Have you ever wondered why foreigners have trouble with the English Language?
Let’s face it -- English is a silly language.
There is no egg in the eggplant, no ham in the hamburger, and neither pine nor apple in the pineapple.
English muffins were not invented in England.
French fries were not invented in France.
We sometimes take English for granted, but if we examine its paradoxes we find that:
Quicksand takes you down slowly.
Boxing rings are square.
And a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
If writers write, how come fingers don’t fing.
If the plural of tooth is teeth.
Shouldn’t the plural of phone booth be phone beeth.
If the teacher taught, why didn’t the preacher praught?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what the heck does a humanitarian eat?
Why do people recite at a play yet play at a recital?
Park on driveways and drive on parkways?
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language where a house can burn up as it burns down,
And in which you fill in a form by filling it out,
And a bell is only heard once it goes!
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (Which of course isn’t a race at all).
That is why:
When the stars are out they are visible,
But when the lights are out they are invisible;
And why it is that when I wind up my watch, it starts, but when I wind up this observation, it ends.
(author unknown)
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Another survey
1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be?
2. What's your favorite article of clothing?
3. Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex?
4.What's the last CD that you bought?
5.Where's your favorite place to be?
6. Where is your least favorite place to be?
7.What's your favorite place to be massaged?
8.Strong in mind or strong in body?
9.What time do you wake up in the morning?
10. What is your favorite kitchen appliance?
11.What makes you really angry?
12. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
13. Favorite color?
14.Which do you prefer...sports car or SUV?
15. Do you believe in an afterlife?
16.Favorite children's book?
17. What is your favorite season?
18. Your least favorite household chore?
19.If you could have one super power, what would it be?
20.If you have a tattoo, what is it?
21.Can you juggle?
22. The one person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to?
23. What's your favorite day?
24. What's in the trunk of your car?
25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger?
2. What's your favorite article of clothing?
3. Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex?
4.What's the last CD that you bought?
5.Where's your favorite place to be?
6. Where is your least favorite place to be?
7.What's your favorite place to be massaged?
8.Strong in mind or strong in body?
9.What time do you wake up in the morning?
10. What is your favorite kitchen appliance?
11.What makes you really angry?
12. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
13. Favorite color?
14.Which do you prefer...sports car or SUV?
15. Do you believe in an afterlife?
16.Favorite children's book?
17. What is your favorite season?
18. Your least favorite household chore?
19.If you could have one super power, what would it be?
20.If you have a tattoo, what is it?
21.Can you juggle?
22. The one person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to?
23. What's your favorite day?
24. What's in the trunk of your car?
25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger?
Survey for the Younger Generation (younger than me, anyway)
Yet another Survey
1. Are u photogenic?
2. What time do you go to bed?
3. What was the last thing you did before this?
4. Who do you call if you need help?
5. What's on your mind right now?
6. With whom do you want to be with?
7. What movie does u want to watch now?
8. When was the last time you went out?
9. Who do you hate the most for now?
10. What do you do everyday besides eat
11. Colors that make you happy?
12. Most favorite thing/s in your room?
13. Miss someone?
14. Plan to buy something?
15. Are you satisfied with your life now?
16.Do you like seafood?
17.Breakfast or dinner?
18. like chocolates?
19.Do you have a phone?
20. What's your favorite fast food?
21. Cats or dogs?
22. Salty or sweet?
23. City or country?
24. Is kissing normal for your age?
25.Are you athletic?
26. favorite band for now?
27. Do you have your own cell phone?
28. What do you wear to bed?
29. Ever had a crush on a teacher in high school?
30. Coke or pepsi?
31. Sugar or spice?
32. Can you use chopsticks?
33. Did you care about getting good grades?
34. Have you ever fallen asleep in class?
35. Get a job or ask your parents for money?
36. Is your dad strict?
37. Do your parents give you enough privacy?
38. Do your parents trust you?
39. Do you make friends quickly?
40. Do you tell your mom everything?
41. What do you & your parents fight about most?
42. If u love someone & he/she rejected u. What will u do to him/her?
43. Can u sing or rap?
44. What do u think bout this survey?
1. Are u photogenic?
2. What time do you go to bed?
3. What was the last thing you did before this?
4. Who do you call if you need help?
5. What's on your mind right now?
6. With whom do you want to be with?
7. What movie does u want to watch now?
8. When was the last time you went out?
9. Who do you hate the most for now?
10. What do you do everyday besides eat
11. Colors that make you happy?
12. Most favorite thing/s in your room?
13. Miss someone?
14. Plan to buy something?
15. Are you satisfied with your life now?
16.Do you like seafood?
17.Breakfast or dinner?
18. like chocolates?
19.Do you have a phone?
20. What's your favorite fast food?
21. Cats or dogs?
22. Salty or sweet?
23. City or country?
24. Is kissing normal for your age?
25.Are you athletic?
26. favorite band for now?
27. Do you have your own cell phone?
28. What do you wear to bed?
29. Ever had a crush on a teacher in high school?
30. Coke or pepsi?
31. Sugar or spice?
32. Can you use chopsticks?
33. Did you care about getting good grades?
34. Have you ever fallen asleep in class?
35. Get a job or ask your parents for money?
36. Is your dad strict?
37. Do your parents give you enough privacy?
38. Do your parents trust you?
39. Do you make friends quickly?
40. Do you tell your mom everything?
41. What do you & your parents fight about most?
42. If u love someone & he/she rejected u. What will u do to him/her?
43. Can u sing or rap?
44. What do u think bout this survey?
Hidden Images in 19th Century Photography
More Than Meets the Eye: Hidden Images in 19th Century Photography
James A. Eason, Archivist for Pictorial Collections, Bancroft Library
Small, personal, mysterious, haunting--there's something remarkably intimate about viewing a cased photograph. Fragile and ephemeral daguerreotypes and ambrotypes, typically presented in protective miniature cases, must be held in the hand and angled "just so" under the light to bring out the images on their mirror-like silver or glass surfaces. Their clarity and image quality can be astounding, revealing to the viewer a long-lost moment in time with startling realism. These objects are often images of long-forgotten people or scenes, and all too frequently they have come down to us, some 150 years after their creation, with origins obscured. Their physical components provide important clues for interpreting their history, but these elements can present even greater puzzles.
A recent Bancroft Library project, funded under the Library Services and Technology Act, has resulted in the preservation and cataloging of nearly 500 cased photographs and has made them available digitally on the World Wide Web. In the course of preservation, staff often discovered hidden inscriptions, dates, verse, or even mementos such as locks of hair--little relics of people long gone. Physical anomalies were also discovered, providing evidence of image swapping among cases. It seems that original owners, subsequent generations, or later collectors had little hesitation to switch images, mats, and cases as the fancy struck them--confounding today's historians and archivists!
One instance stands out as a particularly interesting puzzle. The Zelda Mackay collection contains a portrait of Peter H. Burnett, first governor of California. This portrait is an albumen print on paper housed in a case with a highly decorative Civil War era brass mat with a patriotic Union motif. While the portrait and mat are probably close in date, the paper print would not have been intended for this enclosure.
Upon removal, conservation staff found that the thin paper print was actually adhered to a glass ambrotype plate. (Ambrotypes are negative images on glass which appear positive against a black backing.) Held to the light, a portrait of a man could be seen, but his features could not be discerned. Presented with this curiosity, some curatorial issues had to be addressed. How important is the ambrotype behind the photoprint? Could it be an earlier and unknown portrait of the governor, perhaps covered over by Burnett himself, or by a family member who preferred the later portrait? Or was the ambrotype simply a convenient backing, its subject unknown and insignificant? These questions could not be answered without a better look at the hidden image.
Removing the albumen photoprint from the glass was not an attractive option. It was well adhered and risk of damage to the paper photoprint was too great. Examining the images together on a light table resulted in a shadowy blend of both portraits. A solution was found in digital technology.
Using a digital camera, Dan Johnston of Library Photographic Services photographed the albumen print of the governor. He then turned the photograph and its ambrotype backing over, illuminated it from behind, and captured the two blended images. The resulting positive and negative images of Governor Burnett were digitally combined, canceling out one another. The result revealed the ambrotype image of a bearded, middle-aged man, perhaps in a military uniform and topcoat. It is not, unfortunately, an earlier portrait of Burnett and its origins and identity remain a mystery.
With this information, the photoprint, backing plate, brass mat, and case were reassembled and will be maintained as they were found--with the ambrotype hidden behind the albumen photoprint. All of the digital images will be made available as part of the cased photographs collection in the Online Archive of California (www.oac.cdlib.org/), but there was no compelling reason to subject the photographs to the risks of physical separation. We are left with our portrait of Peter Burnett, a still-mysterious image of an unknown man, and an excellent example of the usefulness of new technologies and the complexities of interpreting cased photographs. There is often more than meets the eye!
Information from http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/give/bene57/photography.html
James A. Eason, Archivist for Pictorial Collections, Bancroft Library
Small, personal, mysterious, haunting--there's something remarkably intimate about viewing a cased photograph. Fragile and ephemeral daguerreotypes and ambrotypes, typically presented in protective miniature cases, must be held in the hand and angled "just so" under the light to bring out the images on their mirror-like silver or glass surfaces. Their clarity and image quality can be astounding, revealing to the viewer a long-lost moment in time with startling realism. These objects are often images of long-forgotten people or scenes, and all too frequently they have come down to us, some 150 years after their creation, with origins obscured. Their physical components provide important clues for interpreting their history, but these elements can present even greater puzzles.
A recent Bancroft Library project, funded under the Library Services and Technology Act, has resulted in the preservation and cataloging of nearly 500 cased photographs and has made them available digitally on the World Wide Web. In the course of preservation, staff often discovered hidden inscriptions, dates, verse, or even mementos such as locks of hair--little relics of people long gone. Physical anomalies were also discovered, providing evidence of image swapping among cases. It seems that original owners, subsequent generations, or later collectors had little hesitation to switch images, mats, and cases as the fancy struck them--confounding today's historians and archivists!
One instance stands out as a particularly interesting puzzle. The Zelda Mackay collection contains a portrait of Peter H. Burnett, first governor of California. This portrait is an albumen print on paper housed in a case with a highly decorative Civil War era brass mat with a patriotic Union motif. While the portrait and mat are probably close in date, the paper print would not have been intended for this enclosure.
Upon removal, conservation staff found that the thin paper print was actually adhered to a glass ambrotype plate. (Ambrotypes are negative images on glass which appear positive against a black backing.) Held to the light, a portrait of a man could be seen, but his features could not be discerned. Presented with this curiosity, some curatorial issues had to be addressed. How important is the ambrotype behind the photoprint? Could it be an earlier and unknown portrait of the governor, perhaps covered over by Burnett himself, or by a family member who preferred the later portrait? Or was the ambrotype simply a convenient backing, its subject unknown and insignificant? These questions could not be answered without a better look at the hidden image.
Removing the albumen photoprint from the glass was not an attractive option. It was well adhered and risk of damage to the paper photoprint was too great. Examining the images together on a light table resulted in a shadowy blend of both portraits. A solution was found in digital technology.
Using a digital camera, Dan Johnston of Library Photographic Services photographed the albumen print of the governor. He then turned the photograph and its ambrotype backing over, illuminated it from behind, and captured the two blended images. The resulting positive and negative images of Governor Burnett were digitally combined, canceling out one another. The result revealed the ambrotype image of a bearded, middle-aged man, perhaps in a military uniform and topcoat. It is not, unfortunately, an earlier portrait of Burnett and its origins and identity remain a mystery.
With this information, the photoprint, backing plate, brass mat, and case were reassembled and will be maintained as they were found--with the ambrotype hidden behind the albumen photoprint. All of the digital images will be made available as part of the cased photographs collection in the Online Archive of California (www.oac.cdlib.org/), but there was no compelling reason to subject the photographs to the risks of physical separation. We are left with our portrait of Peter Burnett, a still-mysterious image of an unknown man, and an excellent example of the usefulness of new technologies and the complexities of interpreting cased photographs. There is often more than meets the eye!
Information from http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/give/bene57/photography.html
Saloon Doors
What purpose, if any, did saloon doors serve back in the old west?
Saloons weren't sturdy structures so there may not have been a frame for a door. The swinging doors gave an air of respectability (hey – they have a “door”!) and also cut down on the wind and dust that was kicked up by horse and wagon traffic on unpaved streets.
In many populated settlements, saloons never closed. The clientele could see who was coming in by their boots and the hat they wore. This would destroy the element of surprise.
I think that the shutter style saloon doors that we know are the stuff of Hollywood to a certain extent, but they are also practical because the doors would make practical high traffic doors in the day when hinges needed to be highly maintained. I think many establishments would use this style door because it's simple hinging and allows you to not knock someone silly when you come barging in to get your shot of whisky.
Let's also not forget that women (wives) would most likely not go into saloons so being able to see in was an advantage (probably more than being able to see out) although I doubt that it had anything to do with the use of the doors.
I think it's a simple case of hinging being a problematic thing back before metals were treated to not corrode and this style of door was appropriate for light weight high traffic doors. By the way, even today, high traffic doors require a lot of adjustment when they are very heavy.
Additionally it would have been very impractical to install a door with glass in it in a saloon because that glass would likely be broken a few times a week. Glass was expensive and hard to come by because shipping was difficult. It isn't very sensible to have a door that is constantly being opened and closed without glass because you can really knock into someone.
Speaking of hinges and the old West:
Oh the hinges are of leather
And the windows have no glass
While the board roof
Lets the howling blizzards in
And I hear the hungry coyote
As he slinks up through the grass
Round the little old sod shanty
On my claim
I came looking for the answer. All I see are more guesses, so I'll add my own. I think it's far more likely that the design of the saloon door was to block the view of the scantily clad (or nude) torso of the females from the passerbys outside. Dust would not have been stopped, and probably not even slowed, as it tends to stay close to the ground unless the wind pushing it is very strong (unlikely when driven by a walking horse or slow wagon).
I don't think that the women were scantily clad. Most of the people, including the men who frequented saloons, were very prudish. Note that one of the first buildings built in a newly founded town was usually a church.
I did see some interesting stuff last week on The History Channel’s show “Wild West Tech”. It was a program about saloons of the “Wild West”. While they did not address the saloon door issue, they did address the pictures of scantly dressed or nude women in saloons, so obviously I paid close attention . (Actually I like the show and watch it regularly)
The proprietors and customers were far from prudish. The proprietors used to pay good money for a picture featuring a nude woman, and most times kept it covered with a cloth. He would charge the customers to peek at the picture, hence the first “peep show”.
The only “prudish” fella featured in that episode was a man of slight stature who wore spectacles. He bellied up to a rough and tumble bar in the Wild West and ordered “coffee”. A local “tough guy” took his New York accent and his drink order as an insult and came up to him and demanded him to buy a round for the practically empty saloon. The man with the glasses simply said “no”. The really big tough guy then said that his money to buy the drinks, or his teeth will be on the bar real soon.
The smaller man turned removed his glasses and raised his fists in the classic (pre glove, I know that because the show also featured boxing in saloons) boxing position. The big guy laughed as this was not the common stance for saloon brawling, little did he know that the smaller guy was a boxer at Harvard University. Three quick blows to the face and the big guy was knocked unconscious much to the amusement of his friends.
Saloons weren't sturdy structures so there may not have been a frame for a door. The swinging doors gave an air of respectability (hey – they have a “door”!) and also cut down on the wind and dust that was kicked up by horse and wagon traffic on unpaved streets.
In many populated settlements, saloons never closed. The clientele could see who was coming in by their boots and the hat they wore. This would destroy the element of surprise.
I think that the shutter style saloon doors that we know are the stuff of Hollywood to a certain extent, but they are also practical because the doors would make practical high traffic doors in the day when hinges needed to be highly maintained. I think many establishments would use this style door because it's simple hinging and allows you to not knock someone silly when you come barging in to get your shot of whisky.
Let's also not forget that women (wives) would most likely not go into saloons so being able to see in was an advantage (probably more than being able to see out) although I doubt that it had anything to do with the use of the doors.
I think it's a simple case of hinging being a problematic thing back before metals were treated to not corrode and this style of door was appropriate for light weight high traffic doors. By the way, even today, high traffic doors require a lot of adjustment when they are very heavy.
Additionally it would have been very impractical to install a door with glass in it in a saloon because that glass would likely be broken a few times a week. Glass was expensive and hard to come by because shipping was difficult. It isn't very sensible to have a door that is constantly being opened and closed without glass because you can really knock into someone.
Speaking of hinges and the old West:
Oh the hinges are of leather
And the windows have no glass
While the board roof
Lets the howling blizzards in
And I hear the hungry coyote
As he slinks up through the grass
Round the little old sod shanty
On my claim
I came looking for the answer. All I see are more guesses, so I'll add my own. I think it's far more likely that the design of the saloon door was to block the view of the scantily clad (or nude) torso of the females from the passerbys outside. Dust would not have been stopped, and probably not even slowed, as it tends to stay close to the ground unless the wind pushing it is very strong (unlikely when driven by a walking horse or slow wagon).
I don't think that the women were scantily clad. Most of the people, including the men who frequented saloons, were very prudish. Note that one of the first buildings built in a newly founded town was usually a church.
I did see some interesting stuff last week on The History Channel’s show “Wild West Tech”. It was a program about saloons of the “Wild West”. While they did not address the saloon door issue, they did address the pictures of scantly dressed or nude women in saloons, so obviously I paid close attention . (Actually I like the show and watch it regularly)
The proprietors and customers were far from prudish. The proprietors used to pay good money for a picture featuring a nude woman, and most times kept it covered with a cloth. He would charge the customers to peek at the picture, hence the first “peep show”.
The only “prudish” fella featured in that episode was a man of slight stature who wore spectacles. He bellied up to a rough and tumble bar in the Wild West and ordered “coffee”. A local “tough guy” took his New York accent and his drink order as an insult and came up to him and demanded him to buy a round for the practically empty saloon. The man with the glasses simply said “no”. The really big tough guy then said that his money to buy the drinks, or his teeth will be on the bar real soon.
The smaller man turned removed his glasses and raised his fists in the classic (pre glove, I know that because the show also featured boxing in saloons) boxing position. The big guy laughed as this was not the common stance for saloon brawling, little did he know that the smaller guy was a boxer at Harvard University. Three quick blows to the face and the big guy was knocked unconscious much to the amusement of his friends.
EZ Answer Squirrel
Woman in a swimming pool complex asks, “EZ Answer Squirrel, is the soul eternal?”.
The squirrel rushes on to choose between two acorns hanging from light switch cords. The answer is “Yes”.
A woman in a hardware store asks, “EZ Answer Squirrel, does God hate me because I’m gay?” The answer is “No”.
A man in a sports club holds up a bread roll and asks, “EZ Answer Squirrel, this looks like the Virgin Mary, right?”. The answer is “No”.
A man on a basketball court asks, “Hey EZ. Which one of the gospels do you think resonates most in relation to the modern world in which we live?” The answer is “Yes”.
Looking for easy answers to life’s big questions? Ask the squirrel.
http://www.wondercafe.ca/display_index
The squirrel rushes on to choose between two acorns hanging from light switch cords. The answer is “Yes”.
A woman in a hardware store asks, “EZ Answer Squirrel, does God hate me because I’m gay?” The answer is “No”.
A man in a sports club holds up a bread roll and asks, “EZ Answer Squirrel, this looks like the Virgin Mary, right?”. The answer is “No”.
A man on a basketball court asks, “Hey EZ. Which one of the gospels do you think resonates most in relation to the modern world in which we live?” The answer is “Yes”.
Looking for easy answers to life’s big questions? Ask the squirrel.
http://www.wondercafe.ca/display_index
How To Hypnotize a Chicken
How To Hypnotize a Chicken -- From Damn Interesting:
Start by holding the chicken's head against the ground, and place the tip of your finger on the ground right in front of the chicken's beak.
Then, while holding the chicken's head, use your finger to draw a straight line directly away from it.
It will quickly enter a trance-like state with significantly reduced heart and respiration rates, and will remain this way for anywhere from fifteen seconds to several hours.
Start by holding the chicken's head against the ground, and place the tip of your finger on the ground right in front of the chicken's beak.
Then, while holding the chicken's head, use your finger to draw a straight line directly away from it.
It will quickly enter a trance-like state with significantly reduced heart and respiration rates, and will remain this way for anywhere from fifteen seconds to several hours.
More Misc. Thoughts
One of the greatest American films of all time is Charles Laughton's sole directorial effort, a truly compelling and terrifying classic masterpiece thriller filled with an array of startling images. A sinister, crazed, psychopathic, black-cloaked and hated 'Preacher' Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), one of the 'false prophets' of the 30s presents a chilling, perversely evil and memorable monologue to the Lord in the film's opening. He glances heavenward and delivers an insane prayer, revealing that he is a serial killer who receives divine inspirations to first marry, and then murder and rob women, usually rich lonely widows who do not see the evil in him.
His left hand is tattooed with the letters "H - A - T - E" on his four fingers, and his right hand's knuckles with the letters "L - O - V - E" - which he explains in a memorable hand-wrestling scene. When a criminal's execution takes the secret of the location of stolen money to his death, the smooth-talking Preacher marries his widow Willa Harper (Shelley Winters) and then knifes her to death in a frightening yet subdued scene in their A-frame bedroom. The grisly sight of her corpse is a nightmarish, hypnotically-eerie image. It dissolves into view - water reeds flow in the underwater current with Willa's corpse strapped to the front seat of her model T submerged in the river. Her long hair is tangled with the river reeds and her throat is slashed.
[In a classic confrontational scene between the phony, blaspheming 'false prophet' and a true, pure and strong Bible-fearing farm woman - a matriarchal widow named Mrs. Rachel Cooper (Lillian Gish), Powell lurks outside the farm house, singing his rendition of a gospel hymn ("Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" with the words: "Leaning, leaning..." In silhouette, Rachel appears like the portrait of Whistler's Mother, sitting in a rocking chair on her screened-in porch with the shotgun across her lap. Rachel counters his song, defiantly and harmoniously singing the authentic version of the Protestant religious hymn with a spiritual reference to Jesus: "Lean on Jesus, lean on Jesus," filling in the words that he has chosen to leave out in a simultaneous duet.]
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Smooth Operators
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Your spouse is not your trophy but your treasure. Make your wife the object of your highest devotion. Make your husband the recipient of your deepest passion. Love the one who wears your ring.
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Children spell love with four letters: T-I-M-E. Cherish the children who share your name.
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Today's Word - moiety: 1. A half. 2. A portion.
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You may not be at a high risk for outside attacks--but what about from the inside?
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Jack Bliss, a notorious rustler, who operated in Northern Wyoming in the early 1890s, was a product of the economically depressed area, caused by the severe winter of 1886-1887 and took to the outlaw trail like many cowboys of that era. In 1892 efforts were being made to rid Wyoming of these outlaws and two range detectives were sent out to capture Jack Bliss. While trailing a herd of stolen horses through the Bighorn Basin to the Jackson Hole Country, Bliss was hunted down and killed by these range detectives on what is now known as Bliss Creek and Bliss Creek Meadows at the head of the South Fork of the Shoshone River.
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The story is told of a man on an African safari deep in the jungle. The guide before him had a machete and was whacking away the tall weeds and thick underbrush. The traveler, wearied and hot, asked in frustration, “Where are we? Do you know where you are taking me? Where is the path?!” The seasoned guide stopped and looked back at the man and replied, “I am the path.”
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Gangs have many strategies to perpetuate their existence as the in-group. One of the most interesting ways in which gang members maintain their in-group status in relation to society is through the use of language. By using a common language that only gang members understand, they can create their own society in which they are the good guys and everyone else is the bad guys.
The majority of the information that the general public is exposed to concerning gangs in America places them in the negative, bad out-group. Think of the news, magazines, talk shows, movies, etc. that portray gangs. It’s not a pretty picture, is it? Gang members are commonly stereotyped as threats, delinquents, killers, thieves, etc. This phenomenon could further be explained by the following example:
A man pulls out a shot gun and shoots a man standing at the bus stop waiting for the bus. Think how your interpretation of the event would be different if:
A) The shooter was a business man driving a Mercedes and wearing a suit and tie.
B) The shooter was a man in a Mercedes with a blue bandanna tied around his head.
American society, in general would likely attribute the behavior of the man in scenario A to situational factors such as the victim sleeping with his wife, someone paying him to commit the crime, someone holding a gun to the shooter’s head, etc. Yet in situation B, the average American would attribute the behavior to the shooter’s personal disposition. They may say things such as, "Those ignorant gang members walk around all day with nothing to do but kill people all day long, why don’t they get a job and work like everyone else" or "that person was crazy". The fundamental attribution error plays a large role in relationships between gang members and American society.
His left hand is tattooed with the letters "H - A - T - E" on his four fingers, and his right hand's knuckles with the letters "L - O - V - E" - which he explains in a memorable hand-wrestling scene. When a criminal's execution takes the secret of the location of stolen money to his death, the smooth-talking Preacher marries his widow Willa Harper (Shelley Winters) and then knifes her to death in a frightening yet subdued scene in their A-frame bedroom. The grisly sight of her corpse is a nightmarish, hypnotically-eerie image. It dissolves into view - water reeds flow in the underwater current with Willa's corpse strapped to the front seat of her model T submerged in the river. Her long hair is tangled with the river reeds and her throat is slashed.
[In a classic confrontational scene between the phony, blaspheming 'false prophet' and a true, pure and strong Bible-fearing farm woman - a matriarchal widow named Mrs. Rachel Cooper (Lillian Gish), Powell lurks outside the farm house, singing his rendition of a gospel hymn ("Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" with the words: "Leaning, leaning..." In silhouette, Rachel appears like the portrait of Whistler's Mother, sitting in a rocking chair on her screened-in porch with the shotgun across her lap. Rachel counters his song, defiantly and harmoniously singing the authentic version of the Protestant religious hymn with a spiritual reference to Jesus: "Lean on Jesus, lean on Jesus," filling in the words that he has chosen to leave out in a simultaneous duet.]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Smooth Operators
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Your spouse is not your trophy but your treasure. Make your wife the object of your highest devotion. Make your husband the recipient of your deepest passion. Love the one who wears your ring.
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Children spell love with four letters: T-I-M-E. Cherish the children who share your name.
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Today's Word - moiety: 1. A half. 2. A portion.
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You may not be at a high risk for outside attacks--but what about from the inside?
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Jack Bliss, a notorious rustler, who operated in Northern Wyoming in the early 1890s, was a product of the economically depressed area, caused by the severe winter of 1886-1887 and took to the outlaw trail like many cowboys of that era. In 1892 efforts were being made to rid Wyoming of these outlaws and two range detectives were sent out to capture Jack Bliss. While trailing a herd of stolen horses through the Bighorn Basin to the Jackson Hole Country, Bliss was hunted down and killed by these range detectives on what is now known as Bliss Creek and Bliss Creek Meadows at the head of the South Fork of the Shoshone River.
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The story is told of a man on an African safari deep in the jungle. The guide before him had a machete and was whacking away the tall weeds and thick underbrush. The traveler, wearied and hot, asked in frustration, “Where are we? Do you know where you are taking me? Where is the path?!” The seasoned guide stopped and looked back at the man and replied, “I am the path.”
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Gangs have many strategies to perpetuate their existence as the in-group. One of the most interesting ways in which gang members maintain their in-group status in relation to society is through the use of language. By using a common language that only gang members understand, they can create their own society in which they are the good guys and everyone else is the bad guys.
The majority of the information that the general public is exposed to concerning gangs in America places them in the negative, bad out-group. Think of the news, magazines, talk shows, movies, etc. that portray gangs. It’s not a pretty picture, is it? Gang members are commonly stereotyped as threats, delinquents, killers, thieves, etc. This phenomenon could further be explained by the following example:
A man pulls out a shot gun and shoots a man standing at the bus stop waiting for the bus. Think how your interpretation of the event would be different if:
A) The shooter was a business man driving a Mercedes and wearing a suit and tie.
B) The shooter was a man in a Mercedes with a blue bandanna tied around his head.
American society, in general would likely attribute the behavior of the man in scenario A to situational factors such as the victim sleeping with his wife, someone paying him to commit the crime, someone holding a gun to the shooter’s head, etc. Yet in situation B, the average American would attribute the behavior to the shooter’s personal disposition. They may say things such as, "Those ignorant gang members walk around all day with nothing to do but kill people all day long, why don’t they get a job and work like everyone else" or "that person was crazy". The fundamental attribution error plays a large role in relationships between gang members and American society.
More Poetry from my youth
I remember this piece of poetry from my childhood as one of those tear-jerkers.
Little Boy Blue
by Eugene Field (1850-1895)
The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and stanch he stands;
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket moulds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there.
"Now, don't you go till I come," he said,
"And don't you make any noise!"
So, toddling off to his trundle-bed,
He dreamt of the pretty toys;
And, as he was dreaming, an angel song
Awakened our Little Boy Blue---
Oh! the years are many, the years are long,
But the little toy friends are true!
Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place---
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
The smile of a little face;
And they wonder, as waiting the long years through
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.
Little Boy Blue
by Eugene Field (1850-1895)
The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and stanch he stands;
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket moulds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there.
"Now, don't you go till I come," he said,
"And don't you make any noise!"
So, toddling off to his trundle-bed,
He dreamt of the pretty toys;
And, as he was dreaming, an angel song
Awakened our Little Boy Blue---
Oh! the years are many, the years are long,
But the little toy friends are true!
Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place---
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
The smile of a little face;
And they wonder, as waiting the long years through
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.
Poetry -- The Highwayman
When I was a teenager – maybe even before that – I might have been ten or eleven – this was my favorite poem. I loved to recite it aloud.
The Highwayman
Alfred Noyes
Part One
I
The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight, over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding-
Riding-riding-
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.
II
He'd a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.
III
Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard,
And he tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred;
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.
IV
And dark in the old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the ostler listened; his face was white and peaked;
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say-
V
"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."
VI
He rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight, and galloped away to the West.
Part Two
I
He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon;
And out o' the tawny sunset, before the rise o' the moon,
When the road was a gipsy's ribbon, looping the purple moor,
A red-coat troop came marching-
Marching-marching-
King George's men came marching, up to the old inn-door.
II
They said no word to the landlord, they drank his ale instead,
But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed;
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets at their side!
There was death at every window;
And hell at one dark window;
For Bess could see, through the casement, the road that he would ride.
III
They had tied her up to attention, with many a sniggering jest;
They bound a musket beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast!
"Now keep good watch!" and they kissed her.
She heard the dead man say-
Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way!
IV
She twisted her hands behind her; but all the knots held good!
She writhed her hands till here fingers were wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like
years,
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!
V
The tip of one finger touched it; she strove no more for the rest!
Up, she stood up to attention, with the barrel beneath her breast,
She would not risk their hearing; she would not strive again;
For the road lay bare in the moonlight;
Blank and bare in the moonlight;
And the blood of her veins in the moonlight throbbed to her love's refrain.
VI
Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hoofs
ringing clear;
Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that they did
not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding,
Riding, riding!
The red-coats looked to their priming! She stood up strait and still!
VII
Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot-tlot, in the echoing night
!
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shattered the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him-with her death.
VIII
He turned; he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.
IX
Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!
Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat,
When they shot him down on the highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway, with a bunch of lace at his throat.
* * * * * *
X
And still of a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding-
Riding-riding-
A highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.
XI
Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard,
And he taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred;
He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.
The Highwayman
Alfred Noyes
Part One
I
The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight, over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding-
Riding-riding-
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.
II
He'd a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.
III
Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard,
And he tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred;
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.
IV
And dark in the old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the ostler listened; his face was white and peaked;
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say-
V
"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."
VI
He rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight, and galloped away to the West.
Part Two
I
He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon;
And out o' the tawny sunset, before the rise o' the moon,
When the road was a gipsy's ribbon, looping the purple moor,
A red-coat troop came marching-
Marching-marching-
King George's men came marching, up to the old inn-door.
II
They said no word to the landlord, they drank his ale instead,
But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed;
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets at their side!
There was death at every window;
And hell at one dark window;
For Bess could see, through the casement, the road that he would ride.
III
They had tied her up to attention, with many a sniggering jest;
They bound a musket beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast!
"Now keep good watch!" and they kissed her.
She heard the dead man say-
Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way!
IV
She twisted her hands behind her; but all the knots held good!
She writhed her hands till here fingers were wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like
years,
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!
V
The tip of one finger touched it; she strove no more for the rest!
Up, she stood up to attention, with the barrel beneath her breast,
She would not risk their hearing; she would not strive again;
For the road lay bare in the moonlight;
Blank and bare in the moonlight;
And the blood of her veins in the moonlight throbbed to her love's refrain.
VI
Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hoofs
ringing clear;
Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that they did
not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding,
Riding, riding!
The red-coats looked to their priming! She stood up strait and still!
VII
Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot-tlot, in the echoing night
!
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shattered the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him-with her death.
VIII
He turned; he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.
IX
Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!
Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat,
When they shot him down on the highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway, with a bunch of lace at his throat.
* * * * * *
X
And still of a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding-
Riding-riding-
A highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.
XI
Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard,
And he taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred;
He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.
Sleuth
http://www.sleuthnyc.com/
Asking consumers what they want from your brand is like asking a murder victim “whodunit?” A dead end.
At Sleuth, we draw inspiration from forensic scientists who, blending imagination and science, know that there is power in the details. Forensics carefully examine the clues and circumstances surrounding the case in order to re-imagine, recreate, and ultimately solve the mystery.
Sleuth applies investigative techniques to complex brand problems, combining creative curiosity with the rigor of marketing research. The result is a richer, more inspiring and more actionable solution than you could achieve from traditional focus groups or brainstorms.
By creatively piecing together the critical clues surrounding a brand, Sleuth creates a composite of fresh insight that our clients use to drive growth and innovation in their businesses.
Asking consumers what they want from your brand is like asking a murder victim “whodunit?” A dead end.
At Sleuth, we draw inspiration from forensic scientists who, blending imagination and science, know that there is power in the details. Forensics carefully examine the clues and circumstances surrounding the case in order to re-imagine, recreate, and ultimately solve the mystery.
Sleuth applies investigative techniques to complex brand problems, combining creative curiosity with the rigor of marketing research. The result is a richer, more inspiring and more actionable solution than you could achieve from traditional focus groups or brainstorms.
By creatively piecing together the critical clues surrounding a brand, Sleuth creates a composite of fresh insight that our clients use to drive growth and innovation in their businesses.
Miscellaneous Information
Have you received an e-mail claiming to be from Microsoft, which states that you are the winner of a large amount of money? It would be great news if it were true, but it's not. This is a type of e-mail scam known as "advance fee fraud." Get tips on how to avoid this scam and others in this post on the Security Tips & Talk blog.
When we face a challenging situation, it's natural to turn to family and close friends for help. Sometimes, the kind and encouraging words from a loved one prove to be the catalyst that turns us back to God. It is important, however, that we carefully examine advice offered by those close to us. Their input may be genuine and motivated by love, but if a suggestion is inconsistent with God's Word, we should politely disregard it.
Sometimes we may seek advice that we want to hear rather than advice that we need to hear. As we consult our loved ones for help with momentous decisions, it's important to distinguish between our fleshly desires and biblical truth. Wise counsel is always consistent with the Word of God. The next time you seek an opinion from friends or family, take a moment to compare their input with Scripture. If there are inconsistencies, trust in the Bible and God's willingness to carry you through any difficult situation you face.
Assume what you publish on the Web is permanent. Anyone on the Internet can easily print out a blog or save it to a computer.
Windows XP has a nice little tune which most people wouldn't have heard. All you need to do is go to your \WINDOWS\system32\oobe\images\ directory and open the file Title.wma in a media player. It runs for 5 minutes and I think it's neat.
If you go to the website LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card that Xerox will print and send to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't choose who gets it, but it will go to a member of the U.S. armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!
He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
Every picture tells a story.
I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.
Possible story idea from the movie Notes on a Scandal, a dark drama about a flighty new teacher and the twisted veteran educator who preys on her young colleague. Dench is a scary old spinster who discovers that her school’s art teacher (Blanchett) is having an affair with a student, the older woman seizing on the transgression to extort devotion and intimacy from her new “friend.”
Work thoughts
Productivity drops after the first ten hours of a working day. So does judgment. That’s why people who work really long hours won’t (and can’t) admit that their productivity has dropped. When one works that much, the rest of the world fades away. One acquires a pathologically narrow perspective.
Alcohol doesn't solve any problems, but if you think again, neither does milk.
To love the significant women in our lives without any strings attached is an important part of showing them honor. No mother or wife should have to wonder if she’s living up to what loved ones hope and expect from her. After a while, she’ll feel trapped by the burden of unmet expectations, rather than accepted by those closest to her.
Every child needs a mother who wants her children. Nothing is more devastating to a youngster than to grow up feeling unwanted or unloved. A broken connection with Mom can haunt a child throughout life. This may hinder relationships with Jesus Christ, friends, and spouses. As a future adult, that child may struggle with a suspicion that he or she is unlovable.
Within the Cheyenne tribe there used to be a military society made up of the strongest and bravest men. They were fierce fighters- unyielding. The calvary called them Dog Soldiers or suicide soldiers. They often acted as rear guards, or sacrificial decoy, so the rest of the tribe could escape. Four Winds symbolizes the four directions of Indian life. The white and black facial markings are symbolic of the north, where winter weather comes from to put things to rest until their rebirth in the spring. The south is the direction of youth and the west is the direction of storms and water from which all life is given. Finally, the east is the direction of the sun which symbolizes the Creator who begins the day.
Writing Prompt
You've met a genii, and have been offered three wishes. You can have anything at all.
But... there's a catch.
You must give up something of importance to you.
So, what are your three wishes?
And what will you give up?
Write four pages.
Then write another two pages, describing your new life.
When we face a challenging situation, it's natural to turn to family and close friends for help. Sometimes, the kind and encouraging words from a loved one prove to be the catalyst that turns us back to God. It is important, however, that we carefully examine advice offered by those close to us. Their input may be genuine and motivated by love, but if a suggestion is inconsistent with God's Word, we should politely disregard it.
Sometimes we may seek advice that we want to hear rather than advice that we need to hear. As we consult our loved ones for help with momentous decisions, it's important to distinguish between our fleshly desires and biblical truth. Wise counsel is always consistent with the Word of God. The next time you seek an opinion from friends or family, take a moment to compare their input with Scripture. If there are inconsistencies, trust in the Bible and God's willingness to carry you through any difficult situation you face.
Assume what you publish on the Web is permanent. Anyone on the Internet can easily print out a blog or save it to a computer.
Windows XP has a nice little tune which most people wouldn't have heard. All you need to do is go to your \WINDOWS\system32\oobe\images\ directory and open the file Title.wma in a media player. It runs for 5 minutes and I think it's neat.
If you go to the website LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card that Xerox will print and send to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't choose who gets it, but it will go to a member of the U.S. armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!
He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
Every picture tells a story.
I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.
Possible story idea from the movie Notes on a Scandal, a dark drama about a flighty new teacher and the twisted veteran educator who preys on her young colleague. Dench is a scary old spinster who discovers that her school’s art teacher (Blanchett) is having an affair with a student, the older woman seizing on the transgression to extort devotion and intimacy from her new “friend.”
Work thoughts
Productivity drops after the first ten hours of a working day. So does judgment. That’s why people who work really long hours won’t (and can’t) admit that their productivity has dropped. When one works that much, the rest of the world fades away. One acquires a pathologically narrow perspective.
Alcohol doesn't solve any problems, but if you think again, neither does milk.
To love the significant women in our lives without any strings attached is an important part of showing them honor. No mother or wife should have to wonder if she’s living up to what loved ones hope and expect from her. After a while, she’ll feel trapped by the burden of unmet expectations, rather than accepted by those closest to her.
Every child needs a mother who wants her children. Nothing is more devastating to a youngster than to grow up feeling unwanted or unloved. A broken connection with Mom can haunt a child throughout life. This may hinder relationships with Jesus Christ, friends, and spouses. As a future adult, that child may struggle with a suspicion that he or she is unlovable.
Within the Cheyenne tribe there used to be a military society made up of the strongest and bravest men. They were fierce fighters- unyielding. The calvary called them Dog Soldiers or suicide soldiers. They often acted as rear guards, or sacrificial decoy, so the rest of the tribe could escape. Four Winds symbolizes the four directions of Indian life. The white and black facial markings are symbolic of the north, where winter weather comes from to put things to rest until their rebirth in the spring. The south is the direction of youth and the west is the direction of storms and water from which all life is given. Finally, the east is the direction of the sun which symbolizes the Creator who begins the day.
Writing Prompt
You've met a genii, and have been offered three wishes. You can have anything at all.
But... there's a catch.
You must give up something of importance to you.
So, what are your three wishes?
And what will you give up?
Write four pages.
Then write another two pages, describing your new life.
Definitions of terms I have wondered about
Ah, yes -- the infamous "generation gap" strikes again as I meander into my early fifties.
blow back (blo'bâk) n. -- 1. Backpressure in an internal-combustion engine or boiler; 2. Unburned powder residue released by the automatic ejection of a spent cartridge or shell from a firearm; 3. Unintended consequences that rebound on the perpetrators of disinformation, intelligence operations, or covert action. The term "blowback," which officials of the Central Intelligence Agency first invented for their own internal use, is starting to circulate among students of international relations. It refers to the unintended consequences of policies that were kept secret from the American people. What the daily press reports as the malign acts of "terrorists" or "drug lords" or "rogue states" or "illegal arms merchants" often turn out to be blowback from earlier American operations. One man's terrorist is, of course, another man's freedom fighter, and what U.S. officials denounce as unprovoked terrorist attacks on its innocent citizens are often meant as retaliation for previous American imperial actions. The most direct and obvious form of blowback often occurs when the victims fight back after a secret American bombing, or a U.S.-sponsored campaign of state terrorism, or a ClA-engineered overthrow of a foreign political leader.
obviate: to anticipate and dispose of or make unnecessary.
testaceous: 1. Having a shell. 2. Having the reddish brown color of bricks or baked clay.
napier: One in charge of table linen in a royal household.
Bucca -- goblin of the wind, once supposed by Cornish people to foretell shipwrecks. It is also a sprite fabled to live in the tin mines.
Mojo -- Mojo is a term commonly encountered in the African-American folk belief called hoodoo. A mojo is a small bag, a type of magic charm, often of red flannel cloth and tied with a drawstring, containing botanical, zoological, and/or mineral curios, petition papers, and the like. It is typically worn under clothing. The word Mojo traces its origins to Africa and entered the English language during the era of slavery in the USA. It has been widely known from the 19th century and early 20th century to the present. Other regional names for mojo bags, or for specific types of mojos, include gree-gree (a Bantu word typically spelled gris-gris by people in Louisiana because of the state's Francophone origins), mojo hand, conjure bag, conjure hand, toby, jomo, and nation sack. In Haiti, the usual name for this sort of charm bag among those of African descent is a wanga, oanga, or wanger. Mojo hands are carried for their supernatural powers, such as protecting from evil or crossed conditions, drawing love, or bringing good luck or success in gambling and other money matters. A mojo bag can also be prepared for use in more nefarious spell-craft, such as to render a man impotent by tying his nature. The mojo bag usually contains a mix of herbs, powders, personal concerns such as a hair or fingernail clippings, sometimes a coin or dice, a lodestone, a petition paper or prayer, and other objects thought to promote supernatural action or protection. The tying of the bag is an important part of its making, as this keeps within it the spirit whose aid is being sought. Once thus fixed and prepared, the mojo is fed to keep it working, generally with a liquid, such as a perfume, an anointing oil, or in some cases a drop of urine. References to mojos, nation sacks, and tobies are common in 20th century rural and urban blues songs by musicians such as Blind Willie McTell, Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, the Memphis Jug Band, Muddy Waters, and Lightnin' Hopkins. Some of the earlier blues tunes were covered by white rock & roll bands in the 1960s and beatboxers in the 2000s. The tunes thus reached audiences unfamiliar with the folk beliefs referred to in the lyrics of the songs. Popular songs such as "I Got My Mojo Workin" by Muddy Waters use the reference of mojo to male virility, libido, or the penis itself. Waters refers directly to John the Conqueror root which is believed have magical sexual powers. The root is a possible item in a mojo bag and in dried form is believed to resemble the testicles of a dark-skinned man. Likewise, Jim Morrison of The Doors named himself "Mr. Mojo Risin" — an anagram of "Jim Morrison" — in the song "L.A. Woman." This usage of the word was spoofed by Mike Myers in the 1999 film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, in which the title character has his mojo stolen, and loses his sexual confidence and prowess. Some other slang meanings of mojo in common use include: charisma, karma, and cocaine (as in "Gimme that mojo!"). Despite these variant usages, the word mojo continues to be widely used to mean what it always has meant in the African-American community -- namely, a conjure hand.
Ensemble cast -- An ensemble cast is a cast in which the principal performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows for flexibility for writers to focus on different characters in different episodes. In addition, the departure of players is less disruptive to the premise than it would be if the star of a production with a regularly structured cast leaves. Some films have ensemble casts, usually ones that revolve around one large theme, like the The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars movies, or ones that revolve around interrelated themes persistent throughout individual subplots of the characters. In theatre, the same principle applies, however the definition may be extended to mean that the whole cast 'moves and thinks as one'. Where the group is fully aware of everyone else in the cast, reacting to other movements in the cast, it requires heightened senses and a lot of concentration, with great amount of the focus being on peripheral vision and hearing. Ensemble performance can be recognised by the 'flow' of performance, with scenes flowing together seamlessly, often the piece doesn't contain many props, with one prop doubling as various different objects. A lot of dance theatre contains aspects of ensemble performance.
blow back (blo'bâk) n. -- 1. Backpressure in an internal-combustion engine or boiler; 2. Unburned powder residue released by the automatic ejection of a spent cartridge or shell from a firearm; 3. Unintended consequences that rebound on the perpetrators of disinformation, intelligence operations, or covert action. The term "blowback," which officials of the Central Intelligence Agency first invented for their own internal use, is starting to circulate among students of international relations. It refers to the unintended consequences of policies that were kept secret from the American people. What the daily press reports as the malign acts of "terrorists" or "drug lords" or "rogue states" or "illegal arms merchants" often turn out to be blowback from earlier American operations. One man's terrorist is, of course, another man's freedom fighter, and what U.S. officials denounce as unprovoked terrorist attacks on its innocent citizens are often meant as retaliation for previous American imperial actions. The most direct and obvious form of blowback often occurs when the victims fight back after a secret American bombing, or a U.S.-sponsored campaign of state terrorism, or a ClA-engineered overthrow of a foreign political leader.
obviate: to anticipate and dispose of or make unnecessary.
testaceous: 1. Having a shell. 2. Having the reddish brown color of bricks or baked clay.
napier: One in charge of table linen in a royal household.
Bucca -- goblin of the wind, once supposed by Cornish people to foretell shipwrecks. It is also a sprite fabled to live in the tin mines.
Mojo -- Mojo is a term commonly encountered in the African-American folk belief called hoodoo. A mojo is a small bag, a type of magic charm, often of red flannel cloth and tied with a drawstring, containing botanical, zoological, and/or mineral curios, petition papers, and the like. It is typically worn under clothing. The word Mojo traces its origins to Africa and entered the English language during the era of slavery in the USA. It has been widely known from the 19th century and early 20th century to the present. Other regional names for mojo bags, or for specific types of mojos, include gree-gree (a Bantu word typically spelled gris-gris by people in Louisiana because of the state's Francophone origins), mojo hand, conjure bag, conjure hand, toby, jomo, and nation sack. In Haiti, the usual name for this sort of charm bag among those of African descent is a wanga, oanga, or wanger. Mojo hands are carried for their supernatural powers, such as protecting from evil or crossed conditions, drawing love, or bringing good luck or success in gambling and other money matters. A mojo bag can also be prepared for use in more nefarious spell-craft, such as to render a man impotent by tying his nature. The mojo bag usually contains a mix of herbs, powders, personal concerns such as a hair or fingernail clippings, sometimes a coin or dice, a lodestone, a petition paper or prayer, and other objects thought to promote supernatural action or protection. The tying of the bag is an important part of its making, as this keeps within it the spirit whose aid is being sought. Once thus fixed and prepared, the mojo is fed to keep it working, generally with a liquid, such as a perfume, an anointing oil, or in some cases a drop of urine. References to mojos, nation sacks, and tobies are common in 20th century rural and urban blues songs by musicians such as Blind Willie McTell, Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, the Memphis Jug Band, Muddy Waters, and Lightnin' Hopkins. Some of the earlier blues tunes were covered by white rock & roll bands in the 1960s and beatboxers in the 2000s. The tunes thus reached audiences unfamiliar with the folk beliefs referred to in the lyrics of the songs. Popular songs such as "I Got My Mojo Workin" by Muddy Waters use the reference of mojo to male virility, libido, or the penis itself. Waters refers directly to John the Conqueror root which is believed have magical sexual powers. The root is a possible item in a mojo bag and in dried form is believed to resemble the testicles of a dark-skinned man. Likewise, Jim Morrison of The Doors named himself "Mr. Mojo Risin" — an anagram of "Jim Morrison" — in the song "L.A. Woman." This usage of the word was spoofed by Mike Myers in the 1999 film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, in which the title character has his mojo stolen, and loses his sexual confidence and prowess. Some other slang meanings of mojo in common use include: charisma, karma, and cocaine (as in "Gimme that mojo!"). Despite these variant usages, the word mojo continues to be widely used to mean what it always has meant in the African-American community -- namely, a conjure hand.
Ensemble cast -- An ensemble cast is a cast in which the principal performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows for flexibility for writers to focus on different characters in different episodes. In addition, the departure of players is less disruptive to the premise than it would be if the star of a production with a regularly structured cast leaves. Some films have ensemble casts, usually ones that revolve around one large theme, like the The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars movies, or ones that revolve around interrelated themes persistent throughout individual subplots of the characters. In theatre, the same principle applies, however the definition may be extended to mean that the whole cast 'moves and thinks as one'. Where the group is fully aware of everyone else in the cast, reacting to other movements in the cast, it requires heightened senses and a lot of concentration, with great amount of the focus being on peripheral vision and hearing. Ensemble performance can be recognised by the 'flow' of performance, with scenes flowing together seamlessly, often the piece doesn't contain many props, with one prop doubling as various different objects. A lot of dance theatre contains aspects of ensemble performance.
More quotes
"Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity." -- Hanlon's Razor
Carl Sagan - "In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe."
"A Kiss Without A Beard is Like an Egg Without Salt"
Zig Ziglar said, "You cannot consistently behave in a way that is inconsistent with your beliefs."
"The heresy of one age is the orthodox belief and 'only infallible rule' of the next." - Theodore Parker
"Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open." - John Barrymore
Plain women know more about men than beautiful women do. --Katharine Hepburn
Whatever you are, be a good one. --Abraham Lincoln
Be Silly. Be honest. Be kind. --Ralph Waldo Emerson
Nobody really cares if you're miserable, so you might as well be happy. -- Cynthia Nelms
None of us can change our yesterdays, but all of us can change our tomorrows. -- Colin Powell
Your true passion should feel like breathing; it's that natural. -- Oprah Winfrey
There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from. -- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
I don't believe in pessimism. -- Clint Eastwood
A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education. --Theodore Roosevelt
Always go to the bathroom when you have a chance. -- King George V
A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world. Everyone you meet is your mirror. --Ken Keys
If you knew me yesterday, please do not think that it is the same person that you are meeting today. --John Powell
No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless. There's too much work to do. --Dorothy Day
If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to. --Dorothy Parker
If God has called you, do not spend time looking over your shoulder to see who is following you. --Corrie ten Boom
There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly. --Buckminster Fuller
Let gratitude for the past inspire us with trust for the future. --Francois Fenelon
If you don't run your own life, somebody else will. -- John Atkinson
Everyone faces those times we refer to as key moments of decision; moments that may very well change a person’s life in some monumental way. "- Carol Goldberg,
Carl Sagan - "In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe."
"A Kiss Without A Beard is Like an Egg Without Salt"
Zig Ziglar said, "You cannot consistently behave in a way that is inconsistent with your beliefs."
"The heresy of one age is the orthodox belief and 'only infallible rule' of the next." - Theodore Parker
"Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open." - John Barrymore
Plain women know more about men than beautiful women do. --Katharine Hepburn
Whatever you are, be a good one. --Abraham Lincoln
Be Silly. Be honest. Be kind. --Ralph Waldo Emerson
Nobody really cares if you're miserable, so you might as well be happy. -- Cynthia Nelms
None of us can change our yesterdays, but all of us can change our tomorrows. -- Colin Powell
Your true passion should feel like breathing; it's that natural. -- Oprah Winfrey
There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from. -- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
I don't believe in pessimism. -- Clint Eastwood
A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education. --Theodore Roosevelt
Always go to the bathroom when you have a chance. -- King George V
A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world. Everyone you meet is your mirror. --Ken Keys
If you knew me yesterday, please do not think that it is the same person that you are meeting today. --John Powell
No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless. There's too much work to do. --Dorothy Day
If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to. --Dorothy Parker
If God has called you, do not spend time looking over your shoulder to see who is following you. --Corrie ten Boom
There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly. --Buckminster Fuller
Let gratitude for the past inspire us with trust for the future. --Francois Fenelon
If you don't run your own life, somebody else will. -- John Atkinson
Everyone faces those times we refer to as key moments of decision; moments that may very well change a person’s life in some monumental way. "- Carol Goldberg,
How To Survive A Horror Movie
When it appears you have killed the monster, NEVER check to see if it’s really dead.
Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.
If you find a town which looks deserted, it’s probably for a good reason. Take the hint and stay away.
Don’t fool around with recombinant DNA technology unless you’re sure you know what you are doing.
If you’re running away from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice, more if you are of the female persuasion. Also note that despite the fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along, it’s still moving fast enough to catch up with you.
When you are searching a house because you think there is something dangerous there, turn on the damn lights!
If you are at your Senior prom, and the school reject has just won prom queen, slowly back away and run for the exit. All hell is about to break loose.
If you are babysitting, don’t let the kids play with the Chucky doll.
If the movie is directed by someone named Wes Craven or John Carpenter, you’re pretty much screwed.
A female should never wear a white shirt without a bra while escaping the monster. It will only increase your chances of falling and causing a freak rainstorm that will make your shirt transparent and result in your immediate death.
If you DO happen to get killed, make sure it’s in a cheap low-budget gore-fest with no plot, so you can come back and kick ass, no explanation needed.
Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.
If you find a town which looks deserted, it’s probably for a good reason. Take the hint and stay away.
Don’t fool around with recombinant DNA technology unless you’re sure you know what you are doing.
If you’re running away from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice, more if you are of the female persuasion. Also note that despite the fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along, it’s still moving fast enough to catch up with you.
When you are searching a house because you think there is something dangerous there, turn on the damn lights!
If you are at your Senior prom, and the school reject has just won prom queen, slowly back away and run for the exit. All hell is about to break loose.
If you are babysitting, don’t let the kids play with the Chucky doll.
If the movie is directed by someone named Wes Craven or John Carpenter, you’re pretty much screwed.
A female should never wear a white shirt without a bra while escaping the monster. It will only increase your chances of falling and causing a freak rainstorm that will make your shirt transparent and result in your immediate death.
If you DO happen to get killed, make sure it’s in a cheap low-budget gore-fest with no plot, so you can come back and kick ass, no explanation needed.
Famous Deaths in Shaving History
originally posted July 18, 2006
Here's something they probably didn't teach you in school - a fatal shaving accident lead to one of the finest works of American literature. Henry David Thoreau and his brother John were very close, and took many trips together, often exploring the New England region.
When he was 25, ...his brother [John] cut himself shaving in the winter of 1841 and caught lockjaw. He died in Thoreau's arms. For weeks after his brother's death, Thoreau couldn't write in his journal, or even talk to his family and friends. For a brief period, he even experienced all the symptoms of lockjaw himself.
(from The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor.)
Ralph Waldo Emerson, a family friend, suggested Thoreau spend some time on his land in Concord near Waldon Pond and deal with his grief. They rest, as they say, is literary history.
So what have we learned from this? Well, I'm sure we're all thankful for the invention of the safety razor, which came into existence in the late 1880s through the ingenuity of the Kampfe Brothers. And secondly, if you've got a bad case of writer's block, consider giving your brother a crappy razor for his birthday.
Posted by Russell Neufeld at Permalink
Here's something they probably didn't teach you in school - a fatal shaving accident lead to one of the finest works of American literature. Henry David Thoreau and his brother John were very close, and took many trips together, often exploring the New England region.
When he was 25, ...his brother [John] cut himself shaving in the winter of 1841 and caught lockjaw. He died in Thoreau's arms. For weeks after his brother's death, Thoreau couldn't write in his journal, or even talk to his family and friends. For a brief period, he even experienced all the symptoms of lockjaw himself.
(from The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor.)
Ralph Waldo Emerson, a family friend, suggested Thoreau spend some time on his land in Concord near Waldon Pond and deal with his grief. They rest, as they say, is literary history.
So what have we learned from this? Well, I'm sure we're all thankful for the invention of the safety razor, which came into existence in the late 1880s through the ingenuity of the Kampfe Brothers. And secondly, if you've got a bad case of writer's block, consider giving your brother a crappy razor for his birthday.
Posted by Russell Neufeld at Permalink
Movie Clichés
In all high school or college classrooms, the teacher or professor will always be interrupted in mid-sentence by the end-of-class bell.
High Schools are always either in the middle of a city or a car ride away from the beach.
In any type of sport movie, a player on the field can look up into a crowd of 1 billion and immediately spot their loved one.
In any movie where "something" has happened and villagers come to look at it, they always decide to "go for help". The most expendable member of the group is left to "keep an eye on it", and supplied with a weapon or signaling device "in case something happens". Said member ALWAYS responds: "What could happen?" This is a certain signal that he will die, gruesomely, within 2 minutes.
The bad guy is the foreigner.
Corollary: the foreigner is the guy who speaks English with an English accent
You're very likely to survive any battle in any war, unless you show someone a picture of your sweetheart back home.
Every army platoon has at least one, usually black, member who can play the harmonica.
Be sure to leave your important tapes, such as the one labeled "Incriminating evidence against Senator Smith showing him taking $24million in bribes and then fondling the drug lord's daughter" or your computer floppy disks labeled "All the nuclear launch codes are on here" where they can be easily found.
All characters keep detailed news clippings of important events in their lives, particularly those events that must be painful to recall, such as the loss of the character's immediate family due to their own negligence. NB: If the news report would have come out while the character was in jail or on the run, all the more reason for the character to have kept it intact.
All movie mothers will prepare a breakfast, usually consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon, etc. Dad and the kids will invariably arrive at the table 30 seconds before Dad has to leave for the office and the kids have to catch the school bus. Each will have time only for a sip of coffee/juice and/or one bite of toast. There must be enough food left over in these homes to feed an emerging nation!
The hero will always have a small trickle of blood in the right corner of his mouth after a fight. His lip will never be split in the middle, and his upper lip will always be invulnerable. He will wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, then look at it. If his face displays any other injury, it will usually be a small abrasion on his right cheekbone. He will wear a band-aid on this for one day, after which it will be miraculously healed.
People never get out of the house when there is obvious danger there (ghosts, murderers).
People who hear something weird outside will go OUT to look, even if they know there's a homicidal maniac on the loose.
Any apartment in Paris will have a view of the Eiffel Tower.
Only men are alcoholics. Any hopeless alcoholic can quit drinking when faced with an important challenge. The instant the alcoholic stops drinking, all his faculties return and he faces no annoying withdrawals.
People never cough, sneeze, blow their noses, or show any other symptoms of being in less than perfect health.
The only exception to the above is when they're dying. A cough is a symptom of terminal illness.
Corollary: if blood is slowly dripping out of the side of a victim's mouth when they are lying down, they are dying.
Pedestrians in Hollywood have the world's best reactions, so don't worry if you have to drive down a sidewalk. Mr Pappodopolus is quite used to having his fruit cart smashed, and despite his gesticulations and curses, he always manages to get out of the way in time.
There are always people carrying around large sheets of glass on the street during a car chase.
Whenever anyone knocks out anyone else and takes their clothes, it's always a flawless fit.
Every time we’re introduced to a police precinct house, one or more colorfully dressed prostitutes are being brought in while bickering with their arresting officer.
If a hero is divorced (and most are), he’ll have some contact with his ex-wife who will still have strong feelings for him even if she’s remarried.
Native Americans invariably have mystical knowledge that can obtusely predict the future, or have a fundamental understanding of all things in nature .
When a phone line is broken unexpectedly, someone will always frantically press the phone cradle button and yell “Hello? HELLO!?” with an emphasis on the second hello.
When someone yells “You never backed away from everything in your life, now fight!!” while giving someone CPR or working to resuscitate a stopped heart.
High Schools are always either in the middle of a city or a car ride away from the beach.
In any type of sport movie, a player on the field can look up into a crowd of 1 billion and immediately spot their loved one.
In any movie where "something" has happened and villagers come to look at it, they always decide to "go for help". The most expendable member of the group is left to "keep an eye on it", and supplied with a weapon or signaling device "in case something happens". Said member ALWAYS responds: "What could happen?" This is a certain signal that he will die, gruesomely, within 2 minutes.
The bad guy is the foreigner.
Corollary: the foreigner is the guy who speaks English with an English accent
You're very likely to survive any battle in any war, unless you show someone a picture of your sweetheart back home.
Every army platoon has at least one, usually black, member who can play the harmonica.
Be sure to leave your important tapes, such as the one labeled "Incriminating evidence against Senator Smith showing him taking $24million in bribes and then fondling the drug lord's daughter" or your computer floppy disks labeled "All the nuclear launch codes are on here" where they can be easily found.
All characters keep detailed news clippings of important events in their lives, particularly those events that must be painful to recall, such as the loss of the character's immediate family due to their own negligence. NB: If the news report would have come out while the character was in jail or on the run, all the more reason for the character to have kept it intact.
All movie mothers will prepare a breakfast, usually consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon, etc. Dad and the kids will invariably arrive at the table 30 seconds before Dad has to leave for the office and the kids have to catch the school bus. Each will have time only for a sip of coffee/juice and/or one bite of toast. There must be enough food left over in these homes to feed an emerging nation!
The hero will always have a small trickle of blood in the right corner of his mouth after a fight. His lip will never be split in the middle, and his upper lip will always be invulnerable. He will wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, then look at it. If his face displays any other injury, it will usually be a small abrasion on his right cheekbone. He will wear a band-aid on this for one day, after which it will be miraculously healed.
People never get out of the house when there is obvious danger there (ghosts, murderers).
People who hear something weird outside will go OUT to look, even if they know there's a homicidal maniac on the loose.
Any apartment in Paris will have a view of the Eiffel Tower.
Only men are alcoholics. Any hopeless alcoholic can quit drinking when faced with an important challenge. The instant the alcoholic stops drinking, all his faculties return and he faces no annoying withdrawals.
People never cough, sneeze, blow their noses, or show any other symptoms of being in less than perfect health.
The only exception to the above is when they're dying. A cough is a symptom of terminal illness.
Corollary: if blood is slowly dripping out of the side of a victim's mouth when they are lying down, they are dying.
Pedestrians in Hollywood have the world's best reactions, so don't worry if you have to drive down a sidewalk. Mr Pappodopolus is quite used to having his fruit cart smashed, and despite his gesticulations and curses, he always manages to get out of the way in time.
There are always people carrying around large sheets of glass on the street during a car chase.
Whenever anyone knocks out anyone else and takes their clothes, it's always a flawless fit.
Every time we’re introduced to a police precinct house, one or more colorfully dressed prostitutes are being brought in while bickering with their arresting officer.
If a hero is divorced (and most are), he’ll have some contact with his ex-wife who will still have strong feelings for him even if she’s remarried.
Native Americans invariably have mystical knowledge that can obtusely predict the future, or have a fundamental understanding of all things in nature .
When a phone line is broken unexpectedly, someone will always frantically press the phone cradle button and yell “Hello? HELLO!?” with an emphasis on the second hello.
When someone yells “You never backed away from everything in your life, now fight!!” while giving someone CPR or working to resuscitate a stopped heart.
Common Passwords
Top Ten Most Common MySpace Passwords
This list surely has a lot to do with the average age of MySpace users, but if you recognize yourself here, it’s time to change your digits. We are reminded of the joke:
Alex: My password is alphanumeric.
George: Well mine’s a mixture of numbers AND letters.
password1
abc123
myspace1
password
blink182
qwerty1
123abc
baseball1
football1
123456
This list surely has a lot to do with the average age of MySpace users, but if you recognize yourself here, it’s time to change your digits. We are reminded of the joke:
Alex: My password is alphanumeric.
George: Well mine’s a mixture of numbers AND letters.
password1
abc123
myspace1
password
blink182
qwerty1
123abc
baseball1
football1
123456
Writing Workshop
To get the most out of any workshop on writing, make demands upon yourself.
Think of yourself as at an audition for extras. Allow one part of yourself to observe the other as an actor. The actor is to begin to imagine being at a sports event. Slowly build up the imagination by adding factors to play off of -- such as an extremely cold or hot temperature or life and death. For example, imagine you have bet your last dollar on the game and if you lose, you lose your life -- say to the mob. Utilize the emotions you are feeling to write what your characters are feeling.
Always remember (never forget) the five W's:
1 - Who? - outlook, ethics, economics, religion, etc.
2 - Where? - rules of the game, realism, magic realism, etc.
3 - When?
4 - What? - objective/obstacle
5 - Why? - motivation
The key is to answer the sixth question: "How?"
The higher the stakes, the richer the conflict. Two characters with the same objective equal a boring story.
If it's not personal, it won't mean much to the audience.
You can't play the obstacle; you must play the objective.
You know what “they” say- it always comes in threes.
Think of yourself as at an audition for extras. Allow one part of yourself to observe the other as an actor. The actor is to begin to imagine being at a sports event. Slowly build up the imagination by adding factors to play off of -- such as an extremely cold or hot temperature or life and death. For example, imagine you have bet your last dollar on the game and if you lose, you lose your life -- say to the mob. Utilize the emotions you are feeling to write what your characters are feeling.
Always remember (never forget) the five W's:
1 - Who? - outlook, ethics, economics, religion, etc.
2 - Where? - rules of the game, realism, magic realism, etc.
3 - When?
4 - What? - objective/obstacle
5 - Why? - motivation
The key is to answer the sixth question: "How?"
The higher the stakes, the richer the conflict. Two characters with the same objective equal a boring story.
If it's not personal, it won't mean much to the audience.
You can't play the obstacle; you must play the objective.
You know what “they” say- it always comes in threes.
The Hacker Attitude
1. The world is full of fascinating problems waiting to be solved.
2. No problem should ever have to be solved twice.
3. Boredom and drudgery are evil.
4. Freedom is good.
5. Attitude is no substitute for competence.
http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html
2. No problem should ever have to be solved twice.
3. Boredom and drudgery are evil.
4. Freedom is good.
5. Attitude is no substitute for competence.
http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html
Misc. Quotations
Get ready to do five to ten in the slammer after finding out you aren't as smart as you think you are – unknown
Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way. -- General George Patton
The proof of a man is the danger test, It shows him up at his worst, or his best. -- Edgar A Guest
No good decision was ever made in a swivel chair. -- George S. Patton
Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. -- George S. Patton
War is cruelty. There's no use trying to reform it, the crueler it is the sooner it will be over. -- William Tecumseh Sherman
"To me, old age is always fifteen years older than I am." -- Bernard M. Baruch
"You will recognize, my boy, the first sign of old age; it is when you go out into the streets and realize for the first time how young the policemen look." -- Sir Seymour Hicks
"If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." -- Toni Morrison.
It is what it is. -- unknown
Oh the stories these old walls could tell. -- unknown
Having someone to love is family. Having somwhere to go is home. Having both is a blessing. – unknown
Grandchildren are God’s reward for not killing your kids. – unknown
Marriage requires falling in love many times – always with the same person. – unknown
God doesn’t give us what we can handle; God helps us handle what we are given. – unknown
Life may not always be the party we hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance. – unknown
Never let yesterday fill up today. – unknown
Live in such a way that those who know you but don’t know God will come to know God because they know you. – unknown
A house is made of boards and beams. A home is made of love and dreams. – unknown
Live simply. Love generously. Speak kindly. Care deeply. Lave the rest to God. – unknown
It doesn’t matter where you go in life. It’s who you have beside you. – unknown
It’s never too late to live happily ever after. – unknown
Outhouse Rules – Be neat. Leave it like you want to find it. Put the lid down. Leave paper for the next one. Shut the door so the chickens won’t get in. – unknown
Being happy doesn’t mean everything’s perfect. It means you decide to see beyond the imperfections. – unknown
I love you more today than I did yesterday, ‘cause yesterday you really ticked me off. – unknown
What ever you are, be a good one. – Abe Lincoln
Motto to live by: Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, latte in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “Woo Hoo, what a ride!” – unknown
Some people make things happen, some watch things happen, and some wonder at the end of their life, “What happened?” – unknown
Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life. – unknown
Prayer is less about changing the world and more about changing ourselves. – unknown
Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way. -- General George Patton
The proof of a man is the danger test, It shows him up at his worst, or his best. -- Edgar A Guest
No good decision was ever made in a swivel chair. -- George S. Patton
Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. -- George S. Patton
War is cruelty. There's no use trying to reform it, the crueler it is the sooner it will be over. -- William Tecumseh Sherman
"To me, old age is always fifteen years older than I am." -- Bernard M. Baruch
"You will recognize, my boy, the first sign of old age; it is when you go out into the streets and realize for the first time how young the policemen look." -- Sir Seymour Hicks
"If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." -- Toni Morrison.
It is what it is. -- unknown
Oh the stories these old walls could tell. -- unknown
Having someone to love is family. Having somwhere to go is home. Having both is a blessing. – unknown
Grandchildren are God’s reward for not killing your kids. – unknown
Marriage requires falling in love many times – always with the same person. – unknown
God doesn’t give us what we can handle; God helps us handle what we are given. – unknown
Life may not always be the party we hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance. – unknown
Never let yesterday fill up today. – unknown
Live in such a way that those who know you but don’t know God will come to know God because they know you. – unknown
A house is made of boards and beams. A home is made of love and dreams. – unknown
Live simply. Love generously. Speak kindly. Care deeply. Lave the rest to God. – unknown
It doesn’t matter where you go in life. It’s who you have beside you. – unknown
It’s never too late to live happily ever after. – unknown
Outhouse Rules – Be neat. Leave it like you want to find it. Put the lid down. Leave paper for the next one. Shut the door so the chickens won’t get in. – unknown
Being happy doesn’t mean everything’s perfect. It means you decide to see beyond the imperfections. – unknown
I love you more today than I did yesterday, ‘cause yesterday you really ticked me off. – unknown
What ever you are, be a good one. – Abe Lincoln
Motto to live by: Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, latte in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “Woo Hoo, what a ride!” – unknown
Some people make things happen, some watch things happen, and some wonder at the end of their life, “What happened?” – unknown
Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life. – unknown
Prayer is less about changing the world and more about changing ourselves. – unknown
Tags - List of Emotions
Tags
List of feelings that persons have but often fail to identify
Abandoned
abhor
absorbed
Accepting
accursed
Adored
adventurous
affectionate
Afraid
aggravated
agitated
Agony
alarmed
alert
alienated
Alive
aloof
amazed
ambivalent
amused
angry
anguished
animated
animosity
annoyed
antagonistic
anticipating
Anxious
apathetic
appalled
appealing
appreciated
appreciative
apprehensive
approved
ardent
ardor
aroused
ashamed
astonished
Astounded
at-ease
attractive
aversion
Aware
awed
Bad
baffled
bashful
beat
Belligerent
benevolent
bereaved
Betrayed
bewildered
Bitter
blissful
Blocked
bored
brave
brilliant
Burdened
burnt out
Busy
Calm
Capable
cared for
Carefree
Careless
Caring
centered
Certain
chagrined
Challenged
Cheated
Cheerful
clear
Clever
cold
Comfortable
compassionate
Concerned
confident
Conflicted
Conforming
confused
consoled
contempt
contemptuous
content
courageous
Cowardly
cranky
Cranky
Crushed
curious
Cynical
daring
dazed
dazzled
Defeated
degraded
dejected
Delighted
Demanding
Dependable
Dependent
depleted
depressed
despair
despised
despondent
Destructive
detached
Determined
detested
devastated
Different
disappointed
discombobulated
disconcerted
Discontented
discouraged
disdainful
disgruntled
disgusted
disheartened
dislike
dismal
dismayed
displeased
disquiet
dissatisfied
distant
distracted
Distracted
distraught
distressed
disturbed
Dominated
Down
dread
eager
Easy
ecstatic
edgy
Efficient
elated
Elusive
embarrassed
Empathy
empowered
Empty
enchanted
encouraged
energetic
engaged
engrossed
enlivened
enmity
enraged
enthralled
enthusiastic
entranced
envious
equanimous
esteemed
estranged
exasperated
excited
exhausted
exhilarated
expectant
exuberant
Fair
fascinated
fatigue
fatigued
Fearful
fed-up
fidgety
flustered
fond
Foolish
foreboding
forlorn
fragile
Frantic
frazzled
Free
friendly
frightened
frustrated
fulfilled
furious
Furious
Fury
futile
gay
Gentle
giddy
Glad
gloomy
Good
graceful
grateful
Gratified
Greedy
Grief
Gruff
guarded
guilty
Gullible
Happy
Hard
hate
hated
Hateful
headed
heartbroken
heavy hearted
Helpful
helpless
hesitant
Homesick
hopeful
hopeless
Horrible
horrified
hostile
Hostile
humiliated
hurt
Idealistic
Idolized
Ignored
Illogical
Imaginative
Immature
Immodest
impatient
important
Imposed
impotent
Impressed
Impressionable
inadequate
incensed
Incompetent
Inconsiderate
Independent
indifferent
indignant
ineffectual
Inept
Infatuated
infatuated
Inferior
Influenced
infuriated
Ingenious
inhibited
Innovative
insecure
Insensitive
Insincere
inspired
Intelligent
interested
intrigued
Intuitive
invigorated
involved
irate
irked
Irresponsible
irritable
irritated
Isolated
jealous
Jealous
jittery
jolly
joyful
jubilant
Jumpy
keen
Kind
Lazy
leery
Left
lethargic
Liberal
liked
listless
lively
livid
Logical
lonely
Lonely
longing
lost
Loved
loving
Low
Lustful
Mad
Manipulated
Materialistic
Mean
melancholy
mellow
miserable
mistrustful
mixed-up
Modest
moody
mortified
Motivated
moved
mystified
Negative
nervous
nervous
Nice
Normal
nostalgic
numb
Objective
Obnoxious
Okay
open
open hearted
optimistic
Organized
Original
out
outraged
Overburdened
Overconfident
Overprotective
overwhelmed
pain
panicked
panicky
passionate
Passive
Patient
peaceful
Perceptive
perplexed
Persecuted
perturbed
petrified
pining
Pity
Pleasant
pleased
popular
Powerful
Precise
Predictable
Pressured
Pretentious
Protective
proud
provoked
Put upon
puzzled
Quarrelsome
quiet
radiant
Rage
rapturous
Rational
rattled
Realistic
Reasonable
Reassured
refreshed
regarded
regretful
Rejected
Rejected
rejuvenated
relaxed
relieved
Relieved
reluctant
remorseful
removed
renewed
repulsed
resentful
reserved
resigned
Respected
Respectful
Responsible
Responsive
rested
restless
restored
revived
Rigid
sad
safe
Sarcastic
satisfied
scared
secure
Self-accepting
Self-aware
self-conscious
Selfish
Sensible
Sensitive
Sentimental
serene
Serious
Sexy
shaky
shocked
Shy
sick
Silly
Skeptical
Skilled
sleepy
smart
Sociable
Spacie
spellbound
Spontaneous
Stable
startled
Startled
still
stimulated
Strained
stressed out
Strong
Stubborn
Stupid
sullen
Sure
sure
surprised
suspicious
sympathetic
Tactful
Talkative
Temperamental
Tempted
tempted
tender
tense
Terrible
terrified
thankful
Thoughtful
Threatened
thrilled
tickled
timid
tired
torn
touched
Tough
tranquil
Trapped
troubled
trusting
Trustworthy
turbulent
turmoil
turned on
Ugly
Unassuming
Unaware
Uncertain
uncomfortable
Unconcerned
Uncontrolled
Understanding
uneasy
Uneasy
Unfair
Ungratified
unhappy
unimportant
uninterested
unloved
Unloving
unnerved
unpopular
Unpredictable
Unpretentious
Unreasonable
unsettled
Unsure
Unsympathetic
untroubled
Untrustworthy
Unwilling
Up
upset
Uptight
Useful
useless
valiant
vengeful
vibrant
Violent
Vivacious
vulnerable
Wanted
warm
Warm
wary
weak
wearied
weary
wide awake
Willing
Wise
Wishful
wistful
withdrawn
Witty
wonder
worn out
worried
worthless
Worthy
worthy
wretched
yearning
Zealous
List of feelings that persons have but often fail to identify
Abandoned
abhor
absorbed
Accepting
accursed
Adored
adventurous
affectionate
Afraid
aggravated
agitated
Agony
alarmed
alert
alienated
Alive
aloof
amazed
ambivalent
amused
angry
anguished
animated
animosity
annoyed
antagonistic
anticipating
Anxious
apathetic
appalled
appealing
appreciated
appreciative
apprehensive
approved
ardent
ardor
aroused
ashamed
astonished
Astounded
at-ease
attractive
aversion
Aware
awed
Bad
baffled
bashful
beat
Belligerent
benevolent
bereaved
Betrayed
bewildered
Bitter
blissful
Blocked
bored
brave
brilliant
Burdened
burnt out
Busy
Calm
Capable
cared for
Carefree
Careless
Caring
centered
Certain
chagrined
Challenged
Cheated
Cheerful
clear
Clever
cold
Comfortable
compassionate
Concerned
confident
Conflicted
Conforming
confused
consoled
contempt
contemptuous
content
courageous
Cowardly
cranky
Cranky
Crushed
curious
Cynical
daring
dazed
dazzled
Defeated
degraded
dejected
Delighted
Demanding
Dependable
Dependent
depleted
depressed
despair
despised
despondent
Destructive
detached
Determined
detested
devastated
Different
disappointed
discombobulated
disconcerted
Discontented
discouraged
disdainful
disgruntled
disgusted
disheartened
dislike
dismal
dismayed
displeased
disquiet
dissatisfied
distant
distracted
Distracted
distraught
distressed
disturbed
Dominated
Down
dread
eager
Easy
ecstatic
edgy
Efficient
elated
Elusive
embarrassed
Empathy
empowered
Empty
enchanted
encouraged
energetic
engaged
engrossed
enlivened
enmity
enraged
enthralled
enthusiastic
entranced
envious
equanimous
esteemed
estranged
exasperated
excited
exhausted
exhilarated
expectant
exuberant
Fair
fascinated
fatigue
fatigued
Fearful
fed-up
fidgety
flustered
fond
Foolish
foreboding
forlorn
fragile
Frantic
frazzled
Free
friendly
frightened
frustrated
fulfilled
furious
Furious
Fury
futile
gay
Gentle
giddy
Glad
gloomy
Good
graceful
grateful
Gratified
Greedy
Grief
Gruff
guarded
guilty
Gullible
Happy
Hard
hate
hated
Hateful
headed
heartbroken
heavy hearted
Helpful
helpless
hesitant
Homesick
hopeful
hopeless
Horrible
horrified
hostile
Hostile
humiliated
hurt
Idealistic
Idolized
Ignored
Illogical
Imaginative
Immature
Immodest
impatient
important
Imposed
impotent
Impressed
Impressionable
inadequate
incensed
Incompetent
Inconsiderate
Independent
indifferent
indignant
ineffectual
Inept
Infatuated
infatuated
Inferior
Influenced
infuriated
Ingenious
inhibited
Innovative
insecure
Insensitive
Insincere
inspired
Intelligent
interested
intrigued
Intuitive
invigorated
involved
irate
irked
Irresponsible
irritable
irritated
Isolated
jealous
Jealous
jittery
jolly
joyful
jubilant
Jumpy
keen
Kind
Lazy
leery
Left
lethargic
Liberal
liked
listless
lively
livid
Logical
lonely
Lonely
longing
lost
Loved
loving
Low
Lustful
Mad
Manipulated
Materialistic
Mean
melancholy
mellow
miserable
mistrustful
mixed-up
Modest
moody
mortified
Motivated
moved
mystified
Negative
nervous
nervous
Nice
Normal
nostalgic
numb
Objective
Obnoxious
Okay
open
open hearted
optimistic
Organized
Original
out
outraged
Overburdened
Overconfident
Overprotective
overwhelmed
pain
panicked
panicky
passionate
Passive
Patient
peaceful
Perceptive
perplexed
Persecuted
perturbed
petrified
pining
Pity
Pleasant
pleased
popular
Powerful
Precise
Predictable
Pressured
Pretentious
Protective
proud
provoked
Put upon
puzzled
Quarrelsome
quiet
radiant
Rage
rapturous
Rational
rattled
Realistic
Reasonable
Reassured
refreshed
regarded
regretful
Rejected
Rejected
rejuvenated
relaxed
relieved
Relieved
reluctant
remorseful
removed
renewed
repulsed
resentful
reserved
resigned
Respected
Respectful
Responsible
Responsive
rested
restless
restored
revived
Rigid
sad
safe
Sarcastic
satisfied
scared
secure
Self-accepting
Self-aware
self-conscious
Selfish
Sensible
Sensitive
Sentimental
serene
Serious
Sexy
shaky
shocked
Shy
sick
Silly
Skeptical
Skilled
sleepy
smart
Sociable
Spacie
spellbound
Spontaneous
Stable
startled
Startled
still
stimulated
Strained
stressed out
Strong
Stubborn
Stupid
sullen
Sure
sure
surprised
suspicious
sympathetic
Tactful
Talkative
Temperamental
Tempted
tempted
tender
tense
Terrible
terrified
thankful
Thoughtful
Threatened
thrilled
tickled
timid
tired
torn
touched
Tough
tranquil
Trapped
troubled
trusting
Trustworthy
turbulent
turmoil
turned on
Ugly
Unassuming
Unaware
Uncertain
uncomfortable
Unconcerned
Uncontrolled
Understanding
uneasy
Uneasy
Unfair
Ungratified
unhappy
unimportant
uninterested
unloved
Unloving
unnerved
unpopular
Unpredictable
Unpretentious
Unreasonable
unsettled
Unsure
Unsympathetic
untroubled
Untrustworthy
Unwilling
Up
upset
Uptight
Useful
useless
valiant
vengeful
vibrant
Violent
Vivacious
vulnerable
Wanted
warm
Warm
wary
weak
wearied
weary
wide awake
Willing
Wise
Wishful
wistful
withdrawn
Witty
wonder
worn out
worried
worthless
Worthy
worthy
wretched
yearning
Zealous
What Star Trek Species Are You?
You scored as a Vulcan
You Are Vulcan, You prefer to be alone and learn. You rarely show people what you are feeling. You understand that things take time. Safety is something that usually passes your mind, but you don't always follow it
Vulcan
80%
Dominion
65%
Borg
55%
Romulan
55%
Cardassian
45%
Klingon
30%
Federation
30%
Ferengi
15%
http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=2130
You Are Vulcan, You prefer to be alone and learn. You rarely show people what you are feeling. You understand that things take time. Safety is something that usually passes your mind, but you don't always follow it
Vulcan
80%
Dominion
65%
Borg
55%
Romulan
55%
Cardassian
45%
Klingon
30%
Federation
30%
Ferengi
15%
http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=2130
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Google Tidbits
Ten Google Tricks
Within quotation marks, type your phone number (use dashes, not periods) and hit Enter. On the resulting page, select MAP, and presto, you know where you live – and so will everyone else who knows your phone number.
Wildcard - When you place a * (asterisk) in your query, Google will match any word in between. For example: apple * player matches apple ipod player, apple mp3 player, etc.Fuzzy Search - Search for ~music player, and Google searches for music player, mp3 player, audio player, and other words that have similar meanings to music.
You can find synonyms of words. E.g. when you search for [house] but you want to find “home” too, search for [~house]. To get to know which synonyms the Google database stores for individual words, simply use the minus operator to exclude synonym after synonym (they will always show as bold in the SERPs, the search engine result pages). Like this: [~house -house -home -housing -floor].
A quote/ phrase search can be written with both quotations ["like this"] as well as a minus in-between words, [like-this].To see a really large page-count (possibly, the Google index size, though one can only speculate about that), search for [* *].You can use the wildcard character without searching for anything specific at all, as in this phrase search: ["* * * * * * *"].
Google has a lesser known “numrange” operator which can be helpful. Using e.g.
[2000..2005] (that’s two dots inbetween two numbers) will find 2000, 2001, 2002 and so on until 2005.
Google’s define-operator allows you to look up word definitions. For example, [define:css] yields “Short for Cascading Style Sheets” and many more explanations. You can trigger a somewhat “softer” version of the define-operator by entering “what is something”, e.g. [what is css].There a “sport” called Google Hacking.Basically, curious people try to find unsecure sites by entering specific, revealing phrases.
Within quotation marks, type your phone number (use dashes, not periods) and hit Enter. On the resulting page, select MAP, and presto, you know where you live – and so will everyone else who knows your phone number.
Wildcard - When you place a * (asterisk) in your query, Google will match any word in between. For example: apple * player matches apple ipod player, apple mp3 player, etc.Fuzzy Search - Search for ~music player, and Google searches for music player, mp3 player, audio player, and other words that have similar meanings to music.
You can find synonyms of words. E.g. when you search for [house] but you want to find “home” too, search for [~house]. To get to know which synonyms the Google database stores for individual words, simply use the minus operator to exclude synonym after synonym (they will always show as bold in the SERPs, the search engine result pages). Like this: [~house -house -home -housing -floor].
A quote/ phrase search can be written with both quotations ["like this"] as well as a minus in-between words, [like-this].To see a really large page-count (possibly, the Google index size, though one can only speculate about that), search for [* *].You can use the wildcard character without searching for anything specific at all, as in this phrase search: ["* * * * * * *"].
Google has a lesser known “numrange” operator which can be helpful. Using e.g.
[2000..2005] (that’s two dots inbetween two numbers) will find 2000, 2001, 2002 and so on until 2005.
Google’s define-operator allows you to look up word definitions. For example, [define:css] yields “Short for Cascading Style Sheets” and many more explanations. You can trigger a somewhat “softer” version of the define-operator by entering “what is something”, e.g. [what is css].There a “sport” called Google Hacking.Basically, curious people try to find unsecure sites by entering specific, revealing phrases.
HANGOVER: The Pesky Hanger-on
Alcohol can affect cardiac, neurological, and psychiatric functioning.
By Connie Lauerman
Chicago Tribune
Think twice before tying one on. The effects are worse than the morning-after throbbing head, queasiness, fatigue, and dry mouth. Alcohol hangovers have cardiac, neurological, and psychiatric consequences, according to a review of 33 years of medical studies of alcohol intoxication published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. A hangover increases blood pressure and the heart rate, and in one study, it wasassociated with cardiac death.
Visual and spatial skills and dexterity are impaired, even after alcohol can no longer be detected in the blood, putting imbibers at risk for injury and death. Depression and other psychological disorders are more common in those with hangovers. Despite their prevalence, hangovers are only partially understood by scientists. One theory is that a hangover is the first stage of alcohol withdrawal. But Dr. Michael G. Shlipak, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, one of the authors of the study, says.
That hormone and chemical alterations make a hangover distinct. Shlipak also speculates that a hangover causes an inflammatory reaction in the body, possibly leading to the fly-like symptoms. Although larger doses of alcohol lead to the more severe symptoms, other factors also contribute to the malaise. Congeners (substances found in brandy, whisky, and other dark liquors) increase the frequency and severity of hangovers. But a hangover is a sure bet for 175-pound men who consume five to six drinks and 130-pound women who down three to five drinks.
By Connie Lauerman
Chicago Tribune
Think twice before tying one on. The effects are worse than the morning-after throbbing head, queasiness, fatigue, and dry mouth. Alcohol hangovers have cardiac, neurological, and psychiatric consequences, according to a review of 33 years of medical studies of alcohol intoxication published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. A hangover increases blood pressure and the heart rate, and in one study, it wasassociated with cardiac death.
Visual and spatial skills and dexterity are impaired, even after alcohol can no longer be detected in the blood, putting imbibers at risk for injury and death. Depression and other psychological disorders are more common in those with hangovers. Despite their prevalence, hangovers are only partially understood by scientists. One theory is that a hangover is the first stage of alcohol withdrawal. But Dr. Michael G. Shlipak, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, one of the authors of the study, says.
That hormone and chemical alterations make a hangover distinct. Shlipak also speculates that a hangover causes an inflammatory reaction in the body, possibly leading to the fly-like symptoms. Although larger doses of alcohol lead to the more severe symptoms, other factors also contribute to the malaise. Congeners (substances found in brandy, whisky, and other dark liquors) increase the frequency and severity of hangovers. But a hangover is a sure bet for 175-pound men who consume five to six drinks and 130-pound women who down three to five drinks.
Invention vs. Innovation
Invention vs. Innovation
The usage of the term innovation has grown exponentially over the years, I wonder indeed if it would be possible to open a business magazine, a newspaper or a management book without coming across it at some point. It is also a fact that during the 80s and 90s whenever managers or shareholders talked about mergers and strategic decisions they would justify everything with the word synergy. What is the purpose of such acquisition? Synergies! Why is your company investing in such segment? Synergies! Well, guess what, now they have another magic word under their belt, innovation.
But don’t get me wrong here. It is beyond discussion the fact that innovation plays a central role in the success of companies. In my article “Long Term Success or Survival?” I show how the failure rate of top companies around the world is surprisingly high also due to their inability to manage innovation. When I say that people is using innovation as magic word I mean that often times managers and politicians are concerned too much in filling their speeches with the term and not concerned at all in understanding the dynamics behind the phenomenon.
The first confusion to dismiss is the difference between invention and innovation. The former refers to new concepts or products that derive from individual’s ideas or from scientific research. The latter, on the other hand, represents the commercialization of the invention itself. It is important to have this difference clearly outlined because an invention may have little economic value, if at all. In order to monetize an invention it is necessary to transform it into innovation, and such transformation is possible once we find a target customer, application or market.
There are several examples of great inventions that generated little or no returns to their inventors. In 1947 some scientists at the AT&T laboratories created the first transistor in the world. The invention was obviously patented, but the organization was not able to find promptly an application for the new device. They did an outstanding job with the invention, but failed to develop the innovation. Precisely for that reason in 1952 AT&T decided to license out the transistor. For $ 25.000 companies like Texas Instruments, Sony and IBM acquired a technology that would produce billions of revenues in the coming years.
Xerox is another qualified company when we talk about missing big opportunities, just like AT&T they were very good inventors, but they lacked the ability to transform such inventions into innovations. In the famous Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) Xerox was the first company in the world to develop a personal computer (years before Apple or IBM), a graphical oriented monitor, a word processing software, a workstation, a laser printer, a local area network, a hand-held mouse, and the list goes go. Yet it profited from almost none of such breakthrough inventions.
To invent or to innovate, that is the question!
Written by Daniel on July 26th, 2006 Management, Innovation, Innovation Myths
The usage of the term innovation has grown exponentially over the years, I wonder indeed if it would be possible to open a business magazine, a newspaper or a management book without coming across it at some point. It is also a fact that during the 80s and 90s whenever managers or shareholders talked about mergers and strategic decisions they would justify everything with the word synergy. What is the purpose of such acquisition? Synergies! Why is your company investing in such segment? Synergies! Well, guess what, now they have another magic word under their belt, innovation.
But don’t get me wrong here. It is beyond discussion the fact that innovation plays a central role in the success of companies. In my article “Long Term Success or Survival?” I show how the failure rate of top companies around the world is surprisingly high also due to their inability to manage innovation. When I say that people is using innovation as magic word I mean that often times managers and politicians are concerned too much in filling their speeches with the term and not concerned at all in understanding the dynamics behind the phenomenon.
The first confusion to dismiss is the difference between invention and innovation. The former refers to new concepts or products that derive from individual’s ideas or from scientific research. The latter, on the other hand, represents the commercialization of the invention itself. It is important to have this difference clearly outlined because an invention may have little economic value, if at all. In order to monetize an invention it is necessary to transform it into innovation, and such transformation is possible once we find a target customer, application or market.
There are several examples of great inventions that generated little or no returns to their inventors. In 1947 some scientists at the AT&T laboratories created the first transistor in the world. The invention was obviously patented, but the organization was not able to find promptly an application for the new device. They did an outstanding job with the invention, but failed to develop the innovation. Precisely for that reason in 1952 AT&T decided to license out the transistor. For $ 25.000 companies like Texas Instruments, Sony and IBM acquired a technology that would produce billions of revenues in the coming years.
Xerox is another qualified company when we talk about missing big opportunities, just like AT&T they were very good inventors, but they lacked the ability to transform such inventions into innovations. In the famous Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) Xerox was the first company in the world to develop a personal computer (years before Apple or IBM), a graphical oriented monitor, a word processing software, a workstation, a laser printer, a local area network, a hand-held mouse, and the list goes go. Yet it profited from almost none of such breakthrough inventions.
To invent or to innovate, that is the question!
Written by Daniel on July 26th, 2006 Management, Innovation, Innovation Myths
Making Plastic Milk
Plastic Milk???
In a Grimm’s fairy tale, Rumplestiltskin turned straw into gold. Although not as lucrative a venture, you can try your hand at changing things by turning milk into PLASTIC! Start with a glass of milk; add a “secret ingredient” and voila! Solid, soft, mouldable plastic.
What do you need?
1 cup whole milk
Small saucepan
Measuring spoons
White vinegar (acetic acid)
Empty glass jar (cleaned)
Wax paper
What do you do?
Pour the milk into the saucepan and add 2 teaspoons of vinegar. Heat the solution over medium heat while stirring frequently. The milk will boil and being to form tiny lumps (called curds) in a clear liquid (known as whey…is the Little Miss Muffet rhyme sounding a bit familiar right now?).
Slowly pour off the liquid from the saucepan into the sink, and then spoon the curds into the jar.
Next, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the curds and let the mixture stand for about one or two hours. The curds will form a yellowy blob at the bottom of a clear liquid. The blob is actually fat, minerals and the protein called casein (milk protein).
After the incubation step, pour out the liquid and remove the rubbery yellow blob from the jar.
Wash the glob with water and knead it until it gets the consistency of dough.
Now’s your chance to show off the artist in you: Mould the plastic into any shape you wish, then place it on the wax paper and let it dry overnight to harden.
Want to take your artsy skills even further? The hardened plastic can be painted with acrylic paints, so go nuts and give your creation some colour!
Page 1 …fill your mind.THE LAB
The Explanation
The combination of heat and vinegar (acetic acid) causes the casein from the milk to clump together and come out of solution (i.e. precipitate). Casein is an ingredient used in making plastic which is why the blob resembles plastic. This casein plastic hardens when the curds dry out.
Don’t underestimate the importance of what you’ve just done…casein plastics were commonly used to make glue, paints, and paper.
Here are some neat facts about Casein plastic…
• Casein plastic was one of the first plastics ever made
• The first plastics were developed in 1862
• Casein was discovered in the 1890’s by a German inventor, Adolph Spitteler
• Casein was used in England to produce: glues, pens, knife handles, and buttons.
In a Grimm’s fairy tale, Rumplestiltskin turned straw into gold. Although not as lucrative a venture, you can try your hand at changing things by turning milk into PLASTIC! Start with a glass of milk; add a “secret ingredient” and voila! Solid, soft, mouldable plastic.
What do you need?
1 cup whole milk
Small saucepan
Measuring spoons
White vinegar (acetic acid)
Empty glass jar (cleaned)
Wax paper
What do you do?
Pour the milk into the saucepan and add 2 teaspoons of vinegar. Heat the solution over medium heat while stirring frequently. The milk will boil and being to form tiny lumps (called curds) in a clear liquid (known as whey…is the Little Miss Muffet rhyme sounding a bit familiar right now?).
Slowly pour off the liquid from the saucepan into the sink, and then spoon the curds into the jar.
Next, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the curds and let the mixture stand for about one or two hours. The curds will form a yellowy blob at the bottom of a clear liquid. The blob is actually fat, minerals and the protein called casein (milk protein).
After the incubation step, pour out the liquid and remove the rubbery yellow blob from the jar.
Wash the glob with water and knead it until it gets the consistency of dough.
Now’s your chance to show off the artist in you: Mould the plastic into any shape you wish, then place it on the wax paper and let it dry overnight to harden.
Want to take your artsy skills even further? The hardened plastic can be painted with acrylic paints, so go nuts and give your creation some colour!
Page 1 …fill your mind.THE LAB
The Explanation
The combination of heat and vinegar (acetic acid) causes the casein from the milk to clump together and come out of solution (i.e. precipitate). Casein is an ingredient used in making plastic which is why the blob resembles plastic. This casein plastic hardens when the curds dry out.
Don’t underestimate the importance of what you’ve just done…casein plastics were commonly used to make glue, paints, and paper.
Here are some neat facts about Casein plastic…
• Casein plastic was one of the first plastics ever made
• The first plastics were developed in 1862
• Casein was discovered in the 1890’s by a German inventor, Adolph Spitteler
• Casein was used in England to produce: glues, pens, knife handles, and buttons.
Worst questions to ask someone (what not to ask):
Do you still beat your wife?
"So, Tom, what do you have to do to get your position?"
If you had to pick one puppy to euthanize out of a litter of twelve how would you pick?
What's your worldview?
Why is your name hyphenated? Is it because you keep getting married and adding on names?
What does your dad do for a living?
How was your childhood?
What are you thinking?
How much do you drink each day?
Have you ever had the feeling that something is watching you?
Why are you a racist? What has made you this way?
What is your greatest weakness?
In what areas do you need improvement?
Who’d you rather? You know . . . have sex with. X or Y?
"So, Tom, what do you have to do to get your position?"
If you had to pick one puppy to euthanize out of a litter of twelve how would you pick?
What's your worldview?
Why is your name hyphenated? Is it because you keep getting married and adding on names?
What does your dad do for a living?
How was your childhood?
What are you thinking?
How much do you drink each day?
Have you ever had the feeling that something is watching you?
Why are you a racist? What has made you this way?
What is your greatest weakness?
In what areas do you need improvement?
Who’d you rather? You know . . . have sex with. X or Y?
More Stupid MEME questions
1. Can you cook?
2. What was your dream growing up?
3. What talent do you wish you had?
4. Favorite place?
5. Favorite actor?
6. What was the last book you read more than once?
7. What zodiac sign are you?
8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings?
9. Worst Habit?
10. Favorite snack?
11. What is your favorite sport?
12. Do you have a Negative or Optimistic attitude?
13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
14. Best thing to ever happen to you?
15. Tell me one weird fact about you.
16. Do you have any pets?
17. Do you know how to do the Macarena?
18. What time is it where you are now?. Booooring. I don’t care what time it is where you are.
19. Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
20. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
21. Would you be my partner in crime or my conscience?
22. What color eyes do you have?
23. Ever been arrested?
24. Bottle or Draft?
25. If you won $10,000 dollars today, what would you do with it?
26. What kind of bubble gum do you prefer to chew?
27. What’s your favorite bar to hang at?
28. Do you believe in ghosts?
29. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
30. Do you swear a lot?
31. Biggest pet peeve?
32. In one word, how would you describe yourself?
33. In one word, how would you describe me?
2. What was your dream growing up?
3. What talent do you wish you had?
4. Favorite place?
5. Favorite actor?
6. What was the last book you read more than once?
7. What zodiac sign are you?
8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings?
9. Worst Habit?
10. Favorite snack?
11. What is your favorite sport?
12. Do you have a Negative or Optimistic attitude?
13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
14. Best thing to ever happen to you?
15. Tell me one weird fact about you.
16. Do you have any pets?
17. Do you know how to do the Macarena?
18. What time is it where you are now?. Booooring. I don’t care what time it is where you are.
19. Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
20. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
21. Would you be my partner in crime or my conscience?
22. What color eyes do you have?
23. Ever been arrested?
24. Bottle or Draft?
25. If you won $10,000 dollars today, what would you do with it?
26. What kind of bubble gum do you prefer to chew?
27. What’s your favorite bar to hang at?
28. Do you believe in ghosts?
29. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
30. Do you swear a lot?
31. Biggest pet peeve?
32. In one word, how would you describe yourself?
33. In one word, how would you describe me?
You'll kiss many a frog in search of your prince
A man was crossing a road one day when a frog called out to him and said, “If you kiss me, I’ll turn into a beautiful princess.”
He bent over, picked up the frog, and put it in his pocket. The frog spoke up again and said, “If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful princess, I will tell everyone how smart and brave you are and how you are my hero.”
The man took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it, and returned it to his pocket. The frog spoke up again and said, “If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful princess, I will be your loving companion for an entire week.”
The man took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it, and returned it to his pocket. The frog then cried out, “If you kiss me and turn me back into a princess, I’ll stay with you for a year and do ANYTHING you want.”
Again the man took the frog out, smiled at it, and put it back into his pocket.
Finally, the frog asked, “What is the matter? I’ve told you I’m a beautiful princess, that I’ll stay with you for a year and do anything you want. Why won’t you kiss me?”
The man said, “Look, I’m a freelance writer. I don’t have time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog is cool.”
The Code of the American Cowboy
posted by http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
The Code of the American Cowboy
(From Patrick Wayne's Eulogy to his father, John Wayne.)
1. A cowboy does not judge color of skin, but by character within.
2. A cowboy always respects a lady and tips his hat to all that pass him by
3. A cowboy stands strong for what the American frontier is all about: Freedom, Truth, Justice and the American way.
4. A cowboy will not be wronged, nor wrongs another. The justice he deems out depends on that.
5. A cowboy is loyal, and hard working and maintains a high ethic.
6. A cowboy loves his country, and will fight for it’s principles and sovereignty.
7. A cowboy respects his animals and the earth they roam upon.
8. A cowboy is faithful to what is entrusted to him.
9. A cowboy is bound by duty, honor, and gratitude for what God has given him, which includes his friends and family.
10. A cowboy maintains a hidden code in his heart, for all to see.
John Wayne Website.
Thanks to http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
The Code of the American Cowboy
(From Patrick Wayne's Eulogy to his father, John Wayne.)
1. A cowboy does not judge color of skin, but by character within.
2. A cowboy always respects a lady and tips his hat to all that pass him by
3. A cowboy stands strong for what the American frontier is all about: Freedom, Truth, Justice and the American way.
4. A cowboy will not be wronged, nor wrongs another. The justice he deems out depends on that.
5. A cowboy is loyal, and hard working and maintains a high ethic.
6. A cowboy loves his country, and will fight for it’s principles and sovereignty.
7. A cowboy respects his animals and the earth they roam upon.
8. A cowboy is faithful to what is entrusted to him.
9. A cowboy is bound by duty, honor, and gratitude for what God has given him, which includes his friends and family.
10. A cowboy maintains a hidden code in his heart, for all to see.
John Wayne Website.
Thanks to http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
The Lone Ranger's Creed
posted by http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
1. I believe that to have a friend, a man must be one.
2. That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world.
3. That God put the firewood there, but that every man must gather and light it himself.
4. In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for that which is right.
5. That a man should make the most of what equipment he has.
6. That "this government, of the people, by the people, and for the people," shall live always.
7. That men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number.
8. That sooner or later... somewhere... somehow... we must settle with the world and make payment for what we have taken.
9. That all things change, but the truth, and the truth alone lives on forever.
10. I believe in my Creator, my country, my fellow man.
Thanks to http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
1. I believe that to have a friend, a man must be one.
2. That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world.
3. That God put the firewood there, but that every man must gather and light it himself.
4. In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for that which is right.
5. That a man should make the most of what equipment he has.
6. That "this government, of the people, by the people, and for the people," shall live always.
7. That men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number.
8. That sooner or later... somewhere... somehow... we must settle with the world and make payment for what we have taken.
9. That all things change, but the truth, and the truth alone lives on forever.
10. I believe in my Creator, my country, my fellow man.
Thanks to http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
The Cowboy Code
posted Friday, August 11, 2006 by http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
This is my own version of The Cowboy Code. It is an amalgam of the most common principles of all the different codes and creeds listed below.
1. A cowboy always tells the truth and keeps his word.
2. A cowboy is a Patriot and stands for Truth, Justice and the American way.
3. A cowboy never betrays a trust or takes advantage.
4. A cowboy is brave, but never careless.
5. A cowboy defends the weak and helps them.
6. A cowboy is kind to children, old folks, and to animals.
7. A cowboy is free from racial and religious prejudice.
8. A cowboy is clean about his person and in thought, word, and deed.
9. A cowboy is loyal, hard working and maintains a high ethic.
10. A cowboy is thankful for what God has given him.
Thanks to http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
This is my own version of The Cowboy Code. It is an amalgam of the most common principles of all the different codes and creeds listed below.
1. A cowboy always tells the truth and keeps his word.
2. A cowboy is a Patriot and stands for Truth, Justice and the American way.
3. A cowboy never betrays a trust or takes advantage.
4. A cowboy is brave, but never careless.
5. A cowboy defends the weak and helps them.
6. A cowboy is kind to children, old folks, and to animals.
7. A cowboy is free from racial and religious prejudice.
8. A cowboy is clean about his person and in thought, word, and deed.
9. A cowboy is loyal, hard working and maintains a high ethic.
10. A cowboy is thankful for what God has given him.
Thanks to http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
Gene Autry's "Cowboy Code"
posted Sunday, July 01, 2007 by http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
1. A cowboy never takes unfair advantage.
2. A cowboy never betrays a trust.
3. A cowboy always tells the truth.
4. A cowboy is kind to small children, to old folks, and to animals.
5. A cowboy is free from racial and religious prejudice.
6. A cowboy is helpful and when anyone is in trouble he lends a hand.
7. A cowboy is a good worker.
8. A cowboy is clean about his person and in thought, word, and deed.
9. A cowboy respects women, his parents, and the laws of his country.
10. A cowboy is a patriot.
Thanks to http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
1. A cowboy never takes unfair advantage.
2. A cowboy never betrays a trust.
3. A cowboy always tells the truth.
4. A cowboy is kind to small children, to old folks, and to animals.
5. A cowboy is free from racial and religious prejudice.
6. A cowboy is helpful and when anyone is in trouble he lends a hand.
7. A cowboy is a good worker.
8. A cowboy is clean about his person and in thought, word, and deed.
9. A cowboy respects women, his parents, and the laws of his country.
10. A cowboy is a patriot.
Thanks to http://thecowboycode.blogspot.com/
A Wyoming Cowboy’s Figgers of Speech
1. AS WELCOME AS A SKUNK AT A LAWN PARTY. Self-explanatory.
2. TIGHTER THAN BARK ON A TREE. Not very generous.
3. BIG HAT, NO CATTLE. All talk and no action.
4. WE'VE HOWDIED BUT WE AIN'T SHOOK YET. We've made a brief acquaintance but have not been formally introduced.
5. HE THINKS THE SUN CAME UP JUST TO HEAR HIM CROW. He has a pretty high opinion of himself.
6. IT'S SO DRY THE TREES ARE BRIBIN' THE DOGS. We really could use a little rain around here.
7. JUST BECAUSE A CHICKEN HAS WINGS DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN FLY. Appearances can be deceptive.
8. THIS AIN'T MY FIRST RODEO. I've been around awhile.
9. HE LOOKS LIKE THE DOG'S BEEN KEEPIN' HIM UNDER THE PORCH. Not the most handsome of men.
10. THEY ATE SUPPER BEFORE THEY SAID GRACE. Living in sin.
11. TIME TO PAINT YOUR BUTT WHITE AND RUN WITH THE ANTELOPE. Stop arguing and do as you're told.
12. AS FULL OF WIND AS A CORN-EATIN' HORSE. Rather prone to boasting.
13. YOU CAN PUT YOUR BOOTS IN THE OVEN BUT THAT DON'T MAKE THEM BISCUITS. You can say whatever you want about something, but it doesn't change what it is.
14. WE'RE EATIN’ HIGH ON THE HOG. Things are going really well.
Love and Peace, Barefoot
~~ Barefoot's World ~~
2. TIGHTER THAN BARK ON A TREE. Not very generous.
3. BIG HAT, NO CATTLE. All talk and no action.
4. WE'VE HOWDIED BUT WE AIN'T SHOOK YET. We've made a brief acquaintance but have not been formally introduced.
5. HE THINKS THE SUN CAME UP JUST TO HEAR HIM CROW. He has a pretty high opinion of himself.
6. IT'S SO DRY THE TREES ARE BRIBIN' THE DOGS. We really could use a little rain around here.
7. JUST BECAUSE A CHICKEN HAS WINGS DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN FLY. Appearances can be deceptive.
8. THIS AIN'T MY FIRST RODEO. I've been around awhile.
9. HE LOOKS LIKE THE DOG'S BEEN KEEPIN' HIM UNDER THE PORCH. Not the most handsome of men.
10. THEY ATE SUPPER BEFORE THEY SAID GRACE. Living in sin.
11. TIME TO PAINT YOUR BUTT WHITE AND RUN WITH THE ANTELOPE. Stop arguing and do as you're told.
12. AS FULL OF WIND AS A CORN-EATIN' HORSE. Rather prone to boasting.
13. YOU CAN PUT YOUR BOOTS IN THE OVEN BUT THAT DON'T MAKE THEM BISCUITS. You can say whatever you want about something, but it doesn't change what it is.
14. WE'RE EATIN’ HIGH ON THE HOG. Things are going really well.
Love and Peace, Barefoot
~~ Barefoot's World ~~
A Cowboy's Learnings Along The Dusty Trail to Happy Destiny
Faith is the light we see with our hearts when all that we see with our eyes is the darkness.
We need only to have faith in God!
Loving what is right is not the same as hating what is wrong and feeling right about it.
After a while, you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul.
And you learn that you may be lonely, or lonesome, but that you are never alone, ever again.
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning on and company doesn't mean security.
And you begin to understand that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't promises.
And you begin to accept your defeats with your head held high and your eyes open, with grace and courage, not the grief of a child.
You learn to build your roads on today, because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain, and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much. So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure, that you really are strong.
And you learn you really do have worth and that you can keep learning. With every hello and goodbye and the in-between you learn.
I'm slowly learning the lessons of life. To forgive, forget, to live and to love.
Love and Peace, Barefoot
~~ Barefoot's World ~~
We need only to have faith in God!
Loving what is right is not the same as hating what is wrong and feeling right about it.
After a while, you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul.
And you learn that you may be lonely, or lonesome, but that you are never alone, ever again.
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning on and company doesn't mean security.
And you begin to understand that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't promises.
And you begin to accept your defeats with your head held high and your eyes open, with grace and courage, not the grief of a child.
You learn to build your roads on today, because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain, and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much. So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure, that you really are strong.
And you learn you really do have worth and that you can keep learning. With every hello and goodbye and the in-between you learn.
I'm slowly learning the lessons of life. To forgive, forget, to live and to love.
Love and Peace, Barefoot
~~ Barefoot's World ~~
A Cowboy's Guide to Life
Don't interfere with something that ain't botherin' you none.
The easiest way to eat crow is while it's still warm. The colder it gets, the harder it is to swaller.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
If it don't seem like it's worth the effort, it probably ain't.
The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you shave his face in the mirror every morning.
Never ask a barber if you need a haircut.
Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.
Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight, and bull-strong.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.
Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
You cannot unsay a cruel word.
Every path has a few puddles.
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen, anyway.
Don't judge folks by their relatives.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
Don't worry about bitin' off more'n you can chew; your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger'n you think.
Generally, you ain't learnin' nothing when your mouth's a-jawin'.
If you ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there with ya.
Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement.
Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back.
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back into your pocket.
Never miss a good chance to shut up.
Don't squat with your spurs on.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
There's two theories to arguin' with a woman. Neither one works.
There's three kinds of men: the one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to tinkle on the electric fence for themselves.
Never kick a cowchip on a hot day.
Never slap a man who's chewin' tobacco.
When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be surprised if they learn their lesson.
When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else.
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. - A hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Do the next indicated right thing.
Leave the rest to God.
Love and Peace, Barefoot
~~ Barefoot's World ~~
The easiest way to eat crow is while it's still warm. The colder it gets, the harder it is to swaller.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
If it don't seem like it's worth the effort, it probably ain't.
The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you shave his face in the mirror every morning.
Never ask a barber if you need a haircut.
Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.
Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight, and bull-strong.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.
Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
You cannot unsay a cruel word.
Every path has a few puddles.
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen, anyway.
Don't judge folks by their relatives.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
Don't worry about bitin' off more'n you can chew; your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger'n you think.
Generally, you ain't learnin' nothing when your mouth's a-jawin'.
If you ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there with ya.
Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement.
Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back.
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back into your pocket.
Never miss a good chance to shut up.
Don't squat with your spurs on.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
There's two theories to arguin' with a woman. Neither one works.
There's three kinds of men: the one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to tinkle on the electric fence for themselves.
Never kick a cowchip on a hot day.
Never slap a man who's chewin' tobacco.
When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be surprised if they learn their lesson.
When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else.
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. - A hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Do the next indicated right thing.
Leave the rest to God.
Love and Peace, Barefoot
~~ Barefoot's World ~~
A Cowboy's Advice
Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
Marry a person you love to talk with. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
When you say, "I love you," mean it.
When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.
Believe in love at first sight, but...
Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt some but it's the only way to live life completely.
Never laugh at anyone's dream. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
Don't judge others by their relatives. They didn't pick them.
Talk slowly but think quickly.
When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Smile when you pick up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
Spend some time alone, just you and your Higher Power.
Love and Peace, Barefoot
~~ Barefoot's World ~~
A Cowboy's Advice
Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
Marry a person you love to talk with. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
When you say, "I love you," mean it.
When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.
Believe in love at first sight, but...
Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt some but it's the only way to live life completely.
Never laugh at anyone's dream. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
Don't judge others by their relatives. They didn't pick them.
Talk slowly but think quickly.
When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Smile when you pick up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
Spend some time alone, just you and your Higher Power.
Love and Peace, Barefoot
~~ Barefoot's World ~~
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