Curtain Raiser

Bright people impress yer uncle!

CollTales

Short Memory & Data Overload, Colltalers

The digital technology explosion has given a boost to the U.S.’s self-appointed ‘leader of the world’ role . But that’s been quickly undermined by the dizzying multiplication of means to capture information, which have far outpaced any ability of processing it.
This collision of mere data collecting with its purpose has also widen the gap between what needs to be historically kept, and what gives meaning and relevance to our collective memory. The past week may have further enhanced this disconnect in the U.S.
Take last Wednesday’s revelation, for instance, that the Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration secretly collected billions of calls, anticipating in years the NSA’s even more massive surveillance program that mirrored it. But they did not prevent 9/11 from happening.
Or the 150th anniversary, on April 9th, of the end of the Civil War – by sheer number of casualties…

View original post 1,139 more words

Jumble Spoiler – 04/13/15

English: Track near Badlesmere Court Farm The northern edge of the square coincides almost exactly with the horizon here. The tree tops in view above it are in the next square. There is a bridleway off to the right (out of shot) and a loud smell of cow manure all around. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Visual Description:  Street smarts meets book smarts.

CROPH  =  PORCH,  RAVLA  =  LARVA,  DIRALA  =  RADIAL,  WORDSY  =  DROWSY   —   Giving us:  OCHLRRAADOS

Clue/Question:  He graduated with a degree in street building which made him a – – –

English: Manure rotting facility The ultimate re-cycling – all this came out of the back end of a cow and once rotted will be spread as fertilizer to encourage growth of grass to go in the front end of a cow. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Answer:  “ROAD“ SCHOLAR

(Easing us into the workweek with an elementary Jumble.  None of the clue words are new, and only one jumble is new.  I don’t see that we’ve ever used today’s jumble for “larva”.  Fine job on the answer letter layout.  The answer makes for a fun pun, but I can’t imagine too many of the regulars struggled in getting it.  Fine cartoon.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  Zemanta is only returning pictures owned by Getty . . . and I think that stinks!   —   YUR

Related articles

• Utility, dairy farm partner on wind turbine (sfgate.com)
• Grant helps fund biogas energy project (kerngoldenempire.com)
• Wisconsin dairy farm denies allegations of polluting wells (host.madison.com)
• Albany grandmother grows 159.5kg giant pumpkin (theage.com.au)
• Cow Manure to Ethanol Plant Switches On in California’s San Joaquin Valley (cleantechnica.com)
• Ian Mulgrew: Undercover Mounties pushed pressure-cooker bomb plan on accused terror couple (vancouversun.com)
• How To Prepare Garden Soil (italianbellavita.com)
• Former Grand Rapids Press building weathered decades of change (mlive.com)
• RV/Gold Bait and Switch? – Secular Value vs Absolute Value – Hidden History of Gold (thedailycoin.org)

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 04/13/15

English: Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunders at ARCO Arena. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.”   —   Kevin Durant

(Such is the major problem with talent.  Very often it goes to one’s head.  It can become a kind of arrogance, that can lead to a sense of entitlement.  When one feels entitled they lose that drive.  Let’s not be too full of ourselves, folks.  Someone more talented is just around the corner.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

 

Related articles

• Kevin Durant to Miss Remainder of Season (basketballinsiders.com)
• Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant was not prepared for the tornado (kfor.com)
• The Controversy Surrounding Fame, Talent, And Success (dancemusicnw.com)
• United States Rates High In Talent (grumpyelder.com)
• 5 Signs You’ve Become A Talent Hoarder (forbes.com)
• Simon Cowell promises more variety on Britain’s Got Talent (theguardian.com)
• How to Find Talent on LinkedIn (molchester.uk)
• I do not know anyone who has gotten to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but it will get you pretty near. (doncharisma.org)
• Hard Work and Luck (ipunablack.com)
• Sunday Score: Shop the Best Fashion Finds on Sale at Shop Super Street (news.instyle.com)