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.
July 5, 2010
P.T. Barnum Born Today
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! |
July 4, 2010
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
July 2, 2010
evanescence
evanescence \ev-uh-NES-ens\ , noun;
1. A gradual disappearance.
2. The state of becoming imperceptible.
Call Me When You’re Sober - Evanescence
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
1. A gradual disappearance.
2. The state of becoming imperceptible.
Call Me When You’re Sober - Evanescence
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.
July 1, 2010
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
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.
June 29, 2010
ToTG Has Been Vuvuzeladized!
No, not vandalized (but with this garish "design", could anyone tell?), but infected with the Vuvuzela.
Check it out
June 25, 2010
Just Like a Cucumber
Or the bottom side of a pillow
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. |
June 24, 2010
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)
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
June 23, 2010
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.)
June 22, 2010
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.
Or, in other words, illegal aliens.
June 21, 2010
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
helioatry
heliolatry \hee-lee-OL-uh-tree\ , noun;
1. Worship of the sun.
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.
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."
June 20, 2010
How many Justin Biebers?
Could YOU take on in a fight?
Created by Oatmeal
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.
Hot Dog!
I dunno 'bout the rest of the results, but I do love me my chili dogs, plenty of onions, please.
You Are a Chili Dog |
 You are wild and a little unpredictable. You have a zany side to you. It would be an understatement to say you live on the edge. You pretty much ignore the edge! You have a spicy approach to life, and it's only getting hotter. There is nothing dull about you. You push yourself on a regular basis. You know what you are capable of, and you refuse to wimp out. |
June 19, 2010
Current Events Quiz
Test your knowledge of current events for the week of June 14 at Texas on the Potomac .
I did fairly well on this week's test:
News quiz: Week of June 14
Stay With Me - Rod Stewart
Live and unplugged
(Note: On Yahoo this tune is attributed to Stewart, but I'm pretty sure that's Ron Wood accompanying him...so wouldn't it really be "Stay With Me - Faces"??? )
I had forgotten it, but the other day I came across an old newspaper clipping of my senior year "bio" (a tradition the school newspaper did every year for each senior) listing my favorite things and I said this song was my fav. Now, I don't know why I said that, because I can think of several other tunes that I should have listed ahead of this one. (Long Cool Woman, Fortunate Son, any number of Elton John songs that were out at that time) Don't get me wrong, I like this song, but I'm still puzzled why I listed it as my number one.
Thinking on it really hard, I bet my g/f at the time and I were having problems and this was HER favorite song and I was just tryin' to score points.
amok
amok \uh-MUHK\ ,
adjective:
1. In or into a jumbled or confused state.
2. In or into an uncontrolled state or a state of extreme activity.
3. In a frenzy to do violence or kill.
noun:
1. A psychic disturbance characterized by depression followed by a manic urge to murder.
Did you hear about the lazy psychotic?
He only wanted to walk amok.
Juneteenth
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is an American holiday honoring African American heritage. It commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. State of Texas in 1865. Celebrated on June 19, the term is a portmanteau of June and nineteenth, and is recognized as a state holiday in 36 states of the United States.
June 18, 2010
Who Nose?
What makes someone do something like this?
After reading this story: Nose biter gets 10 years (for biting off the tip of a Clovis man's nose), I was reminded of a man I used to work for, several times on several different rigs. I could write for hours about him - he was quite a character - but will save that for another time. He fancied himself a pretty good brawler and bore several scars from past fights, one being a pretty good notch on one of his nostrils, about the size of half a dime coin. The old wound was from it being bitten by someone and I can't recall if I ever asked him if he won or lost the fight. I don't know why I didn't ask, or can't remember. That's been a long time ago, that'll have to be my excuse.
I do remember telling my dad about how tough this man was, how much of a fighter he was and described the scar to him. Pop mulled the information over for a few seconds and blithely replied:
"Doesn't sound like he's THAT tough if someone can hold him down and bite off his nose."
I've been in a few scraps in my life, won several, lost a couple, some were pretty severe both ways, but I never gave anyone the chance to bite off a piece of my nose. Guess I'm tougher than I thought I was.
Hope everyone nose that.
Waterloo
June 18th 1815
Wiki entry on the
Battle of Waterloo
Charge of the British Heavy Cavalry
From the 1970 release Waterloo
Always loved this old country tune:
Waterloo - Stonewall Jackson
And this reminds me of elle. -sigh-
Waterloo - ABBA
(description w/ vid)
Waterloo was recorded in Dec 1973. Abba chose it over Hasta Manana to be the Swedish entry for Eurovision 1974, as it was a happy uptempo rocking song with rhythm and energy, and all the group sing. Stig Anderson took a demo tape on holiday to the Canary Isles. Stig agonised for a week to find the right title, then produced the original Swedish lyrics in a few hours, constructing a story of Waterloo as a metaphor for a girl surrendering to the love of a suitor. The rest is history, it was the first time Sweden had won Eurovision. The song rapidly became a worldwide hit after this huge success in Brighton in April 1974, reaching no. 1 in England on May 4 1974. This tv performance is from November 1974.
When I hear or read about Napoleon, I think back to some grafitti I saw at the Canadian, TX. h.s. that read:
"This is where Napoleon pulled his Bonaparte."
June 17, 2010
Castrating My Dad
No, this isn't a post about that; it's about a post in this blog coming up near the top in a Yahoo search.
The post mentioned my dad and I castrating hogs and when the Yahoo search engine trawled this site, it picked up on those words "castrating" and "dad". I was "worried" that Google might have ToTG up near the top, but it's not on the first several pages for castrating dads OR hogs.
Thank Goodness.
The only time in my life I had even a scintilla of a thought about that was when my dad was taking female hormones as a treatment for his prostate cancer. Dad told me the Dr. said the medication would also have a detrimental effect on his sex drive. Since Pop was nearly 70 at the time... we both had a little laugh at that. (although I hope I'M more worried about getting sex than cancer if I reach that age) One of the side-effects was that he started growing hair on his head again after his hairline had been receding for years.
I'm growing bald now, but I wouldn't take the trade, y'know?
Just got me to wondering, though, about something that's highly subjective:
Which is more perverse, people looking for information/stories about castrating their dad, or someone wanting information on "sister's feet" ???
How Secure is Your Password?
Find out at the aptly named How Secure is My Password?
I'll admit I use only a few different passwords for nearly all my sign-in websites, a mixture of words, dates and places that mean something to me. I guess ONLY to me because the site says it'd take quite a while to bust it.
How Secure is My Password?
Found It!
One of the most disgusting...no, let me take that back. I've seen lots worse.
A disgusting animation:
But funny.
June 15, 2010
festoon
festoon \fe-STOON\
verb:
1. To adorn with hanging chains or strands of any material.
2. Dentistry. To reproduce natural gum patterns around the teeth or a denture.
noun:
1. A string or chain of flowers, foliage, ribbon, etc., suspended in a curve between two points.
2. A decorative representation of this, as in architectural work or on pottery.
3. A fabric suspended, draped, and bound at intervals to form graceful loops or scalloped folds.
4. Dentistry. The garlandlike area of the gums surrounding the necks of the teeth.
I've always thought of a garland of flowers when I've read this word, but now I'll think of...
June 14, 2010
quintessential
quintessential \kwin-te-SEN-shel\ , adjective;
1. Being the most typical manifestation of a quality or a thing.
This blog is quintessentially me; not very reliable, flashy with no real talent, witty without much edge and scholarly in the shallow depths.
Long May She Wave!
It's Flag Day!
From Wikipedia:
In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.
Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, though on June 14, 1937, Pennsylvania became the first (and only) U.S. state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday, beginning in the town of Rennerdale. Title 36 of the United States Code, Subtitle I, Part A, CHAPTER 1, § 110 is the official statute on Flag Day; however, it is at the President's discretion to proclaim officially the observance.
One of the longest-running Flag Day parades is held annually in Quincy, Massachusetts, which began in 1952, celebrating its 57th year in 2009. The 59th Annual Appleton Wisconsin 2009 Flag Day Parade will feature the U.S. Navy. City of Appleton Wisconsin. The largest Flag Day parade is held annually in Troy, New York, which bases its parade on the Quincy parade and typically draws 50,000 spectators.
Perhaps the oldest continuing Flag Day parade is at Fairfield WA . Beginning in 1909 or 1910, Fairfield has held a parade every year since, with the possible exception of 1918, and will celebrate the "Centennial" parade in 2010, along with some other commemorative events.
RIP Jimmy Dean
Jimmy Ray Dean (August 10, 1928 – June 13, 2010)
Big Bad John
I grew up with a girl whose father bred and raised SPF (specific pathogen free) hogs for Jimmy Dean's plant in Plainview, Texas. Even though I eat very little pork, I'd probably buy Jimmy Dean sausage if it were on sale.
June 13, 2010
June 12, 2010
Back to the Future III Weird Scene
This has been floating around the 'net for quite some time - probably since the movie came out - but all the movies are on tonight and reminded me of it.
In a scene at the end, one of Doc's kids makes a weird gesture; to be honest, I never noticed it until it was pointed out in a video much like the following.
I really think the kid was trying to tell his mother or the director off-camera that he needed to pee.
Intoxicatingly Wise, I Am
Good lookin', too...
When I'm drunk.
You Are Serious |
 You are so wise it's intoxicating. People are blown away by the things you say. In life, you are happy to take the sweet with the sour. You wouldn't want to feel too much of one emotion. You are likely very literary and philosophical. You savor life, and you appreciate others who do as well. You are very cosmopolitan and urban. It drives you crazy when people have a limited or provincial perspective. |
juggernaut
juggernaut \JUHG-er-nawt\ , noun;
1. Any large, overpowering, destructive force.
2. Something, such as a belief or institution, that elicits blind and destructive devotion.
3. An idol of Krishna, at Puri in Orissa, India, annually drawn on an enormous cart under whose wheels devotees are said to have thrown themselves to be crushed.
Seems like I've known this word forever, being as how I've always liked Sci-Fi: "The alien war cruiser tore through the galaxy like a juggernaut." (for example)
I was shown the first definition in the autumn/h.s. football season of 1969; I was a 14 yr. old, 155 lb. freshman trying to block 19 yr. old 200 lb. Oklahoma hillbillies, the operative word being "trying".
June 10, 2010
Best Audience Ever!
Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers w/ Ann Margaret
Who were the Bay City Rollers, you might ask?
From Wiki:
The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band of the 1970s. Their youthful, clean-cut image, distinctive styling featuring tartan-trimmed outfits, and cheery, sing-along pop hits helped the group become among the most popular musical acts of their time. For a relatively brief but fervent period (nicknamed "Rollermania"), they were worldwide teen idols. The group's line-up featured numerous changes over the years, but the classic line-up during its heyday included guitarists Eric Faulkner and Stuart Wood, singer Les McKeown, bassist Alan Longmuir, and drummer Derek Longmuir.
Since the band's quick rise to, and subsequent fall from fame, the members have endured numerous and varied struggles regarding royalty payments, substance abuse, and personal legal problems.
I might very well have to watch this video every day for a month or two, it's that funny. Didja catch the old lady knitting, the old man getting up to boogie and how could you miss the woman w/ the ear horn?
Good Grief, this is almost as funny as Terror on the Roller Coaster
June 9, 2010
They Don't Sell Babies
At my local United grocery store.
A funny titled recipe caught my eye at StartSampling.com:
Grilled Baby Burgers
Judge a Book by its Cover
From the site:
Can you tell whether a book is any good from its cover alone? Over 10 rounds, you will be shown two books. One will have a 5 star Amazon rating (from at least 15 reviews, at the time of writing) and one will have only 1 ½ stars or less (from at least 4 reviews)
Click on the book you think got a 5 star review on Amazon, and avoid the one that its readers hated.
I didn't fare too well, but my score of "6" is represented by books with that number in the title!
Judge a Book by its Cover
noctivagant
noctivagant \noc-tiv-A-gant\ , adjective;
1. Pertaining to going about in the night; night-wandering.
I'm definitely a noctivagant type of person; I've always preferred the nighttime. It was always easier to find a morning tour job on a drilling rig...not only to find a job (because not many other guys wanted to work that shift), but to find the rigs at night, the derricks lit up like short strands of pearls sticking up into the sky.
The best night shift is during the summer, although it's sometimes hard to get out during the day to enjoy the weather. It's cooler at night which certainly helps when having to work really hard. Winter nights were bad many times, especially during blizzards or wet, windy weather, but there's no better feeling than to be going home after a bad night and it was always a neat thing to be getting off when the rest of the world was going to work.
June 8, 2010
Pampa Tornado
A "bump" - originally posted July '07
It was fifteen years ago today than an F4 tornado devastated part of Pampa
June 7, 2010
Sailing is Awesome
Never been on a sailboat, but I know for sure I'd love it.
You Are Having an Awesome Day |
 You feel like you are moving forward in your life, but you can handle the changes that are happening. You are a flexible person. You tend to take life as it comes. You are prioritizing your individuality right now. You have your own stuff to work on. Deep down you crave freedom. You feel at peace when you are able to do what you want. |
Sailing - Christopher Cross
Persistent Posting Problems
I've been getting an error msg. when trying to post over this last weekend and earlier today. The Blogger Status page said this:
We're aware of isolated access issues in certain regions within the US. We're investigating this now and will follow-up as soon as we have more information to share
Thanks for your patience in the meantime.
It's now got this additional update:
Update, 12:30 PST: This is now fixed.
Cool, not that I was agonizing over it. MSN Groups taught me patience, along with quite a bit of other stuff, some about HTML and a lot about people.
Blogger has so little downtime, I can't remember ever being more than a little bit perturbed with it. I came close earlier when replying to a post and got the error msg., but what I typed went through. I've almost gotten out of the habit of copying any post before I hit send like we had to in Groups. I participate in a few forums that use the IntenseDebate software and they've been buggy at times, so I was still copying my text just in case.
Nice day here, starting to warm up some. I really need to get out and mow later.
Still, before I send: Ctrl-A, then Ctrl-C.
June 5, 2010
Free eCookbooks
Free Recipe eCookbooks: The Complete RecipeLion Collection
Some great recipes and craft ideas in pdf format. Among the collection are 4th of July, Halloween and Easter holidays, plus Secret Restaurant Copycat editions, Mexican, Slow Cookers and other recipes collections. (Can't wait to check out one of the newest ones, Meat Loaf!)
Sign up for Recipe Lion's newsletter or subscribe to their feed. Register with the site and you'll be able to save your favorite recipes.
Free Recipe eCookbooks: The Complete RecipeLion Collection
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