Two smartphones: a Samsung Galaxy J5 (left) and an iPhone 6S (right)
Senado Federal - Fotos produzidas pelo Senado
Commentary
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Doing without smart phones is not a possibility.
They rule.
But perhaps we can be more civilized about their usage.
Are they really part of our hands?
Appendages to our palms?
Our lifeline to the universe?
Do we not realize that we walk through the real world?
That things are going on in the world around us that we miss when our attention is focused on our smart phones?
That there is something intrinsically wrong in walking and repeatedly coming close to bumping into others?
That quickly saying ‘Sorry’ doesn’t mitigate the annoyances?
I won’t get into the absurdity of driving with a cell phone except to say that people who do must be mandated to using self-driving cars only.
Finger-printed so no other car in existence will operate with cell phone users behind the wheel.
To those who are resistant to self-driving cars, I’ll ask, “Are you nuts?”
Perhaps some protocols, some instances of good judgment, some courtesies may be observed.
When stationary, understand that our cellphone voices may be distracting to others.
Maybe we’re shrill.
Maybe explosive, expressive, perhaps.
Too loud. Our cellphone voices are louder than our person-to-person voices.
Apart from the voice, our conversations.
Don’t we understand that others do not want to know how close we came to whatever last night?
Or what a great deal we just pulled off?
Not that we’re jealous.
Simply not your parents.
Simply not interested.
On the one hand, we really don’t care about the negative impact the cell has on the user.
But in a larger sense, we love each other and so we do.
And so I enter observations that diminish the lives of the users.
Younger people very close to me do not seem to realize how the mere presence of the phone, with its ominous message, “I can sound the alarm at any moment,” diminishes the time we spend together.
Implicit, “You are a filler. Until my next BFF decides to text me something. Whatever tidbit they send will be of greater interest and importance in my life than anything you will possibly say to me.
The cell phone is the real world.
Doing without smart phones is not a possibility.
They rule.
But perhaps we can be more civilized about their usage.
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Announcements
Sunday, June 9, 2019
The blog is growing fast enough to warrant a request for volunteer help.
From writing to public realtions to research, something fun for someone looking for a hobby related to the written word.
If interested, contact Dom: domcapossela@hotmail.com
We are in a surge of nice weather.
For the next week.
Spring at last.
Let’s make sure we enjoy each day coming.
The hours are ticking away and if we don’t make the most of our time another day will soon click past.
Unnoticed.
Unappreciated.
Tick Tock.
In clock language:
Enjoy today.
Enjoy the week.
____________________________________________Postings Count, Weather Brief, and Dinner
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Our 429th consecutive posting, committed to 5,000.
After 429 posts we’re at the 8.58 percentile of our commitment, the commitment a different way of marking the passage of time.
Time is 4.01am.
On Sunday, Boston’s temperature will reach a high of 75* with a feels-like of 77* under sunny skies.
Dinner Friday was at Sakura Bana, sushi. Excellent.
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Question of the Day:
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Who are the Coldstream Guards?
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Chuckle of the Day:
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Joe bought a horse from a farmer for £250 to be delivered within the next few days.
A couple of days later, the farmer drove up to Joe's house saying, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the horse died."
"Well, then just give me my money back."
The farmer said, "Can't do that. I've spent it already."
"Ok, then, just bring me the dead horse."
"What ya gonna do with it?"
Joe said, "I'm going to raffle him off."
The farmer said, "You can't flog a dead horse!"
"Sure I can, Watch me. I just won't tell anybody he's dead."
A month Later, the farmer met up with Joe. "Whatever happened with that dead horse?"
Joe said, "I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at £5 a piece and made a profit of £2495."
"Everyone must have been pissed. Didn't they complain?"
"Just the guy who won. So I gave him his £5 back."
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Answer to the Question of the Day:
Sunday, June 9, 2019
What is the Coldstream Guards?
The Coldstream Guards is the oldest regiment of the British Army in continuous active service, part of the Foot Guards of the Guards Division.
It originated in Coldstream, Scotland, where General George Monck founded the regiment in 1650.
The Coldstream Guards is one of two regiments of the Household Division that can trace its lineage to the New Model Army, the other being the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons).
During the Crimean War (1853–1856), the Coldstream Guards fought in the Battle of the Alma, the Battle of Inkerman and the Siege of Sevastopol.
On its return, four men of the regiment were awarded the newly instituted Victoria Cross.
This picture is a carbon print of a photograph titled Heroes of the Crimean War. From left to right, the guardsmen depicted are Joseph Numa, John Potter and James Deal.
The photograph is dated 1856 and was produced by Hughes & Mullins, after a similar photograph by Cundall & Howlett.
This copy was commissioned by Queen Victoria and printed around 1889 to 1891; it is now part of the Royal Collection.
Do I have to say where I keep my smartphone?
At least it’s not pat of my hand.
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Good Morning on this Sunday, the ninth day of June, 2019
We posted a photo of smart phones since our commentary dealt with that.
We added the Boston weather report and the ticking calendar, and tracked the number of our postings.
And we asked for volunteer help with working on the blog.
We posted a chuckle and a bit on the Coldstream Guards.
And now? Gotta go.
Che vuoi? Le pocketbook?
See you soon.
Your love.