Sunday, November 15, 2009
Racine, Wi 1989
Hey,
I was looking around on the internet looking for something off of youtube and I came across some videos about Racine. After tearing up again looking at the flooding pictures and even saw my parents house in one of the videos I moved on to something a little more uplifting.. I found this video of Racine, Wi from 1989 was kind of fun to look at again.
I was looking around on the internet looking for something off of youtube and I came across some videos about Racine. After tearing up again looking at the flooding pictures and even saw my parents house in one of the videos I moved on to something a little more uplifting.. I found this video of Racine, Wi from 1989 was kind of fun to look at again.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Fall comes to the south
Some of you have already seen the beautiful picture I took of the waterfalls in the Carolinas on my trip last week. This one was my favorite (notice I'm not in it!!!!) The colors were beautiful. I found that I miss the country-gal side of me. I hiked through the woods in the rain and ENJOYED IT! I had forgotten how much I loved just a walk through the quietitude of the forest.
And my trek would not have been more complete unless I saw a SNAKE. Unfortunately, I didn't have my phone or camera with me, but it was about 4-5 feet long and black and ugly (ever seen an attractive snake??). Guess that was my welcome to South Carolina!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Four for Fridays
Hey Everybody! Today is Friday the 13th! How about that? This week's questions are about superstitions.
1) Are you superstitious?
2) Do you believe in karma?
3) Do you believe in ghosts, UFO's, paranormal activity, ect?
4)What do you do for good luck?
Have a good weekend folks! Hope to see you all tonight!
1) Are you superstitious?
2) Do you believe in karma?
3) Do you believe in ghosts, UFO's, paranormal activity, ect?
4)What do you do for good luck?
Have a good weekend folks! Hope to see you all tonight!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
What Heppened to Religious Freedom in America?
‘Religious pilgrimage' turns into drug arrest
"TOWN OF BURLINGTON - A 19-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man who said he was on a religious pilgrimage were arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia Monday, according to a criminal complaint.
"Chelsea Milton, 19, and Anthony Siefried, 24, were charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession with intent to deliver, according to the complaint. The complaint said that Milton was homeless and it did not state an address for Siefried.
"Law enforcement was advised at about 3:45 a.m. Monday that possible burglary suspects were in a car parked next to a Mormon church at 4207 Mormon Road, the complaint said.
"Upon searching the car, officers reportedly found marijuana in various places, as well as glass pipes, a grinder, a gram scale, rolling papers and empty plastic bags.
"Siefried reportedly 'went on a long rambling story about Burlington being Zion and how it was one of the few places that would not be destroyed during the apocalypse' but when asked to give simple answers, he allegedly told police he has a problem smoking weed.
"When asked if the marijuana was his, Siefried reportedly said, 'I'm sorry for breaking your state laws, but I'm just here on a religious pilgrimage.'"
http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_ba957b48-cf28-11de-aa3d-001cc4c03286.html
Wasn't our country founded on religious freedom? How about we start busting down the doors of Catholic churches when the congregants are huffing frankincense? How about we string up Protestant preachers when they propose peace with our enemies? How about we round up all those spaced-out Buddhists chanting and meditating themselves into a stupor? Freedom from religious persecution is one of our most basic rights, and I am appalled and galled to see the Burlington police disrespect our Constitution in this manner. Call the American Civil Liberties Union!
"TOWN OF BURLINGTON - A 19-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man who said he was on a religious pilgrimage were arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia Monday, according to a criminal complaint.
"Chelsea Milton, 19, and Anthony Siefried, 24, were charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession with intent to deliver, according to the complaint. The complaint said that Milton was homeless and it did not state an address for Siefried.
"Law enforcement was advised at about 3:45 a.m. Monday that possible burglary suspects were in a car parked next to a Mormon church at 4207 Mormon Road, the complaint said.
"Upon searching the car, officers reportedly found marijuana in various places, as well as glass pipes, a grinder, a gram scale, rolling papers and empty plastic bags.
"Siefried reportedly 'went on a long rambling story about Burlington being Zion and how it was one of the few places that would not be destroyed during the apocalypse' but when asked to give simple answers, he allegedly told police he has a problem smoking weed.
"When asked if the marijuana was his, Siefried reportedly said, 'I'm sorry for breaking your state laws, but I'm just here on a religious pilgrimage.'"
http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_ba957b48-cf28-11de-aa3d-001cc4c03286.html
Wasn't our country founded on religious freedom? How about we start busting down the doors of Catholic churches when the congregants are huffing frankincense? How about we string up Protestant preachers when they propose peace with our enemies? How about we round up all those spaced-out Buddhists chanting and meditating themselves into a stupor? Freedom from religious persecution is one of our most basic rights, and I am appalled and galled to see the Burlington police disrespect our Constitution in this manner. Call the American Civil Liberties Union!
It's Nomination Time again
Sorry for being a day late.
Well, who ticked you off this week. Who put the steam in your kettle? Who soiled your oatmeal. Who deserves to be shown how we really feel. Nominate for the Bird Of th Week., Name and reason please.
Well, who ticked you off this week. Who put the steam in your kettle? Who soiled your oatmeal. Who deserves to be shown how we really feel. Nominate for the Bird Of th Week., Name and reason please.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veterans Day
To all who served with honor, those who paid the ultimate price, and those who made it back. Those overseas right now, and those waiting to go. To the families who sacrificed time spent with a loved one. No matter if you were in France, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, or a lucky one who never saw combat. Army, Navy, Air Force Marines, Coast Guard, Reserves. You are our heroes. You made and are still keeping us free. You are part of what makes the USA the best nation in the world. Red state, blue state, Conservative or Liberal, black, white, yellow, brown. If your here today and have the freedom to speak your mind in a land that is free, thank a vet today.
Special thanks to My Dad who served in the Air Force 1959-1963, and my cousin who was a pilot in Vietnam, and was shot down in 1973 and still listed as MIA. You will not be forgotten.
Special thanks to My Dad who served in the Air Force 1959-1963, and my cousin who was a pilot in Vietnam, and was shot down in 1973 and still listed as MIA. You will not be forgotten.
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my nubile niblets. How are you? Have you been taking precautions to avoid the flu? I keep washing my hands, but I remember only long after I’ve had contact with other people. By then I’m sure my hands have been all over the place. Ahem. I really don’t like to dabble too much in the medical arts (MDs and their lawyers are a testy lot), but I may end up giving Racine a hand if they can’t round up some more flu vaccine. Perhaps a shipment or two intended for our over-served neighboring counties could be “accidentally” routed our way. You never know what might happen once the goods leave the facility. Ahem, ahem.I was going to comment on our beloved Packers heartbreaking loss to the hapless Buccaneers, but I just don’t have the heart. On a related subject, I still haven’t pinned down the elusive Mr. Favre, but when I do, I’m going to use ring shank nails.
We received a couple of emails this week. The first one came from the irrepressible Mr. Huck Finn, who wrote:
Dear Madam,
I’ve felt bad that you’ve not had any questions come your way, and have had some for awhile. Back in 2005 I swore it’d be the year Huck gets a Harlot, but that didn’t happen. In 2006 I tried Bill gets a Babe, but that too didn’t happen. In 2008 I was determined that Denny gets a Diva (I change my name a lot) and alas that too was a bomb. While I did have dinner with a gal that claimed the carpet matched the curtains… nothing came of that but good conversation. I’m wondering what I should name 2010. Would you happen to have a name that’d work some magic? Looking at all the bride brokers, there has to be some girl somewhere in the world desperatexxxxx adventurous enough, so I’m also wondering which country has the best pickings. Those Romanian women are awful hot, what do you think about a fine Russian bride? Maybe I should look into a Taiwanese gal like my cousin did. He’s happily married and living like a king over there now. For some reason it just seems it’d be easier to pull the wool over the eyes… uh I mean impress a foreign gal than a local. What do you think?
Another question deals with gold. I see gold is going up, up, up, and I’m wondering when (date and time) over the next year would be a good time to sell. I have some darts and calendar which may give me as good an idea as any, but you do have that crystal ball, and might give a word more than, “When it’s high enough” for advice. I hear Bride brokers aren’t cheap and those Romanian women can be real gold diggers.
Huck
Dear Mr. Huck Finn, thank you so much for your concern about the number of queries that I receive. I am not troubled by a lack of emails from my friends; I take it to mean that they are doing well. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I seem to do pretty well at jabbering away enough to fill up the space in my blogs. However, I always appreciate hearing from my beloved Irregulars, especially when they are in need of my services.
In response to your request for a name to give 2010, the first thing that popped into my devilish mind was Wade gets Laid, but I’m sorry, that’s not nice. Ahem again. How about Al gets a Gal, or Brady gets a Lady? As for your questions concerning Romanian women, I must admit to some prejudice: Romanian women are the finest in the world. You would do well to meet one. I do not know about bride brokers, they are affiliated with a different union, but you are correct in your thinking that a woman from a foreign land will help you achieve what you desire. A fish out of water, as it were, will be easier to hook.
You know, for that nasty remark about Romanian women being gold diggers, I should give you the wrong date to sell your gold. I’m not that way, though, Mr. Finn. I love all of my Irregulars. The day to sell your gold is Friday the 13th. I think. Ahem.
The second email came from the lustrous Lizardmom, who wrote:
dearest madame zoltar,
would it at all be possible for winter to afflict the south instead this year? I am very certain that those poor souls down there miss the snow that we have seen plenty of. I think it's time to share. We can handle the burden of having to have a warm winter, it's the least we can do, can you hook us up? please???
forever yours, lizardmom
(lizards like it warm!)
Dearest Lizardmom, thank you for contacting me with your question. It’s always good to hear from you. I agree that those in the southern latitudes have been deprived of a white Christmas for far too long. Unfortunately, as I have stated elsewhere, Mother Nature and I are not the dearest of friends. Ahem. She seems to take particular delight in interrupting my astral projection pathways with meteorological events. In any case, MN does not seem inclined to agree to any of my exhortations, nor is she susceptible to my considerable powers. Too bad. I also like it hot. I have been sending dear Mother telepathic communications on a regular basis imploring for mercy this winter, but truly one can only hope.
I also intend to make an appearance at the JTI Bowling Extravaganza and Bake Sale. Wait till you try my home made baklava. Because of my “extra” abilities, I’ve been banned from bowling tournament play, but I promise to go easy on my friends. I’ll be the one with a turban.
Don’t forget to forward your anagrams and launch codes to: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Thank you all for reading my blog. I really appreciate you taking the time to spend with me. Have a beautiful week, each and every one of you. Vivaldi!
Brooklyn Guy Makes Pizza Pies Fly
I grew up not far from DeRango's on High Street. (Now "Chubbies.") Back in the day, they had big windows looking in on the kitchen, fronted by a large table where they used a machine to resize the pizza dough, but still gave it a whirling toss up into the air occasionally. It was something to watch them do that, and then apply the toppings. When they were busy, they had two guys doing it. Nothing that I saw rivaled what shows in the video above, but it brought back some good memories.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
20 Years Post Berlin Wall
Yep, another pretty big anniversary today: 20 years ago today the Berlin Wall came down and with it, a whole mess of governments and a major realignment in Europe.
I was in college at the time. I heard the news from a friend and went back to my dorm room to turn on All Things Considered and listened to the coverage. I was sitting there using my dial up modem to call into the campus computer system and wrote some emails to a couple of friends who were studying in Germany at the time (yes, email existed back that and I had an account). I also remember it was a Thursday. The next night my college improv troupe had our first off campus show (ever) and did several scenes set in and around the Berlin Wall which was rapidly being torn down at the time.
And of course it was one of the biggest spontaneous parties of the century, probably the biggest since the end of World War II...and I was missing it (yep, that's how college students think).
I have been to Germany, but not near the old border or Berlin. Last year when I was in Romania, I intentionally found several of the places I remembered watching on television when they overthrew communism. I went to the monuments and saw where Nicolae Ceauşescu was made his last appearance before he was executed and even found his grave.
It was just such an amazing time in history. Although there are still some growing pains in some of the former communist countries, the fall of communism in the early 90's definitely made the world a safer and better place.
I was in college at the time. I heard the news from a friend and went back to my dorm room to turn on All Things Considered and listened to the coverage. I was sitting there using my dial up modem to call into the campus computer system and wrote some emails to a couple of friends who were studying in Germany at the time (yes, email existed back that and I had an account). I also remember it was a Thursday. The next night my college improv troupe had our first off campus show (ever) and did several scenes set in and around the Berlin Wall which was rapidly being torn down at the time.
And of course it was one of the biggest spontaneous parties of the century, probably the biggest since the end of World War II...and I was missing it (yep, that's how college students think).
I have been to Germany, but not near the old border or Berlin. Last year when I was in Romania, I intentionally found several of the places I remembered watching on television when they overthrew communism. I went to the monuments and saw where Nicolae Ceauşescu was made his last appearance before he was executed and even found his grave.
It was just such an amazing time in history. Although there are still some growing pains in some of the former communist countries, the fall of communism in the early 90's definitely made the world a safer and better place.
In Case of Emergency - A Mask for H1N1
In case we run out of masks during the H1N1 flu season, here is a ‘homemade’ mask you can make yourself.
It is even compatible with the wearing of glasses.
One thing though ---
It is even compatible with the wearing of glasses.
One thing though ---
MAKE SURE YOUR MASK IS CLEAN!!!!!!!!
Yes, that's me modeling it.
Yes, that's me modeling it.
Prison System Overhaul
I'm a strong believer of an overhaul of our country's prison system. It seems to me that our prisons and jails are overcrowded with non violent inmates that can rehabilitated. Many of them are drug addicts. Our war against drugs is dysfunctional. As long as there is a demand, there will always be a supply. So why feed into this? We need to take the demand away. We need to focus on rehabilitation and prevention. Studies have shown that it is cheaper and more cost effective to rehabilitate than it is just lock them up for their crimes. We Americans as a society need to stop thinking of this "just lock 'em up'" mentality and start thinking outside of the box. Some of these "prisoners" could use a second lease in life.The state of California has already started a program that works. I've seen it in the works.
Here is an excellent article on the subject. Check it out, please.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Impromptu get-together
HEY GANG -
I know it's not much warning,
BUT...
THIS FRIDAY, Nov. 13th
(oh ya, Friday the 13th is about
as classic irregular as it gets!)
BOWLING!!!!!!!!!
6pm @ The Usual Place
Hope you can come out,
we'll have fun!!
RSVP here, and see you THERE!!!
(if this will be your 1st time out
with us, contact me and I'll
make sure we find you)
lizardmom@wi.rr.com
I know it's not much warning,
BUT...
THIS FRIDAY, Nov. 13th
(oh ya, Friday the 13th is about
as classic irregular as it gets!)
BOWLING!!!!!!!!!
6pm @ The Usual Place
Hope you can come out,
we'll have fun!!
RSVP here, and see you THERE!!!
(if this will be your 1st time out
with us, contact me and I'll
make sure we find you)
lizardmom@wi.rr.com
Arthur Benjamin does "Mathemagic"
"TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Program, the new TEDx community program, this year's TEDIndia Conference and the annual TED Prize."
http://www.ted.com/
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Life Imitates the Simpsons
In the Simpsons, Homer's brother Herb (who's car company was bankrupted by Homer in an earlier episode) invents a baby translator. The Baby Translator does just what it sounds like: it translates babies crys, goo ga's and gurgles into what they really mean.
Now many years later, there's an app for that as they say. The $30 Cry Translator for the iPhone tells you if the cry is "hungry, sleepy, stressed, annoyed or bored." They claim 96% accuracy regardless of the age of the child.
Almost makes me want to try it on Glenn Beck!
Now many years later, there's an app for that as they say. The $30 Cry Translator for the iPhone tells you if the cry is "hungry, sleepy, stressed, annoyed or bored." They claim 96% accuracy regardless of the age of the child.
Almost makes me want to try it on Glenn Beck!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Four for Fridays
Hello everybody! Welcome back to Four for Fridays! This weeks' questions are about movies...
1) What is your favorite movie?
2)What is you least favorite movie?
3) What was the last DVD you rented?
4)Have you ever cried while watching a movie? If so, which one?
Have a good weekend folks!
1) What is your favorite movie?
2)What is you least favorite movie?
3) What was the last DVD you rented?
4)Have you ever cried while watching a movie? If so, which one?
Have a good weekend folks!
More of Our Money Spent to Make Sure that Spending More of Our Money is a Good Idea
"Art nonprofit to evaluate artist relocation program" - http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_063048c8-ca63-11de-909c-001cc4c03286.html
Now that the city has committed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the artist relocation program in uptown, the time has come to decide wheether or not it is a good idea. So we're gonna spend $12,500 more of our money to hire self-proclaimed "experts" to reassure us that giving $40,000 to a Texas "artist" to flip our city the bird is a wise investment.
No jobs, no chances, no hope for those born here who seek a living, but millions for "artists" and "experts" from out of town.
Party on, lying John!
Now that the city has committed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the artist relocation program in uptown, the time has come to decide wheether or not it is a good idea. So we're gonna spend $12,500 more of our money to hire self-proclaimed "experts" to reassure us that giving $40,000 to a Texas "artist" to flip our city the bird is a wise investment.
No jobs, no chances, no hope for those born here who seek a living, but millions for "artists" and "experts" from out of town.
Party on, lying John!
All the birds that are fit to flip - We have Winner!
In another close and bitter fight, we have reached a irregular decision on who deserves this week's honor. For conduct unbecoming a newspaper, for uneven reporting, for pushing agendas and censorship (giving rise to our little group of happy souls), for slimy journalism, intimidation and direct plagiarism, we award :
And the "what would my mother say?," flip o' the day.... stu, you should never encourage me!
The coveted "You even ticked Grandma off" bird flip! Great Job JT.
Also, for ripping off the Racine Post, the Racine Uncovered blog, and for random snooping and sneakiness here at JTI we also present you with the editorial cartoon flip:
And the "what would my mother say?," flip o' the day.... stu, you should never encourage me!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Estranged
Huck is not the only guy to have a jukebox in his head. This song has been in my head all day. Guess I'm in a Gun's n Roses frame of mind today.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Eight Irrestible Principles of Fun
I stumbled across this today....It made me think.....
Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun
I should take some of that advise as well...Enjoy!
Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun
I should take some of that advise as well...Enjoy!
Can it be that time again?
A little birdy told me that it's time to nominate for Bird of the Week. Who really steams your rice. Who burned your fries. Who crunched your cookies. What made your noodles boil this week. Let off some steam and nominate here. Name and reason please.
The Iranian Hostage Crisis: 30 Years Later
Yep, it was November 4th, 1979 that the U.S. embassy in Iran was stormed and they took Americans hostage and held them for 444 days, even through a failed rescue attempt.
Even though I was pretty young at the time, I remember that pretty clearly due to the fact that I had a newspaper route at the time. I remember seeing the headlines on the Des Moines Register the next morning when I picked up my paper and thought the nuclear weapons were going to fly and I would be dead within the week (to be fair, I was a pretty nuclear war obsessed child and had long accepted that the nukes were going to fly and I wouldn't make it through high school).
Of course today will be marked in Iran by some anti-American speeches (and I bet I wouldn't have to search hard for some anti-Iranian screeching today on the web from Americans).
30 years later there are signs of another potential shift in Iran as we saw with the dramatic protests against the disputed presidential election earlier this year.
Once again, I urge everyone to see the film Persopolis (now on DVD). Based on an animated novel, it tells the story of a young woman who grew up during the revolution. It's a little said that some of the better commentary I have seen on the Iranian revolution in the U.S. comes from a cartoon (says a lot about our political commentators to say the least!)
Just thought it was a worthy anniversary to mention today.
Even though I was pretty young at the time, I remember that pretty clearly due to the fact that I had a newspaper route at the time. I remember seeing the headlines on the Des Moines Register the next morning when I picked up my paper and thought the nuclear weapons were going to fly and I would be dead within the week (to be fair, I was a pretty nuclear war obsessed child and had long accepted that the nukes were going to fly and I wouldn't make it through high school).
Of course today will be marked in Iran by some anti-American speeches (and I bet I wouldn't have to search hard for some anti-Iranian screeching today on the web from Americans).
30 years later there are signs of another potential shift in Iran as we saw with the dramatic protests against the disputed presidential election earlier this year.
Once again, I urge everyone to see the film Persopolis (now on DVD). Based on an animated novel, it tells the story of a young woman who grew up during the revolution. It's a little said that some of the better commentary I have seen on the Iranian revolution in the U.S. comes from a cartoon (says a lot about our political commentators to say the least!)
Just thought it was a worthy anniversary to mention today.
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my glimmering gladiolas! How are you? The shift back from Daylight Saving Time always takes a little out of me. What did you do with your extra hour? I slept. I needed it after Madame Esmeralda’s Halloween blow out. I can party with the best of them, but Madame E. takes it to a new level. Everyone was in disguise and the drinks were flowing freely. The evening turned into a blur and the next thing I knew, I was on a couch being pawed by old man Mysterio, the retired magician. I threatened his crystal balls and he backed off. The nerve of some people! I had a wonderful time overall, but I had to leave around 3 a.m. (astral standard time). I guess I’m slowing down a little as I enter the latter half of my 20’s. ;)No message in a bottle or other communiqué was delivered to my desk this week.
Racine has been relatively quite this past week, too. There have been some more shenanigans at City Hall, but that’s business as usual. The real mischief is just about to begin nationwide with the census. Trust Madame Zoltar on that one.
I really don’t know what to say about our precious Packers defeat at the hands of Mr. Favre and his Viking cohorts. It galls me all the more because he still has not made good on the rubber check he gave me for the last potion he purchased. When it runs out, I hope he doesn’t think he can charm any more out of me. I’m on to your game now, Brett, and I don’t think Deanna would appreciate the statistics. Pay up or lose your edge. Maybe it’s for the better if you don’t come up with the money. It’s beginning to look a little suspicious how a 40-year old hillbilly addict is throwing the ball so darn well.
If you go to the H1N1 vaccination clinic at Case High School this Saturday, I predict a long line. It’s only for specific people and age groups, so don’t attend unless you or someone you are taking is eligible. More information is available on the City of Racine’s Health Department website: http://www.cityofracine.org/Depts/health/media/pdf/Vaccine clinics website info.pdf. They don’t want you there if you have a fever or are sick. Please don’t spread the germs in public. They will have about 5,500 doses to distribute. I don’t understand how Kenosha got more doses than we did, and earlier, too. I am sure that there is some logical explanation involving red tape and submitted forms and deadlines and so on. Every time that I try to penetrate the mysteries of the bureaucratic universe, I am reminded of my trips to Hades - but at least those were educational.
Speaking of the government and hell, I was hoping to give my Irregulars some predictions on the health care reform, um, process that is currently fermenting in Washington, DC. I have peered and peered, my dears, into the future on this one, but each time that I do, it’s completely different. I’m seeing everything from teeming masses of healthy, robust Americans to legions of lepers and zombies swarming and spreading disease across the land. Until they stop tinkering with the works in Washington, it’s impossible to call it. I hate to say it, but our representatives seem to always lean more toward the zombies than health.
The following video is a request from Mr. OrbsCorbs’ cat, Charlie. Charlie, of course, cannot post videos (because he is not an author on this site). He contacted me as I am sensitive to communication with nonhuman life forms. Charlie hopes that this short video is in keeping with the start of the Thanksgiving holiday season. He also wanted to make the point that it’s not always the cat, Mr. OrbsCorbs. Thank you, Charlie, for “Happy Thanksgiving:”
That’s my blog for this week, my dear Irregulars. Thank you so much for reading it. I sincerely appreciate each and every one of you. Please don’t hesitate to send me your latest gossip or surgical horror stories: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Indian summer or arctic blast ahead? Mother Nature isn't telling me. I hope for the best and plan for the worst. Emporia!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Roll Call!
As I'm reading these blogs last couple of days, I was thinking where is everybody? I'm going rise up and meet Lizardmom's challenge to blog more here. Is anybody else ready? Let's see a show of hands here! Raise your hand and make a comment! Need to know if you guys are still around!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Science is Real
I have been on the road a lot recently and haven't had much time to write. On of the blog entries that I know I needed to do is to plug They Might Be Giants new album Here Comes Science. This bargain comes with a 19 track CD as well as a DVD with videos for all the songs. All the songs are science based ditties laced with TMBGs sensibilities that have made them a long time favorite of mine.
I am lucky enough to be at the Association of Science and Technology Centers annual convention in Forth Worth. TMBG signed copies of their CD Saturday night (yeah, I got mine signed) and did a performance at the reception last night. They rocked the house and had a bunch of nerds belting out the chorus to songs such as "I am a Paleontologist" and "My Brother The Ape". They did some of their classic songs as well.
Here are a couple of videos of songs from Here Comes Science.
What Does This Button Do?
You need to be careful not to touch buttons or pull levers when you are around expensive equipment. One man in South Africa found this out the hard way when he was in a jet with South Africa's Silver Foxes (their version of the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels). He accidentally pulled the lever to the ejection seat during his flight.
Fortunately, he was in a good position to eject and escaped with only minor injuries...but what a ride!
Fortunately, he was in a good position to eject and escaped with only minor injuries...but what a ride!
"Thinking negatively can boost your memory, study finds"
"SYDNEY, Nov 2 (Reuters Life!) - Bad moods can actually be good for you, with an Australian study finding that being sad make people less gullible, improves their ability to judge others and also boosts memory.
"The study, authored by psychology professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales, showed that people in a negative mood were more critical of, and paid more attention to, their surroundings than happier people, who were more likely to believe anything they were told.
"'Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking paying greater attention to the external world,' Forgas wrote.
"'Our research suggests that sadness ... promotes information processing strategies best suited to dealing with more demanding situations.'"
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP488505
Now I feel much more positive about being so negative:
"People in a bad mood were also less likely to make snap decisions based on racial or religious prejudices, and they were less likely to make mistakes when asked to recall an event that they witnessed."
"The study, authored by psychology professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales, showed that people in a negative mood were more critical of, and paid more attention to, their surroundings than happier people, who were more likely to believe anything they were told.
"'Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking paying greater attention to the external world,' Forgas wrote.
"'Our research suggests that sadness ... promotes information processing strategies best suited to dealing with more demanding situations.'"
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP488505
Now I feel much more positive about being so negative:
"People in a bad mood were also less likely to make snap decisions based on racial or religious prejudices, and they were less likely to make mistakes when asked to recall an event that they witnessed."
Sunday, November 1, 2009
San Diego Panda
I took this video of a panda at the San Diego Zoo when I was in California last September. Ain't it cute!
...and the winner is,.. SER!!!
Congratulations SER!!Now comes the monthly challenge for blogging.
We started a practice run for October
and it is now on for every month.
Who will blog the most?
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