SWCAMBORNE

“If I win the Nobel Peace Prize,

you will know that I have failed.”

Tony Blair

speaking at the commencement of his Arab/Israeli diplomatic mission

as quoted by Jay Nordlinger in his new book:

Peace, They Say

A very good book about the Nobel Peace Prize and it’s winners.

The recent Secret Service scandal was discovered when a disagreement came to light about how much a Columbian prostitute wanted for her services.

She wanted $800.00.

The Secret Service agent offered $30.00.

How ironic is it that the only person in Washington willing to cut spending gets fired?

Thanks to Joe S. for noticing this.

“All roads lead

to the gift shop”

A travel observation

by Rebecca Burrow

many years ago at Warwick Castle.  

(The second “W” in Warwick is silent.)

Stratford on Avon (better than Warwick)

Visit Derby Roundabouts

Headline in the  5/14/12 WSJ:

“Brown Says More Cuts Needed”

Note to Governor Brown:

“You can’t save your way to prosperity.”

Instead ask yourself:

What Would Texas Do?

I failed.  The City of Pasadena has banned plastic bags beginning in July.  I had opposed the ban on my blog when it was proposed last October and distributed my argument against it to as many people locally as I could.  But after they cancelled the meeting I was going to attend to oppose it I lost interest.  I didn’t pay attention again until last week when Pasadena in Focus announced the ban.  Ordinance 7214 was passed unanimously by the City Council on November 7, 2012.  It effectively bans the distribution and use of plastic grocery bags in Pasadena and forces grocery stores to charge 10 cents for paper bags.

“Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

Winston Churchill

My next plan is to vocally and verbally oppose the ban.  As people become aware of it perhaps they will join a campaign to defeat the incumbents who have the audacity to take away our choice just because they can.

I’m thinking of printing 10,000 bags with:

Defeat Pasadena Councilman

Gene Masuda

Father of the Plastic Bag Ban

End the Nanny State

And giving them away at the local Ralph’s on Saturdays.  I’m not sure if the ban covers free speech on bags or not.  Or perhaps I’ll just grocery shop in Arcadia.  This Nanny State act by the Pasadena City Council certainly makes me want to get out California sooner rather than later.

“It is relatively easy to default on sovereign debt

when a substantial number of the bond holders are foreign.”

Niall Ferguson

The Ascent of Money

Abbey visit hints:  

       -Arrive early in the day

       -Use the audio guide

       -Linger in the Poets Corner

       -Marvel at the Chapter House

       -See Isaac Newton’s and Charles

         Darwin’s graves

      Literally Wonder full.

             Westminster Abbey

                London Tourism

At the Arboretum Garden Festival they had a some very good musical groups.  I was lucky enough to be there when the Taiko Drummers were there.  I took a video and posted it on YouTube.  Be sure to turn you volume up.

Life is Good!

Thanks to Lillian B. for turning us on to this great event.

The koi died in Koimageddon a year or two ago. The pond is now an amphibian sanctuary.  Home to a few dozen Water Lilies, a few gold fish, guppies, lots of polliwogs and a nightly frog concert.

Historical Pond Stories and Photos here

Life is Good

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain… 

and most fools do.”

Benjamin Franklin

American Statesman