Dyslexic Author Giving Back

I recently came across this article and was uplifted by the spirit of the dyslexic author, Claire, in not only writing a book, or two - well actually 3! But, she also donates BIG TIME to great UK charities such as Dyslexia Action  and Help for Heroes.

 Here's an excerpt -

The main aim of World Book Day is to celebrate books and encourage children to explore the pleasures of reading them.  The questions and answers session I did with the children at my local secondary school was inspiring.  A handful of the children had already read Dead Game so the questions were much tailored to Dead Game’s characters, plot and sequel.  That said, they really grasped the emotions that I poured into Dead Game and the questions quickly turned from that of basic ‘plotting the adventure’ questions to ‘the inspiration behind the story’, which fascinated them, it seems, just as much as the actual book did.

Read the rest of the blog here


kthanxbai!

iLike it

I don't think of myself as a techno-geek. My computer is 5 years old, my iTouch I won in a raffle and my iPhone 4 (ahem) is from work. My 'ipod' is actually a Sansa something-or-other and I love it.

So what is it that people so adore about Apple?

The iPhone is great. I get to send photos of my 2yr old from the camera directly by email to his grandparents, aunties and uncles. No need to wait until I remember to upload the photos from the camera - or, like we did 15 yrs ago - wait for the photos to be sent back by mail from the developer!

But here is something to explain Apple's secrets;




Its by College Humor so you just know its going to be a hoot! 

kthanxbai!

Sell-out or buy-in?

A friend of mine on Facebook (oh yeah Princess L., I'm talking about you) mentioned the marvelous OKGO and their videos.

Admittedly. she is a bit behind as I have mentioned them a few times in my blog: like here and here  and more...

But it got me thinking and so I went over to the OKGO YouTube site and looked at their latest video. And I was disappointed, I think....

You see, their latest video is fun, and colorful and interesting but was sponsored by Land Rover. Now I get that they make music because they love it and that they need to eat and pay the rent but really? Get sponsored to make the video? I think that's a bit much.



So what do you think? How does the latest video compare with their previous vids?

Heck, a video with musicians in ghillie suits? Respect!!







kthanxbai!

Getting Personal Now

The horrendous earthquake and tsunamis in Japan were a shocking event for me. But the same as a bus flipping over in New York and killing 14 or the uprisings in Bahrain, Libya and Egypt they don't actually affect me in any way, shape or form.

Not how you want your local nuclear power plant to look

So the 3rd explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi facility should have no affect on my life. At all. Whatsoever.

How many people do you know who fly to the Far East on a regular basis? I only have 1 friend who goes there at all. One of the few friends I have been in contact with over the last 12 years, through thick and thin. He works with airports and cameras and technology and stuff.

What are the odds that he'll be at a Japanese Nuclear Power Plant for crying out loud? Seriously? Infinitesimal. And what are the odds that if he is there, it'll be when two tectonic plates decide to release the energy of their movement?

Well, you guessed it. He was in the area.

He is home now, and we'll have a beer or three when he pops over next Sunday. But heck, I learnt that NOTHING is to be taken for granted these days.


kthanxbai!

Hows the weather by you?

You think you've had it bad over this dismal winter?

Check out the Japanese Alps in Honshu, Japan’s largest island, where plows open winter roads by digging through 56 feet of snow:

Just amazing. Here is how they cut the roadway out;




kthanxbai!

Baterine or Wolvman?

So, what do you think of the image below? Wolverine or 2 Bat Men?

kthanxbai!

Robert Kubica injury

Robert Kubica is a Formula Driver. He is pretty fast, coming in regularly in the top 10. He seems like a nice chap and is originally from Poland. I was a bit dismayed when I read that he had been in a serious crash whilst rallying in the off season for Formula 1.

Robert Kubica

Robert Kubica and Lewis Hamilton

There was teeth grinding and angry shouts from fans that no F1 drivers should be allowed to do this kind of dangerous work. My answer was that not only are they big enough to make their own decisions but but these drivers are some of the most competitive, fit, and lets be honest, arrogant, drivers alive today. Telling them not to do something driving  and competitive really isn't very clever.

Like Mark Webber last year, admitting that he actually had an injured shoulder through some races but didn't tell his team in case they got angry.

Robert's Nasty Crash Last Year - you can see a hose with liquid squirting out of it, and shockingly, Robert's feet being exposed to serious injury.

I just wanted to see how injured poor Robert was so I downloaded this video. I'm sharing it because its interesting to see the simulation - and there is definitely an 'oh my God!' moment in there too. Key thing to look out for? Large lump of metal in the form of a girder!



In the crash Robert suffered multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand.

We all wish him a speedy recovery.

kthanxbai!

I Like It Clever

I like clever stuff. The wittier the better, the more interesting - the more fun. So watch this video from www.findajobalready.com and try to convince me that it doesn't extract a little grin from you.



And if you know anyone who is looking for a job, maybe pass it on to them too.

kthanxbai!

Going One Way or Another

A tough looking group of bikers were riding when they saw a girl about to jump off a bridge so they stop.

The leader, a big burly man, gets off his bike and says, “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to commit a suicide,” she says.

While he did not want to appear insensitive, he didn’t want to miss an opportunity he asked “Well, before you jump, why don’t you give me a kiss?”

So, she does and it was a long, deep lingering kiss.

After she’s finished, the biker says, “Wow! That was the best kiss I have ever had. That’s a real talent you are wasting. You could be famous. Why are you committing suicide?”



“My parents don’t like me dressing up like a girl…”

hat-tip Mostly Cajun, All American and Opinionated

kthanxbai!

Travelling Soon?

With the Christmas and New Year's holidays over we're all starting to look forwards to the summer.

Well, I am anyway! So here is a little video explaining how to pack your case.



kthanxbai!

Where Broccoli Comes From

In an effort to help educate kids about the countryside, and where their food comes from, the comedian Bill Bailey shows just how easy it is to downright lie to kids;



Whats the best lie you ever told a kid?

kthanxbai!

Jon Stewart Makes It Into The Top 10 - Twice

I've been trawling through some great websites recently, trying to find out what 2010 was all about, what we can learn from it and what we can do better this year.

But I didn't find much.

Jon Stewart did stand out though, not only in my personal top 10, but in many bloggers' and websites' too. So here is why he is seen as one of, if not the, top TV show host out there today;

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Arizona Shootings Reaction
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog</a> The Daily Show on Facebook

kthanxbai!

It Gets Better

2010 wasn’t an easy year for the LGBT community. Despite political victories like a federal judge’s overturning of California’s Proposition 8 (which made gay marriage illegal) and the recent repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a series of suicides of gay teens cast a dark shadow over the movement and pointed out how long our society still has to go on the long road towards tolerance.

In an attempt to reach out to other young LGBT people, there was a huge outpouring of support from the comedy community, organized by Dan Savage. With a simple, powerful message -– “It gets better” -– comedians all over the country reminded young homosexuals that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that if you ever feel under attack for your sexual orientation, hey, you can always take improv classes.



kthanxbai!

Egypt, oh my Egypt

 If you want some focused and personal views on whats happening in Egypt right now then these are the blogs to read:

Dear Cairo (and the rest of Masri) by Rantings of an Arab Chick

 The true dimensions of the Egyptian crisis by Bayou Renaissance Man

kthanxbai!

Smile Peeps!

I saw these, smiled, and thought you might like them too.











kthanxbai!

Some good bloggage

De flu as got me in it's evil clutches. On the other hand, the time away from work, household duties and generally running around like a headless chicken has allowed me the time to relax. It really means that I've just been catching up with some of my favorite blogs.

And this one is possibly the favorite of my favorites. He always has something to say, always emotive, and always a funky twist, somewhere in the tale...

The Insomniac Medic - He's a good bloke.



kthanxbai!

Computer Nerds Win

One of my favorite shows at the moment is The Big Bang Theory, which, luckily, seems to get funnier and funnier. The nonsense that these scientists get up to whilst reveling in their nerdishness really makes the wife and I smile.

So it is with great joy that I stumbled across this little informational graphic below. I don't know how true it is. Nor do I really care. It just lets nerds be nerds!

And I would like to thank Blogger for severely mucking around with the pictures here to make it look exceptionally amateur and somewhat silly!

kthanxbai!

You Are Chased By What You Eat

An interesting animation, to say the least;


Carnivore Reflux from PRA on Vimeo.

What are your thoughts on it?

kthanxbai!

Katy Perry fun

I like Katy Perry, a nice, fresh faced young lass who sang her way to stardom. What a star! 

Her latest song, Firework, is about young adults who are bullied because of their differences and it is a very direct song with a nice tune.



So that was pleasant.

And now for the amazing parody by The Key of Awesome





now, wasn't than fun?

kthanxbai!

A Bit Serious - Reading Difficulties

I know a man who knows a man...

Well, that's how many pub conversations start when someone wants to sell you something that 'fell of the back of a truck'.

This isn't the case here. Quite simply a friend of mine works at a software company that has just launched it's Beta version of a $250 software that you can get for free here.

 

The software has been made by scientists to help ANYONE read better. So what does that mean for you? If you have dyslexia, dyspraxia, add, adhd or just an inability to focus when reading - - -then this is for you.

What do i get out of it? Better readers. What do you get out of it? A better life*

The software is still in it's final tests, which is why it is free, but basically it is a life changing product if you want to read better.

Good luck!

kthanxbai!

* not guaranteed - just hoped for!