On Buzzfeed No One Lives After 49

Maybe Buzzfeed is only for people under the age of 50. Does it blow up or something? I guess I will never know the last thing I Googled. Maybe I don’t know how to use a computer. Possibly I’m living in a society where the cut off is 50. (A little more generous than the 30 from Logan’s Run). I’d thank someone if I could be sure I’m not too old to remember their name.

This quiz has hacked your Google search results (OK, technically not true).

Source: Can We Guess The Last Thing You Googled Based On Your Age

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That’s it. After 49 the numbers stopped. I’m 50. Later I will be 51, still alive. At least that’s my plan.

Sagittarius at Zodiac Mind

From Zodiac Mind

Negatives and Positives – Sagittarius
Sagittarius Positive Traits

Optimistic

Energetic and enthusiastic, the Sagittarius see the glass half full. Their optimism helps them carry on even in the most adverse situations.

Straightforward

The Sagittarius will call a spade a spade, so you know when say something they mean it. There honest comments, however, may be at times too harsh to handle for some people.

Intellectual

These are bright and intellectual people, who are interested in a wide variety of subjects and can be impressive conversationalists.

Philosophical

There are philosophical and religious individuals with a strong sense of mortality and ethics. They love to share their views on matters, such as the higher power and religious beliefs.

Generous

The people born under the Zodiac Sign Sagittarius are large-hearted people. They love to help others reach their goals, find a way out of problems and lead a good life.

Adventurous

Adventurous that they are, the Sagittarius are always willing to take risks and keep the excitement levels in their lives alive.

Sagittarius Negative Traits

Careless

The Sagittarius tend to take things for granted, risking more than they should. Their careless attitude attracts criticism from all corners.

Tactless

Being honest and straightforward is one thing, being tactless is another. A lesson or two on how to handle things skilfully will definitely help these individuals.

Restlessness

The people born under to Zodiac Sign Sagittarius tend to impatient and restless, especially when their energy is not focused or well-directed.

Superficial

External appearance mean a lot to them. Besides, they don’t have patience and inclination to scratch beneath the surface and see the actual substance.

Inconsistent

Their interest levels change quite frequently and that eventually affects their efficiency. It is difficult to ensure that a Sagittarius is going to be consistent in his performance.

Overconfident

The Sagittarius believe that they know everything and what they are doing is right, but quite often, they end up making a lot of mistakes, owing to their overconfidence.

The Sadness of Disappearing Used Book Stores

starlight Starlight Books in Newmarket, Ontario, has closed. Not big news to a lot of people. I was sad to see it gone this week when I drove by on my way to visit my sister in Newmarket. I used to live in the area. Starlight books was one of my favourite places for about 20 years. Now its gone.  The Facebook page is missing, not even a note to say good bye. The website is just a dead link.

Technology killed the little community book store.

Where will all the secondhand books go when there are few (or none left at all) places to trade books? The best thing about Starlight and the other secondhand bookstores is being able to bring in books I’ve read and find more from the same author, or take the risk of a new author.

Used book stores are opportunities for readers. Not just finding old books no longer in the big retail stores, but books in stock catered to the reader rather than the shopper. Also, when I exchange books I can select a few for free then. This was the best time to try someone new, a book I would have passed up as too expensive to take a chance on otherwise. starlightbooks

How much is the literary world losing as the used bookstores fade away? Likely more than many people realize.

It’s not a co-incidence that Starlight thrived and grew for at least 20 years (that much time since I’ve been shopping there) and all at once has now closed. I’ve talked to the local used bookstore here too. She says there is more stock coming in and less being bought (or traded out again). The paranormal genre which was selling so quickly is now slumbering too. That doesn’t help as they come in and stay, taking up space now.

Less space consuming are the ebooks, of course. The approaching paperless swarm of electronic books many people buy but only a few actually seem to read. It’s the buying that counts though, not the reading.

I do feel sad for the future of the paperback especially. Will all those printed words end up in landfills? No longer able to find new readers at the community book shops.

What will happen to writers too? There may be book buyers but are there still book readers?

Documenting the Decline of the Bingo Hall

Documenting the Decline of the Bingo Hall
From thriving social clubs to piles of rubble.

abandoned bingo
(Image credit: Forsaken Fotos via Flickr)

The rough-hewn simplicity and rustic charm of traditional land-based bingo halls have captivated the imagination of thousands of people throughout the decades. Indeed, brick-and-mortar bingo halls are teeming with vibrant characters and interesting personalities that bring life to a time-honored establishment. So it’s not too surprising to learn that a few talented photographers have devoted their time and energies to document the humanity inside these old-school bingo halls. Washington resident Andrew Miksys was exposed to bingo at an early age. His father published the daily Bingo Today newspaper, which Miksys then delivered to bingo halls and convenience stores across Seattle. Miksys eventually toured America’s bingo halls to present a respectful look into the communal spirit that’s part of a bingo hall’s character.

There’s even more proof that the time-honored game is a veritable treasure trove of expressive portraits. German photographer Michael Hess is a structural engineer by training and a self-taught photographer by choice. Currently residing in London, Hess lived near a bingo hall in Southampton in 2005 and always wondered what happened inside. One fateful game in that same bingo hall was all it took to motivate Hess to travel to almost 70 bingo halls in the UK for the next four years. The result was Bingo and Social Club, a good-natured and graciously rare peek into the enigmatic society of bingo halls.

However, bingo halls are believed to be not long for this world, with many different bingo halls now closing all over the world. The classic game has found its new home online, where various companies have begun to launch online bingo portals which are much more convenient and easy to play. The Virtue Fusion software that runs the games on Betfair Bingo also allow for a variety of themed games to be held simultaneously, and land-based bingo halls just cannot keep up. As such, many bingo halls have shut down, their doors closing as though to keep their memories nestled within.

While they’re no longer visited by the average bingo player, these abandoned bingo halls have made for some truly evocative images, inspiring wayward photographers with the stories they seem to tell. Web Urbanist has even come out with a collection of haunting photographs of abandoned bingo halls called “Punched Cards”. The selection of photos has everything from dilapidated signage to the remains of old bingo cards and the remains of old structures that have now been reduced to rubble, and they make one think about all the history and memories that have been made in these places. Where people once crowded and fought to shout, “BINGO!”, there lies nothing but shambles and old signs. But often, these are exactly what the urban photographer is looking for.

INTJ personality | 16Personalities

INTJ personality | 16Personalities .

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Today I’m INTJ. Often it’s either INTP or INFP. Here’s what the site says about INTJ:

INTJ PERSONALITY

It’s lonely at the top, and being one of the rarest and most strategically capable personality types, INTJs know this all too well. INTJs form just two percent of the population, and women of this personality type are especially rare, forming just 0.8% of the population – it is often a challenge for them to find like-minded individuals who are able to keep up with their relentless intellectualism and chess-like maneuvering. People with the INTJ personality type are imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, amazingly curious, but they do not squander their energy.

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