Something Old
Readers Digest, read by over 80 million throughout the world has changed hands in a deal worth US$2.4 billion. The new owners are led by an equity, called Ripplewood, a New York buyout fund. Readers Digest was first published by DeWitt and Lila Wallace from their apartment in New York, in the 1930's. They posted out 5000 copies which they had sold for 25c each.In 1938 the first international edition was published in Britain. It now has 50 editions in 21 languages, with editions been launched this year in Slovnia, Croatia and Romania.
#371. Something New
The Nativity Story, a movie about Christmas, chronicles the journey of Mary & Joseph, a miraculous pregnancy and the history-defining birth of Jesus, will be the first movie ever screened at the Vatican. It will premiere there on November 26th in the Pope Paul Vl Hall, in front of 7000 invited guests. Procceds from the premiere will help build a school in Mughar village, in Israel. The movie will open in NZ on November 30th and in Italy & USA on December lst. "Mary" is played by NZ actress, Keisha Castle-Hughes age 16, who is pregnant to her boyfriend, Bradley Hull. Keisha played the lead-role in the New Zealand movie, The Whale Rider.
#372. Something Borrowed Cat Wash !!! Do you get up some mornings in a rush and only have time for a "cat-wash", but find the cat has beaten you to it ??? One of the many cats of Madam Grizzle. The start of her latest post.........Thursday!Up at 6:30 am, feed cats and shower, then load carriers, and coolers into car, take out trash and recycle. Drive towards town, stop at the feed supply, drop off carriers, pick up cat food, then ......... Read more
Having to pose in the "nude" would make anyone blue - even the most hardy of rugby players !!! It seems that some NZ art "buff" paid over $16,000 for a large full-size oil painting of Anton Oliver, an All Black, but I would have to say whoever it was got a bum deal because all you can see is the back-side and not the front-side. If you hanged it on your wall, how would people know he was an All Black as it could be any white-back of a thousand men in NZ !!!
It has also caused a bit of stir within the circle of the All Blacks, or should we be calling them the all -blues, with ex-all Black, Colin "Pinetree" Meads, saying - "We're meant to be the salt of the earth, down-to-earth, grassroots, bloody good guys. You don't pose bloody nude or get a painting of yourself in the nude".
#374. Currently Reading
When I visited an old(er) friend recently, she gave me a book of short stories to read - Vol.1, The Best of Stephen Leacock. Edited by J.B Priestley - which was printed in 1966. The price on the cover is 6/6 - 6 shillings & six pence, which would be 65c. The stories in the book are even older. The book, in good condition for its age, is 226 pages so I have quite a few stories to read. The blurb on the backcover says - "The main emphasis is on Leacock (1869 - 1944) the essentially Canadian humorist, dry and droll, whose wit is sharp, but leaves no sting".
I have read one story which is 12 pages, titled - The Man In Asbestos - which was first written in 1911 !!! A tale of a man who seemly falls asleep, to awaken in what he thinks is a new era, where there is no work; no children; people live forever & a day; everyone has one suit of clothing made out of asbestos; food is a pill that you take "once a year"; you are educated with what you wanted to learn, by surgical education - they opened the side of your skull and engraft into it, a piece of prepared brain. A life where people seem have no burdens of life and.......... then he awakes and looks around him at the four grey walls that surround him, of his hotel room.
#375. First Kiss !!!
Warner Brothers have released a still image from the movie Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix due for release in July next year, showing the boy magician played by Daniel Radcliffe induling in his "first" screen kiss !!! The snog with Cho Chang, played by Glaswegin Katie Leung took 24 takes. Kiss 1 / Take 1........................ !!!
#376. Where In The World Is It ???Waterfalls...........!!! There is something to be said for waterfalls, no matter how big or small they are. I don't know about you, but they seem to calm me down. The greatest thing is been out on a hike and hearing the water fall, before you actually see it. The only thing I hate is seeing the rain as it falls with no shelter in sight.
I found this one on Photo Kit !!! Wherever you go, there you are !!!
#377. From The Archives..........
#676. If I Gave Up My Day Job !!!
If I ever gave up my day job, I would pack my "bag", stick out my thumb and go on a "working holiday" around New Zealand, then Australia and then............watch out world, Krazy Kelvin is on the move ??? I say "bag", because all I would carry with me, would be a couple of changes of clothes, a few personal things & that's it. I would travel "light" - stay in one place for a few days, take a few photos & do a few posts on my blogs, do a bit of work and then move on to the next place !!! I would make sure to join Couch Surfing !!! which is the best thing since "sliced bread. Been single, I am free & easy; have no one, but number one - "myself" - to worry about; I can get along on the "smell of an oily rag"; I don't need much in life, which in a way is a good thing. Good idea ??? You could follow me around the world for years & years !!!
#378. From The Archives......
# 685. Giant Of Luxury Travel
The 116,000 tonne "Diamond Princess" docked in Auckland the other day, so the 4000 passengers & crew could do a bit of shopping !!! The ship making the first of 5 summer visits to Auckland, is 290 metres long; 49 metres wide and 63 metres high. Passengers can choose from 5 swimming pools; 10 resturants & cafes; 13 bars & lounges and 2 nightclubs. There are 15 ships in the Princess Cruises company, all of which have live bridge video cam images via satellite, that are updated every 60 seconds. I am currently at St Lucia, where the "sun" is just dawning from the "Sun Princess". Some of the ships also have wedding chapel video cams, but............no weddings at the moment. I'll be back.............. at dawn, to have another look at the "Diamond Princess", which is currently tied up at Tauranga.
#379. From The Archives
#961. I Gave Him A Hug, But He Didn't Hug Me Back !!!
Down memory lane we go .........Over the years, I met a lot of people of all ages, from all walks of life. This is a "memory" of one person, I won't forget..........I was walking around town, with a mate, Kerry W., when we past by a fella sitting by himself, who looked like he really could do with a helping "hand". So I stopped to talk to him. He was a tourist to our shores. I'd like to think, that when he visited other parts of our country that people who saw him, reached out and gave him a helping "hand" as well, because he really did need it. He was a really interesting person to talk to. In fact I spent, the best part of the day with him, walking around the city. We even went to a buffet restaurant, where we had a meal. After we had finished our meal, we went and sat in Aotea Square, where he rolled himself a cigarette and we sat there talking for a while. A lot of people stopped and starred at us, but he didn't seem to mind. Anyway, the time came for us, to say good-bye. As we stood there, I reached out and gave him a hug. He had a big smile on his face and a tear in his eye, because I don't think many people reached out to give him a helping "hand", let alone a hug. It was sad to say good-bye to him. Who knows........our paths crossed once in life, they may cross again in the future.
In the next "post" 950 - 959 you will learn the reason why he didn't hug me back !!!
Footnote..........I'll repost the reason why, next week. If my memory serves me correctly, the tourist was from Germany.
