Lance Greenfield's Blog, page 63

Bye Bye Bash 2016 HELLO to the 3rd Annual Bloggers Bash 2017

It was a fantastic event and next year already looks like being even better!

Sacha Black

*Wipes brow* PHEWWWWW, it’s all over. Can’t fricking believe it. The bash consumed me for the last couple of months. So much so, I actually took an entire week off the blog… AN ENTIRE WEEK WITH NO POSTS… I KNOW. Try not to fall over. I was shocked too. I didn’t even put up a fight!

It was spectacular. I loved every minute and wanted to do a little reflecting on the event before I swiftly force ask the committee to start work on next year’s do. (I gave them one day off. I’m nice like that!) *snigger*

But it’s all over, I really can’t believe it. First and foremost, a massive thank you to all of you, we had an enormous 6331 votes cast this year, and that is all down to you, the bloggers for helping to share the awards. So thank you

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Orlando Mass Shooting – How many more before Americans wise up?

The civilized world cringes as many stupid Americans continue to live in denial and battle against their more sensible compatriots who have the brains to realize that tightening of gun laws would massively reduce the risk of such events.

The perpetrator, Omar Mateen, was an American citizen who was born in New York.

He was able to buy his weapons and ammunition over the counter.

This has NOTHING to do with immigration you numpties!

It has EVERYTHING to do with the freedom to possess arms and ammunition.

It is time to amend the Second Amendment and “to make America great again.” You don’t do that by putting blocks on immigration because that is NOT the real problem. You do it by tightening the gun laws to bring the United States of America out of the ancient “Wild West” days and into the modern civilized world.

Wake up America!

If I were a grieving Orlando parent today, I would file a prosecution against the shopkeeper who sold the guns and ammunition, the head of the NRA and the Governor of Florida for second degree murder or as accessories to the mass murder. They are responsible for providing Omar Mateen with the murder weapons.

While the whole world grieves with USA for this awful atrocity and the impact that it has had on the families of the victims and the majority of the nation, we also ridicule the idiots who oppose changes to the gun laws as they are responsible for these shootings and all those which will inevitably follow if you don’t act NOW!

Hundreds more American kids will die if you don’t act NOW!

Jim Jeffries – Australian comedian

Watch these two videos and tell me there isn’t a whole lot of truth behind the comedy.

Jim Jefferies — Gun Control (Part 1)

Jim Jeffries — Gun Control (Part 2)

“Press This” VS “Reblog” on WordPress.com

It was I who asked the question of Luca at the Annual Bloggers Bash on Saturday. To be honest, I was expecting to be almost the only person in the room who did not understand the distinction.

I was surprised by the lively discussion that ensued.

Thank you Luca for the explanation on the day and this post which adds even more clarity.

Luca Sartoni

A couple of days ago, at the Annual Bloggers Bash in London, during my Q&A, I got asked about the difference between “Press This” and “Reblog”. Here a more extensive answer.

Press This

Press This provides a lightning-fast way to grab text, images, or video from any website and post it to your blog. It works with WordPress.com sites and self-hosted WordPress sites.

Press This is a bookmarklet, a special piece of code, that is saved as a favorite in you browser’s bookmarks bar and allow to perform a quick action, with just a click.

Here you can find more information about Press This on WordPress.com. Here a more technical documentation about Press This on self-hosted WordPress sites.

Reblog

Reblog is a special feature of WordPress.com. Reblogging is a quick way to share posts published by other WordPress.com users on your own blog. To reblog a post, click…

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THE IRON PENDULUM

The Iron Pendulum will keep you on the edge of your seat, dear reader!

All I’ll say is, “Trust nobody!”

E. De Sousa

Extra! Extra! Read all about it…

The Iron Pendulum is coming soon.

For those with a penchant for a seriously good crime thriller, watch this space!

For those that hate waiting, sign up to my newsletter and you might be a lucky reader who gets a free copy of The Iron Pendulum.

So don’t delay, sign up today!

Here’s a quick synopsis:

Julia Webster and Hugo del Fuego are missing from their third floor apartment in Bagley. The grisly display discovered in their home leaves Detectives Perkins and Jones with little evidence to follow and, as more remains turn up, the pressure mounts to find the killer.  Time is the key element in solving a case riddled with dead ends and a strange family hiding its true evil behind the façade of money and power.

Can they unravel the secrets hidden behind the closed doors and will it be enough…

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The Great EU Debate: Boris Johnson vs Boris Johnson

Here it is – the great EU referendum debate featuring two of the finest debaters on opposite sides of the EU argument: Boris Johnson vs Boris Johnson Question Number 1. How necessary or impor…

Source: The Great EU Debate: Boris Johnson vs Boris Johnson

Brexit the Movie – what they forgot to tell us

Brexit the Movie majors on the fact that Switzerland has access to the European single market, just the same as the United Kingdom, despite not being a member of the European Union

That’s great for them!

It’s brilliant for us!

So we can leave the EU and keep the freedom to trade in the Single Market. Hurrah!

Whoops!

The movie failed to mention that this privilege comes with some quite serious conditions attached to it

Firstly, the Swiss have to make a monetary contribution to the EU budget.

Their contribution is only 60% of our contribution.

The big difference is that Switzerland is not a member of the EU so it has no representation and no power of veto.

We may not like some of the rules of the EU “club”, but at least we are members and we have the right to negotiate with other members to change those rules.

Poor Switzerland does not.

Secondly, they had to agree to freedom of movement between Switzerland and all EU countries. The result of this is that net immigration per head of population into Switzerland from EU countries is almost TWICE that of the United Kingdom.

The big difference is that Switzerland is not a member of the EU so it is powerless to change the rules.

It has no place at the table.

Thirdly, Switzerland has to follow all of the product rules that the EU imposes on imports. The Brexit movie talks about toasters and electric blankets and other products which must meet stringent safety regulations. That’s good. It safeguards us.

The big difference is that Switzerland is not a member of the EU so it is powerless to change the rules. It has no say in the rule-making. It just has to comply with the rules. It has not voice.

Why did Switzerland accept such huge constraints just to join the single market?

The reason is that because they had been in a ten-year deep recession.

As soon as they joined the EU single free market, growth picked up again. They started to prosper. They don’t like the rules, but their economy is much healthier than it was outside the single market.

By the way, it wasn’t the Swiss politicians who agreed to this deal. The Swiss people accepted it through a referendum.

They are doing well by it, but they don’t like the rules.

They feel that it would be much better if they were members and could influence the making of the rules.

As it stands, they gain the benefits of the free market and suffer the constraints, but they have no say in how the EU runs.

If UK leaves the EU we will still have to comply with the rules and regulations, donate to the EU budget and allow freedom of movement of migrants, but we will have no influence on the future of the organisation.

Only members of any club have a say in how it is run.

Non-members suffer the consequences of the rules, but have no voice.

Surrendering our influence would be very foolish.

Vote to remain!

The Great EU Debate: Boris Johnson vs Boris Johnson

Pride's Purge

Here it is – the great EU referendum debate featuring two of the finest debaters on opposite sides of the EU argument:

Boris Johnson vs Boris Johnson

Question Number 1.

How necessary or important is it that this referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU takes place? Over to you first, Mr Boris Johnson …

 Nov 2012

What do you have to say to that, Mr Johnson?

April 2015

Strong words from Boris for his opponent Boris Johnson. Now for q uestion Number 2.
What would happen if Britain left the EU. Mr Johnson?

March 2016

And what do you think Mr Johnson?

May 2013

So a huge disagreement between Boris and his opponent Boris.  Question Number 3.
Some people claim it would be too difficult in practical terms for Britain to leave the EU. Mr Johnson, do you agree?

Feb 2016

Mr Johnson? Do you agree with Mr Johnson?

March 2016

Question Number 4…

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Review: The Brutal Art

The Brutal Art by Jesse Kellerman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Original, but hardly compelling

This book is very difficult for me to discuss, as I am still not sure whether I like it or not. At times the writing is great, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next. At other times, I found myself saying, “Well, that’s totally ridiculous!” and laying the book to one side until I could return with a little more enthusiasm.

There are a few intriguing twists and turns along the way, so one would expect an unpredictable ending. Not so. The last few chapters lead to some fairly predictable conclusions.

However, I would still recommend it as light reading, and there is a good story buried within the pages.

One thing to look out for though: when you come to the discovery of the drawings, do a quick calculation. How long would it take an artist to draw this number of pieces if he were to produce, say, three per day? These are described as being very detailed works of art, so I could not imagine that the artist could sustain a higher rate of output and have time for any other activities in their life. Look at the number, and work it out for yourself!

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Review: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As you would expect, there would have been plenty of events and adventures in the life of any centenarian. But Allan Karlsson is exceptional by any standards. You would not believe what he has been trough in his one hundred years on the planet. He has come close to meeting an early, and violent, end on many occasions, and this continues during his latest adventure which commences on his one-hundredth birthday when he climbs out of his bedroom window at the old folks’ home to escape from his unwanted party.

He has met many world leaders of the twentieth century, and has consequently had a great influence on the history of the world.

As the story flips between the events of 2005, following his escape, and the adventures and encounters that he has had down the years, the readers is carried along through much turmoil, knowing that he survives the unsurvivable, because we are living through his hundred-and-first year.

The story put me in mind of both Harry Flashman’s, amazing adventures of the previous century, and Walter Minion’s fantastical adventures of the twentieth century.

If you want a good dose of amusement in your 2013 reading, I suggest that you take a look at The Hundred Year Old Man, and then move on to Flashman and the ensuing series, and then on to Walter Minion’s Secret Life and Walter Minion’s Therapy.

Have fun!

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Sometimes

I few spots of rain to provoke a thought or two.

Passion through Poetry

Drought is needed

To welcome rain

Sometimes storms rage

Revealing rainbow skies

Stretching across creation

Hope flickers bright

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