January 31, 2010
Private Slovik
Earlier I noticed the "Today in History" feed in the right-hand column mentioned Private Slovik
| From TheFreeDictionary.com: Eddie Slovik Edward Donald Slovik (February 18, 1920 – January 31, 1945) was a private in the United States Army during World War II and the only American soldier to be executed for desertion since the American Civil War. Although over twenty-one thousand soldiers were given varying sentences for desertion during World War II—including forty-nine death sentences—only Slovik's death sentence was carried out. |  |
 | I've been interested in this case since I first saw The Execution of Private Slovik ,an excellent made-for-TV movie from 1974 starring Martin Sheen as Slovik. There's a portion of that movie that's always stayed with me, when Slovik realizes he really is going to be executed. It's a heart-breaking scene as the brilliant actor Sheen, in a panic, repeats the priest's prayers. The execution scene following is anti-climatic because of it. (as well as on another level, but I wouldn't want to spoil that bit) |
Sorry, no vids that I could find on short notice. I did see a couple of places that purported to have the entire movie, but the first one I checked out wanted me to d/l their player. No thanks.
Still, I would highly recommend watching the movie; it's on about once a year and I would wager any large video rental place would have it. I'd have to say it would probably be in my Top 100 movies of all time.
And Sometimes a Black One
You Are Sometimes a Sheep |
 You don't think there is anything wrong with going with the flow, and that includes following the crowd. You enjoy getting along with other people, and if possible, you prefer not to make waves. However, you aren't the type of person to follow anyone blindly. You'll stand up for what's important. You don't waste your energy on fighting battles that don't matter. But when something important is on the line, you'll always stand your ground. |
There, I fixed it.
January 30, 2010
Mama Tried - Merle Haggard
There were several other versions of this Haggard classic, but I liked this one the best. If you're a fan of the song, I'd suggest checking them out on YouTube.
I love it; it reminds me of starting h.s. and my big sis and her husband just married and this song was popular. I'm sure my sister and BIL had this on 8-track. I've never been a huge fan of C&W music, but I sure like Merle Haggard.
Must You?
Meteor Storm (2010)
49 SYFY: Saturday, January 30 8:00 PM
2010, NR, 01:30, Color, English, Unknown, Made for TV
An astronomer must save San Francisco from a barrage of meteor strikes.
Cast: Michael Trucco, Kari Matchett
I was looking at my online TV listings to see if there was anything worth watching on the tube and my first thought to the description "...must save San Francisco..." was:
"Must you?"
I'm usually a big fan of apocalyptic sci-fi, but this one doesn't sound like it's worth sitting through. There's always one of the 42 basketball games, I suppose.
January 29, 2010
verboten
verboten \ver-BOHT-n\ , adjective;
1. Forbidden, as by law; prohibited.
I can't even remember what it was I was doing wrong, (probably doodling or chewing gum) but I do recall my sixth grade teacher, Mr. Shearer, sneaking up behind me, tapping me on the back and saying "Mike, you seem to have forgotten, that activity is verboten."
Wolf Moon
Biggest and Brightest Full Moon of 2010 Tonight
Tonight's full moon will be the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. It offers anyone with clear skies an opportunity to identify easy-to-see features on the moon.
This being the first full moon of 2010, it is also known as the wolf moon, a moniker dating back to Native American culture and the notion that hungry wolves howled at the full moon on cold winter nights. Each month brings another full moon name.
(Read the rest of article)
I wanted to put a "moon" video with this post, but there aren't any "wolf moon" videos (that I liked). Thinking of what "moon" or "wolf" vids I could put up, I was torn between Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf" or this one:
Blue Moon - The Marcels
January 28, 2010
50 Years of the Dallas Cowboys
From the Josh Ellis blog on the Cowboys website:
Thursday Marks Cowboys' 50th Anniversary
It was Jan. 28, 1960 when original owners Clint Murchison, Jr. and Bedford Wynne were awarded an NFL franchise during the annual league meeting at The Breakers, a beach resort in Palm Beach, Fla. The Cowboys were to begin play the very next season.
That's all I am going to post, I think. I may come back, add some more graphics, a personal story or two about my love/hate affair with "America's Team".
Then again, I might not make the effort.
Sort of how the Cowboys do some games.
machination
machination \mack-uh-NAY-shuhn; mash-\ , noun;
1. The act of plotting.
2. A crafty scheme; a cunning design or plot intended to accomplish some usually evil end.
The perfect word for what Congress and this Administration does on a daily basis.
Dead Man Balking
Twila Busby was Hank Skinner’s soul mate. “We just fell together. We just clicked, man,” he says. The two were hardly apart after they met at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. They would kiss in public and cuddled up on the couch to watch thrillers. They were “sick in love,” Skinner says through a telephone receiver behind a Plexiglas window on Texas’ death row unit in Livingston.
A jury found that Skinner was so sick in love that, in a jealous rage, he strangled Busby, bashed in her head and face with an axe handle and then stabbed to death her two mentally disabled adult sons on New Years Eve 1993. He was sentenced to death for the three murders. His execution is scheduled for February 24.
The 47-year-old doesn’t deny he was in the small house in the tiny West Texas town of Pampa on the night of the murders or that the blood on his clothes that night belonged to 41-year-old Busby and her sons. But Skinner and his lawyers say there’s no way he could have killed anyone; he was so loaded on vodka and pills that he was nearly comatose. They argue that his appointed trial attorney, a former district attorney who had previously prosecuted him for theft and assault, failed to adequately investigate other potential suspects. They insist Texas is about to execute an innocent man — and the state has evidence that could prove it.
Read the rest of the story
UPDATE: The 2nd part of the story: Case Open: The Investigation
January 27, 2010
Real Mean Bottle - Bob Seger & Kid Rock
Dunno what's up w/ the vid; the song ends at around the 3:00 mark, then there's two minutes of silence. I didn't like the other vids offered, one was a crappy concert recording and at least one other was personalized as a joke. Like I said, it's done with after three minutes.
I have this album and love it. One of the comments on this vid was "This was about Johnny Cash, you should know."
Made me literally LOL because the song's lyrics specifically mention Merle Haggard: "Hag, it musta been a real mean bottle, made you write the songs that way." Also mentions the "stories about prison" and while Cash is famous for his Folsom concert and "Folsom Prison Blues", I believe he never was in prison - "only" jail - and Haggard did do some hard time. (and according to Wiki, such as that is, Haggard was at the Folsom concert..."in the audience".)
Because I Am What?
You Are Colorful Because You Are Optimistic |
 You insist on seeing the bright side, even when the world seems gloomy and dreary. You may not be naturally optimistic, but you believe that staying positive is an important part of happiness. You may be bright and constructive, but you're also a realist. You know when things need to be fixed. And because you stay so positive, you are able to fix any problems that come your way. You have a lot of strength. |
panjandrum
panjandrum\pan-JAN-druhm\ , noun;
1. An important personage or pretentious official.
Like our Congress and Administration, I think, except they're the only ones who think they're important...which makes them pretentious. (and a bunch of other things)
January 26, 2010
Deafening Donkey Duet
There were other options for the title, most involving "ass" and "blow it out".
The first thing I thought was I bet that guy thought "Al Hirt that donkey's ears."
Audie Murphy's Heroic Stand
From Texas on the Potomac
 | On this date in 1945, during World War II, First Lt. Audie Murphy single-handedly stopped German troops from advancing on his unit, killing 50 of them. In eastern France, near the village of Holtzwihr, Murphy and his men came under siege by six German tanks and 250 infantrymen. Murphy, who grew up on a sharecropper's farm in Hunt County, told his men to fall back into the woods. Murphy climbed atop a burning tank destroyer with a machine gun. Though he was shot in the leg while he stood, he remained atop the tank for an hour, stopping troops on three sides. Thanks to Murphy's efforts, he and his men successfully led a counterattack that drove the Germans from Holtzwihr. For his act, Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor. He became the nation's most decorated soldier before he turned 21. When Murphy returned to the United States, he began an acting career and starred in more than 40 films. Murphy died in 1971, at the age of 46, when the private plane in which he rode crashed near Roanoke, Va. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery in Washington, DC. |
Audie Murphy playing himself in the 1955 movie based upon his autobiography "To Hell and Back".
As the information blurb states on the video page, "Rambo is a myth, but Audie was the real thing."
| Wikipedia Entry IMDB listing for the movie. Murphy's other movies, mostly Westerns. |  |
January 25, 2010
Lotta Low Pressure
Issued by The National Weather Service
Amarillo, TX
3:29 pm CST, Mon., Jan. 25, 2010
Special Weather Statement for Gray, TX
... POTENTIAL WINTER STORM COULD BRING CONSIDERABLE SNOW TO PANHANDLES THURSDAY...
A WINTER STORM COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT AS AN INTENSE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS. BASED ON THE LATEST TRACK AND TIMING... SNOW COULD START AS EARLY AS WEDNESDAY EVENING. MODERATE SNOW... AND POSSIBLY HEAVY SNOW AT TIMES... IS EXPECTED DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY. AS THE SYSTEM EXITS THE REGION... THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SNOW THURSDAY NIGHT.
ALTHOUGH THERE REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY ON THE TRACK... TIMING... AND SNOW AMOUNTS OF THIS SYSTEM... CONFIDENCE IS SLOWLY IMPROVING. THIS SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT ALL OF THE PANHANDLES. CURRENT SNOW TOTAL FORECASTS ARE FOR WIDESPREAD MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW TOTALS OF UP TO SEVERAL INCHES OVER MUCH OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES.
Under Pressure - ZZ Top
plenipotentiary
plenipotentiary \plen-uh-puh-TEN-shee-air-ee; -shuh-ree\
adjective;
1. Containing or conferring full power; invested with full power; as, "plenipotentiary license; plenipotentiary ministers."
noun:
1. A person invested with full power to transact any business; especially, an ambassador or diplomatic agent with full power to negotiate a treaty or to transact other business.
This isn't a word I normally use; I've always considered it a bit too much of a mouthful. I do remember some MSN Community/Group owners, myself included, who let their plenipotentiary powers go to their heads.
Seriously & Certainly Cirrus
You Are a Cirrus Cloud |
 You're a bit mysterious and reserved. You mostly keep to yourself and do your own thing. Some people may even consider you allusive. You're hard to track down at times. People who know you find you to be very transparent. It's always easy to tell what you're thinking about. You tend to drift more than most people. You're always trying out new ideas, friends, and even personalities. |
Bin Laden Found!
According to the Drudge Report, he must be in Australia.
(click for larger view)
UPDATE: Others noticed/commented, too
January 24, 2010
Baa-Con
Survey: Brits think bacon comes from sheep
LONDON, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- A survey of British youngsters suggests 26 percent of the country's under-16 population erroneously believe bacon comes from sheep. The survey of 800 children and adults, conducted for the Home Grown Cereals Authority and the National Farmers' Union, also suggests 29 percent of youngsters believe oats grow on trees and 17 percent of both children and adults are under the false impression that eggs are a necessary ingredient in bread, the Daily Mail reported Thursday. |  |
Found at Bits & Pieces where I not only stole their post, I nabbed their graphic and most of their headline, too. To my credit, I credit them.
I don't think this is much about the nationality of the survey, but rather the age of the children answering the question. England is a relatively small country and I'd bet most of the population lives in urban areas and really don't have a clue about farming in general. I'd bet a similar percentage of American kids wouldn't know either, and I bet a larger percentage of Americans wouldn't even know who Francis Bacon was. (or where he came from)
Shoot, I had a brother-in-law that thought macaroni grew on trees. (and that a winch on the back of my dad's truck could lift the tire off the ground in order to fix it)
I remember my momma sayin' she wanted a little black sheep. I always figgered I was a reasonable facsimile.
The World's Most Expensive Bath
Sorry, no photos because there's not a one of the bath on the website, but there's some flowery prose:
Arctic. White. Pure. Vacant. The water in this treatment is unique and expensive! Water that started its voyage over 15,000 years ago in the ancient glaciers of the polar ice cap is blended with desalinated 100% certified Hawaiian Deep Sea Water sourced 3,000 feet below the ocean surface off the coast of Kona, Hawaii. Surrender to perpetual clarity. Around you is nothing more than peaceful isolation. Beneath you is only the vapor of your thoughts. All that surrounds you is the comfort of your being. Your reservation to this private sanctuary lies ahead.
There's also a list of ingredients put into the bath; Sidr Honey, Peruvian Pink Salt, Illipe, Murumuru and Kokum Butter along with Israeli Jojoba Oil and 24-karat gold.
Retail prices starts at: $50,000.
I don't need all that for an enjoyable bath. 
What does the world really need?
A good five cent shower.
The World's Most Expensive Bath
January 23, 2010
Good Grief
I almost snapped my neck doing a double-take just now. I glanced down at the right-hand column and noticed the news feed
BUT, I had a smudge of something, a piece of lint or stray thread, just a tiny bit on the screen at the exact wrong spot and this is what I saw:
Like I said, Good Grief. It wasn't even really funny after I saw what the real article was about, but sometimes I like to try and get a laugh by pointing out just how much of a doofus I am.
Sleep Talkin' Man
This blog is usually several beats behind the latest internet meme or viral sensation, but we'll have to give ourselves props for being in on the very first postings of Sleep Talkin' Man.
The best description of the site comes from the blog owner:
"My mild mannered English husband Adam lives quite a colorful existence in his dreams. Having benefited from hours of delight at his dead-of-night musings, I thought it only fair to share them with the world."
She also adds this warning:
Some of the content on this page is not suitable for young eyes. Parents, shield your children!
The views expressed by Sleep Talkin' Man rarely reflect the attitudes/opinions of waking Adam. Especially the desire to exterminate all vegetarians. But he does hate lentils.
I would second the warning and admonish anyone who is offended by crude language to NOT CLICK the link! You've been warned, not once, but twice and will have no one else but yourself to blame if you get your panties in a wad over the site's postings.
My first thought was "This is fake." I'm still not convinced, but you can watch a video of the couple and make up your own mind.
Some of the funnier (G-rated) sleep talk:
"You can't be a pirate if you haven't got a beard. I said so. MY boat, MY rules."
"Your mum's at the door again. Bury me. Bury me deep."
"Don't... Don't put the noodles and the dumplings together in the boat. They'll fight! The noodles are bullies. Poor dumplings."
"I'm all blue with gravy spots. And I'm proud of it."
"Don't leave the duck there. It's totally irresponsible. Put it on the swing, it'll have much more fun."
"I demand compensation in cola bottles. Lots of fizzy cola bottles. In one lump sum."
"Don't eat the jelly! Don't eat the jelly! I made it with frog wee. It'll turn your teeth green... Like mini apples."
And, one of the best of the lot:
"No, not the cats. Don't trust them. Their eyes. Their eyes. They know too much."
I've been known to talk in my sleep and my ex used to say she wanted to record my own sleep talking. She told me I sometimes talked in a string of curse words and that, the best she could tell, was that I was cursing out people I worked with or worked for me. My dad also woke me up from a holiday nap on my folk's living room floor, saying I was cussin' like a sailor and that I also had my hands in my pants. -ahem-
Other than that last bit, I doubt any of my nocturnal mumblings would be as hilarious as those of
Sleep Talkin' Man
EDIT: I meant to point out the audio recordings available on the site. They're also selling t-shirts with some of the funnier quotes.
January 22, 2010
I Hope
A quick screenshot mashup of what's coming on TV tonight:
I hope they put it on enough channels.
Two Tails to Tell
Galaxy Cluster Has Two 'Tails' to Tell
Two spectacular tails of X-ray emission have been seen trailing behind a galaxy using the Chandra X-ray Observatory. A composite image of the galaxy cluster Abell 3627 shows X-rays from Chandra in blue, optical emission in yellow and emission from hydrogen light -- known to astronomers as 'H-alpha' -- in red. The optical and H-alpha data were obtained with the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope in Chile.
At the front of the tail is the galaxy ESO 137-001. The brighter of the two tails has been seen before and extends for about 260,000 light years. The detection of the second, fainter tail, however, was a surprise to the scientists.
The X-ray tails were created when cool gas from ESO 137-001 (with a temperature of about ten degrees above absolute zero) was stripped by hot gas (about 100 million degrees) as it travels towards the center of the galaxy cluster Abell 3627. What astronomers observe with Chandra is essentially the evaporation of the cold gas, which glows at a temperature of about 10 million degrees. Evidence of gas with temperatures between 100 and 1,000 degrees Kelvin in the tail was also found with the Spitzer Space Telescope.
Galaxy clusters are collections of hundreds or even thousands of galaxies held together by gravity that are enveloped in hot gas. The two-pronged tail in this system may have formed because gas has been stripped from the two major spiral arms in ESO 137-001. The stripping of gas is thought to have a significant effect on galaxy evolution, removing cold gas from the galaxy, shutting down the formation of new stars in the galaxy, and changing the appearance of inner spiral arms and bulges because of the effects of star formation.
Image Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/UVa/M. Sun et al; H-alpha/Optical: SOAR/MSU/NOAO/UNC/CNPq-Brazil/M.Sun et al.
Download image as wallpaper
Over My Eyes
You Are Wool |
 You are down to earth, practical, and no nonsense. You need a fabric that's durable and hearty. You don't mind if wool is itchy... at least it keeps you warm! And you're responsible enough to take care of wool properly. You aren't superficial or frivolous. You value substance over style and function over form. You are humble and thoughtful. You are happy with who you are, and you don't like vanity get the best of you. |
Winter Moon
This might strain this blog's "G" rating but darn it, it's funny.
A warning might be due for the music, too. Now I can't get that tune out of my head.
prevaricate
prevaricate \prih-VAIR-uh-kayt\ , intransitive verb;
1. To depart from or evade the truth; to speak with equivocation.
Already had done this word from a listing on my Excite start page
Obfuscate the Truth
Just to prove I don't prevaricate.
Not in this case, anyway.
January 21, 2010
In the Name of Obedience
When you think of the long and gloomy history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion.
- C. P. Snow
How NOT to Catch a Spider
If I saw a spider that size on my ceiling, I'd have used a shotgun to "catch" it.
January 20, 2010
Mission to Jupiter
From the NASA website:
With its suite of science instruments, Juno will investigate the existence of a solid planetary core, map Jupiter's intense magnetic field, measure the amount of water and ammonia in the deep atmosphere, and observe the planet's auroras.
Juno’s principal goal is to understand the origin and evolution of Jupiter. Underneath its dense cloud cover, Jupiter safeguards secrets to the fundamental processes and conditions that governed our solar system during its formation. As our primary example of a giant planet, Jupiter can also provide critical knowledge for understanding the planetary systems being discovered around other stars.
This artist's concept shows the Juno spacecraft in orbit around the planet Jupiter.
Download this image as wallpaper at: NASA's Image of the Day Gallery
lacuna
lacuna \luh-KYOO-nuh\ , noun;
plural lacunae \luh-KYOO-nee\ or lacunas
Lacuna is from the Latin lacuna, "a cavity, a hollow," from lacus, "a hollow."
1. A blank space; a missing part; a gap.
2. (Biology) A small opening, depression, or cavity in an anatomical structure.
Finally, a description for my condition.
January 19, 2010
I Ain't Lion
You Are a Giraffe |
 You are down to earth and realistic. You are able to see far off into the horizon. You bring a lot of perspective to other's lives. You are never too myopic. You are honest to a fault. You tend to tell it how it is, even if someone isn't ready to hear it. You are very down to earth and practical. You prioritize what matters in your life, and you don't waste your time. |
Africa - Toto
Shuttle Edutation
Regular visitors to this blog know I like to post the best of the NASA photos I get daily in my Google reader. Today's photo isn't a spectacular image of the shuttle taking off, nor is it a glorious photo of the universe from the Hubble telescope. No, it's a rather boring shot of a few astronauts watching a technician demonstrate the maintenance of space shuttle Endeavour's thermal protection system.
What I found amusing was the title of the post, and I got a screenshot of it in case NASA decides to change it:
I guess it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work on the NASA website.
UPDATE: Just noticed they've changed it.
perambulate
perambulate \puh-RAM-byuh-layt\ , intransitive verb;
1. To walk about; to roam; to stroll; as, "he perambulated in the park."
transitive verb:
1. To walk through or over.
2. To travel over for the purpose of surveying or inspecting.
Many people perambulate to this blog, never to return.
Also, when used as a transitive verb:
"The Vikings perambulated over the Cowboys."
January 17, 2010
Hermit Tendencies.
I never take these tests too seriously, but this one might have some validity.
You Are Agoraphobia |
 You are the fear of leaving your house. The outside world is overwhelming and even a bit terrifying for you. Your home is your sanctuary, and you don't feel truly comfortable in the outside world. You try to venture out as much as you can, but you definitely have hermit tendencies. |
January 16, 2010
A Blonde and Her Dogs
A girl was visiting her blonde friend, who had acquired two new dogs, and asked her what their names were.The blonde responded by saying that one was named Rolex and one was named Timex.
Her friend said, “Whoever heard of someone naming dogs like that?”
“HELLLOOOOOOO……,” answered the blond. “They’re watch dogs!”
via Bits & Pieces
January 15, 2010
The Cable Connector Quiz
Interesting quiz about cables. I did fairly well, I think.
The Cable Connector Quiz
January 14, 2010
January 13, 2010
Amazon Email Socks It To Me
I just got this email from Amazon concerning some seller feedback I left after buying some diabetic socks. The mail wasn't really from Amazon, but forwarded from Arrowson, the company that makes the socks.
Here's what they said:
Dear Customer,
We are writing to you in regards to your recent feedback. We feel that we offered you a very good deal even with the "increased price" and we did not deserve a poor rating for that. Please note: we are working extremely hard to provide our loyal customers with top quality products, best possible price, fast and FREE shipping. We would certainly appreciate positive feedback but we were shocked that you left us a poor rating. We take our customers satisfaction very seriously and your feedback really hurt us. We would offer to submit a partial refund in hopes that you would consider this matter resolved.
Please let us know if a partial refund will work for you or we could also arrange for a return for a full refund. We will be waiting to hear from you.
Sincerely
Arrowson
Most of the time, I let stuff like this just slide like water off a duck's back, but the email annoyed me. Here's my response:
Wow, you guys are touchy. Let's review what I said, keeping the drama* out of it.
"I put these items in my cart, then came back a couple of days later to find the price had increased by quite a bit. Don't like that. Other than that, the socks were good."
So, I objected to the 33% price increase, that was it. Did you miss the part where I said "other than that, the socks were good."?
Just now I went back to the listing to find you've increased your price yet again. (10% + ) Is that still "a very good deal"? I don't think so, not so much. I have to pay nearly twice that much for diabetic socks at WalMart, but they're twice as good, so....
When I first placed the order, I got a notice that I needed a few more dollars on the order total to get free shipping. That's why I didn't place the order that day, deciding I'd find something else to bump the total up over the minimum required for free shipping. Since I am not privy to the deal you and Amazon have concerning the shipping of your products, I was not aware you paid for the postage.
*drama: That's from you saying I gave you a "poor" rating and being "shocked" because of it. 3 stars of five isn't poor, you know. You got one star taken off for the price gouging and another because the socks weren't quite as good as I hoped. As I said, they were good, but not as good as other diabetic socks I have purchased in the past.
What I don't understand is that my review was from an Amazon survey, not on your product page and only Amazon, you and I know what it said. If you like, I will leave a public review , but with this warning: I will give you TWO stars this time and post your whiny email for all to see and I won't be quite as "glowing" with my praise.
No, I don't want a return/refund because I've already worn most of the pairs. I don't even want a partial refund because, after all, it's a caveat emptor merchandising world, isn't it? I'll know better next time, that's all.
I'm so sorry I "really hurt" you. -snicker-
Sincerely,
(me)
A word of warning to everyone: Don't mess with me 'n my socks.
Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
Today is the anniversary of the performance at San Quentin in 1968.
Short vid, but I didn't like the others, sorry.
January 12, 2010
Quote of the Day Year
Quote of the Day: "Now, let me get this straight.....We are going to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, to be signed by a president that also hasn't read it and who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes…all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's nearly broke. What could possibly go wrong?
~Anonymous
From today's 'The Gartman Letter' (subscription required)
January 11, 2010
WebSitePulse Test Tools
From the site:
The Web page test verifies the URL availability, downloads the complete HTML content, the images and all the other internal web page objects and measures the download speed of each of the components. The test results display DNS time, connect time, first and last byte times for each of the web page objects. Common use of the web page test is to verify the availability and response time of the page HTML contents, images and all other objects. This test is limited to the initial 30 page objects.
Yup, this is me
You Don't Need Structure in Your Life |
 In fact, you prefer life to be a little chaotic. Things get boring when they're predictable! You like to shake things up as much as possible. Routine makes you feel like you're trapped in your life. You hate rules, schedules, and plans. You feel like life is much better when you're able to be spontaneous. You've been known to purposely break a rule from time to time. It's fun to life on the edge! |
flagitious
flagitious\fluh-JISH-uhs\ , adjective;
1. Disgracefully or shamefully criminal; grossly wicked; scandalous; -- said of acts, crimes, etc.
2. Guilty of enormous crimes; corrupt; profligate; -- said of persons.
3. Characterized by enormous crimes or scandalous vices; as, "flagitious times."
The perfect word for these times and our Congress and Administration.
January 10, 2010
onus
onus \OH-nuhs\ , noun;
1. A burden; an obligation; a disagreeable necessity.
2. a: A stigma. b: Blame.
3. The burden of proof.
I've been an onus before; I've even had the onus put upon me. It's an unbearable burden, lemme tell ya, so I've decided to become just the opposite, an "offus".
Or maybe that's just "doofus."
January 9, 2010
Art Gallery Nudes
A couple goes to an art gallery. They find a picture of a naked women with only her privates covered with leaves. The wife doesn't like it and moves on but the husband keeps looking.
The wife asks, "What are you waiting for?"
The husband replies, "Autumn."
From Joke of the Day
January 8, 2010
Nic Cage as Everyone
Another of my favorite sites I subscribe to in my Google Reader.
Nic Cage as Everyone has a simple but brilliant premise, namely to put Cage's face on everyone's body. Granted, they haven't done everyone on Earth as of this writing, but most of the Photoshopped creations done so far are hilarious.
Here are a few of my recent favs:
Cage as Michael Jackson
as George Washington
With a nod to Cast Away:
Nic Cage as Everyone
I had been meaning to post about this blog for a while, but always managed to forget. My memory was jogged today when I noticed Cage was the Caricature of the Day .
January 7, 2010
Worst Way to Die?
From one of my favorite sites, Do I Have to Choose One?
Although the blog's posts are infrequent, the polls are almost always funny/thought provoking/horrifying. The latest poll:
Looking through the list, I would have to say that falling, drowning and suffocating would be my choices for my own demise. They're relatively quick, unlike dehydration, torture and disease. Burning would be fairly quick, but I sure don't want to go out that way, such horrible pain.
Being eaten alive got my vote; it immediately reminded me of the eaten by pigs scene in Hannibal. (believe it or not, it seemed more graphic in the book)
The Hippie & the Spice Rack
From Joke of the Day
With a screech of brakes, an ambulance pulls up at the local casualty ward and a hippie is wheeled out on a gurney. The doctor questions his long-haired colleagues.
''So what was he doing then?'' asks the physician. ''Acid? Cannabis?''
''Sort of,'' replies one of the hippies, nervously thumbing his caftan. ''But we ran out of gear, so I skinned up a homemade spliff.''
''And what was in that?'' asks the doctor.
''Um, I kind of raided my girlfriend's spice rack.'' says the hippie. ''There was a bit of cumin, some turmeric and a little paprika.''
''Well, that explains it,'' the doctor replies, looking at them gravely. '
'He is in a Korma.''
From Wiki:
Korma
Korma (sometimes spelt kormaa, qorma, kavurma, khorma, or kurma) is a dish originating in South Asia which can be made with yoghurt, cream, nut and seed pastes or coconut milk; it is usually considered a type of curry. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian kormas exist.
Y'know, it's always been said that a joke isn't funny if you have to explain it. I guess an online joke isn't funny if you have to Google it.
How to Gleek
From WikiHow, instructions on How to Gleek
This caught my eye because it seems to me to be a rare "talent"; my big sis can do it at will, and I can do it most of the time and quite often involuntarily when I yawn. Maybe it runs in families, I dunno but when I've done it for people it's almost always impressed them. To be honest, they were my friends and, like me, are easily amused.
Gleeking is the act of stimulating the saliva glands underneath your tongue into spitting a concentrated jet of pure saliva. Usually, it happens naturally when you yawn. It takes practice and concentration to gleek on purpose but these steps will help you learn how, so you can add it to your arsenal of body tricks.More at:
How to Gleek
flibbertigibbet
flibbertigibbet \FLIB-ur-tee-jib-it\ , noun;
1. A silly, flighty, or scatterbrained person, especially a pert young woman with such qualities.
I've known some flibbertigibbets in my time.
January 6, 2010
The Most Useless Machine EVER!
I want one.
Yep, I really want one of these; I followed the link and found these how-to-build instructions:
The Most Useless Machine EVER!
January 5, 2010
New Year, New Quiz
ToTG has started a new year and a new quiz!
We need more players, so please go register, sign in and play!
ToTG Trivia Tournament
Special Weather Statement for Gray, TX
Warning!
Issued by The National Weather Service
Amarillo, TX
3:39 pm CST, Mon., Jan. 4, 2010
... COLD AIR IS HEADED FOR THE PANHANDLES...
AN ARCTIC AIR MASS WILL BLAST ITS WAY THROUGH THE PANHANDLES ON WEDNESDAY. MUCH COLDER AIR WILL BE BROUGHT SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE REGION FROM CANADA WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
COLD TEMPERATURES ALONG WITH STRONG NORTH WINDS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING WILL RESULT IN BITTERLY COLD WIND CHILLS IN THE 5 TO NEAR 20 DEGREE BELOW ZERO RANGE. TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY REMAIN BELOW FREEZING FROM LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON TO SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
IN ADDITION... SOME LIGHT SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE PANHANDLES WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. A MINOR ACCUMULATION OF LESS THAN ONE INCH IS EXPECTED.
THE BITTER COLD AND STRONG WINDS CAN FREEZE EXPOSED FLESH IN A MATTER OF MINUTES... SO DRESS WARMLY. LAYERS OF PROTECTIVE CLOTHING ARE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN A SINGLE LAYER OF THICK CLOTHING.
And, it was in all-caps, so it must be serious.
January 2, 2010
New Year's Resolution Generator
Can't think of a New Year's resolution? Go to the New Year's Resolution Generator and get as many as you like!
I'm glad it gave me one I'll have no trouble keeping:
New Year's Resolution Generator
Who Are You ?
|
You Are Proud of Who You Are |
 You see yourself as a creative and expressive person. You're very artistic. You think other people see you as kind, gentle, and cooperative. You try to be helpful. You want to see yourself as independent and free wheeling. You'd like to do your own thing more often. You identify as a compassionate and accepting person. You pride yourself on being forgiving. |
Who Are You? (Live)- The Who
constitutional
constitutional \kon-stih-TOO-shuhn-uhl; -TYOO-\ , noun;
1. A walk taken for one's health.
Congress should take a long constitutional off a short pier.
Free Analog Web Clock
for your website or blog
Easily customizable; just set your time zone and favorite color. There's a shortcut to add to a Blogger blog and the specific coding is supplied for most of the popular social networking sites. A 24hr clock is also available.
Pampa |
I also use their time sync app. I hadn't run it in a while and checked my PC's clock just before midnight to make sure I had the correct time. I was off by 8 seconds!
I really shouldn't bother; the sounds of guns being fired in the air lets me know the new year has arrived.
