Beatles Trivia

From Oddee:

15 Things You Didn't Know About The Beatles

Formed in 1960, the fab four from Liverpool quickly became the most successful and critically acclaimed band in the history of rock and roll. Meet fifteen fascinating, little-known facts about the band that changed the world.



Hello Goodbye - The Beatles

Rangers in First Place!

Rangers nab first place with sweep in extras

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And they're a game above .500 at 13-12.

I'm not so sure that this speaks of the Rangers as being good, but rather the rest of the division sucks.

Say Cheese (cake)!

You Are Transparent and Real

You are a somewhat shy person. You often feel overwhelmed by the chaotic world around you. You have a gentle touch with others. You try to be subtle and compassionate in all your actions. You are very loyal. Once you find something (or someone) you love, you stick with it. You are a bit of a skeptic. You avoid fads and new fangled ideas. You're a bit old fashioned that way.

The Dessert Menu Test

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

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They didn't have "all of the above" as an option.

When Will I See You Again - The Three Degrees

That vid had the best sound quality; this one is from a live performance.

You know how certain songs remind you of places and/or people? This tune reminds me of a lovely young lady I dated many years ago. It was "our song". Regrettably, I was a little too wild for her. -sigh- I run into her sister now and then around town and she says her sister asks about me when they see each other. It always makes me think "what could've been" and how my life would have been different now. (perhaps not for the better, but it WOULD have been different, I'm sure)

When I see one of my aunts, she almost always reminds me about something I said before my first (blind) date with the girl. "Is she a good girl?" asked my aunt.

"I hope not." I told her.

spokeo

"Not your grandma's phone book"

This link was posted in a political forum I sometimes frequent and people got all up in arms over the supposed invasion of privacy, but after visiting I saw much of the information was wrong and other had to have been gleaned from online public records.

For example, it lists my age as several years older than I am and takes about fifteen years off the length of time at my current residence. Not only does it get the time wrong, it lists my house value at 1 million dollars.

I wish. (it also says my neighborhood is "under average", which is correct, but what am I doing in a mansion in a lower middle class neighborhood?

The most annoying thing about my personal info on the site is the list of interests. Some things are true and must have been shared from websites I've joined and surveys I've taken. It has a lot wrong, such as I like country music and that I own dogs, among other erroneous "facts". It also under-represents my education level.

I checked several members of my family, and found the same pattern of wrong information. I also plugged in the names of a few of my online friends and found what I think are errors. Under the photos tab I did see my sister's picture, but there are no photos of me online, at least none that are connected with my "real name".

Of course, to get the sensitive data such as credit reports and criminal background, you'll have to pay. If they get the simple stuff wrong, it makes me wonder about the validity of those "private" things.

spokeo

sesquipedalianism

sesquipedalianism \ses-kwi-PEED-l-iz-uhm\ , adjective;
1. Given to using long words.
2. (Of a word) containing many syllables.

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Using this word is sesquipedalianism.

Goodbye Horses - Q Lazzarus

You may remember this tune from "Silence of the Lambs" in the Buffalo Bill scene where he dresses up in drag and dances in front of his video camera.

And tucks. -ahem-

May Trivia Tournament Begins!

Take your brain out of the jar

and play the ToTG Trivia Tournament

There's not a lot of people who play, but *most* of us that do are some brainy folks!

*most* excludes me. I win when no one else plays. -sigh-

Click on the link above or the graphic below to play

This Blog is Regressing

Nearly a year ago I checked this blog's readability in this post and the other day found a different test. The first test said this blog had a reading level of a sophomore in h.s. ; now the new one says this:



It'd been less embarrassing if this blog had been "held back" a year, but to get kicked back six grades?

Oh well, must be the juvenile humor I publish.

At least I haven't put up any Hannah Montana vids.

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Just checked again at the first site; now it says the grade level is 7.

Like I said, regressing. Maybe I'm starting to go into my second childhood.

(some call that "senility")

Berry Good Quiz

You Are a Strawberry

On the one hand, you can be a bit vain and self centered. You're popular, and you let it get to your head. On the other hand, you can be quite considerate and compassionate. Deep down, you are a very sweet person. Yes, it's true that you are conceited at times, but you do your best to put that aside and be humble. You realize that while people may love you the best, the world doesn't revolve around you. And you wouldn't really want it to.

What Type of Berry Are You?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

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I love strawberries and eat them often, usually w/ my morning oatmeal. Surprisingly, they're fairly diabetic-friendly.

BTW, did you notice it said I was a "very sweet person"? Maybe that's why I have trouble w/ my blood sugar.

How Soon Is Now? - Love Spit Love

The Wicked Water Wiggle

Did you ever have one of these "toys"? My sisters and I got one many summers ago, and it didn't take long for it to go unused. I don't recall exactly what happened to it, but maybe it got run over "accidentally" by the lawnmower. -ahem-

The thing was basically a water faucet with a cute little bell-shaped head around it, connected to a hose that was in turn connected to a water hose. The faucet part was so heavy it took quite a bit of pressure to get it going/airborne and there was absolutely no happy medium to it - it was all or nothing.

The object of the "toy" was to get close to it and then dodge its gyrations, getting wonderfully wet in the process. All too often, however, it seemed to go on a rampage and wiggle uncontrollably and usually whacking me in the head.

That probably explains what's wrong with me today.

It also says a great deal about the difference in today's litigious society and that of my childhood days. The toy, put on the market in '62, wasn't recalled until 1978.

Me, I think the damn thing was invented by a sadist.

Hollyweird

"Hollywood is made of all the school kids who pointed to Greenland instead of China on the map. That's when the teacher pulled them aside and told them to forget med school and try out for a part in the school play."

From a post in Big Hollywood: Enviro-Elitist Harrison Ford Slams Critics Of His Enviro-Elitism

Another poster also added this truism: (referring to Harrison)

Guys with gray hair should lose the earrings, IMHO.

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I've always liked Harrison Ford...as an actor, but here lately he's become infected with that peculiar Hollywood disease, namely that "do as I say, not as I do" attitude. I used to be able to separate an entertainer's politics from his work but it's becoming an obstacle for me to see them on TV or in a movie and not think of the things they say and do in "real life".

The list doesn't end with Harrison Ford, either. Sean Penn, Sheryl Crow, Matt Damon, etc. (that list is a LONG one, but I'll stop there) Even Elton John has put his foot in his mouth and made me think less of him. (and I'll not say anything else about anything else he puts in his mouth because that's his personal business)

I've been railing on for years about the built-in soapbox some stars gain with their celebrity status. Every time there's a similar article on Big Hollywood about some dimwit progressive celeb, people post that they're going to have to boycott that person now...well, I've been doing a minor boycott of Hollywood for years and haven't been to a movie since "Titanic" was in the theaters. Oh, I buy a DVD now 'n then, but I very seldom pay more than five bucks for one; at least I know they're not getting as much money as they would if I went to the movies.

I agree with Robert Duvall; they need to just "shut up and act." Sure, entertainers have a 1st Amendment right to voice their opinions, but they also need to understand just how stupid they are.

Goodnight Tornado

Had this up with a CNN video the other day but thought it might be conflicting w/ the other vids. The problem wasn't that, but one of my own. My YT issues have been fixed.

(well, except for posting too many videos on "one page".)



I've got the posting column set at 500, think it is, and I use vids that are 480 wide w/ the YT code. These tornadovideos.net offerings are usually 560 wide and on up, so I altered this one, hope it renders OK to everyone.

BTW, this Goodnight is not the same as the city downstate; it's a ghost town and parts of the classic movie Hud were filmed there and is also not far from the Groom Cross.

Cowboys Sign New Hampshire Sicko

It's true!

Cowboys convince undrafted TE Sicko to give NFL a try

Having an unusual last name myself, it's always funny to see someone with an even MORE unusual last name.

Besides, I couldn't pass on the headline for the post.

pellucid

pellucid \puh-LOO-sid\ , adjective;
1. Transparent; clear; not opaque.
2. Easily understandable.

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This certainly doesn't describe any recent legislation.

Psychiatric Hotline Voice Mail

From the archives:

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RING...RING...click

Welcome to the Psychiatric Hotline.

If you are obsessive-compulsive, please press 1 repeatedly.

If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2.

If you have multiple personalities, please press 3, 4, 5 and 6.

If you are paranoid-delusional, we know who you are and what you want. Just stay on the line so we can trace the call.

If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press.

If you are manic-depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press. No one will answer.

If you are delusional and occasionally hallucinate, please be aware that the thing you are holding on the side of your head is alive and about to bite off your ear.

Not the Bottom, the Top

You Are Flares

You are a true free spirit, and you enjoy playing with fashion. Your look tends to be eclectic. You tend to be a bit rebellious. You're more likely to dress for yourself than dress for the occasion. You are both peaceful and jovial. There is a happy calm that surrounds everything you do. You are broad minded, well read, and well traveled. You are open to anything that comes your way.

What Kind of Jeans Are You?

Blogthings: We're Not Shrinks, But We Play Them On the Internet

Chuck Norris Jeans

I got this in my newsreader earlier from Oddee, one of my favorites and a very popular site - 12 Strangest Jeans; one of the entries was Chuck Norris jeans:



I bet that, when they're unzipped, a fist will come out and punch you in the face.

Forever in Blue Jeans - Neil Diamond

Back in the Saddle Again

Just a short snippet of the old cowboy tune by Gene Autry to celebrate being back online again.



Here's the tune by Aerosmith from my h.s. days.



Had to call tech support because the thing kept me in an endless loop on the install software page. I was lucky, I got a "furriner" that spoke better English than I do.

wastrel

wastrel \WAY-struhl\ , noun;
1.A person who wastes, especially one who squanders money; a spendthrift.
2.An idler; a loafer; a good-for-nothing.

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Wow, another word that would describe most anyone in politics.

Offline

Unplugged my computer last night during t-storm; 'puter booted up fine this a.m., but modem is kaput, so I will be offline until I get another modem. (and I've wiggled connections until I'm blue in the face)

Love to my friends who frequent this blog... and if any spammers hit this blog while I'm gone, I hope they die a slow, agonizing death. ;)

Smokin' - Boston

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I know this song is about "something else", but it's also what my friend Barb's Sox have been doin' to my Rangers the last couple of days. Here's hopin' for a better outcome tomorrow.

Instants!

Push button, receive bacon fun!

WARNING: NSFW and *some* buttons are not G-rated.

Instants

The Many Faces of

From the website:

A Lesson on How to be a Villain

To be a great villain requires more than merely being rotten to the core. The best bad guys are multi-dimensional and unpredictable. With each patronizing grin, disdainful remark and narcissistic fit, Alan Rickman elevates the role of a villain from the plain ol’ bastard to a bastard coated bastard with bastard filling. Actors take note. We’ve picked our four favorite Rickman villains to illustrate the ultimate lessons in how to be a villain, the Alan Rickman way.

The Many Faces of Alan Rickman

Octopus I Love You - Dalmatian Rex & the Eigentones

Happy Birthday Tim Curry!

Tim Curry on Wiki














I've enjoyed him in many of his movie roles, but I'll always think of him as Dr. Frank-n-furter



I wonder if each year he awaits his birthday with antici....

PATION!

Plugin Check

See your Firefox plugins and update them at this handy Mozilla site: Plugin Check

From the site:

What is a Plugin?

* Plugins power videos, animation and games.
* They're built outside of Firefox by companies like Adobe Systems and Apple.
* Plugins don't always update automatically.

Why should I update my Plugins?

* Old Plugins can interrupt browsing and waste your time.
* Old Plugins increase your risk for attack by malware, viruses, and other security threats.
* Updated Plugins have improvements that make the web better and safer for you.

Plugin Check

scapegrace

scapegrace \SKAYP-grayss\ , noun;
1. A reckless, unprincipled person; one who is wild and reckless; a rascal; a scoundrel.

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Or, as I like to say, a politician.

One of Each Wasn't an Option

If you love cheesecake as much as I do, this will be a hard quiz!

You Are a Lime Cheesecake

You are unpredictable and zany. You definitely keep things flavorful. You have a bit of attitude to you - You've been known to be pretty snarky at times. You are fiery and wild. You can't help it... you love trouble. You are definitely one of a kind - no one ever forgets you!

The Cheesecake Test

Blogthings: We'll Tell You The Truth... Someone Has To!

National Debt Widget

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A bump from nearly a year ago.

Scary, ain't it?

The Genius Club

What if you had one night to prove God exists? What if you had one night to solve the world's problems?

First, a preface:

As I lay in bed last night, my sinuses aching from all the mold spores in the air due to the recent deluge, I flicked through the TV stations hoping to find something to bore me to sleep. There were plenty of options for me that normally would do the trick: a college baseball game, movies I'd seen before and didn't care for the first time I watched them and a multitude of so-called "news" stations pushing their left or right agendas, any of which would put me out in a few minutes of mind-numbing viewing.

Then I noticed a movie on the Christian station, TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network)- The Genius Club. Now, I normally steer clear of that station, mainly because of its multitude of evangelical programming (why is it they want you to give your soul to God, but make the check out to them?) and shyster faith healers (sure, punching someone in the forehead will cure their ills). The movie's premise looked good, however, and I thought I'd give it a chance. At worst I'd be semi-entertained, at best I'd be bored enough to fall asleep.

The plot summary from Wiki:

On Christmas Eve, Armand (Tom Sizemore), a terrorist who has a hidden nuclear device in Washington D.C., forces the president of the United States government (Jack Scalia) to round up seven geniuses with IQs over 200. The group consists of a casino owner (Carol Abney), a bio-chemist (Paula Jai Parker), a pro-baseball player (Matt Medrano), a seminary student, an Economics professor, a painter (Tricia Helfer), and a pizza delivery guy (Stephen Baldwin).

The government is to place them in a bomb shelter and explain to the group that they are to solve the world's problems in one night; if they fail, the terrorist will detonate the hidden nuclear device planted in the basement of the 'genius lair'.

To free themselves from their captivity, the group has to answer questions and are given points for their answers. The terrorist (played superbly by Sizemore) insists they must reach 1000 points before they "pass".

The questions are: (to the best of my recollection)

Why hasn't there been a cure found for cancer?
Why does toner ink cost so much?
Why are there starving people in the world?
If you were a dictator, what is the first thing you would do?
What is the meaning of life?
Does God exist?

To say it was the best movie I've ever seen would be a lie and if I denied that the premise was a bit weak and had no holes, I'd be a dishonest reviewer, but one of my own standards of a movie's greatness is "Did it make me think about it after it ended?" I stayed awake several hours after the movie was over and am still thinking about it today.

Here's the promotional trailer:



As I said, this movie affected me profoundly, much the same as did the lyrics of a Bob Seger song: "Are You?".

I think the song's message and that of the movie's are one and the same.

Most of what we want is just illusion
Most of what we buy won't change a thing
Most of what we're told is misdirection
Offered up to ease our suffering

If you get a chance, watch the movie. I plan on buying it for my library because I think it's one I could watch at least once a year and take something different from it each time, plus it would be one I'd love to show to someone for the first time and get their reaction. I wouldn't necessarily call it a "Christian movie" nor a political one, but it makes some important points about the relationship of both to humanity.


The Genius Club on IMDB (beware of spoilers in the comments section!)

disport

disport \dis-PORT\ , verb;
1. To amuse oneself in light or lively manner; to frolic.
transitive verb:
1. To divert or amuse.
2. To display.

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This describes what I try to do with this blog, amuse myself.

I try to keep the frolicking to a minimum, though.

Raining in My Heart - Buddy Holly

Waterlogged

It's been raining for two days:



And no let-up in sight:



Supposed to rain Sunday, too, then Monday has a chance of rain, then more storms are in the forecast.

The last time we got this much rain it rained for 40 days and 40 nights.

Rain - The Beatles

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Some Say a "Lame" One

You Are a Brain

It's not easy to stretch your brain, but who ever said that life was going to be easy? You work hard to learn more and challenge yourself. You find thinking hard to be fun! You enjoy long term projects and complicated problems. You are good at wrapping your mind around complex problems. People tend to be jealous of your big brain, but they don't see how much work you put into being smart.

Are You a Brain?

Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!

Me and the IRS - Johnny Paycheck

pelf

pelf \PELF\ , noun;
1. Money; riches; gain; -- generally conveying the idea of something ill-gotten.

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"Ill-gotten" That's the pelf the IRS takes from you.

Happy Tax Day!

Well, as happy as it can be.

Taxman - The Beatles

Travelling Far and Fast

If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears.
- Glenn Clark

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Take off your clothes, too, to REALLY travel fast.

The Ultimate Death Quiz

From howstuffworks

Don't fear the reaper, says the iconic song by Blue Oyster Cult. But isn't it a little difficult not to fear a dark-cloaked man who roams around with a scythe and an hourglass? The Grim Reaper is a personification of death that has been invented and refined over the years to help humans make sense of their own mortality. How much do you know about your own mortality? You can't cheat death, and you can't cheat on this quiz about death, either. So sharpen your scythe and get started.

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I passed, but barely.



The Ultimate Death Quiz

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Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Öyster Cult

Cat Hates Toilet Paper

I Do Now I Don't

Wondering what to do with that returned engagement ring? Left at the altar and now have no need for that wedding dress? Sell it at I Do Now I Don't

From the site:

People buy and sell diamond rings, jewelry, even wedding dresses and collectible watches on I Do Now I Don’t. Diamond rings worth as much as $75,000 have been sold successfully on I Do.

You too can buy and sell on I Do Now I Don’t with complete and total confidence.

Here’s why:

Our highly and GIA-accredited gemologist verifies gemstones are exactly as described by the seller Buyers’ money is held in escrow and only released to the seller pending our expert’s verification Buyers of diamond rings receive an on-site buy-back guarantee.

I Do Now I Don't

Even Though I'm Never Bored

I still enjoy help I'm bored

Find your "problem" and click the link. I don't like the fact my hairline is receding faster than Congress's approval ratings, so I clicked "help I'm bald" and got this reassuring answer:



help I'm bored

bloviate

bloviate \BLOH-vee-ayt\ , verb;
1. To speak or write at length in a pompous or boastful manner.

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Even though we might not have known of this word, Texans have been bloviatin' all of our lives.

I Wanna Be a Cowboy

Your Cowboy Name is Augustus Emory

Yee-Haw!

What's Your Cowboy or Cowgirl Name?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

I Wanna Be A Cowboy - Boys Don't Cry

Truer Words

Were never spoken. From our Quote of the Day feed:




An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.

- Winston Churchill

Image courtesy of magixl.com