled the ad in the UK because our consumer research showed that it failed in its attempt to be humorous and offended people on all sides,” said Michael Mullen, Director of Global Corporate Affairs for Heinz."
Offended people on ALL sides? How many sides are there? How many people were offended?

Because at the last count, Facebook has at least 7 groups dedicated to getting this ad back on the TV, with one group garnering over 11 thousand petition signatures already! How many people where offended Mr Mullen????

Here's Mr. Mullens e-mail address:

Michael.mullen@us.hjheinz.com

Now you can tell him what you think as well. The cynic in me would say "there is no such thing as bad publicity", the optimist in me says that common sense will prevail, and the Heinz Execs will have the balls to stand by their advertising team. But for now, no more Heinz products in our shopping baskets.


Thanks to Lee from my uber-spy network for the info!