Brainstorming

is going on in the ToTG Trivia Tournament!





A new month and contest has begun!

Test your trivia knowledge against some sharp wit!

(well, in my case it's dull wit and half at that)

ToTG Trivia Tournament

casuistry

casuistry\ KAZH-oo-uh-stree \ , noun;

1. Specious, deceptive, or oversubtle reasoning, esp. in questions of morality.
2. The application of general ethical principles to particular cases of conscience or conduct.

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I was unfamiliar with this word, but I have understood the definitions of it for a long time.

I've a friend who won't eat pork because of the dietary laws in Leviticus. I understand his thinking on that and prefer to not knock someone for their religious beliefs and I myself seldom eat pork. (but not for religious reasons) Still, he picks and chooses just what he obeys of all those laws, not being as strict as the laws command, such as using certain utensils/cookware for different tasks, etc. To me, that fits the first definition.

(I'd still rather discuss the Bible with him than his views that the CIA killed JFK, the moon landings were faked and especially how he thinks the Masons are a satanic organization. )

The second definition reminds me of the game of politics; one party's member will be indicted and the other party crows about it. The next week the same thing happens, only it's a vice-versa deal.

No Need to "EXCUUUUUSE" you, Steve

Especially when you speak the truth.





A movie star can be tall, short, thin, or skinny. They can be democrats... or skinny.

- Steve Martin







Image courtesy of

behemoth

behemoth\ bih-HEE-muhth \ , noun;
1. Any creature or thing of monstrous size or power
2. An animal, perhaps the hippopotamus, mentioned in the Book of Job.

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As soon as I saw this word in our Word of the Day feed, I instantly remembered the first time I ever heard it used in everyday speech.

The memory is clear as polished glass; we were playing Turpin, Oklahoma, perennial state 8-Man champs. I was a freshman, thrown into the starting right guard spot due to a senior having to quit school because of getting a girl pregnant.

It was the pre-game warmups and as a classmate and I jogged to the back of the line for the drill we were doing, we turned to look at the Turpin team performing their own exercises a few yards away. They were clad in all-red* uniforms, at least 40 guys suited up. (and this is a "small" school). We were lucky to have less than half that number on our roster, and our uniforms were old, patched and faded white (yep, faded white!).

*I believe all the OK. schools we played had red in their school colors - red makes a team "look" fast and larger, while black is intimidating and mean-looking. As I said, we were dressed in white, looking like a bunch of skinny, fresh-faced medical interns.

Even with the mass of red-clad Okies, it wasn't hard to immediately notice a HUGE guy. The program had him listed at 6'4 and 265 lbs. but I think they were sandbaggin' on those figures.  Now, these days guys of that size can be found in many larger school programs, but back then, especially in OUR league, that was a monster. I was probably a bit larger than avg. for most small school teams, 5'9" on tippy toes and 150 lbs. IF soppin' wet and weighed immediately after Thanksgiving dinner.

After staring at the guy for a minute, watching as he slowly shuffled to the end of the line in his own drill, I turned to my friend and exclaimed:

"Good - gawd - awmighty." I knew it was my imagination, but it felt like the ground was moving with each step he took. The pounding, I knew though, was my heart.

"The guy's a *#^%$#@* behemoth." replied my friend.

He turned to me and then said: "I hope coach doesn't put me in tonight."

Those were my sentiments too, but I knew I was going to have to play on offense, at least, and I said a quick prayer that I wouldn't embarrass myself in front of all these Okies, plus friends and family. Mostly I wanted to get through the game without serious injury.

Thank the Lord I didn't have to play directly opposite of him. I still had to pull on certain plays and (attempt to) block him on trap plays or in some pass protection schemes. I had the best luck blocking him on the pulling plays; at least I could work up a few steps worth of momentum. Even then I usually bounced off of the mountainous "young" man . (I say "young" because I later found out the guy was 19 when the school year started and had turned 20 at the start of the season, legal within the OK rules at the time. Hell, the guy had a beard, a thick one that looked like it could be used in lieu of sandpaper! I was barely 14, barely had hair under my arms, much less on my face!)

It was one horrifying play that I remember the most about that game. We were running a play to the opposite side of the line than mine, a draw-type play meant to pull the huge guy away from the run...but it didn't work. Another classmate of mine, another freshman starting because of an upperclassman's problems (grades) was the ball carrier and was met at the line of scrimmage by the guy. My teammate was picked up like a sack of feed, much like I expect the huge guy had done a zillion times, and slammed on the ground ... again, much like a sack of feed.

Dave, my classmate, literally bounced off the ground, his head hitting not once, but hitting again on the rebound. Several of us rushed over to him and helped him to his feet.

He seemed to be all right, but as we huddled for the next play, he started calling a play that we didn't even have in the playbook. He shouldn't have been calling the play because he wasn't the quarterback. (He had transferred the year previous, and after later telling him the play he was calling, he said that was a play from his old school's team) He was led off the field and didn't return to action. At the time I was a bit jealous of him.

We later found that he had suffered a concussion, and no wonder; his helmet was cracked all the way from the top to the back!

After the game was over (we got our butts kicked, something like 73-0), the opposing teams met in the middle of the field and shook hands. As I got to the big guy, I shook his hand (the size of a small ham) and leaned my head back as far as my shoulder pads would allow and asked him:

"How the hell did you get so big?"

He grinned, showing a couple of missing front teeth, and replied:

"Eatin' a lotta corn and drinkin' a lotta whisky!"

I believed him. Wasn't gonna call him on it, anyway.

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If this silly memory story was deflating

Go check out What It Was, Was Football

It's funnier.

This Should Clear Things Up

Kevin Brady's Obamacare Chart



View larger size.

Embed code available. ( too large for this layout)

DSL Problems

So I might not be here for however it takes to suss out. I'm lucky to be online now, did so much better w/ it than I did w/ the foreign dude who tried to help me earlier. He was very polite, just unintelligible.

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UPDATE: Still having problems, but it's not on my end. I had arranged for a repairman, but figured I'd best check MY end of things and avoid a service charge. (took longer to cancel the appt. than it did to troubleshoot my connection and make the appt.)

Ran a new line, but still No Joy. It's hard to post things when the posting window times out, so I'll curtail my posting for a few days more. Don't worry about me, I'm fine, just stuck in not-much-more than dial-up land.

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Another "bump" just to let my regular readers know I've not vanished off the face of the Earth. Love to all my friends and family!

(those that read this blog and those that can read)

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Update 7-26

Still have some line problems, but have had OTHER problems to deal with, nothing to concern anyone, also like to take a break from the computer at times.

zaftig

zaftig \ ZAHF-tik \ , adjective;
1. Full-bodied; well-proportioned.

Origin: Zaftig is a borrowing from Yiddish, zaftik, literally meaning "juicy."

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A rarely used word which I am familiar with because that's the physical type of woman to whom I am attracted. (that's an odd sentence structure, but I'm leavin' it that way)

To add to this post I Googled up zaftig images and nearly went blind when I looked at the results. I then clicked the "clipart" option and found this to explain my preference for full-figured women:



Sure, the thinner one is attractive, but I still prefer the larger one of the two. It's not just the physical attraction, but she also appeals to me because I'm constantly on the lookout for a girlfriend who not only fits my definition of a sexy woman, but one that also looks like she could help me put up my air conditioner.

Speaking of looking for women, I went to a bar the other night, saw a cute zaftig type of woman standing by the jukebox. I sidled up next to her and asked

"Hey darlin', where ya been all my life?"

She slowly looked me over and dryly replied:

"From the looks of you, I wasn't even alive for the first half."

Roy Rogers Cocktail

From Start Sampling





Roy Rogers Cocktail



TGIF!!!

Non alcoholic

Build:

1/2 oz. Grenadine
fill with cola
cherry garnish

Have a great weekend!!!

Please don't drink and drive!

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In the comments section, a poster recommends adding spiced rum.

I'm not so sure about that; adding liquor to this drink could distort one's judgment, make you forget the way to Grandmother's house, drown in the river, get lost in the woods.

You could even find yourself over the Dale.

Not My Game

I really preferred to play "Doctor".

You Are Hopscotch

You are easygoing and carefree. You like to play, but you don't really like to compete. You prefer to cooperate with others. You like to work with people ... not against them! You have a childlike innocence and optimism that is worth holding on to. You find happiness easily. You can get pleasure from the smallest things.

What Childhood Game Are You?

Blogthings: Learn Something Surprising About Yourself

Hooverism

Honor is not the exclusive property of any political party.
- Herbert Hoover







Note to Democrats and Republicans alike: Learn it, know it, live it.

Image courtesy of Caricature Zone

impedimenta

impedimenta \ im-ped-uh-MEN-tuh \ , noun;
1. Baggage or other things that retard one's progress.

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I got so much baggage, Samsonite wants to make a movie of my life.

Hepburn was Hep

If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun.

- Katharine Hepburn








Image courtesy of Caricature Zone

philogyny

philogyny\ fi-LOJ-uh-nee \ , noun;
1. Love of or liking for women (opposite of misogyny.)

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I KNEW there had to be a word to describe me!!! (well, one that's fit to print)

I might change my msg. board nicknmame to "Phil Ogyny".

('cause I do so love to Phil women)

57 Channels - Bruce Springsteen

Been lookin' through the TV listings and there's nothing worth watching. I'm fairly sure last week was "Sweeps Week" but I've never before noticed a fall-off of decent programming the week after such as this.

Anyway, reminded me of this old Springsteen tune.

Storm on 282

Rain squall crossing Hwy 282, north of Pampa.

Odd little storm; it popped up suddenly and with great severity, the local radar showing a small mass of yellow and red around a knot of orange. I once read that the avg. thunderstorm is only ten square miles and this one looked to be of average size but intense. We got a bit of rain, but most of it pushed on off to the east of town.

No Flag Decals on Rosebud

Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch.
- Orson Welles








Image courtesy of Caricature Zone

Who's The Boss?

As I got on the 'net earlier, the first thing I saw was the headline: "The Boss is Dead". My initial thought was "Oh heck, Bruce Springsteen has died!". Instead, it was announcing the passing of the Yankee's owner George Steinbrenner.

To be honest, I don't/didn't care all that much for either "Boss". Springsteen has been so outspoken about issues on which I disagree with him that it's hard to listen to his music without thinking of the idiotic things he's said.

I'm also not a huge baseball fan, but follow the Rangers and dislike the Yankees for consistently beating them although I didn't hold that against Steinbrenner, a man who seems to be the most hated in his own team's city, despite the success he brought to the town. Other than reading the occasional article on his blockbuster moves and assorted controversies, the man was off my own personal headlines radar. The only times other than those I was reminded of him was on old Seinfeld reruns.

There's only one other boss that I can think of and it's a snow plow.

That said, it got me to wondering just really who IS "The Boss".

Didn't take me long to come to the answer:

Wild or Mild?

My results should probably also have this disclaimer:

"With sociopathic tendencies"

You Are Mild

You get as many thrills as wild people do, however your thrills tend to be more of the laid back variety. You believe that the deeper you get into something, the more you enjoy it. And you need calm to do that. You are one of the least superficial people around. You have intense and passionate interests. You don't get bored easily. How could you? There is so much to learn about and think about!

Are You Wild or Mild?

Blogthings: Discover the Parts of Your Personality that Have Been Hiding

Hammy Needs a Wallet

Or gerbil or guinea pig or whatever it is


see more Lolcats and funny pictures

snuff

snuff \SNUHF\ ,
verb:
1. To extinguish or suppress.
2. To cut off or remove the snuff of (candles, tapers, etc.).
noun:
1. The charred or partly consumed portion of a candlewick.
2. A preparation of tobacco, either powdered and taken into the nostrils by inhalation or ground and placed between the cheek and gum.
verb:
1. To draw in through the nose by inhaling.

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"Snuff" has, as the definitions above attest, multiple meanings, the first of which when I think of it is the tobacco. I never developed the steady habit of dipping snuff and haven't had a taste of it in quite some number of years. It's a nasty habit, especially when the person dipping spits into a cup. Yuck. I've got several friends who dip and swallow - gag - and each one has stomach problems ... no wonder.

I was once told my grandmother used snuff, but it was the powdered form, not the currently popular "leafy" substance more akin to chewing tobacco. According to the story, Grandma would chew on a matchstick (not the lighting end, of course) and then "dip" it into the snuff container and then rest the match with "wad" between her cheek and gum.

I think most everyone has seen an old movie, perhaps a cartoon with someone sniffing snuff up their nose. I've tried that and sure 'nuff, I sneezed...then the tobacco slowly slid down my throat. I didn't throw up, but it was a near thing. After I got used to it, though, it was tolerable.

My memory is fuzzy as to where I bought the stuff, but on some school trip I found a store that sold various sorts of smoking supplies including a wide assortment of "odd" snuffs. I saw a particular type with many different flavors called "Cokesnuff" and I bought a couple of the small tins, cherry and mint. (as I recall)



It was much better "tasting" than the old fashioned sort of snuff I had tried before, but didn't have the flavor of Coca-Cola ^TM; I didn't know why that was, but it was still pretty good. Between my school buddies and I, we went through the tins fairly quickly and I kept the nifty little containers for years and years.

It wasn't until a few years after school that I realized I hadn't been in a tobacco shop, but instead had been in a "head shop". (No wonder there were so many pipes.) And, of course, the "coke" in "cokesnuff" wasn't about the drink, but was instead meant to mix with cocaine.

To top all that, around the same time as THAT revelation, I couldn't figure out why anyone would want to make a movie about "snuff"...until I watched one That was when the first definition came into play.

Wisdom From Liz

The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they're going to have some pretty annoying virtues.

- Elizabeth Taylor




Image courtesy of Caricature Zone

Bullet with Butterfly Wings - Smashing Pumpkins

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Kept hearing this song on the intro to Animal Planet's Whale Wars and finally decided it was time to see who performed it. I've not really kept up with most popular music/bands over the last couple of decades and don't listen to Top 40 radio, so this one escaped me. (Wiki says VH1 ranks it as the #91 hard rock song of all time; I'm surprised I had not heard it prior to watching the TV show)

sibylline

sibylline \SIB-uh-leen\ , adjective;

1. Prophetic; oracular.
2. Of, resembling, or characteristic of a sibyl; prophetic; oracular.
3. Mysterious; cryptic.

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I thought I had seen this word used before, but had some unsettled feeling about it, something I couldn't remember why this word was disturbing. The Dictionary.com site didn't reveal any clues, so I Googled the word, accidentally spelling it wrong and using a "Y" instead of the first "I" , like the name "Sybil".

"Did you mean ...... ?" asked Google. I thought I did, then I didn't.

Sorry, no link to my mistake. Google it yourself - if you dare.

(My first impression when I saw those things was "Whoa, ride 'em cowgirl!")

On This Day - July 8th

Looking at my Excite start page earlier I noticed in the This Day in History module that in 1889 The Wall Street Journal was first published, in 1947 construction began on the United Nations buildings, in 1960 the Soviet Union charged Gary powers with espionage and on this day in 2000 the fourth Harry Potter book (Goblet of Fire) was released in the US.

The most important thing I noticed was that this is the day Edward Berner, a druggist in Two Rivers, WI, poured chocolate syrup on ice cream in a dish. Up to this time, chocolate syrup had only been used for making ice cream sodas.



The man was a genius.

Weather or Not

These quizzes have any validity to them, this one made me smile because "Sunny" was my mom's nickname in my MSN Group and the few forums in which she participated.

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You Are Sunny

You are an upbeat, positive person who refuses to get too down in the dumps. You realize that life is short, and you know you're going to try to have as much fun as possible! You try to laugh, play, and love every day. You believe that happiness is a choice. You take your responsibilities seriously, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself in the process.

Are You Sunny, Cloudy, or Stormy?

Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!

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On a related weather note, it sure has been unseasonably cool lately. The recent rains have had a lot to do with it, but the highs lately haven't been above the high 80's and today's high will be 85.

Skinner Insists on More DNA Tests

Death row inmate Hank Skinner insists on more DNA tests in his case

The wife of Hank Skinner, a man awaiting execution on death row in the US for a murder he says he did not commit, is leading a campaign to give him the chance to prove his innocence.

However, as time passes Skinner is beginning to see death as more of a relief than a form of punishment.

Thirteen people have been executed so far this year by the state of Texas. Hank Skinner narrowly avoided becoming the fourteenth. He was granted a stay of execution minutes before he was due to be put to death for murdering his girlfriend and her two sons, a crime he says he can prove he did not commit.

“They won’t give me access to the evidence I need to prove my innocence, and meanwhile they are trying to kill me. All the evidence that we’re asking them to test, by the way, is evidence that they have identified as being important in the case,” Skinner says.

bijou

bijou \BEE-zhoo\ , adjective;
1. Something small, delicate, and exquisitely wrought.

Origin: Bijou comes from the French Breton bizou, "ring."

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I was unfamilar with this word, but when I saw it was today's Word of the Day, it reminded me of a Japanese word - benjou - that was in a Vietnamese War POW's book about his experiences in the Hanoi Hilton. Benjou is a vulgar term for a toilet, something like "crapper" would be in our Western society. It's not a horrible description, just one that wouldn't be used in polite company.

The name of the book escapes me, but the thing I remember the most is the good humor exhibited by the prisoners who were forced to live in the foulest of conditions. One of their punishments was to take away the "honey bucket", the container they had to use for a toilet. The POWs made up a song about it, sung to the old gospel tune of "Brighten Up the Corner Where You Are". (even a heathen like me knows that one)

"If you need to benjou, and the benjou is too far.
Just benjou in the corner where you are!"

WARNING! Disturbing Image!

Disturbing to me, anyway.

Just got this post in my reader from Simply Recipes, one of my favorite feeds:

Root Beer Float



Doesn't that look scrumptious? I look at that, and my mouth starts watering and I can TASTE it. (that's what's disturbing) I haven't had a float in a long time, and I'm past due...but I know I shouldn't. Maybe I should go get some sugar-free ice cream and one of those great A&W ^TM Diet Root Beers and fix me up one of 'em. I dunno, it just wouldn't be the same.

Several years ago my friend elle from England came to see me and we were in a pharmacy downtown and I asked her if she wanted a Coke ^TM float and she allowed she had never had one. After finishing, she then allowed that they were delicious and she'd have to turn her kids on to them when she got home.

It's always best to put the soda pop of your choice in the freezer for a while before making a float; the double whammy cold freezes part of the liquid, making lovely flavored ice crystals that melt on your tongue. I also like to use my straw to suck up the foam that floats atop the drink - the foam from using root beer tastes the best, although I sometimes would make a float with orange soda, also very nice. Cream-flavored sodas make the tastiest floats and while I always have liked Dr. Pepper ^TM, it didn't make for a great float. Just my opinion, and bound to tick someone off if they read that last. I can't recall ever having one with grape soda, but it doesn't sound bad, just not as good as a root beer float.

P.T. Barnum Born Today

P. T. Barnum

According to Wiki, P.T. Barnum did not say "There's a sucker born every minute.".

That said, whoever said it spake the truth, at least for the minute I was born.

My Upside-Down Frown

You Have a Sweet Smile

You smile because you are a truly happy person. There is nothing contrived about your smile. You find life and other people to be delightful. You're often grinning without even knowing it. You are an extremely honest and open person. It's easy to read your face to know what you're thinking. Luckily, you're usually thinking upbeat and positive thoughts - so you really don't have anything to hide!

What Kind Of Smile Do You Have?

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

America the Beautiful - Ray Charles

On the Dick Cavett Show Sept. 18, 1972

All-American Salute

From NASA's Image of the Day Gallery



Astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, leaps from the lunar surface as he salutes the United States flag at the Descartes landing site during the first Apollo 16 extravehicular activity. Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, took this picture. The Lunar Module "Orion" is on the left. The Lunar Roving Vehicle is parked beside Orion and the object behind Young (in the shadow of the Lunar Module) is the Far Ultraviolet Camera/Spectrograph. Stone Mountain dominates the background of this lunar scene.

Image Credit: NASA

Stars And Stripes Forever - Chet Atkins

evanescence

evanescence \ev-uh-NES-ens\ , noun;

1. A gradual disappearance.
2. The state of becoming imperceptible.

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Call Me When You’re Sober - Evanescence

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Amy Lee is smokin' hot. She's anything but evanescence. A guy would have to be a fool to want to drink instead of hangin' around her.

Evanescence Biography

I Am America - Krista Branch

Pay no attention to the people in the street crying out for accountability.
Make a joke of what we believe say we don't matter cause you disagree.
Pretend your kings, sit on your throne, look down your nose at the peasants below.
I've got some news; we're taking names we're waiting now for the judgment day.
I Am America, one voice united we stand.
I Am America, one hope to heal our land.
There is still work that must be done.
I will not rest until we've won.
I Am America

You preach tolerance but lecture me. Is there no end to your hypocrisy.
Your god is your power, you have no shame, your only interest is political gain.
You hide your eyes and refuse to listen. You play your games and abuse the system.
You stuff your pockets while Rome is burning. I've got a feeling that the tide is turning.
I Am America one voice united we stand.
I Am America one hope to heal our land.
I will not give up on this fight
I will not fade into the night
I Am America.

Do You Have the Brains?

To compete in the July ToTG Trivia Tournament?


The ToTG Trivia Tournament for July has just begun! Test your trivia knowledge!

Click on the link above or the graphic below to play

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This is a great type of post to "bump"; all I had to do was change "ne" to "ly" - June to July - and update the posting date.

ToTG Has Been Vuvuzeladized!

No, not vandalized (but with this garish "design", could anyone tell?), but infected with the Vuvuzela.



Check it out

Just Like a Cucumber

Or the bottom side of a pillow

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You Are a Bit Cool

You like to keep a bit of distance from other people. You take an interest in them, but you don't like to get too involved. You are a confident person, and you're aware of the image you project. You act like you're in control even when you're not. You are not very comfortable being approached. Conversations with strangers are difficult for you. You are engaged and paying attention to the world. You are a good listener.

How Do You React?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

Learn Chinese Everyday

Learn Chinese — Learn a Chinese Character a Day

I stumbled across this website the other day and immediately subscribed to the feed. The site's premise/purpose is to provide all the information and tools to learn a single Chinese character each day. Seeing as how the Chinese pretty much own America - or its GDP for the next hundred years - I thought it prudent to learn how to communicate with our future overlords.

For example, today's word is pronounced - mén - meaning:

1. door. (n)
2. valve; switch. (n)
3. knack. (n)
4. school of thought. (n)
5. (measure word) used for subjects of study, cannons, marriage, relatives. (n)

They even show how to draw the character with a nifty little animation:



The site also has sound files to listen to the word, plus gives examples in translated-to-English sentences such as these:

Open the door, please.

That's the least of what we'll have to do for our Chinese bosses.

How many courses did you select?

I don't think this will mean anything to do with education. No, I think it will be pertaining to food. "How many courses...?" will be a subtle (in the Chinese way) but stern reminder that we Americans don't need all that protein we're accustomed to. One small bowl of rice, two or three dehydrated minnows and a half-cup of pickled frog intestines will be three courses.

I just hope they don't insist upon me using those damn chopsticks. I always get splinters in my lips when I've use those.

He finally got the hang of repairing computers.

That's what I might hear my own personal master say to his boss while pleading that my life should be spared. I've earned the death sentence by insolence, laziness and possession of a banned firearm as well as a prohibited radio found tuned to decadent Western rock and roll .

He has already converted to Buddhism.

Again, he's arguing my case. I haven't converted, I just shave my head in hopes they'll think I'm a monk. (the celibate part is in my favor, too)

The first thing we shall do is to turn on the switch.

That's probably one of the last things I'll hear as they strap me into the electric chair.

(just kidding on that last...everybody knows the Chinese just shoot you in the head)

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Sorry, couldn't help but crack wise on this site, even though it's very informative and useful and I DO plan on trying to learn a little bit of Chinese. (I recently read it's much, much easier learn than is Polish)

Still, there's a grain of truth to what I wrote, the hyperbole regarding the US and China and our future relations. I'd like to take this time to point out that Ron Paul has been warning us of this for years.

Regardless, this site is still worth featuring.

Learn Chinese Everyday

Gulf Oil Spill Live Video

Watch live streaming video from wkrg_oil_spill at livestream.com

All undersea cameras

Breaking news: More oil gushing into Gulf after problem with cap

50 Welcome Signs From 50 States

50 Welcome Signs From 50 States

(It's a wonder that sign hasn't been vandalized.)

proliferate

proliferate \pruh-LIF-uh-reyt\ , verb;
1. To increase or spread at a rapid rate.
2. Biology. To grow or produce by multiplication of parts, as in budding or cell division, or by procreation.

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Or, in other words, illegal aliens.

Possessed Cat

Here Comes The Sun - George Harrison

Along with Ringo Starr, Elton John, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton and a few others.

Light for the Ages

Today, our sun reaches its northernmost point in planet Earth's sky. Called a solstice, the date traditionally marks a change of seasons -- from spring to summer in Earth's Northern Hemisphere and from fall to winter in Earth's Southern Hemisphere.

In this image from 2007, NASA's Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) satellites provided the first three-dimensional images of the sun. STEREO, a two-year mission that launched October 2006, provided a unique and revolutionary view of the Sun-Earth System.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/NRL/GSFC

The Longest Day

of 2010 is today, June 21.



Summer Solstice

helioatry

heliolatry \hee-lee-OL-uh-tree\ , noun;
1. Worship of the sun.

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I bet there are millions of people who now regret their helioatry from years past.

Well, maybe there's a few that don't....



Watch this Sun-Damaged Skin Pictures Slideshow on the effects of sun damage to your skin such as wrinkles, moles, melanoma (skin cancer) and more.

Head & Heart

From our BrainyQuote feed in the right-hand column


A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.

xxxxx- Nelson Mandela

Image courtesy of Caricature Zone

couvade

couvade \koo-VAHD\ , noun;
1. A practice in certain cultures in which the husband of a woman in labor takes to his bed as though he were bearing the child.

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I can't recall ever seeing this word before now, but I doubt I'll ever do it because I've already given birth to a kidney stone.

Via "C-section", too. That was bad enough, but I don't think I'd have liked the "natural birth."

How many Justin Biebers?

Could YOU take on in a fight?

Created by Oatmeal

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I would have done better if I'd had more fights in my life as well as had martial arts training. Still, 28 isn't bad. I bet my big sister could take on 35, maybe 40 Biebers before she went down.

NOTE: Sometimes with quizzes I will post a related video for comedic value.

Not in this case.