Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Ound.

April 13, 2024April 12, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 63 Comments

The sound of coffee dribbling out of the machine’s exit tubes is music to the ears and the brain. Pound for pound, you can’t beat the restorative ability of even a sip of that beautiful elixir. After the first sip, looking around for the clock, the thought strikes: Why not go to Europe and see what is happening? The clock is set for Greece on April 13th, 1924. The duration is an hour. Pulling the plunger, and we are there.

We arrive in time for the announcement of the results of the election held on March 25th. The voters were to decide whether or not to retain the monarchy or endorse the Second Hellenic Republic proclaimed by parliament. Parliament stipulated that the public had to approve its decision.

Over a million votes were cast, and 758,000 opted for a republic with Pavlos Kountouriotis as president. Only 325,000 supported King George II’s return to the throne.

With the cheering crowds as a send-off, the alarm goes off, and a soft landing is managed on the couch. A text from Linda Hill comes in. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: ends with “ound.” Find a word (or words) that ends with “ound” and use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

If you want to see how other bloggers handle the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2024/04/12/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-13-2024/

“By the sounds of things, the people of Greece were tired of their king.”

“Yeah, I think you could say that.”

“I guess they were happy with that decision.”

“It’s Hard to say. The Hellenic Republic lasted until 1935 when a single-party form of government was established.”

“Oh, so things kept changing.”

“King George came back in 1935, but then the monarchy rule was dissolved in 1973 for the second time.”

“Who had to cough up the money to fund these changes?”

“I guess taxes. Why do you ask?”

“It seems like it would be tough on the people to have all these changes.”

“I think they were okay although it would be a pain.”

“Speaking of pain. How about a pub visit?”

“You order Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“Now that looks like fun.”

“Yeah, just think of look on the faces when we pull up.”

“Is that legal?”

“Oh yeah. Surplus purchase.”

“Well okay then Let’s go.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

April 12, 2024April 11, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 78 Comments

Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network.

Dog That Flunked Out of Police Academy Becomes a Hero in Taiwan’s Earthquake Response

By Andy Corbley Apr 11, 2024

To be a drug-sniffing dog, you have to be impassionate, which is exactly what this golden retriever was not.

Though Roger flunked out of the Kaohsiung City police academy in Taiwan, his career in public service was not over. He has now captured the hearts of his people with his rescue efforts during Taiwan’s recent earthquake.

Striking the northern part of the island with a magnitude of 7.4, it caused a landslide in a popular national park that destroyed several buildings and claimed a dozen victims.

Roger flunked out of the police academy for being too jubilant – credit Kaohsiung Fire Department

8-year-old Roger was quickly deployed to the area, where his exuberance and independent streak put him in good stead for locating the body of a 21-year-old victim who hadn’t been found.

Whether Chen Chih-san, captain of the rescue dog unit of the Kaohsiung Fire Department, has other dogs that assisted in the rescue efforts, only Roger captured the island nation’s hearts because of his earlier career setback and subsequent redemption arc.

“I’m not saying he was not good or that he didn’t get along with others. But the requirement for narcotic detection dogs is that they can’t be too restless and independent,” Chen said. “But (these attributes) are what we want in rescue dogs.”

These attributes were perfectly on show when he lunged for the reporter’s microphone as his handler was being interviewed by Taiwan’s official Central News Agency.

Having participated in 7 rescue organizations throughout his career, which included his being certified by the International Rescue Dog Organization in 2022, an accolade last achieved by a Taiwanese rescue dog in 2019, Roger’s retirement is fast approaching.

CNN reports that he will have a wonderful home suitable for an active, precocious dog like him. However, before he puts his paws up for his golden years, one family will have the closure of laying a loved one to rest because of his excellent nose and personality.

The good news in this story is that just because a body is not best equipped for one job doesn’t mean all jobs are out of reach. Today’s JohnKu talks about careers. I hope you have a great weekend.

One job may not work,

But giving up on the rest . . .

May be a mistake.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Playtime

April 11, 2024April 9, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 151 Comments

“I see you have a few of your toys here in the playpen.”

“Yes but not as much fun as Twiggy.”

“Oh come on. Give that noisy disk a squeeze.”

“I do like the sound.”

“Look Twiggy has come out.”

“Yeah, I’ll leave you two to play.”

“Twiggy. Over here.”

“I hear you, Little One.”

“What’s that in your mouth?”

“It’s the fish toy.”

“I thought that toy was in here with me.”

“I think Mom changed it out for others.”

“Well it is a fun toy for sure.”

“Yes I am enjoying it.”

“Can you bring it in here?”

“Mmm afraid not. Mom doesn’t want me in there.”

“This purple toy is good. Why doesn’t Mom want you in here?”

“She thinks you need your own space. ”

“Well sometimes it is nice to have my own space but it is fun to run in the yard. Can you break me out of here?”

“Gee I don’t think Mom would like that. You continually pick up sticks and leaves. You could choke on all that stuff.”

“Yeah but we could play.”

“I think we need to wait a little longer for you to get older before you have a run of the yard.”

“You sound like Mom.”

“Because I agree with her.

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #427 by Keith Channing

April 9, 2024April 8, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 74 Comments

In Keith’s words:

” Using this image (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really. Either put your offering (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before the end of the week. If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here. Thank you for taking part.”

Here is a link to Keith’s post: https://keithchanning.wordpress.com/2024/04/08/kreative-kue-427/

The photo:

“Okay, who are you?”

“You don’t recognize me?”

“If I did, I wouldn’t ask.”

“Fair enough. I’ll give you a hint.”

“Can’t you just tell me?”

“No, cause when you realize who I am, you will completely fall apart.”

“Oh, please. When do I come apart?”

“Does the word FedEx mean anything?”

“Where? How did I miss it.”

“See.”

“See what?”

“You came apart at the mere mention of the word.”

“Okay, give me a hint.”

“Fence.”

“Fence? What kind of hint is that?”

“Think about it.”

“Wait a minute. Now your voice sounds familiar.”

“Yes, you may be getting it.”

“You’re that annoying beast that runs along our privacy fence screaming at me.”

“Screaming is such a harsh word.”

“We’ve been going at it for years.”

“That’s true.”

“I vowed if I ever met you, I would tear you limb from limb.”

“Now why would you vow that?”

“For all the stuff you said behind that fence.”

“Ah that was just posturing. You should ignore that.”

“What are you doing on my sofa anyway?”

“I thought you knew.”

“Knew what?”

“Our uprights are getting married.”

“What does that mean?”

“You and I will be brothers.”

“Says who?”

“That’s just how it goes. My upright and I are moving in with your upright and you.”

“Over my dead body.”

“No way to act.”

“Let’s put it this way. Always sleep with one eye open.”

“Standard practice but I get your drift.”

“You do?”

“Yup.”

“Hum. This may work. Your upright has the best treats.”

“What? How do you know?”

“She has given me some.”

“She never told me about that. You better sleep with one eye open and quit mooching treats.”

“What happened to the brotherly love?”

“The line is drawn at treats.”

“Well okay then we both will sleep with one eye open.”

“Doesn’t shound very productive does it.”

“Now that you mention it, no.”

“Truce?”

“Truce. Lets get some shuteye.”

“Great idea.”

Top Ten Things Not to Do on Eclipse Day

April 8, 2024April 7, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 124 Comments

Well, here we are for a lifetime event. It is perfect that the eclipse coincides with my top ten list on Monday. You can bet I did not have a spare list hanging around, so yes, this is original. I’ll run it again during the next one in 300 years.

Top Ten Things Not to Do on Eclipse Day

1 On eclipse day, do not pull into the Chic-Fil-A drive-through. If you do, at best, your wait will be the normal hour. At worst, you will still be there three days from now. (who knew that everyone for ten states around wanted a chicken sandwich, Ferd.)

2 On eclipse day, do not serve inappropriate food at your party. If you do, at best, no one will attend the next one in 300 years. At worst, you will be known as the humorless old grump who doesn’t know how to throw a party. (A pretty tough evaluation for someone who didn’t serve Moon pies, sun chips, meteorite cheese balls, Orbit and Eclipse gum, Galaxy cupcakes, Starbursts, Milky Way, Capri Suns, and Moonshine martinis.)

3 On eclipse day, do not think those Ray Bans will protect your eyes. If you do, at best, you’ll catch on quickly. At worst, the week off from work to rest your eyes won’t be covered under the company’s benefits program. (You didn’t read the fine print under the heading ‘acts of stupidly’ did you Ralph?)

4 On eclipse day, do not think your grocery store will have a full food stock. If you do, at best, you only want to buy rutabagas. At worst, you’ll find the shelves as empty as the day before a significant weather event. (You didn’t count on your town population going from 11,000 to 220,000 people since you are on the 100% coverage path. You will survive without milk, but your caffeine level is in the red, Buford.)

5 On eclipse day, do not decide to take the family for a leisurely ride in the car. If you do, at best, no one cares you have only gone two blocks in two hours. At worst, you will suddenly realize the traffic gridlock means you’ll spend the night in the car. (Little Jimmy’s cough and runny nose didn’t seem like a big deal before. Looks like twelve hours of exposure may put you under, Sid.)

6 On eclipse day, do not think you won’t need sunscreen. If you do, at best, the day will be cloudy. At worse, your assumption of the sun being blocked has given you a quick trip to the ER for those third-degree burns. (You should have known the eclipse only lasts four minutes, Bunky. The rest of the twelve hours you spent out there would have required an SPF of 50.)

7 On eclipse day, do not think you are immune to the effects of too many tequila sunrises. If you do, at best, you will quietly pass out. At worst, the next morning, you look at the outgoing calls on your phone to discover at least ten to your boss after midnight. (Too bad you can’t remember the reasons for the calls, Tex. Maybe it will come to you at your one-on-one Zoom meeting with the boss in five minutes.)

8 On eclipse day, do not try to park for free in that vacant lot. If you do, at best, the owner of the lot is on vacation. At worse, Tiny the WWF champion, the lot owner, has been dying to try out his new piece of recycling equipment. (The two-foot square metal block that used to be your car is available at Tiny’s recycling center. He’ll give you a deal, Haywood.)

9 On eclipse day, do not finish that 32-ounce big gulp before the big event. If you do, at best, the city has provided port-a-potties. At worse, the event you are attending is in the middle of a giant field with no facilities, and there is not a tree, shrub, or bush for miles. (You are now faced with a dilemma, Jake. You either make a run for it or hope there is a puddle you can drop into.)

10 On eclipse day, do not skip the event. If you do, at best, you’ll miss a lifetime opportunity. At worst, you have yourself convinced that it was no big deal. (Don’t worry, Derrell, maybe with cryogenics, you might be available three hundred years from now for the next one.)

Views of the Neighborhood – Potpourri

April 7, 2024April 6, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 83 Comments

Today, we are going to see several things. I call it potpourri because there is no theme, just a little bit of everything. We are catered by Aba of Austin. Our entertainment is Keith Urban

BLACKBERRY DROP BISCUIT blackberry thyme jam, whipped cream

KHACHAPURI^baked egg, cremini mushroom, graviera, green onion

SHORT RIB SHAKSHUKA local eggs, spicy harissa, graviera, roasted potato

KEFTA & EGGS lamb & beef kefta, fried eggs, tzatziki, lemon dill rice

CRAB FRITTATA avocado, butternut squash, pickled fresno, lemon

SHAWARMA-SPICED SKIRT STEAK & EGG fried eggs, crispy potatoes, tzatziki

JERUSALEM BAGEL & SMOKED SALMON SPREAD sumac red onion, tomato, caper, labneh

Picture of an old time school bus

Let’s go

The Producer’s roses are in bloom.

A beautiful stand of poppies.

Looks like the dish got the heave-ho.

A swallowtail butterfly in the sage.

New geraniums.

Worn out gaming chairs. Wonder how the thumbs look?

Geranium and snapdragons. The boxwood hedge in the background looks good.

The car bumper meets the mailbox. It is interesting that inside the brickwork is a bunch of trash.

Another view shows how hollow the brickwork is.

Remember this holiday decoration?

It is still there only on the ground.

The Calibrachoa is ready for lounging.

Okay, that’s the tour. Time to sit back and enjoy the food and music. I hope you have a super week.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt -Express

April 6, 2024April 8, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 58 Comments

The morning joe is on the slow train when the heart and mind want it on the express. Drop by drop, the soothin’ syrup moves into the cup. Finally, it is full, and a sip awakens the brain. Reaching for the clock, it is set to April 6th, 1924. The location is Sand Point Navel Air Station in Seattle. The duration is two hours. The plunger is pulled.

We are at the Sand Point Navel Air Station in time to see eight American pilots depart Seattle’s Sand Point Naval Air Station in four modified Navy torpedo bombers. Their goal is to be the first to fly around the world. Several attempts have been made by other countries, but so far, none have been successful. Their planes are named Seattle, Boston, Chicago, and New Orleans. The route will take them West over Alaska and then over Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Paris, London, and Hull, England, and then return via the Atlantic Ocean across North America to Seattle. It is expected to take 175 days to complete the mission. (We know they did complete it and were the first to do so.)

The alarm goes off, and my trusty couch receives me. My text tone tells me Linda Hill has sent a message. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “express.” Use it as a noun, verb, adverb, or adjective. Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

If you want to see what other bloggers have done with the prompt, here is a link to Linda’s post. https://lindaghill.com/2024/04/05/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-6-2024/

“Wow, 175 days to fly around the world. Not exactly express, is it?”

“Don’t forget it is 1924. Things were a little slower then.”

“I’ll bet that was a tough trip.”

“One plane crashed in Alaska, and the pilot and navigator spent 10 days in the wilderness.”

“Goodness. Did they survive?”

“Yes. They were rescued.”

“Anything else?”

“The plane named Boston landed between the Faroe Islands and Iceland and sank.”

“Anyone hurt?”

“Nope. Both were okay, and they got a replacement plane for the trip across North America. They flew a total of 27,000 miles.”

“No, VooDoo Ranger, I’ll bet.”

“You order Uber?”

“He’s right over there.”

“What is that?”

“I wanted you to experience a modern-day trip like in 1924.”

“I can see from here that one of us has to ride in the back.”

“That’s okay. We both will. It will be like flying around the world.”

“I’ll have to trust you on that. I hope it doesn’t take 175 days to get to the pub.”

“Naw, this is an express. We’ll be there in no time.”

“After you.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

April 5, 2024April 4, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 62 Comments

Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network.

Premiere of Innovative Low-Carbon Cement: Will ‘Be in That Building for Decades to Come’

By Andy Corbley Apr 4, 2024

Two firms in Boston have just laid the foundations of a large building using a zero-carbon cement mixture made in the USA. This represents one of the first real-world real-world adoptions of this technology.

Many companies are testing or subsidizing low- or zero-carbonrbon cement and concrete to reduce their carbon footprint, but few are yet using it liberally to build real structures.

Manufactured by Sublime Systems, which was just named to Fast Company Magazine’s Most Innovative Companies in Sustainability for 2024, the firm uses an electrochemical process to create the cement for ready-mix products.

At the heart of traditional Portland and other kinds of cement is its heating in a kiln, wherein calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates. Over a billion tonnes of cement are made annually, and cement kilns are the heart of this production process. According to The Economist, they heat the mixture to over 1,300°C and produce around 5% of all made-made carbon emissions worldwide.

By eliminating the kiln altogether, Sublime Systems has removed most emissions from the process.

Best of all, it’s currently being used in the Greater Boston Area. Boston Sand & Gravel is supplying Turner Construction Co. with ready-mix cement containing Sublime Systems’ product to form the mud mat of a large building.

“It’s going to be in that building for decades to come,” Sublime Systems’ CEO, Leah Ellis, told Engineering News Record.

“It really was the culmination of a lot of effort to see it not just being done for testing’s sake, but actually, replacing cement that would otherwise have been the carbon-intensive variety.”

Along with reducing the carbon emissions budget of that new building, the construction has validated that several critical targets of Sublime Systems’ product have been met: the product was transported to the site in a ready-mix concrete truck like normal, maintained malleability during transit, was poured out of the concrete truck and into a hose, and the hose was able to deliver it to the setting where it stuck and hardened—all exactly like traditional cement.

“In the grand scheme of things, it was, really, very boring for construction,” David Robb, a Turner estimator and the preconstruction manager on the Boston-area project, told ENR. “But a huge step in terms of our embodied carbon reduction goals that we’re striving toward in the future here at Turner.”

Government money, as well as private investment, has been pouring into Sublime Systems’ which seems poised to lead a great revolution in cement by building its first full-scale, dedicated manufacturing facility in Holyoke, Mass.

The good news in this article is that 5% of worldwide carbon emissions have the potential tto be reduced to zero without sacrificing the quality of construction projects. Today’s JohnKu talks about obscure carbon footprints. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Who would have thought that,

The concrete process would yield . . .

Large carbon savings

Thursday – A Little Personal – Tempeste Gives a Demonstration

April 4, 2024April 3, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 134 Comments

“Hey, Twiggy. I’ve been watching some WWF wrestling.”

“Okay. It is always good to get some experience.”

“Yeah, but I need to put what I’ve learned into practice.”

“Don’t tell me you have found someone to practice with?”

“Not really. I thought I would be able to practice with you.”

“Yeah, I was being facetious. Of course, you want to practice with me.”

“What does facetious mean.? Does that mean yes?”

“It means I was more or less kidding you.”

“Oh please, practice with me.”

“Dear Lord, I know I will regret this. Okay, I will.”

You’re the best. The first is the neck hold.”

“Yeah, I can hardly move.”

“Then there is the step-over-head grip.”

“Your foot is in my eye.”

Oh sorry. How’s this half-body slam treating you?”

“I’m powerless.”

“Now the full-body slam. I’ve got you pinned.”

“Yes, you do. One…Two. ..three.”

“What does one, two, three mean?”

“You pinned me, and you won.”

“Where you going?”

“I need to go to the showers and shake off my defeat.”

“There is always a rematch.”

“I’m sure of that.”

Tuesday – Anything possible – Prompt – Kreative Kue #426

April 2, 2024April 1, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 83 Comments

In Keith’s words:

” Using this image ( below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really. Either put your offering (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before the end of the week. If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here. Thank you for taking part.”

A link to Keith’s post: https://keithchanning.wordpress.com/2024/04/01/kreative-kue-426/

“Thank you for your trust in Marks and Spencer. How may I help you?”

“Yes. I believe I have received the wrong shipment.”

“I can certainly help with that. May I have your name?”

“Channing. Keith Channing.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Channing. Are you calling about your last order?”

“I most certainly am.”

“Very well, sir. Can you tell me the problem?”

“I am able to, yes.”

“Quite. Is there something wrong with the order?”

“Well, if you consider that I didn’t order a Jack Russel Terrier, I would think so.”

“You say there was a Jack Russel Terrier in your order?”

“That is all that’s in my order.”

“I see you ordered a number of other things. Are you saying none of them are in the parcel?”

“That is what I’m saying.”

“Oh, I do apologize. It looks like you received someone else’s order.”

“Since when does Marks and Spencer send live animals in their shipments?”

“Excuse me? Did you say live animals?”

“Yes, he is sitting looking at me.”

“I thought you were talking about a stuffed toy.”

“No, it is a dog. A live dog.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but Marks and Spencer does not traffic in live animals.”

“How did it get into one of your shipments then?”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I just can’t say.”

“What do you mean ‘you can’t say?'”

“I mean, I have no idea how a live dog got into a Marks and Spencer shipment.”

“So what can we do?”

“As far as Marks and Spencer is concerned, we don’t think it is our problem.”

“Do you have a supervisor?”

“Yes, I do. His name is Mr.Trevor.”

“May I speak to him?”

“I’m sorry, but he is out of the country at this time.”

“Of course he is.”

“Shall I have him call you when he returns?”

“When does he return?”

“By Christmas time, I expect.”

“Nine months from now?”

“Yes, sir.”

“What do I do with Mr. Trevor’s dog in the meantime?”

“I would give it something to eat and let it go outside.”

“I can see where this is going.”

“Is there anything else I can help you with, sir?”

“No.”

“Before you hang up, there is a brief survey at the end of the call. Please be advised that a mark less than five will be looked upon by management as unsatisfied. Can I count on you to rate this call as a five?”

“I will ask Mr. Trevor’s dog about that. Good day.”