K. Morris's Blog, page 777

Autumn Born

Originally posted on ROXI ST. CLAIR:

Seasons change, Nature’s fair,
while this August loiters by.
September whispers in the air,
as Summer trembles in her sky.
Soon, the sunny dusk and dawn,
shall set and rise with scorn —
another Season’s waking yawn,
from the infant Autumn born.

© Roxi St. Clair

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007771002981

There I was bevering away, working at home when my landline rang. Now the only person who regularly calls me on the house phone is my mum, my friends get in touch via my mobile or e-mail. I was, however logged into my office phone (the wonders of modern technology)! So concluded it was, in all probability one of my colleagues calling. I therefore answered the phone and engaged in a conversation which went something like this:

Me, “Hello”.

Indian sounding gentleman, “I am calling from the TPS (it may have been CPS), you have reported receiving nuisance calls, is that right?”

Me, “How did you get this number?” (I am x directory meaning that my number is unlisted).

Indian gentleman, “I asked the first question”.

Me struggling not to give vent to a string of expletives, “I didn’t ask you to call, good afternoon” and, with a flick of my finger I ended the call.

 

In the UK we have the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) with which people can register not to receive marketing and unsolicited calls, free of charge. However the TPS will never call people out of the blue so, quite obviously the caller was not from the TPS.

On checking the number of the so-called TPS 007771002981 was displayed. I Googled the number which brought up links to sites on which angry recipients of calls from the above number vented their spleen (see, for example the following link http://uk.whocalledme.com/PhoneNumber/07771002981). It appears from this and other examples that the company (which is not the legitimate TPS which performs an invaluable function in preventing nuisance calls) is misleading people into thinking that it is the TPS and attempting to get the recipients of their cold calls to part with money for a call blocking machine. Ironic that a company marketing a call blocker should, itself engage in cold calling! With a bit of luck Wednesday’s unsolicited call will be the last I hear from 007771002981. I am, however not holding my breath on that score.

Darkness

From the darkness we came and to the darkness we shall return.

 

The above words came to me when I woke up today, on a gloomy UK morning. Looking them up on the web there are variations on the quote but not the precise wording given above.

 

We come from the dark womb then, sooner or later we enter, as Hamlet so eloquently puts it “The undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveller returns”. Am I in a dark mood? Not particularly. The quote popped into my head this morning and seemed appropriate to share it.

Houseproud

Have you noticed how hypnotic washing machines can be. The swish, swish of the clothes going round, the movement of the drum and the gentle whirr of the motor can soothe the most savage of breasts.

As you can tell,I like doing the laundry. There’s an art to it. Its not just about throwing in the washing, willy nilly with any old soap powder. You need a good quality powder and a fabric conditioner. The conditioners vital as it not only softens the fabric it also destroys any lingering odours.

My wife, Emma jokes that I have OCD.

“You don’t need to clean every day darling, once or twice a week is fine!”

“But you work so hard sweetheart. I can’t just sit around while you work all the hours god sends”, I say kissing her on the lips.

The house needs to be perfect. Next time you visit one of your friend’s homes look under the sofa or the bed and you will see dust, pet hairs and heaven knows what else. Most people including my darling Emma are Lazy, they clean the visible places but work on the basis that what the eye doesn’t see the heart doesn’t grieve over, hence the filth under so many beds and sofas!

I always wipe all surfaces. You can’t be to careful about bacteria and other things. A damp cloth with just a trace of fairy liquid works wonders on the mattress.

Emma is so untidy. I’m forever picking up her shoes and storing them neatly on the shoe rack. You never see me throw my dirty underware on the floor but I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve found my darling Emma’s bra or knickers randomly lying under the bed or in the bathroom. I’m sure its true that women are generally more house proud than men. I guess I’m the exception that proves the rule.

Lots of Emma’s friends are jealous.

“I wish my Tom was like that” I heard Paula say only the other day. Emma just smiled and squeezed my hand under the restaurant table.

She’ll be home soon. One last tidy up before the lady of the house returns. The living room looks great. Its wonderful what effect Bees Wax has on the furniture.

Everything looks good in the bedroom. Freshly laundered sheets smelling of fabric conditioner and all the clothes neatly put away in the wardrobes, one wardrobe for me and another for Emma. Everything in it’s place, what a wonderful husband you are John!

How could I have missed them? A pair of Emma’s shoes underneath the righthand wardrobe, at the back by the wall. I vacuumed, I always do but the vacuum cleaner must have pushed them to the back without me noticing. Pick them up and take them through to the shoe rack in the hall.

Emma’s key in the door, I must go and greet my darling wife. What a funny sight I must be rushing to the door a pair of women’s shoes in my hand!

“Hello darling” I say putting the shoes on the little phone table just inside the front door and taking Emma into my arms.

“Hi sweetheart, its lovely to see you to” she says running her fingers through my hair. “Who’s are those? Hold on Jenny has a pair exactly like that, I was in John Lewis with her when she bought them” she says taking up the shoes. “Yes, I distinctly remember her buying these …”. She trails off her eyes boring into mine. I look away. Shit, to be caught out by a pair of bloody black stilettos when I’ve meticulously cleaned and tidied the house from top to bottom. Not stains on the bedsheets or lipstick on the wine glass but a damn pair of women’s shoes, oh shit!

Jenny fragrant with the scent of lavender, my beautiful Jenny kicking her shoes with gay abandon under the wardrobe and diving into bed. I love high heels. Jenny likes what she calls “sensible” shoes so she comes in stilettos to make me happy but leaves in flats. I remember her slipping on her “sensible” shoes before leaving. I didn’t think anything about the stilettos. Bang goes my marriage and all over a pair of fucking stilettos.

Norway’s Success Purchase Ban, A Success?

I posted yesterday (11 August) regarding the publication of a study into the effectiveness of Norway’s sex purchase ban. The study found that the ban has, overall been a success. In that earlier post I said that others would, no doubt dispute the findings of the study and, sure enough the International Union Of Sex Workers has a piece on their website doing precisely that, http://swop-nyc.org/wpress/2014/08/12/nordic-model-redefines-success-as-no-results-all-collateral-damage. As I noted on 11 August this debate is sure to run and run.

Study Finds Norway’s Ban On Paying For Sex Works

A study conducted on behalf of Norway’s government found that the prohibition on paying for sex with prostitutes works. According to the study the ban has not seen an increase in violence against prostitutes and has led to a reduction in the number of those paying for sex. The ruling Coalition had favoured repealing the ban on paying for sex, introduced in 2009 but stated that this was dependent on the findings of the independent study. For the article please visit http://www.firstpost.com/world/norways-closely-watched-prostitution-ban-works-study-finds-1659951.html.

A number of prostitutes organisations and individual prostitutes argue that the ban on paying for sex (clients are criminalised but not the prostitutes) makes the lives of sex workers more dangerous as clients are more nervous, are less inclined to provide personal details and wish to meet in out of the way places to avoid detection by the authorities. Some human rights activists also believe that banning paying for sex runs counter to human rights as adults have a right to freely buy and sell sexual services. Thus far I can find no reaction to the report sighted above but there will, over the coming days be those who will dispute it’s findings.

Of the Nordic countries Iceland, Sweden and Norway operate total bans while Finland makes it an offence to pay for sex with a person who was forced into prostitution irrespective of whether the person paying was aware that coercion had taken place. There have been calls for the UK to adopt the so-called Nordic Model, however governments have been reluctant to introduce a ban although various laws do restrict the buying and selling of sex. In the UK prostitutes organisations such as the English Collective of Prostitutes oppose a ban while the All Party Parliamentary Group On Prostitution recently called for the adoption of the Nordic Model as did the European Parliament. Many sex worker activists say that their opposition to the Nordic Model is being disregarded putting lives at risk while proponents of a ban counter by saying that many sex worker organisations are controlled by “pimps” and are not representative of what they term “prostituted” people. This debate is sure to run and run.

At My Window

Standing at my open living room window. A flash of lightening followed, soon afterwards by the angry thunder eclipsing, momentarily the incessant patter of the rain.

Branches russle, the wild wind like a passionate, half crazed lover wraps me in her wild embrace. I revel in her untamed grasp, long to go with her yet fear letting go.

Beyond the noisy elements birds sing and, imperceptibly, summer dwindles towards it’s close.

Sofa

Lying here on this sofa. I should go to bed really but I’m so tired after a hard days work I can hardly move. Besides my bed’s getting old now and the sofa is so comfortable.

Maybe I should get into bed, after all its only just across the room from where I’m snoozing on the sofa but this cushion under my head is so comfortable, perhaps I could take it to bed with me. Even with the cushion in the bed, the fact is the sofas still much softer.

Another hard day in the office tomorrow, roll on the weekend say I. The weekend’s my favourite time as I can have a lie-in.

Oh I hate those crowded tube trains, everyones in such a rush bumping into one another. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve been trodden on, people seem not to see me. It isn’t deliberate but it hurts none the less.

I’m lucky, my colleagues are really nice, even though people are busy someone or other always has time to stop and chat. I’d hate to work in a place where you couldn’t socialise with people. As a wise person once said “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.

There is a big tradition of colleagues bringing in cakes and biscuits. I’m a little mean in that respect, I will help myself to food but I never bring anything in nor do I stand my round in the pub however, people still appear to like me.

Oh this sofa is heaven, it beats me why I need a bed at all, perhaps I’ll sleep on it every night.

What was that sound? Is he coming in here? False alarm I can stay right here, he isn’t coming in.

I can here him snoring. Do I snore like that I wonder? I have the most vivid dreams, mostly about chasing things or, occasionally being chased. I guess we all must dream. I know he does because I sometimes here him talking in his sleep.

I’m so tired, living and working in London really takes it out of you. Personally I’d prefer to live in the country as I love all that green grass but beggers can’t be choosers and I’m stuck in the capital so long as his majesty decides to stay here. If I sleep now will I hear him getting up? My hearing is very acute, I’ll be sure to be up and about as soon as he opens his bedroom door.

“Get down you naughty dog, you know you aren’t allowed to sleep on the sofa!”

Oh know I must have been very tired, I didn’t here him come in. Back to my basket for me. Tail between my legs, pretend to be sorry and hope he’ll take pity on me.

 

(The above is dedicated to my guide dog, Trigger who has been known to spend the odd night on my sofa)!

Amazon vs. Hachette—and YOU!

drewdog2060drewdog2060:

A well written article setting out the pros and cons of the Hachette/Amazon debate regarding the pricing of ebooks.

Originally posted on chrismcmullen:

Amazon-Hachette Dispute

I won’t tell you what to think.

I will make some points for both sides.
I will mention ways that this may impact both authors and readers.
I will show you what you can do, no matter which side you favor.

The main point is that Amazon appears to be pushing for more e-books ordinarily priced above $10 to be priced at $9.99. Hachette (and other publishers) appears to want the freedom to price e-books as they see fit, including those in the $14.99 to $19.99 price range.

A little clarification:

Amazon openly acknowledged that some books, such as e-textbooks, should be priced $10 and up (see Reference 1 below). Amazon is NOT insisting that ALL e-books should be $9.99 or less.
Hachette is NOT asking to price ALL e-books $14.99 and up. The issue arose over specific e-books.

Whether YOU read books or write them, YOU  are…

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Amazon Campaign For Cheaper Ebooks

Amazon are campaigning for the price of ebooks to be reduced, http://www.readersunited.com/. Much of what Amazon says makes sense. The cost of producing and distributing an ebook is negligible compared to traditional books and yet many electronic texts are only marginally less expensive than their venerable hard and paperback cousins, indeed some ebooks cost more than the tomes on sale in book stores which can not be justified.

As an author myself I want as many people as possible to buy my books. Reading is for everyone and yes, of course I want to make a little money!

Take a look at the above link and make up your own mind as to whether Amazon’s campaign is worthy of support.