If Only Life Could Be Computerized ...

If Only Life Was Like A Computer!

• If you messed up your life, you could press “Alt, Ctrl, Delete” and start all over!


• To get your daily exercise, just click on “run.”


• If you needed a break from life, click on “suspend.”


• Hit “any key” to continue life when ready.


• To get even with the neighbours, turn up the sound blaster.


• To “add/remove” someone in your life, click settings and control panel.


• To improve your appearance, just adjust the display settings.


• If life gets too noisy, turn off the speakers.


• When you lose your car keys, click on “find.”


• “Help” with the chores is just a click away.


• You wouldn’t need auto insurance. You’d use your diskette to recover from a crash.


• We could click on “send” and the kids would go to bed immediately.


• To feel like a new person, click on “refresh.”


• Click on “close” to shut up the kids and spouse.


• To undo a mistake, click on “back.”


• Is your wardrobe getting old? Click “update.”


• If you don’t like cleaning the litter box, click on “delete.”


• And, most important, If you need God, click on "insert"..

Tags:lifecomputerized

Current Mood: Amused

Bionic, Now And Smiling

It has been quite a trying day. The morning started off so hot it's almost suffocating. I had a couple of personal problems seemingly without solutions. One Blog site where I had hundreds of articles posted had lost them all simply because I updated it with new e-address!

Just then when I was about the throw in the towel, I saw the news report about Jesse Sullivan of Chicago, an electrician, 62 year old and had lost both his arms. He has been for the last 3 years learning, quite successfully, to use his bionic arms. The process, needless to say, was much more than the operations, fitting him up with the artificial arms.

It's medical and mechanical science, the operations themselves, the rehabilitation that's painfully slow and no doubt very frustrating, the change of life style, the determination, the patience, the will power, the learning and accepting ... Quite a bit of that you can see on You Tube; you only have to tap in Jesse Sullivan. There's the video of 4 years ago, and the one just 6 months before, showing how he was progressing with the life changing situations, literally becoming a different person and leading a totally different life. With optimism. Just look at that wonderful hearty smile of his, and that of the lady in the same condition.

Then I said to myself: What on earth have I got to be upset and complain about?

Jesse Sullivan and Claudia Mitchell greeting each other with their

bionic arms and hands, in the medical congress.

Tags:bionicarms

Current Mood: Accomplished

Being Honest

Although nobody signed the articles (perhaps precisely because of that), the British magazine 'The Economist' is one of the international publications with the best written articles, the best quality of clear and precise writing, the first and foremost requirement of good journalism.

For a brief period when I was contemplating my future career, I thought of taking up journalism. Even though the idea soon vanished, I remain interested to this day my appreciation and respect of the profession, and especially my high regard for those exceptionally good journalists. I also still remember what I read about the 6 elemental rules, or guides, in George Orwell's 'Politics and the English language'; I can't quote them word for word, but the important gist of them:

1. Never use a metaphor or play of words in prints you have read.

2. Never use long words if you could use short ones.

3. If you could cut off a word, cut it.

4. Never use passive voice if the direct positive will do.

5. Never use foreign words, a foreign scientific term if they are not called for.

6. Break these rules if it's necessary.

It's not a coincidence that the 'Economist' got ahead & prospered with George Orwell (1903-1950). In fact, the British writer and author of 2 universal metaphors on totalitarianism, 'Rebellion in the farm' and '1984', should be the reference for any journalist. His writing always gives the impression that he was trying his best to be absolutely honest and truthful.

In his book 'Homage to Catalunya' now being reedited in pocket version, within the volume 'Orwell in Spain', where he said to the readers:

"Do bear in mind my partiality, my likely wrong details and the inevitable distortions that came about with having witnessed the incidents, only from my side of the version and my own point of view."

What author is capable of saying that to his readers? To admit and warn of his partiality and possible mistakes? That makes him the most honest and most reliable, because the linguistic clarity of Orwell reflects, above all, a moral clarity that's born of doubt.

Tags:georgeorwell,honesty

Current Mood: Accomplished