scrr

Maggie Stiefvater: Shiver

2009-10-30T09:57:59Z

Quite unexpected, the interview with Maggie Stiefvater that Angeline did some months ago has been published in Verbal Magazine, while we had understood it was going to be on the shelf a while longer.

It can be read as pdf here (page 28):
http://verbalon.com/magazine/images/pdf-edition/V27.pdf

Verbal Magazine is the biggest literary magazine of N-Ireland, freely distributed with a major local newspaper.

Between my job stuff and Ang's own writing stuff (not to mention an assortiment of smaller issues that nonetheless need dealing with), Ang hasn't had the time to spend much time online for the past couple of days. She'll no doubt post the link (and a further update) somewhere next week.

This weekend, I've got more applications to be filled in, having a look at an article Ang is writing, helping with preparing another interview, and we've got girl next door over for Hallowe'en. Meanwhile, having a cold and had to cancel plans to go to a book fair (well, we do have an unread book or two around the house).

R

UK voters: please sign this very important government petition. Everyone else: please link to it.

2009-10-07T08:13:39Z

Quote:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to recognise the vital support that Attendance Allowance (AA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) provide to disabled people, and to ensure that these benefits are secured and are not removed as part of any future reform of the social care system in England.

Submitted by Peter Hand of Mencap

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AttendanceA/

If you are a UK citizen, then please, please sign the linked government petition (no, it's not the thing I asked people to sign a while back in connection with this issue - that was before this petition had been made). The wording specifically mentions England, but clearly people in other regions of the UK are also at risk if the legislation is adopted there. If you watch the news you'll know that any change in any part of the UK triggers immediate debate in other regions about whether to adopt it - whether that change is viewed by the public as positive or negative.

In this specific situation, there are already concerns about the public consultation, there have been conflicting messages from politicians, and surprisingly defeatist attitudes from, of all places, disability charities... what makes signing an official government petition significant in the face of all this is that each and every signature on that petition represents a voter, and that is the one thing that Ministers have to take notice of.

Even if you're not in the UK, then please do re-post the link for the benefit of your UK flist members. Despite excellent campaigning by those who will be affected by any changes, this issue is still not getting an iota of the media attention it deserves, considering that the changes would make an already vulnerable section of the population even more vulnerable and very, very poor, at a time when we're already in recession and things are already tough for everyone.

Worrying!

2009-09-16T16:25:20Z

If the PVV (Party For Freedom), lead by Geert Wilders, remains a significant party in Holland, or is even elected in government, I will be a big step closer to have myself be naturalised as British.

In the news today:

Wilders wants head scarf tax

Geert Wilders has pleaded in parliament for a ‘head scarf tax. He suggested a fee of €1000 a year.

Whomever wants to wear a head scarf, would first have to ask for a permit.

The PVV-leader calls his tax “head rag tax”. When it is instated, we would finally earn something back from the Islam, said Wilders.

According to him are the Dutch streets polluted by the mosques, head scarfs and men with beards and long dresses.

Sign, please!

2009-08-06T08:28:34Z

So, the government has plans to cut certain disability allowances, which will cause Angeline (and many, many others, of course), pain in the wallet.

Could you please go and sign here:
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance-(dla)/dla-aa-cuts

Folks not from the UK will not be financially involved at all, of course, so might just as well sign the petition to do us a favour...

From Ang's post on this:
"My income mostly derives from Incapacity Benefit, but I am also on a lower rate of DLA, and at this point, losing any of my income would be a problem. And there are many people in much, much worse situations than me in the great triangle of work, benefits and disability/long-term illness.

"I have just e-mailed the leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland outlining my concerns about the changes and my personal situation. I ask for this party to support the fight against these changes, mentioning that NI has the highest rate of disability and chronic illness in the UK and that therefore many people here will be affected. I also ask him to encourage other parties and MLAs to fight the changes.

"I THINK it should be possible to fight the Govt. on this one. When the Conservatives got Parliament to vote on abolishing the minimum wage recently, a campaign led by John Prescott was able to persuade Parliament to see sense. There's still some kind of appeal coming up, but it does prove the influence of the electorate.

"This situation is not directly analagous because there is more public sympathy for, and understanding of, people on the minimum wage than there is re: people on disability and sickness-related benefits. But still... if the Govt. can be made to look spectacularly stupid and hard-hearted (particularly in light of the recent expenses scandal, and this move really would not become them even if the expenses thing had not happened), it ought to be possible to stop this.

And I got...

2009-06-08T10:27:25Z

and

Hours, no, DAYS of fun to be had!

All cross fingers, please

2009-05-14T13:40:44Z

Ang is close to selling her first article to a local cultural magazine (freely distributed by the biggest local newspaper)...

Can I ask all to cross fingers, please, and chant:
"I do believe Ang will sell it! I do believe Ang will sell it!"

Thank you !

PS: For those of you who hadn't seen yet -
http://www.custardsurgery.com/aba/

The May Fair was BRILL!

2009-05-05T09:33:35Z

Went to the May Fair yesterday, and it was brilliant as ever...

Visiting Brother Kees was on good behaviour, there were cheap books to be bought and there was a bunch of knights having a tournament.

Ang will post pictures (*pokes Ang*)

:-)

This is Holland

2009-04-21T13:54:15Z

http://www.nu.nl/algemeen/1952144/meer-steun-dan-stemmen-voor-wilders.html

I translate:

More support than votes for Wilders

AMSTERDAM - Lots of Dutch people may not vote for PVV-leader Geert Wilders, but do agree with him. That is the result of a poll of the magazine Vrij Nederland about the increasing popularity of the Party for Freedom.

According to polls the PVV can nowadays count on 25 seats, which represents about 18 percent of votes. However, 40 % of the people polled support the opinions of the PVV-front man, but are not going to vote for him.

Opinions

TNS Nipo received from Vrij Nederland the assignment to research how the opinions of Wilders are supported by voters that in 2006 have voted for other parties. The result has been placed on the VN website.

61% of voters agree with Wilders' statement that "street terrorists" have to be put out of the country.

Wilders made the statement after the riots by Maroccan youth in Gouda. This opinion is not only supported by 63% of CDA-voters (Christian Centre) and 70% of VVD voters (Tories), also 51% of PvdA voters (Labour) and 60% of SP (Socialist Party) voters support the statement.

Muslims

38% of voters agree with the opinion of Wilders that Muslims have come to Holland to "take over the country, to subject us".

At the same time 63% agrees that Wilders has gone too far with his statements about muslims and 53% thinks that he is rightfully being prosecuted for it.

Website update

2009-04-08T09:49:40Z

I've updated my website... LOTS of work added.

Moving to a new host, so until I have remart.nl rerouted, find the extended site here:
http://custardsurgery.com/remart/

There's a few bugs to fix, and at a later date I may overhaul the whole colour scheme of the thing, but for now at least it's updated. I discovered that after not having done any coding for years I've lost my html-mojo (built a page for Ang aswell, but ended up too clunky and buggy).

I was prompted to finally get this done because of 2 things:
- An illustration is used on author Ricardo Pinto's site , with a link to my site
http://www.ricardopinto.com/work/stone_dance/topics/personae/index.php
- An illustration will be used by the literary magazine Ballustrada, with web address and bio.
http://www.ballustrada.eu/

Enjoy!

Any comments, feedback of course always welcome!

WEB SPACE

2009-02-12T14:49:18Z

So, I am *terribly* naieve in these things...

What Ang and I are looking for is webspace where we can put a (smallish) website, and have FTP access... At the moment an old schoolfriend is hosting my website, but getting him to upload an update always goes with lots of grumbling. Also, Ang would like to have her own website/page.

How does one get webspace el cheapo? Our internet provider only offers Photobucket-like space.

Also looking for domain name hosting firm which is cheap & efficient, so that we can have an attractive website address pointing towards above webspace.

Obviously, UK based would be best, but I've still got a Dutch bank account.

Any1?

Thanks

From the archives... Bit creepy, indeed (though not quite 'exciting')

2008-12-24T09:26:02Z

Nothing but good about the dead, but Forry's and old Ike's endorsements of this are a bit iffy, seeing that the girl is 14 at most. Or were those indeed simpler times, and ought we indeed to take this as 'tongue in cheek'? Mind you, we're talking an audience of nerds here...

Email van broer Kees:

2008-12-22T16:14:19Z

Uit het archief in Groningen twee recepten voor het "graveel" = (nier)gruis.

Recepten uit het Rekenboek van de schoolmeester Roelef Jansen te Ulrum [RAG: Kerspelarchief Ulrum, inv.nr. 1].

Recept [gedateerd mei 1693] voor’t Graviel [Van Dale (1872): graveel: zekere ziekte; nierwee, de steentjes in de blaas of nieren. Met dank aan Fre Schreiber].

Een pinte dubbelde Genever, daer op gesneden een goet stuck peper-wortel [mierikswortel], en voor 4. á 6. stuivers Saffraen, een weijnich robarber [rabarber] en wat Calmus [kalmoes] aen stucken gesneden, als de peper-wortel. ’s Morgens een klien Roemertjen daer van gedroncken is goet voor’t Graviel.

Recepten uit het archief van de familie Alberda van Menkema en Dijksterhuis.

Remedie voor 't Graveel.

Neemt 1/4 lb goede garst [gerst]
Altea wortelen en }
Jonge brandnetelen en } van dese drie elks een handvol.
groene Petercelij }
Soet hout zoo veel als 't u belieft, na dat het de patient soet begeert of drinken kan.

Dit zamen in 4 kroes [1 kroes = 1,3 liter] schoon regenwater zoo lange gekookt tot dat de garst geborsten is. Dan door een schoone doek gedrenst en koud geworden in een boutellie [fles] gedaan, en hier van t' elkens als de patient belieft te drinken, in een kop een dronk melk. Saau gemaakt en zoo gedronken voor dagelijkze drank is zeer heilzaam voor boven-gemelte quaal.

It's me...

2008-10-10T16:16:37Z

O hay.

Small update from myself...

Wednesday I was released from the hospital, after a night on 'observation' (as it were), hardly sleeping (there was a Snorer laying next to me). Had a CT scan, and the verdict was that I indeed have a kidney stone. The bad news was that it was rather a large-ish one (yes, hunebed-size) at 7 mm, the good news being that it was already travelling down.

Treatment: Letting Nature take its course. The people at work, especially the men, were looking uncomfortable when I told them. Even though this stone shouldn't deliver unimaginable pains like on Tuesday again, I got some pretty heavy painkillers prescribed.

Trying to catch the bugger when it comes out, but I've got no idea how long this can last, and I can't be peeing through a strainer forever.

Thanks for your well-wishes. And to give you a little bit of the pain I had, just imagine:
An object with a 7 millimetre diameter - Through your piddlestick!

scrr @ 2008-05-18T09:06:00

2008-05-18T08:06:12Z

Oh dear...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=bj2LALefnZM
Oh dear!..

Sus & Wis

2008-05-16T10:21:15Z

Dus...

Suske en Wiske strips hebben een nieuw kaft-ontwerp...
65 Jaar traditie de deur uit, omdat "de jongere lezers volgens marketing research de voorkeur geven aan grotere tekeningen".

Is er dan niets meer heilig?

A celebration, apparently.

2008-05-11T08:00:55Z

Yesterday evening I heard fireworks.

This morning, I biked up the Beersbridge Road, gutters on both side stretches of plastic bags, empty beer cans, fast food containers, bottles, broken bottles. Appalling mess.
I wonder, do these people go inside to the toilet, or do they just let piss and shit run down their legs?

On mornings like this, I want to urge the Department of Regional Development to just get ahead and tear down all the characteristic old houses to replace with luxurious offices and appartments, and to tarmac over each patch of green. This would at least spare me the pain of the slow amputation of all things nice digit by digit, limb by limb, organ by organ.

Well, let's get on with work, then.

May Day

2008-05-07T07:58:55Z

I've quickly uploaded some photo's of the May Day celebration in Holywood:
http://cid-5d7414c7230e7b51.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/May%20Day%2008
The food was good and the weather fair...
No pictures here of the 'flea market', in stead we took loads of pictures of the May Pole Dance, and also of some of the medieval shenanigans going on (though it was difficult/impossible to get good shots of the horsebacked knights in action).

COME BACK KATE

2008-04-04T12:52:03Z

...Documentaire over Kate Bush...

vrijdag 11 april 2008
Om 22.50 uur bij de NPS op Nederland 2

Kan iemand dat voor ons tapen, aub?

( Zie: http://sites.nps.nl/jerome/templates/uurvandewolf/welcome.html?http://sites.nps.nl/jerome/index.cfm/site/uurvandewolf/pageid/0F1BF136-508B-E1CA-3A2505ECD64F6824/objectid/88F1E796-1635-041D-06EF39916A655CDA/index.cfm?c=container_Actueel~content )

scrr @ 2008-01-23T08:49:00

2008-01-23T08:52:54Z

Heath Ledger dead at 28

So, this generation now has its own James Dean / River Phoenix.

The rumour and conspiracy circus has already started... Yet I wonder in how much the audience perception of "died by prescription drug overdose" will be different from Anna Nicole Smith's similarly themed death last year. My bet will be that where Anna Nicole was "stupid", Heath will be seen as "Tragic", and "Under so much stress" and "he fell victim of his involvement with his craft"...

JUST A TAD NAUSEOUS...

2008-01-03T09:51:56Z

...but not sure yet whether breakfasting differently (ran out of milk for cornflakes, ate some glazed Christmas doohickey instead) is the cause or whether I'm finally succumbing to The Bug.

The very bug which has felled many, many people here at the office, though they - brave little soldiers that they are - still show up, prefererring martyrdom and "see boss-missah, how dedicated me am?" above not contaminating the rest of us.

We'll await what happens. Perhaps a glass of milk will dislodge the lump.

scrr @ 2007-12-31T15:15:00

2007-12-31T15:20:13Z

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

http://www.avclub.com/content/files/images/feature.article_1.jpg
http://ak.buy.com/db_assets/large_images/427/202062427.jpg

BUT, STRANGELY ENOUGH, ALSO SEPARATED AT BIRTH
http://www.samizdat.com.ar/samizdat21/neil%20gaiman.jpg
http://www.britfilms.tv/images/news/keanu-reeves.jpg

AND MEANWHILE BERNARD BLACK SPAWNED A WIZARD
http://www.jigsawlounge.co.uk/film/gx/shaunofthedead01.jpg
http://www.syvum.com/iosundry/fun/harry_potter/harry_potter_1.jpg

I'm going mad!

Didn't lose my job, didn't quite keep it either...

2007-12-26T09:06:29Z

So what happened...
All 4 of us were interviewed to keep our jobs last Tuesday (Number 5 already having said: "No, thank you, not playing your games").
Last friday, I was off - the rest has gotten to hear that all have failed to reach the benchmark. Yet, they've not decided to place the whole team back to being 'common Agents', because:
a) They felt sorry for us, and realized we were under a lot of pressure
b) They'd be without Product Specialist team.
We are, however, going to be put on Probation...

I'm of a mind (officially, I know nothing) to give them the choice to either re-hire me as Product Specialist (without probation) or to place me back, because I don't like these mindgames (also, they've been interviewing me on basis of a different job than I actually had).

What do you think? Be Product Specialist on Probation (with a whole new set of tasks, different from what I've been doing for the past years), or being placed back to being an Agent? (less pay, underdemanding work)... Both meanwhile looking for something else?

Ho ho ho

scrr @ 2007-11-23T13:14:00

2007-11-23T13:12:26Z

So, we’re going to the Arrival of Saint Nicolas tomorrow, organized by the Dutch Club.

ANG says:
no chair btw; better off w/o it tomorrow.
SCRR says:
Are you sure about no chair?...
ANG says:
would you want to be an adult at a santa visit in a wheelchair? theyd think i was.... simple.
SCRR says:
True.
SCRR says:
Especially since when Santa starts talking to you, you'll be incomprehending.
SCRR says:
('t Would be in Dutch)
ANG says:
oh dear god, yes.

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN

2007-10-31T17:50:20Z

Turnip art:
http://pics.livejournal.com/pandorasblog/gallery/00017g4y

(How pagan of us!)

Our travels to Edinburgh and Dublin...

2007-10-12T11:14:57Z

I link... 't Has pictures too!

http://pandorasblog.livejournal.com/217863.html?style=mine

Hop yonder, you lot! :-)