contrail

contrail con·trail [kon-treyl] noun

a visible condensation of water droplets or ice crystals from the atmosphere, occurring in the wake of an aircraft, rocket, or missile under certain conditions.

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That's what it means to most people, but it means something else to "certain"other people.

Line Of Fire - Junip

One of the songs featured in the last episode of Breaking Bad.

Goodbye

To the best - IMHO - television show ever. I'll write more about it in a few days...after I go through withdrawal.

Undun - The Guess Who

Hector's Bell

If you're a fan of the AMC show Breaking Bad, you'll find this funny. If you've never seen it...well, you've missed out on an excellent show.

Click the bell to make it ring; click it several times and you'll be treated to a video of the scene in "Face Off", the last show of the fourth season of the award-winning series.

WARNING:  Spoilers and certainly not for the squeamish!

Hector's Bell

No-Brainer Results

You Are a Right Brained Learner

You are a great learner, but you definitely learn on your own terms. You need to be able to do things the way you want to. You aren't the type to sit down and read a textbook cover to cover. Instead, you learn in fits and spurts. Your learning is random. If you are motivated by interest in a subject, then you learn better than almost anyone else. But if you're bored, forget it. You need to figure out a way to make every subject interesting and relevant to you. And by doing so, you learn very creatively and intuitively.

Are You a Right Brained or Left Brained Learner?

Archetypes

Archetypes is an interesting new* concept in social networking.

An archetype, according to the website, “is a pattern of behavior. It explains who you are and how you engage with the world around you.” The archetypes listed on their website are Creative, Athlete, Rebel, Caregiver, Visionary, Queen/Executive, Spiritual, Fashionista, Advocate, and Intellectual.

Discover an entire universe tailored specifically to your unique blend of archetypes. You'll be able to find new things, make new friends, find old friends and share all the things you love.

From The Concept page: Once you know your archetypes, the world becomes much easier to navigate. Based on your archetypes, you can make more inspired choices about everything from relationships to excelling at work to choosing a piece of clothing. Through the prism of those archetypes, the world is clearer. You can live a truly empowered life knowing which doors you should walk through and which are best left unopened. Knowing your archetypes gives you the vocabulary to help you understand yourself and others better.

*I'm not for sure when the site came into being; if one of the archetypes was "procrastination", then that would fit me because the date on the saved URL was back in early February of this year and I just never got around to working up this post.  Here are my results from the quiz, but I bet if I took it again, it would be different - almost every quiz I take and then re-take is that way.

Archetypes

Tail Spins

Staggering Beauty

WARNING: Flashing Images (That's what the site says, but it bears repeating. I'm not sure if any epileptics visit this blog, but I sure wouldn't want anyone to suffer a seizure from one of my time wasters posts)

"Staggering Beauty" isn't the name I would give to this time waster, but I didn't make it, so.... The page appears to have been created in Asia, so maybe "Staggering Beauty" means something altogether different than it does in the West. Here's what you see when you enter the page:

I know what you're thinking, and I did too, only I'd have added "blinking" to the description. (because the "thing's" eyes blink every now and then) Move your cursor and the "thing" sways with it, sort of like a cobra in a basket. Ahem.  After a little while, a message will appear "Shake vigorously".  Ahem, again.  Move your cursor rapidly and the magic happens. (another "ahem" here would be overkill)

That's about it.  Check it out for yourself.

Staggering Beauty

10 Incredible Facts About The Moon

My Autumn Sense

This was a fun quiz to take, but also a little difficult because I could have chosen not only the answer I eventually did, but one or two others as well. I don't really associate too many sounds with fall except for the roar of the crowd and the band and loudspeaker noise from the nearby h.s. football stadium on autumn Friday nights.  If there had been a question about the sound of geese and cranes migrating back south to their winter grounds, it might have swayed it to sense of sound. That sound always makes me a little melancholy, knowing that winter isn't too far behind the high-flying migratory fowl...and wishing I could fly south with them. (although I'd have to take Southwest Airlines!) 

The results are probably correct for me, though, because I most associate Halloween and Thanksgiving with eating...even though these days I don't eat anything special on those holidays as I used to do, especially when my mom was alive.  Now it's just a few dollar store marked down candy bars the day after Halloween and a turkey and dressing TV dinner while I watch the football games on Thanksgiving.

And that's another thing that made it a little difficult for me. My mom passed away nine yrs. ago this week. -sigh-  I don't think a day has gone by that I haven't thought of her at least once.

Your Autumn Sense is Taste

It's pretty simple... you love fall because it's the most delicious time of the year. From Halloween candy to Thanksgiving leftovers, there's always a culinary treat right around the corner for you. You also enjoy the smaller seasonal foods of fall - a pumpkin latte, apple crisp, or butternut squash soup. You wait all year for your fall food favorites to return, and you're going to savor every single one of them!

What's Your Autumn Sense?

First Name Basis

The first names of Mammy and Pappy Yokum (from the classic comic strip Li'l Abner) were Pansy and Lucifer.

Palisades Park - Freddy Cannon

I was watching Confessions of a Dangerous Mind last night and this song was included in the movie because it's a (supposed) autobiography of Chuck Barris, the man who wrote the tune. Even if half the things in the movie weren't true, he still led an interesting life. He was accused of lowering the quality of television and while I wouldn't argue that either way, you you can't really blame him for the schlock that's on the tube these days.

Several of his game shows were huge hits, The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game being two of them, but he was probably best known for The Gong Show.



Well, maybe he didn't any GOOD for the quality of TV....Maybe he DOES share some blame for the schlock that's on these days.

Creepy Box Spiders

This page didn't have a title, so I didn't know what to call this time waster, but the first thing that came to mind was "Creepy Box Spiders".

Nothing to do, not really.  As soon as the page opens, the creepy box spiders start crawling on the screen.  Put your cursor on it, and they start to home in on it.  Move it around and they'll follow. Stop, and they'll all eventually make it there and crawl all over it.

Like I said, creepy, but there are some shorter legged boxes that are "almost" cute.  Almost.  There's at least one box with hardly any legs at all and it can barely move and you can almost feel sorry for it.  Almost.

There's no annoying music, no colors, no adjustable parameters, no goal or payoff...just those creepy box spiders.

Creepy Box Spiders

humdinger

humdinger hum·ding·er [huhm-ding-er]
noun Informal
a person, thing, action, or statement of remarkable excellence or effect

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This is a word that's pretty much fallen out of disuse in my lifetime. I remember it being used to describe all sorts of things: "This is one humdinger of a party/game/car/etc." After seeing it in this blog's Word of the Day module, I decided to Google it and see if it had any other modern definitions.

Oh boy, has it.  I won't link to the most obscene ones, but what was most insulting was the word being described as being "used only by dumb yokels and rednecks".   Oh well, I won't rant about how stupid people are for saying things like that.   I remember using "humdinger" to describe something, but I am also prone to say "Gee whiz." or "Aw, shucks."  I guess that probably makes ME a yokel and redneck.  That's OK, I could probably spot that person a dozen IQ points and still beat them by that many or more.

Looking up other definitions, I saw where Humdinger IS still being used!  I'd like to try that beer, sounds like it would taste great to a redneck like me.

I Won't Get Fooled Again

Well, maybe....

You Are Not Easily Fooled

You may have been fooled in the past, but you won't get fooled again. You're wise to the ways of the world. If something seems fishy, you stay far away from it. And if you're not sure, you investigate. You know how to protect yourself. You know how to cut through the crap and see what someone's truly about. You may come off as skeptical and doubting, but you've found that your skepticism is often warranted.

Are You Easily Fooled?

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fleer

fleer [fleer]

verb (used without object)

1. to grin or laugh coarsely or mockingly.

verb (used with object)

2. to mock or deride.

noun

3. a fleering look; a jeer or gibe.

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I never heard the word used in that context; in fact, when I first saw it in the Word of the Day module, I first thought of the Fleer company bubblegum Dubble Bubble.  It was always fun to fleer when someone was blowing a huge bubble with their gum and it burst on their face.

Cat Loves Baby

Well, not really...the cat is probably trying to get the baby to pet it or more likely, is marking the child with its scent, "claiming" it. Whatever, it's still an "Aww" video, huh?

Thisissand

Thisissand changes the pixels on your screen into sand.

(as you can see, I was lazy in creating something colorful to use in this post...just don't have a lot of time to waste today, unusual for me!)

How-to: (access directions by clicking the three-bar square at top left of screen)

1. Press or doubleclick to drop sand
2. Press C on the keyboard to access Color Palette and choose a color (or gradient by dragging between colors)
3. Browse between the colors chosen in Color Palette by pressing left/right arrow keys (first available color is randomized)

There's a feature to capture a screenshot after you're done or you can clear the piece and start over.  There's also a button to mute the sound.

There are also apps available for download on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Thisissand

Kicks - Paul Revere & The Raiders

Like the Underside of a Pillow

You Are Cool

You have an enviable detachment from the world. You are happy to be a lone wolf, doing things your own way. You are independent, but you are in no way a weirdo. You have an inventive streak, and people admire your originality. You are very opinionated - you know what you like and dislike without being emotional about it. You are a rebel and a loner, but that doesn't mean you are always alone. You are a surprisingly good friend, and a loyal one too.

The Optical Art Test

Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!

dissilient

dissilient dis·sil·i·ent [dih-sil-ee-uhnt] adjective

bursting apart; bursting open.

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I wasn't familiar with this word, but after reading the definition, the "chest-bursting" scene in the 1979 movie Alien came to mind:

Mirror Mirror - Simon's Cat

Ivy League

Did you know seven of the eight "Ivy League" schools were founded before the American Revolution?  They are: Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale.  The only one founded after the Revolution was Cornell University, in 1865.

Lines go all over the place

Lines certainly do go all over the place with this time waster.

The lines start going all over the place when you open the page, but then they'll follow your cursor...all over the place. You can change a few variables, such as fade, color and number of lines and the files are available for download so you can waste time offline on your computer if you like.

While it's not the best time waster we've featured, it's not the worst, but I've seen better scribblings with crayons on a white wall done by a three year old.

Lines go all over the place

Big Cats Make Bad Pets

From another of my favorite YouTube channels:

10 Reasons Why Big Cats Make Bad Pets

I'm No Luddite

You Are Decades Behind the Times

You probably know that you're stuck in the past. And you're not ashamed to admit it. You consider yourself old school, and maybe even a bit of a luddite. You believe the best things don't change, so why concern yourself with the "latest and greatest"? You may be shocked how things have improved. Try and give the present a chance!

How Outdated Are You?

Sometimes these quizzes are a little insulting; first of all, I am certainly no Luddite.(I'd have a robot maid if they made one) I sometimes resist change, but it's almost always "change for change's sake" I dislike. If something works well, I see no reason to do away with it just because the newest model comes out.  It's darn annoying to invest in - as an example - VCR tapes, then DVDs and then Blue-ray and then....???  Sometimes the change is NOT for the better. (Windows ME, for one - the new features were great, the stability sucked)

The test also insulted me with the results b/c I don't have a cell phone.  I seldom travel and don't get many calls on my land line, so there's no need to shell out the bucks for something I wouldn't use.  I hardly ever call on my phone except for tech support or to order a pizza (and lately I've been ordering online - the only way to be more modern with that would be to use mental telepathy to order a beef and mushroom pie)

Also, the test discriminated against me because of my music choices.  I like *some* of the music that's out now, but I prefer the music of my youth and honestly think it was better.  Considering the sold-out crowds at some of these "geriatric" rock band concerts, I'm not the only one who thinks that way.   My favorite music invokes memories of a happier and carefree time, of being young and in love, without the aches and pains of old age. 

Best of Just For Laughs Gags

From one of my favorite YouTube channels:

Koalas to the Max

The title of the page says "Koalas to the Max dot Com".  That's the secret to this time waster.

When the page opens up, you'll see one big brown ball...that's it.  Run your cursor over it and it immediately splits into four.  Run your cursor over any of the four and IT splits into four.  It doesn't take long to get to this point:

Keep going until the dots are nearly too small to see and you'll see why it's called "Koalas to the Max". It's really pretty cool.  What's even MORE cool is the "prize" you get when you do every single ball.  It's almost maddening because you have to cursor over EVERY one of them, but then it lets you create your own puzzle. 

I won't say anymore because I don't want to ruin the surprise.

Koalas to the Max

Happy Grandparents Day!

Did you know the average age of a first-time grandparent in the U.S. is 47?

The Guitar Test

You Are Free Spirited

You are a wanderer and a traveler.  Nothing makes you feel more alive than being out on the open road. You never can predict where your life is going next, and you're cool with that. You like a life of experiences. If you were a musician, you would have a deep repertoire to draw from. You could play live for hours at a time. And it's likely that the songs you liked best would be the ones you wrote on the road. Performing would inspire you. You rock because you have a spirit of openness and excitement in all aspects of your life. You don't approach anything with negativity. If something doesn't work out, oh well! It's just another adventure for you to look back on one day.

The Guitar Test

Musopen

 

From the website:

Set Music Free!

Musopen (www.musopen.org) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit focused on improving access and exposure to music by creating free resources and educational materials. We provide recordings, sheet music, and textbooks to the public for free, without copyright restrictions. Put simply, our mission is to set music free.

Musopen

Silk

Silk - Interactive Generative Art

After a few duds in the Time Wasters category, Silk is one that might very well be the most entertaining so far.

Easy enough to do; click on the screen and hold your cursor down to start drawing, all to the accompaniment of some "trippy" music.  The music fits, though, because Silk is trippy in itself.  Click on the Controls button (it's the blue dot) to change the colors or the mirror and spiral features. Use the slider control bar to change the rotational symmetry.

Don't like what you've drawn? Click the "Undo" button to start anew.  There's a feature to save your artwork if you wish.  They also have an app available for d/l to use on your iPad + Phone.

Look what I drew in just a few seconds - looks like some weird alien skull with butterfly wings.

Silk

PrintFriendly

Make any web page print friendly all while saving money and the environment!

From the website:

PrintFriendly cleans and formats web pages for perfect print experience. PrintFriendly removes Ads, Navigation and web page junk, so you save paper and ink when you print. It's free and easy to use. Perfect to use at home, the office, or whenever you need to print a web page.

PrintFriendly has been one of the best bookmarklets I've ever found. I use it nearly every day saving recipes, although I'm sure it would be useful for saving other pages to print, too. It's saved me a lot of space on my hard drive by not having to save the entire page along with an associated folder full of javascript, stylesheet and image files as well as saving time and effort by not having to save the text of the recipe to a Notepad document, then saving the photograph of the dish. (and sometimes triggering one of those "no-right click" scripts)

PrintFriendly is extremely easy to learn how to use and with one click you can delete any text, banner ads, comments or anything else you don't want to put into your PDF. You can print it right then and there, email the file or save the PDF to print later. They also offer a button for your website or blog and recently have begun offering an "Email This Page" button to put on your website.

Print Friendly

serotinal

serotinal se·rot·i·nal [si-rot-n-l, ser-uh-tahyn-l]

adjective

pertaining to or occurring in late summer.

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I wasn't familiar with this word, but this is my favorite time of year; the days are still warm, yet the nights are getting cooler. Baseball is winding down and the pennant races are starting to sort out and each win or loss is very important. Football is starting and optimism for your favorite team's chances is (usually)in abundance. Lawns have to be mowed less, the kids in the neighborhood are in school during the day and (hopefully) in their houses doing their homework in the evenings. The worst thing about late summer is that it's not but a few months until cold, dark winter.

10 Staggering Alcohol Facts

POGS Personality Test

Not to be confused with "PAWGS"...but you'll have to look that up on your own, I won't link to the definition OR any images...especially images. It would not only stretch the "G" rating of this blog, it would rip it to shreds.

You Are Powerful

You naturally take a dominant role in life.  You take charge of situations, get things done, and make things happen. You get impatient when things aren't moving along quickly. You value your time, and you don't like for it to be wasted. You question the status quo, and you don't agree with people just to make things easy. You have no problem stating your opinion. You love a good challenge, even (especially) if there's a good chance you'll fail. It's better than being stuck in a rut. You can thrive in any environment, and you've been known to switch things up just for the heck of it. You can be productive anywhere and with anyone. You can lead a group, but you prefer to work on your own or with a few people you trust. You don't deal well with dead weight of any kind.

The POGS Personality Test

Spider

There's not a lot to Spider; at first, it looks like it's only a tiny spider on the screen, its movement controlled by your cursor, but when you DO move it, a "dog" (I guess it's a dog - looks like a bird's head on a dog's body to me) comes out and follows the spider around the screen.  Stop, and the dog? peers at it intently. Click the spider and it will jump up and if the dog is near enough to it, it will jump up as well, startled.

Ehhh....it's OK, better than some of the time wasters I've posted lately but not nearly as good as others.   The thing that would make it better would be if the dog ATE the spider like most would in real life.

Spider

First Labor Day

In 1887, Oregon was the first state in the U.S. to establish Labor Day as a legal holiday, followed that same year by Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.  Congress made Labor Day a legal national holiday seven years later.

Unicycle Football