Special Deliveries

After seeing all the complaining on Amazon about shipments arriving damaged, I now understand why. This only affirms my decision to NOT get Amazon Prime;  my stuff is shipped via the good ol' USPS and it might get to me later, but it's always in one piece.  

At least it's not drop kicked to the top of my house.

My Paperback Sharona

Brilliantly done mash-up of The Beatles' "Paperback Writer" and The Knack's "My Sharona".

On Second Thought....

From the Quote of the Day module in the right-hand column:

I often regret that I have spoken; never that I have been silent.
 - Publilius Syrus

When I first read this, I thought it would make a great post for my Facebook wall, but just after I posted it, I thought about it some more and deleted it. Why?

Well, there ARE times I wish I had said something but didn't.  I should have stood up for guys back in school who were getting bullied by older kids, should have said something when I have been insulted or received poor service from clerks and waitresses,  should have said something when someone was spreading lies or malicious gossip...but I didn't, and in most of those cases I regret that more than the times I said something I shouldn't have.

brusque

brusque [bruhsk; especially British broosk] adjective

abrupt in manner; blunt; rough

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I like this word, although I sometimes don't like brusque people; they are often brusque to the point of being rude and callous.

Love Is Like Oxygen - Sweet

What the Flock?

A group of flamingos is called a flamboyance.

klatsch

klatsch [klahch, klach] noun

a casual gathering of people, especially for refreshments and informal conversation: a sewing klatsch.

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This is a word I knew; the times I've seen it, it's almost always been used referring to neighborhood housewives gathering together in the mornings after their husbands have gone to work and their children are off at school, a "coffee klatsch" . It also comes to mind when I see groups of older men who congregate in various restaurants around town.

I reckon there's more gossip going on in the latter.

AKA Phalanges

You have no muscles in your fingers.(or thumbs)

taradiddle

taradiddle tar·a·did·dle [tar-uh-did-l] noun Informal

1. a small lie; fib.
2. pretentious nonsense.

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I've never seen nor heard this word used.

And that's no taradiddle.

It's My Party - Lesley Gore

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Several years ago, a young couple with two small girls moved in a few doors down. I became good friends with them and I absolutely adored their girls, Dusty and Wendy. (my mom said their names sounded like a weather report.)

The guy told me when his oldest girl was being potty trained, she'd cry for no good reason.  "Why are you crying?" he'd ask her in frustration.

"It's my potty and I'll cry if I want to." he said she said.

Yep, that's a groaner.

Going Down Under

You Should Travel to Oceania

You're looking for a good time without too much fuss. The beautiful scenery of Australia and New Zealand are calling you. You'll love skiing, surfing, snowboarding, and swimming while you're down under.  You'll probably make some great friends along the way too! You aren't the type who has to see it all on a vacation. In fact, if you find the perfect spot, you're likely to stop for a while. For you, it is all about the journey and never about the destination. Your best trips never end!

Where Should You Travel To?

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When I think of places in the world I'd love to visit, Australia and New Zealand are at the top of the list. I don't think I'd want to ski, surf, snowboard while there and I damn sure ain't going swimming...not with the huge great white sharks in the area.  (shudder) I'd also watch my step while in Australia - there are snakes there that make Texas rattlers look like garden snakes.

That said, there's not a lot of places I'd want to go in Australia - I'd want to see the Great Barrier Reef - by boat - the Sydney Opera House and the massive geological formation Uluru (aka Ayers Rock).  I wouldn't want to climb that last, not only because it's sacred to the aboriginal people, but also because I'm getting too old.  It also might sound crazy to some, but I've also wanted to go to Coober Pedy, a small opal mining town where most of the homes are underground. (I dunno why, just sounds neat.)I'd also love to see an Australian rules football match.

I'd really look forward to seeing New Zealand - I have a great online friend who lives there and the travel/nature shows I've seen of the country prove that it's a land of great beauty and lovely people.  Offhand, I couldn't tell you any great monument or awesome natural wonder there, but I think I'd enjoy just traveling around to smaller towns, enjoying the countryside and meeting the "real" people.

Oh, Rats!

Rats eat or otherwise spoil 20% of the world's food supply every year.

I'm Not Happy

I used to love this song...

...the first thousand times I heard it.

Live Wire - AC/DC

Baby Boom

More people are born in August than any other month.

My Yin & Yang

You Are Contemplative

You have yellow yin. You are a very clear and methodical thinker, especially when others are pessimistic. You aren't necessarily an optimist, but more than anyone else, you can envision how things may go right. You have green yang. You have a youthful, playful bent to the way you live your life. You are always open to growth and opportunity. You seek out balance and harmony in your life. You try to avoid getting too much of any one thing... even a good thing.

The Yin Yang Test

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Yellow yin and green yang? I hope penicillin will clear that up.

Along Came a Spider

From Lockerdome.com

Nothing here?

Sorry, but a spider and its web ain't exactly "nothing".   I shuddered so much when I opened the 404 page the govt. seismograph registered an earthquake here in town. 

I know it's called the "world wide web" but I didn't think it would be one literally.

Are You Crying Yet?

Honest Trailers - Forrest Gump

I love this movie, celebrating its 20th anniversary since being released, but this is literally laugh-out-loud funny.

Well, it was for me, anyway.  Your mileage may vary.

Forrest Gump on IMDB.

gibbosity

gibbosity \ gi-BOS-i-tee \ noun

1. a protuberance or swelling.
2. the state of being gibbous.

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This is a good word to know; when someone rudely mentions my beer belly (not from beer, though), I can say "No, it's my gibbosity!".

Not sure if a pregnant woman could use that, though.

Highest Flyer

The Rüppell's vulture is considered to be the highest-flying bird, with confirmed evidence of a flight at an altitude of 11,300 m (37,000 ft) above sea level.

Be My Baby - The Ronettes

favonian

favonian fa·vo·ni·an [fuh-voh-nee-uhn] adjective

1. of or pertaining to the west wind.
2. mild or favorable; propitious.

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I was surprised I didn't know this word - what with all the maritime novels I read as a young man, I'd think it would have been in at least one of them. Maybe it was and I just didn't know what it meant...and I don't remember.

After all, when I was a young man was a long time ago.

Mad Max: Fury Road

I might have to break down and go to the theater to watch this.

Fine Herb Quiz

Not really the "fine herb" I'd choose, but....

I'm sure I've eaten something w/ tarragon, but I've never cooked with it.  I love to look at the herbs in the various garden supply catalogs I get in the mail. I'd really like to have a herb garden, esp. w/ some rosemary to sprinkle on a potato galette - I've been wanting to make one of those for a long time.

You Are French Tarragon

You have a strong personality, and you're not really into mellowing it out for anyone. You can perk up any boring occasion or event. You may take over a room, but your influence is always a good one. You are a bit offbeat and likely to be very intellectual. You can get lost studying unusual subjects. You are confident in who you are, and you especially know when you are right. You have experience and knowledge to share.

What Fine Herb Are You?

Touch Too Much - AC/DC

Interactive Psychedelic Kaleidoscope

Interactive Psychedelic Kaleidoscope

Break-In

Break head getting out.

Someone smashed in a door at All Points Electric in Brandon early Thursday morning, but they had a little trouble getting out. The culprit also smashed three truck windows and two garage windows, but nothing was taken.

hemidemisemiquaver

hemidemisemiquaver hem·i·dem·i·sem·i·qua·ver
[hem-ee-dem-ee-sem-ee-kwey-ver]

noun - music - chiefly British

a sixty-fourth note

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I didn't know this word, nor do I think I'll ever use it.  I can't carry a tune in a bucket and don't think this word would fit in one, either.

Terrible Tummy Trivia

The acid in your stomach can dissolve steel.

Longest Running Play

The Mousetrap, a murder mystery by Agatha Christie, is the world's longest running play. The play opened in the West End of London in 1952, and has been running continuously since then.

Billie Jean - The Bottle Boys

Several people in the comments section under the video are saying it's faked. I don't know if that is or isn't the case, but it's still cool.

WAY Off-Topic

I read a lot of stuff on the 'net and have found that sometimes the comments under the articles make for better reading than the topic.

What really puzzles me are the comments totally unrelated to the subject; the topic might be border security and someone will bring up gay marriage, or in this case, Hollywood actor's salaries which brought forth this strange comment:

Crazy Circle Illusion!

The Funky Donut Test

You Are Warm

You are kind, compassionate, and good to everyone you meet. You make friends easily. You are quite trustworthy and dependable. You like to help people you know in small, practical ways. You are quietly confident and know how to walk into a room. You may have a strong presence, but you are never the life of the party. You don't seek attention, although plenty of people pay attention to you. You prefer to let others shine whenever you can.

The Funky Donut Test

San Jacinto Monument Cam

From the site: Experience views of La Porte, Texas from the perspective of the San Jacinto Monument.  Standing more than 567 feet tall, enjoy amazing views of the city, busy waterway and the Battleship Texas.  The monument houses the San Jacinto Museum of History, which serves as the gateway to Texas culture.

San Jacinto Monument Cam

I'll Just Wait For the Video

I found a place to watch some first-run movies and thought I'd d/l this one - not for sure why I was doing it, because I didn't really care for the FIRST Thor movie, but...

I started the download and after a half hour later, was wondering why the d/l hadn't finished and saw that it was going take a little while longer....

Seems as though it's really true crime doesn't pay, it also takes a long, long time.

64 bytes/sec?  My last dial-up connection was faster than that.

Hank Skinner: News & Numbers

The newest news:

31st Judicial District Court Finds Against Hank Skinner

The court reviewed the all the evidence and found that the results would have not been favorable to Skinner.

The statement says if the evidence had originally been available during the original trial Skinner would have been convicted anyways.(sic)

The latest numbers:

The total cost to Gray County for his case is $341,200. This includes the cost of the original 1995 trial, the 1996 appeal and DNA testing that was performed in 2001.

Skinner has been incarcerated since March 31, 1995, which calculates to:

609,120,000 seconds
10,152,000 minutes
169,200 hours
7050 days
1007 weeks (rounded down)

While a spokesman with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice could not say the cost per day of housing a death-row inmate, he said the average cost per inmate is around $50.

Based on that number, taxpayers in Texas have spent about $347,250 to house Skinner on death-row.

Source: Pampa News

Sisters

Two 30 year old guys lip syncing a conversation between two 60 year old women.

One of the funniest things I've ever seen on YouTube.

But Not Erase It

The average pencil can draw a 35-mile-long line.

Nights In White Satin - Justin Hayward

Stoned at the Dentist

You have two choices: get stoned, or go to the dentist.

Go ahead, fire it up.

Visualizing World Birth and Death Rates

Interesting and informative, the Visualizing World Birth and Death Rates page shows a simulation of births and deaths all over the globe. You can limit the view to any continent or show even more detail.

Visualizing World Birth and Death Rates

Try Me On Deep-Fried Mushrooms

You Are Ranch Dressing

To be honest, you aren't much of a salad type. You like the dressing more than the salad, and you look for comfort in all aspects of your life. You are lovable and genuine. Some may accuse you of being set in your ways, but you are proud of knowing what you like. You enjoy life more than most people, and you are able to go with the flow. You don't believe in guilty pleasures, and you are never a snob. You have enough good stuff going on that you don't need to go looking for novelty or adventure. You prefer to stick with what's tried and true.

What Salad Dressing Are You?

Bath Time With Bix

100 Amazing Bass Lines

Pretty cool video, but at least a couple of the RHCP (Red Hot Chili Peppers) attributed tunes are remakes of other group's songs.

Tacky - Weird Al Yankovic

Try - Colbie Caillat

Great video and a message I wish more women would take to heart.  Most men - most MATURE men (not necessarily referring to age) - can see the beauty of a woman even if she's not wearing all that makeup.