May 30, 2015
May 29, 2015
May 28, 2015
middling
Note: I haven't been doing many "Word of the Day" posts lately because the module quit working. I still get them via my reader, but to be honest, I haven't felt like doing them and they were much easier to do before Dictionary.com changed their website layout. Be that as it may, here's one that made me want to start them up again, or at least at the same pace as I did before...which is to say, only when I am not familiar with the word or think of something funny to say about it. It would be more of a "Word of the Every Now and Then" in the latter case.
middling adjective [mid-ling]
1. mediocre; ordinary; commonplace; pedestrian: The restaurant's entrées are no better than middling.
2. medium, moderate, or average in size, quantity, or quality: The returns on such a large investment may be only middling.
Middling reminds of of when I first got online and found the chat rooms. I thought they were really cool, having the ability to talk with people from all over the world. I popped in one day and was immediately greeted by several of the regulars. Here's a part of one conversation:
Some person: Hi, Mike! How have ya been?
Me: Oh, fair to middling.
Some person: LOL
Another person: Actually, it's not "middling".
Me: Oh? What's it supposed to be?
Same another person: It's MIDLAND, like the town in Texas.
The conversation went on for a good bit, me telling the other person that it was "middling", just like the definition - mediocre, ordinary. The other person said it was an old saying by pilots trained in Texas during WWII; they would ask on the radio how the weather was and the base would come back "Fair to Midland."
Sheesh. Would they say that if there was a thunderstorm there? Good grief.
middling adjective [mid-ling]
1. mediocre; ordinary; commonplace; pedestrian: The restaurant's entrées are no better than middling.
2. medium, moderate, or average in size, quantity, or quality: The returns on such a large investment may be only middling.
Middling reminds of of when I first got online and found the chat rooms. I thought they were really cool, having the ability to talk with people from all over the world. I popped in one day and was immediately greeted by several of the regulars. Here's a part of one conversation:
Some person: Hi, Mike! How have ya been?
Me: Oh, fair to middling.
Some person: LOL
Another person: Actually, it's not "middling".
Me: Oh? What's it supposed to be?
Same another person: It's MIDLAND, like the town in Texas.
The conversation went on for a good bit, me telling the other person that it was "middling", just like the definition - mediocre, ordinary. The other person said it was an old saying by pilots trained in Texas during WWII; they would ask on the radio how the weather was and the base would come back "Fair to Midland."
Sheesh. Would they say that if there was a thunderstorm there? Good grief.
Star-Studded Cast
I was searching for a place to catch up on past episodes of Mythbusters when I found a site that had this as the latest listing:
I'm gonna make sure I don't miss this show! Although I never watched The X-Files, I'm a big fan of Gillian Anderson and several of the things she's done since that. Johnny Depp? Ehhh - I've liked a few of his movies,but he's not my favorite actor by any means. He's probably more concerned about not going to jail in Australia than anything else right now. I'm really anxious to see what part Paul Newman has to play in this reality program...seeing as how he died over six years ago.
May 26, 2015
May 25, 2015
Remember Them Every Day
"The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten."
- Calvin Coolidge
May 23, 2015
May 22, 2015
May 21, 2015
Vote for Me! (or I'll kill you)
Saddam Hussein once used Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" as a campaign theme song. Originally written and recorded by Dolly Parton and later covered by Houston, it's doubtful that Hussein paid anything for the rights to use the tune.
Image courtesy of
Image courtesy of
May 20, 2015
What Country's Dessert Are You?
| You Are an Apple Strudel |
 You are a steady and stable person. You stick to what you know and love. You focus more on quality and simplicity than adventure. You like your life just fine as it is. And while you may be slow to change, you are open minded. You are too easygoing to be picky. You are a compassionate and forgiving person. You are easy on everyone, and you are especially easy on yourself. |
May 19, 2015
Green Acres Trivia
Green Acres was the first television show where the characters sang the theme song...beating the Monkees by one year.
May 18, 2015
May 17, 2015
Your Team Cheats
From the website: So you think there's only one NFL team that cheats? You're wrong. All 32 NFL teams cheat. Yup, even your favorite team is a dirty cheater, but since they are not that good, nobody really cares.
The Cowboys have a score of "20", below the league average and my own bias aside, some of the charges are legitimate but picayune, particularly the "salarycapgate" where the 'Boys were penalized by the league for front loading contracts during the 2010 uncapped season. The problem with that is the contracts were sent to the league office and approved by them.
The "PEDSgate" is laughable, citing an offensive lineman from 1990 - who was out of the league a year later, the QB coach Wade Wilson, who has diabetes and took a drug in '07 to "enhance his quality of life" and the most recent case from 2014, Orlando Scandrick, who tested positive for MDMA, aka Molly/Ecstasy - obviously not taken to enhance performance, but to get high...not that that is an excuse. Most of the rest are laughable.
The Cowboys have a score of "20", below the league average and my own bias aside, some of the charges are legitimate but picayune, particularly the "salarycapgate" where the 'Boys were penalized by the league for front loading contracts during the 2010 uncapped season. The problem with that is the contracts were sent to the league office and approved by them.
The "PEDSgate" is laughable, citing an offensive lineman from 1990 - who was out of the league a year later, the QB coach Wade Wilson, who has diabetes and took a drug in '07 to "enhance his quality of life" and the most recent case from 2014, Orlando Scandrick, who tested positive for MDMA, aka Molly/Ecstasy - obviously not taken to enhance performance, but to get high...not that that is an excuse. Most of the rest are laughable.
May 16, 2015
The End Is Nigh
Ultimate Apocalyptic Mashup
I recognize quite a few of the movies in this mashup but not all. Surprising, since post-apocalyptic sci-fi is my favorite theme in both movies and books.
I recognize quite a few of the movies in this mashup but not all. Surprising, since post-apocalyptic sci-fi is my favorite theme in both movies and books.
May 15, 2015
May 14, 2015
May 13, 2015
What Energizes You?
| Flexibility Energizes You |
 You see the world as a place full of opportunities and promise. You love to keep your options open. You aren't the type of person who needs a plan. In fact, too much scheduling can weigh your energy down. You need as much freedom as possible, and you won't squander it. You put your time and energy to good use. You don't have expectations about the future, and you are always ready to change course. You try to leave space for new experiences and adventures. |
I'd say this quiz is one of the most spot-on of any I've ever taken. I really don't like schedules and love my freedom, although most of the time I don't put my time and energy to good use. I certainly don't have expectations about the future, that's for sure.
Yes, flexibility usually energizes me, but there was that time when I dated that nymphomaniac gymnast....
May 12, 2015
EGOT
A "bump" from Oct. 16, 2012
Did you know? EGOT: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony - winning all four is called the "Grand Slam of show business". (EGOT is sometimes known as "GATE", the "A" for Academy)
Eleven people have won all four major annual American entertainment awards - List - but there are only two who have won those four awards as well as the Pulitzer: Richard Rodgers and Marvin Hamlisch.
The reason I "bumped" this post was because I was reminded of it just now after hearing some idjit sports talk hosts talking about famous birthdays and mentioning that today was Katharine Hepburn's birthday and adding a not-funny crack about her being dead. Sheesh. Topping off that not-funny remark was one of the hosts saying her daughter was Audrey Hepburn. What? It made me go look to see if it was true - it wasn't. Dumb bastards.(and I'm a dumb one for having to go look)
Anyway, I remembered this post when I saw that Audrey Hepburn was a member of the elite EGOT club. (although how elite it is comes into question when Whoopie Goldburg is also in the club) Glancing through the list I had read when I first posted this, I saw that Philip Michael Thomas was credited with coining the acronym. To be honest, the name was familiar when I read it, but off the top of my head I couldn't have told anyone what he had done. I remembered when I saw he had starred in Miami Vice. I've never been much of a fan of cop shows (hasn't the buddy cop thing been done to death?) and I can't remember ever watching a single full episode of that show, so that was the reason I couldn't remember Thomas.
Did you know? EGOT: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony - winning all four is called the "Grand Slam of show business". (EGOT is sometimes known as "GATE", the "A" for Academy)
Eleven people have won all four major annual American entertainment awards - List - but there are only two who have won those four awards as well as the Pulitzer: Richard Rodgers and Marvin Hamlisch.
The reason I "bumped" this post was because I was reminded of it just now after hearing some idjit sports talk hosts talking about famous birthdays and mentioning that today was Katharine Hepburn's birthday and adding a not-funny crack about her being dead. Sheesh. Topping off that not-funny remark was one of the hosts saying her daughter was Audrey Hepburn. What? It made me go look to see if it was true - it wasn't. Dumb bastards.(and I'm a dumb one for having to go look)
Anyway, I remembered this post when I saw that Audrey Hepburn was a member of the elite EGOT club. (although how elite it is comes into question when Whoopie Goldburg is also in the club) Glancing through the list I had read when I first posted this, I saw that Philip Michael Thomas was credited with coining the acronym. To be honest, the name was familiar when I read it, but off the top of my head I couldn't have told anyone what he had done. I remembered when I saw he had starred in Miami Vice. I've never been much of a fan of cop shows (hasn't the buddy cop thing been done to death?) and I can't remember ever watching a single full episode of that show, so that was the reason I couldn't remember Thomas.
May 11, 2015
Largest Pyramid in the World
The world's largest pyramid is not in Egypt; it's the Great Pyramid of Cholula in Cholula de Rivadabia near Mexico City.
May 10, 2015
May 9, 2015
Elephant Cam
From the website: Visit a regularly frequented waterhole and the open plains of Africa with live streaming webcam views. Situated in the busiest elephant corridor that joins the Chobe National Park and the Hwange National Park, Camp Kuzuma is a private and exclusive safari lodge situated in the pristine Kazuma Forest reserve in the Chobe region of Botswana. Visitors will have the chance to see an abundance of wildlife, including elephants and lions.
Unlike most cams, it has a microphone and even if there's no large animals getting a drink, it's cool to listen to the birds and the wind blowing. I've never seen any lions around the waterhole, and usually there's not much going on, but this was the scene a few hours ago:
Actually, just before I decided to post this, I checked back in and it's pretty much still the same scene, although the elephants have moved a few feet to the left. Yes,I say "elephants" because behind the one elephant is another, smaller one - the baby of the larger elephant, I reckon.
This was the view earlier this a.m.
If you're disappointed in not being able to see the baby, don't feel lonely; I watched the cam for an hour earlier and only got small glimpses of it, mostly its trunk.
Here's some consolation:
Baby Elephant Walk - Henry Mancini
Camp Kazuma Cam
The Hay Pusher
I'm not sure where this is, but I believe it's in one of the Scandinavian countries. Where ever it is, I've watched it several times over the course of the last year or so when I first found the video. Such a lovely young lady...and I can sit and watch somebody work for hours! -grin-
May 8, 2015
Sit Down
Take a load off.
| You Are a Country Chair |
 You are down to earth and very practical. You like things that last, and you always look for craftsmanship. Some may call you old fashioned, and it's true that many of your favorite things come from deep in the past. You like to slow down and live life right. You believe that mistakes get made when we rush. You believe that most things in life are a waste of time. You focus your attention on what truly matters. |
May 7, 2015
Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
In the early morning hours of May 7, 1965, in a Clearwater, Florida motel room, a bleary-eyed Keith Richards awoke, grabbed a tape recorder and laid down one of the greatest hooks of all time: the opening of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Just three days later, the Stones took the song into the Chess studios in Chicago and completed it on May 12 after a flight to L.A. and an eighteen-hour recording session at RCA.
40 yrs. later, the song is ranked near the top of many greatest rock hits lists. Rolling Stone (which ranks it #2 on their list of "500 Greatest Songs of All Time") wrote this about the song: "That spark in the night...was the crossroads: the point at which the rickety jump and puppy love of early rock and roll became rock."
A performance in 1965, one of the earliest known recordings of a Stones live concert.
40 yrs. later, the song is ranked near the top of many greatest rock hits lists. Rolling Stone (which ranks it #2 on their list of "500 Greatest Songs of All Time") wrote this about the song: "That spark in the night...was the crossroads: the point at which the rickety jump and puppy love of early rock and roll became rock."
A performance in 1965, one of the earliest known recordings of a Stones live concert.
Glastonberry 2013
Titanic Sums of Money
It cost 7 million dollars to build the Titanic and 200 million to make a film about it.
There have been several Titanic-related posts in this blog.
Some movie trivia: Two For One, None For All
A funny video with lines from the movie: Titanic: Rose vs Jack
A quiz: More Than One Thing In Common
And a rant (and I re-used the graphic on this post): A Titanic Gripe
There have been several Titanic-related posts in this blog.
Some movie trivia: Two For One, None For All
A funny video with lines from the movie: Titanic: Rose vs Jack
A quiz: More Than One Thing In Common
And a rant (and I re-used the graphic on this post): A Titanic Gripe
May 6, 2015
I.Q. Trivia
From the 
archives:
archives:
International IQ charts place Hong Kong at the top of the IQ world with citizens averaging 107. South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan and Singapore follow. The US ranks 18th.
The average IQ in America is 98. New Hampshire residents have the highest IQs, averaging 104, followed by Oregon and Massachusetts at 103. The lower figures reside in Mississippi and South Carolina, where the average IQ is 94.
Experts have been able to compile a list of causes of mental retardation (from "mild" at IQs between 50 and 70 to "profound" at 20 or below) but are still largely uncertain about specific causes of genius. Research has shown that US children gain about 3.5 IQ points during each year they are in school.
According to a 2007 study, orangutans are the most intelligent non-human primate, followed by chimpanzees, spider monkeys, langurs, and macaques. Chimpanzees, parrots, and dolphins typically have IQs between 35 and 49. In a human, these numbers would suggest moderate retardation.
Some studies show that children who are breastfed have IQs of up to 10 points higher by age 3 than children restricted to bottles.
According to a Danish study, people with lower IQs are at greater risk of sustaining a concussion.
0.1% of the world's population has an IQ of 145 or above, the level required to be deemed profoundly gifted.
Asia Carrera, star of over 250 hardcore adult movies, has an IQ of 156. Before her successful porn career, she played piano at Carnegie Hall and attended Rutgers University.
The average IQ in America is 98. New Hampshire residents have the highest IQs, averaging 104, followed by Oregon and Massachusetts at 103. The lower figures reside in Mississippi and South Carolina, where the average IQ is 94.
Experts have been able to compile a list of causes of mental retardation (from "mild" at IQs between 50 and 70 to "profound" at 20 or below) but are still largely uncertain about specific causes of genius. Research has shown that US children gain about 3.5 IQ points during each year they are in school.
According to a 2007 study, orangutans are the most intelligent non-human primate, followed by chimpanzees, spider monkeys, langurs, and macaques. Chimpanzees, parrots, and dolphins typically have IQs between 35 and 49. In a human, these numbers would suggest moderate retardation.
Some studies show that children who are breastfed have IQs of up to 10 points higher by age 3 than children restricted to bottles.
According to a Danish study, people with lower IQs are at greater risk of sustaining a concussion.
0.1% of the world's population has an IQ of 145 or above, the level required to be deemed profoundly gifted.
Asia Carrera, star of over 250 hardcore adult movies, has an IQ of 156. Before her successful porn career, she played piano at Carnegie Hall and attended Rutgers University.
May 4, 2015
Cricket Thermometer
You can determine the outside temperature by cricket chirps. For Fahrenheit, count the number of times a cricket chirps in precisely 15 seconds and then add 37. To get the temperature in degrees Celsius, count the number of chirps in 25 seconds, divide by 3, and then add 4.
May 2, 2015
Story of My Life - One Direction
I know people like to hate on One Direction - because they're a "boy band" or it's pop or for any number of reasons. I don't own any of their albums, but I do like this song and especially this video.
May 1, 2015
Orange You Glad?
I post all these quizzes instead of substantial content?
There's probably some truth to these results; I do love oranges and try to keep some at hand all the time, especially the ones grown here in Texas. OTOH, I could probably be any of the other results: grapefuit, lemon or lime...mainly because I like them too, but maybe not because they'd match my personality.
I'm not sure about some of the other results - I think I'm an "easy, breezy kind of person" and I try to be happy. At times I'm full of self-loathing and I KNOW "others love you as well" isn't always true. I do think I'm unpretentious and the world often "delights" me but disappoints me far too often. I honestly don't like conflict, but there are times when I don't feel like smoothing over disagreements.
| You Are an Orange |
 You are an easy, breezy kind of person. You are truly happy in this world. You are genuine about who you are, flaws and all. You love yourself, and others love you as well. You are unpretentious and delighted with the world. You are never afraid to enjoy yourself and let loose a little. You don't really like conflict, and you try to smooth over disagreements. You prefer to get back to having fun! |
There's probably some truth to these results; I do love oranges and try to keep some at hand all the time, especially the ones grown here in Texas. OTOH, I could probably be any of the other results: grapefuit, lemon or lime...mainly because I like them too, but maybe not because they'd match my personality.
I'm not sure about some of the other results - I think I'm an "easy, breezy kind of person" and I try to be happy. At times I'm full of self-loathing and I KNOW "others love you as well" isn't always true. I do think I'm unpretentious and the world often "delights" me but disappoints me far too often. I honestly don't like conflict, but there are times when I don't feel like smoothing over disagreements.
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