We posted about Australian blogger Olive Riley last year. She was 107 years old when she started her blog, The Life of Riley. Olive was 108 when she died Saturday in a nursing home. Link to story. Link to blog.
Posted by: Mike ||
07/15/2008 07:00 ||
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Sadly I wasn't able to go back to the February or March 2007 posts to see the first ones. Hopefully they were archived.
Posted by: Grenter, Protector of the Geats ||
07/15/2008 12:34 Comments ||
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IIRC, she was not only the oldest Blogger but her blog-website per se was also one of the first [but not THE first]back in the 1990's + by a woman + wid forum/messageboard. IIRC, 1990's > SHE WAS KUDOED FOR BEING A NET PIONEER AS A BLOGGER + AS A WOMAN.
D *** NG, DON'T RECALL RIGHT NOW BUT THERE WAS A BRIT MEDIA/NET ARTICLE RECENTLY ON WOMEN MEETING TOGETHER TO DISCUSS "SERIOUS" WORLDLY + PROFESSIONAL ISSUES AND PROBS, + RUNNING THE WORLD.
Appropriate in honor of her passing and being a Net pioneer.
Rival Santa Claus leaders have been engaged in a decidedly unfestive power struggle that has polarised the lucrative US grotto market and forced hundreds of Father Christmases to choose between warring rival groups.
The hostilities have spilled on to the internet, in this case Elf Net, an online chat group where Santas go to exchange information on belt supplies and beard dyeing.
Organisers of the annual convention in Kansas of the Amalgamated Order of Real-Bearded Santas, fear it will be disrupted by splitters from rival groups such as the Fraternal Order and the Red Suit Society. . . .
Posted by: Mike ||
07/15/2008 08:00 ||
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In Vegas a coupla years ago, and I sit down to play a little r0ulette. Look around, and they're all Santa Claus's. Next table over, all Santas. Table across, all Santa's. Santa Claus Convention.
It's really wierd gambl1ng with Santa Claus. And could those guys drink...
(ANSA) - Rome, July 15 - The ancients' version of Formula 1 could once again enliven the Italian capital, with a series of high-speed chariot races.
The historical society Vadis Al Maximo hopes to stage a major event next year, which would reproduce the thrills and spills of competitive charioteering, beloved of both the Romans and Greeks. ''The event would last three days, starting on October 17, at the same period when the race took place in Roman times,'' explained Vadis Al Maximo head, Franco Calo.
''If possible, we hope to involve charioteers from all over the world''. The initiative is still being studied by various municipal departments but if given the go-ahead, it would be staged in October 2009, as a city-wide event. ''All the main squares of the capital would be transformed into scenes from Ancient Rome, using props on loan from the Cinecitta film studios,'' said Calo. But the effort involved in staging such an event would be enormous. ''According to our calculations, the Circus Maximus area could hold up to 35,000 people,'' he said. ''Various maxi-screens would therefore need to be installed at various points outside the course so that people could watch the races''. Restoring Rome's Circus Maximus would include setting up platforms, security exits, a sidewalk, a stage at the centre of the course, a ditch and outdoor stables. It would also require the assistance of other organizations, including the sports department of Cinecitta for costumes and scenery, municipal authorities for public parking and security, and riding groups for the horses and race training.
Although the Circus Maximus was the backdrop for a variety of games in Roman times, chariot-racing was the most important and popular event. At its height, the course could accommodate 12 chariots, each drawn by teams of four horses. Like Formula 1, the race was fast-paced and dangerous, often ending in crashes in which competitors died. The course covered a distance of about 6.5 kilometres and started at one end of the track, where teams were released from staggered starting gates to ensure everyone travelled equal distances - just like in modern races. Spectacular, four-horse chariot races have already been staged in several locations abroad over the last few years. The first took place a few years ago in a rediscovered Roman hippodrome in Jerash, Jordan, while the Stade de France in Paris has hosted two such events.
The Trabrenn-Bahn Karlshors in Berlin has a race lined up for September, as does the Bulgarian border town of Svishtov.
But there is still some way to go in Rome.
''This is the natural place [to host such events] but it's just more complicated here,'' said Calo.
Hoe zegt u dat in Belg?
Belgian media say Prime Minister Yves Leterme has offered his resignation after his government failed to agree on more self-rule for Belgium's Dutch and French-speaking camps. "Merde!"
"Ratten!"
The VRT television network says Leterme gave his resignation to King Albert II at the royal palace. It is unclear if it would be accepted. "Ik treed af!"
"Eh? Wot's that?"
"Je démissionne!"
"Eh?"
"I'm outta here!"
"Oh. So you are. Very well. Goodbye... Alfonse? Who was the man who just left?"
"The prime minister, yer majesty."
"Oh. We have a prime minister?"
"Not any more."
Leterme has been struggling to get his Cabinet to agree on proposed constitutional reforms that have paralyzed Belgian politics for more than a year. "Can we just get a little bit of agreement here? Just a little bit?"
"Non."
"Geen manier."
"Ummm... That doesn't make any sense in Dutch."
"It doesn't make any sense in Belgian, either!"
He had set a deadline of Tuesday for reaching a deal on the autonomy issues. Flemish parties want the prosperous Dutch-speaking north of Belgium to be more autonomous. Francophone parties accuse Dutch-speakers of trying to cut loose the economically lagging Wallonia area. Maybe they should try another language. Is anybody still using Lettish? How about Luvian?
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Lettish? That would be the Latvians, Fred. My paternal grandmother, the linguist and educator, was involved in formalizing that one, which moved it from the status of peasant dialect to proper language. I'm going to have to google Luvian.
You speak Dutch, too? I'm jealous! I only had a year to work on that one. But you've definitely got the Belgians pegged. When we were there, the locals chose to speak in English rather than be forced to speak in the other language. All except the Germans over in their little corner of the country, who just desperately didn't want to be forced to rejoin Germany.
#3
Partition Belgium. Give the Phlegmish to the Netherlands and the Wal-loons to France. Give the King a villa on the Italian riviera. Everybody's happy.
#4
Well heck. It's small enough and it's already 75% of the way there........make it the EU equivalent to Washington DC! Then any language is fine and no one has any power!! (except of course the oligarchy)
Wholesale prices in India grew by 11.89% in the year to the end of June, the fastest rate since the measure began in 1995. Inflation has tripled over the last six months, driven by the soaring cost of food and fuel.
Figures also showed that the output of India's factories grew by its slowest rate in six years. Industrial output rose 3.8% in May, compared to the same month in 2007, a sharp drop on the April's 6.2% growth. "The industrial output numbers ... are a reflection of manufacturers anticipating a slowdown in consumer spending as high inflation bites into incomes and some scale-back of fresh production plans," said economist Shuchita Mehta, from Standard Chartered Bank.
The Reserve Bank of India has been increasing interest rates to try and dampen inflation. Last month, it increased its main lending rate twice in two weeks to 8.5%.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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And yesterday there was a story on Spain leading Europe into recession. I've been saying for a while that the high oil prices were not going to affect only the US economy. Decelleration of the Indian (and presumably Chinese) economy and recession of the Spanish (and presumably European) economy should reduce oil demand, and thus price (and also improve Dollar-Euro exchange rate and thus reduce dollar price for oil.)
These changes will also have a big effect on world trade, which will tend to pull down the US economy as well (though probably not as far or fast as others). Key question is can we avoid a 1920's-1930's style global depression? And if not, would we need another World War to get out of it? Between who? Muslims and everybody else? (Not calling for such, just wondering.)
Posted by: Menhaden S ||
07/15/2008 8:26 Comments ||
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Muslims and everybody else?
I do not believe the Mohammedans are waiting for a recession to kick things off.
#3
I guess this is bad. As the economies of China and India mature they will produce a burgeoning middle class that will Spend. Millions, hundreds of millions of consumers that will Buy goods of all types. If you can't figure this as a positive thing, go back to night school and take some more econ. classes. There is a great deal of irrational fear and jealousy directed at China and India right now because of their economic growth. There is also a good bit of rational fear, but let's face it; we let them take it away from us, so who's really to blame?
ONE of "the most contaminated places on Earth" will only get dirtier if the US government doesn't get its act together - clean-up plans are already 19 years behind schedule and not due for completion until 2050.
More than 210 million litres of radioactive and chemical waste are stored in 177 underground tanks at Hanford in Washington State. Most are over 50 years old. Already 67 of the tanks have failed, leaking almost 4 million litres of waste into the ground.
There are now "serious questions about the tanks' long-term viability," says a Government Accountability Office report, which strongly criticises the US Department of Energy for delaying an $8 billion programme to empty the tanks and treat the waste. The DoE says the clean-up is "technically challenging" and argues that it is making progress in such a way as to protect human health and the environment.
The DoE's plan, however, is "faith-based", says Robert Alvarez, an authority on Hanford at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington DC. "The risk of catastrophic tank failure will sharply increase as each year goes by," he says, "and one of the nation's largest rivers, the Columbia, will be in jeopardy."
#1
I'm afraid I'll have to throw the BS flag on this one. Quite a lot is being done at Richland (The Atomic City) by some very talented government and private sector scientists and technicians. It's a lovely town, very safe... where you can still leave the front door unlocked and send your daughter to school on her bicycle. The work at Hanford during WWII was entirely necessary and ultimately helped end the war in the Pacific.
#2
whenever I read an analyst at Institute for Policy Studies in Washington DC, I know it's a left-funded DNC shadow org, whose position papers aren't worth using as TP.
Yep, their website touts them as: "turns Ideas into Action for Peace, Justice and the Environment."
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2008 22:19 Comments ||
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A disgruntled city computer engineer has virtually commandeered San Francisco's new multimillion-dollar computer network, altering it to deny access to top administrators even as he sits in jail on $5 million bail, authorities said Monday.
#7
BP, tu3031 said it was every IT guy's DREAM - not reality.
Posted by: Rambler in California ||
07/15/2008 17:54 Comments ||
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Looks like the filters ate my snark comment. Let's try again:
San Francisco gummint can't access the internet?
The pr0n industry's finances just went into free-fall....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/15/2008 18:44 Comments ||
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A bunch of pi$$ed off computer geeks could be devastating to a modern society organized around computers. Ah I still have fond memories of living on a farm in Michigan in the 1940s. The farm did not have electricity because nearly all efforts and resources were directed towards winning WWII. Visiting the outdoor $hithouse in the winter was a challenge. The younger posters here probably wouldn't really appreciate the musings of an old codger. It might be difficult but we could exist and live without computers!
District officials will begin accepting applications for hand gun permits in a few days, but the nation's capital will still have the most restrictive gun laws in the nation.
D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier and D.C. Acting Attorney General Peter Nickles unveiled the emergency legislation and regulations to repeal the city's ban on handguns on Monday.
There are four main components to the proposed legislation:
1. D.C. will continue to ban handguns in most places, with the exception of use in the home for immediate self-defense purposes. Sawed-off shotguns, machine guns and short-barreled rifles are still prohibited.
2. D.C. Police will need to perform a ballistics test on all hand guns to determine if the gun is stolen or has been used in a crime.
3. Guns in the home must be stored unloaded and either disassembled or secured with a trigger lock or in a gun safe -- except in cases of "reasonably perceived threat of immediate harm."
4. D.C. residents who legally register handguns will not be required to have licenses to carry them in their home.
Nickles says the most controversial restrictions will be the ban on semi-automatics and the requirement to keep a trigger lock on the gun. "We expect a lot of public input," Nickles says. "We probably expect also a lawsuit."
Applicants will have to take a written test, be fingerprinted and undergo a background check before they can take a gun home. It's unlikely that stand alone gun stores will be allowed to open, and people may need to re-register their guns annually.
Posted by: Bobby ||
07/15/2008 06:33 ||
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D.C. Guns Legal, Just Nearly Impossible to Get(Legally)
#3
3. Guns in the home must be stored unloaded and either disassembled or secured with a trigger lock or in a gun safe -- except in cases of "reasonably perceived threat of immediate harm."
FAIL
Didn't these arrogant a-holes read the supreme court decision that said storage requirements and disassembely/trigger-locks are UNCONSTITUTIONAL?
Same goes for banning semi-auto pistols.
ANd the annual reregistration is also probably unconstitutional as well.
When will these morons finally understand that this is a RIGHT not a privelege?
#4
Hell our governor is ready to let you pack heat in the airport.
Gov. Sonny Perdue said Monday that he believes guns should be allowed in the nonsecure areas of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, but said the issue is likely to be settled in court.
#5
The only way, peacefully, to get this resolved is to haul all involved before a federal grand jury for civil rights violations and conspiracy and MAKE IT STICK. No plea bargaining. Be assured it will have a broad effect on other jurisdictions.
#8
the height of petty bitchiness on the part of these loons...they rightfully get their ass kicked in the RKBA debate by SCOTUS and then want to do the lawfare bit to make it a total pain in the arse to attempt to get a firearm - total B.S.
Mayor Fenty/Chief Lanier & AG Nickles have no common sense.
#9
OS is right. Driving on a state road is a privelege. Owning a firearm is a right - big difference. I don't need to take a test. We banned the written testing of voters as it was an infringement on their right (not sure if I agree w/that now in practice for a lot of idiots but the principle remains).
#11
#3 and #1 are not compatible. If your gun is stored unloaded, disassembled or has a trigger lock, you could die before your firearm does you much good. If you are a law-abiding citizen you ought to be able to carry concealed, period. Thugs and criminals are not much inhibited by firearm laws.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Wholesale prices in India grew by 11.89% in the year to the end of June, the fastest rate since the measure began in 1995. Inflation has tripled over the last six months, driven by the soaring cost of food and fuel.
District officials will begin accepting applications for hand gun permits in a few days, but the nation's capital will still have the most restrictive gun laws in the nation. 
