With every passing hour
our solar system comes forty-three thousand miles
closer to globular cluster 13
in the constellation Hercules,
and still there are some misfits
who continue to insist
that there is no such thing as progress.
~ Ransom K. Ferm ~
fictional character from Kurt Vonnegut Jr's novel "The Sirens of Titan."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Illustration Credit: NASA / Ames / JPL-Caltech
Explanation: How common are Earth-sized planets? Quite common, according to extrapolations from new data taken by NASA's orbiting Kepler spacecraft. Current computer models are indicating that at least one in ten stars are orbited by an Earth-sized planet, making our Milky Way Galaxy the home to over ten billion Earths. Unfortunately, this estimate applies only to planets effectively inside the orbit of Mercury, making these hot-Earths poor vacation opportunities for humans. This histogram depicts the estimated fraction of stars that have close orbiting planets of various sizes. The number of Sun-like stars with Earth-like planets in Earth-like orbits is surely much less, but even so, Kepler has also just announced the discovery of four more of those.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`2013 January 7 
Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh
Explanation: AE Aurigae is called the flaming star. The surrounding nebula IC 405 is named the Flaming Star Nebula and the region seems to harbor smoke, but there is no fire. Fire, typically defined as the rapid molecular acquisition of oxygen, happens only when sufficient oxygen is present and is not important in such high-energy, low-oxygen environments. The material that appears as smoke is mostly interstellar hydrogen, but does contain smoke-like dark filaments of carbon-rich dust grains. The bright star AE Aurigae, visible near the nebula center, is so hot it is blue, emitting light so energetic it knocks electrons away from atoms in the surrounding gas. When an atom recaptures an electron, light is emitted creating the surrounding emission nebula. In this cosmic portrait, the Flaming Star nebula lies about 1,500 light years distant, spans about 5 light years, and is visible with a small telescope toward the constellation of the Charioteer (Auriga).
Best of APOD 2012: Download a free 2013 APOD Calendar
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Philip K. Dick is gone, but Get 11 Free Stories. And HERE is the Philip K. Dick documentary.
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"A machine is a great moral educator. If a horse or a donkey won't go, men lose their tempers and beat it; if a machine won't go, there is no use beating it. You have to think and try till you find what is wrong. That is real education." -- Gilbert Murray
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LETTER to the EDITOR-- MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE
Let's look at what we have learned from this election:
Twenty-one of 22 incumbent senators were re-elected, and 353 of 373 incumbent members of the House were re-elected. The American people have re-elected 94 percent of the incumbents who were running for re-election to an institution that has an approval rating of about 9%. This indicates, as an electorate, we are a nation of idiots. We are now stuck with the useless, dysfunctional government that we deserve.
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What's the difference between a pickpocket and a peeping tom?
One snatches watches and the other watches snatches!
One snatches watches and the other watches snatches!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tricks of the Trade
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"President Obama signed the new fiscal cliff tax increase into law while vacationing in Hawaii today. He used an autopen, an electronic way of signing your name when you're not even there. Politicians can now raise your taxes while they're on vacation in Hawaii. This is a Democrat's dream come true." -Jay Leno
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The wife left a note on the fridge, "It's not working! I can't take it any more, I've gone to stay at my mother's!"
I opened the fridge, the light came on and the beer was cold...God only knows what she was talking about.
"A new study found that bacon and freshly baked bread are Americans' favorite smells. Yeah, this morning instead of putting on cologne, I just rubbed my neck with a B.L.T." -Jimmy Fallon
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"A woman in California is being studied because she says she remembers everything from the last 12 years. And I'm thinking, 'Wait a minute isn't that every woman?'" -Dave Letterman
ANSWER: Sir Wilfred Grenfell
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The wife left a note on the fridge, "It's not working! I can't take it any more, I've gone to stay at my mother's!"
I opened the fridge, the light came on and the beer was cold...God only knows what she was talking about.
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"A new study shows that monkeys can look at photos and recognize other monkeys they know. However, the study also shows that monkeys are terrible with names." -Conan O'Brien
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"A new study found that bacon and freshly baked bread are Americans' favorite smells. Yeah, this morning instead of putting on cologne, I just rubbed my neck with a B.L.T." -Jimmy Fallon
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"A woman in California is being studied because she says she remembers everything from the last 12 years. And I'm thinking, 'Wait a minute isn't that every woman?'" -Dave Letterman
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How to make Salt dough offering bowls
Ingredients
1 cup salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup luke warm water
Directions
1. In a large bowl mix salt and flour.
2. Gradually stir in water. Mix well until it forms a doughy consistency.
3. With your hands form a ball with your dough and kneed it for at least 5 minutes. The longer you kneed your dough the smoother it will be.
Store your salt dough in a air tight container and you will be able to use it for days.
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An old man and his son had a one-horse farm where they barely made a living. Then, one day, the son hit the lottery and won $50,000.
The young man rushed into town, collected his money, then hurried back home. He ran across the field, told his father the news, and handed the older man a $50 bill.
The father looked at the money for a moment and then said, "Son, you know I've always been careful with what little money we had. I didn't spend it on whiskey or women. In fact, I couldn't even afford the license to
legally marry your Ma."
"Pa!" the young man stammered, "do you know what that makes me?"
"Yep," said the old man fingering the $50, "... and a cheap one, too.
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The young man rushed into town, collected his money, then hurried back home. He ran across the field, told his father the news, and handed the older man a $50 bill.
The father looked at the money for a moment and then said, "Son, you know I've always been careful with what little money we had. I didn't spend it on whiskey or women. In fact, I couldn't even afford the license to
legally marry your Ma."
"Pa!" the young man stammered, "do you know what that makes me?"
"Yep," said the old man fingering the $50, "... and a cheap one, too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QUOTE: "Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile."
HINT: (1865-1940), medical missionary to Newfoundland and Labrador.
HINT: (1865-1940), medical missionary to Newfoundland and Labrador.
ANSWER: Sir Wilfred Grenfell
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Great video on how to save someone using an AED. Definitely worth two minutes.
http://www.heartrescuenow.com/
http://www.heartrescuenow.com/
We have all walked by the Red Cross sign in airports indicating where a heart machine is located. Do you know what is in them and how to use it? Try this video and see what you think.
If you pick the wrong choice----the man dies----choosing wisely may save a life. I Just watched this video and was impressed, so I'm sending it to those on my mailing list with the hope that it'll save lives (maybe mine, yours or someone you love!).
If you pick the wrong choice----the man dies----choosing wisely may save a life. I Just watched this video and was impressed, so I'm sending it to those on my mailing list with the hope that it'll save lives (maybe mine, yours or someone you love!).
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Gardening with a whimsy flair - create an eco-fairy village for the wee folk to stay while they tend your garden chores. The eco-village must not have anything purchased, the wee folk must learn to make do on recycled and re-purposed loot, trinkets, and handmade huts, 'n hovels. Make it an adventure to locate the pieces of your eco-fairy village.
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A 4000 Mile Human Powered Journey
http://www.sidetracked.co.uk/edition-08/alaska.php
Written by Caroline Van Hemert. Photography by Patrick Farrell
Written by Caroline Van Hemert. Photography by Patrick Farrell
Thanks Maniac-Mikey
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I was talking with an older friend of mine who has been struggling to come to terms with middle age.
"I'm really worried about myself," he said forlornly. "My memory has always been a source of quiet pride to me, but lately it's been failing me. I'm having a hard time remembering things from the mundane to the major."
"I wouldn't worry too much," I said consolingly, "sounds like you'll forget all about it tomorrow."
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While Kentucky Fried Chicken has long promoted its use of 11 herbs and spices in its Original Recipe, those who have attempted to "crack" the secret claim that its merely a combination of five ingredients: flour, salt, sugar, black pepper, and MSG.
Saffron is a slightly bitter, honey-like spice that comes from the crocus plant. It takes approximately 75,000 flowers and about 200 hours of work to produce 1 pound of dried saffron, which it why it's so expensive at $65 per ounce.
The very first product in the Old Spice cologne and aftershave line was Early American Old Spice in 1937, and it was made especially for women.
Despite its name, allspice is not a blend of ingredients; it comes from the berries of the Pimenta dioica or Jamaican pepper plant.
The mace you see in the spice aisle at the supermarket has nothing to do with the stuff you spray in the face of an attacker. Mace the spice comes from the same seed that gives us nutmeg, and the two are very similar in flavor.
Countries with hotter climates usually has recipes that call for a lot of spicy ingredients, particularly garlic, onion, allspice and oregano. These ingredients have significant antibacterial properties, and in the days before refrigeration, they not only flavored meat, but they also prevented it from spoiling.
A highway patrolman pulled up alongside a speeding car on the freeway.
As the officer peered through the driver's window, he was astounded to find that the blonde behind the wheel was knitting.
The trooper cranked down his window and yelled to the driver, "Pull over!" at the top of his lungs.
"No!" the blonde yelled back, "Scarf!"
Q: I have 3 heads, 5 legs, 7 arms and 444 fingers. What am I?
A: A liar.
Q: Why did the cow jump over the moon?
A: Because the farmer had cold hands.
"I'm really worried about myself," he said forlornly. "My memory has always been a source of quiet pride to me, but lately it's been failing me. I'm having a hard time remembering things from the mundane to the major."
"I wouldn't worry too much," I said consolingly, "sounds like you'll forget all about it tomorrow."
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"A new book about why women have sex claims that women's reasons differ from pleasure to obligation to even 'feeling sorry for the guy.' After hearing this, men everywhere said, 'Whatever...'" -Conan O'Brien
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I went to the doctor's the other day and found out my new doctor is a young female, and drop-dead gorgeous!
I was embarrassed but she said, "Don't worry, I'm a professional - I've seen it all before. Just tell me what's wrong and I'll help you in any way I can."
"Well," I said, "I think my dick tastes funny..."
I was embarrassed but she said, "Don't worry, I'm a professional - I've seen it all before. Just tell me what's wrong and I'll help you in any way I can."
"Well," I said, "I think my dick tastes funny..."
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"A new Nielson survey found that Washington, D.C. has the most 25-34-year-olds in the country who make over $100,000 a year. They're called hookers." -Jimmy Fallon
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"According to a new poll, Congress is now less popular than head lice, Nickelback, and Donald Trump. In a related story, head lice is insulted that it's being lumped in with Donald Trump and Nickelback." -Conan O'Brien
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"Today, members of the 113th Congress were sworn in at the Capitol. After which, they were like, 'Well, that's enough work for the year.'" -Jimmy Fallon
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Thanks Dana
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As I Mature
I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in.
I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and it only takes suspicion, not proof, to destroy it.
I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes, After that you better have a huge schlong.
I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in.
I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and it only takes suspicion, not proof, to destroy it.
I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes, After that you better have a huge schlong.
I've learned that no matter how much I care, some people are just assholes.
I've learned that you can keep vomiting, long after you think you're finished.
I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, unless we are celebrities.
I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades, and there had better be a lot of money to take its place!
I've learned that 99% of the time when something isn't working in your house, one of your kids did it.
I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, unless we are celebrities.
I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades, and there had better be a lot of money to take its place!
I've learned that 99% of the time when something isn't working in your house, one of your kids did it.
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon,
and all the less important ones just never go away.
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"Alabama won the college football championship game. It was a tough loss for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. If only Irish people had some kind of tradition of drowning their sorrows in something, it would have been much easier." -Jimmy Kimmel
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Before my daughter went on her first date, I gave her "the talk."
"Sometimes, it's easy to get carried away when you are with a boy," I said. "Remember, a short moment of indiscretion could ruin your life."
"Don't worry," she said. "I don't plan on ruining my life until I get married."
"Sometimes, it's easy to get carried away when you are with a boy," I said. "Remember, a short moment of indiscretion could ruin your life."
"Don't worry," she said. "I don't plan on ruining my life until I get married."
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The biggest snake in the world found dead!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=131819890312205
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=131819890312205
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You find this herd hanging out in the Columbia Gorge by Interstate 84 in Oregon. There's usually about 50 of them spread over about a mile.
Thanks Maniac-Mikey
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A couple of the girls in the office were talking about that old show Fear Factor.
Amber said, "I would never survive on that show because I am so afraid of spiders. If ANY of the challenges had to do with spiders I would just freak out and quit."
Kerbi answered, "What I would do is tell them I was deathly afraid of snakes, which I'm not really, then when they created a challenge for me involving snakes I wouldn't have any problem with it."
At that I had to contribute, "I would tell them I was deathly afraid of puppies, like bichon puppies. Oh, and beer. I would tell them I am completely nauseated by beer. Now that would be a fun challenge to tackle."
Amber said, "I would never survive on that show because I am so afraid of spiders. If ANY of the challenges had to do with spiders I would just freak out and quit."
Kerbi answered, "What I would do is tell them I was deathly afraid of snakes, which I'm not really, then when they created a challenge for me involving snakes I wouldn't have any problem with it."
At that I had to contribute, "I would tell them I was deathly afraid of puppies, like bichon puppies. Oh, and beer. I would tell them I am completely nauseated by beer. Now that would be a fun challenge to tackle."
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"Almost half of the world's food is not consumed"
As much as half of all the food produced in the world – equivalent to 2bn tonnes – ends up as waste every year, engineers warned in a report published on Thursday. The UK's Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) blames the "staggering" new figures in its analysis on unnecessarily strict sell-by dates, buy-one-get-one free and Western consumer demand for cosmetically perfect food, along with "poor engineering and agricultural practices", inadequate infrastructure and poor storage facilities...
In the UK as much as 30% of vegetable crops are not harvested due to their failure to meet retailers' exacting standards on physical appearance, it says, while up to half of the food that is bought in Europe and the US is thrown away by consumers.
As much as half of all the food produced in the world – equivalent to 2bn tonnes – ends up as waste every year, engineers warned in a report published on Thursday. The UK's Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) blames the "staggering" new figures in its analysis on unnecessarily strict sell-by dates, buy-one-get-one free and Western consumer demand for cosmetically perfect food, along with "poor engineering and agricultural practices", inadequate infrastructure and poor storage facilities...
In the UK as much as 30% of vegetable crops are not harvested due to their failure to meet retailers' exacting standards on physical appearance, it says, while up to half of the food that is bought in Europe and the US is thrown away by consumers.
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Smurfs Arrested for Assault
Last week it was Oomps-Loompas; this week Smurfs. Four men painted blue and dressed as Smurfs entered a store in Pascoe Vale, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.
A 37-year-old Pascoe Vale man was buying cigarettes at a convenience store when he was approached by a man painted blue and dressed as a character from the 1980s cartoon show, police say.
The Smurf asked for a cigarette and was offered one, but he demanded the man light the cigarette before handing it over.
The man refused and was later assaulted.
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Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
--Friedrich Nietzsche
No price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.
--Friedrich Nietzsche
To predict the behavior of ordinary people in advance, you only have to assume that they will always try to escape a disagreeable situation with the smallest possible expenditure of intelligence.
--Friedrich Nietzsche
--Friedrich Nietzsche
No price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.
--Friedrich Nietzsche
To predict the behavior of ordinary people in advance, you only have to assume that they will always try to escape a disagreeable situation with the smallest possible expenditure of intelligence.
--Friedrich Nietzsche
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Digressions, objections, delight in mockery, carefree mistrust are signs of health; everything unconditional belongs in pathology.
--Friedrich Nietzsche
You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star.
--Friedrich Nietzsche
--Friedrich Nietzsche
You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star.
--Friedrich Nietzsche
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My sister and I were out on the town one night when we ran into a man I knew. "You're sisters?" he asked incredulously. "You look nothing alike.
Pointing to her nose and my chin, my sister said, "Different plastic surgeons."
Pointing to her nose and my chin, my sister said, "Different plastic surgeons."
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Everybody needs a little help around the house every now and then. It's hard to remember exactly how to get candle wax out of the carpet and who ever dreamed of the one hundred and one household chores you can accomplish with just a little baking soda and vinegar?! From accessories and autos to zinc and zippers, Holly and her readers give you quick and easy steps to tackle all the little chores around the house. You'll wonder how you ever lived without it!
Quick and practical tips five days a week. Just click the link below and look for...
Look for Handy Hints Here
Quick and practical tips five days a week. Just click the link below and look for...
Look for Handy Hints Here
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RANDOM TIDBITS
While Kentucky Fried Chicken has long promoted its use of 11 herbs and spices in its Original Recipe, those who have attempted to "crack" the secret claim that its merely a combination of five ingredients: flour, salt, sugar, black pepper, and MSG.
Saffron is a slightly bitter, honey-like spice that comes from the crocus plant. It takes approximately 75,000 flowers and about 200 hours of work to produce 1 pound of dried saffron, which it why it's so expensive at $65 per ounce.
The very first product in the Old Spice cologne and aftershave line was Early American Old Spice in 1937, and it was made especially for women.
Despite its name, allspice is not a blend of ingredients; it comes from the berries of the Pimenta dioica or Jamaican pepper plant.
The mace you see in the spice aisle at the supermarket has nothing to do with the stuff you spray in the face of an attacker. Mace the spice comes from the same seed that gives us nutmeg, and the two are very similar in flavor.
Countries with hotter climates usually has recipes that call for a lot of spicy ingredients, particularly garlic, onion, allspice and oregano. These ingredients have significant antibacterial properties, and in the days before refrigeration, they not only flavored meat, but they also prevented it from spoiling.
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QUOTE: "We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be."
HINT: (1775-1817), English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature.
HINT: (1775-1817), English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature.
ANSWER: Jane Austen.
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Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties. ~ Erich Fromm
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Beertone
Photo: Beertone
Photo: Beertone
Whether you are brewing it or drinking it, I think we can all agree that beer is awesome. To help you navigate that awesome Beertone had created this color matching guide so you can better identify the beers you love so very much.
A lot of ideas stay on paper or locked in some sideboard in the office. Not this time. With Beertone we are trying to bring to life a simple idea, a Beer Reference Guide (like the picture above) based on beer's color.The bright beers will start the guide ending with the dark ones. Each Beer will be presented with picture, description and of course its color Information, RGB, CMYK, Web, SRM (that's the beer color scale). We are shooting each beer, bottle and the beer itself in a glass.
The reference guides are available for pre-order and with a few different options. Link
Via Foodiggity
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Knitting Behind the Wheel
A highway patrolman pulled up alongside a speeding car on the freeway.
As the officer peered through the driver's window, he was astounded to find that the blonde behind the wheel was knitting.
The trooper cranked down his window and yelled to the driver, "Pull over!" at the top of his lungs.
"No!" the blonde yelled back, "Scarf!"
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As weddings go I don't suppose this is very bizarre. I have read about couples exchanging their vows while SCUBA diving, while skydiving, even while (or immediately before) bungee-jumping. Compared to these getting married aboard a hot air balloon is practically mundane. It is what happened during the ceremony that makes the event note-worthy.
Things got off to a bumpy start when a gust of wind forced the pilot to make a crash landing in the yard of a San Diego home.
A San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman says one of the 14 people on-board suffered a minor back injury.
The marrying couple said the gust caught the balloon just after they exchanged their vows, causing it to sway over the Rancho Penasquitos neighborhood.
The landing on a hillside fence behind the house was filmed by a member of the wedding party. Video showed the blue-and-yellow balloon draped over trees near the house afterward.
Not to be deterred from having a good time the couple continued to their reception.
Things got off to a bumpy start when a gust of wind forced the pilot to make a crash landing in the yard of a San Diego home.
A San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman says one of the 14 people on-board suffered a minor back injury.
The marrying couple said the gust caught the balloon just after they exchanged their vows, causing it to sway over the Rancho Penasquitos neighborhood.
The landing on a hillside fence behind the house was filmed by a member of the wedding party. Video showed the blue-and-yellow balloon draped over trees near the house afterward.
Not to be deterred from having a good time the couple continued to their reception.
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Q and A Quickies
Q: I have 3 heads, 5 legs, 7 arms and 444 fingers. What am I?
A: A liar.
Q: Why did the cow jump over the moon?
A: Because the farmer had cold hands.
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Porn plays behind Swedish news anchor
STOCKHOLM, Sweden - A Swedish news channel said precautions are being taken after a pornographic film became part of a news broadcast. Viewers of TV4 News, a 24-hour news station, said they noticed a pornographic film playing on a TV screen behind the anchor Monday morning while he was interviewing a correspondent in Moscow about Syrian President Bashar Assad's weekend speech, The Local.se reported Monday. TV4 news editor Andreas Haglind said the 10-minute porn problem was likely related to a computer server in the studio connected to other networks operated by C More Entertainment, which owns TV4 News as well as networks broadcasting erotic content. "It's not like we were directly broadcasting porn," he told the Swedish-language Expressen newspaper. "Put simply, it's crap that it happened. We're going to do everything we can so that it doesn't happen again."
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His job is to grab attention, and he's a master at it! Nonstop (Marquese Scott) collaborated with this sign flipper to bring us a video celebrating their mad skills. -via Holy Kaw!
Check out more amazing talents over at our Mad Skills blog
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http://youtu.be/BsEPKkS5KSY
These cats find it hard to share one bowl. Still, they are rather civil about it. Such situations often involve growling, slapping, and hissing. -via Daily Picks and Flicks
These cats find it hard to share one bowl. Still, they are rather civil about it. Such situations often involve growling, slapping, and hissing. -via Daily Picks and Flicks
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Conjoined Jeep
Sorcery! What wicked magic spawned this abomination?! According to internet rumor, this Jeep Wrangler is owned by a diplomat living in Rabat, Morocco. It's not Photoshopped. At the link, you can watch a video of it driving down the road.
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Beer lover designs brew for dogs
BEND, Ore. - An Oregon man said he combined his love of beer with his love for his dog to create a successful product -- Dog Grog. Daniel Keeton of Bend, who works at the Boneyard Brewery's tasting room, said he designed the non-alcoholic brew for his dog, Lola Jane, and decided to market the product when he saw how much she enjoyed the concoction, KTVZ, Bend, reported Monday. Keeton said his Dog Grog is made from low-sodium vegetable broth, water, spent grain from Boneyard Brewery and glucosamine. He started bottling and selling the brew in July and his wares are now sold at Visit Bend and Muddy Paw's retail stores. "Two things that have become part of the Bend lifestyle are beer and dogs," Visit Bend chief executive officer Doug LaPlaca said. "So to create something that would take advantage of the two we thought was a brilliant idea." Keeton said he recommends serving Dog Grog as a treat on its own or pouring it over some dry dog food. However, he said there are other ways to serve it. "A couple of my friends who just acquired a puppy are making ice cubes out of it, and it's helping the puppy with teething," Keeton said.
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He doesn't know how thin the ice is, and he doesn't care. I don't have any information on this vehicle, but it's apparently a real all-terrain vehicle, with "terrain" including water. Pretty lightweight, with oversized tires that are basically flotation devices. -via Daily Picks and Flicks
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This would have been deadly if it had worked: In 1862, Confederate private John Gilleland of Georgia's Mitchell Thunderbolts designed a double-barreled cannon. Gilleland intended that the barrels would fire two balls connected by a chain that would "mow down the enemy somewhat as a scythe cuts wheat."
Unfortunately he couldn't devise a way to fire both muzzles at the same instant, so in testing the chain simply snapped and sent both balls off on unpredictable trajectories. The cannon was never used in battle, and today it's displayed as a curiosity before the city hall in Athens, Ga.
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Another puzzle by Lewis Carroll:
In a group of soldiers, if 70 percent have lost an eye, 75 percent an ear, 80 percent an arm, 85 percent a leg, what percentage, at least, must have lost all four?
Ten. "Adding the wounds together, we get 70 + 75 + 80 + 85 = 310, among 100 men; which gives 3 to each, and 4 to 10 men. Therefore the least percentage is 10."
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A family has two children, and you know that at least one of them is a boy. What is the probability that both are boys? There are four possibilities altogether (boy-boy, boy-girl, girl-boy, and girl-girl), and we can eliminate the last, so it would seem that the answer is 1/3.
But now suppose you visit a family that you know has two children, and that a boy comes into the room. What is the probability that both children are boys? Of the two children, you know that this one is a boy, and there is a probability of 1/2 that the other is a boy. So it seems that there is a probability of 1/2 that both are boys.
How can this be? We seem to have the same amount of information in both cases. Why does it lead us to two different conclusions?
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How Fast Could You Travel Across the United States in 1800?John Farrier • 19 hours ago • 3
Thomas Jefferson imagined that what is now the continental United States would consist of three independent nations: from the Atlantic to the Mississippi River, from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific.
Well, of course, he did. When Jefferson died, railroads and electrical telegraphy were in their infancy. Almost all of the United States was a wilderness. Traversing, let along communicating across the vast continent was a monumental task.
In his 1932 Atlas of the Historical Geography of the United States, the distinguished historian Charles O. Paullin showed how long it took to travel across the country from New York City. Look through his maps for 1800, 1830, 1857 and 1930.
Link -via Ace of Spades HQ
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http://vimeo.com/56118407
Get that Maker's Mark fancy-pants stuff out of here, after a tough day there is nothing that beats some good old Jack Daniel's Whiskey. Well maybe there is but for the purpose of this post there isn't. Beyond that, reproposed wood is also about the coolest thing since sliced bread. It can even be made into all like these handy dandy Jack Daniel's American White oak rings.
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Abraham and David Roentgen were master craftsmen, famous throughout Europe as makers of furniture and mechanical marvels. This desk contains a musical clock and dozens of small chests, drawers and pockets recessed seemlessly into the woodwork, accessible only by pushing hidden buttons.
Link -via The Automata Blog
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The best Maxine in quite a while.
|
Thanks, Phlax
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Inside Job
"How can I believe in God when just last week I got my tongue caught in the roller of an electric typewriter?"
by Woody Allen.
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by Woody Allen.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2xnWYx8YK8
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Serge Storms asked me to post this
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Melting Bookcase
Go home, bookcase. You're drunk.
This rubbery-looking bookcase is made from firm oak plywood. It's one of many wonderful, oddly-shaped bookcases made by Scott Blackwell. This Dali-esque piece, Blackwell would like for you to know, comes with a free melting clock.
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RANDOM TIDBITS
Oscar the Grouch used to be orange. Jim Henson decided to make him green before the second season of Sesame Street. How did Oscar explain the color change? He said he went on vacation to the very damp Swamp Mushy Muddy and turned green overnight.
The 3 Musketeers bar was originally split into three pieces with three different flavors: vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. When the other flavors became harder to come by during World War II, Mars decided to go all chocolate.
Fredric Baur invented the Pringles can. When he passed away in 2008, his ashes were buried in one.
There really was a Captain Morgan. He was a Welsh pirate who later became the lieutenant governor of Jamaica.
In 1907, an ad campaign for Kellogg's Corn Flakes offered a free box of cereal to any woman who would wink at her grocer.
Editor Bennett Cerf challenged Dr. Seuss to write a book using no more than 50 different words. The result? Green Eggs and Ham.
Oscar the Grouch used to be orange. Jim Henson decided to make him green before the second season of Sesame Street. How did Oscar explain the color change? He said he went on vacation to the very damp Swamp Mushy Muddy and turned green overnight.
The 3 Musketeers bar was originally split into three pieces with three different flavors: vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. When the other flavors became harder to come by during World War II, Mars decided to go all chocolate.
Fredric Baur invented the Pringles can. When he passed away in 2008, his ashes were buried in one.
There really was a Captain Morgan. He was a Welsh pirate who later became the lieutenant governor of Jamaica.
In 1907, an ad campaign for Kellogg's Corn Flakes offered a free box of cereal to any woman who would wink at her grocer.
Editor Bennett Cerf challenged Dr. Seuss to write a book using no more than 50 different words. The result? Green Eggs and Ham.
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Q and A Quickies
Q: What did the man who was just cloned say?
A: "I'm beside myself!"
Q: What did one dog say to the other?
A: "Sit down quick, here comes old cold nose."
Q: What type of food do you eat in a Taxi?
A: Corn on the cab.
Q: What did the big hand on the clock say to the little hand?
A: "I'll be around in an hour."
Q: Why did the germ cross the microscope?
A: To get to the other slide.
Q: What's the difference between a fish and a piano?
A: You can't tuna fish!
Peanut Butter Bird Suet
Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cuplard
1/2 cupsuet
2 cupsoatmeal
1 cup mixed wild bird seed
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cupwhole wheat flour
1 cup chopped cranberries or 1 cup raisins
Directions:
Melt the lard and peanut butter, and mix in the dry ingredients and bird seed. Often we mix in bacon fat, bread crumbs, Red River cereal, or whatever we have on hand. Work well together. Make into 4 x 4 x 2 inch blocks and freeze. Place in suet feeder in a tree and watch the birds come to feast!
Most of the time I just put out rendered suet, but for fun I use the following bird cake receipe:
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup lard
2 cups quick cook oats
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
Melt the peanut butter and lard and add remaining ingredients and cool.
This is SOOOOOO easy to make, and my birds love it...from woodpeckers to chickadees to thrashers to sparrows.
1 part peanut butter (I use crunchy)
1 part shortening
1 part flour
3 parts cornmeal
1 part cracked corn
I also add black oil sunflower seeds and/or mixed seed
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Sphereflakes
I’m pretty comfortable guessing that you haven’t considered the 3D symmetry present in snowflakes before, because who has? We consider them two-dimensional objects, but when you start to imagine a world with exotic planes of snowy symmetry … it gets pretty mind-blowing.
You’ve done it again, Vi Hart.
Previously: Here’s Vi’s original paper snowflake video, which takes them to another level.I even made some!
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Orgazmo Theme (Man Song) Lyrics
DVDAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VIRtn2r7Yo
Hey
What makes a man?
Is it the power in his hands?
Is it his quest for glory?
Give it all you've got,
to fight to the top
So we can know your story
Now you're a man
A man, man man
Now you're a man
A manny manny man
A man man man
You are now a man
You're a man
Now you're a man
Live it, Live it
What make a man?
Is it the woman in his arms?
Just cause she has big titties?
Or is it the way he fights every day?
....No, it's probably the titties
Now you're a man
A man, man man
Now you're a man-man
Man-man man-man man
Now you're a man
M-A-N, man
Man, man-man man
Now you're a man
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Thanks Ed
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Smores Stuffed Bananas :)
Bananas
- Marshmallows
- Chocolate Chips- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, or Golden Grahams Cereal Or just plain crushed graham crackers
"A banana is sliced down the middle and stuffed to the max with marshmallows and chocolate chips. Wrap it in foil and throw it on a grill for a couple of minutes to get a warm, decadent banana melt. A handful of crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal on top is all you need to add the graham cracker element of your s’more and the perfect amount of crunch to compliment the gooeyness of everything else.
You’re gonna need a spoon for this one … that’s the only way to make sure you get every last morsel of chocolate and melted marshmallow. And it wouldn’t be a s’more if you didn’t get messy. If you can eat this melt using less than five napkins, you are my hero.
No grill?No worries. Just throw the foil wrapped banana straight on the cooking rack in a 400-degree oven for 5-6 minutes to get the same delicious result. These are also a classic campfire fave! Just add them to your fire for 3-5 minutes and remove carefully with tongs when the chocolate and marshmallow are melted." ~Frisky
Bananas
- Marshmallows
- Chocolate Chips- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, or Golden Grahams Cereal Or just plain crushed graham crackers
"A banana is sliced down the middle and stuffed to the max with marshmallows and chocolate chips. Wrap it in foil and throw it on a grill for a couple of minutes to get a warm, decadent banana melt. A handful of crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal on top is all you need to add the graham cracker element of your s’more and the perfect amount of crunch to compliment the gooeyness of everything else.
You’re gonna need a spoon for this one … that’s the only way to make sure you get every last morsel of chocolate and melted marshmallow. And it wouldn’t be a s’more if you didn’t get messy. If you can eat this melt using less than five napkins, you are my hero.
No grill?No worries. Just throw the foil wrapped banana straight on the cooking rack in a 400-degree oven for 5-6 minutes to get the same delicious result. These are also a classic campfire fave! Just add them to your fire for 3-5 minutes and remove carefully with tongs when the chocolate and marshmallow are melted." ~Frisky
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It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
--Seneca
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--Seneca
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Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
--Bertrand Russell
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Meat Loaf in a Mug Recipe
“Here’s a quick, delicious single serving of meat loaf,” writes Ruby Matt of Garnavillo, Iowa. This clever take on a classic gives you traditional meat loaf flavor with hardly any cleanup and no leftovers!
Meat Loaf in a Mug Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Meat Loaf in a Mug Rec
Nutritional Facts 1 serving (calculated without additional ketchup) equals 248 calories, 10 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 72 mg cholesterol, 440 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 24 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 starch.
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The White House has responded to the petition to build The Death Star. Rather adroidly, I'd say.
This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For
OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE TOSecure resources and funding, and begin construction of a Death Star by 2016.
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A person who has not been completely alienated, who has remained sensitive and able to feel, who has not lost the sense of dignity, who is not yet "for sale", who can still suffer over the suffering of others, who has not acquired fully the having mode of existence - briefly, a person who has remained a person and not become a thing - cannot help feeling lonely, powerless, isolated in present-day society. ~ Erich Fromm
The government will be requiring new food labels that are more specific. Products will now be labeled, no fat, low fat, reduced fat and fat, but great personality.
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A person who has not been completely alienated, who has remained sensitive and able to feel, who has not lost the sense of dignity, who is not yet "for sale", who can still suffer over the suffering of others, who has not acquired fully the having mode of existence - briefly, a person who has remained a person and not become a thing - cannot help feeling lonely, powerless, isolated in present-day society. ~ Erich Fromm
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“While newspapers and television talk about the lives of celebrities, the chief of the Kayapo tribe received the worst news of his life: Dilma, The new president of Brazil, has given approval to build a huge hydroelectric plant (the third largest in the world). It is the death sentence for all the people near the river because the dam will flood 400,000 hectares of forest. More than 40,000 Indigenous Indians will have to find another place to live.
The natural habitat destruction, deforestation and the disappearance of many species is a fact.”
The natural habitat destruction, deforestation and the disappearance of many species is a fact.”
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One of the first things you learn on your honeymoon is, when you're carrying your bride over the threshold, always go in sideways -- unless of course two broken ankles and a concussion turn you on.
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The government will be requiring new food labels that are more specific. Products will now be labeled, no fat, low fat, reduced fat and fat, but great personality.
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Giant Squid Captured On Film Its Natural Habitat For The First Time!
Whoa!
The hardest part about finding a Kraken in its natural surroundings is sneaking up on it. You can’t sneak up on a Kraken. The Japanese team that captured this footage, of a comparatively tiny 3 meter giant squid (the largest ever caught was 18 meters!), did it by fitting their submersible with lights that were invisible to both squid and human eyes. Those wavelengths were captured by the camera, though … and the results are stunning.
Read about the incredible work that went into capturing this amazing beast of the deep, this real-life sea monster, this ghost of the seas, at Scientific American. Check out the full video footage from ABC News.
(click through if these GIFs aren’t animating on your dashboard … it’s an amazing thing to see)
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"I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on." -Beryl Pfizer, American journalist
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Why do men die first?
This is a question that has gone unanswered for centuries, but, now we know...
If you put a woman on a pedestal and try to protect her from the rat race... you're a male chauvinist.
If you stay home and do the housework... you're a pansy.
If you work too hard... there's never any time for her.
If you don't work enough... you're a good-for-nothing bum.
If she has a boring repetitive job with low pay... this is exploitation.
If you have a boring repetitive job with low pay... you should get off your lazy behind and find something better.
If you get a promotion ahead of her... that is favoritism.
If she gets a job ahead of you... it's equal opportunity.
If you mention how nice she looks... it's sexual harassment.
If you keep quiet... it's male indifference.
If you cry ... you're a wimp.
If you don't... you're insensitive.
If you appreciate the female form and frilly underwear...you're a pervert.
If you don't... you're gay.
If you like a woman to shave her legs and keep in shape...you're sexist.
If you don't ... you're unromantic.
If you try to keep yourself in shape... you're vain.
If you don't... you're a slob.
If she has a headache... she's tired.
If you have a headache... you don't love her anymore.
If you want it too often... you're oversexed.
If you don't... there must be someone else.
Bottom Line... Men die first because they want to.
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For the Record
Letter from Eddie Cantor to Groucho Marx, Jan. 9, 1964:
Dear Julius,Since being inactive as a performer I've done quite a bit of scribbling. This is my fourth year writing a column for Diners' Club Magazine.Will you please send me as quick as you can two lines which have brought you the biggest laughs. I would appreciate it for my next column.Gratefully,Eddie
Groucho responded:
Dear Eddie:Briefly (and quickly) the two biggest laughs that I can recall (other than my three marriages) were in a vaudeville act called "Home Again."One was when Zeppo came out from the wings and announced, 'Dad, the garbage man is here.' I replied, 'Tell him we don't want any.'The other was when Chico shook hands with me and said, 'I would like to say good-bye to your wife,' and I said, 'Who wouldn't?'Take care of yourself.Regards,Groucho Marx
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The winners have been named in the 2012 National Geographic Photography contest. As a leader in capturing the world through brilliant imagery, National Geographic sets the standard for photographic excellence. This year's competition brought 22,000 entries from over 150 countries, professionals and amateurs participating. Photographs were submitted in three categories: people, places and nature; and entries judged on creativity and photographic quality by a panel of experts. There was a Grand Prize winner, a winner in each category and a collection of Viewer's Choice Winners as well. Enjoy. --Paula Nelson ( 14 photos total)
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"I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on." -Beryl Pfizer, American journalist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why do men die first?
This is a question that has gone unanswered for centuries, but, now we know...
If you put a woman on a pedestal and try to protect her from the rat race... you're a male chauvinist.
If you stay home and do the housework... you're a pansy.
If you work too hard... there's never any time for her.
If you don't work enough... you're a good-for-nothing bum.
If she has a boring repetitive job with low pay... this is exploitation.
If you have a boring repetitive job with low pay... you should get off your lazy behind and find something better.
If you get a promotion ahead of her... that is favoritism.
If she gets a job ahead of you... it's equal opportunity.
If you mention how nice she looks... it's sexual harassment.
If you keep quiet... it's male indifference.
If you cry ... you're a wimp.
If you don't... you're insensitive.
If you appreciate the female form and frilly underwear...you're a pervert.
If you don't... you're gay.
If you like a woman to shave her legs and keep in shape...you're sexist.
If you don't ... you're unromantic.
If you try to keep yourself in shape... you're vain.
If you don't... you're a slob.
If she has a headache... she's tired.
If you have a headache... you don't love her anymore.
If you want it too often... you're oversexed.
If you don't... there must be someone else.
Bottom Line... Men die first because they want to.
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I was in my wills and trusts course when the professor posed this question to the students: Why do people choose to have their children, rather than their siblings, inherit their estate?
After students offered various theories, one fellow raised his hand. "This may be a bit off the point," he said, "but when I was little, when my brother and sister finished playing with me, they would put me into a drawer."
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Perhaps there is a realm of wisdom from which the logician is exiled?
--Nietzsche
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--Nietzsche
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The world's newest fitness routine, I present to you, Dance Walking! Ben Aaron. After you watch this see how Ben found the Guru at this link here.
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I've built Sim cities for about 30 years, so I'm really impressed with the graphics for the new version to be released in March. I'm NOT impressed by the report at Flesh Eating Zipper that this new version will require an internet connection at all times. That's a game-breaker for me, as it is for many on the Reddit thread.
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The online testing for Jeopardy! has been going on this week, in three sessions. I took part in the one last night, and got answered only about 30 of the fifty questions. For those who missed out on the live sessions and would like to browse the questions in a leisurely fashion, they are posted in this Straight Dope online forum*. And the unofficial/tentative answers are here.
*scroll back in the forum for questions from the previous nights' sessions
*scroll back in the forum for questions from the previous nights' sessions
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Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.
--George Orwell
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Bizarre Spiral Cloud, like a DNA - [wow nature]
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Awesome! If you missed this cellular origami technique a couple weeks ago, you can read about it in this post of mine from a couple weeks ago. On a side note, I’m always happy when people turn science into GIFs.
http://wetwareontologies.tumblr.com/post/40257503101/cells-cultured-along-origami-seams-prodded-to(via scientificthought)Source: blogs.scientificamerican.com
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Sand and Tourism in Gran Canaria
Situated in the center the of the Canary Islands archipelago, Gran Canaria is a roughly circular volcanic island. Along the island’s southern perimeter lies a dune-beach system, a sandy triangle pointing toward the southeast and Africa. Both the beach and the dunes are popular vacation spots.
The sediments for the beach sands come from eroded rocks both above and below the ocean surface, and wind and waves move that sand from one place to another. However, the sandy deposits are gradually diminishing under the combined pressure of human and natural causes.
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American Dreamers is an ongoing book of inspiring short stories by “optimists, mavericks and mad inventors” who share their dreams for a brighter future. Contributors include Stan Lee, Adam Savage, Natalie Bailey, Baratunde Thurston, and many more. It is a project of Sharp Stuff, a Wieden+Kennedy Tomorrow storytelling initiative. Books are printed on-demand when purchased and are also available in digital versions. Excerpts from the book are available at Medium.
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Kerntype is a kerning game.
Your mission is simple: achieve pleasant and readable text by distributing the space between letters. Typographers call this activity kerning.
And of course, when it's done wrong it's called keming. I scored 75 out of 100, possibly because I hurried through it. With a little more care, I could've done better. If you're not a type nerd, the game will give you a sense of appreciation for those who labor to make type readable. It's an art, after all. Link -via Ed Yong
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Tiny Sloth Bear Cub Gets Vocal at Smithsonian's National Zoo
The Smithsonian National Zoo has two bearing bears! The month of December was fruitful for the National Zoo's bears. You may have read about the first birth of an Andean Bear cub here on ZooBorns. Now 18-year-old Sloth Bear Hana has given birth to a single cub. What's more, it all went down on Dec. 19, which happens to be her own birthday!
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Weird Science: Hot Hot High Heels
“Like Louboutins with the red bottoms, you gotta have ‘em, you glad you got ‘em” - Jay-Z
Here’s a fascinating tale of culture intersecting with science intersecting with fashion. High heels: Some women hate them, some women love them. Lots of men love them too, for that matter. Is there something about high heels and their affect on a women’s gait and posture that accentuates biological cues of female attractiveness? A team of researchers set out to find a clue. They had several women walk in high heels, tracked their motion, and then had the “attractiveness” of their walks judged by volunteers (who were mostly female, it turns out). Scicurious has a great biological and cultural breakdown of the work at Neurotic Physiology.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the high-heeled walks were judged more attractive. But why? Is it the added swing of the hips and the “pelvic tilt” (if you know what I’m sayin’)? Is it the shorter stride length on average? Maybe. But Sci makes a superb point as she explains that observations like these are just too tied up in history and culture to ever really be untangled from the biological influence:
“And we all know that that TYPE of walk is what is supposed to be sexy. We know that sexy is associated with the kind of walking done in heels. When there’s so much history tied up in it, I don’t think we can definitively say that the walking they observed was more attractive because heels increase attractiveness. It could be more attractive because that’s what we’ve beentaught to think. Secondly, are the women changing their walk in the heels due to cultural factors? Most of us have been told that heels make us feel more feminine, and all these women may have believed it. They may have walked more attractively as a result. Finally, the women could have been walking more attractively because the heels make them feel sexy. We’ve all been told heels are sexy. We’ve all seen the movies and the videos. And most every little kid who has wanted to put on heels has wanted to add that little swing to their step. By the time you’re an adult, that little swing has become a lot bigger, and a lot more subconscious. I also find it very interesting that the authors couldn’t get a correlation between the biomechanical changes and the ratings of attractiveness. I would think that, say, if it all came down to pelvic tilt biologically, you would at least see a correlation there, which makes me wonder if this really is all the result of a high heeled culture rather than a deep high heeled drive.”
So yes, people generally seem to view high heels as an attractiveness booster. But there’s likely a mix of biology and culture behind that observation. That’s an important thing to remember when looking at any story about human cultural aspect X and biological factor Y … our humanity is muddied with both cultural and biological evolution, and one just never quite explains the other.
(via Neurotic Physiology)
Source: scientopia.org
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Around the globe people celebrated with fireworks, kisses, toasts, cheers, and plunges into icy bodies of water to welcome the new year. Here's a look at how some of them marked the transition. -- Lloyd Young ( 39 photos total)
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Winning Colors
The Ferrari 250 GTO has been called the top sports car of all time. Only 39 were manufactured, so they sell for as much as $35 million among collectors.
Chris Smart of Bishopstoke, Hampshire, couldn't afford to buy one ...
... so he painted one on his garage door.
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You're about to play a game. A single person enters a room and two dice are rolled. If the result is double sixes, he is shot. Otherwise he leaves the room and nine new players enter. Again the dice are rolled, and if the result is double sixes, all nine are shot. If not, they leave and 90 new players enter.
And so on, the number of players increasing tenfold with each round. The game continues until double sixes are rolled and a group is executed, which is certain to happen eventually. The room is infinitely large, and there's an infinite supply of players.
If you're selected to enter the room, how worried should you be? Not particularly: Your chance of dying is only 1 in 36.
Later your mother learns that you entered the room. How worried should she be? Extremely: About 90 percent of the people who played this game were shot.
What does your mother know that you don't? Or vice versa?
(Paul Bartha and Christopher Hitchcock, "The Shooting Room Paradox and Conditionalizing on Measurably Challenged Sets," Synthese, March 1999)
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philologaster
n. an incompetent philologist
n. an incompetent philologist
nitigram
n. a second-rate epigram
n. a second-rate epigram
cacography
n. poor spelling
n. poor spelling
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There's this old priest who got sick of all the people in his parish who kept confessing to adultery. One Sunday, in the pulpit, he said, "If I hear one more person confess to adultery, I'll quit!"
Well, everyone liked him, so they came up with a code word. Someone who had committed adultery would say they had "fallen."
This seemed to satisfy the old priest and things went well, until the priest died at a ripe old age. About a week after the new priest arrived, he visited the mayor of the town and seemed very concerned.
The priest said, "You have to do something about the sidewalks in town. When people come into the confessional, they keep talking about having fallen."
The mayor started to laugh, realizing that no one had told the new priest about the code word.
Before the mayor could explain, the priest shook an accusing finger at the mayor and said, "I don't know what you're laughing about, your wife fell three times this week."
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Well, everyone liked him, so they came up with a code word. Someone who had committed adultery would say they had "fallen."
This seemed to satisfy the old priest and things went well, until the priest died at a ripe old age. About a week after the new priest arrived, he visited the mayor of the town and seemed very concerned.
The priest said, "You have to do something about the sidewalks in town. When people come into the confessional, they keep talking about having fallen."
The mayor started to laugh, realizing that no one had told the new priest about the code word.
Before the mayor could explain, the priest shook an accusing finger at the mayor and said, "I don't know what you're laughing about, your wife fell three times this week."
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"From there to here,from here to there, funny things are everywhere." -- Dr. Seuss
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Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. may be one of the most iconic neighbors in television history. The reoccurring character from The Simpsons is famous for his compassion, his evangelical spirituality, but maybe above all else the funny way he talks. You have to hand it to voice actor Harry Shearer and the writers of The Simpsons, they really have developed a vocabulary of their own. Nate Smith of Awkward Elevator wondered what it would be like to speak Flanders and what better way to imagine that than through Google Translate.
View all the Flanderific translations here!
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On Yawning; or, The Hidden Sexuality of the Human Yawn, from the Annals of Improbable Research.
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Bacon-Topped Apple Pie
The Loveless Cafe of Tennessee has quite a few tasty dishes on its menu, but perhaps the most impressive to those who love the salty, crunchiness of bacon is the bacon apple pie seen above. If you can't make it to Nashville to grab a slice for yourself, then don't miss the recipe at the link.
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The village blacksmith finally found an apprentice willing to work hard at low pay for long hours. The blacksmith immediately began his instructions to the lad, "When I take the shoe out of the fire, I'll lay it on the anvil; and when I nod my head, you hit it with this hammer."
The apprentice did just as he told. Now he's the village blacksmith.
The apprentice did just as he told. Now he's the village blacksmith.
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"The cure for anything is salt water -- sweat, tears, or the sea."
Isak Dinesen
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Isak Dinesen
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Long before Amazon, there was Sears and Roebuck. If you lived anywhere the postal service delivered to, you could order everything from farm tools to lingerie to opium. The opium has since been dropped from the catalog. Mental_floss has a look at some of the more bizarre items you could have ordered in 1902. Link
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These ads work. I want sushi. Right now.
The ad agency Try/Apt made three commercials for the Norwegian Seafood Council. They show dancers imitating the colors, shapes and movements of real sushi. You can watch the rest of the mouth-watering videos at the link.
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Beluga Photobomb
Sick alligator found guarding pot stash
CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. - Authorities in California said they discovered a "very sick" 5-foot alligator protecting 34 pounds of marijuana at a man's home. The Alameda County Sheriff's Office said deputies were conducting a "probation compliance" check at the Castro Valley home of Assif Mayr, 32, about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday and they discovered he was keeping 34 pounds of processed, dried marijuana in his bedroom, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Thursday. Investigators said the stash was being guarded by a 5-foot-long alligator. "We come across guard dogs like pit bulls quite frequently, but a guard alligator is very, very unusual," Sgt. J.D. Nelson said. Mayr told deputies he obtained the reptile in 1996 "to commemorate the death of rapper Tupac Shakur," Nelson said. The alligator, dubbed, Mr. Teeth, was taken to the Oakland Zoo, where spokeswoman Nicky Mora said the animal is "very sick." "So we will probably treat him and keep him in a quarantine area and then figure out from there where he will be located," Mora said. Mayr was arrested on a charge of possessing marijuana for sale and held in lieu of $160,000 bail.
CAIRNS, Australia - A nearly 10-foot python hitched a ride on a Qantas flight out of Australia Thursday, much to the amazement of passengers. The snake, a scrub python, was spotted on the wing of the Qantas flight to Papua New Guinea around 6:15 a.m., The Sydney Morning Herald reported. "The people at the front were oblivious to what was going on but the passengers at the back were all totally focused on the snake and how it might have got onto the aircraft," said passenger Robert Weber. "There was no panic. At no time did anyone stop to consider that there might be others on board." Weber said people in the back of the plane watched as the flight became "a life-and-death struggle for the snake." "I felt quite sad for it, really. For the remainder of the flight, he was trying to pull himself back into the plane, even though he was fighting against 400km/h winds. The cabin crew told us that at cruising altitude, it was minus 12 degrees outside -- but not even that was able to finish him," Weber said. It was unclear whether the snake was found dead or alive when the plane landed in Port Moresby. A Qantas spokeswoman said, "We have never heard of this happening before."
"Applaud friends, the comedy is over." -Ludwig van Beethoven's last words
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LOL Beluga loves surprises. He sneaked up behind the children of redditor Capasin while they were at the aquarium. Link
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CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. - Authorities in California said they discovered a "very sick" 5-foot alligator protecting 34 pounds of marijuana at a man's home. The Alameda County Sheriff's Office said deputies were conducting a "probation compliance" check at the Castro Valley home of Assif Mayr, 32, about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday and they discovered he was keeping 34 pounds of processed, dried marijuana in his bedroom, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Thursday. Investigators said the stash was being guarded by a 5-foot-long alligator. "We come across guard dogs like pit bulls quite frequently, but a guard alligator is very, very unusual," Sgt. J.D. Nelson said. Mayr told deputies he obtained the reptile in 1996 "to commemorate the death of rapper Tupac Shakur," Nelson said. The alligator, dubbed, Mr. Teeth, was taken to the Oakland Zoo, where spokeswoman Nicky Mora said the animal is "very sick." "So we will probably treat him and keep him in a quarantine area and then figure out from there where he will be located," Mora said. Mayr was arrested on a charge of possessing marijuana for sale and held in lieu of $160,000 bail.
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Snake hitches ride on plane
CAIRNS, Australia - A nearly 10-foot python hitched a ride on a Qantas flight out of Australia Thursday, much to the amazement of passengers. The snake, a scrub python, was spotted on the wing of the Qantas flight to Papua New Guinea around 6:15 a.m., The Sydney Morning Herald reported. "The people at the front were oblivious to what was going on but the passengers at the back were all totally focused on the snake and how it might have got onto the aircraft," said passenger Robert Weber. "There was no panic. At no time did anyone stop to consider that there might be others on board." Weber said people in the back of the plane watched as the flight became "a life-and-death struggle for the snake." "I felt quite sad for it, really. For the remainder of the flight, he was trying to pull himself back into the plane, even though he was fighting against 400km/h winds. The cabin crew told us that at cruising altitude, it was minus 12 degrees outside -- but not even that was able to finish him," Weber said. It was unclear whether the snake was found dead or alive when the plane landed in Port Moresby. A Qantas spokeswoman said, "We have never heard of this happening before."
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They don't get a lot of jungle cats in Virginia, so perhaps it might be a little harsh to judge these Norfolk residents as complete morons, but it would be hard for anyone over the age of three to confuse a lion with a Labradoodle.
But apparently Daniel Painter's dog, Charles the Monarch, so resembles the king of the jungle, police received a call about a baby lion on the loose.
Police even called the Norfolk Zoo to make sure their two lions were in their cages, which they were.
The dog's coif is, in fact, intended to look like the mascot of Old Dominion University.
This wasn't Charles' first case of mistaken identity. Painter said police have told him several times people have reported seeing a lion when it was really his dog.
He often tells people he's a "lab-a-lion."
But apparently Daniel Painter's dog, Charles the Monarch, so resembles the king of the jungle, police received a call about a baby lion on the loose.
Police even called the Norfolk Zoo to make sure their two lions were in their cages, which they were.
The dog's coif is, in fact, intended to look like the mascot of Old Dominion University.
This wasn't Charles' first case of mistaken identity. Painter said police have told him several times people have reported seeing a lion when it was really his dog.
He often tells people he's a "lab-a-lion."
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"Applaud friends, the comedy is over." -Ludwig van Beethoven's last words
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Only a fool is astonished by the foolishness of humankind. - Edward Abbey
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There once was a girl of Siam
Who said to her lover, young Kiam
"If you take me, of course,
You must do it by force
But, thank God, you're stronger than I am."
Who said to her lover, young Kiam
"If you take me, of course,
You must do it by force
But, thank God, you're stronger than I am."
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A camera collector from San Diego named Anton Orlov purchased a French stereoscopic camera at an antique shop. He soon discovered the camera contained eight undeveloped photographs shot in France during World War I. Amazingly, this was not the first incidence of Orlov finding historical treasures in old cameras.
Read more about Anton's finds and see the rest of his fascinating photographs at his blog The Photo Palace. Link -via i09
Read more about Anton's finds and see the rest of his fascinating photographs at his blog The Photo Palace. Link -via i09
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From Milwaukee to Burlington, Vermont - what are the 25 drunkest cities in America? Researchers used three metrics to capture this, the average alcohol consumed per month by an adult, percent classified as binge drinkers, and percent classified as heavy drinkers. They pulled data from Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in each city. They then took the average drinks per month and weighted it 50 percent against binge drinking and heavy drinking (each 25 percent) to get their final ranking.
Find out where your city ranks on this curious list compiled by The Daily Beast.
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Want to live on Mars? Are you over 18 with good mental and physical health? Are you intelligent and would you be dedicated to space travel? Good news, you can be a Mars colonist! View all of the qualifications here.
Mars One is a Dutch nonprofit organization that is looking to establish a human settlement on Mars in 2023. You can watch their introduction film here. In the film they break down their plan for the eventual inhabitation of Mars, starting with four people at a time. While it may seem like a farfetched idea, the organization clearly believes in their plan.
Before the first crew lands, Mars One will have established a habitable, sustainable outpost designed to receive astronauts every two years. To accomplish this, Mars One has developed a precise, realistic plan based entirely upon existing technologies. It is both economically and logistically feasible, in motion through the integration of existing suppliers and experts in space exploration.
Part of their design includes major financing by creating "the biggest media event ever... ...Big Brother will pale in comparison." So it's Lost in Space meets The Truman Show? Well like a bad late 90's movie, I am just crazy enough to think this might work. Who is with me? This is finally a chance for our Neatoramanauts to become actual astronauts!
Link | Via Geekologie
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On Jeopardy...
TREBEK: The category is "Political Subversion". The answer is: This entity is dedicated to the destruction of religion, morality, and the American way of life.
PLAYER: What is the KGB?
TREBEK: Be more specific.
PLAYER: What is PBS?
TREBEK: Right!
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TREBEK: The category is "Political Subversion". The answer is: This entity is dedicated to the destruction of religion, morality, and the American way of life.
PLAYER: What is the KGB?
TREBEK: Be more specific.
PLAYER: What is PBS?
TREBEK: Right!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One night a man heard howls coming from his basement and went down to discover a female cat being raped by a mouse. Fascinated by what he saw, the man gained the mouse's confidence with some cheese and then took him next door.
The mouse repeated his amazing performance by raping a German Sheppard. The man, very excited by this,
was dying to show someone his discovery. He rushed home and woke up his wife but before he could explain, she saw the mouse, screamed, and covered her head with the blanket.
was dying to show someone his discovery. He rushed home and woke up his wife but before he could explain, she saw the mouse, screamed, and covered her head with the blanket.
"Don't be afraid, darling," said the man. "Wait until I tell you about this."
"Get out of here!" cried his wife. "And take that sex maniac with you!"
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"Get out of here!" cried his wife. "And take that sex maniac with you!"
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Lake Abraham is a man-made lake on the North Saskatchewan River in western Alberta, Canada. Lake Abraham was created in 1972 and named after Silas Abraham, a nineteenth century resident of the Saskatchewan River valley.
The blue lake gets it's color from the rock flour, fine-grained particles of rock, as many glacier lakes do. More interestingly though, the lake gets it's bubbles from rising methane that forms in pockets as the lake freezes over for winter. It is a beautiful phenomenon to see.
You can check out a full gallery of Lake Abraham here.
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One day Mrs. Jones went to have a talk with the minister at the local church. "Reverend," she said, "I have a problem--my husband keeps falling asleep during your sermons. It's very embarrassing. What should
I do?"
"I have an idea," said the minister. "Take this hatpin with you. I will be able to tell when Mr. Jones is sleeping, and I will motion to you at specific times. When I motion, you give him a good poke in the leg."
In church the following Sunday, Jones dozed off. Noticing this, the
preacher put his plan to work. "And who lay made the ultimate sacrifice for you?" he said, nodding to Mrs. Jones.
"Jesus!" Jones cried as his wife jabbed him the leg with the hatpin.
"Yes, you are right, Mr. Jones," said the minister.
Soon, Jones nodded off again. Again, the minister noticed.
"Who is your redeemer?" he asked the congregation, motioning towards Mrs. Jones.
"God!" Jones cried out as he was stuck again with the hatpin.
"Right again," said the minister, smiling.
Before long, Jones again winked off. However, this time the minister did not notice. As he picked up the tempo of his sermon, he made a few motions that Mrs. Jones mistook as signals to bayonet her husband with the hatpin again.
The minister asked, "And what did Eve say to Adam after she bore him his last son?"
Mrs. Jones poked her husband, who yelled, "You stick that goddamned thing in me one more time and I'll break it off and shove it up your ass!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I do?"
"I have an idea," said the minister. "Take this hatpin with you. I will be able to tell when Mr. Jones is sleeping, and I will motion to you at specific times. When I motion, you give him a good poke in the leg."
In church the following Sunday, Jones dozed off. Noticing this, the
preacher put his plan to work. "And who lay made the ultimate sacrifice for you?" he said, nodding to Mrs. Jones.
"Jesus!" Jones cried as his wife jabbed him the leg with the hatpin.
"Yes, you are right, Mr. Jones," said the minister.
Soon, Jones nodded off again. Again, the minister noticed.
"Who is your redeemer?" he asked the congregation, motioning towards Mrs. Jones.
"God!" Jones cried out as he was stuck again with the hatpin.
"Right again," said the minister, smiling.
Before long, Jones again winked off. However, this time the minister did not notice. As he picked up the tempo of his sermon, he made a few motions that Mrs. Jones mistook as signals to bayonet her husband with the hatpin again.
The minister asked, "And what did Eve say to Adam after she bore him his last son?"
Mrs. Jones poked her husband, who yelled, "You stick that goddamned thing in me one more time and I'll break it off and shove it up your ass!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The difference between philosophy and theology:
if you have an argument over philosophy, you get red in the face. Over theology you throw bombs.
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if you have an argument over philosophy, you get red in the face. Over theology you throw bombs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Researchers from University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT Health) Medical School observed how viruses infect cells and made this animation to illustrate the process. Here you see a T7 virus invading an E.coli bacterium. Oh yeah, it's flu season, so go wash your hands! Read more about the mechanics of viral infection at Texas Science. Link -via Geekosystem
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Never ruin an apology with an excuse. - Kimberly Johnson
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Star Wars book signing ~ me & a tall dark stranger
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For the love of the Lord God, give us a pair of slave women as alms, because we are spending the pittance we have entirely on hired girls. --An abbess to the queen of Portugal, 1500s
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Despair leads to boredom, electronic games, computer hacking, poetry, and other bad habits.
- Edward Abbey
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- Edward Abbey
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Check out an entire party's worth of cocktails that are not only named for your favorite video games, superheroes, and fantasy worlds, but they look like them, too! There is the fruit and rum concoction the Metroid. There's also the Castlevania Vampire's Kiss Cocktail, the Tick, the Minecraft Dirt Block, and the Giggling Yoda, among others. The Frag Grenade will blow you away, and I'd stay away from the Portal Combustible Lemonade. Link
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Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
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What may look like a typical mint cookie, is really a diabolical and possibly hallucinogenic absinthe cookie. Who wants one? Absinth has steadily been gaining traction as a popular drink since the beginning of the 1990s. It was originally banned from the US and many parts of Europe in 1915, somewhat rashly in retrospect. The claims of any real psychoactive properties have largely been exaggerated, and the drink is no more dangerous than any ordinary spirit.
The fine people over at A Fine Kettle of Ish have the perfect recipe to fill you craving for the mysterious liquid covered cookie. You don't even need that much to make it, just some standard cookie making ingredients, some high quality absinthe, and food coloring. Apparently it also goes very well with strong coffee.
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May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house. -- George Carlin
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A woman may very well form a friendship with a man, but for this to endure, it must be assisted by a little physical antipathy. -- Nietzsche
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This luxurious house called Villa Vals is built directly into a hillside in the village of Vals in the Swiss Alps. A collaboration between architectural firms Christian Müller and SeARCH, it features four bedrooms that are surprisingly flooded with natural light and have beautiful Alpine views. A thermal springs spa is nearby. The exterior is partially made of quartzite collected from the springs and surrounding area. There is a private hot spring in the home, as well as a hot tub and patios. The environmentally-friendly house is thermally insulated and has a heat pump, heat exchanger, radiant floors and uses hydroelectric power generated by a local reservoir.
See more pictures of the Villa Vals in the gallery above, and check out nine other beautiful underground dwellings at Homedit. Link -via Unique Daily
See more pictures of the Villa Vals in the gallery above, and check out nine other beautiful underground dwellings at Homedit. Link -via Unique Daily
Psst! Wanna Buy a Launch Pad?
With the shuttle program over, NASA is hoping to recoup some of its investment and shed property no longer needed by selling it off. Several facilities are for sale.
Among them: Launch Pad 39A, where shuttles were launched; space in the Vehicle Assembly Building, the iconic 526-foot-tall structure first used to assemble Saturn V-Apollo rockets; the Orbiter Processing Facilities, essentially huge garages where the shuttles were maintained; Hangar N and its high-tech test equipment; the launch-control center; and various other buildings and chunks of undeveloped property.
A lot of the stuff needs to be transferred by the end of 2013, when federal maintenance money will run out. When it does, machinery will start to rust, and buildings will deteriorate in the harsh coastal-marsh environment of Cape Canaveral.
NASA is allowing bids and proposals to be submitted quietly, and will take plans for the properties into account as well as the amounts of the bids. Link -via Not Exactly Rocket Science~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They have come for your fish, and they won't take no for an answer...
When you're on the high seas and you encounter a dolphin stampede, the best thing to do is keep calm and try not to look like lunch! --via Super Punch
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It's a pity that these are at all necessary, but artist Ted Slampyak has filled a void with vintage-style propaganda posters for mobile phone use. There are six in all at The Art of Manliness. Someone pointed out that the people who need them are unlikely to heed them, but maybe such posters would let my kids know that I'm not the only one who is offended by their phone habits. Link -via Gizmodo
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FreebookSifter
Do you use a Kindle or eReader? Then you probably know that many books are available at not cost, but often they are hard to find or you don't know what you're getting. But now our friends Michael Powell and Jürgen Horn, whom you know from their travel blog For 91 Days, have launched FreebookSifter. It's a daily listing of books that can be downloaded from Amazon free of charge, plus ratings for each book. Here are the top-rated book available today, which may change at any time.
1. Science of Trapping by Elmer Kreps
2. The Arabian Art of Taming and Training Wild and Vicious Horses by John J. Stutzman and P. R. Kincaid
3. Tales of Fishes by Zane Grey
4. Animal Rights Poetry: 25 Inspirational Animal Poems Vol 1 by Jenny Moxham
5. Olaf the Glorious A Story of the Viking Age by Robert Leighton
6. The Compleat Angler by Izaak Walton
7. Operation Terror by Murray Leinster
8. The Runaway Skyscraper by Murray Leinster
9. Amateur Fish Culture by Charles Edward Walker
10. Dogs and All about Them by Robert Leighton
Take a look around, you might need something good to curl up in bed with this weekend! Link
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A large mule deer became stuck on the ice over a frozen lake near the Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado. The deer, which had been seen in the neighborhood before, couldn't get enough traction with his hooves to move. After weighing a few options, park ranger Todd Taylor, a certified ice rescuer, was called in. Taylor was able to lasso the deer and pull it in, with the help from brewery employees. See more video at KRQE. Link-via Arbroath
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Dog teaches puppy how to use the stairs.
World's best sign flipper.
Nova Scotia, Canada: The highest tides in the world.
Kitty wants some petting.
World's best sign flipper.
Nova Scotia, Canada: The highest tides in the world.
Kitty wants some petting.
Secret hidden exterior entrance door.
Building a backyard quinzee.
Touching rescue of a frightened stray dog ends with an amazing surprise.
Bird reacts to dubstep.
Life as a recording engineer.
Building a backyard quinzee.
Touching rescue of a frightened stray dog ends with an amazing surprise.
Bird reacts to dubstep.
Life as a recording engineer.
Fastest water bottle chug ever.
Brush embroidery on a cookie.
Michio Kaku: How to reverse aging.
Man plays the piano in the coolest way.
Cats and lasers with the GoPro HERO2.
How to turn an aluminum can into a charming box.
You are your microbes.
What the GoPro was created for.
The chicken goat.
There are 400,000 galaxies in this animation, these are their actual, real positions.
Laser-cut model of an imaginary urban complex.
A red hot nickel ball in water.
Exploring the oceans.
Brush embroidery on a cookie.
Michio Kaku: How to reverse aging.
Man plays the piano in the coolest way.
Cats and lasers with the GoPro HERO2.
How to turn an aluminum can into a charming box.
You are your microbes.
What the GoPro was created for.
The chicken goat.
There are 400,000 galaxies in this animation, these are their actual, real positions.
Laser-cut model of an imaginary urban complex.
A red hot nickel ball in water.
Exploring the oceans.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QUOTE: "I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures."
HINT: (1891-1974), American jurist and politician who served as the 14th Chief Justice of the United States (1953-1969) and the 30th Governor of California.
HINT: (1891-1974), American jurist and politician who served as the 14th Chief Justice of the United States (1953-1969) and the 30th Governor of California.
ANSWER: Earl Warren.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Siren Elise Wilhelmsen taught a clock to knit a scarf. The mechanism's progress is reflected on its face, which functions as a 24-hour clock; it adds one stitch per hour and one segment per day, producing a wearable two-meter scarf in a year.
"What I wanted to show was the nature of time in a different way," the Norwegian designer says. The clock does this in three ways: The unknitted skein represents time to come, the clock itself displays the current time, and the finished scarf represents time past.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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RANDOM TIDBITS
Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante had worn a protective mask in practice before, but on November 1, 1959, a slap shot shattered his nose and required 200 stitches to repair his face. From that point on, he wore his mask during regular play and became the first NHL goalie to do so.
Prior to the 1893 Army-Navy football game, Navy Cadet Joseph Mason Reeves was told by his doctor that one more blow to the head could prove fatal. Reeves had an Annapolis shoemaker construct a protective leather headpiece and thus became the first football player to wear a helmet.
Andy Bathgate was the first professional hockey player to use a curved stick. Bathgate would heat the blade of a regular hockey stick in hot water, then bend it and close it in the stall door of the men's room until game time to maintain the hook.
The precursor to today's athletic supporter was a rubberized cotton canvas girdle worn by male swimmers in the 1860s. The worsted bathing costumes of that era were too "clingy" and revealing when wet, and the girdle helped to maintain some manly modesty.
The first professional athlete to endorse a piece of sports equipment was Honus Wagner. The Flying Dutchman signed a contract with J.F. Hillerich and Son, manufacturer of the famous Louisville Slugger, in 1905.
Golf balls were originally smooth, but when players noticed that they traveled further after they were worn and scarred, manufacturers started adding the dimples. The number of dimples has increased over the years as mathematicians have figured out more aerodynamic and efficient patterns for them.
Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante had worn a protective mask in practice before, but on November 1, 1959, a slap shot shattered his nose and required 200 stitches to repair his face. From that point on, he wore his mask during regular play and became the first NHL goalie to do so.
Prior to the 1893 Army-Navy football game, Navy Cadet Joseph Mason Reeves was told by his doctor that one more blow to the head could prove fatal. Reeves had an Annapolis shoemaker construct a protective leather headpiece and thus became the first football player to wear a helmet.
Andy Bathgate was the first professional hockey player to use a curved stick. Bathgate would heat the blade of a regular hockey stick in hot water, then bend it and close it in the stall door of the men's room until game time to maintain the hook.
The precursor to today's athletic supporter was a rubberized cotton canvas girdle worn by male swimmers in the 1860s. The worsted bathing costumes of that era were too "clingy" and revealing when wet, and the girdle helped to maintain some manly modesty.
The first professional athlete to endorse a piece of sports equipment was Honus Wagner. The Flying Dutchman signed a contract with J.F. Hillerich and Son, manufacturer of the famous Louisville Slugger, in 1905.
Golf balls were originally smooth, but when players noticed that they traveled further after they were worn and scarred, manufacturers started adding the dimples. The number of dimples has increased over the years as mathematicians have figured out more aerodynamic and efficient patterns for them.
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Synthetic poop created to treat gastrointestinal infections
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This woman looked at my beer belly last night and sarcastically said,
"Is that Corona or Bud?"
I said, "There's a tap underneath; taste it and find out."
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Last week we looked at how Sweden has completely eliminated trash. But that is Sweden. This is America! What would it take for Americans to accomplish such an incredible feat?
Let's take a look at Dave Chameides. He hasn't thrown away a single thing for an entire year in order to force himself and his family to examine the way the consume and recycle, and the results are surprising. His is hoping he can inspire other Americans to do the same.
Here are some excerpts from this fascinating story.
Let's take a look at Dave Chameides. He hasn't thrown away a single thing for an entire year in order to force himself and his family to examine the way the consume and recycle, and the results are surprising. His is hoping he can inspire other Americans to do the same.
Here are some excerpts from this fascinating story.
The Los Angeles-based cameraman has lived in his comfortable Hollywood home without throwing away a single piece of trash, from wine bottles to chewing gum and pizza boxes.
Instead the 39-year-old Chameides -- nicknamed "Sustainable Dave" -- recycles his garbage or else stores it in his basement. He says he wants to show that it is possible to dramatically reduce his family's consumption habits.
And he can show astounding results. Rather than the 1,600 pounds of trash the average American family produces each year, Chameides, his wife and two daughters have amassed only 32 pounds over the last 12 months.
Chameides has shunned bottled water in favor of filtered tap water. His war on packaging also extends to the family groceries. Rice and pulses are bought by the kilo and placed in containers, while fresh fruit and vegetables are purchased at a weekly neighborhood farmers' market.
In fact, groceries was one of the easiest areas to eliminate packaging, Chameides said.
"The food is not so bad, but with DVDs, kids toys and so on, it's packaging you don't want, and it's frustrating. What you don't realize is that you're paying for it, and pay for it again to dispose of it."
His southern California home is fitted with solar panels while his car runs on used cooking oil. However, he insists that even if you don't follow his example to the letter, "sustainable living" can be achieved without huge sacrifices to your quality of life.
"I'm eating fresher food, I'm saving money, helping the local economy, supporting farmers instead of corporations. For me that's worth it. It's just thinking about doing the right thing," he says.
Instead the 39-year-old Chameides -- nicknamed "Sustainable Dave" -- recycles his garbage or else stores it in his basement. He says he wants to show that it is possible to dramatically reduce his family's consumption habits.
And he can show astounding results. Rather than the 1,600 pounds of trash the average American family produces each year, Chameides, his wife and two daughters have amassed only 32 pounds over the last 12 months.
Chameides has shunned bottled water in favor of filtered tap water. His war on packaging also extends to the family groceries. Rice and pulses are bought by the kilo and placed in containers, while fresh fruit and vegetables are purchased at a weekly neighborhood farmers' market.
In fact, groceries was one of the easiest areas to eliminate packaging, Chameides said.
"The food is not so bad, but with DVDs, kids toys and so on, it's packaging you don't want, and it's frustrating. What you don't realize is that you're paying for it, and pay for it again to dispose of it."
His southern California home is fitted with solar panels while his car runs on used cooking oil. However, he insists that even if you don't follow his example to the letter, "sustainable living" can be achieved without huge sacrifices to your quality of life.
"I'm eating fresher food, I'm saving money, helping the local economy, supporting farmers instead of corporations. For me that's worth it. It's just thinking about doing the right thing," he says.
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Zen Pencils
My illustrations in ‘The 4-Hour Chef’
My illustrations in ‘The 4-Hour Chef’
http://zenpencils.com/blog/my-illustrations-in-the-4-hour-chef/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+zenpencils+%28Zen+Pencils%29
I’m thrilled to have some of my illustrations in the new best-selling book by writer and blogger extraordinaire Tim Ferriss! This is Ferriss’ third book after his hugely successful The 4-Hour Workweek and The 4-Hour Body. The 4-Hour Chef is not only a how-to guide on cooking for beginners, it’s also a manual for learning anything you want using an efficient and no-nonsense system.
I’m thrilled to have some of my illustrations in the new best-selling book by writer and blogger extraordinaire Tim Ferriss! This is Ferriss’ third book after his hugely successful The 4-Hour Workweek and The 4-Hour Body. The 4-Hour Chef is not only a how-to guide on cooking for beginners, it’s also a manual for learning anything you want using an efficient and no-nonsense system.
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A Gumshoe’s Library
Unused titles from Raymond Chandler's notebooks:
The Man with the Shredded Ear
All Guns Are Loaded
The Man Who Loved the Rain
The Corpse Came in Person
The Porter Rose at Dawn
We All Liked Al
Too Late for Smiling
They Only Murdered Him Once
The Diary of a Loud Check Suit
Stop Screaming -- It's Me
Return from Ruin
Between Two Liars
The Lady with the Truck
They Still Come Honest
My Best to the Bride
Law Is Where You Buy It
Deceased When Last Seen
The Black-Eyed Blonde
All Guns Are Loaded
The Man Who Loved the Rain
The Corpse Came in Person
The Porter Rose at Dawn
We All Liked Al
Too Late for Smiling
They Only Murdered Him Once
The Diary of a Loud Check Suit
Stop Screaming -- It's Me
Return from Ruin
Between Two Liars
The Lady with the Truck
They Still Come Honest
My Best to the Bride
Law Is Where You Buy It
Deceased When Last Seen
The Black-Eyed Blonde
Chandler delighted in titles. In a 1954 letter to Hamish Hamilton, he invented a "neglected author" named Aaron Klopstein who "committed suicide at the age of 33 in Greenwich Village by shooting himself with an Amazonian blow gun, having published two novels entitled Once More the Cicatrice and The Sea Gull Has No Friends, two volumes of poetry, The Hydraulic Face Lift and Cat Hairs in the Custard, one book of short stories called Twenty Inches of Monkey, and a book of critical essays entitled Shakespeare in Baby Talk."
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Empires won by conquest have always fallen either by revolt within or by defeat by a rival.
--John Boyd Orr
--John Boyd Orr
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Onsen tamago is a simple Japanese dish, but you may not be able to make an authentic version of it at home. They're eggs slowly cooked in nature's crockpot--a hot spring:
Hot springs or "onsen," dot volcanic Japan from tip to tip (dipping into a steaming onsen one of the great pleasures of visiting Japan), and a custom for cooking eggs at these springs evolved over the years -- toss them into the hot water, wait a bit, and the egg magically poaches. The secret is the onsen's water temperature, which causes the egg's yolk and albumen congeal into a nice sphere on the outside, and beautifully creamy and tasty on the inside.
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"This is like deja vu all over again."
- Yogi Berra
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- Yogi Berra
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I've been a fan of the photography and the stories featured in National Geographic Magazine since I was a child. I explored the world by simply turning the pages. It featured some of the most amazing and groundbreaking photography then and it's never stopped finding new ways to surprise. On January 13, 2013, the National Geographic Society will celebrate its 125th anniversary and its evolution from a small scientific body to one of the world's largest educational and scientific organizations committed to inspiring people to care about the planet. The Society has shared some images that represent those moments of discovery and will continue in its 126th year, to provide a front-row seat to what's happening at the extremes of exploration - bringing everyone along for the ride through its storytelling and photography. You can even"hangout" with some of it's more prominent explorers Jane Goodall, James Cameron and Robert Ballard, on the anniversary date, 1 p.m. EST -- Paula Nelson ( 23 photos total)
My daughter was intrigued with Jane Goodall, and she influenced me ~
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"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first."
- Mark Twain
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Blox!
http://www.addictinggames.com/action-games/blox-game.jsp
This game will have you climbing to the top of the heap! Gather powerups, avoid hazards, and try not to suffer too many head injuries.
This game will have you climbing to the top of the heap! Gather powerups, avoid hazards, and try not to suffer too many head injuries.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
* I'll get a world record for this..
* It's fireproof.
* He's probably just hibernating.
* What does this button do?
* It's probably just a rash.
* Are you sure the power is off?
* Yeah, I made the deciding vote on the jury, so what of it?
* The odds of that happening have to be a million to one!
* Pull the pin and count to what?
* Which wire was I supposed to cut?
* I wonder where the mother bear is.
* I've seen this done on TV.
* These are the good kind of mushrooms.
* I'll hold it and you light the fuse.
* Let it down slowly.
* Rat poison only kills rats.
* It's strong enough for both of us.
* This doesn't taste right.
* I can make this light before it changes.
* Nice doggie.
* I can do that with my eyes closed.
* I've done this before.
* Well, we've made it this far.
* That's odd.
* You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses on, would you?
* Don't be so superstitious.
* Now watch this
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Aerial Geography Lesson
Can you I.D These Landmarks From An Aerial View?
AERIAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON THIS IS TOUGH !!!!!!!!!!!!
These pics were taken from an airplane and you have to guess where the location is.
There are 16 photos and you probably won't get a perfect score and will also miss at leastone you'll say you should have gotten!
There are 16 photos and you probably won't get a perfect score and will also miss at leastone you'll say you should have gotten!
NOTE: When you click on the site, the landmark appears and there are four possible answers. The first answer is always checked. That may or may not be the correct answer. You can change the answer by checking the correct answer.
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Geographical Beast
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I saw Sean Connery hanging off the edge of a cliff. He must have wanted to look his best when being found dead at the bottom, he was shouting…
“Somebody shave me!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How can you tell if you're dreaming? Here's the best answer
Deep in the belly of New York’s subway system, a beautiful, mysterious, untouched station resides, forgotten
The world's largest Amethyst Geode – The "Empress of Uruguay"
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We Were All Female
AsapSCIENCE brings us an important lesson on human developmental biology. All men - yes, even the manliest of men *cough* - began as females. Sort of.
See, the default developmental pathway for a zygote is toward female. That’s due to signals that come from genes on the X chromosome. In XY males, however, a special Y-chromosome gene inhibits just a few of those X chromosome genes and tunes the embryo to respond to testosterone. This takes what would become female parts and “adjusts” them slightly to become the second male brain.
Yep … your family jewels used to belong to the princess. This also answers the “why men have nipples” question.
On a weird science side note, when this system malfunctions in development, the results can be pretty interesting. In a condition called androgen insensitivity syndrome, the embryo is XY, but can’t respond to those early testosterone signals. Instead, it follows the “default” pathway and develops all of the outer female anatomy (vagina, etc.) but none of the inner (ovaries, uterus). Male, but female!
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15 Weird Contraptions from Dr. Kellogg's Sanitarium
John Harvey Kellogg--yes, one of the Kellogg brothers behind the cereal company--invented corn flakes, advocated vegetarianism and...well, let's just say that he had some weird views about sex. Not especially unusual views for the time, but Kellogg was exceptionally passionate about combating sexual passion.
But I digress. At his health spa in Battle Creek, Michigan, Kellogg inflicted his guests with many different bizarre implements of health improvement. This machine repeatedly slapped the user with what appear to be strips of canvas. At the link, you can view fourteen other gadgets designed by Dr. Kellogg.
Link -via David Thompson
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In 1982, 74-year-old David Martin found the skeleton of a carrier pigeon in the chimney of his house in Bletchingley, Surrey. Attached to its leg was an encrypted message believed to have been sent from France on D-Day, June 6, 1944:
The Free Money-Saving Tips Ezine
www.BetterBudgeting.com
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Just when you think you've heard it all.......
Those kids will grow-up fatherless, uncared for emotionally and financially, and will become behavior problems and miscreants of society. This woman is a breeder, not a parent. She should have been sterilized after one
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Pain Relieving Coconut Oil Arnica Salve Recipe :)
Coconut Oil Arnica Salve
2 cups coconut oil
.6 ounces dried arnica montana flowers
½ cup beeswax granules (scant)
¼ tsp. peppermint essential oil (optional)
¼ tsp. lavender essential oil (optional)
Coconut Oil Arnica Cayenne Salve
2 cups coconut oil
.6 ounces dried arnica montana flowers
3-6 tbsp. dried cayenne powder
½ cup beeswax granules (scant)
½ tsp. rosemary essential oil (optional)
Tools Needed:
A double boiler or crock pot
Cheesecloth, old cotton t-shirt or cotton pillowcase
Bowl, Mason jar, etc.
Whisk
Instructions:
1. Since you are using dried arnica, you will get best results if you can allow the arnica flowers to steep in the coconut oil for 12-24 hours. I used a double boiler and kept my stove on the lowest setting possible. Some people prefer a crock pot, and using this method will allow you to let the herbs steep for a longer period of time.
2. When you first get the arnica, whiz it gently in a food processor to start bruising the flowers. You could also use your hands to crunch the flowers up. This will help the flowers start to break down and make the infusion of arnica happen a little faster.
3. Place the dried arnica into your double boiler or crock pot. If you are making the cayenne salve, add the cayenne to the arnica at this time.
4. Pour two cups of coconut oil over the arnica (and cayenne, if applicable) and stir to ensure that all of the flowers are completely submerged in the oil. You don’t want any leaves sticking out.
5. Cover and let infuse on low heat (warm setting on the crock pot) for 12-24 hours. You can stir it every so often if you desire. Keep an eye on it to make sure all of the arnica stays submerged and also to ensure that it doesn’t get too hot.
6. When the allotted time has passed, turn off the burner or crock pot and let the mixture cool for an hour or so. You don’t want it to completely cool, as the coconut oil could start to solidify (depending on where you live), but you want it to be cool enough that you don’t burn yourself.
7. Place your cheesecloth, t-shirt, or pillowcase over your bowl, jar, or measuring cup. Carefully pour the coconut oil into the cheesecloth and let the mixture drain into the bowl below. If it’s not too hot, you can pick up the cheesecloth and squeeze the oil through the fabric to speed up the process.
8. Once you have strained out the herbs, you can place the filtered oil back into your double boiler. Make sure you wipe out the double boiler to make sure there are no clumps of herbs left in there. Turn the heat on low.
9. Add your beeswax and whisk until completely dissolved. The scant ½ cup of beeswax will yield a very soft salve. If you want it firmer, you can add more; softer, you can add less. You can test the texture by dipping the back of a metal spoon into the mix and then allowing to cool and applying to your skin.
10. Once the beeswax is melted, remove from heat and let cool for about 30-60 minutes. Stir in your essential oils and then pour into whatever containers you desire.
11. Use the salve on tired, aching muscles, bruises, sprains, arthritis, etc. NOTE: for the cayenne salve, use caution when applying and avoid applying to your face. If you are concerned with pepper residue on your hands after applying, you could also use gloves, or apply with a spool or small spatula. I personally use a spoon.
~frisky
Coconut Oil Arnica Salve
2 cups coconut oil
.6 ounces dried arnica montana flowers
½ cup beeswax granules (scant)
¼ tsp. peppermint essential oil (optional)
¼ tsp. lavender essential oil (optional)
Coconut Oil Arnica Cayenne Salve
2 cups coconut oil
.6 ounces dried arnica montana flowers
3-6 tbsp. dried cayenne powder
½ cup beeswax granules (scant)
½ tsp. rosemary essential oil (optional)
Tools Needed:
A double boiler or crock pot
Cheesecloth, old cotton t-shirt or cotton pillowcase
Bowl, Mason jar, etc.
Whisk
Instructions:
1. Since you are using dried arnica, you will get best results if you can allow the arnica flowers to steep in the coconut oil for 12-24 hours. I used a double boiler and kept my stove on the lowest setting possible. Some people prefer a crock pot, and using this method will allow you to let the herbs steep for a longer period of time.
2. When you first get the arnica, whiz it gently in a food processor to start bruising the flowers. You could also use your hands to crunch the flowers up. This will help the flowers start to break down and make the infusion of arnica happen a little faster.
3. Place the dried arnica into your double boiler or crock pot. If you are making the cayenne salve, add the cayenne to the arnica at this time.
4. Pour two cups of coconut oil over the arnica (and cayenne, if applicable) and stir to ensure that all of the flowers are completely submerged in the oil. You don’t want any leaves sticking out.
5. Cover and let infuse on low heat (warm setting on the crock pot) for 12-24 hours. You can stir it every so often if you desire. Keep an eye on it to make sure all of the arnica stays submerged and also to ensure that it doesn’t get too hot.
6. When the allotted time has passed, turn off the burner or crock pot and let the mixture cool for an hour or so. You don’t want it to completely cool, as the coconut oil could start to solidify (depending on where you live), but you want it to be cool enough that you don’t burn yourself.
7. Place your cheesecloth, t-shirt, or pillowcase over your bowl, jar, or measuring cup. Carefully pour the coconut oil into the cheesecloth and let the mixture drain into the bowl below. If it’s not too hot, you can pick up the cheesecloth and squeeze the oil through the fabric to speed up the process.
8. Once you have strained out the herbs, you can place the filtered oil back into your double boiler. Make sure you wipe out the double boiler to make sure there are no clumps of herbs left in there. Turn the heat on low.
9. Add your beeswax and whisk until completely dissolved. The scant ½ cup of beeswax will yield a very soft salve. If you want it firmer, you can add more; softer, you can add less. You can test the texture by dipping the back of a metal spoon into the mix and then allowing to cool and applying to your skin.
10. Once the beeswax is melted, remove from heat and let cool for about 30-60 minutes. Stir in your essential oils and then pour into whatever containers you desire.
11. Use the salve on tired, aching muscles, bruises, sprains, arthritis, etc. NOTE: for the cayenne salve, use caution when applying and avoid applying to your face. If you are concerned with pepper residue on your hands after applying, you could also use gloves, or apply with a spool or small spatula. I personally use a spoon.
~frisky
"}'Like ·
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Fellow Golfers,
Never try to keep more than 300 separate thoughts in your mind during your swing.
When your shot has to carry over a water hazard, you can either use one more club or two more balls.
If you're afraid a full shot might reach the green while the foursome ahead of you is still putting out, y
Never try to keep more than 300 separate thoughts in your mind during your swing.
When your shot has to carry over a water hazard, you can either use one more club or two more balls.
If you're afraid a full shot might reach the green while the foursome ahead of you is still putting out, y
ou have two options: you can immediately shank a lay-up or you can wait until the green is clear and
top a ball halfway there.
The inevitable result of any golf lesson is the instant elimination of the one critical
The inevitable result of any golf lesson is the instant elimination of the one critical
unconscious motion that allowed you to compensate for all of your many other errors.
Everyone replaces his divot after a perfect approach shot.
It is surprisingly easy to hole a 30-foot putt. For a 10.
It's not a gimme if you're still away.
You can hit a two-acre fairway 10% of the time and a two inch branch 90% of the time.
Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two double bogeys to restore the
Everyone replaces his divot after a perfect approach shot.
It is surprisingly easy to hole a 30-foot putt. For a 10.
It's not a gimme if you're still away.
You can hit a two-acre fairway 10% of the time and a two inch branch 90% of the time.
Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two double bogeys to restore the
fundamental equilibrium of the universe.
Hazards attract; fairways repel.
A ball you can see in the rough from 50 yards away is not yours.
A good drive on the 18th hole has stopped many a golfer from giving up the game.
Golf is the perfect thing to do on Sunday because you spend longer praying
Hazards attract; fairways repel.
A ball you can see in the rough from 50 yards away is not yours.
A good drive on the 18th hole has stopped many a golfer from giving up the game.
Golf is the perfect thing to do on Sunday because you spend longer praying
than you would do in church.
A good golf partner is one who's always slightly worse than you are....
A good golf partner is one who's always slightly worse than you are....
that's why I get so many calls to play with friends.
If there's a storm rolling in, you'll be having the game of your life.
It takes longer to learn to be a good golfer than it does to become a brain surgeon.
If there's a storm rolling in, you'll be having the game of your life.
It takes longer to learn to be a good golfer than it does to become a brain surgeon.
On the other hand, you don't get to ride around on a cart, drink beer,
and eat hot dogs when you are performing brain surgery!!!
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![[via]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tBJJ8G-j3ACcmDtVkuwgQRWNoRSUF-GKCrdkBACrmB5pXR8rmsy87riyyK0BkfJBfzpnYywtauzxiZNolu-tcidnRmyQI-FVTwzvvznnSjITEOt2w0ZNRNetvkoVEif7WsfYv_4T-pfLs_Bf1eBK2-ZWsozKyCPArWzP_OKHKhMQ=s0-d)
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Homemade Toothpaste
Here is a quick tutorial for homemade toothpaste, and I say quick because it really is, it only takes a few minutes. All mesurements are approximent, just adjust to suit your own tastes.
Ingredients:2 cups VIRGIN ORGANIC coconut oil
1/4 cup baking soda
20 drops peppermint oil (or any oil of choice)
Stevia (optional)
Spoon the coconut oil into a bowl and give it a quick stir to soften a bit.
Add baking soda, and stir until smooth and well blended.
Add as much peppermint oil as you would like.
Store in air tight glass jars and use as you would regular toothpaste!
Here is a quick tutorial for homemade toothpaste, and I say quick because it really is, it only takes a few minutes. All mesurements are approximent, just adjust to suit your own tastes.
Ingredients:2 cups VIRGIN ORGANIC coconut oil
1/4 cup baking soda
20 drops peppermint oil (or any oil of choice)
Stevia (optional)
Spoon the coconut oil into a bowl and give it a quick stir to soften a bit.
Add baking soda, and stir until smooth and well blended.
Add as much peppermint oil as you would like.
Store in air tight glass jars and use as you would regular toothpaste!
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Nikola Tesla died on this day in 1943. Tesla is considered America's greatest electrical engineer, credited with inventing radio, and for whom the tesla (unit of magnetic flux density) is named. The impact of his work is felt by everyone, every single day.
Random Facts:
Sometimes known as the father of modern electricity, Nikola Tesla was a Croatian-born immigrant who revolutionized the production and transmission of electricity with his alternating current motor and systems. Up until around 1900 electricity was dominated by Thomas Edison's direct current systems.
Noted for making incredible claims, Tesla claimed that he invented a death ray that could send concentrated beams of energy through air with the capability of bringing down a fleet of 10,000 enemy airplanes at a distance of 250 miles. He believed his death ray, if it were ever accomplished, would end war as we know it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each man that Miss Jones chose to wed with,
She first liked to paint the town red with,
For having made merry,
She then became very
Aroused and fantastic in bed with.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She first liked to paint the town red with,
For having made merry,
She then became very
Aroused and fantastic in bed with.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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![[@bagyants]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tBb2KTAOgJZ6M_ylX6QNxjpZUkryFlmkmyW73YeBAYW8p9Dyi4aU4KfI1O7CzFW3otOROeJPzkooKCN6i_gr3_HLl2_d5P-qKIaQOIHqTpsrL-uaXgD1HAfSjhYHblgvY3KSK4IcoACAaxhfyHOHOLJUJwd3gu3ym3GhodPmVB_NA=s0-d)
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You know that Hostess Bakery plants shut down due to a workers' strike.
But you may not have heard how it was split up.
The State Department hired all the Twinkies,
Secret Service hired all the Ho-Hos,
Generals are sleeping with the Cupcakesand Voters sent all the Ding Dongs to Congress.
But you may not have heard how it was split up.
The State Department hired all the Twinkies,
Secret Service hired all the Ho-Hos,
Generals are sleeping with the Cupcakesand Voters sent all the Ding Dongs to Congress.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two nuns go to a restaurant to have dinner. They notice Rocky
Mountain Oysters on the menu and wondered what that was.
They ask the waiter who replies "Oh Sister, those are nuts."
She answers "Do you mean like the kind you crack with a rock?"
"No. The kind you rock on a crack."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mountain Oysters on the menu and wondered what that was.
They ask the waiter who replies "Oh Sister, those are nuts."
She answers "Do you mean like the kind you crack with a rock?"
"No. The kind you rock on a crack."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ursa ~
ursarodinia@aol.com
ursarodinia@aol.com
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