The Death Report

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The Death Report

Let Her Go - Passenger

Grant's Gold Watch

In 1857, years before he was a general in the Civil War and long before becoming President, Ulysses S. Grant pawned his gold watch for $22 to buy Christmas gifts for his pregnant wife and their three children.

Read more about this and see a photocopy of the pawn ticket here.

I'm Ashamed To Be a Fan

I saw that posted on the Facebook and other Dallas Cowboy fan sites today after the blowout loss by the 'Boys Monday night against "da Bears".  I also saw "I'm embarrassed by them!"

I was disappointed, sure; a win would have kept them tied with the Eagles at the top of the division, but embarrassed?  Ashamed?  No, of course not.  I slept like a baby last night and only got annoyed today when turning to a sports show on TV or on the radio where I had to watch/listen to so-called experts who list all the things wrong with the team or what they would have done differently. 

Sure, it's easy to look back with 20-20 hindsight and say what should have been done, but if they're so smart, then why are they not coaching an NFL team instead of calling in to a radio or TV show (or hosting one) and griping? It's one thing to have a former player or coach critique the team's play, but for some schmuck on the couch to pretend to be an expert...well, that's too much.  Those armchair quarterbacks upset me more than how the Cowboys play.

Look, if you're ashamed of your team, then maybe it's time to root for another one;  I know I would.  Then again, I know I have absolutely nothing to do with the Cowboy's success OR failure.  Wearing a Dallas jersey and screaming at the TV doesn't help, no matter how loud you yell.

Embarrassed by the team?  Not me;  I get embarrassed when I accidentally pull out in front of someone while driving, or look down after I've been into a half dozen public places and see that my fly is unzipped.  (so THAT'S why people were giggling!) If you're embarrassed by one or more of your friends - who root for other teams - making fun of your team...well then, you really need new friends.  Both your and their priorities are in the wrong place.

I used to get upset when I was a kid and Dallas would lose...then again, I was 12 yrs. old and they were an important part of my life - along with many other things I now wonder why I set so much store in when I was that age.  I was immature, and I think that's the problem with a lot of these "ashamed" and "embarrassed" fans. 

Grow up.  It's just a game.  At the end of the season, only one team's fans will be happy, that's the way it works.   If you really want to be upset by games, then watch C-Span and the games our politicians play.  Now THAT'S something that should make you embarrassed and ashamed.

Christmas Presence - Simon's Cat

Breaking Bad Caricatures

I wish I could post one of these hilarious caricatures as an example, but I don't have permission, so just go to the site to view.


Breaking Bad characters as you’ve never seem them before

ochlophobia

ochlophobia och·lo·pho·bi·a[ok-luh-foh-bee-uh]
noun Psychiatry
an abnormal fear of crowds

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I don't know if it's to the point of "abnormal", but I definitely don't like crowds. Most of my fear stems from seeing both movies and real life video of crowds panicking and storming the exits, trampling over anyone who has the misfortune of falling down in front of the mass of people. Crowds also stink: body odor, flatulance, bad breath, too much hairspray or perfume...just thinking about it makes me gag.

Crowds are also the reason I haven't been to a pro ball game in years or a concert. Nah, just let me watch on TV.

I Want to Punch This Quiz

I take these quizzes and save them to a Notepad document to post later because I don't like to publish too many of them in a short space of time on the blog; I must have taken this one after participating in a political forum and been really annoyed. I generally only get aggressive when someone is aggressive to me first.

If I'm aggressive, it has to be George Bush's fault.

You Are Aggressive

Your anger and cynicism have morphed into something more extreme: aggression. You find it easy to be annoyed, and it's almost as easy for you to lose your temper. While it does feel good to get out a little low level anger now and then, aggression can be dangerous. If you can't control your temper, you could end up hurting yourself or someone else. Be careful!

Are You Cynical, Angry, or Aggressive?

Color Change

Did you know the ruby slippers worn by Dorothy in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz were originally silver in the book?

The Wikidrummer

Exploring the effects of reverberation

Ho Hey - The Lumineers

slumgullion

slumgullion slum·gul·lion [sluhm-guhl-yuhn, sluhm-guhl-] noun

1. a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
2. a beverage made weak or thin, as watery tea, coffee, or the like.
3. the refuse from processing whale carcasses.
4. a reddish, muddy deposit in mining sluices.

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I haven't heard this words in years and years; my pop used it every now 'n then when referring to my mom's goulash - which really wasn't a true goulash, more like beefaroni. (but much, much better) I don't remember if momma was offended by it, but pop was probably close in the choice of words. Slumgullion is what I call my own "throw everything left in the fridge into the crockpot" dishes, but I always meant it to be derogatory towards my own cooking.

Greenland, USA

Did you know the United States once tried to buy Greenland? From Wiki

Following World War II, the United States developed a geopolitical interest in Greenland, and in 1946 the United States offered to buy Greenland from Denmark for $100,000,000, but Denmark refused to sell. However, in 1950, Denmark did agree to allow the United States to reestablish Thule Air Base, which was greatly expanded between 1951 and 1953 as part of a unified NATO Cold War defense strategy.

It's Clear in the Mirror

Your Aura is Red

You have a high level of emotion. This can mean passion, but it can also mean rage. Usually, you don't take these emotions out on others. You just use them as motivation - and it works! The purpose of your life: embracing all the wonders of the life, lots of travels, and tons of adventures Famous reds include: Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Jennifer Lopez Careers for you to try: Dancer, Boxer, Surgeon

What Color Is Your Aura?

 

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

In case you aren't familiar with Auras, from Wiki: In parapsychology and many forms of spiritual practice, an aura is a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (like the halo or aureola in religious art). The depiction of such an aura often connotes a person of particular power or holiness. Sometimes, however, it is said that all living things (including humans) and all objects manifest such an aura. Often it is held to be perceptible, whether spontaneously or with practice: such perception is at times linked with the third eye of Indian spirituality. Various writers associate various personality traits with the colors of different layers of the aura. It has also been described as a map of the thoughts and feelings surrounding a person.

Personally, I'm not much of a believer in this sort of thing. I was with a woman I was dating several years ago and just outside a video store we bumped into a former classmate of my big sister. Now, this woman was - to put it as politely as I can - pretty much a "space cadet". She claimed she had been contacted by aliens and was into all the New Age spirituality long before most of the rest of us in our small town had ever even heard of it.

I introduced my friend to this woman and immediately after the introduction, she told my date "Your aura is lovely." My friend took it in stride, thanked her and excused herself to go on into the store. I talked with the woman a while longer, catching up on what each other had been doing, discussed our families, then I asked her "What color is MY aura?"

"Oh, it's very dark, dark indeed, nearly black."

Hell, I couldn't see it but could've guessed that. I'm sure it always gets darker when I'm around crazy people.

Just In Case

You haven't had your daily dose of "cute".

I visit the Murray McMurray Hatchery website fairly often, subscribe to both their catalog mailings and their email newsletters and subscribe to their YouTube channel. 

I couldn't decide which video to use f/ this post, so I picked one w/ the most "unusual" looking chicks.  Hey, it was either chicks or their latest video, the EZ Plucker.

Smugopedia

From the website:

Smugopedia is a collection of slightly controversial opinions about a variety of subjects.

We offer you the chance to buy a fleeting sense of self-satisfaction at the small cost of alienating your friends and loved ones.

Smugopedia

Number Gossip

Enter a number and it will tell you everything you wanted to know about the number but were afraid to ask.

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I first used my old h.s. football number:

* The 61st Fibonacci number (2504730781961) is the smallest Fibonacci number which contains all the digits from 0 to 9
* 61 is the smallest multidigit prime p such that the sum of digits of pp is a square
* 61 is the smallest prime whose reversal is a square

I like the number 23:

# 23 is the smallest group of people where there is more than a 50% chance that 2 people will share the same birthday (day and month, not year)
# 23 is the smallest isolated prime, i.e., not an element of a set of twin primes
# 23 is the smallest prime whose reversal is a power: 32 = 25
# 23 is the only prime p such that p! is p digits long
# 23 is the least pandigital factorial, that is it contains all the digits 0 through 9 at least once
# 23 is the smallest prime p such that the ring of integers in the cyclotomic field of pth roots of unity does not have unique factorization

Believe it or not, but I knew that first bit of information (about the birthdays), having read it in an old "bar tricks" book I used to have. The rest of it, though....

Number Gossip

twain

twain [tweyn] adjective, noun
two

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Being a Kipling fan, I was familiar with the word because of his poem The Ballad of East and West with the oft-quoted first line:

Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,
Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God's great Judgment Seat;
But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,
When two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the ends of the earth!

Other than that, I'm not sure it's a word used much these days, other than referring to "two" other Twains -  Mark and Shania.

We Found Love - Lindsey Stirling

First is Third

In the United States, First Street is the third most common street name, right after Second and Third Streets.  The next most common street names are Fourth, Park, Fifth, Main, Sixth, Oak and Seventh.

Fire - The Ohio Players

Bryan Cranston Before Breaking Bad

Death by Mashed Potatoes

I don't get to eat much mashed potatoes these days, but certainly wasn't surprised with these quiz results;  it's always been one of my favorite dishes, not only at Thanksgiving but for any other meal.

It's a shame there are SO many carbs in the dish - carbohydrates raise my blood sugar higher than does a candy bar. -sigh-  It's not worth the spike in blood sugar for me to fix them as much as I'd like, but I do keep a pkg. of instant potatoes on hand most of the time, splitting it into several servings, doling myself out a tiny portion when the craving gets too great.

You Are Mashed Potatoes

You are easygoing and content all year long - especially during Thanksgiving.   How could you not be content with all of the delicious comfort food served up this time of year? You ignore holiday stress and drama. You focus on what's important... filling up on delicious food! You like an uneventful holiday that's pretty predictable. That may be boring, but boring can be good.

What Thanksgiving Dish Are You?

Mashed Potato Time - Dee Dee Sharp 

 

10 Historical Movie Mistakes

I knew most of these, but the most egregious "mistake" is in U-571.

Happy - Pharrell Williams

R.I.P. Brian

If you're a Family Guy fan and happened to catch last night's episode, you know that Brian (the family dog) died in the episode.

If you didn't....Oops, spoiler alert! Sorry, too late for that, huh?

I only started watching the show a few years ago; I guess I had lumped it in with The Simpsons (which I find anything but funny) and didn't think it would be worth wasting a half-hour watching it.  However, one Sunday I had watched the late football game on Fox and didn't bother to turn the channel and Family Guy came on.  I didn't know where the remote was and I was too lazy to get up and turn the channel, so I started watching and was - for better or worse -  hooked. 

The creator of the show, Seth MacFarlane, is an unabashed liberal and he takes a lot of potshots at conservatives, but a few weeks after I started watching, Rush Limbaugh "starred" on an episode and it was one of the funniest of the entire series.  There HAVE been some really bad episodes, though, not that they were without humor, but sometimes the humor crossed the line. (some about religion, such as making fun of Jesus being crucified and others showing "retarded" characters...the show does a lot of cruel humor directed at people with disabilities) It's those shows that make me re-think watching it, but then there will be a flash of brilliant comedy that gives me hope there will be more like it.  It's constantly on a teeter-totter of enjoyment with me - 51% funny and 49% disgusting and sometimes those percentages reverse.  It's hard for me to explain why I keep watching it and certainly harder trying to defend my watching it.

Without delving into each of the characters and their personalities, I always figured that MacFarlane actually had the Brian character in mind as his animated alter-ego when he created him;  after all, Brian is the most liberal of any of the characters, and while many slams are directed towards conservatism (and religion), I think MacFarlane is actually making fun of liberals in a subtle way with Brian.  Here's an example, one of my favorite scenes of the series:

I loved that rant and particularly the Catcher in the Rye reference. (most worthless "classic literature" I ever wasted time reading)  All the things Quagmire said about Brian were true and not only is Brian a dog, if he were a human he'd also be a dog.

I don't think Brian is gone for good; Stewie will make another time machine and will go back in time and save Brian. I hope so, because the "replacement dog" Vinnie is annoying.

I Like Generous Portions

For myself, anyway.

You Are a Generous Cook

For you, cooking is a way of taking care of people. You like your friends and family to be well fed. The things you cook tend to be crowd pleasers. You don't mind making a dish time and time again. Of all the types, you are the most likely to give away your food. You're often baking or cooking for someone. You're also the type least likely to experiment drastically. You're already a good cook... why mess with what works?

What's Your Cooking Personality?