Yesterday, there was a news item that makes one ponder one's destiny. A least it did me. All the elements are there to endorse a case for the reality of fate.
In brief a driver suffers a heart attack and crashes into a guardrail. Along comes a defibrillator salesman who was transporting an automated defibriallator that is used to shock the heart into a normal rhythm. The salesman upon seeing the accident grabbed the AED and went to work on the driver.
That in itself would make a case for fate but there's more.
Driving along are two nurses who spot the wreck and start performing CPR on the driver. Due to the intervention of all the people i.e. the defib. salesman plus the nurses, her pulse was restored and she is recovering in hospital.
Now what are the chances or odds that not one but TWO different sources would come together to save the life of a complete stranger who would have died had it not been for the intervention of all the people involved.
Fate? Karma - or mere coicidence?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2006/04/26/national/a083124D30.DTL
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Friday, April 21, 2006
A FLUSH OF SUCCESS: THE TOILET SUMMITS
Flushing with success from their past summit, comes the news that the next World Toilet Summit will be held in Moscow from September 6-9. So it will be an autumn in Moscow affair.
The summit will cover issues that include:
- City toilets
- International toilet classification
- Public restroom standards
- Toilet availability and accessibility
- Toilet infrastructure management, foreign experience in creating city toilet infrastructure
- Sanitary equipment
- Russia’s toilet market opportunities
- Toilet architecture and design. Fitting into local environment
- Toilets as sightseeing attraction(!!!)
- World toilet masterpieces(!!!)
Included also are these headings included in the "Abstracts and reports" section:
Section 1 City toilets
Section 2 Toilets for social integration
Section 3 Toilets for children
Section 4 Autonomous toilet technology
In case the delegates who attend want another view, the second annual Dry Toilet Conference will be held in Tampere, Finland from August 16-19.
According to the information blurb "the objective of the conference is to offer a discussion platform for professionals and other interested parties. The Conference will distribute the latest information about various aspects of dry toilets."
Dry toilets too? Is there no end to all this progressive toilet technology?
Last but certainly not least, Fluidmaster, (in their words) "the world's largest manufacturer of toilet replacement parts," has officially designated October as National Toilet Repair Month. "
The month will kick off with the finals competition for the Fluidmaster Flush-Off- a contest where contestants perform their best vocal impression of a toilet flush for an audience that includes nationwide media. This year's Flush-Off will take place at Fluidmaster headquarters in San Juan Capistrano on Wednesday, October 6. Winners will take trophies home cash prizes of $250 to $1,000.
I've already circled all the dates on my calendar. I'm just so...flushed with excitement.
http://www.toiletsummit.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=15&Itemid=32
The summit will cover issues that include:
- City toilets
- International toilet classification
- Public restroom standards
- Toilet availability and accessibility
- Toilet infrastructure management, foreign experience in creating city toilet infrastructure
- Sanitary equipment
- Russia’s toilet market opportunities
- Toilet architecture and design. Fitting into local environment
- Toilets as sightseeing attraction(!!!)
- World toilet masterpieces(!!!)
Included also are these headings included in the "Abstracts and reports" section:
Section 1 City toilets
Section 2 Toilets for social integration
Section 3 Toilets for children
Section 4 Autonomous toilet technology
In case the delegates who attend want another view, the second annual Dry Toilet Conference will be held in Tampere, Finland from August 16-19.
According to the information blurb "the objective of the conference is to offer a discussion platform for professionals and other interested parties. The Conference will distribute the latest information about various aspects of dry toilets."
Dry toilets too? Is there no end to all this progressive toilet technology?
Last but certainly not least, Fluidmaster, (in their words) "the world's largest manufacturer of toilet replacement parts," has officially designated October as National Toilet Repair Month. "
The month will kick off with the finals competition for the Fluidmaster Flush-Off- a contest where contestants perform their best vocal impression of a toilet flush for an audience that includes nationwide media. This year's Flush-Off will take place at Fluidmaster headquarters in San Juan Capistrano on Wednesday, October 6. Winners will take trophies home cash prizes of $250 to $1,000.
I've already circled all the dates on my calendar. I'm just so...flushed with excitement.
http://www.toiletsummit.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=15&Itemid=32
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
RUFUS THE TURKEY HAS LEFT THE BUILDING
Like most (or many)people, I like turkeys. They're not "cute" in the looks department but they're...okay and they do lead difficult - and short- lives. However, there are exceptions to the rule. Take Rufus for example... Actually somebody did just that.
Rufus was a turkey that arrived on the scene along with some feathery friends of his in October and managed to stay alive all through Thanksgiving unlike his pals who...let's just say they were the centerpiece of coversation. Initially, the turkey friends hung out at the Junction Café where they lived by eating grain of semi-trucks passing through the area. As his friends "left" one-by-one, restaurant patrons took pity on Rufus and even supplied him with "turkey bags" on their way out.
However...a turkey's life is a short one and it's a sad ending for the gobbler. He deserved better. There's a photo of Rufus in happier times posing in all his glory before..."the incident."
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/04/18/hunter_turns_rufus_the_turkey_into_dinner/
Rufus was a turkey that arrived on the scene along with some feathery friends of his in October and managed to stay alive all through Thanksgiving unlike his pals who...let's just say they were the centerpiece of coversation. Initially, the turkey friends hung out at the Junction Café where they lived by eating grain of semi-trucks passing through the area. As his friends "left" one-by-one, restaurant patrons took pity on Rufus and even supplied him with "turkey bags" on their way out.
However...a turkey's life is a short one and it's a sad ending for the gobbler. He deserved better. There's a photo of Rufus in happier times posing in all his glory before..."the incident."
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/04/18/hunter_turns_rufus_the_turkey_into_dinner/
Sunday, April 09, 2006
CLEANING UP THE STREETS...NOT!
It never ceases to amaze me how some people live to delegate. That way they can absolve themselves of all responsibility and get other people to do their dirty work for them. Ask me about it.
For example we were exchanging small talk with our next door neighbor. At the point when we were saying out good-byes, the neighbor two doors down suddenly runs towards us waving his hands madly. We figure it has to be something important.
"Hello! Hello!" he yells to us until he is standing directly in front. He extends his hand towards my husband and they shake 'man-o-to-man-o', a broad smile on his lips reflecting a lot of teeth. Maybe too broad upon reflection... We figure he's just being a friendly guy.
At the point where we're start to turn away, he suddenly blurts out, "dirt!" My husband and I look at each other.
"Dirt!" he repeats, pointing to the road. "Lots of dirt!" his finger extended in a 45 degree angle.
All eyes move on the road and we walk to the curb and stare down.
"They haven't come to clean the streets, yet!" Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down states, his eyes blazing with that 'I'm-consumed-with-a-cause' expression on his face.
"Yeah - I noticed," I respond. I mean, what's a person supposed to say under those circumstances? 'oh really?' or perhaps 'I'm not into dirt?'
An awkward silence follows for 10 seconds and we all stare at each other and then my husband and I start to walk away.
"What are WE going to do about it?" he asks following us.
"Do about it?" I repeat, wondering if he's perhaps about to suggest a mass street sweeping project for our block.
"All that sand in the street! What are WE going to do about it?"
This is followed by another uncomfortable period of staring at each other with nobody saying anything.
"Did...you phone the Public Works Department and tell them about it?" I ask innocently, the words rolling off my tongue as if they had a will of their own. It was the opening Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down had been waiting for and I had given it to him. It was akin to opening up the barriers of a flood gate and allowing the water to gush forward.
"Them?" he spat out, like the words burned his tongue. "They don't care! They take your name and your address and that's it!"
"But...did you call...the Public Works?" I re-addressed my question again, firmly taking charge of the situation.
"You think I'm going to waste my time calling them?" he went on, obviously on a rant.
"It is only April," my husband added his two cents worth to the subject. It was at that point that I threw him "The Look" warning him to be very careful what he said from that point on.
"Only April? ONLY April? The snow has been gone for a while now but have they cleaned the streets even once? Nooooo! Not even once my friend because they don't care! They don't give a damn about us!"
"He's right, you know," my husband turns to me. "They haven't cleaned even once."
"Disgusting!" Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down comments.
"They could have cleaned already," my husband added. "There's no excuse for all this dirt."
"Yeah...no excuse," Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down concurs.
"They're fast to raise our taxes but do they give us service?" my husband went on, obviously getting right into the spirit of things.
"No-they-don't!" Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down responds, pleased now that he's got ally. "No service at all!"
"They have those big street cleaners with those big brushes but how often do they use them?" one of them said. At that point their two voices had melded into one loud whine. It was like a verbal ping-pong game.
"Never!"
"Yeah - never!"
"Useless!"
"No good at all!"
The conversation had slowly escalated to the point where it was attracting the attention of neighbors. To an outsider it could easily appear like two guys having a verbal fight - or worse.
"So did you ever call the Public Works Dept.?" I asked, again, trying to de-escalate the situation.
"Well...no," he responded, his facial expression exhibiting embarrassment at having been caught. "You call."
"Me? Why me?" I ask.
"We all gotta call!" he went on, "or it won't work."
"But...you didn't even phone them yet!" I remind him.
"Aw sweetheart. C'mon. You know all the right people to speak with," my husband suddenly jumped in as if this was suddenly my responsibility.
"Yeah! You know them all!" Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down jumped in. "I mean, how long would it take you to call them? Two minutes?"
"Maybe even less. My wife knows everyone!" my husband added to give his statement weight. "She writes for a newspaper," he tells the neighbor proudly. It's at this point that the two discuss the merits of a small weekly newspaper versus the dailies.
"You didn't tell me you write for the newspaper," Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down says as if the street cleaning situation has suddenly all been dropped in my lap.
So now we're waiting for 'them' to send out the heavy street cleaning equipment with the big brushes in front. Anything smaller won't do the job, Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down and my husband have agreed. If they don't - they'll get me to call again. After all - I know everyone!
For example we were exchanging small talk with our next door neighbor. At the point when we were saying out good-byes, the neighbor two doors down suddenly runs towards us waving his hands madly. We figure it has to be something important.
"Hello! Hello!" he yells to us until he is standing directly in front. He extends his hand towards my husband and they shake 'man-o-to-man-o', a broad smile on his lips reflecting a lot of teeth. Maybe too broad upon reflection... We figure he's just being a friendly guy.
At the point where we're start to turn away, he suddenly blurts out, "dirt!" My husband and I look at each other.
"Dirt!" he repeats, pointing to the road. "Lots of dirt!" his finger extended in a 45 degree angle.
All eyes move on the road and we walk to the curb and stare down.
"They haven't come to clean the streets, yet!" Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down states, his eyes blazing with that 'I'm-consumed-with-a-cause' expression on his face.
"Yeah - I noticed," I respond. I mean, what's a person supposed to say under those circumstances? 'oh really?' or perhaps 'I'm not into dirt?'
An awkward silence follows for 10 seconds and we all stare at each other and then my husband and I start to walk away.
"What are WE going to do about it?" he asks following us.
"Do about it?" I repeat, wondering if he's perhaps about to suggest a mass street sweeping project for our block.
"All that sand in the street! What are WE going to do about it?"
This is followed by another uncomfortable period of staring at each other with nobody saying anything.
"Did...you phone the Public Works Department and tell them about it?" I ask innocently, the words rolling off my tongue as if they had a will of their own. It was the opening Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down had been waiting for and I had given it to him. It was akin to opening up the barriers of a flood gate and allowing the water to gush forward.
"Them?" he spat out, like the words burned his tongue. "They don't care! They take your name and your address and that's it!"
"But...did you call...the Public Works?" I re-addressed my question again, firmly taking charge of the situation.
"You think I'm going to waste my time calling them?" he went on, obviously on a rant.
"It is only April," my husband added his two cents worth to the subject. It was at that point that I threw him "The Look" warning him to be very careful what he said from that point on.
"Only April? ONLY April? The snow has been gone for a while now but have they cleaned the streets even once? Nooooo! Not even once my friend because they don't care! They don't give a damn about us!"
"He's right, you know," my husband turns to me. "They haven't cleaned even once."
"Disgusting!" Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down comments.
"They could have cleaned already," my husband added. "There's no excuse for all this dirt."
"Yeah...no excuse," Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down concurs.
"They're fast to raise our taxes but do they give us service?" my husband went on, obviously getting right into the spirit of things.
"No-they-don't!" Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down responds, pleased now that he's got ally. "No service at all!"
"They have those big street cleaners with those big brushes but how often do they use them?" one of them said. At that point their two voices had melded into one loud whine. It was like a verbal ping-pong game.
"Never!"
"Yeah - never!"
"Useless!"
"No good at all!"
The conversation had slowly escalated to the point where it was attracting the attention of neighbors. To an outsider it could easily appear like two guys having a verbal fight - or worse.
"So did you ever call the Public Works Dept.?" I asked, again, trying to de-escalate the situation.
"Well...no," he responded, his facial expression exhibiting embarrassment at having been caught. "You call."
"Me? Why me?" I ask.
"We all gotta call!" he went on, "or it won't work."
"But...you didn't even phone them yet!" I remind him.
"Aw sweetheart. C'mon. You know all the right people to speak with," my husband suddenly jumped in as if this was suddenly my responsibility.
"Yeah! You know them all!" Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down jumped in. "I mean, how long would it take you to call them? Two minutes?"
"Maybe even less. My wife knows everyone!" my husband added to give his statement weight. "She writes for a newspaper," he tells the neighbor proudly. It's at this point that the two discuss the merits of a small weekly newspaper versus the dailies.
"You didn't tell me you write for the newspaper," Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down says as if the street cleaning situation has suddenly all been dropped in my lap.
So now we're waiting for 'them' to send out the heavy street cleaning equipment with the big brushes in front. Anything smaller won't do the job, Mr. Neighbor Two Doors Down and my husband have agreed. If they don't - they'll get me to call again. After all - I know everyone!
Thursday, April 06, 2006
CONGRESS SHELLS OUT MONEY FOR WORLD TOILET CONGRESS
File this under taxpayers money at work.
A while back, I shared some information regarding the now very public, World Toilet Summit. It actually initiated a lot of feedback one way and another and now the U.S. government has also seen the importance and relevance of becoming involved in this - um - important gathering focusing on - um - toilets and related issues. So much in fact that they put aside $13.5 million for the International Fund for Ireland, which helped finance the World Toilet Summit.
In the way of background information and to know exactly how and why taxpayers are footing the bill, read an earlier blog offering, "A Flushing Success" for the why's and wherefores and background information about toilet issues.
Related to this in that it's money down the toilet in the true sense of the word, Congress also gave $1 million for the Waterfree Urinal Conservation Initiative in Michigan.
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/05/pigbook/index.html
A while back, I shared some information regarding the now very public, World Toilet Summit. It actually initiated a lot of feedback one way and another and now the U.S. government has also seen the importance and relevance of becoming involved in this - um - important gathering focusing on - um - toilets and related issues. So much in fact that they put aside $13.5 million for the International Fund for Ireland, which helped finance the World Toilet Summit.
In the way of background information and to know exactly how and why taxpayers are footing the bill, read an earlier blog offering, "A Flushing Success" for the why's and wherefores and background information about toilet issues.
Related to this in that it's money down the toilet in the true sense of the word, Congress also gave $1 million for the Waterfree Urinal Conservation Initiative in Michigan.
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/05/pigbook/index.html
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