From our KVII news feed:
Icy roads may be good for business, but not-so-much for headlines.
February 4, 2010
Icy Roads Good for Business
Big Bad Blizzard
You Are a Blizzard |
 You are both dangerous but beautiful. People both welcome you and fear you. You can cause a lot of trouble and even destruction. Some would argue that you're worth it though! You tend to overtake people and change everything. You aren't subtle, but you are sometimes hard to see through. There is a quiet and stillness that you sometimes bring. Some find you to be quite peaceful. |
pecuniary
pecuniary \pih-KYOO-nee-air-ee\ , adjective;
1. Relating to money; monetary.
2. Consisting of money.
3. Requiring payment of money.
Today's word has led me to a pecuniary mood.
If it wasn't so bad out, I'd go spend some money. Instead, I think I'll stay home and separate my nickles, dimes and pennies.
Funny Money
From Dark Roasted Blend, this fascinating article:
Funny Money: Unusual and Fascinating Currency
Graphical Marvels, Forged Notes, Hyperinflation "Riches" and Propaganda Bed Sheets
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value - zero."
(Voltaire, 1694-1778)
For years I've been collecting foreign coins. Thanks to one of my Brit friends I met online, I have one of these coins:
50 pence or "p".It was also fascinating to me to learn that they also have no one pound paper note. Several times we (Americans) have tried with little success to convert to dollar coins. I like the idea and would use them, DID use them when they came out.
I once worked in a convenience store and during the shift change, when the register was being counted, the girl I was relieving proudly showed me three Mexican coins she had taken in payment for one of the store's specials, 3 burritos for a dollar. She took them as fifty cent pieces, which they resembled. but were 20 peso pieces. She took $1.50 of her own money and told me she was taking the coins home, she now had "60 Mexican dollars!". I took a quarter out of my own pocket, walked outside to the newspaper vending machine, purchased an Amarillo paper (75 cents now!!!), took it inside and opened to the paper's financial pages where I showed her that a peso - at the time- was worth something like one-fourth of a US cent, which made her investment come to the sum total of about fifteen cents. (she gave out more change with the burritos than that)
She looked so distressed that I put the buck and a half in the register and took the coins. Checking today's rate, my 60 pesos are now worth $4.58. I also have quite a few other Mexican and South American country coins, plus some from various European nations. I've researched them and found that a few are worth more than face value because they have become collector's items.
February 3, 2010
Maybe It's Because I'm a Blob
You Are a Lava Lamp |
 You are dreamy, relaxed, and contemplative. You like to get lost inside your own head. You never know where your thoughts will take you, and you consider reflection to be a wild ride. You're happy to sit and be alone for long periods of time. You only do well with others who are like minded. You appreciate other peaceful, creative types. Great things can come when great minds get together. |
The Day the Music Died
via Mental Floss
Fifty-one years ago today, a plane crashed shortly after taking off from Clear Lake, Iowa, killing all four people aboard. They were pilot Roger Peterson, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and J.P. Richardson, known as “The Big Bopper.” February 3rd, 1959, became known as The Day the Music Died.
Valens, Richardon, and Holly were on tour with a show called “The Winter Dance Party Tour” with Dion and the Belmonts. The tour bus was so cold and miserable that one band member reportedly developed frostbite. Buddy Holly had had enough, and decided to charter a plane in Clear Lake to fly to Fargo, North Dakota for the next gig. Dwyer Flying Service was hired for $36 a seat, and the plane was ready to leave after the show at the Surf Ballroom. Waylon Jennings, a backup singer for the show, relinquished his seat on the plane to Richardson because he was running a fever. Another backup singer, Tommy Allsup, lost his chance to fly in a coin flip with Valens.
| Wiki entry: Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll. Although his success lasted only a year and a half before his death in an airplane crash, Holly is described by critic Bruce Eder as "the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll.". His works and innovations inspired and influenced both his contemporaries and later musicians, notably The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Don McLean, and Bob Dylan, and exerted a profound influence on popular music. Holly was in the first group of inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Holly #13 among "The Fifty Greatest Artists of All Time". |  |
There's an excellent movie about Holly's rise to fame: The Buddy Holly Story, starring Gary Busey in what was, IMHO, an Oscar-deserving performance. Busey not only nailed Holly's look and mannerisms, he also did a fantastic job singing.
February 2, 2010
gelid
gelid \JEL-id\ , adjective;
1. Extremely cold; icy.
My online friends Alison and Chester would say a picture is worth a thousand words.
16,000 word's worth
February 1, 2010
denouement
Usually, I post the most interesting words from our Dictionary.com Word of the Day feed, but "denouement" is not from today's word; instead it comes from a post I read earlier this morning in a Dallas Cowboys forum. The subject was last night's Pro Bowl, and one poster had this to say:
"....if the Super Bowl is the climax I always thought the Pro Bowl made a good denouement."
I will admit to being ignorant of the word, but in the context of the sentence, I thought I understood the meaning. Still, I went and looked it up:
denouement –noun [dey-noo-mahn]
1. the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel.
2. the place in the plot at which this occurs.
3. the outcome or resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences.
In literature, denouement is the final action that completes the unraveling of the plot in a play, especially in a tragedy. Catastrophe is a synonym of denouement. The term is sometimes applied to a similar action in a novel or story.
It wasn't so much the word I found unique to my reading experience; no, it was that someone used "denouement" in a sports forum.
EDIT: I was going to make a reference to Dennis Miller when he was on Monday Night Football, but, as it is with any joke (and all MY jokes), it's not funny if you have to explain it... sort of like not knowing a word is humorous until you know the meaning.
The Top 14 Dennis Miller Monday Night Football Quotes
The Top 14 Dennis Miller Monday Night Football Quotes (Part II)
And I'm Due For Overhaul
You Are Totally Whimsical |
 If you were a car, you'd be a sweet ride. You like to cruise through life in style. When it comes to the road of life, you slow down and enjoy the scenery. You don't want anything to pass you by. You love to drive, as long as you aren't in a hurry to go anywhere. You always prefer to take the more interesting route. You never like it when driving is a chore. Driving should be fun, not stressful! |
Most of these quizzes are crapola, but this one hits pretty close to home. I was torn between several cars, even selected them to see what the results were, but what this one says is the most like me.
I wouldn't buy a red convertible, though. I think I'd want it in silver, maybe white, even yellow.
mondegreen
mondegreen \MON-di-green\ , noun;
1. A word or phrase resulting from a misinterpretation of a word or phrase that has been heard.
My childhood buddy Joe Bill, RIP, had one he'd use now 'n then. I remember being with him standing in the ticket line behind some cute girls at the movies. It was cold and blustery outside and one of the girls turned to JB and said "Brrr!" Joe Bill, not missing a beat, said:
"Tickle your ass with a feather?"
The girl did a double-take and asked "What!!??!!"
With a straight face, Joe Bill replied:
"Particularly nasty weather!"
There are all sorts of mondegreens, especially in song lyrics, one of the most famous being "Kiss this guy.." (Hendrix's "kiss the sky") When I was a kid, I thought the Christmas carol was saying "Good King Wince's car backed out, on a piece of steel."
New Trivia Contest!
Play Trivia!
The previous monthly tournament for ToTG Trivia Tournament has ended and a new one starts today!
Try your luck!
The top 5 scores from last month have been recorded in the Hall of Fame
MyLifeIsAverage
"Life is pretty normal today." says MyLifeIsAverage, a collection of people's thoughts about their life, ending with the abbrev. MLIA. Some of the contributions strike me as anything BUT average, however.
Yesterday, at my friend's 18th birthday party at Chuck E Cheese, I realized that it's a casino for little kids. MLIA.
OK, so they might not be ROFL funny, but some will make you smile.
My favorite so far:
A few days ago, I taught the little girl I babysit how to do the Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Today, I found out that she got her entire playground to do it at school yesterday. I'm so proud of her. MLIA.
MyLifeIsAverage
EDIT: Thought I'd posted this already and was just going to link to it, but what the heck, I'll go ahead and include the video in this post.
Time Warp from Rocky Horror Picture Show
January 31, 2010
Private Slovik
Earlier I noticed the "Today in History" feed in the right-hand column mentioned Private Slovik
| From TheFreeDictionary.com: Eddie Slovik Edward Donald Slovik (February 18, 1920 – January 31, 1945) was a private in the United States Army during World War II and the only American soldier to be executed for desertion since the American Civil War. Although over twenty-one thousand soldiers were given varying sentences for desertion during World War II—including forty-nine death sentences—only Slovik's death sentence was carried out. |  |
 | I've been interested in this case since I first saw The Execution of Private Slovik ,an excellent made-for-TV movie from 1974 starring Martin Sheen as Slovik. There's a portion of that movie that's always stayed with me, when Slovik realizes he really is going to be executed. It's a heart-breaking scene as the brilliant actor Sheen, in a panic, repeats the priest's prayers. The execution scene following is anti-climatic because of it. (as well as on another level, but I wouldn't want to spoil that bit) |
Sorry, no vids that I could find on short notice. I did see a couple of places that purported to have the entire movie, but the first one I checked out wanted me to d/l their player. No thanks.
Still, I would highly recommend watching the movie; it's on about once a year and I would wager any large video rental place would have it. I'd have to say it would probably be in my Top 100 movies of all time.
And Sometimes a Black One
You Are Sometimes a Sheep |
 You don't think there is anything wrong with going with the flow, and that includes following the crowd. You enjoy getting along with other people, and if possible, you prefer not to make waves. However, you aren't the type of person to follow anyone blindly. You'll stand up for what's important. You don't waste your energy on fighting battles that don't matter. But when something important is on the line, you'll always stand your ground. |
There, I fixed it.
January 30, 2010
Mama Tried - Merle Haggard
There were several other versions of this Haggard classic, but I liked this one the best. If you're a fan of the song, I'd suggest checking them out on YouTube.
I love it; it reminds me of starting h.s. and my big sis and her husband just married and this song was popular. I'm sure my sister and BIL had this on 8-track. I've never been a huge fan of C&W music, but I sure like Merle Haggard.
Must You?
Meteor Storm (2010)
49 SYFY: Saturday, January 30 8:00 PM
2010, NR, 01:30, Color, English, Unknown, Made for TV
An astronomer must save San Francisco from a barrage of meteor strikes.
Cast: Michael Trucco, Kari Matchett
I was looking at my online TV listings to see if there was anything worth watching on the tube and my first thought to the description "...must save San Francisco..." was:
"Must you?"
I'm usually a big fan of apocalyptic sci-fi, but this one doesn't sound like it's worth sitting through. There's always one of the 42 basketball games, I suppose.
January 29, 2010
verboten
verboten \ver-BOHT-n\ , adjective;
1. Forbidden, as by law; prohibited.
I can't even remember what it was I was doing wrong, (probably doodling or chewing gum) but I do recall my sixth grade teacher, Mr. Shearer, sneaking up behind me, tapping me on the back and saying "Mike, you seem to have forgotten, that activity is verboten."
Wolf Moon
Biggest and Brightest Full Moon of 2010 Tonight
Tonight's full moon will be the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. It offers anyone with clear skies an opportunity to identify easy-to-see features on the moon.
This being the first full moon of 2010, it is also known as the wolf moon, a moniker dating back to Native American culture and the notion that hungry wolves howled at the full moon on cold winter nights. Each month brings another full moon name.
(Read the rest of article)
I wanted to put a "moon" video with this post, but there aren't any "wolf moon" videos (that I liked). Thinking of what "moon" or "wolf" vids I could put up, I was torn between Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf" or this one:
Blue Moon - The Marcels
The right choice, I think.
January 28, 2010
50 Years of the Dallas Cowboys
From the Josh Ellis blog on the Cowboys website:
Thursday Marks Cowboys' 50th Anniversary
It was Jan. 28, 1960 when original owners Clint Murchison, Jr. and Bedford Wynne were awarded an NFL franchise during the annual league meeting at The Breakers, a beach resort in Palm Beach, Fla. The Cowboys were to begin play the very next season.
That's all I am going to post, I think. I may come back, add some more graphics, a personal story or two about my love/hate affair with "America's Team".
Then again, I might not make the effort.
Sort of how the Cowboys do some games.
machination
machination \mack-uh-NAY-shuhn; mash-\ , noun;
1. The act of plotting.
2. A crafty scheme; a cunning design or plot intended to accomplish some usually evil end.
The perfect word for what Congress and this Administration does on a daily basis.
Dead Man Balking
From the Texas Tribune: Case Open
Twila Busby was Hank Skinner’s soul mate. “We just fell together. We just clicked, man,” he says. The two were hardly apart after they met at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. They would kiss in public and cuddled up on the couch to watch thrillers. They were “sick in love,” Skinner says through a telephone receiver behind a Plexiglas window on Texas’ death row unit in Livingston.
A jury found that Skinner was so sick in love that, in a jealous rage, he strangled Busby, bashed in her head and face with an axe handle and then stabbed to death her two mentally disabled adult sons on New Years Eve 1993. He was sentenced to death for the three murders. His execution is scheduled for February 24.
The 47-year-old doesn’t deny he was in the small house in the tiny West Texas town of Pampa on the night of the murders or that the blood on his clothes that night belonged to 41-year-old Busby and her sons. But Skinner and his lawyers say there’s no way he could have killed anyone; he was so loaded on vodka and pills that he was nearly comatose. They argue that his appointed trial attorney, a former district attorney who had previously prosecuted him for theft and assault, failed to adequately investigate other potential suspects. They insist Texas is about to execute an innocent man — and the state has evidence that could prove it.
Read the rest of the story
UPDATE: The 2nd part of the story: Case Open: The Investigation
Twila Busby was Hank Skinner’s soul mate. “We just fell together. We just clicked, man,” he says. The two were hardly apart after they met at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. They would kiss in public and cuddled up on the couch to watch thrillers. They were “sick in love,” Skinner says through a telephone receiver behind a Plexiglas window on Texas’ death row unit in Livingston.
A jury found that Skinner was so sick in love that, in a jealous rage, he strangled Busby, bashed in her head and face with an axe handle and then stabbed to death her two mentally disabled adult sons on New Years Eve 1993. He was sentenced to death for the three murders. His execution is scheduled for February 24.
The 47-year-old doesn’t deny he was in the small house in the tiny West Texas town of Pampa on the night of the murders or that the blood on his clothes that night belonged to 41-year-old Busby and her sons. But Skinner and his lawyers say there’s no way he could have killed anyone; he was so loaded on vodka and pills that he was nearly comatose. They argue that his appointed trial attorney, a former district attorney who had previously prosecuted him for theft and assault, failed to adequately investigate other potential suspects. They insist Texas is about to execute an innocent man — and the state has evidence that could prove it.
Read the rest of the story
UPDATE: The 2nd part of the story: Case Open: The Investigation
January 27, 2010
Real Mean Bottle - Bob Seger & Kid Rock
Dunno what's up w/ the vid; the song ends at around the 3:00 mark, then there's two minutes of silence. I didn't like the other vids offered, one was a crappy concert recording and at least one other was personalized as a joke. Like I said, it's done with after three minutes.
I have this album and love it. One of the comments on this vid was "This was about Johnny Cash, you should know."
Made me literally LOL because the song's lyrics specifically mention Merle Haggard: "Hag, it musta been a real mean bottle, made you write the songs that way." Also mentions the "stories about prison" and while Cash is famous for his Folsom concert and "Folsom Prison Blues", I believe he never was in prison - "only" jail - and Haggard did do some hard time. (and according to Wiki, such as that is, Haggard was at the Folsom concert..."in the audience".)
Because I Am What?
These things are just too funny sometimes.
You Are Colorful Because You Are Optimistic |
 You insist on seeing the bright side, even when the world seems gloomy and dreary. You may not be naturally optimistic, but you believe that staying positive is an important part of happiness. You may be bright and constructive, but you're also a realist. You know when things need to be fixed. And because you stay so positive, you are able to fix any problems that come your way. You have a lot of strength. |
panjandrum
panjandrum\pan-JAN-druhm\ , noun;
1. An important personage or pretentious official.
Like our Congress and Administration, I think, except they're the only ones who think they're important...which makes them pretentious. (and a bunch of other things)
January 26, 2010
Deafening Donkey Duet
There were other options for the title, most involving "ass" and "blow it out".
The first thing I thought was I bet that guy thought "Al Hirt that donkey's ears."
Audie Murphy's Heroic Stand
From Texas on the Potomac
 | On this date in 1945, during World War II, First Lt. Audie Murphy single-handedly stopped German troops from advancing on his unit, killing 50 of them. In eastern France, near the village of Holtzwihr, Murphy and his men came under siege by six German tanks and 250 infantrymen. Murphy, who grew up on a sharecropper's farm in Hunt County, told his men to fall back into the woods. Murphy climbed atop a burning tank destroyer with a machine gun. Though he was shot in the leg while he stood, he remained atop the tank for an hour, stopping troops on three sides. Thanks to Murphy's efforts, he and his men successfully led a counterattack that drove the Germans from Holtzwihr. For his act, Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor. He became the nation's most decorated soldier before he turned 21. When Murphy returned to the United States, he began an acting career and starred in more than 40 films. Murphy died in 1971, at the age of 46, when the private plane in which he rode crashed near Roanoke, Va. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery in Washington, DC. |
Audie Murphy playing himself in the 1955 movie based upon his autobiography "To Hell and Back".
As the information blurb states on the video page, "Rambo is a myth, but Audie was the real thing."
| Wikipedia Entry IMDB listing for the movie. Murphy's other movies, mostly Westerns. |  |
January 25, 2010
Lotta Low Pressure
Issued by The National Weather Service
Amarillo, TX
3:29 pm CST, Mon., Jan. 25, 2010
Special Weather Statement for Gray, TX
... POTENTIAL WINTER STORM COULD BRING CONSIDERABLE SNOW TO PANHANDLES THURSDAY...
A WINTER STORM COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT AS AN INTENSE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS. BASED ON THE LATEST TRACK AND TIMING... SNOW COULD START AS EARLY AS WEDNESDAY EVENING. MODERATE SNOW... AND POSSIBLY HEAVY SNOW AT TIMES... IS EXPECTED DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY. AS THE SYSTEM EXITS THE REGION... THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SNOW THURSDAY NIGHT.
ALTHOUGH THERE REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY ON THE TRACK... TIMING... AND SNOW AMOUNTS OF THIS SYSTEM... CONFIDENCE IS SLOWLY IMPROVING. THIS SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT ALL OF THE PANHANDLES. CURRENT SNOW TOTAL FORECASTS ARE FOR WIDESPREAD MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW TOTALS OF UP TO SEVERAL INCHES OVER MUCH OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES.
Under Pressure - ZZ Top
plenipotentiary
plenipotentiary \plen-uh-puh-TEN-shee-air-ee; -shuh-ree\
adjective;
1. Containing or conferring full power; invested with full power; as, "plenipotentiary license; plenipotentiary ministers."
noun:
1. A person invested with full power to transact any business; especially, an ambassador or diplomatic agent with full power to negotiate a treaty or to transact other business.
This isn't a word I normally use; I've always considered it a bit too much of a mouthful. I do remember some MSN Community/Group owners, myself included, who let their plenipotentiary powers go to their heads.
Seriously & Certainly Cirrus
You Are a Cirrus Cloud |
 You're a bit mysterious and reserved. You mostly keep to yourself and do your own thing. Some people may even consider you allusive. You're hard to track down at times. People who know you find you to be very transparent. It's always easy to tell what you're thinking about. You tend to drift more than most people. You're always trying out new ideas, friends, and even personalities. |
Bin Laden Found!
According to the Drudge Report, he must be in Australia.
(click for larger view)
UPDATE: Others noticed/commented, too
January 24, 2010
Baa-Con
Survey: Brits think bacon comes from sheep
LONDON, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- A survey of British youngsters suggests 26 percent of the country's under-16 population erroneously believe bacon comes from sheep. The survey of 800 children and adults, conducted for the Home Grown Cereals Authority and the National Farmers' Union, also suggests 29 percent of youngsters believe oats grow on trees and 17 percent of both children and adults are under the false impression that eggs are a necessary ingredient in bread, the Daily Mail reported Thursday. |  |
Found at Bits & Pieces where I not only stole their post, I nabbed their graphic and most of their headline, too. To my credit, I credit them.
I don't think this is much about the nationality of the survey, but rather the age of the children answering the question. England is a relatively small country and I'd bet most of the population lives in urban areas and really don't have a clue about farming in general. I'd bet a similar percentage of American kids wouldn't know either, and I bet a larger percentage of Americans wouldn't even know who Francis Bacon was. (or where he came from)
Shoot, I had a brother-in-law that thought macaroni grew on trees. (and that a winch on the back of my dad's truck could lift the tire off the ground in order to fix it)
I remember my momma sayin' she wanted a little black sheep. I always figgered I was a reasonable facsimile.
The World's Most Expensive Bath
Sorry, no photos because there's not a one of the bath on the website, but there's some flowery prose:
Arctic. White. Pure. Vacant. The water in this treatment is unique and expensive! Water that started its voyage over 15,000 years ago in the ancient glaciers of the polar ice cap is blended with desalinated 100% certified Hawaiian Deep Sea Water sourced 3,000 feet below the ocean surface off the coast of Kona, Hawaii. Surrender to perpetual clarity. Around you is nothing more than peaceful isolation. Beneath you is only the vapor of your thoughts. All that surrounds you is the comfort of your being. Your reservation to this private sanctuary lies ahead.
There's also a list of ingredients put into the bath; Sidr Honey, Peruvian Pink Salt, Illipe, Murumuru and Kokum Butter along with Israeli Jojoba Oil and 24-karat gold.
Retail prices starts at: $50,000.
I don't need all that for an enjoyable bath. 
What does the world really need?
A good five cent shower.
The World's Most Expensive Bath
January 23, 2010
Good Grief
I almost snapped my neck doing a double-take just now. I glanced down at the right-hand column and noticed the news feed
BUT, I had a smudge of something, a piece of lint or stray thread, just a tiny bit on the screen at the exact wrong spot and this is what I saw:
Like I said, Good Grief. It wasn't even really funny after I saw what the real article was about, but sometimes I like to try and get a laugh by pointing out just how much of a doofus I am.
Sleep Talkin' Man
This blog is usually several beats behind the latest internet meme or viral sensation, but we'll have to give ourselves props for being in on the very first postings of Sleep Talkin' Man.
The best description of the site comes from the blog owner:
"My mild mannered English husband Adam lives quite a colorful existence in his dreams. Having benefited from hours of delight at his dead-of-night musings, I thought it only fair to share them with the world."
She also adds this warning:
Some of the content on this page is not suitable for young eyes. Parents, shield your children!
The views expressed by Sleep Talkin' Man rarely reflect the attitudes/opinions of waking Adam. Especially the desire to exterminate all vegetarians. But he does hate lentils.
I would second the warning and admonish anyone who is offended by crude language to NOT CLICK the link! You've been warned, not once, but twice and will have no one else but yourself to blame if you get your panties in a wad over the site's postings.
My first thought was "This is fake." I'm still not convinced, but you can watch a video of the couple and make up your own mind.
Some of the funnier (G-rated) sleep talk:
"You can't be a pirate if you haven't got a beard. I said so. MY boat, MY rules."
"Your mum's at the door again. Bury me. Bury me deep."
"Don't... Don't put the noodles and the dumplings together in the boat. They'll fight! The noodles are bullies. Poor dumplings."
"I'm all blue with gravy spots. And I'm proud of it."
"Don't leave the duck there. It's totally irresponsible. Put it on the swing, it'll have much more fun."
"I demand compensation in cola bottles. Lots of fizzy cola bottles. In one lump sum."
"Don't eat the jelly! Don't eat the jelly! I made it with frog wee. It'll turn your teeth green... Like mini apples."
And, one of the best of the lot:
"No, not the cats. Don't trust them. Their eyes. Their eyes. They know too much."
I've been known to talk in my sleep and my ex used to say she wanted to record my own sleep talking. She told me I sometimes talked in a string of curse words and that, the best she could tell, was that I was cursing out people I worked with or worked for me. My dad also woke me up from a holiday nap on my folk's living room floor, saying I was cussin' like a sailor and that I also had my hands in my pants. -ahem-
Other than that last bit, I doubt any of my nocturnal mumblings would be as hilarious as those of
Sleep Talkin' Man
EDIT: I meant to point out the audio recordings available on the site. They're also selling t-shirts with some of the funnier quotes.
January 22, 2010
I Hope
A quick screenshot mashup of what's coming on TV tonight:
I hope they put it on enough channels.
Two Tails to Tell
Galaxy Cluster Has Two 'Tails' to Tell
Two spectacular tails of X-ray emission have been seen trailing behind a galaxy using the Chandra X-ray Observatory. A composite image of the galaxy cluster Abell 3627 shows X-rays from Chandra in blue, optical emission in yellow and emission from hydrogen light -- known to astronomers as 'H-alpha' -- in red. The optical and H-alpha data were obtained with the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope in Chile.
At the front of the tail is the galaxy ESO 137-001. The brighter of the two tails has been seen before and extends for about 260,000 light years. The detection of the second, fainter tail, however, was a surprise to the scientists.
The X-ray tails were created when cool gas from ESO 137-001 (with a temperature of about ten degrees above absolute zero) was stripped by hot gas (about 100 million degrees) as it travels towards the center of the galaxy cluster Abell 3627. What astronomers observe with Chandra is essentially the evaporation of the cold gas, which glows at a temperature of about 10 million degrees. Evidence of gas with temperatures between 100 and 1,000 degrees Kelvin in the tail was also found with the Spitzer Space Telescope.
Galaxy clusters are collections of hundreds or even thousands of galaxies held together by gravity that are enveloped in hot gas. The two-pronged tail in this system may have formed because gas has been stripped from the two major spiral arms in ESO 137-001. The stripping of gas is thought to have a significant effect on galaxy evolution, removing cold gas from the galaxy, shutting down the formation of new stars in the galaxy, and changing the appearance of inner spiral arms and bulges because of the effects of star formation.
Image Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/UVa/M. Sun et al; H-alpha/Optical: SOAR/MSU/NOAO/UNC/CNPq-Brazil/M.Sun et al.
Download image as wallpaper
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