Catfoot Blog

Pension Day

I was in the front garden when Danny came round the corner. He lives next door to me with his more prosperous sister. He was wearing that forty-year old double-breasted suit with bellbottoms that he had inherited from his father. Complemented by a pencil thin moustache, his gray hair parted in the middle; ala David Kramer.

Fifteen years my junior, but he looks 65.

His face was flushed and his movement not too steady. Probably been sitting at Ricky’s Pub since opening time; his entire disability allowance squandered.

It is uncanny how he maintains his balance by moving one step sideways for each two forward. One to the left, two forward and just as you think he’s going down, his right foot shoots out to check his balance. Then a neat double step to the left again to stay upright.

To think that for many months Danny was bedridden. He could hardly move a finger. The arthritis was killing him. The poor man could not even eat by himself. His sister had to spoon-feed him.

Four times his nephew took him to the clinic in a wheel chair. And he was complaining all the way about going too fast! Yes, he even complained to the district nurse about the indignity of being carted around in a pram, as if he did not know about the wheelchair.

The poor woman believed him and insisted on an eye test, which he failed, of course. He could not even see the eye chart.

Arthritis, blindness, deafness, blood pressure, backaches and heaven knows what all.

And he’s just turned forty-six. This certainly justified a disability allowance.

Danny got his allowance. Then the unbelievable recovery came. Look how he stares at those two girls walking on the other side of the road. Remarkable for a man who was almost blind just last year; and he can pour his own beer now too, but last year he could not even hold a teaspoon.

Miracles do still happen!

Enjoy your day.

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Uncategorized
1,506 views
51 comments
Like this blog

Platonic Friendship

My best friend is a woman; a friendship lasting more than 50 years. We played together as children, we went out together when we were young and we are still here for each other. We shared in our joys and in our sorrows. Our different genders had never played a part in our friendship. But we cannot count it. She is my cousin; a blood relative.

So, can a man and a woman truly have a pure platonic friendship? We are talking about a relationship where the gender of the other person is completely irrelevant; with no hidden agendas or motives.

We are not talking about colleagues being friends at work; they’re not friends. They are merely acquaintances sharing the same workspace.

We are talking about a friendship like between two men or two women, where they visit each other and share their problems; two people who care about each other and help each other.

We are not talking about older people where companionship became a premium.

We are talking about younger people in the prime of their life; when all the necessary hormones are still in place and where there still is plenty of chemistry at work. People spending time together and going out together.

My impression is that at least one of them is in love with the other one, but contented to keep things as they are. At least one of them is being too scared to make the first move at the risk of losing the other one completely.

Half an egg is better than an empty shell!

Stay loose. Tomorrow is Friday!

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Uncategorized
1,737 views
65 comments
Like this blog

A Hacker’s Attack

Will you survive a hacker’s attack? Hackers invade your privacy and abuse your good name. Do not ever consider your email on your email provider’s server (yahoo / gmail / etc) as private. Get it off there as soon as possible.

This guide is intended for PC users. I don’t know about cell phones. It is not my field of expertness, but I’m sure some of this may apply.

The base of all security is vested in your passwords. This is where they will attack you first. A password like ‘1234’ or ‘baby’ is worthless. Easy to remember and easy to break. A password like ‘eg839Kdu3SH1iw’ is difficult to remember and even more difficult to break.

Change your password often and never go back to a previous password.

Good security starts at home. Make sure that every user account on your PC has a password. Especially so for the Administrator’s account; for windows leave it blank by default. A PC, with a Administrator account that has no password, is a hacker’s paradise. He can do everything; even format your non-system drives!

Never leave your email on the mail server for long.

Use an email client like Outlook Express to download your mail and set it up to delete the mail on the server immediately after download. Set up your email client to log on at least every hour to download your email.

Never ever leave your address list (contacts) on your email provider’s server (yahoo / gmail / etc). Leave the hackers with nothing to gain; and you with nothing to lose if your email provider is hacked.

Run a virus scan every day to check for key loggers and other spy ware. They record your keystrokes and collect other personal info on your PC and pass it on to another party.

If you do all this you will be fairly safe. Note that I said fairly safe. You can never be 100% safe for there are other ways to penetrate your PC, but that requires a very high degree of skill not found with the everyday hackers.

Enjoy your day.

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Uncategorized
1,331 views
58 comments
Like this blog

The Zodiac And You

They say that we are controlled by the stars; we are naturally attracted by people who were born under 'compatible' star signs; and naturally repulsed by people born under 'incompatible' star signs. It is also said that people born under the same star sign share certain strengths and weaknesses.

I don’t really believe in this stuff, but I checked mine and it tallies; more or less.

Aries 21 March – 20 April
Positives: Courageous, Energetic, Competitive and Pioneering.
Negatives: Selfish, Abrasive, Impulsive and Reckless.
Most Compatible With: Leo, Sagittarius and Aries.
Least Compatible With: Libra, Virgo and Scorpio.

Taurus 21 April – 21 May
Positives: Loving, Loyal, Prosperous and Patient.
Negatives: Materialistic, Stubborn, Inflexible and Boring.
Most Compatible With: Virgo, Capricorn and Taurus.
Least Compatible With: Scorpio, Libra and Sagittarius.

Gemini 22 May – 21 June
Positives: Quick-Witted, Curious, Entertaining and Open-Minded.
Negatives: Fickle, Easily Distracted, Nervous and Mischievous.
Most Compatible With: Libra, Aquarius and Gemini.
Least Compatible With: Sagittarius, Scorpio and Capricorn.

Cancer 22 June – 22 July
Positives: Sensitive, Caring, Nurturing and Shrewd.
Negatives: Controlling, Manipulative, Selfish and Easily Hurt
Most Compatible With: Pisces, Scorpio and Cancer.
Least Compatible With: Capricorn, Sagittarius and Aquarius.

Leo 23 July – 22 August
Positives: Generous, Assertive, Faithful and Responsible.
Negatives: Pompous, Stubborn, Self-Satisfied and Arrogant
Most Compatible With: Aries, Sagittarius and Leo
Least Compatible With: Aquarius, Pisces and Capricorn

Virgo 23 August – 23 September
Positives: Organized, Thorough, Humane and Thoughtful.
Negatives: Critical, Particular, Irritable and Untidy.
Most Compatible With: Taurus, Capricorn and Virgo.
Least Compatible With: Pisces, Aries and Aquarius

Libra 24 September – 23 October
Positives: Artistic, Poised, Objective and Charming.
Negatives: Indecisive, Thoughtless, Self-Absorbed and Flirtatious.
Most Compatible With: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.
Least Compatible With: Aries, Pisces and Taurus.

Scorpio 24 October – 22 November
Positives: Passionate, Dynamic, Sensual and Probing.
Negatives: Vindictive, Moody, Jealous and Sadistic.
Most Compatible With: Cancer, Pisces and Scorpio.
Least Compatible With: Taurus, Aries and Gemini.

Sagittarius 23 November – 21 December
Positives: Intellectual, Enthusiastic, Tolerant and Optimistic
Negatives: Extravagant, Excessive, Hotheaded and A Gambler
Most Compatible With: Aries, Leo and Taurus.
Least Compatible With: Gemini, Cancer and Taurus.

Capricorn 22 December – 20 January
Positives: Careful, Hardworking, Disciplined and Traditional.
Negatives: Inflexible, Apprehensive, Perfectionist and A Slave Driver.
Most Compatible With: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
Least Compatible With: Cancer, Gemini and Leo

Aquarius 21 January – 19 February
Positives: Independent, Friendly, Caring and Inventive.
Negatives: Tactless, Rude, Defiant and Aloof.
Most Compatible With: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.
Least Compatible With: Leo, Cancer and Virgo.

Pisces 20 February – 20 March
Positives: Intuitive, Trusting, Loving and Creative.
Negatives: Gullible, Self-Pitying, Temperamental and Dependent.
Most Compatible With: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.
Least Compatible With: Virgo, Leo and Libra

Does your description match you? Decide for yourself.

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Uncategorized
2,964 views
74 comments
Like this blog

Creative Blog Writing.

Writing reveals your soul; no matter how hard you try to hide it. It comes out between the lines. Your entire personality is exposed for all to see! What you say can be swallowed; or even denied, but what you write will stand for as long as that document or any copies of it exist. Even the comments you make, reflects on you.

We write blogs because we want them to be read! So how do we make sure we get the click before somebody else?

The Timing. As long as a blog is available, it will be read, but not as much as during the first 24 hours or so; while the blog is on Page 1 of the Blog list. However, the first 4 hours are of cardinal importance!

Identify your target readers. Publish your blog at a time to give it maximum exposure to your target; while it is still fresh and uncluttered with irrelevant comments from people who are not knowledgeable about your topic. With the informed comments, those others will understand your topic better; and will comment accordingly.

The Title. This is what attracts the initial interest. Avoid one-word titles. And avoid very long titles. If your title must be a question, make sure it is not expecting a reply. The content of your blog must do that – also without direct questions. And make sure the title is relevant to the contents of the blog.

The Catchphrase. This is the single most important thing about getting the click; the first 110 characters of your blog. This is the part of your blog that is displayed with your title in the blog list. A good catchphrase will decide between the immediate click or a scroll on; maybe to come back later – or not. Never start a blog with a picture; it will ruin your catchphrase!

The Contents. If the contents don’t live up to the catchphrase, you will lose your reader. And if this happens often, your reputation will suffer.

Select your topic carefully. Avoid hate speech, offensive remarks and foul language. Try to stay objective. Your blog should not ask for advice – then it becomes a forum. It should not ask for opinions – that is a poll. Let the contents itself invite comments; let it speak for itself.

Use a word processor with a good spelling and grammar checker to compose your essay. Break long sentences into shorter sentences.

Copy and paste your essay into the blog editor. Apply any formatting and emoticons as needed, but sparingly. Preview your blog and make any changes as needed. A well tended blog is not only a delight to the eye, but also a pleasure to read.

Your Reputation. If you have a reputation of writing good blogs, your blogs will be read first. Readers will look for your old blogs and read them too. When you notice that your older blogs are being read better, you can know you are on the right track.

The Epilogue. Creative writing is a wonderful gift and we can all do it. Don’t write for the sake of writing. Write because you want to say something. Let it come from your heart, not from your pen.

Post Comment

Mar 2013
in Uncategorized
1,708 views
21 comments
Like this blog

Nostradamus Predicted…

Say what you want about Nostradamus; the man is here to stay. His book Quatrains, filled with 4 line predictions, was written in 1555 and is still in print today.

Nostradamus (Michel de Nostredame) is the famous prophet from the 16th century. He is noted for having "predicted" the French Revolution, Napoleon, Adolph Hitler, the atomic bomb, the 9-11 atrocity, JFK and RFK Assassinations, and just about everything else that has happened since the time of his predictions.

Nostradamus himself wrote that his prophecies only went as far as the year 3797. Will the world will end late in the 38th century? Only time will tell.

The problem with his work is that it was written in French and in rhymes; thus very difficult to translate to other languages. Different people translate it differently.

Below, in the comment section, I have listed a few of his predictions and what happened afterwards.

Read more

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostradamus

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Uncategorized
2,548 views
62 comments
Like this blog

The Small Things Count.

It is true what they say. It is the small things that matter. No matter which way you look at it.

Just take a look at the great inventors.

The main contributors leading to the invention of these two items…

died without seeing a reward for their work!

While the inventors of these two gadgets…

became millionaires overnight!

Why is it so? Simply because bigger inventions depend too much on the invention of other (smaller) things to make it work; and too many things to go wrong. A paper clip or a pin depended much less on other inventions with almost nothing to go wrong.

So who were the clever guys?

Read More
The invention of the sewing machine

http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/sewing_machine.htm

The invention of the telephone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invention_of_the_telephone

When next time you want to invent something, think small! Except for when you

.

Enjoy your day!

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Uncategorized
2,748 views
75 comments
Like this blog

Cattish Expressions

Ok, so you bought a cat in a bag, but the cat is out of the bag now. A cat has nine lives, but there are many ways to skin a cat. Shooting cats is not the answer, but in the end curiosity killed the cat!

Cats wherever you look! I wonder if dogs get anywhere near this. Here are a few cattish expressions and their meanings:

1. You bought a cat in the bag – You made a bad deal.
2. Let the cat out of the bag – Let the secret out.
3. Many ways to skin a cat – Many ways to do a thing.
4. A cat has nine lives – Cats are tough animals.
5. To shoot cats – To vomit.
6. Curiosity killed the cat – Don’t be so inquisitive.
7. He is a fat cat – He is a rich man.
8. To grin like a Cheshire cat – to be very self-satisfied.
9. He is a scaredy-cat – He’s scared.
10. All cats are grey in the dark – Things look the same in the dark.
11. To be like a cat on a hot tin roof – To be very agitated.
12. To be the cat's whiskers – To think you are better than others.
13. A cat can look at a king – Important people are not untouchable.
14. Has the cat got your tongue? – Don’t just stand there. Talk!
15. A cat in gloves catches no mice – To be nice is not always enough.
16. He is conceited as a barber's cat – Very full of himself.
17. I smell a dead cat on the line – Something is wrong.
18. They fight like cat and dog – They fight all the time.
19. He is a fraidy cat – He is scared.
20. You don’t have a cat’s chance in hell– You have no chance.
21. It's raining cats and dogs! – It is raining hard.
22. You look like the cat that got the cream – You look happy.
23. You look like something the cat brought in – you look bad.
24. You look like the cat that swallowed the canary – You look guilty.
25. To be mad enough to kick a cat – To be very cross.
26. Not enough room to swing a cat – Very little space.
27. Play cat and mouse with somebody – To be evasive.
28. To purr like a cat – To be very happy.
29. The cat is amongst the pigeons – We have trouble.
30. First see which way the cat jumps – Look before you act.

This is by now means all of them. You will find plenty more. To be catfoot is just another. It describes a very cautious person.

A cattish expression? Oh, that is a scornful look on your face!

http://www.catquotes.com/catproverbs1.htm

Stay loose until tomorrow!

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Education
4,684 views
174 comments
Like this blog

My Kingdom For A Horse!

Here is another of those amazing pictures. How many horses do you count? This time I really don’t know how many. I get a different number every time! Some people cannot even see any at first.

Another tip (maybe)
Look at the legs and follow it up.
There is at least one foal.

More luck this time? I’m still stumped. As I said, a different number every time!

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Art
3,656 views
117 comments
Like this blog

A Request For Friendship.

How do you handle a friend request from a stranger if you are too tied up to handle more friends? It seems so abrupt and rude to decline it by the click of a button. Hamba, voetsek, Scram!

'Thank you, but no thank you' sounds so much better.

When I get a flower, email or a friend request from a stranger, it can mean one or more of five things:
1. Somebody interested in chatting.

2. Somebody interested in a long distance relationship.

3. Somebody local with an interest in me.

4. Hate mail.

5. A scammer.

I am only interested in the first kind. I have only a few friends and I don’t want a lot.

Like most people that I have contact with here on CS, I have surrounded myself by high walls in blocking all areas except my own country. So when I get a flower or a message from a stranger, it is easy to handle. I can reply with a polite message to decline their attentions without being rude. If she persists, then I know it is a scammer!

With other countries it is a bit more difficult. As I block flowers and messages from them, the first contact comes as a friend request. My first action is to look at the profile and when I want to write a little note to decline it politely, I’m blocked more than often.

Oh, how I wish I could include a flower when I decline a friendship request. Just to say: ‘Hi girl, I’m flattered by it, but…’

I have such a friend request now. She looks genuine enough and I can see we have a lot in common, but…

So girl, if you read this and recognise yourself here, Thank you, I am truly flattered. It is not that I don't like you; my hands are full at the moment!

Enjoy your day!

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Uncategorized
3,830 views
49 comments
Like this blog

Letting Out Winds.

Burping is very much like farting. The main difference between a burp and a fart is the point of exit. Then why is burping more acceptable than farting?

When both are biological functions that we sometimes have very little control over.

You can sit at the dinner table, in a restaurant or in church. If you want to burp, simply put your hand on front of your mouth and let it out – look up smiling and say ‘Excuse me’ softly and no further ado. Burping is ok. In fact, in some countries your host would be very offended if you don’t burp aloud several times!

Try farting in the same situation.

The place will suddenly go very quiet; some will be disgusted, some will look away, some will blush, some will giggle and others will laugh openly – no matter how nice you smile or where you put your hand. Farting is out! Oops, a slip of the tongue. Farts must be kept in!

So you better stay in too!

All this, while many defence forces have a regulation that farting is not rude. Ask me; it happened to me. A soldier stood there in front of me forcing it out and all I could do was to send him to the toilet. He came back doing exactly the same thing. In the end I nailed him for looking me in the eyes. Now that is a cardinal offence. Utter disrespect! To think that before I went to the army, I though it was the right thing to do.

Farting is a very personal thing and it reveals our personality. If somebody farts aloud in public with a grin on his face, some people would dub him as a pig, but it is not so. This is a sure sign of an extrovert!

Do you recognise yourself?
An introvert locks himself into his bedroom and fart in privacy.
A shy person blushes when he farts; even when he is alone.
A competitive person tries to fart louder than others.
A confident person thinks his fart does not smell.
A pessimist sits on the toilet to fart.
An optimist often finds lumps in it.
An egoist likes to smell his own fart.
An arrogant person blames the dog when he farts.
A discreet person always farts silently.
A devious person looks around when he farts.
A vindictive person blames somebody else when he farts.
A conceited person thinks his fart smells good.

The list is endless, but to conclude for today; let’s put paid to another false rumour. It is not just men who fart!

So stay loose and don’t keep it in!

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Uncategorized
1,801 views
62 comments
Like this blog

Sheer Brilliance!

What is it that makes the sum of two persons greater than their individual totals added together? There are many examples of this and Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel is just one such an instance.

What a loss for music it was then they parted, even though they both carved out very successful careers for themselves. And after all those years, when they performed together again, the old magic was back – immediately.

As demonstrated by this song.

This is one of their lesser songs… No, no, no, they did not ever produce a lesser song. I don’t think. This is just another one of their songs. It is called April, comes she will. It describes six months in the life of a broken-hearted young man.

I want to dedicate this song to everybody who has an achy breaky heart today. And to everybody else who enjoy great music!

The Lyrics
April, comes she will; when streams are rife and swelled with rain.
May, she will stay; resting in my arms again.
June, she’ll change her tune; in restless walks she’ll prowl the night.
July, she will fly; and give no warning to her flight.
August, die she must; the autumn winds blow chilly and cold.
September, I’ll remember; a love once new has now gone old.

If this does not stir you, you have a heart of stone!

Have a great day!

Post Comment

Apr 2013
in Uncategorized
1,066 views
29 comments
Like this blog

This is a list of Catfoot's Blogs. Click here for Catfoot's Blog List

Catfoot Blog (616)

Pension Day

Platonic Friendship

A Hacker’s Attack

The Zodiac And You

Creative Blog Writing.

Nostradamus Predicted…

The Small Things Count.

Cattish Expressions

My Kingdom For A Horse!

A Request For Friendship.

Letting Out Winds.

Sheer Brilliance!

About

Support

Follow Us