Passion Purpura

Passion purpura - the medical term for a hickey.

Ever played that "either/or" game when you were a kid?  "Would you rather be blind or crippled?" or things like that.   I remember this one:

"Which is worse?  Going to kiss your grandma and she slips you the tongue...or a hickey on a hemorrhoid?"

The Oracle of Bacon

The Oracle of Bacon, one of my long-time favorite sites.

The object of the game is simple:  find the shortest route, via movies, from any actor to Kevin Bacon using other actors who were fellow cast mates in a particular movie, creating a chain of mutual movies.  For example, just the other day I saw a movie with the lovely actress Teri Polo in it.  I entered her name (spelling it wrong, but the site will offer up choices of actors if there's any doubt) and found that there were only two movies and one mutual fellow cast mate between Polo and Bacon:

The site uses the database of another of my favorite sites, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB)  The results are cached on their server, so any new queries will appear quickly.  There's also a couple of other interesting features of the site, finding out the "Center of the Hollywood Universe" ranking of a particular actor as well as a useful one, finding actors with a certain letter of their last name.  (one of those "tip of the tongue" tools)

For you baseball fans, there's also an Oracle of Baseball which will link baseball players in the same manner as the Bacon Oracle, only using teams and mutual teammates.

Tongue Trivia Tidbit

Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.

Halloween Tang Toungler

Try saying this tongue tangler three times fast:

"Which witch wished which wicked witch?"

Wagging Muscle

The only muscle in your body that is attached at only one end is your tongue.

Toughest Tongue Twister

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is the toughest tongue twister in the English language.

Yes, it's certainly hard to say and is nonsensical to boot, but ya gotta admire the alliteration, huh? (the title of this post, too!)

Two Tongue Trivia Tidbits

Just like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different. (source)


The notion that the tongue is mapped into four areas—sweet, sour, salty and bitter—is wrong. There are five basic tastes identified so far, and the entire tongue can sense all of these tastes more or less equally. (source)

Tape Tongue

The Art of Tongue Curling

85% of people can curl their tongue.

We've had several posts about tongues in this blog, but here's another about something more unusual done with a tongue:

How to Gleek

Extreme Contrasts

It caught my eye, an article on the Inquisiter website about Jessica Duggar, one of the children on the reality TV show 19 Kids and Counting.

Here's a little bit from the article: The four eldest girls of the Duggar clan, Jana, 24, Jill, 22, Jessa, 21, and Jinger, 20, say that “it’s easy to put yourself into physical and moral danger and give into those emotions or sensual thoughts that promise pleasant, but only temporary, fulfillment.”

I should admit that I don't watch the show very often. Unlike many other people, however, I don't hate the Duggars because of their religion or the size of their family. I HAVE seen a few episodes, though and am glad I wasn't raised that way or in such a large family. A little more religion certainly wouldn't have hurt me while I was growing up, but our small house was crowded enough with just the five of us.

One of the last episodes I watched was about Josh, the oldest son, and his marriage to a lovely and sweet young woman, Anna. I was a little surprised when I learned that they hadn't kissed before the wedding, but I believe it was on the same show where I was taken aback at Jim Bob, the patriarch of the family, talking about how his wife Michelle HAD kissed someone before she had married him, not disguising his bitterness while talking to the camera. (I find THAT to be more than a little weird, but...it's not MY wife, after all.  Finding a woman as chaste as he wanted - other than the Duggar girls - is very rare these days.  I think I'd be happy just to find out my new bride hadn't spent a year hooking on the Las Vegas strip)

I had to laugh when the cameras followed the new couple on their honeymoon; I forget exactly where they went, but they took a trip to some sort of marine park and were going to spend their wedding night camping out under a clear arch under a huge tank full of fish. They stayed there for a while, then decided it wasn't very comfortable and went back to their hotel room.

I was wondering why the hell they were spending their first night of marriage sleeping on the floor looking at fish...and I think they got to wondering the same thing after a while.  I don't think it would've been nearly as interesting as getting to know each other...in the Biblical sense. Ahem. I'm sure neither of them knew what they were doing later that night, but I bet they had fun figuring it out.

I read the rest of the article, then a slide-out ad appeared at the bottom - talk about a contrast! (I bookmarked it to read later for some pointers, even though I doubt it'd work on the Duggar girls)

Then this was on a panel of links at the very bottom of the page:

Even MORE contrast...and I'd much rather read about the Duggars than Tongue-Girl.

A Feast for the Eyes

Since a frog can't chew its food or use its tongue to get food down its throat, it uses its eyes! The frog's eyes sink down to the roof of its mouth to help push the food down to its stomach.

Tongue Out-of-Cheek

Did you know the Okapi is the only mammal capable of cleaning its ears and eyelids with its tongue? Their tongue can be up to a foot long.

Okapi at the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Congo



Although Gene Simmons comes close.

U-Verse Woes

If I don't have a post for a while, it's because U-Verse is playing up again. I was without internet for a good bit of yesterday evening and I finally called tech support and a recorded msg. told me the outage had started up again and to NOT reboot my modem. So, I didn't.

After being without Internet all day today, I called again and got a real-live person who told me to reboot my modem. So, I did.

All was well for a while until about an hour after getting back online when I was knocked off again. I did the modem thing again and so far, so good.

Yesterday I got an email about my telephone bill.  It was nearly twice the usual amt. and I was floored.  I went to the AT&T site and paid my last month's bill (not due for a few more days) and tried to find out why it was so high, but the site is really hard to navigate (for me), esp. trying to find detailed information about the bill.   I made yet another call and yet again had to wade through the computer prompts to find out what the deal was. 

After being put on hold - again, for the umpteenth time this week- (I think I've spent more time on hold than I have online since Friday) I got to speak to another real-live human.  I voiced my displeasure as politely as I could (my tongue is still bleeding from biting holes through it) and found out I had been charged $49 for service connection and $100 for the modem.  I was not told about either when I signed up for U-Verse.  I mentioned "Deceptive Trade Practices" and "Duplicitous" several times and reminded them they were "not the only game in town", telling them I could get phone, Internet and cable from the cable company for about what they had been charging just for phone and 'net PLUS they offered much greater speed. I  managed to get a credit for twenty bucks for the outage and half the service connection fee reduced off the bill.

During the brief time when I was online, I did some research about the outage and AT&T is blaming it on a software upgrade that "only" affected 1% of their customers. I was in that 1% but it didn't make me feel special.   I read a post by a woman in the AT&T forums that said she had been offline, surprising to her because she had had U-Verse for three years and only been knocked offline a couple of times.  Me?  I had had U-Verse for six days and been offline for four.

They'll not be getting any recommendations from me.

Lady Gaga or Elton John?

Sometimes I just have to shake my head at some Facebook posts. A young friend of mine, the son of a h.s. classmate, had a post the other day: "Who is this Lady Gaga and why are so many people offended by her?"

I knew it was a loaded question, as the friend is a very talented singer who happens to be gay. (I say I know he knew who she was because she's been very vocal in her support of the LGBT - hope I did the abbreviation correctly community.) She's also commented that she considers herself to be bi-sexual. I replied that I had nothing against her, just that I thought her schtick was more about being outrageous than her talent. I mentioned Elton John as someone who was once considered outrageous for his dress (and enormous glasses!), but that his talent was so great that it overshadowed his costumes.

(I started to use Liberace as another example, but thought the gay references might be misconstrued, that I was using only gay performers to make my point. My young friend - and regular readers of this blog - know I don't have a problem with gay people. Well, except for lesbians and that's because that narrows the already narrow field - for me - of available women. -wink-)

I also thought of using - but didn't - the rock group KISS as an example of musical talent who relied upon a gimmick instead of talent. I like some KISS tunes, but never liked them well enough to purchase them.  Tell the truth; when you think of Gene Simmons, do you consider him one of the greatest bass guitar players of all-time, one of the greatest singers, or does the first thing that comes to mind is his 7-in. tongue?

Back to the Facebook post: Well, I had several people, including the friend, say they thought Lady Gaga was as talented, if not more so than Elton John. I don't normally get offended if someone doesn't like who/what I like, only if they put ME down for my preferences. Still, it was hard for me to not say "Are you out of your rabid-ass mind?"

Sure, tastes in anything, be it food, music or hobbies, are subjective and if YOU like Lady Gaga, that's fine w/ me. I gave my honest opinion about her...well, tempered a bit, because I really don't much care for her music, but there's no way that she's better than EJ and I simply can't understand that opinion. Granted, my opinion is influenced by being an Elton John fan for 40+ years, growing up with his music and owning much of it, from 8-tracks to records to mp3's. Elton John did ALL kinds of music, from rock to pop to ballads as well as wrote songs for musicals. Off the top of my head, I could name at least a half-dozen movies that used his tunes, not to mention countless TV shows. Of course, he also re-wrote one of his most famous songs "Candle in the Wind" for the funeral of Lady Diana, making it another gold record in the process.

Elton John and Bernie Taupin are, IMHO, one of the best song-writing duos of all-time, up there with Lennon/McCartney, Rodgers /Hammerstein or Burt Bacharach / Hal David. It's not just MY opinion either; Google it to see what other people think. I'm not saying a consensus of opinion is correct, only that it lends some validity to my own opinion.

When Lady Gaga has been around for nearly 50 years and has sold a QUARTER BILLION records, then we can discuss who is the better musical talent. I'll be long cold in my grave and turned to dust before Elton John is forgotten. In fact, I would bet that Elton John's music will still be being played when Lady Gaga is but a footnote in musical history.

What next? Justin Bieber is better than Elvis? Good Grief.

Picked One - But I'm Not Picky

Your Hatred of Tofu Says You're Old-Fashioned

You are conventional and traditional. You don't feel a need to change what works. You are always ready to take a leap of faith. If something doesn't work, you will change! You dance through life, even when there isn't any music playing. You spice things up. You are good at getting people to let loose. You are the fun one in your group.

What Does Your Least Favorite Food Say About You?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

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I had to pick one,so I chose tofu. I'm not a huge fan of the soybean product, but I will eat it. In fact, it's not bad in Chinese dishes, especially stir-fried w/ some slices of beef or chicken. It's not horrible on its own, just bland, like oatmeal with no sugar or cinnamon. (and I love oatmeal)

That's the trouble with some of these quizzes, the choices offered. In this quiz the choices were:

Tofu
Mayonnaise
Mushrooms
Fish
Broccoli
Chocolate

Now, my second choice for food I "hate" would have been mayonnaise. I prefer the similar salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip) because mayo is so rich. I will eat it, though, and don't "hate" it. I also love mushrooms, fish and broccoli...and I would probably really love a dish made with all three. As far hating chocolate?

What are you, nuts?

I really can't think of any food I hate.  Oh, I'm not fond of coconut, but love it in Mounds or Almond Joy candy.  What I really don't like is how it works its way in between my teeth.   I'm also not fond of pineapple, but that's because I O.D'd on brandied pineapple as a kid, plus I'm slightly allergic to it. (as I am kiwi fruit, which I used to love to eat.  Now it makes my throat itch, just like pineapple.)

I'll eat just about anything - mountain oysters (bull testicles), snake, even liver and onions.  I've had calamari before that didn't taste good, but I expect that was because it wasn't fresh, ditto for snails.  About the only things I can think of offhand that I bet I wouldn't like are eels and geoduck. Still, I'd certainly try them once. I've never had tongue, but I bet I'd like it. Shoot, I've always wanted to try some brains.(I wouldn't be too enthused if Hannibal Lecter was the cook, though.  I'd be afraid I'd be the next course)

No, I'm not picky. I'll even eat leftovers.

WARNING! Disturbing Image!

Disturbing to me, anyway.

Just got this post in my reader from Simply Recipes, one of my favorite feeds:

Root Beer Float



Doesn't that look scrumptious? I look at that, and my mouth starts watering and I can TASTE it. (that's what's disturbing) I haven't had a float in a long time, and I'm past due...but I know I shouldn't. Maybe I should go get some sugar-free ice cream and one of those great A&W ^TM Diet Root Beers and fix me up one of 'em. I dunno, it just wouldn't be the same.

Several years ago my friend elle from England came to see me and we were in a pharmacy downtown and I asked her if she wanted a Coke ^TM float and she allowed she had never had one. After finishing, she then allowed that they were delicious and she'd have to turn her kids on to them when she got home.

It's always best to put the soda pop of your choice in the freezer for a while before making a float; the double whammy cold freezes part of the liquid, making lovely flavored ice crystals that melt on your tongue. I also like to use my straw to suck up the foam that floats atop the drink - the foam from using root beer tastes the best, although I sometimes would make a float with orange soda, also very nice. Cream-flavored sodas make the tastiest floats and while I always have liked Dr. Pepper ^TM, it didn't make for a great float. Just my opinion, and bound to tick someone off if they read that last. I can't recall ever having one with grape soda, but it doesn't sound bad, just not as good as a root beer float.

ethereal

ethereal\ih-THEER-ee-uhl\

adjective;
1. Light, airy, or tenuous.
2. Extremely delicate or refined.
3. Heavenly or celestial.
4. Pertaining to the upper regions of space.
5. Chemistry. Pertaining to, containing, or resembling ethyl ether.

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The first four definitions of ethereal are the most common; I've seen the word used in all sorts of writing subjects - sci-fi, angels, anti-bellum, etc., but the last one brought back a hazy memory of my dad taking one of his work boots, spraying a rag with starting fluid (ether) and sticking it into the boot. He then took a young male cat (and I can't remember which one, was a LONG time ago), stuck his head in the boot and when the kitty quit kicking, pop quickly castrated it.

I've never done it, but I expect castrating a cat is much like castrating a pig...well, except for the teeth and claws bit, hence the boot and anesthesia, crude as it might have been. I once tried to give a cat a bath because of accidentally dousing it with naptha. I'm not for sure which had more slash marks when I was done, me or the shower curtain.

My dad and I castrated a large boar for a neighboring farmer; the hog was so big we had to put it in a cattle chute to control the animal. (The hog was large enough to put a saddle on! ) I can't recall how many times my dad had to stop and sharpen his knife while performing the surgery, but it was quite a few. and when trying to finish up each testicle, the ol' boar would tug of war the flesh away from dad in one final but futile attempt to retain his masculinity.

The "pig fries" were large enough to fillet and would have covered a fair-sized dinner plate - that is, if one were inclined to eat that. I've had pig testicles before and they were a bit gamey. My dad always said a good brining would take that gaminess out, but we never ate them again.

The hog later died, but it wasn't from our surgery; it got locked out away from water.

I bet I've castrated quite a few dozens of pigs, but it's been a long time. I've also milked a goat, but there's not any funny stories about that, just a few memories of squirting the milk at our cats and dogs.

Another animal story, then I'll stop, I promise.

We used to have huge toads around our house. We always kept large vats or buckets of water in the yard for our pets and the toads could be seen there during the day, nestled in amongst the cool damp earth and tall grass around the hydrants. At night time they would come into the garage where sometimes dad and I might be doing something, working on some project.

I expect they liked the cool cement floor during those hot summer nights, but they really liked to nab the june bugs and moths that would be attracted to the lights and would often hit the floor. The big ol' toads would be sitting there, sometimes three or four of them, sometimes only one, waiting on the bugs. A june bug could hit, lie on its back -stunned a bit, probably- and the toad would turn like a tank on treads, take a deliberate hop towards the struggling insect, perhaps another short hop to close the distance- then rocking delicately forward and with a flick of the tongue so fast it was hard to see, the toad would bring the bug into its mouth.

We had one toad dad was very fond of. Pop was welding something one time, and not knowing the frog was near his feet, dropped the stub of a super-hot welding rod on the frog's back. It scarred the frog, (like a distinctive mark, I'm sure it scared it some, and probably hurt like a mother, too, wouldn't you think?) but it lived, prospered and grew huge and kept coming back into the garage for several summers after that. Dad and I once fed the creature several dozen june bugs; so many that we could feel them crawling around in the toad's belly. The ol' toad stayed there in one spot, all that night and most of the next day, too stuffed to move.

Y'know, come to think of it, my stories like this certainly aren't ethereal by any stretch, 'cept for the starting fluid bit.

Ear Wiggling

From the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders website:

Secret Talents: Justine Phillips

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Pffft, I can wiggle my big ol' LBJ ears much better than that. I can wiggle my ears so rapidly that, if I've got a good headwind and lean into the hearty Panhandle breeze plus flap my arms some, I can lift off the ground a little bit.

If you look at the menu below the vid, there are a few other "talents" demonstrated, such as touching tongue to nose, wiggling eyes and juggling.

I can juggle too, and can spell "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I".

That's probably enough braggin'.

Life Expectancy Calculators

via World Of Mysteries

1. Living to 100: Take this quiz, and then find out how you can lengthen your life expectancy by following the recommendations and tips offered by the calculator.
2. The Longevity Game: This fun quiz from Northwestern Mutual takes you through your lifestyle choices, and the image representing you waxes and wanes with your life expectancy.
3. Original Death Calculator: Find out when you are likely to die. Answering these questions about your history, genetics, lifestyle and habits can help you figure out when you are likely to kick the bucket.
4. The Death Clock: Answer very simple questions, and The Death Clock will return an exact date and time of your death. As for how accurate it is — who knows? Especially since it is based on your birth date, gender, BMI and whether or not you smoke. But it sure is fun.
5. Real Age: This life expectancy quiz asks you questions about how well you are maintaining your body. Your biological age may actually be younger than the age you are now. Of course, if you haven’t been taking care of yourself, your biological age could be higher — and your life expectancy shorter.
6. Death by Caffeine: Figure out how much caffeine it would take to kill you, based on your favorite caffeinated beverages or foods. Your life expectancy may not be longer than you can guzzle 56.31 cans of Monster Energy drink in one sitting.
7. The Booze Death Calculator: Figure out your life expectancy if you are out partying hard and binge drinking. Pick your alcoholic beverage of choice, and see how much of it would kill you.
8. NPC Life Expectancy Quiz: Read through this to determine how long you would survive in a video game. A fun look at life expectancy.
9. How Long Will I Live?: Answer questions about your current lifestyle, and then get a look at how long you are likely to live. Progress further in the test to get an analysis of your health risks and how you can improve you situation and your life expectancy.
10. Life expectancy calculator: MSN money offers you a calculator that takes into account your current lifestyle, as well as different stressors that might be part of your life, and looks at your family history and other factors.
11. Find Your Fate: This is another calculator that asks you more specific questions and attempts to pinpoint the possible date of your death. Interestingly, whether or not you brush or floss your teeth is on this quiz.
12. The Amazing Death Predictor: This is a tongue in cheek prediction that asks simple questions (some of which may not have to do with whether you are living a healthy lifestyle) and then generates a random death for you. Such as dying when you experience a mid-air collision when your personal jet pack malfunctions.
13. Will You See Your 80th Birthday?: Check to see whether or not the chances are good for you to live to the age of 80.
14. Death Date: Get a death date, and poke around for other interesting tidbits, such as what you will do in the afterlife, what you will come back as, should you reincarnate.
15. Life Expectancy Quiz: Pacific Life tests your knowledge of life expectancy facts, and helps you figure out whether you really are adequately providing your future.
16. Date of Death Calculator: This is a fun Facebook app that lets you figure out when you will die. You can compare with your friends and post to your profile.
17. Life Expectancy Calculator: You can learn your virtual age as well as your life expectancy. Learn about how you compare to others of your physical age, and whether you are actually younger or older than your current physical age suggests. The sliding scale allows you to more accurately assess your situation when answering questions.
18. Life Expectancy Calculator: What to figure your life expectancy yourself? This formula from the Minnesota State Retirement System can help you out.
19. Life Expectancy Calculator from MetLife: This calculator will help you determine your life expectancy — and help you figure out how you can outlive your money.
20. Life Expectancy Quiz: Answer these questions about your lifestyle, and find out whether or not you are as healthy as you think you are.
21. Death Risk Rankings: Compare life expectancy and death risk in different countries, and by other factors, such as gender. It’s an interesting death quiz that helps you compare your life expectancy to others’.
22. Life Expectancy Calculator/Life Expectancy Test: This quiz asks you questions about your personal life, financial life and lifestyle habits in an effort to help you figure out what your life expectancy is likely to be.
23. What is your biological age?: Find out whether you are aging more quickly than you should be. See what certain habits and lifestyle choices are doing for your biological age.
24. Increased Life Expectancy Calculator: Add years to your life by adjusting your fitness routine. This calculator helps you see how much you could gain by making changes with your exercise.
25. Life Expectancy Calculator: Your age, race, education and income can all affect your life expectancy. Here is a calculator that shows you how.

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.

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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