Friday 31 October 2008

Andrew Porter to read at Gettysburg College

Gettysburg College.

For those of you lucky enough to live, or be staying, around the area of Gettysburg College, the Writing House is about to support a reading by author Andrew Porter Nov. 6.

The reading is scheduled for 8 p.m. in Pennsylvania Hall's third-floor Lyceum. A soirée will follow the reading.

The event is free and open to the public and the author's book will be available for purchase.

Andrew Porter

A resident of Lancaster, Pa., Andrew Porter is an assistant professor of English and creative writing at Trinity University in San Antonio, Tx. He is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and his award-winning fiction has appeared in "One Story," "Epoch," "The Pushcart Prize Anthology" and National Public Radio's "Selected Shorts." His compilation of stories, "The Theory of Light and Matter," has been honored with the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction.



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How To Describe - Mastering Descriptive Writing
To Write A Story - 20 Ways To Write A Story Better
Story Characters - 7 Cool Ways To Jump-Start Your Writing

Anthony James Barnett - author of Without Reproach.


Thursday 30 October 2008

Caravan dweller's £100,000 wedding

Bedlam Viewpoint.

Manual worker?

Missy Quinn is the rather odd name of a 16-year-old girl, who lives in a caravan. Her parents are quaintly called "travellers" – when we were kids we used to call them “Irish Tinkers” or “Gypsies” . Her father has a job surfacing driveways. Missy has just got married. Now here’s the REALLY odd thing – the wedding cost a massive £100,000 – all paid for by her father.

Simon Quinn, 35, paid £16,000 for his daughter’s wedding dress, which came with a train 10ft long and so weighty it took ten people to help her out of the Rolls Royce that carried her to church.

Worth it

In total, the wedding cost five times as much as the average UK affair. Mr Quinn was adamant that the expenditure was worth it and added: "I'm very proud of her today."

What I want to know is how the hell does a 35 year old manual worker amass so much money that he can shell out £100,000 for just a wedding? I’ve obviously been doing something drastically wrong.

Anyone got a shovel….




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How To Describe - Mastering Descriptive Writing
To Write A Story - 20 Ways To Write A Story Better
Story Characters - 7 Cool Ways To Jump-Start Your Writing

End of - Caravan dweller's £100,000 wedding

Anthony James Barnett - author of Without Reproach.

Monday 27 October 2008

Andrea Hirata to finish writing

Bedlam Viewpoint.

Now this sort of thing really pisses me off.

It appears best-selling author, Andrea Hirata, has decided he isn't writing any more novels after finishing the Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warrior) series, with the release of the fourth book Maryamah Karpov in November.

The 33-year-old author said the popularity he acquired from the success of his novels had become a problem to him.

Too much attention

"It turns out that popularity is scary. I don't feel comfortable receiving so much attention from people," he said.

Poor old Andrea. I feel really sorry for him – Jeez, most people would give their eye-teeth to have the same problem. Oh for the chance….



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How To Describe - Mastering Descriptive Writing
To Write A Story - 20 Ways To Write A Story Better
Story Characters - 7 Cool Ways To Jump-Start Your Writing

Saturday 25 October 2008

Sarah Palin strips with humour

Bedlam Humour
.

After the great comic book sell-out of McCain and Obama, I suppose it's to be expected that the great Palin should fall foul to that particular brand of humour.
.

The strength of a pitbull

I think Sarah is probably good material for comedians too. Anyone who display strong characteristics is bound to be targetted..... And you don't get much stronger than pitbulls do you!
.



















.
I hope Ms Palin has a humorous dispositiion!


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How To Describe - Mastering Descriptive Writing
To Write A Story - 20 Ways To Write A Story Better
Story Characters - 7 Cool Ways To Jump-Start Your Writing

Farts keep blood pressure down!

Bedlam Humour
Farts.

A new scientific research paper indicates that the stink of rotten-egg in farts, controls blood pressure.

The obnoxious smell that all of you produce is caused by the gas called hydrogen sulphide (H2S). The odour will be all too familiar with you guys and gals out there, even if you try to deny it.

Farts are apparently produced by bacteria living in the gut and the gas eventually makes its way out. Everyone farts – even the Queen of England.

Blood Pressure

The new study found that cells lining blood vessels organically produce the gas, and this action actually helps keep blood pressure low by relaxing blood vessels.

I notice that some of my friends have a more relaxing time than others Lol ... Way to go guys. Next time your fart stinks out the house, at least you can tell your partner you’re trying to keep your blood pressure down.

Have a healthy stinking fart on me!


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Friday 24 October 2008

Romanian driver does 310 mph.

Bedlam Humour

Lewis Hamilton, anyone?

Anyone up for a super car? I’ll bet Lewis Hamilton will be dead envious of this one.

310 mph

A driver in Romanian was astonished when he was given a speeding ticket - for driving his 15-year-old Renault at 310mph. Driver, Toader Moise, 62, had apparently notched up an incredible speed in the narrow, winding streets of the mountain city of Sinaia. 15 years old? How would the lemon law deal with this I wonder?

Super tuned

The car, which had a maximum speed of 110mph when it was brand new, is up for sale – Lewis, are you taking note - highly tuned car for sale. You don't need all those super mechanics, just a 62 year old Romanian.

"It was really hilarious and I think I should get into the book of records with this," he said. "How could I drive my 15-year-old Renault at 310mph when I can barely get her do 70mph?"

Law is Ass

Police are look into it to see if the ticket was down to a radar glitch or a blunder by the officer who wrote the ticket, I wonder if the guy will get away with it?

Maybe the officer should be investigated. How could he possibly have thought it correct - another case of the law being an ass?


Anita Shreve in Portsmouth



For those of you lucky enough to live around Portsmouth, NH, there is a treat in store in the form of Anita Shreve.

Anita Shreve is the celebrated author of fourteen novels, including "Body Surfing," and "A Wedding in December". She has a razor sharp insight into the convolutions of relationships. Shreve is a writer who understands the subtleties of the human mind and heart, and it shows in her work.

On Tuesday, November 18th, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the best-selling author will be at The Music Hall, as part of the popular series ‘Writers on a New England Stage’. Shreve will discuss her new book, "Testimony," and her life as a writer.

I wish her well.


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How To Describe - Mastering Descriptive Writing
To Write A Story - 20 Ways To Write A Story Better
Story Characters - 7 Cool Ways To Jump-Start Your Writing

Thursday 23 October 2008

New yoga book from Beth Shaw

A new book about to be released, called, “Beth Shaw's YogaFit-2nd Edition”, will have you zinging…. they tell me.

Whether you’re a fitness sage looking for a new challenge or a yoga aficionado looking to complement your exercise routine, "Beth Shaw's YogaFit-2nd Edition" will help you achieve your physical potential .... apparently.

This avant-garde fitness program blends tough aerobic exercise with strength and flexibility, building yoga to create a total-body workout ..... they say….

The book presents more than 85 YogaFit poses organized into workout routines that people can use every day…. wow…. what can I say.


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How To Describe - Mastering Descriptive Writing
To Write A Story - 20 Ways To Write A Story Better
Story Characters - 7 Cool Ways To Jump-Start Your Writing

Wednesday 22 October 2008

Tim McGraw writes children's book

It seems we have another celeb, muscling in on the writing world.

Country singing star Tim McGraw has discovered the difficulties that come with being a dad to little girls, thanks to daughters Gracie Katherine, 11, Maggie Elizabeth, 10, and Audrey Caroline, 6.

Based on his experiences of trying to make his children happy, Tim has co-written a new children's book entitled My Little Girl, released today in stores. The book follows a child named Katie and her father as they spend the day together doing nothing special, but at the same time enjoying quality time with one another.

There you are. I don’t blame him one bit. The gripe I have is the certainty that his book will be a success, whilst writers, with good credentials and years of experience struggle to make a dime. It hardly seems fair.

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How To Describe - Mastering Descriptive Writing
To Write A Story - 20 Ways To Write A Story Better
Story Characters - 7 Cool Ways To Jump-Start Your Writing

Tuesday 21 October 2008

Arvind Adiga and his next book

A mere three days after he picked up the prestigious Booker prize for his first novel 'The White Tiger', Arvind Adiga announced his second novel is almost ready.

Though he wouldn't give any details about the forthcoming book, he said, “I like books that have ideas in them and that move and that entertain.”

The White Tiger is a extreme page turner, highly original, showing "the dark side of India". Adiga, who is 33 years old was also the youngest author on the shortlist of the Booker prize.

It seems he might be heading for a second….

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Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Sunday 19 October 2008

Noise pollution again!

Bedlam view

The bastards have been at it again!

We came in late last night after a good night at La Luna, Alcalali. I suppose we arrived home around 01:45hrs, watched a smatter of recorded TV with a last drink then hopped to bed.

Could we sleep? Could we hell.

All the doors were closed, the windows closed, the wooden shutters to the window tightly closed, but could we sleep?

1.5km away

The daft bastards down in the village were having a fiesta again. NOT that I begrudge a bit of good time and all that, but the bloody village is 1.5km away from us in a straight line, and the racket STILL kept me awake.

It's ridiculous! How CAN they possibly stand such volume of shit, so late at night? I don't even know how they can produce such noise. It went on until the extremes of morning -probably around 06:00hrs. I lost track. My nerves were shattered.

Telekinesis

I hate the bastards for it. Why can't they be like NORMAL people? I tried using mind over matter to bring on rain - it didn't work. I tried to blow up their equipment by telekineses - it didn't work, I just lost sleep. Why-oh-why do the Spanish tolerate so much noise?

You can't tell me it's tradition. The equipment to generate such high volumes of noise simply wasn't available traditionally. Tradition would have been brass bands, a bit of umpah - quite acceptable. Modern bands, pumping out millions of watts of shit, simply IS NOT tradition.

The bloody councils seem to think tourists want garbage pumped at them for entertainment, there's no other reason to allow it. They're thinking with their pockets again.

Well listen Mr. Councillor, PEOPLE DON'T WANT THE SHIT NOISE! Think about the poor pensioners in the middle of the village instead of the money you're making. What do older villagers think? Have you thought about asking them?

Well I asked and do you know what the answer was - "What can we do. It's what the youngsters want." What the youngsters want -- F*** the youngsters. A whole community arsed about for youngsters. Balls to it!


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Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Friday 17 October 2008

Country of Choice

This was went to me by my good friend, Jack Chambers. I think there is a lot of truth in what he says.

  • Country of Choice.

  • "Will we still be Great Britain if we continue to make the changes forced on us by the people from other countries that came to live in Britain because it is merely their Country of Choice?"

  • Christmas

  • "All I have to say is, when will they do something about MY RIGHTS? I celebrate Christmas, but because it isn't celebrated by everyone, we can no longer say 'Merry Christmas'. Now it has to be 'Season's Greetings'. It's not Christmas holiday, it's Winter Break. Isn't it amazing how this winter break ALWAYS occurs over the Christmas holiday?"

  • "We've gone so far the other way, bent over backwards to not offend anyone, that I am now being offended. But it seems that no one has a problem with that. "

I think Jack speaks for a lot of us. There is way too much political correctness being forced on us by small-minded do-gooders.

Maybe I can voice my own opinion on the matter and put it in the technical and grammatical terms it so rightly deserves. Do-gooders, PISS OFF!

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Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Thursday 16 October 2008

Actors required for Stoke on Trent film

Actors

For any of you creative people wanting to act instead of write - here's the perfect oportunity.

A horror film to be shot very soon. requires actors who reside close to Stoke-on-Trent for a November shoot.

Horror

A 3rd year Media Production student at Staffordshire University in Stoke-on-Trent is searching for actors for a short degree film.

The film is apparently a horror and will be set in a restaurant. The story concerns a recently engaged couple looking for a function room for their wedding reception. During the visit, there is a power cut and mysterious and horrific things happen.

Fancy it? Then give it a whizz on this website.

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Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Tuesday 14 October 2008

One-Liner jokes!

Okay! So here are one or two One-Liners from The Edinburgh Festival I thought you might like to share.

My thanks to Fred Devenney for sending them in :-



  • I realised I was dyslexic when I went to a toga party dressed as a goat - Marcus Brigstocke at the Assembly Rooms

    Cats have nine lives. Which makes them ideal for experimentation - Jimmy Carr

    The right to bear arms is only slightly less ludicrous than the right to arm bears - Chris Addison at the Pleasance

  • My dad is Irish and my mum is Iranian, which meant that we spent most of our family holidays in Customs - Patrick Monahan at the Gilded Balloon

  • The dodo died. Then Dodi died, Di died and Dando died .... Dido must be shitting herself - Colin & Fergus at the Pleasance

  • I saw that show, 50 Things To Do Before You Die. I would have thought the obvious one was 'Shout For Help' - Mark Watson, Rhod Gilbert at the Tron

  • Employee of the month is a good example of how somebody can be both a winner and a loser at the same time -Demetri Martin at the Assembly Rooms

  • It's easy to distract fat people. It's a piece of cake - Chris Addison at the Pleasance

  • If you're being chased by a police dog, try not to go through a tunnel, then on to a little seesaw, then jump through a hoop of fire. They're trained for that - Milton Jones at the Underbelly


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Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Dr. Who and Prince Charles


Cameo
TV producer and writer, Russell Davies THE man behind the infamous Doctor Who series, has labelled HRH Prince Charles a "miserable swine" for refusing the proposition of a cameo role.

He made the comment to 2000 science-fiction fans at Cheltenham Literature Festival, where he was chatting about his new novel, Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale.

Asked about the cameo suggestion, Davies said: "He turned us down, the miserable swine."

I don’t blame Charles. Who’d want to be associated with Dr. Who, (well me, perhaps but no one wants to know about me)

Russell Davis take heed, a few years ago you’d be in chains for an outburst like that.
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Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Monday 13 October 2008

The hysterical stock market

Forgive me if I'm being a little shortsighted. But isn't this thing over the economy a little hysterical?

Okay, so shares have plummeted - surely, this a time to BUY! What's the sense in waiting until they're high before investing? I know when I was into shares, I desperately wanted them to be low, so I could purchase more and make more money when they rose.

I recall purchasing a large number of share in the company I worked for when we had an earlier minor 'recession', they dropped to 1.92, yet they were a stable company. About six moths later the market recovered and they hit 5.56. I made a tidy profit. My hands were shaking as I told the broker to sell-at-best. When I had the ticket, the price had made 5.67 - more than I'd hoped.

I think the market is driven by nervous brokers who are in it for a quick profit. Take a longer view and you'll still win by purchasing a range of shares.
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Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Friday 10 October 2008

Tesco contributes to alcohol abuse



Grabbed for a fiver at Tesco
.

I like a drink as much as everyone , but in the current climate of alcohol consumption, I found this ridiculous. Aren't stores supposed to be showing responsibilty towards alcohol?

Blockade conditions were apparently under way at Tesco supermarkets yesterday as myriads of shoppers fought to grab crates of lager for a fiver each.

Some stores reported pandemonium as customers emptied the shelves of Carlsberg Export at the rate of up to 100 boxes an hour. The price of beer was reduced from £14.99 for 18 bottles to just a fiver.

No alcohol left at Tesco
.

In good-old Kidsgrove, in my native Stoke-on-Trent, one shop-worker said, “It was unbelievable. We just had a mad rush this morning and by 11am there was nothing left.”
.
Are they mad? Tesco must now rate as number one contributor to alcohol abuse in Britain. I wonder how many headaches they've caused
.
Cheers!

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Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Joke - Britain is Repossessing America

Bedlam Humour

This joke was emailed to me by a good friend. I hope you appreciate it. If you don't - who gives a shit!

To the citizens of the United States of America:

In light of your failure to control your sub prime lending nor to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately.


  • Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, will resume monarchical dutiesover all states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy).
  • The prime minister will appoint a governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.
  • To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
  • You should look up 'revocation' in the Oxford English Dictionary.
  • You should also look up aluminium, and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.
  • The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters, and the suffix -ize will be replaced by the suffix -ise.
  • Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (look up 'vocabulary').
  • Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as 'like' and 'you know' is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication.
  • There is no such thing as US English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell- checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of -ize.
  • You will relearn your original national anthem, God Save The Queen.
  • July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.
  • You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent.
  • Guns should only be handled by adults.
  • If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler.
  • A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.
  • All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and this is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.
  • All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.
  • The Former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have beencalling gasoline)-roughly $10 per US gallon. Get used to it.
  • You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.
  • The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager.
  • South African beer is also acceptable as they are pound for pound the greatest sporting Nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of British Commonwealth - see what it did for them.
  • Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters.
    Watching Andie McDowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.
  • You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, intime, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies). However we advise you not to try Rugby - the South Africans and Kiwis will thrash you, like they regularly thrash us.
  • Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable.
  • You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the South Africans first to take the sting out of their deliveries.
  • You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.
  • An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).
  • Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 pm with proper cups, never mugs,with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; strawberries in season.
  • God save the Queen.
Related posts - More jokes .

Wednesday 8 October 2008

Big breasts win, Serena Kozakura

Bedlam Humour



Fascination
.
Most men are fascinated by breasts.

It seems that most are not lovers of absolutely huge tits, just nicely shaped ones. In certain circumstances though, it seems that bigger IS better.
.
.
Court Verdict

Serena Kozakura, used to hate her body. For some reason she found her 44-inch bust a burden, but in this particular case, her large breasts helped overturn a court verdict.
He ex-boyfriend claimed she kicked a hole in his door, squeezed through, and wrecked his flat. However, it was apparently demonstrated that her breasts were too big to allow her to squeeze through.
.
I suppose you could say the prosecution went arse-over-tit!

For the full story see this blog, Big Breasts Help To Win Verdict .
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Tuesday 7 October 2008

Coke, the sperm-killer.

Bedlam Humor

A Natural Sperm Killer
Guys and gals, if you fancy safe sex, just pop out the can, (safe, as in not-getting-pregnant, nothing to do with anything transmittable or nasty).

Coke and sperm.
I always knew Coke was good for something other than cleaning old coins. Coke has now been revealed as an efficient sperm killer, which, they say, may be good for the natural environment – though God knows why. What’s it got to do with the environment?

For the discovery, a woman’s sexuality specialist has been awarded an alternative Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Deborah Anderson, Harvard Medical School professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and her colleagues, shared the Prize for their discovery.

Sperm killer
The sperm-killer effect of coke has now been accepted as fact … Well fact me! Well okay, just hand me the can.

The only thing is …. What am I supposed to do with it? Where do I put it? Do I drink it? Do I rub it in?
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End of - 'Coke, the sperm-killer'.
*** Coke, Coke, Coke ***

Monday 6 October 2008

Japanese Prime Minister's weight problems

Japan's Prime Minister in waiting, seems more concerned about his outward looks than about his countries troubles. Apparently he likes to look correct at all times.

To this end, his tailor revealed he uses little weights in the hem of his trousers to make them hang properly.

Well bully for him. At least he'll look dapper when he mulls over the 'weighty' problems of the nation.

Will this be the start of a new trend? I wonder if there'll be a surge of requests in tailor shops around the world..... Now there's a thought. How about making the little weights - someone somewhere will suddenly be making a fortune from them....

Another thought - is this why Japanese martial-art footwork is so deadly?


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Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Friday 3 October 2008

Saying a lot with few words

I came across these little gems and thought you might like to share them. They say a lot with few words:-

  • We are to blame for what we do.
  • Heroes are those who do what has to be done when it needs to be done.
  • Wealth is a dreadful way of counting achievement.
  • On occasions, those we expect to put the boot in when we’re down are the ones who help us fight back up.
  • We might have the right to be irritated, but it doesn't give us the right to be vindictive.
  • Maturity has more to do with experience and attitude, than age.
  • It isn't sufficient to be excused by others. We need to forgive ourselves.
  • No matter how bad we feel, mankind won’t pause.
  • Social class and circumstance may effect who we are, but we are accountable for who we become.

Hope you appreciate them. I thought them worthwhile noting.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

JK Rowling, Harry Potter, and loads of money!




JK Rowling - 3 Million pounds a week!

Wow! JK Rowling is now officially the highest paid writer in the world! I knew she was loaded, but this is overboard.

She apparently earned in excess of £170 million last year – over £3m a WEEK – according to business magazine, Forbes.

JK Rowling, six times more income than Patterson

JK Rowling, wrote the first of her best-selling books about boy wizard Harry Potter, as a single mother, on the breadline. The 43-year-old millionaire author's income is six times that of James Patterson, the next best paid author, who wrote, Along Came a Spider.
I notice they haven’t mention what I earned! Maybe they didn’t want to embarrass JK!

Last month, JK Rowling donated £1 million to the Labour Party, indicating that the contribution was inspired by Labour's profile on child poverty and Tory’s offer of tax breaks to married couples.
.
I have to admit, if I earned just one week’s worth of her income, I don’t think I’d bother to write ever again - and I wouldn't bother who was in power....
.
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Thursday 2 October 2008

Coincidence and Steve Povey, Mayor of Leek, in Parcent.



Strange thing, coincidence. It happens when you least expect.

Picture of Parcent

Cool

I recall many years ago whilst seconded to a company in Nigeria. I was relaxing on Badagry Beach, when someone stood in the line of sun and said, "Hey-up, youth! What're you doin' here?" It was a lad I once knew from Leek in Staffordshire. Out of all the places in the world, of all the people on the beach, he happened to pass by me and recognize me. How cool is that.

Maybe it's something to do with Leek.

I now live in Spain. Last Sunday evening, my wife and I decided to go to the Planet Restaurant & Bar in Parcent. Parcent is a tiny inland village on the Costa Blanca, beautiful, but not a place you'd normally think of visiting if you were on holiday in the area.

Steve Povey

After several games of pool with friends, a couple, who'd been watching us play, stood to leave. The guy suddenly asked me if I was from Stoke on Trent. I explained I was actually from Cheddleton, near Leek, which was not too far from Stoke.

He smiled broadly and shook my hand. It turned out he was the ex-mayor of Leek, Steve Povey. Then it turned out his father worked at the same place I'd worked at as an apprentice and I actually knew him. Cool!

Why had he chosen that bar in Parcent, why had I decided to go that night ....

Chances are millions to one on these coindences, yet they happen time after time. Maybe the world is smaller than we realise.

So Steve Povey, if you remember nothing else from your holiday, I hope you remember this chance meeting in Parcent. By the way, the week of rain is over, the sun shining, the weather warm. Sorry if you missed it!!!

---------------------------------------------------------------
Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Wednesday 1 October 2008

rssHugger again




You are probably just like I am, looking around for things to increase your rss readership.

RssHugger does just that. Readers and bloggers can connect and view and subscribe to different feeds all from one place.
.
Try it. It might just work for you.
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  1. Next post, Queen's beer.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Real Costa Blanca - Exploring The Real Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

Delivery of beer to the Queen


Royal Residence.
.
Her majesty was probably not amused. A delivery of beer intended for football fans at the Windsor Castle pub in London was incorrectly delivered to the Royal residence of Queen Elizabeth II.

Twelve Barrels
.
Apparently, twelve barrels of lager arrived at the gates of Windsor Castle, but royal staff scratched their liveried heads because there was no verification of the order.
.
What were they thinking of? I think I'd have been tempted to slip it through had I been there .... Perhaps that’s why they never emailed me about the position in the first place!

Silly Mistake
.
'It was a silly mistake - these things can happen. The barrels did eventually arrive at the correct place, about three hours late, but there was no problem,' said Misko Coric, the pub landlord. 'We have received mail for the royal household here before but I think this is the first time they have received anything meant for us.'
.
Don't think of it as a pub-with-no-beer, Misko, think of it as a huge publicity stunt!
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I think the late Princess Margaret – an inveterate tippler, of world renown - might have been amused, but the Queen is a drinker of water and Lucozade, and the funny side will probably have been missed.
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Cheers!
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