"I Do a Lot of Things"

But you didn't mention "Being annoying".

Then again, maybe I missed it in all the gibberish.

Test Your Vocabulary

Test Your Vocabulary

I did, and thanks to this blog's Word of the Day and other word posts, I knew quite a few more words I did before starting doing them.

There were quite a few on the last page of the quiz that I didn't know;  some sounded familiar and I *think* they had been featured on Word of the Day, but I didn't know for sure and didn't want to cheat.

Test Your Vocabulary

Christopher Walken Dances

List of movies in comments.

What Work of Art Are You?

You Are Self Portrait

You are clever and innovative. You're the first to admit that you're a bit of a mad genius. You are introspective, and you believe that it is important to know yourself well.  You are constantly learning more about how you tick. You are a true introvert, and you can spend days alone perfecting your craft. You are your own best friend. You don't mind routine or practice. You are willing to do something over and over until you get it just right.

What Work of Art Are You?

Funky Town

Fantastic cover by Josh Turner, et al.

foofaraw

foofaraw\ FOO-fuh-raw \ noun

1. a great fuss or disturbance about something very insignificant.
2. an excessive amount of decoration or ornamentation, as on a piece of clothing, a building, etc.

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This might be best to use in a forum to belittle someone's silly rant, not said aloud. (if nothing else, you'd make them look it up) I'm sure if you used it in a sentence talking to someone,  you'd just get puzzled looks.

Ant Trivia

Ants have the largest brain of any insect.  Some ant species have 14-15% of their mass in their brains.

Biologists estimate that there are about 1.5 million ants for each human on this planet.  Their combined weight is more than all living humans.

Ants have been around since the dinosaurs.

Some species of ants have slaves.

Ants invented farming before humans did.

Source(s): Bug Facts + 8 Things You Might Not Know About Ants

Allrecipes

Last month I posted a video and review of Food Wishes, a part of Allrecipes.  Today I'm focusing on the "parent" site and YouTube channel.

I've subscribed to Allrecipes in my reader for nearly as long as I've been using a reader and it's one of my favorite recipes sites.  Just like any other site, I don't care for ALL the recipes, but most seem to be great and I particularly like reading the reviews of a recipe before deciding to save it or not.  Also, like any recipe site worth its salt (no pun intended...at least, not until after I had written it), it's easy to navigate, with well-defined categories and many of the recipes have accompanying videos.

There's the option to go "Pro" for a fee, nothing too outrageous IMHO.  This allows the subscriber a menu planner, a custom recipe feature that allows alterations to a dish, advanced printer options and nutrition search not available with the "freebie" membership.  (Disclaimer: I'm a cheapskate and have the free membership.)

Along with their regular YouTube channel, they have a UK version: Allrecipes UK | Ireland. (If the vids were narrated by a sexy Irish female accent, I'd probably subscribe, to heck with the metric ingredient measurements!)

Here's one of the latest videos;  I've been craving these for a while.

How to Grill Baby Back Ribs

4053 Days

That's how long it's been.  The hours/minutes/seconds are approximate, but very close.

• 350,179,200 seconds
• 5,836,320 minutes
• 97,272 hours
• 4053 days
• 579 weeks

I'm not braggin' or even complaining.  I knew it had been a long time, but over 4000 days?  Good grief.

Data figured with this calculator: Calculate duration between two dates

What's Your Accent Color?

Your Accent Is Brown

You influence others through radical acceptance. You can see the abundance in any situation. You have a grounded and down to earth approach to life. You don't get too worked up with your emotions. You are happy to be in the moment and sit with what is. Here and now are all that matters, all that you need. You are good at facilitating oneness and wholeness in life. You see how we all play our part in the world, and you know where to look for meaning.

What's Your Accent Color?

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There's probably something to this, at least as far as my own favorite accent color. I like browns and other earth tones, prefer brown shoes to black. My only problem is I wear them with a blue suit.

Safe in New York City - AC/DC

Awww!

anon

anon a·non [uh-non] adverb

1. in a short time; soon.
2. at another time.
3. Archaic. at once; immediately.

Idioms

4. ever and anon, now and then; occasionally.

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I don't think I've ever read this word except in older writings/books and I certainly don't hear it used in speech;  people say "Now!" or "PDQ" or as another definition: "Later, dude."

Anon is not to be confused with anonymous, meaning of unknown name; whose name is withheld ... although when someone posts an inflammatory comment in a forum or message board, anonymous people show up and fan the flames anon.

Free Countdown Timer

Free Countdown Timer for Your Website at timeanddate.com

Not sure why these countdown timers/calendar scripts don't work in a post - I think they conflict with the calendar script at the top of the page. It WILL work in another column (probably because it's in a separate "wrapper") and there's a Cowboys training camp countdown just below the Cowboys module in the right-hand column.  I'll take it down when training camp starts - and *maybe* put up another for when the regular season starts. 

I hope I can then put up another one for when Dallas will be in the Super Bowl...and hope it will be this next one, but the way things have been going with the 'Boys...well, I'm not sure that much coding for that length of time would fit in a Blogger blog.

Philadelphia Freedom-Elton John

On a million dollar piano

The Train Oracle

You Are Smart and Stable

You love concrete information. You are definitely a just the facts type of person.   You feel most comfortable when you understand what's expected of you. You appreciate structure. You enjoy reading, especially nonfiction. You can get lost in books and magazines. You are family oriented. Some of your best memories revolve around the family dinner table.

The Train Oracle

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Not so sure about smart and stable, but some of my best memories DO revolve around the family dinner table...not because of the family per se, but because of the food!  My mom was a pretty good cook;  when I was a kid, I ate at classmate's houses and only a few of the meals I had were as good as those my mom had prepared. 

My mom also canned a lot and many times when I was a kid during the summer and "starving", momma would let me go down into the deliciously cool cellar and open up a jar of her delicious canned tomatoes.  She also would pickle okra and she and a family friend would sit at the kitchen table and eat a jar or two while their husbands were out in the garage working on something.  I really miss her pickled beets - I wouldn't touch them when I was a kid, but one time a slice got put on my plate by accident and some of the juice got on something else and I ate a bit without realizing it.  Wow, that was great and I was hooked on them ever since.  Store-bought are OK, I guess, but not nearly as good as the ones momma made...they were probably both made with similar recipes, but the ones my mom made had love for her family mixed in.

July

The month of July was named after Julius Caesar.

 

lagniappe

lagniappe la·gniappe [lan-yap, lan-yap] noun

1. Chiefly Southern Louisiana and Southeast Texas. a small gift given with a purchase to a customer, by way of compliment or for good measure; bonus.

2. a gratuity or tip.

3. an unexpected or indirect benefit.

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I was familiar with this word, but not because of ever hearing it used but rather reading it. I don't remember looking it up, but understanding the meaning of it by the context in which it was used.

Tipping is something that's a sore point with me and I've participated in forums where I've been slammed for how I feel about it. I disagree with those who say a tip is always warranted; I've had servers who were so rude that if it had been in another setting or they had been men, I'd have punched them in the face for speaking as they did. I always thought a tip was a "thank you" for good service. Why thank someone who did a lousy job? Many times I've had a server take my order (sometimes after waiting a long time) and then bring my meal (again, sometimes after waiting a long time) and that will be the last time they come to the table until they bring the check. (and sometimes THAT takes a long time) I'm supposed to actually PAY them for ignoring me? That's not right.

Secondly, who sets the amount of the tip? The standard tip used to be 10%, then it was 15%, then within the course of a few years it's now "supposed" to be 30%. Good grief, to pay nearly a third more of the bill in a gratuity is outrageous.  I know about inflation, the cost-of-living and all that, but the price of eating out has gone up along with everything else.  There used to be a place here in town that served a "blue plate special" for a little over four bucks total. (it's been a long time, but while it wasn't gourmet food, it was tasty and filling)  The place is long gone, but other establishments have been the same type (diner) and their meals are closer to ten dollars.  A 10% tip then was .50 cents (rounding up a little bit) but now I'm supposed to pay at least $3.50 for the tip?  I'm not great at math, but that looks to me like more of a raise than inflation or cost-of-living can account for.

Granted, most servers don't even make minimum wage, but I don't understand why an eating establishment can't just go ahead and pay a decent wage - why are servers exempt from the minimum wage law? That needs to be changed. The argument against that is if servers are paid more, then the cost of your meal goes up. Well, duh....if you're paying 30% extra for the meal, then the cost HAS gone up.   There are places that add a percentage to the ticket for the tip and that's fine if the service is excellent, but otherwise... Plus, there are places that make the servers pool and split their tips and that's annoying.  If I'm tipping, I want to reward MY server, not another table's.

And another thing that annoys me:  while it wouldn't be that much for most places, but if you have a meal for several in a more expensive place, then why is the sales tax figured into the total for the percentage of the tip?  It's not uncommon for a meal for four to cost a hundred bucks and if the sales tax is 8%+, then you're paying $2+ tip on a tax!  Ridiculous!  It's not the extra two dollars, it's the principle.

I'm NOT a cheapskate;  I believe in tipping, but it needs to be more of a reward for good service, not an obligation to pay an exorbitant amount.   Other countries don't have the custom of tipping and I wish the U.S. would do away with it as well. 

Gizmo Flushes

This is more impressive, though:

Blue Skies

You Are Grounded

You don't need a lot of excitement. Your best days are calm days. No one works as hard as you do. But you're not complaining - you love hard work! You are especially in tune with children and animals. You have a sixth sense when it comes them. You have little respect for people who aren't practical. You think it's important to be down to earth.

The Blue Skies Test

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If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know I love to post these quizzes. I often comment on how accurate they are...and sometimes how woefully wrong. This is one of the latter cases...at least as "no one works as hard as you do."  That might've been true 20 yrs. ago, but now?  Hah!

Anyway, there's the quiz and here's a related video:

Blue Skies - Ella Fitzgerald

Laura in the Kitchen

One of my favorite YouTube recipe feeds is Laura in the Kitchen.  Oh, I know what you'll say after you watch the video below...she's good lookin', that's why I watch her.  Well, it doesn't hurt that she's pretty, but that's not the reason I watch her.  I find her engaging and her recipes are things I think I'd like to make.  I also like it that her videos aren't perfect, she misspeaks now 'n then and recently has started including bloopers after the main video is over.

She also has a makeup/style channel, as well as one with her husband, but I'm not in the least bit interested in either of those.  No, I'm here for the food!

The pretty face is a bonus, though.

I think that, with a little more polish, she could have her own show on the  Food Network, maybe even displace the resident Italian hottie.

I'm Havin' a Beer

Yep, I'm drinking a beer on this hot Sunday night in Texas.  Now, that might seem a strange pronouncement to anyone who doesn't know me or isn't part of my family, but it's a rare occurrence.   I so seldom drink, I can almost say I don't drink at all, but while I was at the store yesterday I passed by the beer/wine cooler and I thought "A beer would taste pretty good."  They didn't have any Icehouse *, my preferred beer, and I looked at a bunch of other brands, but knew Coors was the next most tolerable to me, so I bought a couple of cans.**

*The date on that post is June 3, 2012 and that was the last time I drank any beer, so it's been two years and nearly a month since I last drank.  I dunno 'bout you, but that qualifies as "seldom drink" to me.

**A couple of cans, but they're BIG cans, 24 oz., which is two regular cans in one.

To be honest, the first sip or two tasted really nice, but now I'm remembering why I don't drink much. It's already going to my head and since it's so warm tonight, the chill has already gone from the can. (The little bars that are supposed show the cold temperature and be blue have already turned back to silver.)

I guess I'll chug it on down while it's still cool.  Here's lookin' atcha! (crosseyed)

Deepest Hole

The deepest hole in the world is the Z-44 Chayvo well just off the island Sakhalin, Russia. Completed in August of 2012, the well reaches a total depth of 12,376 meters (40,604 ft -  over 7.6 miles), surpassing previous records, including that of the Kola Superdeep Borehole.

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I've worked on some deep holes, some being very close to the Bertha Rogers well in Oklahoma.  One well was so deep near the completion depth, I was told the drill bit never got off bottom when making a connection due to the stretch in the drill string (pipe). A length of drill pipe is approx. 30 ft. long, so the fact that steel can stretch so far under its own weight is mind-boggling...at least it is to me.

99 Luftballoons - Nena

From Wiki: "99 Luftballons" (German Neunundneunzig Luftballons, "99 balloons") is an anti-nuclear protest song by the German band Nena from their 1983 self-titled album. An English version titled "99 Red Balloons" written by Kevin McAlea was also released after widespread success of the original in Europe and Japan. The English version is not a direct translation of the German and contains a somewhat different set of lyric.

The Wilhelm Scream

The Wilhelm scream is a film and television stock sound effect that has been used in more than 200 movies, beginning in 1951 for the film Distant Drums. The scream is often used when someone is shot, falls from a great height, or is thrown from an explosion.

Most likely voiced by actor and singer Sheb Wooley (his biggest music hit was Purple People Eater), the sound is named after Private Wilhelm, a character in The Charge at Feather River, a 1953 western in which the character gets shot with an arrow. This was its first use from the Warner Bros. stock sound library, although The Charge at Feather River is believed to have been the third movie to use the effect.

The effect gained new popularity (its use often becoming an in-joke) after it was used in Star Wars, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Indiana Jones series, Disney cartoons and many other blockbuster films as well as many television programs and video games.

(source:  Wikipedia )

Childish Names

You Like Names That Are Forgotten and Quirky

You prefer a name that's offbeat, but not made up. You like old names that are interesting sounding... You're the type to name someone after a historical figure or fictional character. You like a name that has a story behind it... hopefully spanning many generations. Some female names you might like: Annabel, Clementine, Evangeline, Genevieve, Isadora, Lorelei, and Ophelia. Some male names you might like: Cornelius, Dexter, Ferdinand, Gilbert, Jude, Rafael, and Ulysses.

What Kind of Names Do You Like?

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Not so sure I'd agree with the results of this quiz exactly, and I've never had children, but I do think I'd prefer (or would have preferred) an old-fashioned name instead of something trendy. I always thought that, if I ever did have a daughter (and got to name her) I'd like to name her Bonnie Irene, after my two grandmothers.  That's fairly old fashioned, wouldn't you say? Then, along with the first letter of her last name, I could give her the nickname "BIDdy". Her mother, whoever that might have been, probably wouldn't have gone for that, but...what the heck, huh?

I like the female names in the results, but I'm not fond of any of the male names.  Cornelius reminds me of one of the primates in the movie "Planet of the Apes", Dexter brings to mind the serial killer in the series of the same name, Ferdinand makes me think of a pig...or Magellan.  Gilbert is one half of the comic opera writing duo, Jude makes me want to say "Hey!", Rafael was a painter or saint and Ulysses could be either an epic hero or a Union general. 

No, thanks.  I'd just as soon name him "Sue".

I try to not post too many quizzes, at least not more than one per "page" of the blog, but I had noticed the last one had slipped off into the archives and figured I could post another one. (in lieu of any actual significant content, as is the usual case with this blog)  Earlier tonight I had received my weekly newsletter from StrangeCosmos.com and read this article:

Why Do Celebrities Give Their Kids Strange Names?

Sage Moonblood, Moxie Crimefighter, Pilot Inspektor and Moon Unit: Are these proper nouns from a bad sci-fi novel? Perhaps. They are definitely the names of the children of Sylvester Stallone, Penn Jillette, Jason Lee, and Frank Zappa, respectively.

Indeed, when it comes to celebrity baby names, it gets weirder than Apple (the daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin). Just yesterday, Mariah Carey announced that she and husband Nick Cannon have named their newborn twin son and daughter Moroccan and Monroe after the top floor of her apartment building and Marilyn Monroe, respectively. Why, oh why?

According to name expert Laura Wattenberg, the author of the name guide "The Baby Name Wizard" (Broadway, 2005) and founder of babynamewizard.com, unusual baby names are likely to emerge among populations of creative people.

Read the rest of the article.

I'm Still Standing - Elton John

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?