Pain TV

Last night I was having problems finding something decent to watch. There was a Mythbusters repeat episode on, but I had seen it. It was about withstanding pain:



Looking through the TV listings, I noticed other "pain" shows on at the same time, one being Royal Pains, a decent show I've sometimes watched. Other shows were on, and they too were pain-related.



There was Jersey Shore with ignorant-ass NJ young people that need to have some pain inflicted upon all of them, not just Snookie (Google "Snookie punched" for the vid). There was also George Lopez, whose shows -both talk and sit-com - I find painful to watch (NOT funny). Lastly, there was Anderson Cooper, a PITA progressive.

Won't be long until I have to take codeine to watch TV.

Growing Problem

A nifty widget.

orthoepy

orthoepy\ awr-THOH-uh-pee \ , noun;
1. The study of correct pronunciation.
2. The study of the relationship between the pronunciation of words and their orthography.

---

This is something I should study before old-timers Alzheimer's disease sets in.

I Am Spock

Your Brain is Logical

You are a very facts and figures oriented person. You don't get clouded by emotion. You like to understand how things work, and you're always collecting data of some sort. You are a critical thinker. You are look at all the facts before you make a decision. You aren't likely to change your mind once it's made up, but new facts could sway you - emotional appeals could not.

What's Your Brain Like?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister

Just a little reminder to Congress, aimed at both leftist progs. and neo-con right-wingers

galore

galore\ guh-LOHR \ , adjective;

1. In abundance; in plentiful amounts.

---

The only thing that's galore around these parts are my bills.

To be honest, the first thing I thought of when I saw today's Word of the Day was the character in Goldfinger.

Shame on me ... for being a James Bond fan.

No Goatee for Old Goats

For about a month, up until yesterday, I've been trying to grow a goatee. I've got, IMHO, a pretty fair mustache and have had one for most of my adult life, having shaved it off only a few times, then immediately started growing it back.

My 'stache is one thing; hair on the rest of my body is another story. Not to get too personal, but I only have about half a dozen hairs on my chest and none on my back (thank God for the latter). I've never been able to grow a beard, though, but as I've grown older the hair on my face has become a little bit thicker, so I thought I'd try to at least grow some on my chin.

As I said, I gave it a month but it just didn't look good....sparse, with far too much white and gray hair. (and as I grow older, I am getting a lot more hair IN my ears...it's white too, dammit) Looking at myself in the mirror yesterday, I lamented that I'll probably never be able to grow a beard, then it dawned on me just who I resembled with my silly-looking chin hair.

I didn't want to take a photo, because even as much as I like to self-deprecate to get a laugh, I didn't want people REALLY laughing at me. Instead, I did a Google search and found a near-perfect likeness:



As I gazed in the mirror, a voice in my head said:

"Ru rook redicurous."

Not Silver and Blue, But Green

Since I fell asleep during last nights Cowboys-Chargers pre-season game, I went to the Dallas football team's website to catch up on what I missed.

In this article: Brewster Makes Most Of Starting Role, there's an embedded video of an interview with the Cowboy rookie. Here's a screen shot:



I'm not sure what that green "noise" is in the vid, but it sure looks strange! It sort of looks like my tv does now, only it's a reddish tint and I'm sure it's from imminent picture tube failure.

This would be a good place to put a related "green" video, something like "Green Grass of Home" by Tom Jones or "Green Green" by the New Christy Minstrels.

Nah.

foudroyant

foudroyant\ foo-DROI-uhnt \ , adjective;
1. Overwhelming and sudden in effect.
2. Pathology . (Of disease) beginning in a sudden and severe form.
3. Striking as with lightning.

---

I've been hoping the Dallas Cowboys offense will be foudroyant - as in striking with lightning - but the word would probably better describe the sudden rash of injuries the team has suffered lately.

With Red Ink

You Are a Green Pen

You are not just a little quirky, you're downright weird. And you're proud of being different! You go against the grain just so you won't fit in. You couldn't imagine being like everyone else. You are creative and a big wacky. You've got a big vision, and it's changing every week. You are surprisingly charming and popular. You may not be normal in any way, but that's part of your appeal.

What Color Pen Are You?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

With or Without You - Scala

Belgian Girls choir Scala sings U2

It Was a Good Day

Until I read my fortune:



My last New Year's resolution was to never make another resolution.

Do Ya - ELO

premorse

premorse\ pri-MAWRS\ adjective;
1. Pertaining to the end of something irregularly shortened, as if bitten or broken off.

---

Another new word for me.

It got me to thinking of the things in my life this word describes. My first thought was of my thumb on my left hand, the one I cut nearly off when I was a young child. It's not noticeable unless I point it out to people, but it's smaller and shorter than my other thumb. The darn thing has bothered me all my life because there's a small mass of scar tissue or what's left of a severed tendon that will hurt if I grip something the "wrong" way with that hand.

Ever heard the old adage "Sticks out like a sore thumb?". I've lived that expression, both literally and figuratively.

Can't remember exactly where I wrote about it, but I did tell the story of a guy I used to work for that had part of his nose missing, bitten off in a long-ago bar fight.

Other things in my life prematurely shortened? For one, my marriage. It probably should've lasted at least another couple of months.

Funny thing about my thumb and my ex-wife; her dad was a doctor and he told me my thumb could be repaired and could do it in an hour or so, easy as pie: a local, reattach the tendon, a few stitches. I probably should have extended my failed marriage at least that much longer.

Just as well, the divorce. I stuck out like a sore thumb in her family, anyway. (both literally and figuratively)

My hair is another thing of premorse; its life span has not only been irregularly shortened, it's starting to disappear.

I've had people in my life whose lives were irregularly shortened too, but I just don't feel like writing about that right now. In fact, it's made me so sad I think I'll stop right here.

That would mean this post is premorse, huh?

---

EDIT TO ADD

Found the "nose biting" post: Who Nose?

Two-Scoop Rebel

You Are a Rebel

You're a wild child, and you aren't about to slow down anytime soon. You're the type of person who will do something just to say that you did it! You don't worry too much about getting caught - you're having too much fun breaking the rules. While you may not be involved in illegal activities, you do like breaking social norms.

The Ice Cream Cone Test

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

mojo

mojo \ MOH-joh \

noun:
1. Personal magnetism; charm.
2. The art or practice of casting magic spells; magic; voodoo.
3. An object, as an amulet or charm, that is believed to carry a magic spell.
4. Good luck or favor concerning an event or individual.

---

I used to have a lot of mojo (definition #1, anyway) when I was younger.

I'm not sure that whether I've lost it because I'm older, or I just can't remember where I put it because I'm older.

yeuk

yeuk\ YOOK \
noun: 1. An itching sensation.

verb: 1. To itch.

---

Now all I need to know is another word for "scratch".

cheechako

cheechako \ chee-CHAH-koh \, noun:

1. A tenderfoot; greenhorn; newcomer.

---

Oil field terminology isn't quite so kind to people starting out on the job; they're called "worms". (and if they're particularly inept, they're called "weevils", which is a worm's helper.)

It's National Underwear Day!

"Official Site"

I remember my mother always telling me to be sure I had on clean underwear in case I was in a wreck. I never did say anything to her, but I always figured that if I was in a wreck, clean underwear might very well be the least of my problems.

Still, I always have on clean underwear. While not as big of an obsession with me as my socks, I have several dozens of pairs of underwear. I doubt that there's more than a couple of pairs of white ones; my underwear collection has more colors than a rainbow. I really like gray, but also buy black, blue, green and a few other colors, some in "Miami Vice" pastels.

That's the only "fancy" thing about my undies; I don't buy the nylon nor silk material but prefer cotton. I've had a few pairs of expensive underwear made of something other than cotton, but didn't like the way it felt against my skin. Plus, they also made me walk a little differently. Don't ask why.

My favorite underwear would either be my Soviet boxers, with the hammer and sickle on them or my several pairs of Hank Hill undies. I am also partial to my King Kong underwear - not making a statement when I wear them, but it's probably just wishful thinking.

What I like most about my underwear collection is that most of my larger/size Large pairs are getting several years old and I've replaced them with medium sizes.

Like I mentioned, I don't obsess about my underwear like I do my socks, but they ARE important to me. I change my undies every day, even if for some reason I miss my daily shower.

It's a comfort to me to think that if I DID get into a wreck, I wouldn't let my mother down.

Facebook Poking

Are you a Facebook fan? Even though I've been signed up for a few years, I've only recently started using the service, but post/visit even less than I do this blog. It's a great way to keep up w/ some old classmates as well as friends and family members. I don't really care for the basic setup, but I realize it's a good thing for many people because of its simplicity and ease of use. OTOH, the security flaws seem to be all-too-frequent and should concern anyone who cares about their privacy. Still, it's better than MySpace.

Shoot, anything is better than MySpace.

So when I was sitting in the United diner last week and overheard "Facebook" being mentioned by the couple sitting at the next table over, my ears perked up. The young lady was disturbed that he had many female friends, but was really upset about the "pokes" back and forth.

Now, if you don't know, "poking" on Facebook is the cyber equivalent of a friendly nudge in the ribs. Two of my friends and I exchange fairly regular "pokes". It's a quick and easy way - short of actually posting on their "wall" - to let them know you read their posts and while you might not comment, you're thinking of them. (well, that's what it means to me, but....)

The girl and the guy kept going back and forth, the girl being jealous and making no bones about it and the guy trying vainly to reassure his g/f that the "pokes" should be no concern to her.

"It's no big deal." he said. He went on, trying plead his innocence. "It's just on Facebook."

There was a extended pause in the conversation and when the girl finally spoke up, it made me snort Diet Dr. Pepper out my nose.

"Well...." she replied, "Facebook BETTER be the only place you're pokin' them."

Food For Thought

Because it seems I'm always thinking about food. This quiz says differently, but one question about ethnic food didn't have the right options. (Taco Bell ethnic? The other choices were sushi - yeah, right - and Ethiopian. I bet there's not an Ethiopian place within a thousand miles of here.)

You Are a Part-time Foodie

Food is definitely something you get excited about. You love to eat! And while each meal you have may not be extremely special, you try to spice things up a bit. You aren't a very picky eater, and you're always looking to expand what you like. You are willing to give almost anything a go, and you're quite the creative cook.

Are You A Foodie?

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

I'm Glad I Don't Live

in "Taxachusetts"

From CNN: Your share of the state debt

States are taking on more debt. Here’s your state’s burden per capita.

(click link above or graphic below to go to the site)

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.

---

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.

---

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.

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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."

---

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!

---

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.

---

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.)

---

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.

---

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.