I started wondering why Friday the 13th is such a big deal... so I googled it...
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1879288,00.html
.
Showing posts with label Explanations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Explanations. Show all posts
Friday, July 13, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Smoking can make your nipples fall off
I will not attempt to explain. Just read the story...
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/05/smoking-can-make-your-nipples-fall-off/?hpt=hp_bn10
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/05/smoking-can-make-your-nipples-fall-off/?hpt=hp_bn10
Monday, April 30, 2012
Advice from snopes
Advice from snopes.com, a clearinghouse for truth on the internet
1) Emails that say "forward this to 10 of your friends", "sign this petition", or "you'll get bad luck" or "you'll get good luck" or "you'll see something funny on your screen after you send it" --- are almost always ploys designed to identify the email addresses you send to for SPAM purposes. Even when you get emails that demand you send the email only if you're not ashamed of Jesus --- that is email tracking, and they are playing on our conscience. "Missing child", "Dying child" -- these are email tracking schemes. Ignore them and don't participate!
2) Email petitions are NOT acceptable to Congress, Social security, or other government organizations. To be acceptable, petitions must be ink on paper with the full address of the person signing the petition, so this is a waste of time and you are just helping the email trackers.
1) Emails that say "forward this to 10 of your friends", "sign this petition", or "you'll get bad luck" or "you'll get good luck" or "you'll see something funny on your screen after you send it" --- are almost always ploys designed to identify the email addresses you send to for SPAM purposes. Even when you get emails that demand you send the email only if you're not ashamed of Jesus --- that is email tracking, and they are playing on our conscience. "Missing child", "Dying child" -- these are email tracking schemes. Ignore them and don't participate!
2) Email petitions are NOT acceptable to Congress, Social security, or other government organizations. To be acceptable, petitions must be ink on paper with the full address of the person signing the petition, so this is a waste of time and you are just helping the email trackers.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
April Fools Day
Now I understand why we have April Fools Day... this made me smile :)
A FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY
In Florida, an atheist created a case against Easter & Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians & Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.
The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"
The lawyer immediately stood and objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur & Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays."
The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counselor, is woefully ignorant."
The lawyer said," Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."
The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fool’s Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned..."
You gotta love a Judge that knows his scripture!
A FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY
In Florida, an atheist created a case against Easter & Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians & Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.
The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"
The lawyer immediately stood and objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur & Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays."
The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counselor, is woefully ignorant."
The lawyer said," Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."
The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fool’s Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned..."
You gotta love a Judge that knows his scripture!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
[sic]
During our daily dose of E! News recently, they were quoting someone's tweet... but used this:
[sic]
twice during the quote...
I've never known what that meant, and my husband seemed all too excited to actually learn me something ;) He correctly explained it to me:
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/what-does-sic-mean/ explains it as well...
Sic in square brackets is an editing term used with quotations or excerpts. It means "that's really how it appears in the original." It is used to point out a grammatical error, misspelling, misstatement of fact, or, as above, the unconventional spelling of a name.
Sic is the Latin word for "thus," or " such."
Now you know :)
.
[sic]
twice during the quote...
I've never known what that meant, and my husband seemed all too excited to actually learn me something ;) He correctly explained it to me:
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/what-does-sic-mean/ explains it as well...
Sic in square brackets is an editing term used with quotations or excerpts. It means "that's really how it appears in the original." It is used to point out a grammatical error, misspelling, misstatement of fact, or, as above, the unconventional spelling of a name.
Sic is the Latin word for "thus," or " such."
Now you know :)
.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Googling... revealed
ok so i'm a little sad about this... but not yet sad enough to find a different search engine...
http://www.technewsdaily.com/google-vaidhyanathan-qanda-2619/?tr=y&auid=8306575
thoughts??!!!
http://www.technewsdaily.com/google-vaidhyanathan-qanda-2619/?tr=y&auid=8306575
thoughts??!!!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Drowning doesn't look like drowning
This is a super important article my sister found... if you learn one thing from it... learn this:
children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.
.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Viscosity of Wine?
We have a tradition in our home... on the evenings we open a bottle of wine, the one who opens the bottle reads about it on the label to memorize the details, and then "presents" the wine to the other... i think this was inspired by the wine festival we visited the weekend we got engaged... most presentations go something like this: "Tonight we have a 2009 Fetzer Gewurztarminer which hales from the great Columbia Valley. 2009 was a wonderful year of the grape... notice the high viscosity as you twirl it around the glass, as well as the rich aromas that permeate. [cheers] Bon Apa Tit!" and yes, "Bon Appetit" he pronounces "tit"... So tonight, I finally asked the question... "Do you know what viscosity means?" The answer I received was "yes, it determines how the wine descends down the sides of the glass." oooooook! Time for a blog entry! Merriam Webster online says: 1: the quality or state of being viscous [not helpful] 2: the property of resistance to flow in a fluid or semifluid [kind of makes sense with Husband's 'explanation'] 3: the ratio of the tangential frictional force per unit area to the velocity gradient perpendicular to the direction of flow of a liquid —called also coefficient of viscosity [reminds me of the Engineer Physics class I almost failed in college] viscious... as defined by Merriam Webster online: 1: viscid 2: having or characterized by viscosity [seriously M-W?!] viscid... as defined by Merriam Webster online: 1a : having an adhesive quality: sticky 1b : having a glutinous consistency : viscous 2: covered with a sticky layer Ok, I'm starting to get it... THEN I google "viscosity of wine" and learn this: "Viscosity" refers to a wine's liquid consistency. A wine's viscosity may make it appear thin and watery, or may make it appear thick and syrupy. Viscosity is affected by the levels of glycerols (sugars) and alcohol found in the wine. Generally speaking, the higher a wine's levels of glycerols and alcohol, the higher the wine's viscosity will be. Wines with high viscosity tend to cling to the side of a wine glass longer, and may leave "tears" or "legs" as bits of the wine begin to drip back down into the glass. Reference: http://www.oregonwines.com/wine101.php?SectionID=8&FaqID=200 And now I know... Husband didn't know what he was talking about, but he was using real lingo... How's the viscosity of your favorite wine? ;)
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Purpose of a Dog
This warmed my heart... and it's so true :)
Dog's Purpose? (from a 6-year-old).
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.
The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.''
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live.
He said,''People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?'' The Six-year-old continued, ''Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.''
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember if a dog was the teacher, you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle
them gently.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!
Dog's Purpose? (from a 6-year-old).
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.
The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.''
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live.
He said,''People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?'' The Six-year-old continued, ''Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.''
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember if a dog was the teacher, you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle
them gently.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Happy St Patrick's Day!
Ever wonder who St Patrick was and why we celebrate him? I do!
http://www.st-patricks-day.com/about_saintpatrick.html
This website says:
Saint Patrick was the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland who is credited with bringing christianity to Ireland. Most of what is known about him comes from his two works, the Confessio, a spiritual autobiography, and his Epistola, a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish christians. Saint Patrick described himself as a "most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped idols and unclean things had become the people of God."
Saint Patrick is most known for driving the snakes from Ireland. It is true there are no snakes in Ireland, but...
Also? The clover?
The same website says: Many folk ask the question 'Why is the Shamrock the National Flower of Ireland ?' The reason is that St. Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans...
So why March 17th?
One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations.
The same website has plenty of additional information (including parade and event locations!)...
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Anteroom
My husband often refers to our TV room / den as the "Anteroom"...
In a silly voice, he will say "Would you like to retire to the anteroom to drink our coffee and watch some news this morning?"
and everytime he uses the word anteroom, I say "What is an anteroom, anyway?"
Well, Ladies and Gents, today is the day I did my google search!
Merriam Webster says:
Definition of ANTEROOM: an outer room that leads to another room and this is often used as a waiting room
First Known Use of ANTEROOM: 1762
Rhymes with ANTEROOM: Baby Boom, Banquet Room, Birthing Room, Boiler Room, City Room, Coffee Room, Common Room, Counting Room, Cutting Room, Elbow Room...
My thoughts:
1) There are multiple doors in our 'anteroom' that lead to different parts of the house, although I would not consider it an 'outer room'...
2) Who in the world took the time to come up with a bunch of different types of rooms that rhyme with anteroom... I mean really?
I decided to dig some more... and http://www.wisegeek.com/ came up with this:
An anteroom is an outer room which connects with the interior of a structure. The defining feature of an anteroom is that it has at least one door which connects with the outside, and another door which leads into a room which is not in contact with the outside. In many cases, anterooms connect to several interior rooms, but they are not classified as hallways, because they are functional rooms, rather than elongated passages.
You may also hear an anteroom referred to as an antechamber, a waiting room, or a vestibule. The anteroom has a venerable history in architecture, with such rooms being common in Ancient Greece and Rome, India, and China, especially in temples. In temples, the anteroom held petitioners while they waited for audiences with priests or religious icons, and often space was provided to make offerings to the temple, for those who felt so inclined. In private homes, anterooms isolated the dwellers from the noise and odors of the street, and provided a space for visitors to wait while residents prepared themselves.
Because anterooms span the distance between inside and outside, they often have a very transitional feel. In a no-shoes household, for example, people may be encouraged to take their shoes off in the anteroom, and there may be a space to hang up coats and store bags. In cold climates, an anteroom can be quite useful, as it insulates the warm inner rooms of a house from the cold outside.
My thoughts:
1) Our den connects to the garage, none of the 4 doors in the room leads outside... not an anteroom
2) Our den leads to 2 hallways, a garage, and a laundry room... and is very functional... and is not an elongated passage... definitely an anteroom
3) Functionally, isolating a dweller from outside noise and providing a waiting area for visitors... definitely an anteroom
4) a transitional feel... this room lacks... mostly because you take one look at the beautiful sectional recently delivered from my new fav furniture store, and you want to stay forever ;) ... anteroom not so much
5) taking your shoes off... not a great idea in my house lest you step on dog food, drool or cover your socks in dog hair... anteroom not so much
I can make the case either way...
This is cool though: http://www.rodehall.co.uk/ante-room-and-library
Oh and when I did the Google Image search, it was clear these days an anteroom can be anything you want it to be... so decalre we officially have an anteroom :)
In a silly voice, he will say "Would you like to retire to the anteroom to drink our coffee and watch some news this morning?"
and everytime he uses the word anteroom, I say "What is an anteroom, anyway?"
Well, Ladies and Gents, today is the day I did my google search!
Merriam Webster says:
Definition of ANTEROOM: an outer room that leads to another room and this is often used as a waiting room
First Known Use of ANTEROOM: 1762
Rhymes with ANTEROOM: Baby Boom, Banquet Room, Birthing Room, Boiler Room, City Room, Coffee Room, Common Room, Counting Room, Cutting Room, Elbow Room...
My thoughts:
1) There are multiple doors in our 'anteroom' that lead to different parts of the house, although I would not consider it an 'outer room'...
2) Who in the world took the time to come up with a bunch of different types of rooms that rhyme with anteroom... I mean really?
I decided to dig some more... and http://www.wisegeek.com/ came up with this:
An anteroom is an outer room which connects with the interior of a structure. The defining feature of an anteroom is that it has at least one door which connects with the outside, and another door which leads into a room which is not in contact with the outside. In many cases, anterooms connect to several interior rooms, but they are not classified as hallways, because they are functional rooms, rather than elongated passages.
You may also hear an anteroom referred to as an antechamber, a waiting room, or a vestibule. The anteroom has a venerable history in architecture, with such rooms being common in Ancient Greece and Rome, India, and China, especially in temples. In temples, the anteroom held petitioners while they waited for audiences with priests or religious icons, and often space was provided to make offerings to the temple, for those who felt so inclined. In private homes, anterooms isolated the dwellers from the noise and odors of the street, and provided a space for visitors to wait while residents prepared themselves.
Because anterooms span the distance between inside and outside, they often have a very transitional feel. In a no-shoes household, for example, people may be encouraged to take their shoes off in the anteroom, and there may be a space to hang up coats and store bags. In cold climates, an anteroom can be quite useful, as it insulates the warm inner rooms of a house from the cold outside.
My thoughts:
1) Our den connects to the garage, none of the 4 doors in the room leads outside... not an anteroom
2) Our den leads to 2 hallways, a garage, and a laundry room... and is very functional... and is not an elongated passage... definitely an anteroom
3) Functionally, isolating a dweller from outside noise and providing a waiting area for visitors... definitely an anteroom
4) a transitional feel... this room lacks... mostly because you take one look at the beautiful sectional recently delivered from my new fav furniture store, and you want to stay forever ;) ... anteroom not so much
5) taking your shoes off... not a great idea in my house lest you step on dog food, drool or cover your socks in dog hair... anteroom not so much
I can make the case either way...
This is cool though: http://www.rodehall.co.uk/ante-room-and-library
Oh and when I did the Google Image search, it was clear these days an anteroom can be anything you want it to be... so decalre we officially have an anteroom :)
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Visualizing Budget Cuts
In case you haven't seen this yet...
Do you have trouble wraping your brain around big numbers? This is a visual learning tool for grasping the federal budget and a proposed $100 Million budget cut...
A college student explains:
http://www.wimp.com/budgetcuts/
Do you have trouble wraping your brain around big numbers? This is a visual learning tool for grasping the federal budget and a proposed $100 Million budget cut...
A college student explains:
http://www.wimp.com/budgetcuts/
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Understanding Derivatives - A Primer
Received this forward in an email... gives a pretty good idea of what's really going on...
Heidi is the proprietor of a bar in Detroit.
She realizes that virtually all of her customers are unemployed alcoholics and, as such, can no longer afford to patronize her bar.
To solve this problem, she comes up with a new marketing plan that allows her customers to drink now, but pay later.
Heidi keeps track of the drinks consumed on a ledger (thereby granting the customers' loans).
Word gets around about Heidi's "drink now, pay later" marketing strategy and, as a result, increasing numbers of customers flood into Heidi's bar. Soon she has the largest sales volume for any bar in Detroit.
By providing her customers freedom from immediate payment demands, Heidi gets no resistance when, at regular intervals, she substantially increases her prices for wine and beer, the most consumed beverages.
Consequently, Heidi's gross sales volume increases massively.
A young and dynamic vice-president at the local bank recognizes that these customer debts constitute valuable future assets and increases Heidi's borrowing limit.
He sees no reason for any undue concern, since he has the debts of the unemployed alcoholics as collateral!!!
At the bank's corporate headquarters, expert traders figure a way to make huge commissions, and transform these customer loans into DRINK BONDS.
These "securities" then are bundled and traded on international securities markets.
Naive investors don't really understand that the securities being sold to them as "AAA Secured Bonds" really are debts of unemployed alcoholics. Nevertheless, the bond prices continuously climb!!!, and the securities soon become the hottest-selling items for some of the nation's leading brokerage houses.
One day, even though the bond prices still are climbing, a risk manager at the original local bank decides that the time has come to demand payment on the debts incurred by the drinkers at Heidi's bar. He so informs Heidi.
Heidi then demands payment from her alcoholic patrons, but being unemployed alcoholics they cannot pay back their drinking debts.
Since Heidi cannot fulfill her loan obligations she is forced into bankruptcy. The bar closes and Heidi's 11 employees lose their jobs.
Overnight, DRINK BOND prices drop by 90%.
The collapsed bond asset value destroys the bank's liquidity and prevents it from issuing new loans, thus freezing credit and economic activity in the community.
The suppliers of Heidi's bar had granted her generous payment extensions and had invested their firms' pension funds in the BOND securities.
They find they are now faced with having to write off her bad debt and with losing over 90% of the presumed value of the bonds.
Her wine supplier also claims bankruptcy, closing the doors on a family business that had endured for three generations, her beer supplier is taken over by a competitor, who immediately closes the local plant and lays off 150 workers..
Fortunately though, the bank, the brokerage houses and their respective executives are saved and bailed out by a multibillion dollar no-strings attached cash infusion from the government.
The funds required for this bailout are obtained by new taxes levied on employed, middle-class, nondrinkers who have never been in Heidi's bar.
Now do you understand?
Heidi is the proprietor of a bar in Detroit.
She realizes that virtually all of her customers are unemployed alcoholics and, as such, can no longer afford to patronize her bar.
To solve this problem, she comes up with a new marketing plan that allows her customers to drink now, but pay later.
Heidi keeps track of the drinks consumed on a ledger (thereby granting the customers' loans).
Word gets around about Heidi's "drink now, pay later" marketing strategy and, as a result, increasing numbers of customers flood into Heidi's bar. Soon she has the largest sales volume for any bar in Detroit.
By providing her customers freedom from immediate payment demands, Heidi gets no resistance when, at regular intervals, she substantially increases her prices for wine and beer, the most consumed beverages.
Consequently, Heidi's gross sales volume increases massively.
A young and dynamic vice-president at the local bank recognizes that these customer debts constitute valuable future assets and increases Heidi's borrowing limit.
He sees no reason for any undue concern, since he has the debts of the unemployed alcoholics as collateral!!!
At the bank's corporate headquarters, expert traders figure a way to make huge commissions, and transform these customer loans into DRINK BONDS.
These "securities" then are bundled and traded on international securities markets.
Naive investors don't really understand that the securities being sold to them as "AAA Secured Bonds" really are debts of unemployed alcoholics. Nevertheless, the bond prices continuously climb!!!, and the securities soon become the hottest-selling items for some of the nation's leading brokerage houses.
One day, even though the bond prices still are climbing, a risk manager at the original local bank decides that the time has come to demand payment on the debts incurred by the drinkers at Heidi's bar. He so informs Heidi.
Heidi then demands payment from her alcoholic patrons, but being unemployed alcoholics they cannot pay back their drinking debts.
Since Heidi cannot fulfill her loan obligations she is forced into bankruptcy. The bar closes and Heidi's 11 employees lose their jobs.
Overnight, DRINK BOND prices drop by 90%.
The collapsed bond asset value destroys the bank's liquidity and prevents it from issuing new loans, thus freezing credit and economic activity in the community.
The suppliers of Heidi's bar had granted her generous payment extensions and had invested their firms' pension funds in the BOND securities.
They find they are now faced with having to write off her bad debt and with losing over 90% of the presumed value of the bonds.
Her wine supplier also claims bankruptcy, closing the doors on a family business that had endured for three generations, her beer supplier is taken over by a competitor, who immediately closes the local plant and lays off 150 workers..
Fortunately though, the bank, the brokerage houses and their respective executives are saved and bailed out by a multibillion dollar no-strings attached cash infusion from the government.
The funds required for this bailout are obtained by new taxes levied on employed, middle-class, nondrinkers who have never been in Heidi's bar.
Now do you understand?
Friday, January 21, 2011
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
SARAH PALIN: The chicken crossed the road because gosh-darn it, he's a maverick!
BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for change! The chicken wanted change!
JOHN McCAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.
GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.
DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?
COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.
BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken.
AL GORE: I invented the chicken.
JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.
DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before he goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.
OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a NEW CAR so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why he crossed I've not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.
JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, That chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the Liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side.' That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.
GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heartwarming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2010, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken2010. This new platform is much more stable and will never reboot.
ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?
SARAH PALIN: The chicken crossed the road because gosh-darn it, he's a maverick!
BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for change! The chicken wanted change!
JOHN McCAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.
GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.
DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?
COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.
BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken.
AL GORE: I invented the chicken.
JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.
DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before he goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.
OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a NEW CAR so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why he crossed I've not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.
JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, That chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the Liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side.' That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.
GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heartwarming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2010, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken2010. This new platform is much more stable and will never reboot.
ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?
Monday, November 29, 2010
Christmas Tree Delivery...
I've never thought about how "fresh cut" Christmas trees actually end up in our area...
My sister-in-law unveiled the secret to me over the weekend :)
She saw this on 64...
Love the Christmas tree delivery truck ;)
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My sister-in-law unveiled the secret to me over the weekend :)
She saw this on 64...
Love the Christmas tree delivery truck ;)
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Thursday, October 21, 2010
POP ROCKS
Soooooo remember these?!
My co-worker actually found these recently! She came into my office with her mouth just popping away... i LOVED pop rocks... and I had no idea they were still being manufactured!
Now, of course, this led to the question of "how does that happen!?"
Well, here is a bit of Pop Rock history as passed on by: http://www.poprockscandy.com/history.html
*Pop Rocks were developed in 1956
*Introduced to the market in 1975
*Tiny air pockets of carbonation (CO2) are released when melted in your mouth and has a mild "crackling" sensation and "popping" noise.
*The original flavors were Orange, Cherry and Grape.
*The rumor that mixing the candy with carbonated drinks would cause the stomach to explode, was the popular buzz.
*The company tried to explain the rumor by taking out full-page ads in 45 major publications, to explain to all that Pop Rocks generate less gas than half a can of soda and ingesting them could induce nothing worse in the human body than a hearty, non-life-threatening belch.
*1983, Pop Rocks were taken off the market.
*AND NOW THEY'RE BACK!
now you know :)
Thursday, October 14, 2010
A few words on merging...
The Merge...
It's something we all must do at some point - possibly daily. The merge... onto the interstate... or potentially the merge off the interstate... Before we moved into our new home, I merged every day getting onto the interstate after work... For the most part, people understand that when you enter 64E from Northampton, you take turns with the other lane... unfortunately, there are others that haven't quite achieved the concept...
Additionally, the people entering 64E at Indian River seem to have no.idea.what.so.ever how to successfully complete The Merge... it is absolutely amazing to me that traffic actually comes to a stop at this on/off ramp.
Now, it's been quite some time since I took my driving test and/or read that little driving booklet the DMV provides before the test, so I'm not sure if this is a topic that is covered. I decided I'd take a gander and try to find some basic instructions for the curious reader [driver]...
I think this website does a pretty good job: http://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/merging-into-traffic.php
Merging is a relatively straightforward driving skill to learn, but that does not change the fact that the act instills fear in some motorists. This can be chalked up to the high speeds generally involved, and the fact that the task needs to be accomplished quickly, with little room for error. But after a few rounds of practice, your behind-the-wheel confidence will be enhanced and the technique of merging will become somewhat natural.
Still, the procedure requires extreme awareness because the last thing you want to do is have the driver in the vehicle that you are merging in front of end up in your passenger seat. Nor do you want to go into a panic and wander off from the acceleration pedal and land onto the shoulder. Here are some tips to help you become a major league merger.
The Art of Entering Gaps
Merging is designed to permit vehicles to enter and exit a highway without causing disruption in the flow of traffic. Highways are equipped with on-ramps and off-ramps, which generally connect to acceleration and deceleration lanes.
The idea behind this is when you pull onto the entrance ramp, you slowly begin building velocity. At the point where you can make eye contact with the highway, you need to immediately start assessing the gaps and the speed of existing traffic. From here, you should turn on your signal to reflect your intent to other drivers to merge onto the roadway.
Then use the acceleration lane to match the speed flow, and ease your vehicle into an appropriate gap before the acceleration lane ends. Some highways give you slabs of asphalt that are long enough for a jet to take off; others, especially on the East Coast, are so short you will need to make quick decisions or yield.
A successful merge entails you entering the highway almost at or at the speed limit, while causing no disturbance in the speeds of the vehicles behind you.
Tips for Keeping the Flow
Where the entrance ramp ends and the acceleration lane begins, note the continuation of the solid white (or yellow line). Do not cross this line and head out onto the highway. It serves as the transition from the on-ramp to the lane, and crossing it can cause other drivers to miscalculate your speed and possibly collide with your vehicle. This line serves as a good indicator to begin your acceleration and gap-finding quest.
While your driver-side mirror is essential to observing traffic behind you prior to merging, you will also want to actually turn your head and check your blind spot before easing onto the road.
You should always decide on the space you will shoot for before accelerating rather than getting to full speed and then deciding. Why? Well, you only have so many yards in the lane, and if you are at full speed before you know where you are headed, you might run out of room prior to finding a traffic gap. This will cause you to have to stop, cut another driver off, or wind up on the shoulder―definitely not good merging techniques. [amazing concepts here]
If you are not familiar with the on-ramp or highway section you are entering, use extra caution because you may run into all sorts of interesting obstacles including: "no merge lane" signs, which mean you will need to yield, which may require you stop before moving into traffic; and signal lights that stagger vehicles up the entrance ramp, usually during times of high traffic.
During rush hour, when the entire traffic system slogs along at a turtle's gait, the fine art of merging takes on new importance to keep the surge moving. Many times you will be driving along the highway at a good clip, and the next thing you know you are in a mass of bumper-to-bumper madness.
It lasts for a few minutes, opens up, and then clogs again at the next exit. Sometimes this is simply due to the sheer number of vehicles trying to enter or leave the road on a single stretch of asphalt utilized both as a deceleration and acceleration lane. But, you can also bet there is some improper merging going on, causing the entire system to break down into the proverbial bottleneck.[sound familiar, Hampton Roads?!?!]
To keep a good pace in heavy traffic, merging should work like the teeth on a zipper. One vehicle merges; a vehicle already on the highway passes; another vehicle merges; a vehicle already on the highway passes, and so on. Of course, in this day and age of aggressive driving, it may not always work out this way.
The Exiting Factor
When you choose to exit the highway, you may not technically be merging (or being absorbed into traffic); rather, you are leaving the collective, but it still requires a few words.
In cases where there is only a deceleration lane and an exit ramp, you simply need to signal your intentions to other drivers and pull over. You will use the lane to slow your vehicle and continue on to other roads.
However, when the acceleration lane and the deceleration share the same portion of road surface, it can be tricky. Basically, if the vehicle entering the highway is at top acceleration, you will want to pull into the deceleration lane behind it. If you are moving at a greater clip than the vehicle just entering the acceleration lane then you will want to exit in front of the vehicle. Again, theoretically, this will keep the flow of traffic moving smoothly.
I haven't had a chance to watch this video, but I suspect it could be helpful as well... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-OmDGydsHc
Perhaps I should suggest to the local news channels they should do a news piece on the Art of Completeing a Successful Merge?
It's something we all must do at some point - possibly daily. The merge... onto the interstate... or potentially the merge off the interstate... Before we moved into our new home, I merged every day getting onto the interstate after work... For the most part, people understand that when you enter 64E from Northampton, you take turns with the other lane... unfortunately, there are others that haven't quite achieved the concept...
Additionally, the people entering 64E at Indian River seem to have no.idea.what.so.ever how to successfully complete The Merge... it is absolutely amazing to me that traffic actually comes to a stop at this on/off ramp.
Now, it's been quite some time since I took my driving test and/or read that little driving booklet the DMV provides before the test, so I'm not sure if this is a topic that is covered. I decided I'd take a gander and try to find some basic instructions for the curious reader [driver]...
I think this website does a pretty good job: http://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/merging-into-traffic.php
Merging is a relatively straightforward driving skill to learn, but that does not change the fact that the act instills fear in some motorists. This can be chalked up to the high speeds generally involved, and the fact that the task needs to be accomplished quickly, with little room for error. But after a few rounds of practice, your behind-the-wheel confidence will be enhanced and the technique of merging will become somewhat natural.
Still, the procedure requires extreme awareness because the last thing you want to do is have the driver in the vehicle that you are merging in front of end up in your passenger seat. Nor do you want to go into a panic and wander off from the acceleration pedal and land onto the shoulder. Here are some tips to help you become a major league merger.
The Art of Entering Gaps
Merging is designed to permit vehicles to enter and exit a highway without causing disruption in the flow of traffic. Highways are equipped with on-ramps and off-ramps, which generally connect to acceleration and deceleration lanes.
The idea behind this is when you pull onto the entrance ramp, you slowly begin building velocity. At the point where you can make eye contact with the highway, you need to immediately start assessing the gaps and the speed of existing traffic. From here, you should turn on your signal to reflect your intent to other drivers to merge onto the roadway.
Then use the acceleration lane to match the speed flow, and ease your vehicle into an appropriate gap before the acceleration lane ends. Some highways give you slabs of asphalt that are long enough for a jet to take off; others, especially on the East Coast, are so short you will need to make quick decisions or yield.
A successful merge entails you entering the highway almost at or at the speed limit, while causing no disturbance in the speeds of the vehicles behind you.
Tips for Keeping the Flow
Where the entrance ramp ends and the acceleration lane begins, note the continuation of the solid white (or yellow line). Do not cross this line and head out onto the highway. It serves as the transition from the on-ramp to the lane, and crossing it can cause other drivers to miscalculate your speed and possibly collide with your vehicle. This line serves as a good indicator to begin your acceleration and gap-finding quest.
While your driver-side mirror is essential to observing traffic behind you prior to merging, you will also want to actually turn your head and check your blind spot before easing onto the road.
You should always decide on the space you will shoot for before accelerating rather than getting to full speed and then deciding. Why? Well, you only have so many yards in the lane, and if you are at full speed before you know where you are headed, you might run out of room prior to finding a traffic gap. This will cause you to have to stop, cut another driver off, or wind up on the shoulder―definitely not good merging techniques. [amazing concepts here]
If you are not familiar with the on-ramp or highway section you are entering, use extra caution because you may run into all sorts of interesting obstacles including: "no merge lane" signs, which mean you will need to yield, which may require you stop before moving into traffic; and signal lights that stagger vehicles up the entrance ramp, usually during times of high traffic.
During rush hour, when the entire traffic system slogs along at a turtle's gait, the fine art of merging takes on new importance to keep the surge moving. Many times you will be driving along the highway at a good clip, and the next thing you know you are in a mass of bumper-to-bumper madness.
It lasts for a few minutes, opens up, and then clogs again at the next exit. Sometimes this is simply due to the sheer number of vehicles trying to enter or leave the road on a single stretch of asphalt utilized both as a deceleration and acceleration lane. But, you can also bet there is some improper merging going on, causing the entire system to break down into the proverbial bottleneck.[sound familiar, Hampton Roads?!?!]
To keep a good pace in heavy traffic, merging should work like the teeth on a zipper. One vehicle merges; a vehicle already on the highway passes; another vehicle merges; a vehicle already on the highway passes, and so on. Of course, in this day and age of aggressive driving, it may not always work out this way.
The Exiting Factor
When you choose to exit the highway, you may not technically be merging (or being absorbed into traffic); rather, you are leaving the collective, but it still requires a few words.
In cases where there is only a deceleration lane and an exit ramp, you simply need to signal your intentions to other drivers and pull over. You will use the lane to slow your vehicle and continue on to other roads.
However, when the acceleration lane and the deceleration share the same portion of road surface, it can be tricky. Basically, if the vehicle entering the highway is at top acceleration, you will want to pull into the deceleration lane behind it. If you are moving at a greater clip than the vehicle just entering the acceleration lane then you will want to exit in front of the vehicle. Again, theoretically, this will keep the flow of traffic moving smoothly.
I haven't had a chance to watch this video, but I suspect it could be helpful as well... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-OmDGydsHc
Perhaps I should suggest to the local news channels they should do a news piece on the Art of Completeing a Successful Merge?
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Libertarian or Constitutional Conservative?
I received a link to this article recently... it's fairly interesting... and makes you wonder just how far away are we getting from what the original Founding Fathers intended for this great nation?
btw i had no idea who Rand Paul was until I read the last line of the article... but these days i'm too busy to follow-up my curiosity with google :(
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-08-10-column10_ST2_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
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btw i had no idea who Rand Paul was until I read the last line of the article... but these days i'm too busy to follow-up my curiosity with google :(
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-08-10-column10_ST2_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
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Thursday, March 25, 2010
had to share...
I know I said this blog isn't about me... it's about "Other Stuff"... well life/work has been so crazy lately, nothing exciting has been able to happen because I'm just too busy to be pondering or googling right now...
but I did have some humor (at least I thought it was funny) waiting for me in my inbox this morning...
After a long, exhausting, frustrating day at work, I emailed my husband late yesterday afternoon to let him know I was headed home.
This morning, I find his response... "Rommel duked on the floor again today."
It made me laugh. Rommel is one of our 19-month old Mastiffs. He is absolutely potty trained, but this is the 2nd time in 2 weeks that he has left a surprise for Donnie to find at lunch time... [i think he has entered the rebelious teenage years]
ANYWAY, I could totally relate to his findings. I feel like someone has duked on my parade for the last 2 weeks... desperately need summer time sunshine...
sorry for the rant, thanks for listening...
but I did have some humor (at least I thought it was funny) waiting for me in my inbox this morning...
After a long, exhausting, frustrating day at work, I emailed my husband late yesterday afternoon to let him know I was headed home.
This morning, I find his response... "Rommel duked on the floor again today."
It made me laugh. Rommel is one of our 19-month old Mastiffs. He is absolutely potty trained, but this is the 2nd time in 2 weeks that he has left a surprise for Donnie to find at lunch time... [i think he has entered the rebelious teenage years]
ANYWAY, I could totally relate to his findings. I feel like someone has duked on my parade for the last 2 weeks... desperately need summer time sunshine...
sorry for the rant, thanks for listening...
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill...
Benjamin Franklin was never president… and I thought only presidents were printed on US currency.
Well, I was wrong.
Neither Benjamin Franklin nor Alexander Hamilton ($10) were ever president.
So why was Benjamin Franklin chosen to represent the $100 bill aka the “Benjamin”
http://www.moneyfactory.gov/small100denom.html
the fun facts section left a bit to be desired…
Did you know Benjamin Franklin’s maternal grandfather was a descendant of JA Folger’s, founder of Folger’s Coffee??? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin
And it is here that I end my search… Based on the wiki article, I will assume B.F. was chosen to appear on US Currency because he is one of the Founding Fathers of the US…
“A signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Franklin is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the U.S. His pervasive influence in the early history of the United States has led to his being jocularly called "the only President of the United States who was never President of the United States."[110] Franklin's likeness is ubiquitous. Since 1928, it has adorned American $100 bills, which are sometimes referred to in slang as "Benjamins" or "Franklins." From 1948 to 1964, Franklin's portrait was on the half dollar. He has appeared on a $50 bill and on several varieties of the $100 bill from 1914 and 1918. Franklin appears on the $1,000 Series EE Savings bond.”
If you find a documented reason, please let me know!
Well, I was wrong.
Neither Benjamin Franklin nor Alexander Hamilton ($10) were ever president.
So why was Benjamin Franklin chosen to represent the $100 bill aka the “Benjamin”
http://www.moneyfactory.gov/small100denom.html
the fun facts section left a bit to be desired…
Did you know Benjamin Franklin’s maternal grandfather was a descendant of JA Folger’s, founder of Folger’s Coffee??? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin
And it is here that I end my search… Based on the wiki article, I will assume B.F. was chosen to appear on US Currency because he is one of the Founding Fathers of the US…
“A signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Franklin is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the U.S. His pervasive influence in the early history of the United States has led to his being jocularly called "the only President of the United States who was never President of the United States."[110] Franklin's likeness is ubiquitous. Since 1928, it has adorned American $100 bills, which are sometimes referred to in slang as "Benjamins" or "Franklins." From 1948 to 1964, Franklin's portrait was on the half dollar. He has appeared on a $50 bill and on several varieties of the $100 bill from 1914 and 1918. Franklin appears on the $1,000 Series EE Savings bond.”
If you find a documented reason, please let me know!
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