CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-06-19 12:50:47 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

How engaging!
catching the consumer's attention

Click the link below and then wait a few seconds to see what happens. It's very clever. 

h/t to Dave Reid, the original NSA (Northern Smart Arse).

#tfl

2013-06-19 11:26:16 (1 comments, 10 reshares, 31 +1s)

Simple truths

One of the harshest lessons in life is realising that the person you just pushed too far was the one who would have willingly gone the distance.


h/t +Sque Morgan via Book of Face

2013-06-18 16:16:24 (42 comments, 2 reshares, 72 +1s)

I have no words to share, so here G+, have a photo [taken yesterday]:

skin by almond and castor oil
hair by low poo
mood courtesy of sunshine and cheeky cat

camera was a Nokia Lumia 900
setting design by Jake and Mick

An look mam, no bogies!

2013-06-17 07:56:51 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 28 +1s)

Winner Announced!
Help for Heroes donation & raffle

The lucky winner of this fantastic piece of bespoke art by our +Arthur Biscuit is the amazing, +James Rat Tummy Dunn!!

Congratulations! 

Thank you +Paul Williams for spearing the effort and an extra special thanks to everyone who participated. We raised £103 for Help for Heroes, a UK organisation that provides individual and group support for our country's wounded service men and their families.

http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

You guys rock!

#tlf  

2013-06-16 13:59:07 (24 comments, 2 reshares, 34 +1s)

Washed dishes, broke a bowl. Washed clothes, broke the washer. Now he wants me to wash the car. : /

#ft

2013-06-15 16:28:34 (21 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

Coping with a parent's dementia

I love +John Shore and I found his recent article on coping with dementia insightful and invaluable. This, in particular, struck a chord with me:

The reason it is so important for you to distinguish between the mother you used to know and the person now living in your house who has dementia -- the reason you must make that very difficult emotional and conceptual paradigm change -- is because once you do that, everything related to caring for your mother becomes a whole lot easier for you.

Then it just becomes about the practicalities of the situation you're in. Then you just have a job to do. Once all the emotional baggage has been cleared out of the way -- once you realize that, persistent optical illusion to the contrary, you are no longer dealing with your parent, but rather only their unpredictable doppelgänger --y... more »

2013-06-14 09:19:40 (23 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

Finally getting around to playing Bioshock Infiniti I think I like it even better than the first two.

Have you played it? What did you think? No spoilers. I'm not done yet. ; )

#bioshockinfinite   #pcgames   #pcgaming  

2013-06-13 07:55:52 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 29 +1s)

Live Long and Prosper!
New Audi advert featuring Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto

Now, this is the way to keep me from fast forwarding through adverts!  I love it!

#getyourgeekon   #startrek  


h/t to +David Dyche, who I didn't even realise had a G+ account!

2013-06-13 06:19:12 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

Last Chance to Win
this unique, framed piece of bookart

Donations go to a wonderful cause!

The artist: +Arthur Biscuit 
The force behind the idea: +Paul Williams 
The charity: Help for Heroes 

For every £1 you donate, your name will be entered into the raffle once. AB will then be given the task to select a number at random. Whoever is the owner of the ticket associated with that number, wins the bookart!

The drawing is coming up, and the winners will be announced tomorrow. So, don't put it off; give now!

http://www.justgiving.com/Paul-Williams59/?utm_source=Sharethis

2013-06-12 15:02:31 (35 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

Russia declares 'open season' on gays
or they might as well have

In Russia, homosexuality is considered to be a 'treatable' condition, and their parliament has been debating a bill that would make it illegal for anyone to engage in the spread of "non-traditional sexual orientation propaganda". Today, Russia passed the bill by a unanimous vote of 434-0.

Individual citizens caught breaking this new law face fines of up to £1,000, while group fines go up to £20,000. Foreigners engaging in the spreading of homosexual propaganda face the possibility of being deported.

While the bill would be dangerous enough if it was well-written, it is not. The ambiguous language does not clearly define the meaning of "propaganda". While it is fairly clear that telling a child that homosexuals exist or daring to suggest that homosexuality is ana... more »

2013-06-11 06:37:56 (28 comments, 3 reshares, 28 +1s)

More than a suitcase
A reminder that they lived

Photographer Jon Crispin has been documenting the suitcases left behind by patients at the Willard Asylum for the Insane in Upstate New York

400 suitcases were found in an attic at the asylum in 1995. They date from 1910 to 1960

Many of the patients who went to the asylum died there and were buried in graves marked not with names, but by numbers

I think that this would be a fascinating story for most, but what really draws me to it is that, had I been born of this time, I too, could have very easily been one of those locked away, abandoned by family, and stripped of identity to forever become a number.

h/t and smooches to +Loraine Slessor for the find, although I still owe her a slap! ; )

2013-06-10 09:14:50 (81 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

I wonder if we'll ever learn to be okay with the reality that is us.

Media images that turn women into fibre-glass mannequins are the delusion of our age. But instead of railing against them, we download tools and apps to reinvent ourselves, too.

Are we truly more shallow and image obsessed than ever before, or is it that technology has afforded us a new way to obsess? I think about my mother's generation and I see them as having been under equal pressure to be perfect. They may not have had Photoshop, but the scrutiny was still there. Of course, that being said, while my mother's generation combated  for perfection, what we display as "perfect" nowadays is not even remotely in the realm of realistic. Some women might have truly been able to "bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never let you forget you're a man" back in the day when... more »

2013-06-06 10:27:48 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 15 +1s)

I don't follow many blogs, but I absolutely love Happy Opu. It's Jewel Staite's indulgence blog, dedicated to her love for food and drink. What draws me to it is way she writes. It's like being in a great conversation; you can imagine yourself right there with her.

I am not really a foodie, but when I read Jewel's blog, I think I could easily become one. Opu means tummy by the way.

  #foodie   #foodblog  

2013-06-05 13:34:00 (43 comments, 1 reshares, 17 +1s)

Immigration is a more complex issue than the oversimplified mathematics of people taking jobs from others. There are nuances to this that the sensationalist news media can’t make headlines out of.

This poem is a brilliant discussion on how immigration helps to create jobs, rather than steal them.

Very much worth paying attention to.

Video via +Mashhuda Glencross 

#ftl  

Also, I'm now a fan of +Hollie McNish 

2013-06-05 11:49:56 (18 comments, 0 reshares, 16 +1s)

Cesar: Love Them Back - 2013 Advert

This is how TV adverts should be done. If they were all like this people wouldn't go make a coffee when they were on or skip them on YouTube. Well, until they'd seen them a couple of times. All the money that advertising companies get and most of them are shit. This one is beautiful.

#dogs   #fidofriday   #fidoanyday  

2013-06-05 09:04:05 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

Gaming Geekery

Forbidden Island, a cooperative play set-collecting game in which you and your friends try to capture four magical relics while  making it safely through the many obstacles the island throws at you . In this episode of TableTop, Will Wheaton and friends show us how it's played. 

I love the segment opening; it's really clever.

Oh! And there's an iPad app for you Apple people out there.

2013-06-03 19:05:49 (23 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Remember Me

Curious if anyone has plans to buy it. CNET says it's awesomesauce. What say you? 

Taken from IGN: Neo-Paris, 2084: Personal memories can now be digitized, bought, sold and traded. The last remnants of privacy and intimacy have been swept away in what appears to be a logical progression of the explosive growth of social networks at the beginning of the 21st century. The citizens themselves have accepted this surveillance society in exchange for the comfort only smart technology can provide. This memory economy gives immense power over society to just a handful of people.

A visionary 3rd person action adventure, Remember Me puts players into the role of Nilin, a former elite memory hunter with the ability to break into people's minds and steal or even alter their memories. The authorities, fearful of her knowledge and capabilities have arrested... more »

2013-06-03 14:01:28 (16 comments, 6 reshares, 13 +1s)

Listen up UK peeps
it's a win-win opportunity!

Don't miss a great opportunity to help a wonderful organisation and have a chance at winning an amazing piece of art created by one of our very own.

+Paul Williams   is spear-heading the fund raising while +Arthur Biscuit is donating the art. The wonderful organisation? Why Help for Heroes, of course!

For every £1 you donate, you will receive one entry into the raffle. On 14 June, Paul will pick one name at random, and the winner will be sent this amazing, one-of-a-kind framed artwork.

Help for Heroes is a charity formed to help those who have been wounded in Britain's current conflicts. Their mission is to 'deliver an enduring national network of support for our wounded and their families' — inspiring and enabling those 'who have made sacrifices on our behalf to achieve theirfull ... more »

2013-05-30 10:10:16 (11 comments, 2 reshares, 26 +1s)

Talking of minions (see last post if you don't know what I'm talking about) here's their boss Gru making his first ever tv appearance.

#minions
#despicableme2

2013-05-29 12:11:41 (6 comments, 6 reshares, 55 +1s)

2013-05-29 07:54:53 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 16 +1s)

"We all see what we want to see. Coffey looks and he sees Russians. He sees hate and fear. You have to look with better eyes than that." ~ Lindsey Brigman, The Abyss, 1989




Solid stone is just sand and water
sand and water, and a million years gone by

2013-05-27 11:15:47 (15 comments, 1 reshares, 53 +1s)

A few photos from our drive yesterday.

2013-05-26 13:56:21 (33 comments, 1 reshares, 42 +1s)

It's a beautiful day in Northeast England. A perfect day for sitting outside at the pub, sharing a bottle of wine with friends. It's days like this that I really feel the bite of loneliness. But it's okay, because... 

Take my love, take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don't care, I'm still free

You can't take the sky from me

And a glorious sky it is.

2013-05-26 12:24:34 (14 comments, 1 reshares, 24 +1s)

Tiny Squirrel

http://tinierthings.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/tiny-squirrels-need-our-help/

Another good one :)

2013-05-26 11:17:08 (27 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

I may not be religious, but sometimes, I find myself moved by those who believe.
making truly beautiful music

Christian recording artist Carlos Whittaker and his team were out recording a video for a song called God of Second Chances for his CD, Ragamuffin Soul. As he is playing, a homeless man comes up and, during a break in the lyrics adds his own reggae flair to the song.

Sometimes, we need to put the 'god' debate aside and just enjoy the moment of connection that music can give. It doesn't matter what you believe or even if you believe, if you let it, this will touch your soul . It did mine.

2013-05-24 17:36:52 (42 comments, 3 reshares, 42 +1s)

Grand Theft Auto V
no PC release?

According to OH, there is no indication anywhere that Rockstar intends to release GTA V on PC. If that is true, then it's a travesty.

If you're a gamer, inspire to be a gamer, know a gamer, and/or love a gamer, please help ensure the game comes to PC by signing the petition below.

Thanks, and stay shiny!

2013-05-23 18:47:48 (23 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

Hwen dan. Wuo dwei nee boo ting boo jen.

Yeah, the OH just told me that, while he likes Firefly, he doesn't think that cleverer, deeper people appreciate the 'western set in space' element. In his words, They could have done better. 

Wuh de tyen ah!!

::smh::

2013-05-22 21:13:47 (13 comments, 25 reshares, 54 +1s)

Shiny.

2013-05-21 16:54:30 (34 comments, 0 reshares, 17 +1s)

So tell me intelligent people of the Stream who hang out, how do I test settings before instigating a Hangout now?

In the past, when I wanted to make sure my settings/headset were working properly, I would open up a hangout, run a test to make sure everything was working properly, and then invite people. Now, I can't seem to find a way to open a hangout without inviting people first.

Am I missing something?

The pre-hangout ritual is important to many of us. For instance:

~ Going into an empty hangout before inviting a client ensures everything is working properly, you look your best, and the angles are where you want them. 

~ Going into an empty hangout before inviting a group of people ensures you're set up properly and your dirty knickers or piles of washing aren't showing in the background.

~ Going into an empty... more »

2013-05-21 08:24:39 (21 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Shower tip.

2013-05-18 16:15:29 (22 comments, 2 reshares, 22 +1s)

Custard pie fight cancelled.

The Mayor of Bakewell made his strong feelings on the matter known “These insurance companies are really damaging our country and taking all the pleasure out of being alive. I’m surprised there isn’t rioting in the streets."
#HealthAndSafetyGoneMad

2013-05-18 11:10:36 (73 comments, 12 reshares, 48 +1s)

The body shameful beautiful

In New York City, a woman is now allowed to go topless anywhere a man can go topless without the threat of arrest. Some here will see that as a battle won; others will see it as yet another blow to America's morality. Me, I have mixed emotions, and I'll tell you why.

As a young child, I never fully understood why my body was considered shameful. But because my parents, my teachers, my mentors, and my god said that they were, I knew it must be true. God wanted us covered. End of. So when my 2-year-old nephew decided to streak through the living room whilst the pastor was visiting, I was appropriately mortified. The baby’s penis was shame, just as my 6-year-old flat chest and hairless vagina were shame. God found our tiny, naked bodies sinful; therefore they must be covered.

Later, there were new messages, which came mostly from mym... more »

2013-05-17 22:15:37 (12 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

The Following


That is all.

2013-05-17 08:20:09 (26 comments, 3 reshares, 14 +1s)

Evolutionary Husband?

Oh ladies... if only

Enjoy!!

2013-05-16 08:43:11 (49 comments, 1 reshares, 27 +1s)

[A bit of satiric comedy :) ]

Ever have the problem where you're trying to filter out melodramatic, close-minded, impetuous, or spoiled individuals, but combing through each circle becomes a bit tedious? Do you ever think, "Wouldn't it be great if there was a telltale psychological indicator revealing the maturity, sensibility, and poise (or lack thereof) of people in your circles?"

Us too. That's why starting today, we're happy to announce a great new feature we think you'll really enjoy. It's called the "initiative to Delete, Uncircle, Mute, and Block", or iDUMB for short.

Here's how it works:

Start by monitoring your stream very carefully. The moment a new update is rolled out, people will begin to make extremely negative, rebellious, hyperbolic, reactionary, and/or self-centered comments. (In other words, they... more »

2013-05-13 15:51:18 (23 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

Fascinating

A French apartment that was abandoned during WWII, but left completely untouched until recently, has sold for £1.8 million. Amongst the treasures inside was a painting by the 19th century Italian artist Giovanni Boldini. While it wasn't signed, the authenticity of the work was confirmed via a love letter, written to the flat's owner's grandmother, who was Boldini's muse.

How I would have loved to have been one of the first to enter after seven decades. It must have been a magical experience.

The flat, which is close to the Pigalle red-light district in Paris’ 9th Arrondissement, was said to be like a “stumbling in to the castle of Sleeping Beauty” by one expert, as a room full of artworks and beautiful furniture was discovered behind its long-locked font door.

2013-05-10 11:45:31 (12 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

CircleCount Slogan Contest

For a bit of fun, take a look and vote for your favourite! +CircleCount was gracious enough to allow a few people (including me, just now) to include late entry offerings, so make sure to look through them all before you decide!

2013-05-08 08:14:51 (12 comments, 1 reshares, 17 +1s)

Guess what colour I happen to be wearing today!

Pink is my signature colour.



Happy Wednesday, people. 

2013-05-07 10:55:53 (13 comments, 0 reshares, 25 +1s)

Tuesdays
any excuse to be a smart arse

2013-05-04 15:58:37 (13 comments, 0 reshares, 16 +1s)

The White Crayon
Among the pile of stumps of crayons something stands out. One of the crayons isn't like the others. It is whole. It is untouched. It is the white crayon.

The white crayon has lived of life of solitude. Its lonely existence has left it unharmed while the other crayons have been worn down by life. The white crayon has aged without being damaged; aged without experience; but aged nonetheless. And one day, without ever being used, the white crayon will be thrown out with all the other crayons, each marked by their life of experiences and adventures. The white crayon will end its days in the same, full form as it came into this world. Ending its life without ever truly having lived.

(Comment of mine made into this post because +Scott Cramer said it deserved a post of its own.)

2013-05-04 13:47:38 (31 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

You know, Beauty and the Beast has so much unexplored potential. If they would get off the Vincent and Cat love affair and explore more of the beast within, this could be an awesome show, even with the "beast" being more eye candy than terror-evoking monster with a heart.

I can think of several great story lines that don't have those two fawning all over each other. I think Gary Fieder and crew should hire me...

and a personal chef for Kristin Kreuk. That woman needs to eat.

2013-05-03 09:34:05 (14 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

Daybreak assists parents with emotional blackmail plea

This morning on Daybreak, the parents of Fiona Anderson, the heavily-pregnant 23-year-old woman who killed her three children and then took her own life, made a plea by proxy. In it, they begged the father of the four dead children to allow the mother's last wish to be granted: to have the children buried with her, so that she could care for them in death as she had cared for them in life. Apparently, he's not so keen on the idea.

When they first announced that the parent's would be making a plea, I assumed it would be for better mental health awareness and improved, timely access to help, both of which are sorely lacking under the NHS. Instead, what was presented was an emotional ambush on the father. With nothing more than the briefest of nods to what he "must be feeling", presenters Aled and Kate and... more »

2013-04-27 13:00:24 (49 comments, 1 reshares, 36 +1s)

There be dragons here
living with an anxiety disorder

Historically, the phrase, "here be dragons" was used on maps to indicate unexplored and/or dangerous places. In my life, I use the phrase to mark things that are difficult for me to do.

You see, in addition to being bipolar, I have a condition known as social anxiety disorder (SAD) and am anthropophobic, which means I have a fear of people and crowds. While it doesn't sound like much, it can be quite debilitating. The simple act of leaving my house or being around people requires mental preparation—even if it is just a walk to the shops for milk or having my husband, who I love dearly, come home from work. 

For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with overwhelming social anxiety and fear of people. Yet, most people who know me in real life are not aware of my condition. As aresult,... more »

2013-04-26 18:05:42 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

In the 70's, the mining industry in the UK was devasted.

2013-04-26 13:28:12 (28 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

Court rules that police must treat 17s in custody as children

I agree with this ruling; I believe that 17-year-olds are not fully adult and need the parental support. What I wonder though is why, if 17s are considered to be children, are we still expecting them to work and live as adults at the school leaving age of 16?

Do you see the dichotomy?

At 16, my husband finished compulsory schooling. His desire was to go to college, but his father had a different plan. There was no paying for college or supporting his son (by letting him live at home) whilst he went to college and worked part time in "Dad's" plan. Instead it was "You are a man now. Get out of my house and start acting like one. Of course, it was in his right; compulsory schooling ends at 16 and a parent's obligation officially ends then too. So, unless a kid's got a supportive... more »

2013-04-26 10:06:06 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 11 +1s)

Does God want this man to stop being so effeminate?
another awesome article by John Shore

I love this guy. If I rocked religion, I would be like this guy. In my mind, John Shore epitomises what religion says it is about, but really isn't: love, patience, tolerance, compassion... and a mean sense of humour.

The whole article is worth a read, but here is a cheeky excerpt for you never have enough time / tl; dr / if you can't say it in 40 words, I can't comprehend it crowd:

No, I don't think you should change. Screw changing. Be the way you are. It's good for us to have men who act like women, and women who act like men. Because those are the kind of people who are leading the way for all of us to be exactly who we really are. People like you are the heroes of our culture.

I'm a six-foot-two, 215-pound man who's about onen... more »

2013-04-26 09:39:55 (45 comments, 1 reshares, 30 +1s)

Woke up to the sounds of a banshee wailing....

No wait. That's just the next door neighbour, singing.





Good morning Google Verse. It's Friday, so let's all be shiny!

Image by  +Najla Qamber: http://najlaqamberdesigns.com/

2013-04-25 23:08:13 (35 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

PSA

There are many ways you can be rude to your fellow Pluskins.

This is one of them.

2013-04-25 18:06:19 (9 comments, 6 reshares, 17 +1s)

Rockin' Hendrix on the Gayageum



Saw this on Facebook. If you've seen it, then scroll on by. If not, take a moment to listen because ....

                                    it's awesome!

2013-04-25 09:37:05 (57 comments, 1 reshares, 25 +1s)

When a surf bracelet isn't for surfing

So, yesterday, I received this: 1 Men's Black Leather Surf Wrap Around Strap Wristband Bracelet. A simple little £5 bracelet to wear every day and not have to take off. Last night when having a bath, it fell apart the minute it hit the water. So, I wrote the seller. This morning I received this:

Hi

Thanks for your email and I shall resend your order again today.  To be honest, the bracelet shouldn't really be worn in the bath/shower.

Kind regards

P***

Silly me. It's one of those dry surf bracelets! I should have known!

le sigh

At leas the customer service was good.