Welcome to ToTG!



March 31, 2010

3-Year Old Drummer

I don't like to post so many vids on one page, but I saw this earlier and if I don't post it now, I might forget it.

All-Mom Rock Band

This is not your father's rock music! Merry & the Mood Swings is a Dallas area group of part-time rock stars who happen to be full-time mothers.

March 30, 2010

And a Vacation is Better Than Vodka



Image courtesy of Caricature of the Day

popinjay

popinjay \POP-in-jay\ , noun;
1. A vain and talkative person.



You're So Vain - Carly Simon



A few years ago I won a radio call-in contest because I was the first one to correctly identify what "Gavotte" was.

I'm not for sure who was the subject of the song. (my money's on Warren Beatty)

March 27, 2010

sylvan

sylvan \SIL-vuhn\ , adjective;
1. Of or pertaining to woods or forest regions.
2. Living or located in a wood or forest.
3. Abounding in forests or trees; wooded.
noun:
1. A fabled deity or spirit of the woods.
2. One that lives in or frequents the woods or forest; a rustic.



Sometimes I can't see the sylvan for the sylvan.

Mission Impossible Cats

Spork Over the Cash

Million Dollar Spork?

By Ben Briscoe
NewsChannel 10

PAMPA, TEXAS - An area jail is being sued by one of its inmates for one million dollars, but the merits of the complaint are raising concerns about wasting the court's time and your taxes.

The suit was filed in federal court against three gray county jail employees including Sheriff Don Copeland. In the complaint inmate Darren Hathcoat writes by hand that the three defendants ordered, "all the jailers and the civilian kitchen workers to feed me off of styrfoam tray with no utinsels. I had to eat with my bair hands for 11 months."

Because they did not let him use a spork like other inmates... Hathcoat writes the court should, "award me one million dollars for the demorilization and metal anguish."

District Judge John Board says the courts are flooded with civil suits from prisoners. There's so many, Texas has two separate statues on the books about these inmate complaints. If a judge thinks the claim from an inmate is frivolous - they can either dismiss it without a hearing or require the person in jail to pay money up front in case it ends up being a waste of time. But board says judges exercise extreme caution.



Not for sure if the quote from the inmate is verbatim with the misspellings or slip-shod editing on the website's part.

March 26, 2010

impecunious

impecunious \im-pih-KYOO-nee-uhs\ , adjective;
1. Not having money; habitually without money; poor.



I looked this one up in the dictionary and found my picture with the definition.

Anti-Police Dog

You've heard of police dogs? This is an anti-police dog.



A Chattanooga Police officer, while running radar at 1410 Workman Road on Sunday night, had his patrol car attacked by a ferocious bulldog.

Officer Clayton Holmes said he had stopped to work on a report when he felt his car shaking. He got out to investigate and what he found was a bulldog chewing on his patrol car.

The dog chewed two tires and the entire front bumper off of the car.

Interview with Henry "Hank" Skinner



Another video (Two parts) of another interview (explicit language) at top of page, along with an interview with a friend of one of the victims.

Skinner Execution, Family Friend Speaks Out

March 25, 2010

Baked by Alice B. Toklas




You Are Brownies



You are outgoing and friendly. You don't let yourself stress too much - there's too much life to be enjoyed!

You are easy on yourself and those around you. Even if you eat the whole pan of brownies, it's really not a big deal.

Your friends can always count on you for a smile or a laugh. You rarely judge or criticize.

You are sweet because you realize not everyone's perfect. You don't try to be perfect, and you love yourself even more for it.




Alice B. Toklas

March 24, 2010

Tickling Slow Loris



What's a loris?

Supreme Court Intervenes in Skinner Case

High court blocks Texas execution

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked the execution of a Texas man who says DNA testing could clear him of the triple slaying that has sent him to death row.

The justices' order Wednesday could allow Hank Skinner access to evidence that he says could demonstrate his innocence. The 47-year-old Skinner faced lethal injection for the bludgeoning and strangling of his girlfriend, 40-year-old Twila Jean Busby, and the stabbings of her two adult sons at their home in the Texas Panhandle town of Pampa on New Year's Eve in 1993.


Just heard this on the news (and the Houston Chronicle article linked to above is less than ten minutes old at the time of this posting) Skinner was less than an hour away from being executed.

The death penalty has always held a gruesome fascination for me. I've read every thing the local library has on the subject, from factual novels such as Caryl Chessman's books, to Stephen King's fiction (made into a movie) The Green Mile. I also own a book with an article by Skinner, WRITING FOR THEIR LIVES: Death Row USA

I've extensively researched Skinner's case and while I think he is guilty of this crime, I also believe he should be afforded a new trial and that the DNA testing should be done. I hope this latest ruling by the SC will allow the testing to proceed.

More to follow as soon as more is known. For more information, The Skeptical Juror has a great series on Skinner's case.


UPDATE: France claims their plea swayed the court

The US Supreme Court has suspended the execution of convicted murderer Hank Skinner after a plea from France and his defense lawyers to allow further DNA tests.

I KNOW this isn't true. Who the hell listens to the French on ANYTHING!!!


Larry King interviews Skinner's wife and a man who was proven innocent by DNA testing.




Down to His Final Meal, Hank Skinner Granted Stay of Execution in Texas Murder Case

Just as Hank Skinner was finishing his final meal on earth -- two chicken thighs, a double bacon cheeseburger, fried catfish, onion rings, French fries, a salad with ranch dressing and a milkshake -- he received the phone call he never thought was coming. His life had been spared by the United States Supreme Court.

Read more at previous link.

March 23, 2010

OMG Cat

exiguous

exiguous \ig-ZIG-yoo-us\ , adjective;
1. Extremely scanty; meager.



Exiguous describes the posts I've made in this blog over the last...oh heck, it describes ALL the posts I've made in this blog.

March 22, 2010

Spring Has Sprung

Finally! After a cold, snowy weekend, today is beautiful.



But, as Texas Panhandle weather often does, it will change to the extreme. Tomorrow will be another lovely day, but then comes rain and more cold weather.

cacophony

cacophony \kuh-KAH-fuh-nee\ , noun;
1. Harsh or discordant sound; dissonance.
2. The use of harsh or discordant sounds in literary composition.



Wow, a word that describes both my speech AND writing.

Tractor Music

What would you do for five bucks?



What would you do for five bucks?

Find out at Fiverr.com TM. Join the site, then post what you'd do OR like done for $5.

Among the many entries are offers to alter a photo in Photoshop, create and host a blog for a month and writing some erotic fiction.

Heck, I'll write some erotic fiction for five dollars.

I'll have to get ten if I can't use the word "throbbing", though.

Fiverr.com TM

March 21, 2010

Sunday Activities

Sorry for no posts again this Sunday. (other than the "Sunday" video)

There's been a Harry Potter movie marathon all this weekend.

Tell Me on a Sunday - Sarah Brightman

March 20, 2010

Six Feet Under

No, not a grave, but the Google ranking for a post on this blog with the search terms for:

"I take pictures of my sister's feet"

No matter the search terms, I bet people are really disappointed when they arrive on My Sister's Feet

I'm not for sure if my sister is disappointed.

garrulous

garrulous \GAIR-uh-lus; GAIR-yuh-\ , adjective;
1. Talking much, especially about commonplace or trivial things; talkative.
2. Wordy.



Garrulous certainly describes most of the posts in here.

Having Wonderful Time

Wish you were beer.




You Are Budweiser



You are down to earth, well grounded, and practical. Some may even call you sensible.

You say what you mean and you mean what you say. You're straight shooting and honest.

It's likely that you're more of a productive type than a creative type. You enjoy working hard.

You live in the now and enjoy every moment. You appreciate what you've got, and you're also very humble about what you deserve.





I never would have thought Bud would be the result. I never have really liked it, but as I've grown older, my taste in beer has changed and it might taste differently to me now. I used to be a Coors guy (no "light" for me) but now it tastes like funky water.

It's not that I drink a lot of beer, but when I do, I prefer Chinese beer if I can get it; otherwise I like to drink Rolling Rock or Icehouse. Icehouse isn't the best tasting beer I have ever had, but it's got more alcohol in it than does most other beers.

There's both Icehouse and Rolling Rock in my fridge right now, but other than a six pack of RR I bought a month or so ago, the rest has been in there for a year or longer.

Like I said, I don't drink a lot of beer.

March 19, 2010

In Less Than Three Hours

It will be spring...on the calendar, anyway, but spring-like weather won't make an appearance just yet in the Texas Panhandle.

Here's the current weather for Pampa and also for a few of my online friends:



As you can see, it's the coldest here and it's going to get colder.

Here's a screenshot of the current Amarillo radar:



The storm is moving in off the Rockies, straight for the Texas Panhandle.

I guess a little snow will be OK; better than springtime tornadoes, I'd have to say.

Last second freeze protection

matutinal

matutinal \muh-TOOT-n-uhl\ , adjective;
1. Relating to or occurring in the morning; early.



Understandably, seeing as how I don't really like mornings, I didn't know this word.

Love this song, though.

Early in the Morning - Harry Nilsson

March 18, 2010

R.I.P. Fess

There have been quite a few celebrity deaths lately, but none have compelled me to create a post, especially such a large one like this.

The information below is for visitors to this site who know nothing of this American icon. Old farts such as myself will already know it.

Fess Parker

August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010

From Wikipedia

Fess Elisha Parker, Jr. was an American film and television actor best known for his 1950s portrayals of Davy Crockett for Walt Disney and his late 1960s portrayals of Daniel Boone. He was also known as a wine maker and resort owner-operator.

Parker was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up on a small farm outside San Angelo. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps at the end of World War II. He joined to become a pilot, but was turned down for being too tall (six feet, six inches) to fill such a position.

After being discharged, he was stabbed in the chin by a drunken driver during a post-collision argument. Parker required many months of rehabilitation, and was unable to participate in sports to the extent he desired.

Parker graduated from the University of Texas in 1950 with a history degree, and then moved to California, where he studied drama at the University of Southern California.



From National Enquirer

The legendary Fess Parker, who starred on the TV series "Davy Crockett" and "Daniel Boone" in the 1950s and I960s has gone hunting in the Great Unknown.

The much-beloved thesp died today at his home in the Santa Ynez Valley, Calif. He was 85.

After a career as a journeyman actor appearing in such films as Them!, Parker made it big with Walt Disney starring in a series of hit shows for the fledgling Disney empire.

After Davy Crockett mania swept the nation the likes of which had never been seen, Walt realized they had killed the goose that laid the golden egg in the 2nd installment depicting Davy's death at the Alamo.

Disney quickly rushed a prequel into production of Davy battling and later teaming with Mike Fink and his band of riverboat cutthroats.

The nascent boomers bought anything with the Davy label leading to a shocking shortage of raccoons in the mid -1950s as their pelts became scarce as every kid in the US had to have a Davy Crockett coonskin cap.

Despite a long standing friendship with Disney, Parker went on to to do his own spin-off - one that he produced - as Daniel Boone which ran on NBC in the mid sixties and was a tremendous success - for this time Parker made sure he had a cut of the merchandising.

Parker ultimately left show business for a career in business and real estate in the 1970s.

He not only opened mobile home parks and a luxury hotel in California but also made "sweet moonshine' with the Fess Parker Winery.

Fess's other flicks include his debut in Springfield Rifle, No Room for the Groom , The Kid From Left Field , The Great Locomotive Chase, Westward Ho, the Wagons!, Old Yeller and The Light in the Forest.

Sadly, Fess died on the 84th birthday of his wife of 50 years, Marcella. "She's a wreck," a family member said, adding Parker was coherent and speaking with family just minutes before his death.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

The Ballad of Davy Crockett



When I was a kid, I so wanted one of those coonskin caps. They were expensive, so I had to settle for these.


Daniel Boone Theme Song



The tv show was ok, but for me it was a letdown from Davy Crockett, a true Texas hero. (even though he was from Tennessee) I remember some alternative (playground) lyrics to the theme song, but they're not fit to reprint in this blog. (and Boone was a "big man" in the altered lyics)

cozen

cozen \KUZ-un\ , transitive verb;
1. To cheat; to defraud; to deceive, usually by petty tricks.
2. To obtain by deceit.
intransitive verb:
1. To act deceitfully.



That pretty much describes how I get people to visit this blog.

March 17, 2010

Where the Streets Have No Name - U2



I thought about making the background green just for today, but decided U2 was as Irish as I was gonna get.

Well, that and some cool little drinking smileys.

Photobucket

potable

potable \POH-tuh-buhl\ , adjective;
1. Fit to drink; suitable for drinking; drinkable.
noun:
1. A potable liquid; a beverage, especially an alcoholic beverage.



I suppose it's only coincidence that today's word appears on St. Patrick's Day.

Photobucket

March 16, 2010

Lawyers make last bid

From Houston Chronicle:



Lawyers make last bid for man convicted in Panhandle slayings
Houston Chronicle
The case of Skinner, set to die March 24 for the 1993 Pampa murders of his girlfriend, Twila Busby, and her two adult sons, has created furor among death ...
Science may hold the answers, but people have to ask the questions
Dallas Morning News (blog)


all 4 news articles »
"

March 15, 2010

gravitas

gravitas \GRAV-uh-tahs\ , noun;
1. High seriousness (as in a person's bearing or in the treatment of a subject).



Not much gravitas goin' on 'round here.

And that's a good thing.

The Ultimate Harry Potter Quiz

From the site:

The Harry Potter novels, most of us don't need to be told, are the best-selling children's books of all time. Even if you haven't cracked open any of the seven enormous volumes in the series, you probably know who Dumbledore is and how Harry got that scar on his forehead. If you have read them all, you know that 20 questions make only a tiny dent in a massive iceberg -- so don't dwell on what we've missed. Pretend this quiz is your N.E.W.T.-level exam and see if you pass.



I scored 18 out of 20. I missed a Voldemort question I shouldn't have, and another about how many books Rowling has sold. "Helluvalot" wasn't one of the options.

I'm a huge HP fan and don't much mind the looks I get when I go out wearing my replica sorting hat.



The Ultimate Harry Potter Quiz

Rasberry Crazy Ants

Dave's Not Here




Your New Name Should Be Robert David



David means "beloved" - your new name will definitely bring you more love!





I don't know very many Davids, but out of all I know, I dislike most of 'em. Now, David is a fine name otherwise, it's just that I wouldn't name my child that.

It's been said a joke isn't funny if you have to explain it. For those of you who don't "get" the post title reference, here's the explanation.



Aw heck, it's still funny.

Guess you'd have to have been there.

I think I was, but my memory's a little fuzzy.

ScribblerTwo



Create your own Scribbler artwork with this nifty application. Select the canvas, brush settings and color and if you like, upload your own graphic to scribble upon.

(This reminds me of the glitzer/grappa applets )

ScribblerTwo

March 14, 2010

We Gotta Get Out Of This Place - The Animals

When the Conversation Stalls

From the Photobucket archives:


This could happen to you!

I was barely sitting down when I heard a voice from the other stall saying:

"Hi, how are you?"

I'm not the type to start a conversation in the restroom. I don't know what got into me, but I answered, somewhat embarrassed,

"Doing' just fine!"

And the other person says:

"So what are you up to?"

What kind of question is that? At that point, I'm thinking this is too bizarre so I say:

"Uhhh, I'm like you, just sitting here. "

At this point I am just trying to get out as fast as I can when I hear another question:

"Can I come over?"

Ok, this question is just too weird for me. I figured I could politely end the conversation. I say:

"No... I'm a little busy right now!!!"

Then I hear the person say, nervously:

"Listen, I'll have to call you back. There's an idiot in the other stall who keeps answering all my questions!!"

March 13, 2010

Now That Obama Is President

Rob Riggle: Now That Obama Is President:

"Now that he is our president, I think it's time we as a nation just took a deep breath and collectively just said out loud,

'O.J. killed those people.' "

"It feels good."

solecism

solecism \SOL-uh-siz-uhm\ , noun;
1. A nonstandard usage or grammatical construction; also, a minor blunder in speech.
2. A breach of good manners or etiquette.
3. Any inconsistency, mistake, or impropriety.



A lot of solecism goes on 'round here.

March 12, 2010

Comfortable Ways of Sleeping in a Box

From Damn Cool Pics



Follow the above link to see over 20 other photos of cats in boxes. I picked this particular one because it looks a lot like the Beej. When he gets comfortable on my lap or lying beside me, he tucks his head under like that cat is doing.

Somewhere out there is a pic of me as a young boy lying on my bed with my head in a box. My family always laughed about it, but it was an effective way of blocking off noise in our small and crowded house. I could hold my book on my chest and escape into the story and not be distracted. It was also comforting in a way.

It's not-so-strange to admit to liking cats. It's a fairly strange thing to confess I've always been fascinated by boxes.

Comfortable Ways of Sleeping in a Box

March 11, 2010

March 10, 2010

As Smart As a Pig, Anyway




You Are Intelligent



You are a very stubborn and headstrong person. You know you are capable, and you never doubt your decisions.

You resent authority and being told what to do. In most cases you know best anyway.

You are constantly underestimated and misunderstood in your life. People don't understand how great you are.

You don't mind if your greatness goes unrecognized though. You know your own value, and that's good enough for you!





I found a finger puppet the other day; it's Hulk Hogan and the weird thing is I just finished his autobiography.

Hogan, not the finger puppet. Same thing, really.

This Kiss Miss

Notable North Texas athletes, mayors, and personalities offered their singing talents (or at least singing efforts!) to recreate Faith Hill's hit single "This Kiss."

This must-see video debuted before Faith Hill's concert at Bass Hall in Fort Worth for the opening concert of the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee's Kick-off Concert Series.





Good Grief. To think I used to really admire some of those people.

A Thief at Dawn

I awoke early this morning; my blood sugar was too high and it always leads to excessive thirst. Of course, drinking so much water leads to something else, so I had a restless night.

Looking bleary-eyed at the clock (4:01 a.m.!!!)and remembering that the Beej was outside, I stumbled my way to the front door where I found him waiting on me. He was vocal in his having had been left out for most of the night, but I ignored him, went to the bathroom, took a healthy drink of water and tried to go back to sleep.

It wasn't five minutes after lying down that I heard and felt a heavy thump from the front porch. After taking my air conditioner down a few months ago, I just left it there. It's extremely heavy and I nearly threw my back out taking it down. If not moved with caution, the fins on the back can slice multiple cuts on the mover's hands and wrists.

Then came the sound of metal on metal, and I jumped up. Another larger, louder thump came immediately after and as I jerked open the door, I saw a guy slam the door on what looked like a small Ford Bronco, black or dark green, with the tailgate and door open as it sped off down the street. ( the back open and ready for my AC, I deduced. He had dropped the a/c when he heard me rushing to the door)

Even though the only thing I had on my feet was a pair of brand-new white socks, I started to give chase. I couldn't read the license, but as I stopped running and stood there, I saw the vehicle go down the street for a few blocks, then turn into a driveway.

I went back inside, grabbed my keys and drove down the block, slowing down by the house. The guy was standing by the truck, then when I drove on and turned around at the next block, he moved onto the porch. The sun wasn't up yet, but the glow from the east and the dim streetlights gave me a decent look at him. Returning my stare as I drove back by, he stood there defiantly, but when I slowed to stop, he popped into the house. I wished I had brought a pistol, then immediately was glad I didn't. I wasn't all that angry, not then...I just felt violated and scared. The time to have shot him was when he had my a/c in his hands.

He could be anyone, but I'm bettin' he's a crackhead (seriously, what sort of semi-smart thief would steal from a house w/ the lights and TV on? Stealing a refrigerated air conditioner in winter?) and I'll have to be extra vigilant and careful. In a way, I'm hopin' he'll try again and I'll be a little more ready for him. I don't really want to shoot him for trying to steal my air conditioner; I can have sympathy for someone who has let drugs rule his life and, that life, even though it's a pathetic one, is worth more than a two hundred dollar cooling unit.

No, I want to shoot him because he caused me to ruin a brand-new pair of white socks.

March 9, 2010

Oklahoma Tornadoes

TornadoVideos.net storm chasers captured three tornadoes in west-central Oklahoma on March 8, 2010, including the damaging Hammon tornado! Follow along with these and other chasers Live at www.TornadoVideos.net



This isn't too far away and I've roughnecked/drilled in that area.

Ear Wiggling

From the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders website:

Secret Talents: Justine Phillips




Pffft, I can wiggle my big ol' LBJ ears much better than that. I can wiggle my ears so rapidly that, if I've got a good headwind and lean into the hearty Panhandle breeze plus flap my arms some, I can lift off the ground a little bit.

If you look at the menu below the vid, there are a few other "talents" demonstrated, such as touching tongue to nose, wiggling eyes and juggling.

I can juggle too, and can spell "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I".

That's probably enough braggin'.

Short-Term Energy Outlook

I subscribe to this govt. website's reports and predictions on energy.




The Short-Term Energy Outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration

Highlights

* Although spot crude oil prices continue to fluctuate on a daily basis, EIA’s projections for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil spot prices have remained relatively stable over the last 4 Outlooks. EIA expects WTI prices to average above $80 per barrel this spring, rising to an average of about $82 per barrel by the end of the year and to $85 per barrel by the end of 2011.

* Projected economic growth this year is higher in this forecast, with U.S. real gross domestic product (GDP) growing by 2.8 percent and world oil-consumption-weighted real GDP growing by 3.4 percent, compared with 2.3 percent and 2.7 percent growth, respectively, in last month’s Outlook. The 2011 forecast for real GDP growth is relatively unchanged at 2.6 percent and 3.5 percent for the United States and the world, respectively.

* EIA forecasts that the annual average regular grade retail gasoline price will increase from $2.35 per gallon in 2009 to $2.84 in 2010 and to $2.96 in 2011 because of the projected rising crude oil prices. Average U.S. pump prices likely will exceed $3 per gallon at times during the forthcoming spring and summer driving season. Projected annual average retail diesel fuel prices are $2.96 and $3.14 per gallon, respectively, in 2010 and 2011.

* EIA expects this year’s annual average natural gas Henry Hub spot price to be $5.17 per million Btu (MMBtu), a $1.22-per-MMBtu increase over the 2009 average. EIA projects price increases to continue in 2011, averaging $5.65 per MMBtu for the year. Projected working gas inventories end the first quarter of 2010 at about 1,550 billion cubic feet (Bcf) compared with 1,644 Bcf in the previous Outlook because of colder-than-normal weather in February. Natural-gas-weighted heating degree-days were nearly 11 percent above the 30-year norm last month.

* The annual average residential electricity price changes only slightly over the forecast period, averaging 11.5 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) in both 2009 and 2010, and then rising to 11.6 cents per kWh in 2011.

* Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels, which declined by 6.4 percent in 2009, increase by 1.5 percent and 1.2 percent in 2010 and 2011, respectively, in the forecast as economic growth fuels higher energy consumption.

March 8, 2010

Kick the Bucket




You Are KFC



You are down home and traditional. You appreciate a home cooked meal that reminds you of your childhood.

When it comes to choices, pleasure always wins out for you. You never sacrifice quality of experience.

You are not anxious to try new things. You tend to be both personally and fiscally conservative.

You like to be comfortable and safe. For you, there's nothing better than feeling completely cozy.





There were a couple of questions I could've given a different answer, but these results suit me. I really like KFC, even if I don't eat there much.

Russian Rickroll



OR, you can use this link: Trolololololololo

(What's rickrolling, you ask?)

languor

languor \LANG-guhr; LANG-uhr\ , noun;
1. Mental or physical weariness or fatigue.
2. Listless indolence, especially the indolence of one who is satiated by a life of luxury or pleasure.
3. A heaviness or oppressive stillness of the air.



A lovely, expressive word that defines itself. I believe the first time I ever heard it said was in The Longest Day, one of the best WWII movies and one of my favorites.

This was broadcast to the French underground and freedom fighters to alert them that the invasion was beginning:

Blessent mon cœur d'une langeur monotone

"Wounds my heart with a monotonous languor."

From Chanson d'Automne from Paul Verlaine.

Toyota Simulator



LMAO funny

Toyota Simulator

Whole Lotta Wallpaper



Loads of 'em

Free Mystical Monkey Cleaner

The Mystical Monkey's All-Purpose Cleaner Free Sample


Fill out the form and answer a couple of questions to receive a sample of Mystical Monkey cleaner.

To be honest, I'm not overly enthused about the free sample but am rather intrigued about the existence of a mystical monkey.

March 7, 2010

An Off Sunday

Sunday is nearly over, but I still felt a need to declare I took the day off.

That said, I'm taking the rest of the day off, too.

March 6, 2010

I'd Love to Change the World -Ten Years After



Another version on YT: LIVE 7-07



This is one of my favorite songs, and a quick search of my highest ranked songs in my mp3 jukebox gave me no results; before I went and paid Amazon their .89 cents for the tune, I used a file search in my My Music folder and found it. That was cool, but also disturbing that I had not rated the song to add it to my jukebox.

I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you

March 3, 2010

This Too Shall Pass - OK Go



We featured another cool vid by OK Go (once before) in this blog, but the powers-that-be have taken it down. (can't be embedded) View the vid on YouTube

Funny "Page Not Found" Message

Earlier while looking for the Texas primary election results, I got this "page not found" message at Texas Tribune:

Teenager Audio Test

The Teenager Audio Test - Can you hear this sound?

Created by Oatmeal




Yeah, I might have failed this hearing test, but I darn sure can hear their window rattling music when they drive down this street.

... as I'm sure older people could hear mine when I was that age, plus the wore out glass-pack dual exhausts I had on my hot rod, too. I'd like to think I was a little bit more thoughtful in residential areas than these kids are today, but that's really my only gripe about them. I was young and dumb once, too. I'll certainly admit their stereos are much better than mine was, and so are (most of )their vehicles.

The music I listened to was much, much better, though.

Life Expectancy Calculators

via World Of Mysteries

  1. Living to 100: Take this quiz, and then find out how you can lengthen your life expectancy by following the recommendations and tips offered by the calculator.
  2. The Longevity Game: This fun quiz from Northwestern Mutual takes you through your lifestyle choices, and the image representing you waxes and wanes with your life expectancy.
  3. Original Death Calculator: Find out when you are likely to die. Answering these questions about your history, genetics, lifestyle and habits can help you figure out when you are likely to kick the bucket.
  4. The Death Clock: Answer very simple questions, and The Death Clock will return an exact date and time of your death. As for how accurate it is — who knows? Especially since it is based on your birth date, gender, BMI and whether or not you smoke. But it sure is fun.
  5. Real Age: This life expectancy quiz asks you questions about how well you are maintaining your body. Your biological age may actually be younger than the age you are now. Of course, if you haven’t been taking care of yourself, your biological age could be higher — and your life expectancy shorter.
  6. Death by Caffeine: Figure out how much caffeine it would take to kill you, based on your favorite caffeinated beverages or foods. Your life expectancy may not be longer than you can guzzle 56.31 cans of Monster Energy drink in one sitting.
  7. The Booze Death Calculator: Figure out your life expectancy if you are out partying hard and binge drinking. Pick your alcoholic beverage of choice, and see how much of it would kill you.
  8. NPC Life Expectancy Quiz: Read through this to determine how long you would survive in a video game. A fun look at life expectancy.
  9. How Long Will I Live?: Answer questions about your current lifestyle, and then get a look at how long you are likely to live. Progress further in the test to get an analysis of your health risks and how you can improve you situation and your life expectancy.
  10. Life expectancy calculator: MSN money offers you a calculator that takes into account your current lifestyle, as well as different stressors that might be part of your life, and looks at your family history and other factors.
  11. Find Your Fate: This is another calculator that asks you more specific questions and attempts to pinpoint the possible date of your death. Interestingly, whether or not you brush or floss your teeth is on this quiz.
  12. The Amazing Death Predictor: This is a tongue in cheek prediction that asks simple questions (some of which may not have to do with whether you are living a healthy lifestyle) and then generates a random death for you. Such as dying when you experience a mid-air collision when your personal jet pack malfunctions.
  13. Will You See Your 80th Birthday?: Check to see whether or not the chances are good for you to live to the age of 80.
  14. Death Date: Get a death date, and poke around for other interesting tidbits, such as what you will do in the afterlife, what you will come back as, should you reincarnate.
  15. Life Expectancy Quiz: Pacific Life tests your knowledge of life expectancy facts, and helps you figure out whether you really are adequately providing your future.
  16. Date of Death Calculator: This is a fun Facebook app that lets you figure out when you will die. You can compare with your friends and post to your profile.
  17. Life Expectancy Calculator: You can learn your virtual age as well as your life expectancy. Learn about how you compare to others of your physical age, and whether you are actually younger or older than your current physical age suggests. The sliding scale allows you to more accurately assess your situation when answering questions.
  18. Life Expectancy Calculator: What to figure your life expectancy yourself? This formula from the Minnesota State Retirement System can help you out.
  19. Life Expectancy Calculator from MetLife: This calculator will help you determine your life expectancy — and help you figure out how you can outlive your money.
  20. Life Expectancy Quiz: Answer these questions about your lifestyle, and find out whether or not you are as healthy as you think you are.
  21. Death Risk Rankings: Compare life expectancy and death risk in different countries, and by other factors, such as gender. It’s an interesting death quiz that helps you compare your life expectancy to others’.
  22. Life Expectancy Calculator/Life Expectancy Test: This quiz asks you questions about your personal life, financial life and lifestyle habits in an effort to help you figure out what your life expectancy is likely to be.
  23. What is your biological age?: Find out whether you are aging more quickly than you should be. See what certain habits and lifestyle choices are doing for your biological age.
  24. Increased Life Expectancy Calculator: Add years to your life by adjusting your fitness routine. This calculator helps you see how much you could gain by making changes with your exercise.
  25. Life Expectancy Calculator: Your age, race, education and income can all affect your life expectancy. Here is a calculator that shows you how.

eructation

eructation \ih-ruhk-TAY-shuhn\, noun;
1. The act of belching; a belch.



Oh yeah, calling the act of belching "eructation" makes it so much more classy.


Edit to add something that triggered an old memory and probably should be left unmentioned, but what the heck, huh?

I used to roughneck on a drilling rig with a guy - he was on the daylight shift, the crew that relieved mine; I worked morning tour and would try my best to either be dressed before he got there or would wait until he had dressed and was gone from the doghouse.

He was an obnoxious jerk, and I tried to avoid him as best as I could, but that wasn't the reason I didn't want to be around him; no, it was because he had a horrible habit of belching with such velocity that it was like a punch in the face even standing at the other end of the doghouse. I cannot describe his "eructation" with the horrible accuracy it deserves, but his burps smelled like a flatulent skunk which had eaten rotten eggs and lived in a septic tank.

The guy drank beer all the time, even sneaking a few out on the rig when he could get by with it. He often bragged about knocking back a case of beer after work and I had personally seen him peel an onion and eat it like an apple. He was also partial to some sort of odorous, soft, runny cheese; I don't remember the name of the cheese, but it smelled like stinky feet. It was no wonder his burps smelled so bad, especially after beer, raw onions and cheese aged in a dirty sock had been fermenting in his stomach all night. Bless his poor wife.

His burps were far worse than any, ANY fart I've ever had the misfortune to smell.

A few years later I was out of a job because of one of the several oil field recessions I went though in my roughnecking career. I was offered work by a man I really liked and respected, but when I found out the "burper" was on the crew, I had to decline. I could only imagine how bad it would be to ride back and forth to and from work with him.

March 1, 2010

My Gas Bill Makes Me Hot




You Should Stay Warm by Bundling Up



You are a rational and logical person. You are good at solving problems.

So if you're cold, it makes sense to just put another layer on. You are very practical that way.

You are rarely unprepared in life. You would never forget your gloves and hat on a cold day.

You're ready for anything that comes your way. By being responsible, you find it easy to relax and enjoy life.


Bad Bad Leroy Brown - Jim Croce

Bierocks

via Start Sampling
Bierocks (German Meat Turnovers)

Pastry baked with a savory beef, onion, and cabbage filling. This is a recipe from my friend's aunt. She served it during Octoberfest.

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 45 Min
Ready In: 1 Hr
Servings: 12

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 small head cabbage, chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:

Saute beef, onion and garlic, salt and lemon pepper in a large skillet over medium high heat, until beef is browned. Add cabbage, Worcestershire sauce and caraway seeds. Cook until cabbage is limp; drain liquid from mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

On a lightly floured board, roll each loaf of dough into a 12 inch circle. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Spoon cabbage/beef filling onto center of each dough piece, dividing equally. Pull three points of each wedge up to the center and pinch to seal. Place bierocks on a lightly greased cookie sheet. If desired, brush dough with melted butter or egg wash (1 egg white with 2 tablespoons water).

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot, or wrap and freeze for heating later.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 368 | Total Fat: 16.6g | Cholesterol: 45mg

Source: AllRecipes


Every time I hear or read of bierocks, I think of Darrouzett, a small town at the very top of the Texas Panhandle. We used to play them in both basketball and football and the concession stand always sold bierocks. At the time, I hated cabbage, but it was delicious in the homemade bierocks.

Note: The first link was to the printable page; here's the page w/ reader comments:

Bierocks

Free Kashi Sample

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We’ll help you stay on track with your 2010 resolution to eat healthier.
After all, it’s easy to eat right when it actually tastes great.


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Uncle Jay Explains (3-1)

pablum

pablum \PAB-luhm\ , noun;
1. Something (as writing or speech) that is trite, insipid, or simplistic.
2. (capitalized) A trademark used for a bland soft cereal for infants.



Maybe I should have named this blog "The Pampa Pablum".

11 Little-Known Grammatical Errors

That Will Shock and Horrify You

You know who everyone loves? The guy who constantly corrects everyone's grammar.

I hope that this list helps you become That Guy and, in the process, make tons and tons of new friends.

11 Little-Known Grammatical Errors That Will Shock and Horrify You

I recently read that the way to really increase comments to a post is to misspell a word in the title.