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Archive | October 28, 2015
October 28, 2015  

My Red Poppy Pin Collection Ready For Poppy Day/Remembrance Day 2015.

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by Anura Guruge

Click to ENLARGE.


November 2014 — wearing a Canadian Red Poppy, in my ‘study’

I, per what was my custom when I lived in Britain, start wearing a Red Poppy, with pride, towards the end of October. So today I got out my box of Red Poppy Pins.

I lucked out last year. My Sri Lankan friend, living in Canada, Kenny, sent me 6 Canadian Red Poppies when I told him how upset I was that I had lost the prior two that had been sent to me from Canada. Thanks again Kenny.

I hadn’t bought any lapel pens on eBay this year! I haven’t looked much and what I saw didn’t appeal to me. Plus I did get the rather expensive — and very special — Paul Cummins’ “Tower of London” ceramic Red Poppy.

But I did buy 6 lady’s brooches, 5 of which are shown in the bottom image, from China via eBay. With shipping it came to $8.94. Less than $1.50 a brooch! How could I resist. No, they are not for me per se, though I put one in my box for posterity. I got three for Deanna and the girls. The other two, or even the one in the box, will be for local ladies who are willing to follow my lead in wearing a Red Poppy for Remembrance Day.

So, I am all set. I think I will start tomorrow with one of my favorites. The ‘Winston Churchill‘ pin (top right on top picture).

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October 28, 2015  

‘Guy Fawkes Night’, November 5, Is Next Week; Used To Be Celebrated As ‘Pope Day’ In The U.S., Especially Boston.

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by Anura Guruge

Related posts:
 >> Nov. 5, Guy Fawkes night.
>> Guy Fawkes night.

++++ Check CATEGORY ‘Holidays’ for other holiday posts >>>>

GuyFawkes2015I

Click for original from ‘Time Out’.

GuyFawkes2015II

Click to access original from ‘World Festivals’.

guy_fawkes_pope_1850

Guy (Guido) Fawkes was a Catholic and his plot was to bring back Catholicity to England. Wikipedia entry is good: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night

Another British holiday I miss. Maybe I should talk with my new friend, British Gordon Preston about doing a ‘Guy Fawkes Night’ bonfire at his farm.

November 5th was celebrated in the U.S., pre-Independence, as ‘Pope Day’. But it was done, given that Guy was Catholic, as a vehemently anti-Catholic event — especially in then increasingly Catholic Boston. Well that won’t fly — that easily — anymore, especially not in Boston, the capital of Ireland.

Just a heads up. Check my two links at the top. I have written about this at length.

October 28, 2015  

Lucas ‘Engine Oil Stop Leak’ For The 1989 V-12 Jaguar XJS.

SAM_0017Anura Guruge December 2014 thumbnail.
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by Anura Guruge

Gordon Preston

Related posts:

2/ 2002 Jaguar XJ8.
3/ 1989 V-12 XJS …
4/ “Jaguar Diaries” …
5/ Jaguar XE commercial.

++++ Search ‘Jaguar’ many other posts >>>>

lucasoilstopleak

Click to access the Lucas Oil product page for this ‘stop leak’. I bought the gallon from Amazon and had it shipped, ‘Free’, thanks to my Amazon Prime.

Of course my Jaguar XJS leaks, not much, but it does leak. Yes, I knew that when I bought it. But from what I hear it is pretty hard to find a V-12 XJS that does not leak. So it is a question of finding one that doesn’t leak excessively.

Paul Bousquet.

When I took it in for it ‘full’ shake-down at ‘B-Boys‘, in Barnstead, N.H., by master mechanic Paul Bousquet, he steamed cleaned the block and had a good look at the leak. Told me it wasn’t worth fixing it because there was at least 12 hours of labour to try and do it properly. And I trust Paul. So I have been putting a little bit of oil every few weeks or so. That said, I have probably put 100 miles on the XJS in the last 2 months. So it doesn’t get driven much.

Then, this last Saturday, we visited (as we are wont to do of late), Kati & Gordon Preston in Barnstead, with my son Matthew. The Prestons, by any measure, are AMAZING people. Gordon, a fellow Brit, is a very proficient and creative, British-qualified engineer. Plus he drives Land- and . He told me about the Lucas ‘Stop Leak’ and how he uses it in his latest Range Rover. Plus it is Lucas. As soon as I got home I ordered a gallon. It just came. Haven’t put it in. BUT, wanted to share with you. Don’t think it will totally stop the leaks. But if it slows them down I will be very happy. Oh, a gallon from Amazon cost $31.29.

October 28, 2015  

IBM To Buy Weather Channel Assets — Ah? Did Watson Come Up With This OR Was It Boy Dylan?

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by Anura Guruge

Related Posts:

>> Irony of IBM revenue decline.
>> Resurrect Grid Computing.
>> IBM, Bob Dylan & Watson.
>> Donate Hursley House …
>> Get rid of unproductive R&D.
>> IBM’s 26% layoff is NOT enough.
>> Punch-drunk IBM, 40% layoff. >> “Think” sign — Aug. 28, 2014.
>> Hursley’s John Fairclough …

++++ Search on “Hursley”, “IBM” & “mainframes” for other IBM (Hursley) related posts … and also ‘Dylan’ >>>>

IBMweather111

Click to access Bloomberg original. Google for more.

This DOES NOT make sense.

This sounds REALLY dumb.

Of all the things that could have gainfully spent its money on — weather forecasting ‘technology’? Somebody has a screw loose.

YES, I am huge believer in Watson.

IF this acquisition is to HELP Watson did IBM executives ask Watson what he thought about it (and let’s not even go there, since ‘Watson’ is named after the Watsons he has to be MALE)?

I get a feeling that rather than ask Watson they asked Bob Dylan — Watson’s new spokesman.

This does NOT make me happy. This actually makes me livid.

As an ex-IBMer, who managed to make a modest living for nearly 40 years on my knowledge of all things IBM, I still bleed blue when cut. IF you don’t understand that expression, YOU should not be dabbling in anyway with IBM, once “Big Blue” — now “Middling Blue“.

Aaaahhhh!

IBM. Funny this. I actually made a comment on IBM mainframes on and a few people like it. 

October 28, 2015  

Red Poppies Popping Up All Over London Well Ahead Of Poppy Day/Remembrance Day 2015.

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by Anura Guruge

poppyskynewso272015
poppyoct2015
poppyosborne
poppyjames2015
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My Paul Cummins “Tower Of London”  Ceramic Red Poppy.

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