When we hang out with friends in the real world, we may talk about music we’re listening to, movies we’ve watched, places we’ve been, photos we’ve taken, videogames we’ve played, books we’ve read, ,what we’ve been up to and so much more. Lifestreaming offers the ability to create a digital form of this information. The beauty is that we now have many web services that can provide every piece of data in the real world scenario mentioned above. Once the web services are setup, the data is added automatically in a passive manner. Viewing others Lifestreams then become human powered recommendation engines. The data can also provide distant friends & family a window into our lives, or offer great up to date context for enriching conversations when we see them in the real world. These are just some methods that provide value to others.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8609989.stm

Election seat calculator

The seat calculator is a rough way of converting percentage support for political parties into numbers of seats in parliament.

It allows you to get an idea of what the next parliament might look like, and what sort of percentage support a party will need to win a majority.

One again Frank Viviano's article is right on the ball and weeks ahead of most of the world media. From the New York Times this morning we read:

HONG KONG — The Chinese government is set to announce a revision of its currency policy in the coming days that will allow greater variation in the value of its currency combined with a small but immediate jump in its value against the dollar, people with knowledge of the consensus emerging in Beijing said Thursday.

While there remains a possibility of a last-minute glitch that could delay the announcement, China’s central bank appears to have prevailed with its arguments within the Chinese leadership for a stronger but more flexible currency, these people said. They insisted on anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue in Beijing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/09/business/global...

Bellany - Fire in the Blood is now available on BBC iplayer

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00rxbpv/Bel...

Currently BBC iPlayer TV programmes are available to play in the UK only,

isn't that fantastic. I've had another go (at posting a comment) but still can't get at it so if there is a reply mechanism I would be very grateful if you would thank him for me, and tell him I will be looking for volunteers for the butt wrapping!

Ciao ,
Liz

John Bellany art works go under the hammer in Glasgow

Largest ever collection of work by Scottish artist comes up for sale.

A Glasgow auction house is to host one of the year's most significant art sales when 137 works by Scottish artist John Bellany go under the hammer.

The auction at McTear's on March 27 comes only days after the artist revealed that he is losing his sight through a condition known as macular degeneration.

The sale, which includes oils, watercolours, drawings and etchings from a number of private and corporate collectors, is the largest ever to appear in a single sale.

A graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art and the Royal College of Art in London, much of his work is inspired by the coastal community of his East Lothian home town.

In the 1980s he underwent a liver transplant, which inspired some of his most remarkable work, and more recent work is influenced by time he spent in Barga, a town in the Tuscany area of Italy with links to Scotland.

The sale includes pieces from various periods in Bellany's career.

His work features in a number of the world's greatest galleries including New York's Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum as well as Tate Britain. He was awarded the CBE in 1994

In addition to the Bellany works, the sale will also feature more than 65 pieces by fellow Scottish artist Peter Howson, including several major works that have remained hidden for a number of years.

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/165244-j...

Now there's a strange thing Kerry .... on that image you can see and count 6 balls ... BUT for many, many years there were only 5 balls ..... one of them had simply dropped off.

When that Palazzo was renovated recently
<a href="http://www.barganews.com/2009/09/10/final-work-on..." target="_blank">http://www.barganews.com/2009/09/10/final-work-on...

as the final touch to the renovations, somebody put back that missing ball.

Did anybody notice ?

Schizoid Manic (and or) Depressive
Bipolar
That is February.

no wait .....

aren't we WELL into March ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIvoeZLW56Q

In that case so was this one

On Fri, 19 Feb 10, a total of 17 Soldiers, Airmen and USAG Livorno Civilian Staff members from PAO and CAA visited the Buffalo Soldier's Battle Site in Sommocolonia - BARGA. It was a wonderful experience.
I'm extremely grateful for the hospitality extended to us from the Mayor, his staff and Lieutenant Colonel Vittorio L. Biondi, Italian Army. They are so proud of their city and openly shared their enormous appreciation for Americans but in particular to the Buffalo Soldiers.
The Buffalo Soldiers were men of great courage and valor. Thousands of miles away from their home and against all odds they fought for freedom and democracy. Their history is well documented. I encourage all of you to share with others your knowledge of this moment in history.
Our visit to Sommocolonia - BARGA served to show the admiration, appreciation and friendship Italians and Americans have for each other.
Below links captures our visit (19 Feb 10) and the visit of a Buffalo Soldier, Joseph H. Hairston (5 Sep 09).

Very Respectfully,
CSM Felix Rodriguez
USAG-Livorno, Camp Darby

http://www.giornaledibarga.it/index.html?pg=8&amp...

http://www.comune.barga.lu.it/Sommocolonia%20-%20...

<a href="http://www.barganews.com/2009/09/04/joseph-hairst..." target="_blank">http://www.barganews.com/2009/09/04/joseph-hairst...