sdrawkcab gniog

Over the weekend I lost a Follower at my blog. I have gone backwards.

I have no way of knowing who #145 was and I have no hard or hurt feelings that he or she decided to no longer be a Writerquaker. But, geez, I was somewhat anticipatory for awhile thinking I was edging toward 150 Followers here...which would make me happy and would make all Writerquakers feel more confident, more secure, more bonded. The more the merrier really does apply, it seems, when it comes to blog Followers. (Notice how I capitalize the F in Follower as a form of respect and appreciation.)

There may be a reader out there who would stop this backward thing and become my new #145. And maybe some more would join to become #146, #147, #148, #149 and Big #150. It isn't in my nature to bribe you with promises of special recognition and/or gifts the way some bloggers do to build their Follower lists. There's nothing wrong with that but I didn't do it for the Writerquakers who joined before you and it doesn't seem fair to do so now. But, rest assured, your profile shot(s) will be noticed there in the square(s) and I would hope that other readers will click on the photo(s) to check out your blog(s).

So, with an eye on the future at my blog here are some backward ideas, beginning with a choice photo of President Obama taking a backward glance (it's ok to look, Barack, but please don't turn out to be a jerk...)

Backward glance (G8 Summit, 2009) ... Barack Obama, centre, with Mayora Tavares, left, and Nicolas Sarkozy, right. Source: The Daily Telegraph

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ecnad sdrawkcab a ,woN.....

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"'I think I'll be a clown when I get grown,' said Dill. 'Yes, sir, a clown.... There ain't one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I'm gonna join the circus and laugh my head off.' 'You got it backwards, Dill,' said Jem. 'Clowns are sad, it's folks that laugh at them.' 'Well, I'm gonna be a new kind of clown. I'm gonna stand in the middle of the ring and laugh at the folks.'"
- Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

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Clown Bicycle - as defined by Wikipedia (emphasis added)
       A clown bicycle or clown bike is a bicycle designed for comedic visual effect or stunt riding, typically by Circus clowns. It is sometimes called a circus bike. . . Some clown bikes are also built that are directly geared, with no freewheeling, so that they may be pedaled either forward or backwards. Some are built very small but are otherwise relatively normal.

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If you want to go backwards in time while staying on topic I refer you to Bicycle Clown, a nine-minute bicycle safety video made in 1958. [Note: it has nothing to do with circus clowns riding bikes.]

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Differing opinions on the possibility of traveling backwards in time may be found ereh and ereh.

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One site for simple backwards text, the one used for this post, is ereh. I first saw backwards/upside down text (one link) at the great blog known as The Half-Life of Linoleum.

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Time Machine

I read tonight (Sinlung News online) a piece that packs a real punch with news that Russian scientists are close to creating a time machine!

Whether that's true or not, I've always loved books and movies about time travel. The FOX network has a new show called "New Amsterdam" about a guy who's lived in Manhattan for some 400 years. Just can't die until he finds "the one." I watched the first two episodes and I really liked it a lot. But . . . wait a minute! This story is DEFINITELY based on Pete Hamill's brilliant work, forever: a novel, published in 2003. It's one of my favorite books, so much so that I embarrassed myself by sending a gushing mass email to friends and family recommending it after I finished reading it. I even visited Hamill's website and left a message telling him how marvelous it is. So the similar storyline in the new TV show (in the book the protagonist is a journalist, not a detective, etc.) has caught my attention, and the lead actor is quite good also. I just hope that reviewers give credit to the Hamill novel as inspiration. And I absolutely still recommend forever: a novel as a great read.