Execution By Elephant

Execution by elephant was a common method of capital punishment in South and Southeast Asia, and particularly in India.

Man, that's heavy. - ahem -

That graphic, courtesy of Wiki (at the link above) is gruesome enough and might be stretching the limits of this, a G-rated blog.  Even though it's a drawing/painting, it's bad enough, but for some reason, this video on YouTube made me laugh a little bit.  

Somehow, an animated execution isn't all that gruesome. 

Peter's Computer

Dying Gasp

I go into my modem diagnostics/configuration page every now and then to clear out the logs;  they add up quickly because my connection goes out at least once a day, almost always at the same time each night.

The first time I looked at the logs it was an education;  I wanted to see if the problem was on my end (it wasn't) so I looked up each event to see what it meant.  I was clearing it out earlier this morning after getting back online after a day without electricity when I saw this entry (highlighted)

"Dying Gasp"?  Good grief.  It didn't take but a few seconds to find out what it is. I guess it's appropriate in that context.

22,000 Dominoes!

Safety First!

When starting a nuclear war.

I love these cheesy old military films and subscribe to several different YouTube channels that post them.

My Coffee Style

You Are French Press Coffee

You are the type who savors the process of making coffee almost as much as the coffee itself. You love the smell of coffee and the anticipation of your first cup every morning. You probably even enjoy grinding your own coffee beans for each cup. You are a very calm person with a deep outlook on life. You get enjoyment out of everything. You know how to observe and savor. Even the simplest pleasures mean a lot to you, and you don't take anything for granted.

What's Your Coffee Style?

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These results are spot on. About a yr. or so ago, I bought an inexpensive French Press on Amazon, along with a blade grinder and an assortment of whole bean coffees. The blade grinder was - as I have read - less than optimum for grinding the beans, but I fell in love with my new coffee maker.

It's really easy and fairly quick to make a few cups of coffee in the morning; I fill up my electric kettle with water and while it's heating, I measure out the coffee grinds into the press, adding a tiny pinch of salt. After the water comes to a boil, I pour some into my large insulated cup to warm it, then add the exact amount of water for the measure of coffee I'm using. I've found it's good to first pour a splash or two of water onto the grounds so they can "bloom", then finish pouring the rest of the water. I put the lid and plunger on the pot, then set a timer for four minutes.  When the alarm goes off, I slowly push the plunger down and my coffee is ready to drink.

Maybe it's not as fast as a drip coffee maker, but the coffee is much, much better. I used to get heartburn after drinking regular coffee and would sometimes have to dilute it with milk and add some sugar or sweetener, but not now. I've also started drinking Death Wish coffee, supposedly the strongest /highest caffeine coffee in the world.  I dunno 'bout that, but a couple of cups of it get me cranked up for the day.  I've made the mistake of drinking more and was up all night.  

Fabulous Forest Fact

Over a fifth of all forests are in Russia. (source)

Happy Without Music

Clever video that edits out the music of Happy by Pharrel Williams.

Freaky Feet Fact

Adult feet can produce up to a half-pint of sweat a day.

My trivia calendar said a quarter of a cup, but I've double checked and found out it's been wrong before, so I'm now loathe to trust it.  A quick search said a half-pint - and I'm more apt to trust a site called Foot.com than I am a trivia calendar that's been wrong several times.

Besides that, I don't want someone coming in here and telling me I'm an idiot, that my facts are wrong and/or that they've "wrung out their socks and got a half-pint of moisture out of them!".

Every time someone uses anecdotes to prove something, it makes my head hurt. -grin-

The Breakup Song - Greg Kihn Band

Full title:  The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)

gallinipper

gallinipper [gal-uh-nip-er]

noun, Informal

1. any of various insects that sting or bite, especially a large American mosquito, Psorophora ciliata.

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Never had seen nor heard this word used before and I doubt I'll ever use it...because I'd have to explain/define it to anyone hearing me say it and if I wrote it, I'd have to link to the definition on Dictionary.com

No, I think I'll just stick to my best and usual description, any one of various obscenities: slapping a mosquito on my arm and saying

"Take that, you little ^%#@*$!@ !!!"

No Waffling on This Quiz

I grew up eating frozen waffles, so I never cared for them, then I ate some fresh-made ones and my attitude towards them changed with the first bite. I have looked at waffle irons on Amazon, both electric and the stove top kind, plus I've read dozens of recipes. I don't think I'd eat them on a regular basis, but they're nice for a change-of-pace.

You Are Maple Syrup

You are dependable and even a little old fashioned. You're not one to change a good thing. You have simple tastes and enjoy simple pleasures more than most people. For you, quality always comes first. You can be a bit of a perfectionist at times, but mostly just in your service to others. You like to do a good job. You consider yourself a normal person, and you are very dependable. You only need a few comforts to feel content.

What Waffle Topping Are You?

Cat Walk

This reminds me of horses in Dressage competitions.

Lightnin' Strikes- Lou Christie

This was todays calendar trivia:  Men are more likely to get struck by lightning than women. 

All gratutitous jokes aside, I would wager that is because there are many more men than women in outdoor professions.  Regardless, when I saw this particular bit of trivia, it reminded me of this old song.  There were better videos, but I chose this one because it was recorded not long after the song came out in 1965, going on to be a #1 hit the next year.

Another bit of trivia ; from Wiki : That song (The Gypsy Cried) was released in 1962 on the C & C (sometimes listed as C & Ce) label and unexpectedly credited to "Lou Christie" without his permission. He had been working on a list of potential stage names, and he has stated that he hated the name for years afterwards: "I was pissed off about it for 20 years. I wanted to keep my name and be a one-named performer, just 'Lugee'."

Broken Blade of Grass

404 page at designboom, a broken blade of grass amongst all the rest. Not as visually stunning or funny as most of the rest I've posted, but I like the analogy.

Not so crazy about the spelling, though: "...thousands of articles to look trough here"?

Something's Der Hotten in Denmark

Last week in Copenhagen, a large crowd gathered to collectively hurt themselves for this amusingly masochistic video. Individually wrapped ghost peppers — a chili pepper that’s about 100 times hotter than a jalapeno — were passed out, and then everyone bit in at the same time…

prevaricator

prevaricator [pri-var-i-key-ter] noun

1. a person who speaks falsely; liar.
2. a person who speaks so as to avoid the precise truth; quibbler; equivocator.

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This definition should be illustrated with a group photo of Congress and this administration.

Is It Down Right Now?

After a few attempts at accessing my Feedly reader, I decided I'd check the site to see if the problem was mine or was with the website.  Using the Is It Down Right Now? site, I found out there was a problem, but it wasn't on my end.  Searching the news, I saw Feedly Hit With Denial Of Service Attacks with some person or persons attempting to blackmail Feedly.  I hope the perps are caught and prosecuted.  Personally, my own form of punishment would involve a hatchet and their hands, but that's just because I'm a savage, callous knuckle-dragger who is sick and tired of spammers and scam artists taking over the 'net. 

That said, Is It Down Right Now? is a great resource.  From the site:

"Is It Down Right Now" monitors the status of your favorite web sites and checks whether they are down or not. Check a website status easily by using the below test tool. Just enter the url and a fresh site status test will be perfomed on the domain name in real time using our online website checker tool. For detailed information, check response time graph and user comments.

Is It Down Right Now?

Jellyfish

Jellyfish are 95% water.

Realistic Popeye

Because I'm a Space Cadet

You Are Out of this World Thoughtful

Of all the types, you are the most likely to know the names of the different stars and constellations. You love to think about everything, and you are well-learned. You have a head for facts and interconnections. The planet you are most connected to is Saturn. Like Saturn, you are a steadying and prudent force in this world. You have a deep wisdom that serves you well. Others also benefit from it, if they allow themselves to. When you look out into space, you think about how the universe works. You are excited and inspired by astronomy. You also love to think about the history of astronomy and what it meant to cultures over time. The sky always gets you thinking!

How Are You Out of This World?

Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo-Rick Derringer

With Edgar Winter

Food Wishes

One of my favorite YouTube channels is that of Food Wishes; I first became acquainted with it via Allrecipes, another of my most-liked recipe sites. I subscribe to their feed in my reader, as well as the Food Wishes blog.

Under almost every video from "Chef John", there's someone complaining about his narration. (it's usually because he'll end quite a few sentences with a rising inflection. Personally, I like it.) That aside, what I always look forward to are his attempts - sometimes corny - to insert some humor into the vid. Others object to his propensity to add cayenne to nearly every recipe.  I haven't seen EVERY video, but all of the latest ones have a similar joke analogy, such as "But you do it as you like...after all, you're the power behind the flour."

Maybe not the best video or the greatest recipe, but it IS the latest and a good one...with a pinch of cayenne.

Remembering D-Day

70 years later

Nouveau Parfum - Boggie

The words might not be understood, but the message is clear.

sparge

sparge [spahrj]

verb (used with object), verb (used without object), sparged, sparging.

1. to scatter or sprinkle.

noun

2. a sprinkling

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That's what happens when guys leave the toilet seat down.

Of Course I Am

You Are a Child of the 1970s

You were given a lot of freedom growing up, and you wouldn't change that for the world. You loved playing outside with your friends. You learned from your childhood that even if times are tough, you still have to keep going. Worrying doesn't solve anything. You were self-reliant from an early age, and you still are very independent today. Your parents didn't have the time or money to coddle you. TV may have been your babysitter, but you turned out okay. At least you know how to cook without needing a microwave!

What Decade Are You a Child Of?