They play contra dance tunes in the Anglo-Celtic tradition: Irish, Scottish, French Canadian & Old-time jigs & reels ~ lots of fiddles, mandolin, guitars, banjo, flute, washboard, tambourine, etc.
http://
2012 June 16 
APOD Turns 17
Image Credit & Copyright: Judy Schmidt
Image Credit & Copyright: Judy Schmidt
Explanation: The first APOD appeared seventeen years ago today, on
1995 June 16. Although garnering only 14 page views on that day, we are proud to estimate that APOD has now served over one billion
space-related images over the last 1.7 decades. That early beginning, along with
a nearly unchanging format, has allowed APOD to be a consistent and familiar
site on a web frequently filled with change. Many people don't know, though,
that APOD is now translated daily into many major languages and
featured on social media sites and
smartphone applications. We again thank our readers and NASA for their continued support, as well as the folks who created the great
pictures -- many times with considerable effort -- that APOD has been fortunate
enough to feature over the years. Many can be contacted by following links found
in the credit line under the image. Today's birthday collage includes numerous
galaxies captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2012 June
A Venus Transit Over the Baltic Sea
Image Credit & Copyright: Jens Hackmann
Two New Hubble-Quality Telescopes Gifted to NASA
Credit: NASA
Image Credit & Copyright: Jens Hackmann
Explanation: Waiting years and traveling kilometers -- all to
get a shot like this. And even with all of this planning, a good bit of luck was
helpful. As the Sun rose over the Baltic
Sea last Wednesday as seen from Fehmarn
Island in northern Germany, photographer Jens
Hackmann was ready for the very unusual black dot of
Venus to appear superimposed. Less expected was the
textures of clouds and haze that would taint different levels of the Sun various
shades of red. And possibly the
luckiest gift of all was a flicker of a rare green
flash at the very top of the Sun. The above image is, of course, just one of many spectacular pictures taken last week of
the last transit of the planet Venus
across the face of the Sun for the next 105 years.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2012 June 
Credit: NASA
Explanation: What if you were given a new Hubble telescope for
free? How about two? The astronomical community is abuzz with just this
opportunity as the US National Reconnaissance Office has unexpectedly
transferred ownership of two space-qualified Hubble-quality telescopes to
NASA. The usefulness of these telescopes in
addressing existing science priorities has begun, but preliminary indications hold
that even one of these telescope could be extremely useful in searching for extrasolar planets as well as
distant galaxies and supernovas that could better explore the nature
of dark energy. Although they
start out as free, making even one telescope operational and fitting it with useful cameras
would be quite expensive, so NASA is being decidedly careful about how
to fit these new telescopes into its existing budget. Pictured above, the original
Hubble Space Telescope floats high above the
Earth during a servicing mission in 2002.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rex Barker here with "Happiness is
Very Personal
This is a true story. Some years ago the
following exchange was broadcast on an Open University sociology TV program.
An interviewer was talking to production-line worker in a biscuit factory. The dialogue went like this:
Interviewer: How long have you worked here?
Production Lady: Since I left school - about 15 years.
Interviewer: What do you do?
Production Lady: I take packets of biscuits off the conveyor belt and put them into cardboard boxes.
Interviewer: Have you always done the same job?
Production Lady: Yes.
Interviewer: Do you enjoy it?
Production Lady: Oooh Yes, it's great, everyone is so nice and friendly, we have a good laugh.
Interviewer (with a hint of disbelief): Really? Don't you find it a bit boring?
Production Lady: Oh no, sometimes they change the biscuits...
This is Rex Barker, reminding you not to assume that what motivates you is what motivate others. It is also important to recognize that sources of happiness may vary widely between people.
An interviewer was talking to production-line worker in a biscuit factory. The dialogue went like this:
Interviewer: How long have you worked here?
Production Lady: Since I left school - about 15 years.
Interviewer: What do you do?
Production Lady: I take packets of biscuits off the conveyor belt and put them into cardboard boxes.
Interviewer: Have you always done the same job?
Production Lady: Yes.
Interviewer: Do you enjoy it?
Production Lady: Oooh Yes, it's great, everyone is so nice and friendly, we have a good laugh.
Interviewer (with a hint of disbelief): Really? Don't you find it a bit boring?
Production Lady: Oh no, sometimes they change the biscuits...
This is Rex Barker, reminding you not to assume that what motivates you is what motivate others. It is also important to recognize that sources of happiness may vary widely between people.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let’s go out and play.
“What drew me to the topic of space exploration
was not the heroics and adventure stories,” Roach writes in her
introduction of Packing for Mars, “but the very human and sometimes absurd
struggles behind them.” and adds at the end of her introduction, “Space
doesn’t just encompass the sublime and the ridiculous. It erases the line
between.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"An
aquarium in the U.K. claims that it has the world's first vegetarian shark.
Either that or they're playing a really mean prank on Nigel the tank cleaner."
-Jimmy Fallon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A friend and her husband were participating in a blood drive, and as part of the prescreening process, an elderly volunteer was asking some questions. "Have you ever paid for sex?" the woman asked my friend's husband sweetly.
Glancing wearily over at his wife, trying to calm a new baby and tend to the other children milling around her, he sighed, "Every time."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A friend and her husband were participating in a blood drive, and as part of the prescreening process, an elderly volunteer was asking some questions. "Have you ever paid for sex?" the woman asked my friend's husband sweetly.
Glancing wearily over at his wife, trying to calm a new baby and tend to the other children milling around her, he sighed, "Every time."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dangling from a crane in the Turkish capital of Ankara, the
world has its new record-breaking doner kebab, weighing in at 1,198
kilograms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dog steals blanket from cat.
Riders are awesome 2012.
Coca-Cola security cameras catch this footage.
Sensordrone Kickstarter pitch.
Riders are awesome 2012.
Coca-Cola security cameras catch this footage.
Sensordrone Kickstarter pitch.
Reasons To Be Cheerful, Part
92:
GZA is working on a new album called
‘Dark Matter’, and he’s collaborating with
none other than Neil deGrasse Tyson. GZA had this to
say:
“I don’t think people have ever really been in touch with science. They’re drawn to it, but they don’t know why they’re drawn to it. For example, you may be blown away by the structure of something, like a soccer ball or a geodesic dome, with its hexagonal shapes. Or how you can take a strand of hair and can get someone’s whole drug history. They’re different forms of science, but it’s still science.”
From the planets to the oceans, GZA plans to
cover the gamut of raw science. I can’t wait. Seriously. Give it to me
now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The fractal gears of the sentient universe
turn endlessly. (Also see this one.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How the Tasmanian Tiger
Became the 20th Century’s Dodo. Hunters got £1 for every thylacine shot until
they were all gone, forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whenever there’s a human activity, someone will make a sport out of it. WikiWars is a race through Wikipedia to connect two unrelated terms, and it is quite competitive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Between 1910 and 1913, surgeon George Levick
traveled with Robert Scott through Antarctica on a mission to reach the South
Pole. Along the way, Scott's team recorded their observations of Antarctica and
its wildlife, observations that were later published in scientific journals. At
least, most of the observations were published. Some of Levick's notes ended up
being left out of the official journals, only printed in pamphlet form, like
some kind of academic Tijuana Bible.
The reason: Those notes were full of Levick's
horrified documentation of depraved penguin sex acts—tales so unfit for polite
society that Levick actually wrote most of them in Greek, rather than
English.
Recently rediscovered and translated, these notes
have now been published for the first time in the journal Polar Record.
The excerpts printed on the LiveScience site read like something from an
addendum to Heart of Darkness.
"This afternoon I saw a most extraordinary site
[sic]. A Penguin was actually engaged in sodomy upon the body of a dead white
throated bird of its own species. The act occurred a full minute, the position
taken up by the cock differing in no respect from that of ordinary copulation,
and the whole act was gone through down to the final depression of the
cloaca."
In another entry, this one written in English on
Dec. 6 of that year, he wrote: "I saw another act of astonishing depravity
today. A hen which had been in some way badly injured in the hindquarters was
crawling painfully along on her belly. I was just wondering whether I ought to
kill her or not, when a cock noticed her in passing, and went up to her. After a
short inspection he deliberately raped her, she being quite unable to resist
him."
Levick described penguins that waddled about the
colony's outskirts terrorizing any straying chicks as "little knots of
hooligans" in his pamphlet. "The crimes which they commit are such as to find no
place in this book, but it is interesting indeed to note that, when nature
intends them to find employment, these birds, like men, degenerate in
idleness."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nik Wallenda completes tightrope walk across
Niagara Falls
Mark Blinch / Reuters
Tightrope walker Nik Wallenda walks the high wire
from the U.S. side to the Canadian side over the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara
Falls, Ontario, June 15, 2012.
Reuters reports: Nik Wallenda, a member of the famed
"Flying Wallendas" family of aerialists, completed a historic tightrope crossing
through the mist over Niagara Falls Gorge on Friday, stepping from a two-inch (5
cm) cable onto safe ground in Canada to wild cheers from onlookers.
Wallenda made the walk from the U.S. side of the
falls to the Canadian side, a journey of 1,800 feet (550 meters) over
treacherous waters and rocks, in a little more than 25
minutes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The flashing wristbands (xylobands) passed out
by Coldplay for their recent concert -
have been turning themselves back on again - days later.
have been turning themselves back on again - days later.
Coldplay Mylo Xyloto wristband comes back to
life.
Xylobands™ are a new unique marketing
product.
Fans are welcome to keep their Xyloband as a souvenir -
the bands are radio controlled and cannot be reactivated, so we would advise
that you remove the batteries and dispose of them responsibly at your local
recycling point.
HaHa ~ the techies figured 2 ways to
make them work: replaying a recording of the concert's opening song or inserting
a paper clip into a small hole in the case of the
wristband.
Coldplay Xylobands (Pink And Red) Work With A
Paperclip
Coldplay Xyloband Comes Back To Life - "Is
There Anybody Out There"?
Thanks, Ed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tide 'Here's to Dad's who share the load'
Here’s our salute to all the Dads who share the load. Share it with your
favorite Dad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Missed by only that much…
Prosecutors plan to look at the case of a Detroit-area man who accidentally
shot himself in the groin while adjusting a handgun tucked in his pants…
The unidentified Southfield, Mich., man was working for an heating and
air-conditioning company at a job site in Birmingham this week when his
.40-caliber Glock pistol went off accidentally.
Deputy Police Chief Mark Clemence told the Detroit Free Press the worker
had a permit for the weapon, but the city prosecutor was going to review the
matter.
Despite the possibility of criminal charges, Clemence told the newspaper
the outcome could have been worse for the victim, who was taken to the hospital
by a co-worker.
“Your femoral artery runs down there,” Clemence said. “It could have been a lot worse. It’s a big bullet; you’re not
talking a small bullet.”
Yes, there are a few other bits and pieces he may have managed
to lop off, as well. The bullet went through his penis and lodged in his thigh –
according to other sources.
Thanks, ED ~ love the
pic!
~~~~
Jeanne ~ Too bad he missed,
eh?
Ed
~ Well, he may have missed the storage reservoir - but,
the applicator tool surely is permanently bent. :-]
Jeanne ~ LMAO ~ That comment goes in paws *evil
grin*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey, guess who's gay? Green Lantern. His superpower is decorating on a budget." --David Letterman
"Hey, guess who's gay? Green Lantern. His superpower is decorating on a budget." --David Letterman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Pigs Aren’t The Only Ones That Wallow In
Mud
And while pigs are pretty cute when they get dirty,
baby elephants are even more precious.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am really happy that io9 used a picture of Viserys
from “Game of Thrones” as the header for 10
weirdest ways that ancient rulers died, because
even though his creations are fictional, George R. R. Martin is really good at
coming up with unique ways to end people.http://io9.com/5907578/10-weirdest-ways-that-ancient-rulers-died
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Factory balls asks you to figure out how to modify each ball to produce the target object posted on the brown box. It has 14 levels that start off easy and get harder as you advance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why We Have Personal
Space
Feel icky when someone gets too close? Blame your
brain! Turns out, the amygdala, the brain region that governs fear, is activated
when someone "invades" your personal space:
According to [Caltech psychology and
neuroscience professor Ralph Adolphs], we begin to develop our individual sense
of personal space around age 3 or 4, and the sizes of our bubbles cement
themselves by adolescence. In research published in the journal Nature in 2009,
Adolphs and his colleagues determined that the bubbles are constructed and
monitored by the amygdala, the brain region involved in fear. "The
amygdala is activated when you invade people's personal space," he told Life's
Little Mysteries. "This probably reflects the strong emotional response when
somebody gets too close to us. We confirmed this in a rare patient with lesions
to this brain structure: she felt entirely comfortable no matter how close
somebody got to her, and had no apparent personal space." Futhermore,
he said, abnormal development of the amygdala may also explain why people with
autism have difficulties maintaining a normal social distance to other people.
Life's Little Mysteries has the post: Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kitten vs.
Bunny
The cutest wrestling match ever occurs when a
kitten goes up against a bunny rabbit. I’d call the rabbit as the winner, but
both seemed to enjoy the tussle. -via Daily Picks and Flicks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A puzzle by Angelo Lewis, writing as
“Professor Hoffman” in 1893:
A man went into a shop in New York and purchased
goods to the amount of 34 cents. When he came to pay, he found that he had only
a dollar, a three-cent piece, and a two-cent piece. The tradesman had only a
half- and a quarter-dollar. A third man, who chanced to be in the shop, was
asked if he could assist, but he proved to have only two dimes, a five-cent
piece, a two-cent piece, and a one-cent piece. With this assistance, however,
the shopkeeper managed to give change. How did he do it?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The dialogue in this news clip about the "toddlers
and tiaras" trend is predictable, banal, and not very informative to the extent
that I wound up muting it. But the behavior of the child is interesting. Perhaps
she's just a normal five-year-old girl acting up when she sees a camera or
monitor. Or maybe she's been in a few too many pageants...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transgender Tax
Enforcers
Forget straight-laced tax agents trying to intimidate you
into paying taxes. That just won't work with hardened tax evaders of Pakistan,
so they've come up with an alternative method: send in the transgender
enforcers!
Forget straight-laced tax agents trying to intimidate you
into paying taxes. That just won't work with hardened tax evaders of Pakistan,
so they've come up with an alternative method: send in the transgender
enforcers!Armed with a bundle of paperwork, the 32-year-old raps on the gate of a mansion while a truck full of guards and tax officials remains at a distance.The householder grins nervously at Nargis, who is a ''hijra'' - a member of Pakistan's increasingly assertive transgender community. With a sheepish look to see whether anyone is watching from the street, the owner meekly accepts a bill for outstanding property tax and municipal fees.Given his effusive promises to pay, there is no need for what Qazi Aftab, the local head of tax collection, calls ''the nuclear option'' - clapping, shouting and generally making a scene. ''Because of the neighbours they get very embarrassed,'' he said. ''Usually just one minute of shouting is enough and then they pay up.''
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 no matter how much I care, some people are just assholes.
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 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 the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon, and all the less important ones just never go away.
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 no matter how much I care, some people are just assholes.
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 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 the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon, and all the less important ones just never go away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A
new survey found that half of all American employees have faked a sick day.
While the other half have just lied on a survey." -Jimmy
Fallon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A newspaper is a thing that people used to read. It's like a website, but all the information is from yesterday." -Craig Ferguson~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There has been a lot of talk about conserving energy. Like keeping the thermostat down in the winter. Using low energy bulbs. Turning off lights. Using less gas. It made me realize, my dad was like the first environmentalist. He would walk around the house yelling, 'turn off those lights! Turn the heat down!' He was green before his time." -Jay Leno
"A newspaper is a thing that people used to read. It's like a website, but all the information is from yesterday." -Craig Ferguson~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There has been a lot of talk about conserving energy. Like keeping the thermostat down in the winter. Using low energy bulbs. Turning off lights. Using less gas. It made me realize, my dad was like the first environmentalist. He would walk around the house yelling, 'turn off those lights! Turn the heat down!' He was green before his time." -Jay Leno
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fascinating Illustrations By Anatoly
Fomenko
Russian mathematician Anatoly Fomenko creates illustrations which are both
expressions of mathematical concepts and visual depictions of his innermost
thoughts and emotions.
With razor sharp use of perspective, abstract imagery and many shades of
gray, Anatoly’s works are at once amazing and confounding, and would look right
at home on the cover of a Pink Floyd album.
You can take your eyes on a long, strange trip through Anatoly’s works at
the Juxtapoz link below, and try not to get lost in there! Link –via Juxtapoz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The 10 Weirdest Thefts
Ever
Imagine looking out at your front yard one day and
realizing your lawn is missing. That’s just what happened to Denise Thompson: It
was where her four children and two dogs played, and where she drank coffee on
sunny mornings. Then someone stole it. They didn’t even leave a note. Thompson
and her children went away to visit her husband one morning. They returned to
their Kilkenny neighborhood home. The family entered through the back door and
everything seemed fine. Then Thompson opened the blinds on the large picture
window in the front room. Oh my God, she thought, where is my grass?
She went outside to the swath of ugly, brown dirt that had replaced her lawn. She thought there might be a note to explain an accident, like when someone dings your car in the mall parking lot. There were no clues. Thompson canvassed neighbors and several reported a white truck and trailer parked at her house. No one thought it was suspicious. Just another landscaping job.
She went outside to the swath of ugly, brown dirt that had replaced her lawn. She thought there might be a note to explain an accident, like when someone dings your car in the mall parking lot. There were no clues. Thompson canvassed neighbors and several reported a white truck and trailer parked at her house. No one thought it was suspicious. Just another landscaping job.
And believe it or not, that’s not even the weirdest
theft story on this list! Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I
serviced an alarm system at a jewelry store recently, the saleswoman let me know
that the store was having a 20 percent off sale.
"I bet your girlfriend would love it if you bought her something." she suggested.
"I don't have a girlfriend," I answered.
"No girlfriend? Why not?"
"My wife won't let me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ANSWER: James A. Froude.
"I bet your girlfriend would love it if you bought her something." she suggested.
"I don't have a girlfriend," I answered.
"No girlfriend? Why not?"
"My wife won't let me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QUOTE:
"You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself
one."
HINT: (1818-1894), English historian, novelist, biographer, and editor of Fraser's Magazine.
HINT: (1818-1894), English historian, novelist, biographer, and editor of Fraser's Magazine.
ANSWER: James A. Froude.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Fall of Gaddafi
and The Rise of the Desert Locust
Photo: Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
Photo: Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
The fall of the Gaddafi regime in Libya has an
unforeseen consequence: the rise of the desert locusts.
Life's Little Mysteries explains: "The fall of
Gaddafi was an enormous factor, to be honest," said Keith Cressman, FAO senior
locust forecasting officer, according to the Financial Times. "It depleted the
Libyans' capacity to monitor and respond as they normally would."
Desert locust swarms formed in Libya and Algeria in mid-May after
abundant rainfall facilitated growth of vegetation on which they feed. However,
insecurity along the Libya-Algeria border — a consequence of the uprising — has
prevented affected areas from being sprayed. Gaddafi's regime tightly
controlled the country's locust population, regularly sending convoys of survey
and pest control vehicles into the desert areas where locusts breed, Cressman
said. Libyan convoys even came to the aid of other African countries facing
locust infestations. "But now they are the ones needing help," he said.
Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lessons from America’s Greatest
Prankster
Hoax master Alan
Abel has been fooling reporters and
hoodwinking the public for more than 50 years. Here, he reveals a few of his
tricks.
Most careers aren’t launched by the sight of a cow and a
bull copulating in the middle of a road. But Alan Abel doesn’t have a typical
gig. One day in 1957, the aspiring jazz drummer was driving to a show in Texas
when he got caught in a rural traffic jam. The cause of the snarl: a cow and a
bull engaging in some very public relations. Abel didn’t think twice about the
bovine display, but the expression of moral outrage on other motorists’ faces
fascinated him.
By the time Abel reached his destination, he’d decided to
launch the Society for Indecency to Naked Animals. Under the war cry “A nude
horse is a rude horse,” SINA strove to create a more moral society through
clothing mammals. Two years later, with the help of actor Buck Henry (who posed
as the group’s president), Abel bamboozled the media into thinking SINA was a
real activist group. Even the networks were fooled -Walter Cronkite covered the
story for CBS News.
SINA was just the first of Abel’s many stunts. For the
past half century, the prankster has made a career out of giving Americans “a
kick in the intellect.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RANDOM
TIDBITS
Sterilizing the arm prior to administering a lethal injection may seem odd, but there is always the chance of a last-minute stay of execution. Officials want to take all necessary precautions to prevent infection "just in case."
Saddam Hussein's last meal, per his request, was boiled chicken and rice. Along with that, he drank several cups of hot water mixed with honey, a childhood favorite of his.
In 1846, the state of Michigan became the first English-speaking government entity in the world to ban the death penalty.
Ruth Snyder wasn't the first woman to die in the electric chair, but she was one of the most memorable, thanks to a photograph on the front page of The New York Daily News. Thomas Howard had smuggled a tiny camera into the viewing area and snapped a picture at the moment Snyder was executed.
The Manson Family members who participated in the Tate-LaBianca murders were all sentenced to death. However, in 1972, California declared the death penalty to be unconstitutional, so their sentences were commuted to life in prison.
Gary Gilmore signed an organ donor card while on Death Row. Within hours of his execution by firing squad, two patients received his corneas.
Sterilizing the arm prior to administering a lethal injection may seem odd, but there is always the chance of a last-minute stay of execution. Officials want to take all necessary precautions to prevent infection "just in case."
Saddam Hussein's last meal, per his request, was boiled chicken and rice. Along with that, he drank several cups of hot water mixed with honey, a childhood favorite of his.
In 1846, the state of Michigan became the first English-speaking government entity in the world to ban the death penalty.
Ruth Snyder wasn't the first woman to die in the electric chair, but she was one of the most memorable, thanks to a photograph on the front page of The New York Daily News. Thomas Howard had smuggled a tiny camera into the viewing area and snapped a picture at the moment Snyder was executed.
The Manson Family members who participated in the Tate-LaBianca murders were all sentenced to death. However, in 1972, California declared the death penalty to be unconstitutional, so their sentences were commuted to life in prison.
Gary Gilmore signed an organ donor card while on Death Row. Within hours of his execution by firing squad, two patients received his corneas.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Random
Facts:
Though it may seem that termites enjoy all wood, they will bypass ebony, a dense black wood yeileded from various tropical trees in Southeast Asia.
The wood of ebony sinks in water because it is so dense. It is the wood of choice for the black keys on pianos.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Though it may seem that termites enjoy all wood, they will bypass ebony, a dense black wood yeileded from various tropical trees in Southeast Asia.
The wood of ebony sinks in water because it is so dense. It is the wood of choice for the black keys on pianos.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Smuggled Pangolins
Saved From Being Eaten
Thai officials rescued 171 pangolins, described by
some as "walking pine cone," in Thailand. The shy and defenseless animals are
hunted for their meat and their scales which are used in Chinese
medicine.
Phaedra Singelis of MSNBC's Photo Blog has the
story and pics: Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sex Circuit of a Male
Fruit Fly
Image: Vanessa Ruta
Image: Vanessa Ruta
Hello, Drosophila ladies! The good news is that scientists at
Washington University in St. Louis have discovered the secret of what makes male
fruit flies go crazy for you.
The bad news is that it's a gene that trigger their sex circuit, a
four-neuron circuit in the male fruit fly brain, that release the male courtship
behavior. In fact, once the circuit is triggered, a male fruit fly will mate
with just about anything, including a decapitated female: Fruit fly
courtship is so highly stylized and repetitive, it is as instantly recognizable
as the knee jerk or Achilles reflex. A male lines himself up behind a
female and then chases her, licking her and tapping her with his forelegs while
vibrating his wings to sing to her. If she responds to these blandishments, the
male attempts to mount her. (To hear the song, click here.) Scientists
at Washington University in St. Louis have found a gene that seems to unleash
the courtship ritual. Males missing this gene are capable of courtship; they
just have trouble getting started. This lackadaisical behavior is
remarkable because males are usually “highly sexed,” to the point that they will
court and mount “perfumed dummies,” decapitated females coated in waxy
pheromones. Link
Previously on Neatorama: 30 Strangest Animal Mating Habits
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Online Comic Series –
Romantically Apocalyptic
If you like your comic strips darkly comedic with a
dash of dystopia and a wickedly cool graphic style then you have to check out
Alexiuss Vitaly’s online series Romantically Apocalyptic. It chronicles
Zee Captain and his Second In Command as they make their way across the post
apocalyptic ruins of a massive cityscape, looking for love and inspiration as to
just what they’re supposed to be doing. So stay indoors this summer and let Zee
Captain take your mind on a tour of humanity’s hilariously bleak future.
Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Conserving water by
only washing full loads and saving energy by using cold water instead of hot are
not the only ways you can be environmentally conscious in the laundry room.
See how you can keep some of those harmful chemicals out of the environment.
See how you can keep some of those harmful chemicals out of the environment.
* If you need a bit of extra punch to your wash in terms of bleaching, consider adding a 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the rinse cycle. By the way, a teaspoon of lemon juice thrown into your wash can also help your clothes to smell fresher.
* Other more environmentally friendly alternatives to brightening are a half cup of baking soda thrown into the wash, or half a cup of borax.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today
it is there to trip you up but it will torture you tomorrow.
Yet it is also there to ease the pain, when you are lost in grief and sorrow.
What is it?
Yet it is also there to ease the pain, when you are lost in grief and sorrow.
What is it?
ANSWER: Alcohol.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QUOTE:
"I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have,
beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than
oneself."
HINT: (1901-1992), German-American actress and singer.
ANSWER: Marlene Dietrich.
HINT: (1901-1992), German-American actress and singer.
ANSWER: Marlene Dietrich.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Visitors to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London can see a plaque
commemorating the location in which John Watson first met Sherlock Holmes. The
occasion of Holmes and Watson’s meeting there led Tokyo’s Sherlock Holmes
Appreciation Society to contribute £650 to the “Save Bart’s Campaign” in
2006.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RANDOM TIDBITS
The first recorded occurrence of the melody that we now sing as "Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits" is in an 1899 song by Charles Hale, called "At a Darktown Cakewalk." In 1914, Jimmie Monaco and Joe McCarthy released a song called "Bum-Diddle-De-Um-Bum, That's It!" utilizing those familiar seven notes.
"Chopsticks" was published in London in 1877 under the name "The Celebrated Chop Waltz." A 16-year-old girl named Euphemia Allen wrote the song, which has nothing to do with Chinese eating utensils. The song was intended to be played by "chopping" at the keys with the pinky fingers of both hands.
The pipe organ that we associate with circus clowns is actually called "Entrance of the Gladiators" and was written in 1897 by the Czech composer Julius Fucik.
"Hava Nagila" started out as a wordless tune that was hummed by the Hasidim of Sadigora in what is now the Ukraine. At the turn of the 20th century, a Latvian cantor wrote lyrics to the tune, based on text found in Psalm 118:24.
Werner Thomas is the man behind the infamous Chicken Dance. A Swiss accordionist and restauranteur, Thomas wrote a tune called "Der Ententanz" ("The Duck Dance") in his spare time after watching the ducks and geese that gathered outside his diner.
The lyrics to "Happy Birthday to You" are copyrighted, and any public performance would require a royalty payment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Chopsticks - Liberace
http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=11794
Even if you are not a fan of classical music, you will still recognize this celebrated waltz for the piano written back in 1877. But as Liberace points out, he was the only one to play this piece in Carnegie Hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The first recorded occurrence of the melody that we now sing as "Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits" is in an 1899 song by Charles Hale, called "At a Darktown Cakewalk." In 1914, Jimmie Monaco and Joe McCarthy released a song called "Bum-Diddle-De-Um-Bum, That's It!" utilizing those familiar seven notes.
"Chopsticks" was published in London in 1877 under the name "The Celebrated Chop Waltz." A 16-year-old girl named Euphemia Allen wrote the song, which has nothing to do with Chinese eating utensils. The song was intended to be played by "chopping" at the keys with the pinky fingers of both hands.
The pipe organ that we associate with circus clowns is actually called "Entrance of the Gladiators" and was written in 1897 by the Czech composer Julius Fucik.
"Hava Nagila" started out as a wordless tune that was hummed by the Hasidim of Sadigora in what is now the Ukraine. At the turn of the 20th century, a Latvian cantor wrote lyrics to the tune, based on text found in Psalm 118:24.
Werner Thomas is the man behind the infamous Chicken Dance. A Swiss accordionist and restauranteur, Thomas wrote a tune called "Der Ententanz" ("The Duck Dance") in his spare time after watching the ducks and geese that gathered outside his diner.
The lyrics to "Happy Birthday to You" are copyrighted, and any public performance would require a royalty payment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Chopsticks - Liberace
http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=11794
Even if you are not a fan of classical music, you will still recognize this celebrated waltz for the piano written back in 1877. But as Liberace points out, he was the only one to play this piece in Carnegie Hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Watching Return of
the Jedi in Production
Jeff Broz and a group of his
teenage friends went out to the desert where George Lucas was filming Return
of the Jedi and recorded what they saw. Thirty years later, we are all
jealous! -via The Daily What Geek
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two visitors at Rotterdam Zoo have captured the moment a polar bear almost
shatters a submerged pane of glass in his enclosure with a rock.
The two men, filming the side of the bear’s enclosure, capture the animal
swimming around before they are caught by surprise as a rock thunders against
the glass.
Fortunately for the men, the pane was strong enough not to shatter. The
arctic beast has been relocated to a different pen while the glass is
repaired.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bald Cypress trees are known for their amazing heights and the size of
their diameters, yet there is an aspect of the Bald Cypress, a bizarre
scientific outgrowth, which has perplexed people for centuries. The Cypress Knees have a function
that is unknown. They are found in wet, swamping areas, usually in muddy soil,
and they surround the trees on all sides. Some people believe these fascinating
towers provide oxygen to the tree's roots.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
David Gallo shows jaw-dropping footage of amazing sea
creatures, including a color-shifting cuttlefish, a perfectly camouflaged
octopus, and a Times Square’s worth of neon light displays from fish who live in
the blackest depths of the ocean.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I went to a new grocery store this morning and
there was a bit of confusion...
When I was ready to pay for my groceries, the cashier said, “Strip down facing me.”
Making a mental note to complain to my congressman about Homeland Security running amok, I did just as she had instructed.
When the women's hysterical shrieking and security alarms finally subsided, I found out that she was referring to my credit card.
When I was ready to pay for my groceries, the cashier said, “Strip down facing me.”
Making a mental note to complain to my congressman about Homeland Security running amok, I did just as she had instructed.
When the women's hysterical shrieking and security alarms finally subsided, I found out that she was referring to my credit card.
I have been asked to shop elsewhere in the future...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Ravens that Protect
the Monarchy
Did you know the Tower of London is home to not only the Beef Eaters but
also six ravens that are said to bring good luck to the monarchy? Well,
technically there are seven right now, but that’s only because there are
supposed to be six in place at all times so this way they have a spare. So what
happens when the ravens are gone? One of the most difficult times for the
Monarchy was just after World War II. The raven population was down to just one
— a raven named Grip. Most of the birds apparently flew the coop, it is
believed, due to the disruption of the Blitz as the Germans bombed London
relentlessly. It is rumored that one of the ravens was kidnapped. It seemed that
perhaps the legend of the ravens could be true.
Sure it’s probably just coincidence, but when a good luck charm works out
for around 700 years, you tend to not want to test how effective it is. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Men do not desire merely to be rich, but to
be richer than other men.” — John Stuart Mill
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jerusalem Syndrome: How to Psychoanalyze a
Messiah
What do you do when someone suddenly decides that
they're the next messiah? Jerusalem Syndrome is a fairly well-known phenomenon.
It happens when otherwise normal people suddenly become sure they're the chosen
one — often while they're visiting Jerusalem. And there are actual specialists
in this particular medical area. Find out how they treat the many Jesuses
(Jesi?) they encounter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Big Wooden Ball Project by Mike Leuis.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The world reacting to a new perspective: Neil
deGrasse Tyson.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
14 secure jobs with
a high percentage of workers age 55-plus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A man talking sense to himself is no madder than a man talking nonsense
not to himself."
--Guildenstern, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are
Dead
Grant, a fabulous magician, has systematically stumbled into a way to place
a sealed pack of
cards into a completely unaltered milk-bottle; but he didn't stop there.
Grant also started leaving the bottles in random locations around his hometown
of Vancouver B.C. simply asking the people who find them to identify when and
where they found the prize (which they are welcome to keep). A project he calls
"Send Wonder".
Having zero artistic talent, however, I focused on what I know and love-
magic. Via a series of events that will never be replicated in my lifetime I'm
sure, I stumbled upon a way of getting a sealed deck of cards inside a milk
bottle, without altering the glass whatsoever. And, with that, the "Anything Is
Possible" bottle was born.
The photo below is of a special deck of White
Lions cards, part of a limited edition series Jamie did with magician David Blaine.
Over the years Jamie's incredible bottles have found their way around the world,
they sit in Eastern European bars, on the desks of celebrities and in the most
awesome palace of prestidigitation -- the Magic Castle (of which I am also a
member).
I encourage you to keep an eye out for his bottles, they seem to pop-up
everywhere.
Q: What do you call a Lobster that doesn't share?
A: Shellfish.
Q: What's green, healthy to eat and likes to shake its' hips?
A: Elvis Parsley.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A lot of accidents are caused by bikers who don't have a feel for the road, like the dentists and accountants that take Harleys out on the weekend." -Craig Ferguson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GET TONED IN 7 MINUTES FLAThttp://health.chtah.net/a/tBP2M1mBFYNexB8jem$CFNC1EYN/top26
That's all the time you need to get in shape
It's Time... for...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Greens, Eggs, and Ham
Mug
Our eggs aren't green... but the delicious veggies in this recipe are!
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped spinach leaves
2/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
1 oz. (about 2 slices) extra-lean ham, chopped
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese
1 tbsp. chopped scallions
Optional seasonings: salt and black pepper
Directions:
In a large microwave-safe mug sprayed with nonstick spray, microwave spinach for 45 seconds, or until wilted.
Blot away excess liquid. Add egg substitute, stir, and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.
Mix in ham and cheese wedge, breaking the wedge into pieces as you add it. Microwave for another 1 1/2 minutes, or until set. Sprinkle with scallions and eat up!
MAKES 1 SERVING
When our client's dog lapped up anti-freeze, the veterinarian I work for ordered a unique treatment: an IV drip mixing fluids with vodka. "Go buy the cheapest bottle you can find," he told me.
At the liquor store, I was uneasy buying a liter of cheap booze at ten o'clock in the morning, and I felt compelled to explain things to the clerk. "Believe it or not," I said, "this is for a sick dog."
As I was leaving, the next customer plunked down two bottles of muscatel and announced, "These are for my cats."
ANTHONY HOWE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not a lot of research has been done on lucid dreaming, but new devices are
now helping people influence what's going on in their heads while they
sleep
The German chemist helped feed the world. Then he developed the first
chemical weapons used in battle
The power of the synthesizing mind and the building blocks of combinatorial
creativity
Ambergris, the subject of a new book, "is aromatic— both woody and floral.
The smell reminds me of leaf litter on a forest floor"
http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2012/06/ambergris-recipe/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=smithsoniantopic&utm_campaign=20120610-Weekender
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q and A
Quickies
Q: What do you call a Lobster that doesn't share?
A: Shellfish.
Q: What's green, healthy to eat and likes to shake its' hips?
A: Elvis Parsley.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Worst Pun Ever!
Historians have recently discovered that Annie Oakley, famed sharp-shooter of the Old West, had a sister.
The sister, Carrie, gained some renown in her day as a singer in various saloons throughout the West, but it was not until after her death that she was very widely known.
Today, countless bars are dedicated to Carrie Oakley.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Historians have recently discovered that Annie Oakley, famed sharp-shooter of the Old West, had a sister.
The sister, Carrie, gained some renown in her day as a singer in various saloons throughout the West, but it was not until after her death that she was very widely known.
Today, countless bars are dedicated to Carrie Oakley.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
More Q and A
Quickies
Q: Why did the pony have a sore throat?
A: Because he was a little horse.
Q: What kinds of songs do planets like to sing?
A: Nep-tunes!
Q: Why did the pony have a sore throat?
A: Because he was a little horse.
Q: What kinds of songs do planets like to sing?
A: Nep-tunes!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Giant Tortoises End Marriage After 115
Years
They've been together since ... well, since before any of us are alive,
actually - but 115 years apparently is long enough. The century-old marriage
between giant tortoises Bibi and Poldi in the Happ Reptile Zoo in Klagenfurt,
Austria, is on the rocks:
The world's oldest animal marriage looks set to have turtley ended
after an incredible 115 years when the two Giant Turtles at an Austrian zoo
refused to share their cage anymore. Zoo management have called in
animal experts to try and give the pair counselling - feeding them romantic good
mood food and trying to get them to join in joint games - but so far without
effect. Zoo boss Helga Happ said: "We get the feeling they can't stand
the sight of each other anymore."
Link - via MSN Now
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6 Summer Bunk Bed Rooms
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why do elephants live in herds?
To get a wholesale reduction on the shoes with yellow soles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To get a wholesale reduction on the shoes with yellow soles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dmitry Samal offers a range of pixelated
sunglasses (top left), priced $150 or so. Triple Optic has a similar design (top right), which are almost as cool ... and
just $10.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Short History of Medicine
I have an earache...
2000 B.C. - Here, eat this root.
1000 A.D. - That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.
1850 A.D. - That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.
1940 A.D. - That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.
1985 A.D. - That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic.
2000 A.D. - That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have an earache...
2000 B.C. - Here, eat this root.
1000 A.D. - That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.
1850 A.D. - That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.
1940 A.D. - That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.
1985 A.D. - That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic.
2000 A.D. - That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marriage is an institution in which a man loses his
Bachelor's Degree and the women gets her Master.
"Only Lawyers and mental defectives are automatically
exempt for jury duty." -- George Bernard Shaw
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I can fit the whole thing in my mouth, but I can't
blow it while it's in there..."
-- Sarah O'Brien, in reference to her pitch pipe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kitten tries to wake his
friend.
Disappearing roadblock prank.
"You are not special" graduation speech.
A family man.
Disappearing roadblock prank.
"You are not special" graduation speech.
A family man.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://youtu.be/TROd29XFHY0
The precarious tightrope walk otherwise known as “turning a Microsoft
developer event into something fun” has claimed a victim.
This time, it’s a Scandanavian Microsoft contractor who just couldn’t find
a good rhyme for the word genius in putting together a little dance number at
the software giant’s Norwegian Developer’s Conference, held in Oslo this past
week.
Microsoft posted an apology to its Windows Azure YouTube channel after a
video of the routine was posted to YouTube, saying it “involved inappropriate
and offensive elements and vulgar language.”
“We apologize to our customers and our partners and are actively looking
into the matter,” the company added.
Left unmentioned is the fact that it was just embarassingly lame.
The routine is the kind of thing you see all too often at these technology
parties: Loud music with a disembodied voice rapping goofy lyrics while a
half-dozen women in shorts dance in front of a roomful of bemused Norweigian
software geeks, who have each paid about $1,500 to attend the three-day
event…
On the teleprompter, genius is misspelled “genious” and the words “(or
vagina)” are added below “penis” in the spirit of gender equality.
If you feel the need to enter Microsoft’s demented twilight
zone – the video is at the bottom of this WIRED article. Just click the link
above.
Thanks,
Ed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Based in Toronto, Canada, the Underground Peepshow is a “series of nerd-themed burlesque
events taking place at the Toronto Underground Cinema.” Their most recent event
was “Super Smash Burlesque”, where burlesque & vaudevillian-like performers
took the stage as various video game characters.
(**As it is a burlesque show, please watch with caution.**)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Swumanoid: Robot That
Swims Like a Human
Think you'd be safe on the water when the Robocalypse happens, humans?
Think again: ... researchers Chung Changhyun and Motomu Nakashima at the
Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a robot that can faithfully
reproduce a swimmer’s whole-body motion while measuring water resistance. [...]
To create the robot, the researchers first performed a 3D body scan of
a real person. A 1/2 scale model was built using 3D printed parts. The robot was
then outfitted with 20 water-proof motors, and programmed the necessary motions
to reproduce realistic crawl, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, and even dog
paddling and treading water.
Plastic Pals has the post: Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P’Zolo by Pizza
Hut
What do you get when you combine pizza with sub sandwich? Neatoramanauts,
meet the P'zolos, the newest creation from Pizza Hut (who also brought you the
hot dog stuffed crust pizza, pigs in a blanket pizza, and cheeseburger pizza).
It's aimed at rival Subway:
The chain’s new product, officially launched this week, comes in Meat
Trio, Italian Steak and Buffalo Chicken and looks like a cross between a sub, a
roll and a Costco-style chicken bake. Each comes with either ranch or marinara
dipping sauce and sell for $3 ($5 for two). Pizza Hut’s bid for
sandwich domination involves transforming a pair of Chicago Red Line subway
trains into giant P’Zolos and handing out freebies to passengers on Thursday.
They’re calling it — natch — a “Subway Takeover.” Subtle, they’re not.
Then again, the P’Zolos’ creators also say they’re “rescuing sandwich-lovers
from the doldrums of cold cuts.” “It's more than a sandwich,” crows
Kurt Kane, Pizza Hut’s chief marketing officer. “It's a new flavor creation that
is leaving the sub category behind."
Tiffany Hsu of The Los Angeles Times has the story: Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Circuit Board Business
Card
Engineer Cody Shaw wanted a business card that stands out, so he built one
out of a tiny circuit board.
Cody explains:
I saw everyone had nice, professional looking business cards, and I
needed something to springboard myself into PCB design and manufacture. One and
one came together, and this idea came about. There were quite a few
idea revisions in my mind before I actually got around to spinning the PCB.
Microcontroller? Basic LED’s? No circuitry at all? Finally I got the idea of
using a 555 timer (after seeing something about worldwide 555 timer competitions
on the EEVBlog) that would be outputting a clock to LED’s, which would flash
depending on some external interaction to the timer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How to Car Camp in a
Toyota Prius
Earlier this year, we posted a report of a camper conversion kit for the Prius, but it was a permanent
alteration that cost USD $40,000. Now a removable tent extension has been
developed by Habitents.
Habitents doesn’t use any poles and is able to roll up small enough to store in your glove compartment – also something you don’t get with a regular tent. It basically hangs off your hatchback with a couple of simple tie-downs, so it sets up easily.
A photo at the Gizmag source shows a view of the
interior; the price of USD$90 could be recouped by avoiding one night in a hotel
or motel. The manufacturers have a patent pending that would apply to other
hatchback vehicles. Link.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few weeks ago, NBC’s “Community” aired a special episode where the characters
all became 8-bit versions of themselves. Well, one fan became so
inspired, he has created an actual, 8-bit game! It’s still in the beta-testing
stage, but you can download a version of it and even offer feedback here. [Via Nerd Bastards]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lightning Over
Greece
Zeus must've been really angry! Photographer Chris
Kotsiopoulos (previously on Neatorama) took this photo sequence of 70
lightning over Ikaria Island, Greece: Fire in the sky! This is a photo
sequence containing 70 lightning, taken at Ikaria island during a severe
thunderstorm that took place the night of the total lunar eclipse at June 15,
2011. In order to make the sequence, I set the camera to a tripod
taking 20 second shots continuously. After 83 minutes I ended up with
approximately 90 lightning shots. I had to exclude around 20 because the photo
condensed so much that didn't look nice. Also, in many shots I have captured
more than one lightning. I believe that the number of actual lightning captured
that night is more than 100.I do landscape photography since 2006 and
this is my lightning personal record! The previous is this one with 42 lightning captured. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Damn good thing the passengers got out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ATM
If you can suffer from “tiny button syndrome” as I do,
you might be able to relate to this short and silly animation by Rikke Asbjoern,
who made it for the Cartoon Network. -via Everlasting
Blort
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Saudi city known for its ultraconservatism has created its own version of
the “Arabs Got Talent” television reality show, but with no music and women
banned from taking part.
Instead, competitors will be permitted to perform religious chants, recite
poems and engage in sports events.
The contest is being held north of the capital in the city of Buraydah,
known as a centre for Wahhabism – a strict interpretation of Islam that is
followed in the desert kingdom.
“Buraydah’s Got Talent” is the title of the contest which will
abide by the strict rules of segregation between the sexes, meaning it is not
open to women…
The Saudi version, organised by the internet Buraydah Forum, will take
place in the open air before a jury comprising a poet, a television producer and
TV presenters, Al-Hayat newspaper reported, quoting forum supervisor Jalawi
al-Shukair.
Sounds as relevant as a Fundamentalist Christian version of
Carl Sagan’s COSMOS.
Thanks,
ED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Respect
existence
or
Expect
resistance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A passive solar home made of
natural and recycled materials.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
50 Tips To Be Frugal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trivia
Tidbits: Facts About
Coffee: New Yorkers
drink almost 7 times more coffee than other cities in the US. *** The
lethal dose of caffeine is roughly 100 cups of coffee. *** The French
philosopher Voltaire is said to have drank 50 cups of coffee a day. *** Hawaii
is the only US state that commercially grows coffee. *** Coffee beans are
actually the pit of a berry, which makes them a fruit. *** And lastly, Teddy
Roosevelt is and was the greatest American coffee drinker, consuming a gallon a
day. A few more coffee facts
here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ferropolis, 'the city of iron' is a museum - opened in 1995 - of old huge
industrial machines in Gräfenhainichen, a city near Dessau, Germany. It's an
open air museum which contains machines from the mid-twentieth century. They can
measure to 30 meters high, 120 meters long and weigh up to 1980 tons. As
skeletons of huge extinct dinosaurs, these derelict machines seem finally
resting in a graveyard of obsolete technology.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is the public exploration
center for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San
Diego. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the aquarium features
more than 60 habitats of fishes and invertebrates from the cold waters of the
Pacific Northwest to the tropical waters of Mexico and beyond. Explore an
amazing diversity of fish and invertebrates that make their home within the kelp
forest, a crucial ocean ecosystem. The High Definition Kelp Cam lets you take a dive without
getting wet. Discover leopard sharks, garibaldi, eels, barracuda, giant sea
bass, and more within this two-story, 70,000-gallon tank.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Neal Stephenson and the good folks at the Subutai
Corporation are looking to raise $500,000 on Kickstarter to fund CLANG, a rich,
detailed and faithful swordfighting game. I've heard tell of the Stephenson
swordfighting practice sessions, and particularly of the incredible
swordfighters in his orbit. The idea of a game that is as faithful to the sport
as its creator is fascinating.
In the last couple of years, affordable new gear has
come on the market that makes it possible to move, and control a swordfighter's
actions, in a much more intuitive way than pulling a plastic trigger or pounding
a key on a keyboard. So it's time to step back, dump the tired conventions that
have grown up around trigger-based sword games, and build something that will
enable players to inhabit the mind, body, and world of a real
swordfighter.
CLANG will begin with the Queen of Weapons: the
two-handed longsword used in Europe during late medieval and early renaissance
times. This is a well-documented style that has enjoyed a revival in recent
years thanks to the efforts of scholars and martial artists worldwide.
At first, it'll be a PC arena game based on one-on-one
dueling (which is a relatively simple and attainable goal; we don't want to mess
this up by overreaching). Dueling, however, is only the tip of the sword blade.
During the past few years, we have been developing a rich world, brimming with
all manner of adventure tales waiting to be written--and to be played. In
conjunction with 47 North, Amazon.com's new science fiction publishing house,
we've already begun publishing some of those stories, and we have plenty more in
the hopper. Once we get CLANG off the ground we intend to weave game and story
content together in a way that'll enhance both the playing and the reading
experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How to drive properly
I’m guilty of driving in the left lane sometime. I used
to do it regularly, but I’m getting better at not driving there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we get older we sometimes begin to doubt our
ability to “make a difference” in the world. It is at these times that our hopes
are boosted by the remarkable achievements of other “seniors” who have found the
courage to take on challenges that would make many of us wither.
Harold Schlumberg is such a person:
“I’ve often been asked, ‘What do you do now that
you’re retired?’
Well…I’m fortunate to have a chemical engineering
background and one of the things I enjoy most is converting beer, wine and
whiskey into urine.
It’s rewarding, uplifting, satisfying and
fulfilling. I do it every day and I really enjoy it.”
Harold should be an inspiration to us
all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Paramount
Picture
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Paramount Pictures, photographer Art
Streiber assembled 116 movie stars into one picture. Shown here is just a
section of the picture that appears in the July issue of Vanity Fair. You can
mouseover the full, larger image at Vanity Fair to see the names. Link -via Buzzfeed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 Bets You Will Never
Lose
http://youtu.be/oaR3TJjNUE8
These tricks from Richard Wiseman look really neat, but you
may have to go back and watch some of them over a couple of times to get them
straight. I would advise playing these tricks on your friends one at a time, or
your friend may end up completely shattered. -via Breakfast
Links
Previously: More Bets You Can’t Lose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What’s in a name? Apparently, a lot more than
you (or I) ever thought there was. Here’s what his pet name for you really
means…..
Darling — Depends on how he says it. If he
stresses the first syllable, then he’s probably done something wrong or wants
money.
Dear — Probably a leftover from his parents.
Expect him to wear woolly cardigans, smoke a pipe and prefer a mug of Ovaltine
to lager.
Sweetheart — If it’s said patronizingly, it’s
not so sweet. But when uttered in earnest, it may send your own sweet heart
aflutter.
Babe — Not to be confused with the film of the
same name. Check for flares or signs that he’s a 70s throwback. He’s a bit of a
medallion man. Chances are he’s got his initials on his chunky ring. Leave
immediately if he tries to sell you a second-hand car.
Baby doll — This type of man will probably
require you to wear transparent frilly nighties even in the dead of winter. He
doesn’t want you to grow up, and obviously can’t deal with real
women.
Princess — Never trust a man who calls you
princess. You may think you’re being treated like royalty, but beware of Prince
Charmings – they may be secretly plotting your over- throw.
Sexy — Fine if you’re sexy. If you’re not, who
cares? He probably thinks you are anyway!!
My girlfriend — He’s honest, open and probably
glad to have you around. The next thing you know he’ll be using your
name!
The wife — If you’re married then he probably
thinks he owns you. If you’re not, he probably thinks you act like his wife, in
which case, he thinks he owns you.
My other half — You complete the set – he’s
only half a man without you. But it may make you feel as though you are losing
your identity somewhere.
The missus — See The Wife.
My partner — He’s right on. Probably likes
eating tofu and hugging trees.
My significant other — He’s even more right
on. Probably thinks it’s cruel to eat tofu and that trees need their own
space.
She who must be obeyed — He thinks you’re a
nag, but probably doesn’t lift a finger around the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Super Gory Mario
Bros.
In the age of gory video games, good ol' Mario
just looks so ... dowdy. Well, no more! Frantisek Vaclavek of Blumasters updated Super Mario
Bros. by adding a little bit (okay a lot) of blood and gore.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy birthday to all of us!
It’s Meetup’s tenth birthday!
Ten years ago this month, Meetup was born.
People thought we were crazy, but 76 million
RSVPs later, it turns out we're all a little crazy.
Meetup Groups worldwide:
103,761
Meetup Group memberships: 16,043,571
New Meetup Groups last month:5,989
Meetup Group memberships: 16,043,571
New Meetup Groups last month:5,989
I am an event organizer in a
meetup group of 3,256 people.
We have had 1,515 meetups so far
(I have only been to 38 events with this group).
And there are 32 upcoming
meetups on our schedule as of today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Myths and Marvels of Lake
Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is the highest-altitude
navigable lake on earth. It spans two countries and thousands of years of
civilization. In fact, those who live there consider it the birthplace of the
Incas. Read more about this fabled lake and see gorgeous pictures at
Environmental Graffiti. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey,
I read about a McDonald's in California that was built with mostly recycled
synthetic material. Which is ironic because recycled synthetic material is also
the main ingredient in a McRib." -Jimmy Fallon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may know that the primary colors are
red, blue and yellow and that they can't be made from mixing any colors. But
there are a few colors that you've never heard of or maybe haven't
even seen. Like malachite, gamboge, falu red or razzmatazz.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now You Know It Anyway (in Dutch: Nu ken je
het toch al) is a short children's animation made by studio Polder Animation. At
a sunny flea market, Robin tries to sell her own made-up stories. As she tells
one of her stories with increasing confidence to a potential customer, all the
main characters come alive and anxiously listen in. The animation is in Dutch
with English subtitles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A young man, hired by a supermarket, reported for his
first day of work. The manager greeted him with a warm handshake and a smile,
gave him a broom and said, "Your first job will be to sweep out the
store."
"But I'm a college graduate." the young man replied indignantly.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that," said the manager. "Here, give me the broom, I'll show you how."
"But I'm a college graduate." the young man replied indignantly.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that," said the manager. "Here, give me the broom, I'll show you how."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why do priests wear shorts in the shower?
They don't like to look down on the unemployed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why do priests wear shorts in the shower?
They don't like to look down on the unemployed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ever hear of the redneck who thought that "Manual Labor"
was the new Mexican President?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The first thing I do after opening a bar of Ivory
soap is to scrape off the .0056 part that's impure.
I mean, who wants to wash themselves with that crap?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I mean, who wants to wash themselves with that crap?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Once you get people laughing, they're listening
and you can tell them almost anything"
--HERB GARDNER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--HERB GARDNER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karate is a form of martial arts in which people who have
had years and years of training can, using only their hands and feet, make some
of the worst movies in the history of the world.-- Dave
Barry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you can see the light at the end of the tunnel,
you're probably heading the wrong way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The bustard's a fortuitous fowl,
Who has but small reason to growl.
He avoids illigitemacy
By the simple expediency
Of the use of an alternate vowel.
Who has but small reason to growl.
He avoids illigitemacy
By the simple expediency
Of the use of an alternate vowel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A woman's charm is her strength,
A man's strength is his charm. -- Anon --
A man's strength is his charm. -- Anon --
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Game of Bucks? (Gang of Drones)
The House of Starbucks invites you to enjoy a cool mead
because, after all, summer is coming.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The
Hubble Space Telescope shows that we're on a collision course with the nearby
Andromeda galaxy—and set to crash in about 4 billion years
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\
Ask Smithsonian
Q: Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn and Neptune are gas
planets, meaning they have no solid surface. So what is at their cores?
— Cho Meir, Takoma Park, Maryland
A: The cores of gas planets are made up of elements like silicon and iron. While scientists sometimes refer to those cores as "rocky" or "metallic," they are speaking metaphorically. The gas planets have masses much larger than Earth's, and as a result the pressures at their cores exceed millions of atmospheres (the sea-level pressure we are used to). Those pressures compress the elements into forms with very different properties from those we know.
— Dimitar Sasselov, Astrophysicist Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
— Cho Meir, Takoma Park, Maryland
A: The cores of gas planets are made up of elements like silicon and iron. While scientists sometimes refer to those cores as "rocky" or "metallic," they are speaking metaphorically. The gas planets have masses much larger than Earth's, and as a result the pressures at their cores exceed millions of atmospheres (the sea-level pressure we are used to). Those pressures compress the elements into forms with very different properties from those we know.
— Dimitar Sasselov, Astrophysicist Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A lot of accidents are caused by bikers who don't have a feel for the road, like the dentists and accountants that take Harleys out on the weekend." -Craig Ferguson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Healthy Living from
Health.com
BEAT THE TOP SUMMER HEALTH HAZARDS
BEAT THE TOP SUMMER HEALTH HAZARDS
http://health.chtah.net/a/tBP2M1mBFYNexB8jem$CFNC1EYN/top23
Don't let outdoor dangers spoil your warm-weather fun! Find out what poison ivy looks like, the best ways to avoid bug bites, and more in our summer-safety guide.
SKINCARE SECRETS OF THE STARShttp://health.chtah.net/a/tBP2M1mBFYNexB8jem$CFNC1EYN/top24
Don't let outdoor dangers spoil your warm-weather fun! Find out what poison ivy looks like, the best ways to avoid bug bites, and more in our summer-safety guide.
SKINCARE SECRETS OF THE STARShttp://health.chtah.net/a/tBP2M1mBFYNexB8jem$CFNC1EYN/top24
How to age-proof your skin like a
celebrity
DOWNSIZED DELICIOUSNESShttp://health.chtah.net/a/tBP2M1mBFYNexB8jem$CFNC1EYN/top25
11 bite-sized meals with big flavor
DOWNSIZED DELICIOUSNESShttp://health.chtah.net/a/tBP2M1mBFYNexB8jem$CFNC1EYN/top25
11 bite-sized meals with big flavor
GET TONED IN 7 MINUTES FLAThttp://health.chtah.net/a/tBP2M1mBFYNexB8jem$CFNC1EYN/top26
That's all the time you need to get in shape
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One of
Sigmund Freud's early patients rushed out into an Austrian afternoon on her way
to meet her best friend at a
coffee house. Over Cappuccino and Viennese pastries, she suddenly burst out crying.
Her friend begged her to share what was wrong.
"Oh, it's just terrible," she wailed. "Today the doctor told me I'm in love with my father, and. . .and. . .and you know, he's a
married man!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
coffee house. Over Cappuccino and Viennese pastries, she suddenly burst out crying.
Her friend begged her to share what was wrong.
"Oh, it's just terrible," she wailed. "Today the doctor told me I'm in love with my father, and. . .and. . .and you know, he's a
married man!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"People
around the world think America is the coolest country. Now if you'll excuse me,
I have an explosion to walk away from while I put on sunglasses in slow motion."
-Jimmy Kimmel~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's Time... for...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Portland On The
Web: NBC, Yahoo News,
Taipei Times & More
Imbibing Portlanders rejoiced this week as a new pilot program in NE Portland allowed them to purchase their wine, beer and liquor all in one place. The news arrived just in time for Portland's #1 summer sport: outdoor drinking. Portland's child population became a little scarier this week with enrollment increases in archery programs, because preparing your child for a murderous, dystopian future is just good parenting (Thanks, Hunger Games).
And finally, we can't use Portland's crappy economy as an excuse to sit around and drink all day instead of job hunting anymore with increases in employment and predicted job growth. Here's a roundup of what the internet had to say about our fair city this week (Photo Credit to The Oregonian's Doug Beghtel):
KATU: NE Portland liquor store part of pilot program to sell beer and wine
OregonLive: Interest in archery programs is sky-high in Portland
Taipei Times: Kaohsiung delegation arrives in Portland
OregonLive: Photo essay: Portland Then & Now
Yahoo Finance: 8 cities with surprising job growth
MSNBC: States with the fastest growing economies
RACC: Arts and Economic Prosperity Report
Imbibing Portlanders rejoiced this week as a new pilot program in NE Portland allowed them to purchase their wine, beer and liquor all in one place. The news arrived just in time for Portland's #1 summer sport: outdoor drinking. Portland's child population became a little scarier this week with enrollment increases in archery programs, because preparing your child for a murderous, dystopian future is just good parenting (Thanks, Hunger Games).
And finally, we can't use Portland's crappy economy as an excuse to sit around and drink all day instead of job hunting anymore with increases in employment and predicted job growth. Here's a roundup of what the internet had to say about our fair city this week (Photo Credit to The Oregonian's Doug Beghtel):
KATU: NE Portland liquor store part of pilot program to sell beer and wine
OregonLive: Interest in archery programs is sky-high in Portland
Taipei Times: Kaohsiung delegation arrives in Portland
OregonLive: Photo essay: Portland Then & Now
Yahoo Finance: 8 cities with surprising job growth
MSNBC: States with the fastest growing economies
RACC: Arts and Economic Prosperity Report
Plunderathon: Pirates vs Lawyers, Drinks, Games &
More
Portland's keeping it unusual this weekend with the annual Plunderathon this Saturday. The meeting point is the Skidmore fountain at noon, just like it has been for 168 previous years. Activities include disliking lawyers, wearing pirate gear, drinking, plundering, games, and more drinking. Have a good time!
More Info: Portland Plunderathon | Pirates vs Lawyers, Drinks, Games, Free
Portland's keeping it unusual this weekend with the annual Plunderathon this Saturday. The meeting point is the Skidmore fountain at noon, just like it has been for 168 previous years. Activities include disliking lawyers, wearing pirate gear, drinking, plundering, games, and more drinking. Have a good time!
More Info: Portland Plunderathon | Pirates vs Lawyers, Drinks, Games, Free
Portland Naked Bike Ride &
Pedalpalooza
Portland’s gigantic annual bike festival Pedalpalooza continues to build as the largest event, the World Naked Bike Ride is this Saturday night. There are currently over 270 events on the Pedalpalooza website and probably around a 50 for just this weekend. We went through and found around 20 events that look to be good, well attended, or should be interesting including. More Info: Pedalpalooza: Portland Bike Event Picks June 14-17 | Naked Bike Rides, Star Wars vs Star Trek, Zombie Apocalypse, & More
Portland’s gigantic annual bike festival Pedalpalooza continues to build as the largest event, the World Naked Bike Ride is this Saturday night. There are currently over 270 events on the Pedalpalooza website and probably around a 50 for just this weekend. We went through and found around 20 events that look to be good, well attended, or should be interesting including. More Info: Pedalpalooza: Portland Bike Event Picks June 14-17 | Naked Bike Rides, Star Wars vs Star Trek, Zombie Apocalypse, & More
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tesla versus Edison – let the lightning round begin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everyone
knows I'm a stickler for good spelling. So, when an associate e-mailed technical
documents asking me to "decifer" them, I had to set him straight.
I wrote, "Decipher is spelled with a ph, not an f. In case you've forgotten, spell checker comes free with your software."
A minute later, I got this reply, "Mine must be dephective."
I wrote, "Decipher is spelled with a ph, not an f. In case you've forgotten, spell checker comes free with your software."
A minute later, I got this reply, "Mine must be dephective."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once
we rid ourselves of traditional thinking we can get on with creating the
future.~ James
Bertrand
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tasty Little Bugs
Cherry tomatoes and black olives make really cute lady
bugs. Base is made up of sliced bagettes, cream cheese, smoked salmon and flat
leafed parsley. Sprinkle ground black pepper on tomato and using a toothpick dot
some cream cheese on the olives for the eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friends of the Bosque del Apache National
Wildlife Refuge
Bosque del Apache translates as "Woods of the
Apache." Native Americans often camped at this river-side forest, and the area
was occupied by Pueblo Peoples for centuries before the Spanish explorers
established the Camino Real (the Royal Road from Mexico City to Santa Fe) in the
sixteenth century. The Camino Real ran right through the present-day
Refuge.
Read About the 10 Million Year Old Fossil Discovered at the Bosque del
Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Paleontologists from the New Mexico Museum of
Natural History and Science have confirmed the fossil is from an oreodont, an
extinct group of hoofed ungulates that were unique to North America and lived
during the Miocene era between 10 and 15 million years ago.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top 4 Tips for Attracting
Hummingbirds
You can attract these amazing feathered friends to
your yard or garden .Just provide the essential elements wildlife
need for survival — food, water, shelter and places to raise young. Here are four helpful tips to create a welcoming haven
for hummingbirds!
1. Hang a feeder.
Offer sugar water in a hummingbird feeder by mixing one part sugar to four parts boiling water. Change the water frequently, even if no birds seem to be visiting. The “nectar” can spoil quickly, sending a hummer away no matter how hungry it is. Replace the solution every five to seven days during the cooler months, and as often as every two days in the summer.
2. Make sure your flowers are a favorite.
Plant annuals and perennials with different blooming periods. You’ll have a steady supply of flowers in your yard from early spring until fall to attract hummingbirds and keep them there. Red and tubular flowers are a favorite, but also consider native honeysuckles, most varieties of sages or salvia, and many types of columbine.
3. Leaving some insects can be beneficial.
While many people think hummingbirds feed only on nectar, the birds feed their young a diet made up almost entirely
of small insects. In addition, adult birds need regular doses of protein from mosquitoes, spiders, thrips, gnats and
other arthropods.
4. Don’t forget water.
If you have a birdbath, place a couple of flat rocks in it to give the tiny birds a chance to bathe. Running water seems to be
a magnet to hummers — they will even fly through the spray of a sprinkler.
need for survival — food, water, shelter and places to raise young. Here are four helpful tips to create a welcoming haven
for hummingbirds!
1. Hang a feeder.
Offer sugar water in a hummingbird feeder by mixing one part sugar to four parts boiling water. Change the water frequently, even if no birds seem to be visiting. The “nectar” can spoil quickly, sending a hummer away no matter how hungry it is. Replace the solution every five to seven days during the cooler months, and as often as every two days in the summer.
2. Make sure your flowers are a favorite.
Plant annuals and perennials with different blooming periods. You’ll have a steady supply of flowers in your yard from early spring until fall to attract hummingbirds and keep them there. Red and tubular flowers are a favorite, but also consider native honeysuckles, most varieties of sages or salvia, and many types of columbine.
3. Leaving some insects can be beneficial.
While many people think hummingbirds feed only on nectar, the birds feed their young a diet made up almost entirely
of small insects. In addition, adult birds need regular doses of protein from mosquitoes, spiders, thrips, gnats and
other arthropods.
4. Don’t forget water.
If you have a birdbath, place a couple of flat rocks in it to give the tiny birds a chance to bathe. Running water seems to be
a magnet to hummers — they will even fly through the spray of a sprinkler.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Greens, Eggs, and Ham
Mug
Our eggs aren't green... but the delicious veggies in this recipe are!
We will eat them from a
mug, we will eat them with a pug...
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped spinach leaves
2/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
1 oz. (about 2 slices) extra-lean ham, chopped
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese
1 tbsp. chopped scallions
Optional seasonings: salt and black pepper
Directions:
In a large microwave-safe mug sprayed with nonstick spray, microwave spinach for 45 seconds, or until wilted.
Blot away excess liquid. Add egg substitute, stir, and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.
Mix in ham and cheese wedge, breaking the wedge into pieces as you add it. Microwave for another 1 1/2 minutes, or until set. Sprinkle with scallions and eat up!
MAKES 1 SERVING
Entire recipe: 154
calories, 2.5g fat, 813mg sodium, 6g carbs, 1g fiber, 3.5g sugars, 23.5g
protein - PointsPlus® value 3*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7 Tiny Books That Packed a Big
Punch
1. Common Sense by Thomas Paine (52
pages)
2. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss (72
pages)
3. The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli (82
pages)
4. Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
(26 pages)
5. The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.
and E.B. White (52 pages)
6. The Art of War by Sun Tzu (68
pages)
7. Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and
Friedrich Engels (54 pages)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Oldest Known Recording of a US
President’s Voice
Benjamin Harrison was President of the United States
from 1889-1893. In the first year of his presidency, he recorded the following
statement onto an Edison phonograph wax cylinder:
As president of the United States, I was present at
the first Pan-American congress in Washington D.C. I believe that with God’s
help, our two countries shall continue to live side-by-side in peace and
prosperity.
This is the earliest known recording of a US
President. You can listen to it at the link.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Student Caught with 35 ft-long Cheat
Sheet
There's cheating, and then there's this
Borat-style stunt from a student in Kazakhstan: A high school student has
been expelled after being caught with a 35ft (11 metres) long crib sheet wrapped
around his body during his university entrance exam in Kazakhstan. [...]
Under his shirt they found a chain of computer print-outs containing
25,000 potential answers to the exam's five topics of maths, history, Russian,
Kazhak, and another subject of the student's choice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There's a lot has been said 'bout the breast---
Like how nicely they feel when they're pressed.
But when push comes to shove,
In this business of love,
Its "twats" 'tween the legs that is best.
Like how nicely they feel when they're pressed.
But when push comes to shove,
In this business of love,
Its "twats" 'tween the legs that is best.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IT does smell like
FISH!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgvKhBR4vMI
Female human diver gets uncomfortably close to an aroused male .
Female human diver gets uncomfortably close to an aroused male .
Another Dolphin Attack
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6 Utterly Insane Video Games
If you’re like me, you think that Katamari is pretty crazy,
but these 6 games make Katamari look like the suburban housewife of video games.
Take, for example, LSD: Bumping into anything or anyone will cause the screen to
fade and teleport you to another random place. After a while, you might start
seeing the same places again, so the game keeps it interesting by doing things
like replacing doors with women’s faces or filling the walls with eyes that
slowly follow you as you walk past.
Believe it or not, that’s not the craziest one on this list
either. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
blaguer
n. one who talks pretentiously
n. one who talks pretentiously
blatteroon
n. a senseless babbler or boaster
n. a senseless babbler or boaster
perissology
n. needless abundance of words
n. needless abundance of words
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Photo of a Bee Sting in
Progress
No, bees have not developed 2-inch long stingers. That’s abdominal tissue
trailing behind the bee as it leaves the scene of the crime. Kathy Keatley
Garvey of the University of California at Davis snapped this amazing
one-in-a-million shot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taco Bell Opening Hoax Devastated Alaskan
Town
No chalupa for you, Bethel, Alaska! The town in bush
Alaska (pop. 6,000) was reeling at the revelation that a Taco Bell opening was
just a cruel, cruel hoax:
It was some unique form of tundra humor at work,
apparently, that led to the fliers posted on various local bulletin boards,
promising an opening in time for Bethel’s annual Independence Day parade and
offering employment. “We got excited, because we don’t have any fast
food chains out here, and the idea of Taco Bell coming in? And they were going
to be here for the 4thof July?” Chamber of Commerce director Bonnie Bradbury
said in an interview. “You bring a McDonald’s or a KFC, people will go
crazy out here,” said Tatiana Dotdot, who works at the local AC store, the
rambling supermarket that sells everything from diapers to all-terrain vehicles,
as long as it can be brought in on a barge or a plane. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think my favourite part is that Call Me Maybe
is the soundtrack. ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bloopers Agility Helsinki 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Could You Get A DUI On This
Thing?
What happens when you mix the sociability and alcoholism of a bar with the
exercise and safety-hazards of a bike? Well, you get the awesome Cycle Pub. Best
of all, it’s not actually as dangerous as it sounds since only one (sober)
person actually drives and everyone else just pedals to provide momentum. For
those interested in taking in the scenes while throwing back a few beers, the
cycle pub is booking tours in Boise, Idaho, Bend, Oregon and Carson City and Reno,
Nevada. Link Via Visit Bend (It was in Portland
a little while ago)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's
Lesson
*The SNAP/Food Stamp Program,
administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is pleased to be
distributing the greatest amount of free meals and food stamps ever.
Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, asks us to "Please Do Not Feed The Animals." This is because the animals may grow dependent on handouts and not learn to take care of themselves.
Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, asks us to "Please Do Not Feed The Animals." This is because the animals may grow dependent on handouts and not learn to take care of themselves.
p.s... OR JUST TOO DAMN
LAZY!
~~~~~
Denis the Cat
Burglar
Denis the Cat Burglar Newman loves to collect things,
like the neighbor’s laundry from clotheslines. In this security video, you can
see him bringing home his ill-gotten gains, over and over. Neighbors in Luton,
Bedfordshire, England, know where to go to claim missing items. Denis was a
shelter kitten, and lends his criminal fame to the organization Homeless Car
Rescue Bedfordshire. Link -via
Arbroath
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beyond Meat — woo hoo!
A new brand of plant-based protein food that promises
to look, feel, taste and act like chicken meat has hit the stores in the US with
a promise to offer a tasty alternative to animal-based food. Beyond Meat is the
brainchild of Ethan Brown, an entrepreneur who was brought up on a dairy farm in
Maryland USA, whose first-hand experience with animal agriculture led him to
adopt a vegan lifestyle. Frustrated with the options available, he decided to
search for a better plant-based, processed vegan option to replace
meat.
His mission to decrease the number of animals
slaughtered for food with innovative plant protein led him to cross paths with
Fu-hung Hsieh and Harold Huff at the University of Missouri. Together they
developed a process that has been licensed exclusively from that university.
Beyond Meat’s processing plant is more like a laboratory than a kitchen…where
different ingredients based on soy, pea, carrot and gluten-free flour, among
others, undergo a cooking and cooling process before strips of the stuff come
out of customized equipment…
Beyond Meat is not the first attempt to mimic meat
with plant ingredients…But Ethan Brown’s offering is the first one to hit the
market with this level of mimetic power, designed to win over to the vegan
lifestyle those who appreciate the texture of
meat.
Well. I’d be willing to give it a try if
it resulted in savings over meat. Whole Foods
in northern California is supposed to be in stock this week. If anyone gets to
try it – let me know how you feel about it.
Sounds like something I would try too,
Thanks, Ed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Game of Thrones Put George W. Bush’s Head on a
Spike
Oops! The creators of the Game of Thrones on HBO were
caught using a likeness of George W. Bush as a decapitated head on a
spike.
If you keep your eyes peeled when King Joffrey takes Sansa
Stark to gaze upon the spiked head of her dead father around 12 minutes in,
you'll notice that one of the heads looks slightly familiar. Show creators David
Benioff and D.B. Weiss explained in their DVD commentary (from Season 1, episode
10) that the decapitated head is actually George Bush. This was discovered by
redditor SidIncognito.
Game of Thrones producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
acknowledged it:
What happened was this: we use a lot of prosthetic body
parts on the show: heads, arms, etc. We can't afford to have these all made from
scratch, especially in scenes where we need a lot of them, so we rent them in
bulk. After the scene was already shot, someone pointed out that one of the
heads looked like George W. Bush.In the DVD commentary, we mentioned
this, though we should not have. We meant no disrespect to the former President
and apologize if anything we said or did suggested otherwise. Link | Reddit Link
I just saw this episode the other night
~ and I saw it ~ cool!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 Bizarre Schools Around The
Country
Parents in Manhattan are complaining about the lack
of structure at a school founded by the Blue Man Group. You’d think they would
have checked out the curriculum before handing over the tuition -what did they
think a school run by the Blue Man Group would be like? But that’s just one
school. If you’ve got the money, you can go to a school without books, without
classes, or without rules. Or you can attend a more traditional but strangely
specialized school. One from this list that fascinated me was the FDNY High
School For Fire And Life Safety. This school doesn’t just have fire drills — it
prepares students for a career in fire safety. The Brooklyn high school is run
by the Fire Department of New York.
Each school is linked for more information in this
list of ten from Buzzfeed. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Incredible photography. Just sit back and watch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The infamous case of baby Azaria Chamberlain who
vanished in the Australian desert some 30 years ago could be near closure as a
new inquest heard a dingo likely took the infant. Azaria disappeared from a tent
in the desert near Uluru, or Ayers Rock, in 1980, in a case which gripped the
world and sparked decades of debate in Australia over whether her mother Lindy
was responsible for the baby's death. The case has been the subject of three
previous inquests and a trial which saw Lindy Chamberlain jailed, but evidence
to the fourth inquest suggests that attacks by dingoes on humans are frequent and sometimes
fatal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Deep in the Caucasus region, where Western Asia and
Eastern Europe meet, the small country of Georgia has a number of surprises. Not
least is the Katskhi Pillar, a 130 feet high limestone monolith. Even
more surprising than the monolith itself, however, is the fact that there is a
church on its apex. It is not a large church by any means - space alone demands
its diminutive size. The church - or more likely a hermitage - was made in the
9th or 10th century and lay abandoned from the thirteenth century onwards.
Surprisingly, there are no records of the monolith being climbed after it was
deserted until as late as 1944.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As
scientists and concerned citizens, we applaud the recent trend towards
legislation which requires the prominent placing of warnings on products that
present hazards to the general public. Yet we must also offer the cautionary
thought that such warnings, however well-intentioned, merely scratch the surface
of what is really necessary in this important area. This is especially true in
light of the findings of 20th century quantum physics.
We therefore propose that the following list of warnings appears on every product offered for sale in the United States.
WARNING: This Product Warps Space and Time in Its Vicinity.
CAUTION: The Mass of This Product Contains the Energy Equivalent of 85 Million Tons of TNT per Net Ounce of Weight.
HANDLE WITH EXTREME CARE: This Product Contains Minute Electrically Charged Particles Moving at Velocities in Excess of Five Hundred Million Miles Per Hour.
CONSUMER NOTICE: Because of the "Uncertainty Principle," It Is Impossible for the Consumer to Find Out at the Same Time Both Precisely Where This Product Is and How Fast It Is Moving. (Note: This one is optional on the grounds that Heisenburg was never quite sure that his principle was correct)
ADVISORY: There is an Extremely Small but Nonzero Chance That, Through a Process Know as "Tunneling," This Product May Spontaneously Disappear from Its Present Location and Reappear at Any Random Place in the Universe, Including Your Neighbor's Domicile. The Manufacturer Will Not Be Responsible for Damages or Inconvenience That May Result.
ATTENTION: Despite Any Other Listing of Product Contents Found Hereon, the Consumer is Advised That, in Actuality, This Product Consists Of 99.999999999% Empty Space.
PLEASE NOTE: Some Quantum Physics Theories Suggest That When the Consumer Is Not Directly Observing This Product, It May Cease to Exist or Will Exist Only in a Vague and Undetermined State. HEALTH WARNING: Care Should Be Taken When Lifting This Product, Since Its Mass, and Thus Its Weight, Is Dependent on Its Velocity Relative to the User.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We therefore propose that the following list of warnings appears on every product offered for sale in the United States.
WARNING: This Product Warps Space and Time in Its Vicinity.
CAUTION: The Mass of This Product Contains the Energy Equivalent of 85 Million Tons of TNT per Net Ounce of Weight.
HANDLE WITH EXTREME CARE: This Product Contains Minute Electrically Charged Particles Moving at Velocities in Excess of Five Hundred Million Miles Per Hour.
CONSUMER NOTICE: Because of the "Uncertainty Principle," It Is Impossible for the Consumer to Find Out at the Same Time Both Precisely Where This Product Is and How Fast It Is Moving. (Note: This one is optional on the grounds that Heisenburg was never quite sure that his principle was correct)
ADVISORY: There is an Extremely Small but Nonzero Chance That, Through a Process Know as "Tunneling," This Product May Spontaneously Disappear from Its Present Location and Reappear at Any Random Place in the Universe, Including Your Neighbor's Domicile. The Manufacturer Will Not Be Responsible for Damages or Inconvenience That May Result.
ATTENTION: Despite Any Other Listing of Product Contents Found Hereon, the Consumer is Advised That, in Actuality, This Product Consists Of 99.999999999% Empty Space.
PLEASE NOTE: Some Quantum Physics Theories Suggest That When the Consumer Is Not Directly Observing This Product, It May Cease to Exist or Will Exist Only in a Vague and Undetermined State. HEALTH WARNING: Care Should Be Taken When Lifting This Product, Since Its Mass, and Thus Its Weight, Is Dependent on Its Velocity Relative to the User.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yohio: Japanese Doll Singer
is Actually a Dude
Meet Yohio, a singer of the Japanese band
Seremedy. The
anime-inspired look and fancy costumes aren't the only unusual thing about the
pop star: Yohio is actually a 16-year-old Swedish boy!
Oddity Central has the story and video clip of
Yohio's solo performance (despite the appearance, he actually sings in a man's
voice): Born in a family of musicians, Yohio was a part of a visual kei band
called Seremedy, at the age of 14. They were so successful that after making
appearances at a few conventions, they were signed by Nintone Records/Universal
Music Japan. Yohio’s look became so popular in Nippon that this year he launched
his own solo album, “Reach the Sky”. The young musician, who describes himself
as a ”bishounen” (beautiful young boy), became interested in Japan when he was
just a 10-year-old by watching anime. He started learning the language,
following Japanese blogs and even keeping up with celebrities on sites like
Twitter. Now, he’s performing in front of thousands of Japanese fans who love
both his looks and his music. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When our client's dog lapped up anti-freeze, the veterinarian I work for ordered a unique treatment: an IV drip mixing fluids with vodka. "Go buy the cheapest bottle you can find," he told me.
At the liquor store, I was uneasy buying a liter of cheap booze at ten o'clock in the morning, and I felt compelled to explain things to the clerk. "Believe it or not," I said, "this is for a sick dog."
As I was leaving, the next customer plunked down two bottles of muscatel and announced, "These are for my cats."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We
seek frictionless communication because it's more expedient; less threatening to
our temperaments and egos. But just as friction is used to sharpen a blade, so
it can be used to sharpen one's thinking.--Jaffer
Ali, from 'A Critical Discourse'
The myth of objective journalism has been torn asunder by tens of thousands of citizen journalists who share more with W.E.B DuBois, I.F. Stone and Frederick Douglass than they do with mainstream reporters who feign objectivity. --Jaffer Ali,from 'Advocacy Journalism - Back to the Future'
A simple business principle suggests that scaling choice before you have figured out how to monetize what you have is a recipe for disaster. --Jaffer Ali, Entrepreneur, from 'Am I Right'
The myth of objective journalism has been torn asunder by tens of thousands of citizen journalists who share more with W.E.B DuBois, I.F. Stone and Frederick Douglass than they do with mainstream reporters who feign objectivity. --Jaffer Ali,from 'Advocacy Journalism - Back to the Future'
A simple business principle suggests that scaling choice before you have figured out how to monetize what you have is a recipe for disaster. --Jaffer Ali, Entrepreneur, from 'Am I Right'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``
The
more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic
than to love people.~ Vincent
Van Gogh
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
QUOTE:
"The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to
do something well is to enjoy it."
HINT: (1892-1973), American writer, novel The Good Earth was the best-selling fiction book in the U.S. in 1931 and 1932.
ANSWER: Pearl S. Buck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HINT: (1892-1973), American writer, novel The Good Earth was the best-selling fiction book in the U.S. in 1931 and 1932.
ANSWER: Pearl S. Buck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RANDOM TIDBITS
Sammy Davis, Jr., Sandy Duncan, and Peter Falk all had or have one glass eye. Davis lost an eye in an automobile accident, while Duncan and Falk had theirs removed due to cancer.
Prior to the discovery of anesthetic eye drops in 1884, cataract surgery was performed under general anesthesia, which made it all the more risky. Interestingly enough, the active ingredient in those first numbing eye drops was cocaine.
In 1962, David Bowie got into a schoolyard fight over a girl. A punch in the eye from George Underwood resulted in a paralyzed pupil for Bowie, which is why the singer's eyes appear to be two different colors.
If the white your eye can be seen over the top and bottom of your iris, the colored part of your eye, the doctor will immediately suspect thyroid problems. The excess hormones produced cause the tissue behind the eye to swell, which causes the eyeball to protrude.
Your eyes are set back further in your head than your forehead or your cheeks so that if you receive a blow to the eye, your brow and cheekbone will take the brunt of the impact.
Allan Pinkerton opened the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in Chicago in 1850. He and his employees specialized in covert, undercover work, and the company's logo, an unblinking eye with the motto "We Never Sleep," inspired the term "private eye."
Sammy Davis, Jr., Sandy Duncan, and Peter Falk all had or have one glass eye. Davis lost an eye in an automobile accident, while Duncan and Falk had theirs removed due to cancer.
Prior to the discovery of anesthetic eye drops in 1884, cataract surgery was performed under general anesthesia, which made it all the more risky. Interestingly enough, the active ingredient in those first numbing eye drops was cocaine.
In 1962, David Bowie got into a schoolyard fight over a girl. A punch in the eye from George Underwood resulted in a paralyzed pupil for Bowie, which is why the singer's eyes appear to be two different colors.
If the white your eye can be seen over the top and bottom of your iris, the colored part of your eye, the doctor will immediately suspect thyroid problems. The excess hormones produced cause the tissue behind the eye to swell, which causes the eyeball to protrude.
Your eyes are set back further in your head than your forehead or your cheeks so that if you receive a blow to the eye, your brow and cheekbone will take the brunt of the impact.
Allan Pinkerton opened the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in Chicago in 1850. He and his employees specialized in covert, undercover work, and the company's logo, an unblinking eye with the motto "We Never Sleep," inspired the term "private eye."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was a young man from Nantucket
Took a pig in a thicket to fuck it.
Said the pig, "Oh, I'm queer,
Get away from my rear. . .
Come around to the front and I'll suck it."
Took a pig in a thicket to fuck it.
Said the pig, "Oh, I'm queer,
Get away from my rear. . .
Come around to the front and I'll suck it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your PMS Plan of Attack
Don't sit and stare at your calendar in fear as the week of
your period draws near. Here, we give you the tools to ease your PMS symptoms
with natural remedies. Bonus: You probably have most of these things in your
kitchen already.
| Your Menstrual Manual: | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater.
If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.
If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.
If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.
She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.
So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a TON of CHIT.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.
If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.
If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.
She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.
So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a TON of CHIT.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Please write all complaints legibly in this space
[]
"Don't blow smoke up my ass.. you'll ruin my autopsy." William Parrish
If you don't have time to do it right, when are you gonna have the time to do it over?
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease." Thomas A. Edison
"Don't blow smoke up my ass.. you'll ruin my autopsy." William Parrish
If you don't have time to do it right, when are you gonna have the time to do it over?
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease." Thomas A. Edison
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q: What do men and pantyhose have in
common?
A: They either cling, run or don't fit right in the crotch!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A: They either cling, run or don't fit right in the crotch!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ten senators are about to enter Congress when a barrage
of snowballs knocks off their tophats. Each retrieves a hat at random. What is
the probability that exactly nine of them receive their own hats?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Right-to-die movement continues to gain as the world
ages
Right-to-die activists hope more countries will allow assisted suicide or
euthanasia in coming years as the world population ages…
“We have seen over the last 20 years a general migration of positivity
towards this being a just cause,” Ted Goodwin, the American president of the
World Federation of Right-to-Die Societies, told a news conference in Zurich on
Tuesday.
Goodwin was speaking as representatives of 55 right-to-die societies from
around the world gathered for a three-day congress to mark the 30th anniversary
of Exit, a Swiss group which provides lethal drugs to help the terminally ill
die.
Assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland since 1942, if performed by
a non-physician who has no direct interest in the death. Euthanasia, or “mercy
killing”, is legal only in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the U.S.
state of Oregon…
He said ageing societies meant that half of medical costs are now falling
in the last three to six months of life on care that does not change the
trajectory of a disease…
A rise in terminally ill foreigners – particularly from Germany, France and
Britain – travelling to Switzerland to commit suicide have prompted calls in
recent years for the country to tighten its liberal laws.
But in 2010, voters in Zurich overwhelmingly rejected proposed bans on
assisted suicide and “suicide tourism”, and in 2011, the national government
decided against imposing new limits on assisted suicide.
Goodwin said the examples of Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium and Oregon
had not shown any noteworthy abuse. “Ours is a mission of compassion, of generosity. We know that
no-one is more vulnerable than those who are dying and those dying in pain,” he
said. “Society can provide protection for vulnerable individuals.”
Exit President Saskia Frei said the practice was carefully monitored by the
Swiss authorities: “There is no death which is as closely investigated as
assisted suicide,” she said.
Opponents of death with dignity generally are speaking for
one-or-another religion. They have a perfect right to their beliefs – and I have
a perfect right not to be forced to live by their religious
rules.
As long as the United States – excepting Oregon
– continues to maintain such inhumanity, I reserve the right to defy that
law.
Thanks, Ed ~ I planned ahead *eg*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry the parrot dials an imaginary phone
number, rambles a little, then starts laughing.
We can only understand about half of what he's saying
but that's what makes it so funny. This must be what we sound like to
him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Epic Talking Parrot Cusses Up a
Storm
Loki brings you the trials and tribulations of being
an African Grey Parrot in this short film. He begins in his happy place but
finds himself conflicted there in the middle for a bit. Then, he shows
acceptance by deeming himself a "good boy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Einstein, amazing bird!!!he talks like a
human being!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shocking Stocking
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beautiful Prosthetic Legs
An industrial designer and an orthopedic surgeon
realized that prosthetic legs don’t have to be dull, ordinary and plastic. They
could be extraordinary expressions of personal body art. So they founded Bespoke
Innovations, a firm which designs and produces fairings that fit over
pre-existing prosthetic legs. They’re modular, so owners can swap out fairings
to fit the fashion needs of different occasions. Check out their gallery at the
link. Link
-via The Breda Fallacy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One of the best interview saves ever.
Adorable baby says his first words...
RC B-29 with X-1 rocket airplane.
How an atomic clock works, and its use in GPS.
Jerry has been working on the same map for about 50 years.
Dog goes crazy when US airwoman returns home.
Cute Persian kitten.
Adorable baby says his first words...
RC B-29 with X-1 rocket airplane.
How an atomic clock works, and its use in GPS.
Jerry has been working on the same map for about 50 years.
Dog goes crazy when US airwoman returns home.
Cute Persian kitten.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terrible fate awaits hooligans at
Euros
FROM testicle-biting police
dogs to sonic cannons capable of inducing
involuntary urination, Polish anti-hooligan squads are ready for Euro
2012.
The English-language Krakow Post newspaper asserted in
an editorial that local law enforcement agencies were prepared to tackle any
hooligan threat at England's southern Poland base camp.
"The Polish police are going to come down on
troublemakers like a bag full of anvils and you don't want to be there when it
happens," the paper warned.
"Krakow has a long history of hooligan violence - the
local police have seen it all before and they will ruin your day if you try it
on.
"These lads' mums and dads rioted under Soviet machine
guns - a few chairs thrown by beered-up fans is not going to intimidate
them.
"Do not expect softly, softly police
tactics.
"Poland's anti-hooligan squads are armed with: Shotguns
firing baton rounds that probably won't kill you as long as you're 30m away, a
truck-mounted water cannon affectionately known as ‘the typhoon', a high-tech
sonic cannon that can make you wet yourself on its lowest setting, dogs trained
to bite you directly in the testicles."
English fans are not expected to arrive in Krakow in
significant numbers, with England's Group D games all taking place in
Ukraine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ninja Kitty Is Ready to
Climb
We’ve seen plenty of ninja cats before, but this one
is seriously amazing in his stealth skills.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This isn’t that hard!
I wonder how she made it all the way to the garage in
the first place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Swiss Army Tampon – A survival tool
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, our time has finally come. The bullies can now know the terror they so
like to instil as we wield our powers of technology to deliver far more
frightening threats than a man with muscles could ever terrorise us with!
Muahahaha.
P.S. I have no idea how to hack into a Facebook account. Dang.
[Source: The Joy of Tech]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trivia Tidbit:
Actor James Woods was so shaken by by a flight he took from Boston to Los
Angeles about a month before the September 11 attacks that he told a flight
attendant and authorities of his suspicions when he landed. Woods was in first
class and the only other passengers in the section were four men who appeared to
be Middle Eastern in origin.
During the entire 6–hour flight, Woods noticed the
men neither ate nor drank. They talked to each other in whispers and did not
read or sleep. On September 12, Woods called the FBI to tell investigators about
his experience. He was interviewed by agents on September 13.
News reports indicate that at least some of the 19
hijackers who took over four flights on September 11, 2001 made “dry runs”
several weeks in advance, taking cross-country flights. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Creed has sold more records in the U.S. than Jimi
Hendrix
2. Led Zepplin, R.E.M. and Depeche Mode have never had a
number one single. Rihanna has had 10
3. Ke$ha’s “Tik-Tok” has sold more copies than any Beatles
single ever.
4. Flo Rida’s “Low” has sold 8 million copies – the same
as The Beatles “Hey Jude”
5. The Black Eyed Peas “Ive got a feeling” is more popular
than any Simon & Garfunkel or Elvis song.
6. Celine Dion’s “Falling Into You” sold more copies than
any Queen, Nirvana, or Bruce Springsteen record.
7. Same with Shania Twain’s “Come On Over”
8. Katy Perry holds the same record as Michael Jackson for
most number one singles from an album.
9. Barbra Streisand has sold more records (140 million)
than Pearl Jam, Johnny Cash, and Tom Petty combined.
10. People actually bought Billy Ray Cyrus’ album “Some
Gave All…” 20 million people. More than any Bob Marley album.
11. The cast of “Glee” has had more songs chart than the
Beatles.
12. Justin Beiber exists.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I
was leaning over the little league bleachers watching our team strike out, when
somebody mentioned that Sunday is Father's Day.
"To me it's always been like 'anti-father's day,'" I said.
"What do you mean?" one guy asked.
"Well, I play golf every Sunday at 6:30 am. Then I come home, shower, eat and take a nap. When I wake it's usually time to head to the store to buy some steaks and start preparing for my famous Sunday barbeque. Then we eat, jump in the car, buy some sweets and head to my folks' for a visit.
"However, on Father's Day I have to skip golf, get ready early, smile when they give me my gift, which last year was a plastic cup with a ball in it to mix my Metamucil in, and do whatever shit my goofy-assed kids have planned for the day. No golf, no nap, no BBQ, no laziness.
"But this year I'm free! My wife is loading up the family truckster and taking the kids to visit her kin in the bayou. I'm playing 36!"
One quiet guy whispered, "You're so lucky. I wish my wife would leave me."
And his wife turned around and gave him the evil eye.
"To me it's always been like 'anti-father's day,'" I said.
"What do you mean?" one guy asked.
"Well, I play golf every Sunday at 6:30 am. Then I come home, shower, eat and take a nap. When I wake it's usually time to head to the store to buy some steaks and start preparing for my famous Sunday barbeque. Then we eat, jump in the car, buy some sweets and head to my folks' for a visit.
"However, on Father's Day I have to skip golf, get ready early, smile when they give me my gift, which last year was a plastic cup with a ball in it to mix my Metamucil in, and do whatever shit my goofy-assed kids have planned for the day. No golf, no nap, no BBQ, no laziness.
"But this year I'm free! My wife is loading up the family truckster and taking the kids to visit her kin in the bayou. I'm playing 36!"
One quiet guy whispered, "You're so lucky. I wish my wife would leave me."
And his wife turned around and gave him the evil eye.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Father's Day is Sunday. Father's Day is the day we congratulate dad by getting mom drunk on wine coolers and getting him a bottle of cologne he doesn't wear." -Jimmy Kimmel
"Father's Day is Sunday. Father's Day is the day we congratulate dad by getting mom drunk on wine coolers and getting him a bottle of cologne he doesn't wear." -Jimmy Kimmel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roger had set a double date for himself and his friend Tony. Roger said, "Tony, I'll give you first choice. Let me tell you what the girls are like. Sandra has kind of a dumpy figure and is plain-looking, but she gives an incredible blowjob. Suzie is pretty and has a great pair of legs, which she shows off by wearing high heels all the time."
"Say no more," interrupted Tony. "I'll go for head over heels anytime."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A 93-year-old woman and a 100-year-old man have become the world's oldest newlyweds. After a brief honeymoon, they plan to reside in heaven." -Craig Ferguson
Roger had set a double date for himself and his friend Tony. Roger said, "Tony, I'll give you first choice. Let me tell you what the girls are like. Sandra has kind of a dumpy figure and is plain-looking, but she gives an incredible blowjob. Suzie is pretty and has a great pair of legs, which she shows off by wearing high heels all the time."
"Say no more," interrupted Tony. "I'll go for head over heels anytime."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A 93-year-old woman and a 100-year-old man have become the world's oldest newlyweds. After a brief honeymoon, they plan to reside in heaven." -Craig Ferguson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave
was staring sadly into his beer and sighed heavily.
"What's up Dave?" asked the bartender. "It's not like you to be so down in the mouth."
"It's my five-year-old son," the man replied.
"Don't tell me, he's in trouble for fighting in school? My boy's just the same. Forget about it; it happens to boys that age," said the bartender, sympathetically.
"I only wish it was that," answered Dave, "but it's much worse. The little bastard has got our 16-year-old baby sitter pregnant."
"That's impossible!" gasped the bartender.
"No it's not," said Dave. "The sneak went and stuck a pin in all my condoms."
"What's up Dave?" asked the bartender. "It's not like you to be so down in the mouth."
"It's my five-year-old son," the man replied.
"Don't tell me, he's in trouble for fighting in school? My boy's just the same. Forget about it; it happens to boys that age," said the bartender, sympathetically.
"I only wish it was that," answered Dave, "but it's much worse. The little bastard has got our 16-year-old baby sitter pregnant."
"That's impossible!" gasped the bartender.
"No it's not," said Dave. "The sneak went and stuck a pin in all my condoms."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For the first time ever, more than half of all senior citizens
in the U.S. are using the Internet. Yeah, I read that when my grandma sent the
entire story to me in the subject line of an email." -Jimmy
Fallon
"The World Economic Forum, which ranks economies, moved the United States down to 5th place. Switzerland came in 1st place. I guess those little army knives are selling like crazy." -Jimmy Kimmel
"I tried to make money as a kid. I had a lemonade stand for about six weeks. I made no money. I had to burn it down and collect insurance." --Brian Kiley
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
"The World Economic Forum, which ranks economies, moved the United States down to 5th place. Switzerland came in 1st place. I guess those little army knives are selling like crazy." -Jimmy Kimmel
"I tried to make money as a kid. I had a lemonade stand for about six weeks. I made no money. I had to burn it down and collect insurance." --Brian Kiley
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
“Terms of approbation and eulogy in American dialect
speech,” compiled by Elsie Warnock for Dialect Notes,
1913:
- angeliferous
- cavascacious
- flambustious
- flippercanorious
- grandacious
- grandificent
- grandilious
- humgumptious
- magnolious
- rapteriferous
- roritorious
- scrumbotious
- sniptious
- spinortic
- spondiculous
- superumdifferous
- swellelegant
“The facetious terms ‘gobsloptious,’ ‘gobersloptious,’
‘globsloptious’ and ‘supergobsloptious,’ ‘superglobsloptious,’
‘superglobbersloptious,’ and ‘supergobosnoptious’ seem to be variant forms
differing because of the desire of one person to outdo another in the force of
his terms of eulogy.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two Jewish businessmen meet in the
street.
"Well, Morrie, how's your warehouse business going?"
. "Oy vey, Abraham, it's not going so good, we had a flood last week."
"So, Morrie," whispers Abraham "How do you start a flood?".
"Well, Morrie, how's your warehouse business going?"
. "Oy vey, Abraham, it's not going so good, we had a flood last week."
"So, Morrie," whispers Abraham "How do you start a flood?".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Girlfriend Tech Support
E-mail
I am currently running the latest version of GirlFriend and I've been having some problems lately. I've been running the same version of DrinkingBuddies 1.0 forever as my primary application, and all the GirlFriend releases I've tried have always conflicted with it. I hear that DrinkingBuddies won't crash if GirlFriend is run in background mode and the sound is turned off. But I'm embarrassed to say I can't find the switch to turn the sound off. I just run them separately, and it works okay.
Girlfriend also seems to have a problem co-existing with my Fishing 97 program, often trying to abort Fishing 97 with some sort of timing incompatibility. I probably should have stayed with GirlFriend 1.0, but I thought I might see better performance from GirlFriend 2.0. After months of conflicts and other problems, I consulted a friend who has had experience with GirlFriend 2.0. He said I probably didn't have enough cache to run GirlFriend 2.0, and eventually it would require a Token Ring to run properly. He was right - as soon as I purged my cache, it uninstalled itself.
Shortly after that, I installed GirlFriend 3.0 beta. All the bugs were supposed to be gone, but the first time I used it, it gave me a virus anyway. I had to clean out my whole system and shut down for a while. I very cautiously upgraded to GirlFriend 4.0. This time I used a SCSI probe first and also installed a virus protection program. It worked okay for a while until I discovered that GirlFriend 1.0 was still in my system. I tried running GirlFriend 1.0 again with GirlFriend 4.0 still installed, but GirlFriend 4.0 has a feature I didn't know about that automatically senses the presence of any other version of GirlFriend and communicates with it in some way, which results in the immediate removal of both versions.
The version I have now works pretty well, but there are still some problems. Like all versions of GirlFriend, it is written in some obscure language I can't understand, much less reprogram. Frankly I think there is too much attention paid to the look and feel rather than the desired functionality. Also, to get the best connections with your hardware, you usually have to use gold-plated contacts. And I've never liked how GirlFriend is totally "object-oriented."
A year ago, a friend of mine upgraded his version of GirlFriend to GirlFriendPlus 1.0, which is a Terminate and Stay Resident version of GirlFriend. He discovered that GirlFriendPlus 1.0 expires within a year if you don't upgrade to Fiancee 1.0. So he did, but soon after that, he had to upgrade to Wife 1.0 which he describes as a huge resource hog. It has taken up all his space, so he can't load anything else. One of the primary reasons he decided to go with Wife 1.0 was because it came bundled with FreeSexPlus. Well, it turns out the resource allocation module of Wife 1.0 sometimes prohibits access to FreeSexPlus, particularly the new Plug-Ins he wanted to try. On top of that, Wife 1.0 must be running on a well warmed-up system before he can do anything. Although he did not ask for it, Wife 1.0 came with MotherInLaw which has an automatic pop-up feature he can't turn off. I told him to try installing Mistress 1.0, but he said he heard if you try to run it without first uninstalling Wife 1.0, Wife 1.0 will delete MSMoney files before doing the uninstall itself. Then Mistress 1.0 won't install anyway because of insufficient resources.
Any Ideas???
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am currently running the latest version of GirlFriend and I've been having some problems lately. I've been running the same version of DrinkingBuddies 1.0 forever as my primary application, and all the GirlFriend releases I've tried have always conflicted with it. I hear that DrinkingBuddies won't crash if GirlFriend is run in background mode and the sound is turned off. But I'm embarrassed to say I can't find the switch to turn the sound off. I just run them separately, and it works okay.
Girlfriend also seems to have a problem co-existing with my Fishing 97 program, often trying to abort Fishing 97 with some sort of timing incompatibility. I probably should have stayed with GirlFriend 1.0, but I thought I might see better performance from GirlFriend 2.0. After months of conflicts and other problems, I consulted a friend who has had experience with GirlFriend 2.0. He said I probably didn't have enough cache to run GirlFriend 2.0, and eventually it would require a Token Ring to run properly. He was right - as soon as I purged my cache, it uninstalled itself.
Shortly after that, I installed GirlFriend 3.0 beta. All the bugs were supposed to be gone, but the first time I used it, it gave me a virus anyway. I had to clean out my whole system and shut down for a while. I very cautiously upgraded to GirlFriend 4.0. This time I used a SCSI probe first and also installed a virus protection program. It worked okay for a while until I discovered that GirlFriend 1.0 was still in my system. I tried running GirlFriend 1.0 again with GirlFriend 4.0 still installed, but GirlFriend 4.0 has a feature I didn't know about that automatically senses the presence of any other version of GirlFriend and communicates with it in some way, which results in the immediate removal of both versions.
The version I have now works pretty well, but there are still some problems. Like all versions of GirlFriend, it is written in some obscure language I can't understand, much less reprogram. Frankly I think there is too much attention paid to the look and feel rather than the desired functionality. Also, to get the best connections with your hardware, you usually have to use gold-plated contacts. And I've never liked how GirlFriend is totally "object-oriented."
A year ago, a friend of mine upgraded his version of GirlFriend to GirlFriendPlus 1.0, which is a Terminate and Stay Resident version of GirlFriend. He discovered that GirlFriendPlus 1.0 expires within a year if you don't upgrade to Fiancee 1.0. So he did, but soon after that, he had to upgrade to Wife 1.0 which he describes as a huge resource hog. It has taken up all his space, so he can't load anything else. One of the primary reasons he decided to go with Wife 1.0 was because it came bundled with FreeSexPlus. Well, it turns out the resource allocation module of Wife 1.0 sometimes prohibits access to FreeSexPlus, particularly the new Plug-Ins he wanted to try. On top of that, Wife 1.0 must be running on a well warmed-up system before he can do anything. Although he did not ask for it, Wife 1.0 came with MotherInLaw which has an automatic pop-up feature he can't turn off. I told him to try installing Mistress 1.0, but he said he heard if you try to run it without first uninstalling Wife 1.0, Wife 1.0 will delete MSMoney files before doing the uninstall itself. Then Mistress 1.0 won't install anyway because of insufficient resources.
Any Ideas???
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Competitive high school students are taking prescription drugs to give them an edge in grades. They
might get ahead in the scholarship race, but the price they may pay later is
dreadfully high.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are really only two situations where you should
eat packaged meals with a multi-year shelf life: If you're traveling through
space, or waiting out the apocalypse in an underground shelter. Other than that,
you should never eat anything from a can, pouch or factory-sealed container --
and if you have to zap that packaged meal with microwave radiation to heat it
up, you've taken an already bad meal and made it even worse.
Bon Appetit!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YouTuber mrandspi brought these 3-week-old
kittens home from the animal shelter where he volunteers for a quick bath. This
is what “less than thrilled” sounds like.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Imagine an imaginary menagerie
manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAY BRADBURY: Jump!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Never mind the sneakers ~ check out the
guy on the left's 'tube'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was the cartoon showing two people fighting
over a cow. One was pulling the cow by the tail; the other was pulling on the
horns. Underneath was a lawyer milking the cow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If you let that sort of thing go on, your bread and
butter will be cut right out from under your feet."
- Former British foreign minister Ernest Bevin
- Former British foreign minister Ernest Bevin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Making snowmen is a popular way for children to
entertain themselves during the winter months. It's a great winter tradition.
Two giant snowballs, some lumps of coal and a strategically (or comically)
placed carrot - and that's usually about it. However, some people have taken
their snow sculpture skills to the next level.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Science is a collection of facts.
- Science is complete.
- There is a single Scientific Method that all scientists follow.
- The process of science is purely analytic and does not involve creativity.
And many, many more here: A wonderful resource of
what science is, and what science
isn’t from Berkeley. Also see this collection of definitions of science from
Brain Pickings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How the Internet works.
AirPod, a car that runs on air.
Human catapult base jump.
Impressive robotic dancing moves.
Why is 'x' the unknown?
AirPod, a car that runs on air.
Human catapult base jump.
Impressive robotic dancing moves.
Why is 'x' the unknown?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Turns Out You Can Judge a Woman By
Her Shoes
You're not supposed to judge a man before you walk a
mile in his shoes, but that apparently that proverb doesn't apply to women:
In a study conducted at the University of
Kansas, people were able to accurately
judge demographic and personality traits of complete strangers simply by looking
at their most frequently worn shoes. It turns out 90 percent of a person's
characteristics can be determined just by examining the style, cost, color and
condition of their footwear. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
$20 Fine for
Profanity
Don't you dare swear in Middleborough, Massachusetts!
The town got fed up with profanity and is now fighting back: The residents
of Middleborough, Massachusetts, have had enough of this *#%@&! And
on Monday night they voted to make those who curse put their money where their
potty mouths are - to the sum of $20, that is. Police in the town of
22,000 will be writing tickets bearing fines in that amount to those who foul
its public places with profanity after residents voted 183-50 Monday night that
they were mad as *#%@& and weren't going to take it anymore. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cats Meet Furby
A herd of cats encounter a functional Furby, and are not
sure how they should proceed to eat it. -via Arbroath
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spider’s Secret to Being a Great Lover AND a
Great Fighter: Self-Castration
Men, are you a lover and not a fighter? That's just an
excuse - because as the malabar spider males show, you can be both. All
you have to do is snap your ... *shudder* oh, I can't even finish that sentence.
Instead, let Ed Yong of Not Exactly Rocket Science tell you the story: To
become both a lover and a fighter, the male spider Nephilengys malabarensis
snaps off his penis inside his partner while they have sex. He becomes better at
fending off other males who try to mate with her, because his now-lightened body
can fight for longer without tiring. And while he’s playing the guardian, his
detached genitals can continue pumping sperm into the female. Through
self-castration, he gets more stamina, and he gets more stamina. Link
Previously on Neatorama: 30 Strangest Animal Mating
Habits
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ANTHONY HOWE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Despite it's clever disguise the aperture to the right is not actually a
window, but is a fire exit. _So_ if you want it open, please light this
waste-paper bin so we aren't breaking the law, and the fire brigade will open it
for you." -- Paul Gardner-Stephen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Major System (also called the phonetic number system, phonetic
mnemonic system, or Herigone's mnemonic system)"
The process involves substituting consonants for numbers and thereby creating words. The first 25 key words are as follows: 1 tea, 2 Noah, 3 May, 4 ray, 5 law, 6 Shaw, (author) 7 key, 8 fee, 9 bay, 10 tease, 11 tot, 12 tan, 13 team, 14 tar, 15 tale, 16 touch, 17 tack, 18 taffy, 19 tap, 20 niece, 21 net, 22 noon, 23 name, 24 Nero, 25 nail...
The full list of words and the details of the system are available at Good Memory Secrets.
The process involves substituting consonants for numbers and thereby creating words. The first 25 key words are as follows: 1 tea, 2 Noah, 3 May, 4 ray, 5 law, 6 Shaw, (author) 7 key, 8 fee, 9 bay, 10 tease, 11 tot, 12 tan, 13 team, 14 tar, 15 tale, 16 touch, 17 tack, 18 taffy, 19 tap, 20 niece, 21 net, 22 noon, 23 name, 24 Nero, 25 nail...
The full list of words and the details of the system are available at Good Memory Secrets.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lord Sauron Wants
You!
There are two sides of every story and here’s the other
side to the Lord of the Rings. Still think your beloved hobbits, wizards and
elves are heroes? Think again! Via io9
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Quest To Save The Lars
Homestead
This set piece is called the Lars Homestead, and
Star Wars fans across the galaxy were shocked to hear that it had
fallen into disrepair. Out of nowhere, a band of geeks appeared, hell bent on
saving it from certain doom, with the interwebs lending a monetary hand via the
Save The Lars Homestead
Campaign. What will happen to this iconic set
piece? Who donated money to help keep this structure looking good? And how do
the residents of Tunisia feel about this geek preservation campaign? Find out
when the guys behind the project put out a book and DVD, with all the profits
going to the preservation of the Homestead, right? *wink* Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"American Beer is a lot like making love in a row
boat -- It's F**king close to water!" -Monty Python's Eric Idle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At a concert over the weekend in Istanbul, 53 year-old
Madonna flashed her right breast on stage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The phone rings, and the wife
answers.
What she hears, after a bit of heavy breathing. is a man’s voice saying, "I bet you have a tight asshole with no hair"
Woman replies, "Yes, he's watching TV. Who shall I say is calling?"
What she hears, after a bit of heavy breathing. is a man’s voice saying, "I bet you have a tight asshole with no hair"
Woman replies, "Yes, he's watching TV. Who shall I say is calling?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Letter to the Times, June 17,
1978:
Sir,
It is not only dates that make nice patterns of
numbers. Some years ago I was bringing a Destroyer home from the Far East and
was required to report my position twice a day.
One evening, I saw that we would be passing
close to where the Greenwich Meridian cuts the Equator so arranged to arrive
there dead on midnight. Once there I altered course to due North and stopped
engines so my position signal read:
At 0000 my position Latitude 00°00′N, Longitude
00°00′E. Course 000°. Speed 0.
I had considered saying I was Nowhere but
thought (probably correctly) that Their Lordships would not be
amused.
Yours faithfully,
Claud Dickens
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In October 1864, a score of young men drifted
into St. Albans, a little Vermont town just south of the Canadian border. They
arrived in small groups by train and coach, took rooms in local hotels, and
began to pass time around town, observing the daily routines of the
citizens.
On October 19, they simultaneously held up three
local banks. There they revealed themselves to be Confederate soldiers, and as
they collected the money they required the bank officers to take an oath of
fealty to the South. Then they made off across the border. “They must have
either had a guide who was acquainted with the road or had made a personal
examination,” wrote one investigator, “because there were places in the road
where strangers would have gone the wrong way, but they made no
mistake.”
In all, the raiders made off with $208,000, about
$3.2 million in today’s dollars. They were apprehended, but the Canadian
authorities refused to extradite them, and their leader, Bennett Young, traveled
in Europe until it was safe to return to Kentucky after the war. His exploit
became the northernmost land action in the Civil War.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Club of a Hundred Years Old
Ladies
Russian women who are 100 years old now lived under the
Czar, through the Revolution, endured World Wars I and II, suffered under
Stalin, remember the Cold War, experienced glasnost, and now tell us what they
think. English Russia has a translation of an article
from Russian Esquire, with portraits and stories
of seven centenarians, including Sarra Isaakovna Prinyakina:
I do not remember the revolution quite well. News
didn’t reach Siberia fast. We could not understand what was happening. A White
ataman came to our village, we thought it was a revolutioner and all went
outside to welcome him. But were only whipped. When I grew older I moved to
sister in Ulan-Ude. There I got married with one guy and had a daughter. But he
went to the front and never came back. I worked as a horse. Lived in a dugout,
took care of cattle, fleeced, carried potatoes for 25 km away.. We had no bread
and we ate only potatoes, it made children sick. But that was nothing. One man
with his son, evacuated from Leningrad, lived nearby, they ate leather and glue.
Link -via
Metafilter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Turf Blister
Okay, can someone explain what happened there? I
think someone hid a water bed under the grass. That or some weird water pocket
(I guess that's the same thing, huh?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For that freshen up
feeling…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I thought this video was a comedy sketch or parody
when I first started watching it. Had to stop and check - it actually was
an American "reality" television show.
The show followed 12 engaged women competing for the wedding of their dreams and their dream plastic surgery procedure. Each woman had a plastic surgery wishlist, and the winner of each week's wedding-themed challenge would win one plastic surgery procedure from her list.Knowing that, I just couldn't keep watching the clip.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Living Stem Cells Survive in Corpse 17 Days
After Death
How long do stem cells in your body last after death?
New research by histologist and neuropathologist Fabrice Chrétien shows that
stem cells can last much longer without oxygen and nutrients than previously
thought:
Apparently the stem cells were able survive in the
total absence of oxygen. "These cells are so resistant to extreme and
deleterious conditions that they stay alive up to 17 days after death," Chrétien
said. [...]
These stem cells in both dead mice and human
corpses were dormant when discovered, with extraordinarily reduced metabolic
activity, marking the first time scientists have found that stem cells were
capable of such dormancy. The researchers suspect that chemicals given off after
death, or the low levels of oxygen or nutrients in corpses, or a combination of
all these factors, could have sent the stem cells into dormancy, helping them
survive for weeks. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Young Republican Girls Pool
Party
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hovercat
George is an awesome Hovercat in the new ads for the
ASPCA. Get yourself an awesome cat during their Adopt a Shelter Cat Month.
Link -via Buzzfeed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Birth of UNIVAC
UNIVAC I was the first commercial computer in the United
States. Without it, we wouldn’t have our precious little MacBooks or
iPads.
Well, now that I think about it, some other Americans
surely would have built a commercial computer if they hadn’t. So we would still
have our gadgets, but it would be in a parallel universe and maybe in that
universe having a Dell is like the coolest thing you can have and there’s a Zune
in every pocket of every pair of parachute pants.
Anyway, the first UNIVersal
Automatic Computer was delivered to the U.S.
Census Bureau and dedicated on June 14, 1951. It’s the same computer later
predicted the 1952 presidential election for Eisenhower.
It cost over $1 million, used 5,200 vacuum tubes, weighed
13 tons and could do a mere 1,905 operations per second.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pick your nose online? Well, just tweeze the
hair, OK? This was so nonsensical that everyone loved it. Some folks say
there is something satisfying about plucking nose hairs, and artist Jogchem
Niemandsverdriet gives you a way to do that without the anticipated pain. Oh
yeah, he has a lot of other
weird stuff online for you.
Games are getting more sophisticated by the day, but if you’ve got an idea that is simple to comprehend but hard to master, you’ve got a classic. The Red Square game will drive you crazy no matter how many times you try it. All you need to do is survive. Hold the red square and avoid being hit by the blue squares. I usually last about ten seconds, but I have to go back and try again a few times.
Warning: this link may make you lose track of time. The Zoomquilt is a beautiful example of infinite zoom, constructed in 2004 as a collaborative art project. Since then, The Zoomquilt 2 has been added. After you click start, use your mouse and mouse button to zoom in at your own speed. Or out.
The Jean-Paul Sartre Cookbook was originally published in a Portland alternative newspaper in 1987, but survives for everyone everywhere to read on the internet. It never would have reached such a wide audience otherwise.
Need some sound effects for your life? Instants is a soundboard that has everything you could possibly use to punctuate your conversations.Since the sheer size of the collection makes it slower to load and more difficult to use than it was a couple of years ago. But now they have subgroupings, and the effects I used most are in the “Real Life!” category, which I would recommend to anyone. Warning: if you don’t recognize the label, the sound effect may turn out to be NSFW.
Daft Hands is a 2007 performance piece by Austin Hall to the song “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by Daft Punk. The original video now has 53 million views, but comments indicate that people still see it for the first time every day. This video inspired other versions and parodies, particularly on the comedy theme of “Daft Bodies.” The original hands video was done in one take with no special effects.
If you like that song, you’ll love the iDaft. It’s a sound board constructed from the parts of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.” Punching the buttons makes you feel like you have some musical talent even if you don’t.
Games are getting more sophisticated by the day, but if you’ve got an idea that is simple to comprehend but hard to master, you’ve got a classic. The Red Square game will drive you crazy no matter how many times you try it. All you need to do is survive. Hold the red square and avoid being hit by the blue squares. I usually last about ten seconds, but I have to go back and try again a few times.
Warning: this link may make you lose track of time. The Zoomquilt is a beautiful example of infinite zoom, constructed in 2004 as a collaborative art project. Since then, The Zoomquilt 2 has been added. After you click start, use your mouse and mouse button to zoom in at your own speed. Or out.
The Jean-Paul Sartre Cookbook was originally published in a Portland alternative newspaper in 1987, but survives for everyone everywhere to read on the internet. It never would have reached such a wide audience otherwise.
Need some sound effects for your life? Instants is a soundboard that has everything you could possibly use to punctuate your conversations.Since the sheer size of the collection makes it slower to load and more difficult to use than it was a couple of years ago. But now they have subgroupings, and the effects I used most are in the “Real Life!” category, which I would recommend to anyone. Warning: if you don’t recognize the label, the sound effect may turn out to be NSFW.
Daft Hands is a 2007 performance piece by Austin Hall to the song “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by Daft Punk. The original video now has 53 million views, but comments indicate that people still see it for the first time every day. This video inspired other versions and parodies, particularly on the comedy theme of “Daft Bodies.” The original hands video was done in one take with no special effects.
If you like that song, you’ll love the iDaft. It’s a sound board constructed from the parts of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.” Punching the buttons makes you feel like you have some musical talent even if you don’t.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How scholars viewed the extent of the world in 43 CE,
from this amazing collection of early maps and atlases, which are all stunningly awesome and totally
wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It’s Not Easy Making
Lions
Getting pregnant is a real chore for the King of the
Beasts (or his mates, actually). …typical mating bouts last for up to four days,
involving between 20 and 40 sex sessions per day. In fact, it’s estimated that
for every cub that survives past the age of one year, its mother had to mate
three thousand times. But that’s tame compared to what some animals go through!
This story is just part of the list 11 Utterly Bizarre Animal Mating Rituals at
Oddee. Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Device Converts Sign Language to Audible Speech
Students at the University of Houston designed a device
called MyVoice, which uses a video camera to capture a person’s sign language
movements. It also contains a small video monitor, a microphone and a speaker.
Software processes the images and determines what was said, and then translates
the word or phrase into speech, which is transmitted through an electronic
voice.
It also works backward, capturing a person’s spoken words
and projecting the appropriate hand sign onto the monitor. Students sampled a
database of images to train their software to recognize the hand signs,
according to a UH news release. The team used between 200 and 300 images per
sign.
(via Video Device Reads American Sign Language and
Translates It Into Audible English | Popular Science)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey everybody! I’m very excited to announce this
project. Please give it a follow and join me and my friends in what we hope
could be one of the largest citizen science/art projects ever.
We’ll show you how to build a cheap pinhole camera,
step-by-step, so you can capture the Sun’s path. We’ll show you how to mount
them, and then how to develop them after a few months.
Our goal is to make collect solargraphs between the
solstices (June 21-Dec 21). It doesn’t matter where you live, everyone can do
it! Help us spread the word and reblog!
Can’t wait to get started :)
We’re very excited to announce what we think could be
one of the largest and most interesting global citizen science/art projects
ever. We hope you’ll join us. We’ll have more details in the coming days, but
here’s a brief introduction:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think Woodchips Are
Scraps?
Artist Sergey Bobkov might get you to reconsider when
you see his amazing artworks that have been created with woodchips: Sergey
Bobkov uses a self-developed technique to keep the chips from crumbling, soaking
the woodchips in water for a number of days, which then makes them flexible
enough to sculpt. He primarily works with cembra pine, but will use other wood
as occasion demands, including Siberian cedar. Each piece takes about six months
to complete. The statues themselves are a work of pure passion, and Bobkov has
refused to sell any of his pieces, despite any number of generous offers. Six
months of work for something you’ll never sell? That’s a lot of dedication to
your art. Link Via
BuzzFeed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Random Facts: There
are roughly 250,000 sweat glands on a pair of feet. Swear glands in the feet
produce as much as half
a pint of
moisture each day.
The First shoes were invented 5,000,000 years ago during the Ice Age and were made from animal skins. The Romans were the first to construct left and right shoes. Before that, shoes could be worn on either foot.
I've never seen anything like this before, and I think it's beautiful. The guys who did it have posted an album of the process at imgur, and discuss the technique in a Reddit thread. Some excerpts:
1. I'm not ready for a relationship
2. Bad hygiene
3. I don't feel like I'm a priority
4. Too much fighting
5. Your sex drive is too low
6. Lack of punctuality
7. There's someone else
8. Bad kisser
9. I don't see a future with you
10. Too hairy
The First shoes were invented 5,000,000 years ago during the Ice Age and were made from animal skins. The Romans were the first to construct left and right shoes. Before that, shoes could be worn on either foot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The board of directors of the Nobel Foundation has
announced a cut in the prize money to be awarded to 2012 laureates in view of
bad investment decisions in the past and to safeguard the economic base of the
prestigious prizes. At its meeting this week, the board set the amount of the
2012 Nobel Prizes at Swedish Krona 8.0 million per prize, amounting to a
lowering of the prize sum by 20 per cent.
"The Nobel Foundation regards this as a necessary measure in order to avoid an undermining of its capital in a long-term perspective...Another part of the picture is that during the past decade, the average return on the Foundation's capital has fallen short of the overall sum of all Nobel Prizes and operating expenses", the Foundation said in a press release...
The costs of the Nobel Foundation's central administration and the Nobel festivities are also being reviewed.
"The Nobel Foundation regards this as a necessary measure in order to avoid an undermining of its capital in a long-term perspective...Another part of the picture is that during the past decade, the average return on the Foundation's capital has fallen short of the overall sum of all Nobel Prizes and operating expenses", the Foundation said in a press release...
The costs of the Nobel Foundation's central administration and the Nobel festivities are also being reviewed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7-Eleven Double Big Gulp Slimmin’ Down to
150% of Human Stomach Capacity
Two years ago, we told you that the 64-ounce 7-Eleven
Double Big Gulp is actually twice as large as the average human stomach. Well, 7-Eleven is slimming it
down to a 50-ounce size (still 150% of human stomach capacity) ... not out of
concern about America's growing waistline, but because the drink was too large
for cup holders in most cars! Link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandhil
Crane call
Sandhill
Crane Mating Dance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the early 20th
century, Americans were highly concerned with the purity of their food supply.
In the case of bread, hand-kneading was suddenly seen as a possible source of
contamination... Mass-produced bread, on the other hand, seemed safe. It was
made in shining factories, mechanically mixed, government regulated. It was
individually wrapped...
But factory breads were also incredibly soft... “Softness,” Borrow-Strain writes, “had become customers’ proxy for freshness, and savvy bakery scientists turned their minds to engineering even more squeezable loaves. As a result of the drive toward softer bread, industry observers noted that modern loaves had become almost impossible to slice neatly at home.” The solution had to be mechanical slicing.
Factory-sliced bread was born on July 6, 1928 at Missouri’s Chillicothe Baking Company. While retailers would slice bread at the point of sale, the idea of pre-sliced bread was a novelty... The bakery saw a 2,000 percent increase in sales, and mechanical slicing quickly swept the nation.
But factory breads were also incredibly soft... “Softness,” Borrow-Strain writes, “had become customers’ proxy for freshness, and savvy bakery scientists turned their minds to engineering even more squeezable loaves. As a result of the drive toward softer bread, industry observers noted that modern loaves had become almost impossible to slice neatly at home.” The solution had to be mechanical slicing.
Factory-sliced bread was born on July 6, 1928 at Missouri’s Chillicothe Baking Company. While retailers would slice bread at the point of sale, the idea of pre-sliced bread was a novelty... The bakery saw a 2,000 percent increase in sales, and mechanical slicing quickly swept the nation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Photographers and cinematographers know that the
first and last hours of sunlight during the day have a special quality of
light—these hours are known as the golden hour. The
Golden Hour Calculator is a web and iPhone
app that calculates the golden hour based on
the user’s location. The calculator was created by Roger
Moffatt.
via Photojojo
photo by David Iliff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A
farmer was milking his cow. He was just starting to get a good rhythm going when
a bug flew into the barn and started circling his head.
Suddenly, the bug flew into the cow's ear. The farmer didn't think much about it, until the bug squirted out into his bucket.
It went in one ear and out the udder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suddenly, the bug flew into the cow's ear. The farmer didn't think much about it, until the bug squirted out into his bucket.
It went in one ear and out the udder.
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A list of restaurants, supermarkets, department
stores, travel deals and other types of offers giving various discounts with
different age requirements. I was actually surprised to see how many there are
and how some of them start at the young age of 50 .This list may not only be useful for you, but for your
friends and family, too.
YOU must ASK for your discount !
YOU must ASK for your discount !
Partial
List:
RESTAURANTS:
Ben & Jerry’s: 10% off (60+)
Burger King: 10% off (60+)
Denny’s: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members ( 55 +)
Burger King: 10% off (60+)
Denny’s: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members ( 55 +)
Jack in the Box: up to 20% off ( 55+)
Subway: 10% off (60+)
RETAIL & APPAREL
:
Goodwill: 10% off one day a week (date varies by
location)
Kmart: 20% off ( 50+)
Rite Aid: 10% off on Tuesdays & 10% off
prescriptions
The Salvation Army Thrift Stores: up to 50% off (
55+)
GROCERY :Albertson’s: 10% off
first Wednesday of each month ( 55 +)
Rail:Amtrak: 15% off (62+)Car Rental:Alamo Car Rental: up to 25%
off for AARP members
Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members Best Western: 10% off ( 55 +)
Budget Rental Cars: 10% off; up to 20% off for AARP members ( 50+)
Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members
Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members Holiday Inn: 10%-30% off depending on location (62+)
National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members
Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members Best Western: 10% off ( 55 +)
Budget Rental Cars: 10% off; up to 20% off for AARP members ( 50+)
Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members
Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members Holiday Inn: 10%-30% off depending on location (62+)
National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members
Over Night
Accommodations:
Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Econo Lodge: 20%-30% off (60+)
Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)
Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)
Marriott Hotels: 15% off (62+)
Quality Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT : AMC Theaters: up to 30% off ( 55 +)
Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off
U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)
Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off
U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)
NOW, go out there and claim your
discounts – - – and remember — YOU must ASK for your discount — no ask, no
discount.
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Unusual Animal Friends
A slideshow of the different interspecies
relationships between animals.
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Macaw - can't wait to shower
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Great green macaw hatching. (Macaw Sanctuary El
Manantial)
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Snowball (TM) on Animal Planets Most Outrageous
Animals
Snowball (TM) and Stevie Nicks
Snowball (TM) in Taco Bell commercial
Snowball (TM) - First Overseas Commercial
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Q and A Quickies
--*
Q: Did you hear about the psychic midget who escaped from jail?
A: He became a Small Medium At Large.
Q: What did the curtain say to the wall?
A: I'm tired of hanging around all day.
Q: What's The Difference Between A Bad Golfer And A Bad Skydiver?
A: A Bad Golfer Goes, Whack, Dang while a Bad Skydiver goes Dang! Whack!
Q: What do you call a song sung in an automobile?
A: A cartoon.
Q: Did you hear about the psychic midget who escaped from jail?
A: He became a Small Medium At Large.
Q: What did the curtain say to the wall?
A: I'm tired of hanging around all day.
Q: What's The Difference Between A Bad Golfer And A Bad Skydiver?
A: A Bad Golfer Goes, Whack, Dang while a Bad Skydiver goes Dang! Whack!
Q: What do you call a song sung in an automobile?
A: A cartoon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have
you heard about this ground-breaking, little piece of legislation? Indiana has
become the first state to allow citizens to shoot law enforcement officers.
I
mean, not for sport or anything, but in very specific circumstances.
The new law allows residents to use force, including deadly force, against public servants or law enforcement officers, who unlawfully enter their homes. It was signed by Republican Governor Mitch Daniels in March.
The first of its kind in the United States, the law was adopted after the state Supreme Court went too far in one of its rulings last year, according to supporters.
The case in question involved a man who assaulted an officer during a domestic violence call. The court ruled that there was "no right to reasonably resist unlawful entry by police officers."
The National Rifle Association lobbied for the new law, arguing that the court decision had legalized police to commit unjustified entries.
Now, I have expressed my opinions on police more than once in this publication. I am a cautious supporter of law enforcement. While I understand and appreciate the need to investigate and punish crime and keep public order and safety, I also do not like having armed people around who have the authority to shoot me if they like, or harass, arrest, extort or intimidate me.
I do not believe that wearing a badge gives a criminal legal authority.
So it becomes a question of the safety of public servants versus the sanctity and authority of the Fourth Amendment.
Like the NRA put it, the old law legalized police to commit unjustified entries. While the president of the Indiana State Fraternal Order of Police said, "This is a recipe for disaster. It just puts a bounty on our heads."
Tough question. Who is right?
The new law allows residents to use force, including deadly force, against public servants or law enforcement officers, who unlawfully enter their homes. It was signed by Republican Governor Mitch Daniels in March.
The first of its kind in the United States, the law was adopted after the state Supreme Court went too far in one of its rulings last year, according to supporters.
The case in question involved a man who assaulted an officer during a domestic violence call. The court ruled that there was "no right to reasonably resist unlawful entry by police officers."
The National Rifle Association lobbied for the new law, arguing that the court decision had legalized police to commit unjustified entries.
Now, I have expressed my opinions on police more than once in this publication. I am a cautious supporter of law enforcement. While I understand and appreciate the need to investigate and punish crime and keep public order and safety, I also do not like having armed people around who have the authority to shoot me if they like, or harass, arrest, extort or intimidate me.
I do not believe that wearing a badge gives a criminal legal authority.
So it becomes a question of the safety of public servants versus the sanctity and authority of the Fourth Amendment.
Like the NRA put it, the old law legalized police to commit unjustified entries. While the president of the Indiana State Fraternal Order of Police said, "This is a recipe for disaster. It just puts a bounty on our heads."
Tough question. Who is right?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This floor is stained concrete !
I've never seen anything like this before, and I think it's beautiful. The guys who did it have posted an album of the process at imgur, and discuss the technique in a Reddit thread. Some excerpts:
- If properly cared for, this floor will last forever. It requires a mop on wax every 6 months in the high traffic areas.
- Total cost for materials only was right around $500. Labor was free!
- To get the lines, we laid down 1/2" masking tape and sprayed the stain over. When the tape was removed, the natural concrete color was left.
- I can't remember the name or brand of sealer and acid stain we used, but will try and dig it up.
- This floor is just like any other tile or ceramic floor. It is hard, but stays cool in the summer. Very easy to clean. When we do mop, it's just with a mild soap and water solution.
- This is an acid stain. They have many other types of concrete dyes, stains, and pigments available in all sorts of colors. Acid stain will actually react with the concrete and etch itself in. Once everything was stained, we applied the urethane sealer followed by a coat of wax.
- We only used one color of stain, brown. The dark areas are full strength and the light area are diluted with water 1:1.
- For anyone wanting to do this, I suggest doing countless
hours of research. A simple search on google for 'acid stain concrete' will get
you all the information you will ever need. Not all concrete can just be
stained. If the concrete is in rough shape the results will not be appealing.
Some concrete will even require an overcoat of a thin layer of concrete in in
bad shape...
Remember prepping is EVERYTHING. If using existing concrete. Clean, scrub, mop, vacuum, dry- do this 4 times. And when you think it's clean enough, do it one more time. Fix and repair any holes or defects you do not want to show up also. If prepped correctly, staining is easy and takes no time at all. Just google 'acid stain concrete' or words of the sort and there are 100's of forums and websites to help you pick the best materials and tutorials on how to go about this project.
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Bear knocks over peeing Swede on camera
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2012/06/12/Bear-knocks-over-peeing-Swede-on-camera/UPI-96981339519253/
STOCKHOLM, Sweden - A 61-year-old Swedish man who was relieving himself in the woods was caught on tape being knocked over by a bear chasing an elk. Ola Akesson said he left his summer cabin in the Angraan nature reserve to urinate in a stream Sunday night when he spotted a baby elk on the opposite side of the water, The Local.se reported Tuesday. "I called to my wife to get out the iPad to film the elk, when all of a sudden she screamed that there was a bear behind me," Akesson said. "I turned around and there was a huge bear right beside me -- maybe half a meter away, I could have reached out and touched it -- but I didn't even have time to think." Akesson was knocked to the ground and the bear, which the couple said they believe was after the elk, barreled into the waterside dock before scrambling back into the woods.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden - A 61-year-old Swedish man who was relieving himself in the woods was caught on tape being knocked over by a bear chasing an elk. Ola Akesson said he left his summer cabin in the Angraan nature reserve to urinate in a stream Sunday night when he spotted a baby elk on the opposite side of the water, The Local.se reported Tuesday. "I called to my wife to get out the iPad to film the elk, when all of a sudden she screamed that there was a bear behind me," Akesson said. "I turned around and there was a huge bear right beside me -- maybe half a meter away, I could have reached out and touched it -- but I didn't even have time to think." Akesson was knocked to the ground and the bear, which the couple said they believe was after the elk, barreled into the waterside dock before scrambling back into the woods.
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Outhouse Bear Attack
A Manitoba man survived a bear attack, which started
off while he was just taking care of some personal business.
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"I was always taught to respect my elders and I've now reached the age when I don't have anybody to respect."
- George Burns
"I was always taught to respect my elders and I've now reached the age when I don't have anybody to respect."
- George Burns
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Top 10 reasons women were dumped on What Went Wrong
1. I'm not ready for a relationship
2. Bad hygiene
3. I don't feel like I'm a priority
4. Too much fighting
5. Your sex drive is too low
6. Lack of punctuality
7. There's someone else
8. Bad kisser
9. I don't see a future with you
10. Too hairy
Original
Article:
Top 10 reasons women were dumped on What Went
Wrong
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Mushroom Pod House Architect Was Inspired By
Queen Anne’s Lace
Pittsford, New York is home to the Mushroom House, a unique retro-modern property consisting of towering pod
rooms designed by architect James H. Johnson. According to Johnson’s
website, he was inspired to design this house
by looking at “a stem of Queen Anne’s lace in a Coke
bottle”. The home was built in 1971, is over 4,100 square feet, and has an
on-site waterfall. The Mushroom House recently sold but a full image gallery of this gorgeous property is available to view.
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90,775 dominoes topple over the course of 8 minutes
in this video recorded in April at
the TDT 2012 domino event in
Austria.
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Fry Bread 101
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's only human nature after all
If a fellow puts a girl against the wall
And puts his inclination
Into her accomodation
To increase the population
Of the rising generation---
Why, it's only human natrue after all.
If a fellow puts a girl against the wall
And puts his inclination
Into her accomodation
To increase the population
Of the rising generation---
Why, it's only human natrue after all.
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A little town had a high birth rate that had attracted
the attention of the sociologists at the state university. They wrote a grant
proposal; got a huge chunk of money; hired a few additional sociologists,
anthropologist and a family planning and birth control specialist; moved to
town; rented offices; set up their computers; got squared away; and began
designing their questionnaires and such. While the staff was busy getting ready
for their big research effort, the project director decided to go to the local
drugstore for a cup of coffee. He sat down at the counter, ordered his coffee,
and while he was drinking it, he told the druggist what his purpose was in town,
then asked him if he had any idea why the birth rate was so high.
"Sure," said the druggist. "Every morning the six
o'clock train comes through here and blows for the crossing. It wakes everybody
up, and, well, it's too late to go back to sleep, and it's too early to get up."
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Safest Way to Drive
Peter Ludwig, a caver from Austria who is appalled
by American driving habits, offers the following advice:The probability of being
involved in a traffic accident is directlyproportional to time spent on the
road. Driving fast decreases one's exposure.One third of traffic accidents are
caused by drunk drivers; two thirdsare caused by non-drunk drivers.
Therefore, the safest way to drive is drunk and VERY
fast.
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Why, oh why, does this happen to me?
How did I end up stuck in this tree?
The ground down below looks so far away,
That if I would fall it would take me all day
To hit the ground, with a thud and a thunk.
And knowing my luck I'd land on a skunk.
So here I will sit 'til my dying day.
Or maybe, at least, 'til that bear goes away.
How did I end up stuck in this tree?
The ground down below looks so far away,
That if I would fall it would take me all day
To hit the ground, with a thud and a thunk.
And knowing my luck I'd land on a skunk.
So here I will sit 'til my dying day.
Or maybe, at least, 'til that bear goes away.
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Ursa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~