I must say that when I first started my Facebook account it was a new and easy ‘Friends Reunited’ You could stay in touch with those close to you and people you had not seen for a while. You could arrange to meet up or exchange pictures and links. It all seemed so effortless. This changed a few years ago. I now find it quite insidious in its monitoring and want of information. Professionally I see the results of the way it can be used to insult, intimidate and bully people of varied backgrounds. Although this is not Facebook’s fault I find the ease of accessibility and the many ways it has complicated its privacy settings very much a cause for concern.
Mark Zuckerberg is a genius of social networking. Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and the dark lord itself, Facebook, are all under his control. I have no problem with Mr Zuckerberg, it is just the large influence these services now hold
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For the first time in years Julia and I spent Christmas at home. There were a few reasons for this but we knew it would lead to a relaxed day. I am going to use this blog to thank all for the presents that we both received. Julia made a splendid dinner after we opened the presents. Here is our thanks in photographs;
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What can I say? Sean Pertwee is as much of a legend as his father Jon. Sean’s voice is instantly identifiable on many voiceovers. Halloween comes along and this is what Sean posts on his Instagram profile. One can only hope he considers a cameo in Dr Who, but even as a one off, it is my favorite image of 2014 so far
There are many elements to the reason I like it so much. Two main ones being the immediate family resemblance and, the most important for me, is knowing how proud his father would be of the obvious love that exudes from it.
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Here is a quick post for you. When I see some television programmes and geography is mentioned then 9 times out or 10 people seem ignorant to where some locations are in the world. Nowadays there is no excuse. The funny aspect I notice more than any other is that the general public knows quite a bit about specific countries. It fits in with the most common countries for holidays such as parts of Spain, Italy, Australia, America and France. It does sound as if I am generalising but it seems very common. Witnessing the confusion when some people are asked to point at where Tunisia is on a map is quite amusing, if slightly frustrating. Do you know where it is? Did you know that it is bordered with Algeria and the beautiful Mediterranean Ocean? It is part of Northern Africa and its main industries are mining, footwear, petroleum and beverages.
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Zoe lives in Hawaii at the Three Ring Ranch. She is not an albino but does in fact have a condition called amelanosis. This is the lack of colour pigments; these are referred to as melanin. The stripes are golden and Zoe’s body is white. Her eyes are blue and have poor vision. The condition means she is susceptible to kidney problems and skin cancer. The ranch makes sure her diet is adapted and that Zoe is monitored for cancer regularly.
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I have to thank the Dystonia Society for the great video from Dr Marie-Helene. As a Dystonia sufferer myself I know through experience that it is a condition that can be painful and, at times, frustrating. I have a specialist and have for many years. I take medication in moderation and have botulinum injections to help. It took years before I did my own research and realised what had been holding me back. For those years I thought I was going mad. I could not control certain muscles and the pain was hard to take. I know there will be people right now who will be searching for reasons and cures. Well if you come across this blog please use these links and do not rely on you GP. Get transferred to a specialist and remember that you are the artist of your own actions.
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2010 brought a bright light in what is a mostly dim TV schedule. The Trip made it's comic debut. Julia and I fell in love with the programme from the outset. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon mostly improvised their way through a simple idea. To visit restaurants in the North of England. They are thrown together when Steve's girlfriend backs out from his task of reviewing the restaurants for the Observer magazine. Steve chooses Rob as you get the feeling he has no other friends to invite. They play themselves and in doing so act with hilarious flaws and competition. The duo's impression off is one of my favourite pieces of comic TV. (I do not say that lightly as it has to compete with Gavin and Stacey!)
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Julia and I have been following the Waltons. We remember the series from when we were young and recently a UK channel called True Entertainment is reshowing the entire run. I am glad they are due to the very nature of the programme. It is moralistic, yes at times idealistic but it has a heart. It ran from 1972 until 1997 (if you include the TV movies) and in that time was one of the most popular American series. I can understand the reasons. It was based in the 30's and 40's on Waltons' mountain. This was a time of depression and war, tackled in the series of course, always through the eyes of a family unit in great scenery with quality actors and actresses.
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I am sorry to say that Facebook really has lost its charm. I rarely venture on it nowadays and when I do it is full of sponsored adverts. The layout has gradually got worse and the phone app is not worth the hassle as it direly loads feeds in the wrong order. I will only go on it to see friends status updates if I know something is happening and that is very rare. One thing that has become an aspect of Facebook that i can not relate to is the constant 'baby' photos. Don't get me wrong, they are cute, but I simply can not relate to them. It makes me sound like a stick in the mud as I know that it is the number one purpose in that parents life. It is just so prevalent on Facebook that they have even invented an app to replace baby photos with pictures of other effects!
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I have a neurological condition that is known as Cervical Dystonia. I have had it since early childhood and it can be very painful. Mine is known as a focal Dystonia as it is in one part of my body. It affects certain muscles in my neck.
There is a good explanation here
Dystonia is a very strange condition indeed. It has some Parkinson's symptoms but usually stays static and rarely progresses.
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