Sometimes On The Edge© - News and Entertainment

80-year-old Saskatchewan Farmer

2012-01-26T05:08:00.000-08:00

An 80-year-old Saskatchewan farmer goImage via Wikipediaes to the clinic in Saskatoon, for a check-up.

The doctor is amazed at what good shape the guy is in and asks, 'How do you stay in such great physical condition?'

'I'm from Saskatchewan and in my spare time I like to hunt and fish' says the old guy, 'and that's why I'm in such good shape. I'm up well before daylight ,in the field plowing and mending fences and when I'm not doing that, I'm out hunting or fishing. In the evening, I have a beer and all is well.'

'Well' says the doctor, 'I'm sure that helps, but there's got to be more to it. How old was your father when he died?'

'Who said my father's dead?'

The doctor is amazed. 'You mean you're 80 years old and your father's still alive? How old is he?'

'He's 100 years old,' says the old Sask boy. 'In fact he hunted with me this morning, and then we went to the topless bar for a while and had some beer and that's why he's still alive. He's a Saskatchewan
farmer and he's a hunter and fisherman too.'

'Well,' the doctor says, 'that's great, but I'm sure there's more to it than that. How about your father's father? How old was he when he died?'

'Who said my Grandpa's dead?'

Stunned, the doctor asks, 'you mean you're 80 years old and your grandfather's' still alive?'

'He's 118 years old,' says the man.

The doctor is getting frustrated at this point, 'So, I guess he went hunting with you this morning too?'

'No, Grandpa couldn't go this morning because he's getting married today.'

At this point the doctor is close to losing it. 'Getting married!! Why would a 118 year-old guy want to get married?'

'Who said he wanted to?'

48 Laws of Power

2012-01-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

The 48 Laws of Power is a 1998 book by Robert Greene which takes elements of some of the worlds most influential political thinkers to come up with the 48 Laws of Power, from Niccolò Machiavelli to Sun Tsu, he captures their most important points of power.

The Laws

Never outshine the master.
Never put too much trust in friends; learn how to use enemies.
Conceal your intentions.
Always say less than necessary.
So much depends on reputation. Guard it with your life.
Court attention at all costs.
Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit.
Make other people come to you; use bait if necessary.
Win through your actions, never through argument.
Infection: avoid the unhappy and unlucky.
Learn to keep people dependent on you.
Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim.
When asking for help, appeal to people's self-interests, never to their mercy or gratitude.
Pose as a friend, work as a spy.
Crush your enemy totally.
Use absence to increase respect and honor.
Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability.
Do not build fortresses to protect yourself. Isolation is dangerous.
Know who you're dealing with; do not offend the wrong person.
Do not commit to anyone.
Play a sucker to catch a sucker: play dumber than your mark.
Use the surrender tactic: transform weakness into power.
Concentrate your forces.
Play the perfect courtier.
Re-create yourself.
Keep your hands clean.
Play on people's need to believe to create a cultlike following.
Enter action with boldness.
Plan all the way to the end.
Make your accomplishments seem effortless.
Control the options: get others to play with the cards you deal.
Play to people's fantasies.
Discover each man's thumbscrew.
Be royal in your fashion: act like a king to be treated like one.
Master the art of timing.
Disdain things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best revenge.
Create compelling spectacles
Think as you like but behave like others.
Stir up waters to catch fish.
Despise the free lunch.
Avoid stepping into a great man's shoes.
Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.
Work on the hearts and minds of others.
Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect.
Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once.
Never appear perfect.
Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop.
Assume formlessness.

Chrismas Eve 1881

2011-12-24T13:55:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn’t been enough money to buy me the rifle that I’d wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.

After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn’t in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn’t get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn’t figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn’t worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. “Come on, Matt,” he said. “Bundle up good, it’s cold out tonight.” I was really upset then. Not only wasn’t I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We’d already done all the chores, and I couldn’t think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one’s feet when he’d told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn’t know what..

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn’t going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn’t happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. “I think we’ll put on the high sideboards,” he said. “Here, help me.” The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high side boards on.

After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood – the wood I’d spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all Fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. “Pa,” I asked, “what are you doing?” You been by the Widow Jensen’s lately?” he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I’d been by, but so what?
Yeah,” I said, “Why?”

“I rode by just today,” Pa said. “Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They’re out of wood, Matt.” That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. “What’s in the little sack?” I asked. Shoes, they’re out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without a little candy.”

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen’s pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn’t have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn’t have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn’t have been our concern.

We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, “Who is it?” “Lucas Miles, Ma’am, and my son, Matt, could we come in for a bit?”

Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.

“We brought you a few things, Ma’am,” Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children – sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn’t come out.
“We brought a load of wood too, Ma’am,” Pa said. He turned to me and said, “Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let’s get that fire up to size and heat this place up.” I wasn’t the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn’t speak.

My heart swelled within me and a joy that I’d never known before, filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.

I soon had the fire blazing and everyone’s spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn’t crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. “God bless you,” she said. “I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us.”

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I’d never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.
Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.

Tears were running down Widow Jensen’s face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn’t want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, “The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We’ll be by to get you about eleven. It’ll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn’t been little for quite a spell.” I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away.

Widow Jensen nodded and said, “Thank you, Brother Miles. I don’t have to say, May the Lord bless you, I know for certain that He will.”

Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn’t even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, “Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn’t have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that, but on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand.”

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen’s face and the radiant smiles of her three children.

For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.

Author Unknown

Please pass it on...

Lunar Eclipse

2011-12-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Lunar Eclipse - Another Item of Interest This Weekend on Saturday, December 10^th, 2011

National Geographic - “Total Lunar Eclipse This Weekend—Last One Until 2014”

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the Sun's rays from striking the Moon (see VIDEO). One is coming to Northwestern North America at 14:31:49 UTC and crosses the earth to begin at around 7:45 a.m. EST (4:45 a.m. PST, 1245 GMT), when the Earth's shadow begins to creep across the lunar disk ; and enter totality at 7:05 MST, 6:05 PST. Totality will last 50 minutes, until shortly before moonset. (To learn more about UT and how to convert UT to your own local time, see Time Zones and Universal Time.) on Saturday, December 10^th, the first visible in Western North America in 2011. Don't miss it -- the next total eclipse that will be visible in the North America won't be until 2014. (A total lunar eclipse is when the Moon is completely shadowed by the Earth. The Moon passes through the Earth's umbra, and no direct light can reach it from the Sun. However, the Earth's atmosphere refracts -- or bends -- light, at the same time filtering it, so that it illuminates the Moon with a dark red color. Depending on the prevailing condition of the Earth's atmosphere, in terms of cloud cover and dust from volcanic eruptions, the actual color of the Moon at totality can vary from near black (particularly at mid-totality), to rust, brick red, or bright copper-red or even orange.)

A good video introduction to Lunar Eclipses from NASA

Animated explanation of the mechanics of a lunar eclipse, University of Glamorgan

PS:

For the first time, scientists spotted a black hole devouring a star in a distant galaxy. (see VIDEO) One of the rarest astronomical events, it's believed to happen only about once per 100,000 years per galaxy.
A new website lets astronomers ? and anyone who likes to watch stuff blow up ? calculate the damage a comet or asteroid would cause if it hit Earth.

The interactive website, called Impact: Earth! - Purdue University (available at www.purdue.edu/impactearth), is scientifically accurate enough to be used by the Department of Homeland Security and NASA, but user-friendly enough for elementary school students, according to the researchers who developed it.

The site could help scientists and the public alike better understand the destructive potential of comets and asteroids, which have caused massive extinction events in our planet's past, researchers said. However, it is a little slow to download because of the amount of data and the variables for any event.

Last total lunar eclipse of year visible from western US (abclocal.go.com)
Total Lunar Eclipse This Weekend - Last One Until 2014 (news.nationalgeographic.com)
Total Lunar Eclipse brings SkySafari to Android (prweb.com)
Watch a Live Feed of Saturday's Lunar Eclipse (wired.com)
Skywatch: Total lunar eclipse Saturday morning (summitcountyvoice.com)
LRO observes final lunar eclipse of the year (eurekalert.org)
Lunar Eclipse Saturday. Will You See It? (abcnews.go.com)
Full Lunar Eclipse Saturday Morning (myfoxphoenix.com)
Lunar Eclipse Will Supersize Blood-Red Moon Saturday (livescience.com)
Lunar Eclipse Will Supersize Blood-Red Moon Saturday (space.com)
Watch the total lunar eclipse, wherever you may be (cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com)

The History of the Middle Finger

2011-12-03T11:54:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaImage via WikipediaImage via Wikipedia

Well, now......here's something I never knew before, and now that I know it, I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified.

Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as 'plucking the yew' (or 'pluck yew').

Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and they began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew! Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodentals fricative F', and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute! It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as 'giving the bird.'

The Battle of Agincourt (720p) VIDEO [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5C0avWFUjA&feature=youtu.be ] (12:01 minutes) – a James Nystrom film (slow to start, but worth the wait).

A funny story, yes, but in reality “In Ancient Greece it was known as the κατάπυγον (katapugon, from kata - κατά, "downwards"and pugē - πυγή, "rump, buttocks") and reference is made to using the finger in ancient Greek comedy to insult another person, where the term katapugon also meant "a male (or a female, katapugaina) who submits to anal penetration". It is identified as the digitus impudicus (impudent finger) in Ancient Roman writings and the widespread usage of the finger in many cultures is likely due to the geographical influence of the Roman Empire and Greco-Roman civilization. Another possible origin of this gesture can be found in the first-century Mediterranean world, where extending the finger was one of many methods used to divert the ever-present threat of the evil eye offense.” - Wikipedia

And yew thought yew knew every plucking thing.

Dear Santa,

2011-12-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaImage via Wikipedia“I don't want much for Christmas, I just want the person reading this to be happy .

Friends are the fruit cake of life - some nutty, some soaked in alcohol, some sweet but mix them together and they're my friends.

Love ya.

Send this to all your fruit cakes.”

Roy

A Massive Solar Prominence

2011-11-27T09:44:00.000-08:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

A massive prominence was captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory between Nov 14-15, 2011. This time-lapsed view shows the twisting and turning of plasma strands back to the surface while interacting with the magnetic field of the Sun.

Credit: NASA / SDO http://www.space.com/13693-sun-day-long-plasma-twirl.html

Earth HD| Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS

2011-11-21T05:41:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Earth HD| Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS

youtube.com – Time lapse sequences of photographs taken with a special low-light 4K-camera by the crew of expedition 28 & 29 onboard the International Space Station...

"I'm 76 and I'm Tired" – by Bill Cosby

2011-11-20T14:24:00.000-08:00

This should be required reading for every man, woman and child in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and United States of America, etc.

"I'm 76. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some some serious health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired.

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to.

I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques and mandrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia, New Zealand, UK, America and Canada, while no one from these countries are allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance..
I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and early 20's bedeck them selves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government.

Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 76.. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter and her children. Thank God I'm on the way out and not on the way in."

There is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us sends it on!

This is your chance to make a difference.
" I'm 76 and I'm tired. If you don't forward this you consider yourself as part of the problem".

A Home Page - Index / Page d'accueil

2011-11-20T14:00:00.000-08:00

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Thankyou for your constructive critiques, criticisms and encouragementover the years; particularly my video introduction. Albeit Iam still working on my presentations, I hope you find these a littlemore polished.

StanG. Webb's Introductory Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwzuTEDSEEc

NEWURL: Stan G. Webb – @Home Website© http://www.stangwebb.com/, and

My Profile and Links to my websiteshttps://plus.google.com/115843779221258418714/about

Indexto Stan's websites:

In the USA the Fahrenheit standard for measuring temperature used; in Canada and most of the rest of the world the Celsius Scale is used.

Obviously it's nice to have a handy (online) calculator:

Online Conversion Calculator - from AskNumbers.com , or even better

DigitalDutch.com – this not only allows Celsius < - - - > Fahrenheit conversions but additionally Kelvin, Rankine and Réaumure.

Canadian post by: Weather for Canada ©

USA post by , Weather for USA©

Childbirth at 65

2011-11-20T12:15:00.001-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

On the lighter side of life........:-) - Thank you, B

Jolly good reason why we don’t!!

With all the new technology regarding fertility recently, a 65-year-old friend of mine was able to give birth. When she was discharged from the hospital and went home, I went to visit.

'May I see the new baby?' I asked

'Not yet,' She said 'I'll make coffee and we can visit for a while first..'
Thirty minutes had passed, and I asked, 'May I see the new baby now?'

'No,not yet,' She said.

After another few minutes had elapsed,

I asked again, 'May I see the baby now?'

'No,not yet,' replied my friend.

Growing very impatient, I asked, 'Well, when can I see the baby?'

'WHEN HE CRIES!' she told me.

'WHEN HE CRIES?' I demanded. 'Why do I have to wait until he CRIES?'

'BECAUSE I FORGOT WHERE I PUT HIM, O.K.?'

Collection of thoughts and links to William Arthur Ward quotes

2011-11-17T10:31:00.001-08:00

Thankyou, E – for passing this along to me - Stan

Thisis an amazing collection of thoughts. I've posted below most ofwhat the old man says ... believe me, he's worth waiting for

_________________________________

"Be like the birds we humans love to hear…
Begin your day with songs of hope and cheer."

"Practice the art of gratitude,
the habit of thanksgiving, and
the attitude of appreciation."
– more William Arthur Ward quotes

“Before you speak, listen.
Before you write, think.
Before you spend, earn.
Before you invest, investigate.
Before you criticize, wait.
Before you pray, forgive.
Before you quit, try.
Before you retire, save.
Before you die, give.”

__________________________

Do you think this is just another day in your life?
It’s not just another day.
It’s the one day that is given to you...Today.
It’s given to you.
It’s a gift.
It’s the only gift that you have right now.
And the only appropriate response is gratefulness.

Ifyou do nothing else, but to cultivate this response to the greatgift that this unique day is.

Ifyou learn to respond as if it were the first day in your life and thevery last day, then you will have spent this day very well.

Beginby opening your eyes and be surprised that you have eyes that you canopen ...

thatincredible array of colours that is constantly offered to us for pureenjoyment.

lookat the sky ... really look at the sky ... at how different it is,from moment to moment. We just think of the weather ... good orbad weather.

Thisday, right now ... the kind that never exactly in that form comeagain ...

openyour eyes; look at that.

Lookat the faces of people whom you meet. Each one has anincredible story behind their face, a story that you can never fullyfathom.

Notonly their own story, but the story of their ancestors. We allgo back so far, and in this present moment on this day ... allthe people you meet, all that life .... all flows together, meets youhere like a life-giving water, if you only open your heart and drink.

Openyour heart to the gifts ... just a few of the enormous numberof gifts ...
And so ...
I wish for you that you would open yourheart to all of these blessings and let them flow through you.
Thateveryone whom you will meet on this day will be blessed by you.
Justby your eyes ...by your smile.... by your touch...just by yourpresence
Let the gratefulness overflow into blessing all aroundyou.
Then it will really be a good day.

23 ADULT TRUTHS

2011-11-15T19:50:00.001-08:00

Yep, very true. Especially #22! Found via +Jenness Dory Asby

1. Sometimes I'll look at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind-of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day..
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Light than Kay.
17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?
20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!
21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
22. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.
23. The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.

Remembrance Day – November 11th

2011-11-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

The 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^thmonth - Remembrance Day Ceremony inVictoria Park - 11th and Lonsdale North Vancouver, BC,Canada
Followed by a march past 14th and Lonsdale approximatelyone hour later.
Nov.11is Canada's "Remembrance Day". Elsewhere it is also called"Veterans Day". Take some time to remember & respect,our past & current comrades in arms, that protect what we sooften take for granted.

InFlanders Fields
By: LieutenantColonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
CanadianArmy

INFLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Betweenthe crosses row on row,
Thatmark our place; and in the sky
Thelarks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarceheard amid the guns below.

Weare the Dead. Short days ago
Welived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Lovedand were loved, and now we lie
InFlanders fields.

Takeup our quarrel with the foe:
Toyou from failing hands we throw
Thetorch; be yours to hold it high.
Ifye break faith with us who die
Weshall not sleep, though poppies grow
InFlanders fields.

Video interviews with the oldest livingCanadian WW1 veteran, at 107 years in 2007 - “The Last Soldier” -YouTube Video -John "Jack" Babcock Part 1 ... Part2. John Babcock, the oldest Canadian veteran of World War Idied in 2010 at the age of 109.

McCrae's "InFlanders Fields" remains to this day one of the most memorablewar poems ever written. It is a lasting legacy of the terrible battlein the Ypres salient in the spring of 1915. Here is the story of themaking of that poem:

Althoughhe had been a doctor for years and had served in the South AfricanWar, it was impossible to get used to the suffering, the screams, andthe blood here, and Major John McCrae had seen and heard enough inhis dressing station to last him a lifetime.

Asa surgeon attached to the 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Major McCrae,who had joined the McGill faculty in 1900 after graduating from theUniversity of Toronto, had spent seventeen days treating injured men-- Canadians, British, Indians, French, and Germans -- in the Ypressalient.

Ithad been an ordeal that he had hardly thought possible. McCrae laterwrote of it:

"Iwish I could embody on paper some of the varied sensations of thatseventeen days... Seventeen days of Hades! At the end of the firstday if anyone had told us we had to spend seventeen days there, wewould have folded our hands and said it could not have been done."

Onedeath particularly affected McCrae. A young friend and formerstudent, Lieut. Alexis Helmer of Ottawa, had been killed by a shellburst on 2 May 1915. Lieutenant Helmer was buried later that day inthe little cemetery outside McCrae's dressing station, and McCrae hadperformed the funeral ceremony in the absence of the chaplain.

Thenext day, sitting on the back of an ambulance parked near thedressing station beside the Canal de l'Yser, just a few hundred yardsnorth of Ypres, McCrae vented his anguish by composing a poem. Themajor was no stranger to writing, having authored several medicaltexts besides dabbling in poetry.

Inthe nearby cemetery, McCrae could see the wild poppies that sprang upin the ditches in that part of Europe, and he spent twenty minutes ofprecious rest time scribbling fifteen lines of verse in a notebook.

Ayoung soldier watched him write it. Cyril Allinson, a twenty-two yearold sergeant-major, was delivering mail that day when he spottedMcCrae. The major looked up as Allinson approached, then went onwriting while the sergeant-major stood there quietly. "His facewas very tired but calm as we wrote," Allinson recalled. "Helooked around from time to time, his eyes straying to Helmer'sgrave."

WhenMcCrae finished five minutes later, he took his mail from Allinsonand, without saying a word, handed his pad to the young NCO. Allinsonwas moved by what he read:

"Thepoem was exactly an exact description of the scene in front of usboth. He used the word blow in that line because the poppies actuallywere being blown that morning by a gentle east wind. It neveroccurred to me at that time that it would ever be published. Itseemed to me just an exact description of the scene."

Infact, it was very nearly not published. Dissatisfied with it, McCraetossed the poem away, but a fellow officer retrieved it and sent itto newspapers in England. The Spectator, in London, rejected it, butPunch published it on 8 December 1915.

OnJanuary 18, 1918, while still commanding No 3 Canadian GeneralHospital (McGill) at Boulogne, McCrae died of pneumonia. FromWikipedia, the free encyclopedia: John Alexander McCrae.

A version of the following has been around before but always worthwhile to remember:

THE FINAL INSPECTION

~ Author Unknown ~
The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
'Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you ?
Have you always turned the other cheek ?
To My Church have you been true?'
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.
There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
'Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'

It's the Military, not the reporter who has given us the freedomof the press. It's the Military, not the poet, who has given us thefreedom of speech. It's the Military, not the politicians thatensures our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It'sthe Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, andwhose coffin is draped by the flag.
If you care to offer thesmallest token of recognition and appreciation for the military,please, pass this on and pray for our men and women who have servedand are currently serving our country and pray for those who havegiven the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

Halloween Trick or Treat. Enjoy 2+2 = 5 (VIDEO)

2011-11-07T08:21:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

When Mom & Dad eat allof their kids Halloween candy. (VIDEO)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HlFICkY1uDA

frameborder="0"allowfullscreen>

Eagles- Witchy Woman ( 1972 ) (VIDEO)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vAIAXk0z0lI

The Old One – The Greatest Gift of All is Love

2011-11-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

A brother and sister had made their usual hurried, obligatory pre- Christmas visit to the little farm where dwelt their elderly parents with their small herd of horses. The farm was where they had grown up and had been named Lone Pine Farm because of the huge pine, which topped the hill behind the farm. Through the years the tree had become a talisman to the old man and his wife, and a landmark in the countryside. The young siblings had fond memories of their childhood here, but the city hustle and bustle added more excitement to their lives, and called them away to a different life.

Theold folks no longer showed their horses, for the years had takentheir toll, and getting out to the barn on those frosty mornings wasgetting harder, but it gave them a reason to get up in themornings and a reason to live. They sold a few foals each year, andthe horses were their reason for joy in the morning and contentmentat day's end.

Angry,as they prepared to leave, the young couple confronted the old folks"Why do you not at least dispose of The Old One." Sheis no longer of use to you. It's been years since you've had foalsfrom her. You should cut corners and save so you can have more for yourselves. How can this old worn out horse bring you anything but expense and work? Why do you keep her anyway?"

Theold man looked down at his worn boots, holes in the toes, scuffed atthe barn floor and replied, " Yes, I could use a pair of newboots.

Hisarm slid defensively about the Old One's neck as he drew her nearwith gentle caressing he rubbed her softly behind her ears. Hereplied softly, "We keep her because of love. Nothing else, justlove."

Baffledand irritated, the young folks wished the old man and his wife aMerry Christmas and headed back toward the city as darkness stole through the valley.

Theold couple shook their heads in sorrow that it had not been ahappy visit. A tear fell upon their cheeks. How is it thatthese young folks do not understand the peace of the love thatfilled their hearts?

Soit was, that because of the unhappy leave-taking, no one noticed theinsulation smoldering on the frayed wires in the old barn. None sawthe first spark fall. None but the "Old One".

Ina matter of minutes, the whole barn was ablaze and the hungry flameswere licking at the loft full of hay. With a cry of horror anddespair, the old man shouted to his wife to call for help as he racedto the barn to save their beloved horses. But the flames were roaringnow, and the blazing heat drove him back. He sank sobbing to theground, helpless before the fire's fury. His wife back from callingfor help cradled him in her arms, clinging to each other, they weptat their loss.

Bythe time the fire department arrived, only smoking, glowing ruinswere left, and the old man and his wife, exhausted from their grief,huddled together before the barn. They were speechless as they rosefrom the cold snow covered ground. They nodded thanks to thefiremen as there was nothing anyone could do now. The old man turned to his wife, resting her white head upon his shoulders as hisshaking old hands clumsily dried her tears with a frayed red bandana.Brokenly he whispered, "We have lost much, but God has sparedour home on this eve of Christmas. Let us gather strength and climbthe hill to the old pine where we have sought comfort in times ofdespair. We will look down upon our home and give thanks to God thatit has been spared and pray for our beloved most precious gifts thathave been taken from us.

Andso, he took her by the hand and slowly helped her up the snowy hill as he brushed aside his own tears with the back of his old andwithered hand.

Thejourney up the hill was hard for their old bodies in the steep snow.As they stepped over the little knoll at the crest of the hill, theypaused to rest, looking up to the top of the hill the old couplegasped and fell to their knees in amazement at the incredible beautybefore them.

Seemingly,every glorious, brilliant star in the heavens was caught up in theglittering, snow-frosted branches of their beloved pine, and it wasaglow with heavenly candles. And poised on its top most bough,a crystal crescent moon glistened like spun glass. Never had amere mortal created a Christmas tree such as this. They were breathless as the old man held his wife tighter in his arms.

Suddenly,the old man gave a cry of wonder and incredible joy. Amazed andmystified, he took his wife by the hand and pulled her forward.There, beneath the tree, in resplendent glory, a mist hovering overand glowing in the darkness was their Christmas gift. Shadowsglistening in the night light.

Beddeddown about the "Old One" close to the trunk of the tree,was the entire herd, safe.

Atthe first hint of smoke, she had pushed the door ajar with her muzzleand had led the horses through it. Slowly and with great dignity,never looking back, she had led them up the hill, stepping cautiouslythrough the snow. The foals were frightened and dashed about. Theskittish yearlings looked back at the crackling, hungry flames, andtucked their tails under them as they licked their lips and hoppedlike rabbits. The mares that were in foal with a new years crop ofbabies, pressed uneasily against the "Old One" as she moved calmly up the hill and to safety beneath the pine. And now shelay among them and gazed at the faces of the old man and his wife.

Thoseshe loved she had not disappointed. Her body was brittle with years,tired from the climb, but the golden eyes were filled with devotionas she offered her gift---

Becauseof love. Only Because of love.

Tearsflowed as the old couple shouted their praise and joy... And againthe peace of love filled their hearts.

Thisis an Inspirational message sent to a small group of people. My hopeis that it will make your day just a little bit better.

Keepreading

Asmall request !

Canceris a strange cell. Going along for years in remission and then oneday it pops its head up again. Pray for the day there will be a permanent cure.

ASMALL REQUEST... 93% won't forward, but I'm Sure You Will....... Asmall request....Just one line

DearGod, I pray for the cure of cancer. Amen

Allyou are asked to do is keep this circulating. Even if it's only toone more person.

Gold Wrapping Paper

2011-10-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

I received this from a friend who had a choice to make. It said that I had a choice to make too. I've chosen. Now it's your turn to choose.

The story goes that some time ago a mother punished her five year old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and she became even more upset when the child used the gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree..

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning and then said, 'This is for you, Momma.'

The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but her anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty. She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner.

'Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?'

She had tears in her eyes and said, 'Oh, Momma, it's not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full.'

The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.

An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life.

Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems she would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a Golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.

You now have two choices:

1. Pass this on to your friends, or

2. Delete it and act like it didn't touch your heart.

As you can see, I took choice No. 1. Friends are like angels who lift us to our feet, when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

If you receive this more than once in return just know that your friends have also thought of you.

Nice message!

----- End forwarded message -----

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Other Websites by Stan G. Webb

Arrragh! - International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAPD)

2011-09-19T06:22:00.000-07:00

International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAPD) is a parodic holiday created in 1995 by John Baur (Ol' Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (Cap'n Slappy), of Albany, Oregon U.S., who proclaimed September 19 each year as the day when everyone in the world should talk like a pirate.

Moped

2011-08-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

An elderly man on a Moped, looking about 90 years old, pulls up next to a doctor at a street light.

The old man looks over at the sleek shiny car and asks, "What kind of car ya got there, sonny?"

The doctor replies, "A Ferrari GTO. It cost half a million dollars!"

"That's a lot of money," says the old man. "Why does it cost so much?"

"Because this car can do up to 220 miles an hour!" states the doctor proudly.

The Moped driver asks, "Mind if I take a look inside?"

"No problem," replies the doctor.

So the old man pokes his head in the window and looks around. Then, sitting back on his Moped, the old man says, "That's a pretty nice car, all right.... but I'll stick with my Moped!"

Just then the light changes, so the doctor decides to show the old man just what his car can do. He floors it, and within 30 seconds the speedometer reads 150 mph.

Suddenly, he notices a dot in his rear view mirror. It seems to be getting closer !

He slows down to see what it could be and suddenly WHOOOOSSSHHH! Something whips by him going much faster!

"What on earth could be going faster than my Ferrari?" the doctor asks himself.

He presses harder on the accelerator and takes the Ferrari up to 180 mph.

Then, up ahead of him, he sees that it's the old man on the Moped!

Amazed that the Moped could pass his Ferrari, he gives it more gas and passes the Moped at 200 mph and he's feeling pretty good until he looks in his mirror and sees the old man gaining on him AGAIN!

Astounded by the speed of this old guy, he floors the gas pedal and takes the Ferrari all the way up to 220 mph.

Not ten seconds later, he sees the Moped bearing down on him again! The Ferrari is flat out, and there's nothing he can do !

Suddenly, the Moped plows into the back of his Ferrari, demolishing the rear end.

The doctor stops and jumps out and unbelievably the old man is still alive.

He runs up to the banged-up old guy and says, "I'm a doctor.... Is there anything I can do for you?"

The old man whispers,

"Unhook my suspenders from your side view mirror!"

THE OLD PHONE ON THE WALL

2011-08-25T17:27:00.000-07:00

When I was a young boy, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighbourhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it.

Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anyone's number and the correct time.

My personal experience with the genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbour. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer, the pain was terrible, but there seemed no point in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy.

I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway.. The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear.

"Information, please" I said into the
Mouthpiece just above my head.

A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear.

"Information."

"I hurt my finger...." I wailed into the phone, the tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.

"Isn't your mother home?" came the question.

"Nobody's home but me," I blubbered.

"Are you bleeding?" the voice asked.

"No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts."

"Can you open the icebox?" she asked.

I said I could..

"Then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.

After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her for......

Help with my geography, and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math.

She told me my pet chipmunk that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.

Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary, died. I called, "Information Please," and told her the sad story. She listened, and then said things grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was not consoled. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?"

She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, " Wayne , always remember that there are other worlds to sing in."

Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone, "Information Please."

"Information," said in the now familiar voice.

"How do I spell fix?", I asked.

All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston . I missed my friend very much.

"Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I
somehow never thought of trying the shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me.

Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle .. I had about a half-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information Please."

Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well.

"Information."

I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying,

"Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"

There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."

I laughed, "So it's really you," I said. "I wonder if you have any
idea how much you meant to me during that time?"

I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me.

I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.

"Please do", she said. "Just ask for Sally."

Three months later I was back in Seattle . A different voice answered,

"Information."

I asked for Sally.

"Are you a friend?" she said.

"Yes, a very old friend," I answered.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, "She said, Sally had been working part time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."

Before I could hang up, she said, "Wait a minute, did you say your name was Wayne ?"

"Yes." I answered.

"Well, Sally left a message for you.

She wrote it down in case you called.

Let me read it to you."

The note said,

"Tell him there are other worlds to sing in.

He'll know what I mean."

I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

Never underestimate the impression you may make on others..

Whose life have you touched today?

Why not pass this on? I just did...

Lifting you on eagle's wings.

May you find the joy and peace you long for.

Life is a journey... NOT a guided tour.

Thank you for being part of my journey!!

loved this story and just had to pass it on.

"Never Borrow from the future"

2011-08-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.'

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns . If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety . If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13.. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19 Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray..
24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you Jesus '
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29 Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33 Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36 Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

'If God is for us, who can be against us?'

(Romans 8:31)

My instructions were to send this to people that I wanted God to bless and I picked you. I decided to send it to more than four, because I didn't want to limit blessings.

FORWARD IT PLEASE,

Not backward!

Rebecca Black - My Moment

2011-08-14T07:59:00.000-07:00

YouTube star Rebecca Black, 14 is the newest Internet star, here signing My Moment – her Official Music Video, With 23,140,732 hits http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OxWD85Ngz4

Rebecca Black performs 'Friday' Live on America's Got Talent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9y810VEaG0

YouTube sensation Rebecca Black bullied at school, starts homeschooling (digitaltrends.com)
YouTube yanks Rebecca Black's "Friday" video (thestar.com)
Rebecca Black Releases New Music Video: Moment (VIDEO) (chats-blog.com)

Signs You Are Having A Bad Day

2011-08-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

you had trouble getting out of bed

you washed your hair and couldn't do a thing with it

you feel like you have a hangover and you weren't even drinking last night

your new diet doesn't seem to be working

you pulled a muscle when you tried to exercise

your new hat looked better on you at the store

the dry cleaners shrunk your favorite outfit

you keep losing things

you have a stiff neck

you feel like you're in the wrong place at the wrong time

you got caught in the rain at lunchtime

the lunch you had didn't seem to agree with you

you feel trapped

uninvited guests showed up at dinnertime

you think you're coming down with the flu

you're alone in the house at night and you hear a noise in the basement

Have a Purrfect Day!

A Humorous Look At How Government Works

2011-08-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaOnce upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said someone may steal from it at night, so they created a night watchman position (GS-4) and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning position and hired two people: one person to write the instructions (GS-12) and one person to do time studies (GS-11).

Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Q.C. position and hired two people, one GS-9 to do the studies and one GS-11 to write the reports.

Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So they created the following positions, a timekeeper (GS-09) and a payroll officer (GS-11) and hired two people.

Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?"

So they created an administrative position and hired three people: an Admin. Officer (GM-13), an Assistant Admin. Officer (GS-13) and a Legal Secretary (GS-08).

Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost," so they laid off the night watchman.

BLESSED ARE THE CRACKED, FOR THEY LET IN THE LIGHT!

2011-08-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia TWENTY-NINE LINES TO MAKE YOU SMILE
1. My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God and I didn't.
2. I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.
3. Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.
4. I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.
5. Don't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive.

6. You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me
7. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.
8. Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.
9. I'm not a complete idiot -- Some parts are just missing.
10. Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.

11. NyQuil, the stuffy, sneezy, why-the-heck-is-the-room-spinning medicine.
12. God must love stupid people; He made so many.
13. The gene pool could use a little chlorine.
14. Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.
15. Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?

16. Being 'over the hill' is much better than being under it!
17. Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew up.

18. Procrastinate Now!
19. I Have a Degree in Liberal Arts; Do You Want Fries With That?
20. A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
21. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.
22. Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere!
23. They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken.
24. He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless DEAD.

25. A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up three thousand times the memory.

26 . Ham and eggs... A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig. (how true)
27. The trouble with life is there's no background music.

28. The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson.
29. I smile because I don't know what the hell is going on.

Pulling Together

2011-07-30T10:31:00.001-07:00

It's amazing what a small town is able to do with everyone pulling together. This video was filmed in Traverse City, Michigan (in Wikipedia) ; Traverse City, Michigan (Google Map)

*OFFICIAL* Traverse City LipDub 2011 http://youtu.be/SKr7JctKat8

Auroras, Sol's Activity and Coronal Mass Ejections

2011-06-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

Image by NASA Goddard Photo and Video via Flickr

This image provided by NASA shows our Sun, Sol, unleashing a medium-sized solar flare, a minor radiation storm and a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME) on June 7, 2011. The large cloud of particles mushroomed up and fell back down looking as if it covered an area of almost half the solar surface. The ejection delivered a glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field during the late hours of June 8th or June 9th. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras when the CMEs arrive, as no doubt, this will be one of a series in Solar Cycle 24.

I advise my readers to keep a 'solar weather eye' for news of eruptions in order to schedule viewing time. Space Weather at NASA. Get the latest on solar events and their effects on Earth. Subscribe for email updates.

Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights - in the Arctic. In the Antarctic the lights are called the Aurora Australis - or Southern Lights are often invisible in the summer because of higher background light, yet every once in a while I am reminded that the Auroras, 'Paintings In The Sky' are ongoing, always, at all times of the year, day and night.

Auroras are caused by our sun's solar activity. They become increasingly visible in winter with a longer and darker night sky. But as the Solar Max arrives these have been seen to become visible even during the day, and at much further into the lower latitudes. One solar max event in the late 1800s resulted in the Auroras being visible even near the tropics (Florida).

Our sun, Sol, is approaching the peak of it's approximate 11 year cycle of activity. That increasing activity will reach solar maximum (Solar Max), predicted to occur somewhere between 2012-2014, and it is expected to be a major event.

Although beautiful, there is increased risk to most all modern human activities. Hydro power grids can fail, as has happened in Ontario, Quebec and the north-eastern US. A full force solar flare blew the circuits of powers grid in Sweden. Satellites are at extreme risk as is all human communications based on electronics; cell phones and landlines and GPSs would likely fail. Plans are in place to 'contol' power cuts even if a Solar storm threatens a national grid.

Links to:

Defined - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Wiki: Aurora

Photographs, Slide Shows and Videos

Slide Show - Aurora Borealis Flickr – Pool

>> SOUND ON for the following:

Slide Show - Aurora Borealis - Terrace, BC, Canada – YouTube

Video - Aurora Borealis (explained) – YouTube

Video - Aurora - Music by Alexa Sunshine Rose... this video shows how the Northern Lights come to be as seen from the sun, space and Earth. Live footage and 3-D modeling - THE MOST AWSOME SITE.

Video: stunning Aurora Borealis show, biggest in years 09May11 (a Vimeo Video filmed in Northern Finland)

The Aurora from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

On Wednesday, July 28, 2010: I had written about some of the other dangers of Solar Flares (CME - Coronal Mass Ejections) – update, in Dark Ages 2.0+©.

Other sources:

Charlotte Church - It's always great to see a new star developing

2011-05-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

Cover of Enchantment

Charlotte Maria Church (born Charlotte Maria Reed; 21 February 1986) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood. More about Charlotte Church - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Charlotte Church - Ave Maria (and loops to 92 other YouTube videos; including some of those below):

Charlotte Church – Enchantment (album) - Bridge Over Troubled Water written by Simon And Garfunkel

“When you're weary
Feeling small ...
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind”

Papa Can You Hear Me

An earlier (2008) Charlotte Church - Songs My Mother Taught Me

Carrickfergus

The following is a sad sounding song, but then again, to paraphrase G.K. Chesterton- The Celts are the men that God made mad. For all their wars are merry and all their songs are sad. This song is a lullaby. It sounds sad. The song itself is in Welsh, and here sung by Charlotte Church. For many, the song is most remembered being sung by Christian Bale in the movie Empire of the Sun.

Suo Gan HD

Steven Spielberg's "Empire Of The Sun" (1987)
Jim sings Suo Gan, a welsh lullaby.

Suo Gân (Welsh pronunciation: [sɨɔ ɡɑːn]) is a traditional Welsh lullaby written by an anonymous composer.

The song's title simply means lullaby. (suo = lull; cân = song).

Lyrics to Suo Gân are Gaelic/Celt (Welsh) and English translations are listed in Wikipedia

2011 Alaska STOL competition – Hot Rod Airplanes

2011-05-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia EAA – Experimental Aircraft Association – The Spirit of Aviation

http://www.eaa.org/news/2011/2011-05-12_stol.asp

The following shows all the participation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhUR-Fj_dIY&feature=player_embedded

Financial Planning

2011-05-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

Dan was a single guy living at home with his father and working in the family business.

When he found out he was going to inherit a fortune when his sickly father died, he decided he needed to find a wife with whom to share his fortune.

One evening, at an investment meeting, he spotted the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her natural beauty took his breath away."I may look like just an ordinary guy," he said to her, "But in just a few years my father will die and I will inherit $200 million".

Impressed, the woman asked for his business card and three days later, she became his stepmother.

Women are so much better at financial planning than men.

New Green Concepts for all my "Older Friends"

2011-05-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

This is an interesting perspective on today’s “New” concern for the environment....

I GUESS WE WERE AHEAD OF OUR TIME

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic bags weren’t good for the environment. The woman apologized to her and explained,

“We didn’t have the green thing back in my day.”

That’s right, they didn’t have the green thing in her day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.

But they didn’t have the green thing back her day.

In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn’t have an
Escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the
Grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every
Time they had to go two blocks.

But she’s right. They didn’t have the green thing in her day.

Back then, they washed the baby’s diapers because they didn’t have
The throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy
Gobbling machine burning up 220 volts – wind and solar power really
Did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always
Brand-new clothing.

But she’s right, they didn’t have the green thing back in her day.

Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house – not a TV in
Every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a pizza dish,
Not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, they
Blended and stirred by hand because they didn’t have electric
Machines to do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item
To send in the mail, they used wadded up newspaper to cushion it, not
Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, they didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to
Cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by
Working so they didn’t need to go to a health club to run on
Treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she’s right, they didn’t have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty, instead of using a
Cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They
Refilled pens with ink, instead of buying a new pen, and they
Replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the
Whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But they didn’t have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar and kids rode their bikes to
School or rode the school bus, instead of turning their moms into a
24-hour taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not
An entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they
didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from
Satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest
Pizza joint.

But they didn’t have the green thing back then!

I GUESS WE WERE AHEAD OF OUR TIME

Down Memory Lane!

‘Someone asked the other day, ‘What was your favorite fast food when you were growing up?’

‘We didn’t have fast food when I was growing up,’ I informed him.

‘All the food was slow.’

‘C’mon, seriously. Where did you eat?’

‘It was a place called ‘at home,” I explained. !

‘Mom cooked every day and when Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn’t like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.’
By this time, the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn’t tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table.

But here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood if I figured his system could have handled it :

Some parents NEVER owned their own house, never wore Levis, never set foot on a golf course, never traveled out of the country or had a credit card.

In their later years they had something called a revolving charge card. The card was good only at Sears Roebuck. Or maybe it was Sears & Roebuck.

Either way, there is no Roebuck anymore. Maybe he died.
My parents never drove me to soccer practice. This was mostly because we never had heard of soccer. I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and only had one speed, (slow)

We didn’t have a television in our house until I was 16.

It was, of course, black and white, and the station went off the air at midnight, after playing the national anthem and a poem about God; it came back on the air at about 6 a..m. and there was usually a locally produced news and farm show on, featuring local people.
I was 21 before I tasted my first pizza, it was called ‘pizza pie.’

When I bit into it, I burned the roof of my mouth and the cheese slid off, swung down, plastered itself against my chin and burned that, too. It’s still the best pizza I ever had.
I never had a telephone in my room.

The only phone in the house was in the living room and it was on a party line. Before you could dial, you had to listen and make sure some people you didn’t know weren’t already using the line.

Pizzas were not delivered to our home But milk was.

All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers –my brother delivered a newspaper, six days a week. It cost 7 cents a paper, of which he got to keep 2 cents. He had to get up at 6AM every morning.

On Saturday, he had to collect the 42 cents from his customers. His favorite customers were the ones who gave him 50 cents and told him to keep the change. His least favorite customers were the ones who seemed to never be home on collection day.

Movie stars kissed with their mouths shut. At least, they did in the movies. There were no movie ratings because all movies were responsibly produced for everyone to enjoy viewing, without profanity or violence or most anything offensive.
If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren Just don’t blame me if they bust a gut laughing.
Growing up isn’t what it used to be, is it?

MEMORIES from a friend :

My Dad is cleaning out my grandmother’s house (she died in December) and he brought me an old Royal Crown Cola bottle. In the bottle top was a stopper with a bunch of holes in it.. I knew immediately what it was, but my daughter had no idea. She thought they had tried to make it a salt shaker or something. I knew it as the bottle that sat on the end of the ironing board to ‘sprinkle’ clothes with because we didn’t have steam irons. Man, I am old.

How many do you remember?

Head lights dimmer switches on the floor.
Ignition switches on the dashboard.
Heaters mounted on the inside of the fire wall.
Real ice boxes.
Pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards.
Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner.
Using hand signals for cars without turn signals.

Older Than Dirt Quiz :

Count all the ones that you remember not the ones you were told about.

Ratings at the bottom.

1. Blackjack chewing gum
2.Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water

3. Candy cigarettes
4. Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles
5. Coffee shops or diners with table side juke boxes
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
7. Party lines on the telephone
8 Newsreels before the movie
9. P.F. Flyers
10. Butch wax
11.. TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning. (there were only 3 channels… [if you were fortunate])
12. Peashooters
13. Howdy Doody
14. 45 RPM records
15. S& H green stamps
16. Hi-fi’s
17. Metal ice trays with lever
18. Mimeograph paper
19. Blue flashbulb
20. Packards
21. Roller skate keys
22. Cork popguns
23. Drive-ins
24. Studebaker
25. Wash tub wringers

If you remembered 0-5 = You’re still young
If you remembered 6-10 = You are getting older
If you remembered 11-15 = Don’t tell your age
If you remembered 16-25 = You’re older than dirt!
I might be older than dirt but those memories are some of the best parts of my life.

Don’t forget to pass this along!!
Especially to all your really OLD friends….

Enjoy.

360° panoramic photograph virtual tours

2011-04-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Panoramic photographs, or 360 virtual tours, have been around for many years. I can remember shooting them four or five years ago, but today's versions are far in advance of those early attempts. Yet it seems that the world has moved on yet again. [An example of one I had 'stitched' together using CleVR » Free and easy panoramic photo stitching software, panoramas and virtual tours ... http://www.clevr.com/stitcher is the mast-head of Stan G. Webb© (At Large).org©.]

Henry Stuart of Spherical Images recently sent me a link to an incredible picture 15.5 Gigapixelphotograph, a GigaPan 360 of the interior of St Paul's Cathedral, London, UK. (The link will take you to an external site and it may take a while to download). Its a big file which consolidates about 2,400 separate individual photographs. "Resolution is the primary difference. Normal 360 panoramas that you see online are around 6,000 x 3,000 pixels. [This St Paul's Cathedral shot] is over 170,000 x 85,000 pixels, or 15,500 megapixels (15.5 gigapixels).

"Essentially this means you can zoom to see detail that you could never see with the human eye from the same spot."

Take a look, move left, right and up to the ceiling and down to your feet. Great, but then zoom, and zoom and zoom. The detail is just phenomenal.

Chinese Girl with Missing Fingers Plays Stunning Piano Solo

2011-04-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

Cover of Richard ClaydermanAre you having a woe-is-me moment? Take a quick look at this video clip of 19-year-old Zheng Guigui playing Souvenirs d’enfance by Claude Lachapelle on the piano (after learning to play for only 3 years, no less!). The extraordinary thing is that she plays the entire song, beautifully, we might add, despite a pretty significant disadvantage--the girl's right hand is missing all of its fingers. http://youtu.be/VbhW_K3NvmQ

This is simply too amazing; NewsFeed suspects the work of a tiger mom.

This video shows a young Chinese girl playing "Souvenir D'enfance" by Richard Clayderman on the piano for a television show. The extraordinary thing is that she plays the entire song, beautifully, we might add, despite a pretty significant disadvantage--the girl's right hand is missing all of its fingers.

Which "1" do you want?

2011-04-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

This year we're going to experience four unusual dates. 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11 and that's not all...Take the last two digits of the year in which you were born -now add the age you will be this year, and the result will be 111 for everyone...!! This is the year of Money..!!!

This year October will have 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays and 5 Saturdays.

This year, July also has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays.

This happens once every 823 years. This is called money bags. So, forward this to your friends and money will arrive within 4 days.

Based on Chinese Feng Shui the one who does not forward…..will be without money. Not taking any chance!  Good Luck!

July 2011

... These particular years are known as 'Moneybags'... The proverb goes that if you send this to eight good friends money will appear in the next four days as is explained in Chinese Feng Shui.

Those who don't continue the chain won't receive.. Its a mystery, but its worth a try. Good luck.

Which Canadian (BIG) city has the happiest weather?

2011-04-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

Personal message:

Canada isn't exactly known for its pleasant weather, so Yahoo! Canada News set out to discover where it's best. The ideal 'Goldilocks' temperature for humans is between 20 C and 24 C and you may be surprised to find which Canadian cities spend the most time in this range.

Great to see that all of my Canadian Prairie relatives have Happier Weather than those of us on the West Coast. Of course smaller towns and rural areas have even better weather, and without the pollution. Which Canadian (BIG) city has the happiest weather? - Yahoo! (Video) News [click on]:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/good-news/canadian-city-happiest-weather-20110406-133721-183.html

Image via Wikipedia

A HUG

2011-03-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

IT'S WONDROUS WHAT A HUG CAN DO.
A HUG CAN CHEER YOU WHEN YOU'RE BLUE.
A HUG CAN SAY, "I LOVE YOU"
OR, "I HATE TO SEE YOU GO."

A HUG IS "WELCOME BACK AGAIN,"
AND "GREAT TO SEE YOU, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"
A HUG CAN SOOTHE A SMALL CHILD PAIN,
AND BRING A RAINBOW AFTER RAIN

A HUG, THERE'S JUST NO DOUBT ABOUT IT..
WE SCARCELY COULD SURVIVE WITHOUT IT!
A HUG DELIGHTS AND WARMS AND CHARMS,
IT MUST BY WHY GOD GAVE US ARMS.

HUGS ARE GREAT FOR FATHERS AND MOTHERS,
SWEET FOR SISTERS, SWELL FROM BROTHERS;
AND CHANCES ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUNTS
LOVE THEM MORE THAN POTTED PLANTS.

KITTENS CRAVE THEM, PUPPIES LOVE THEM;
HEAD OF STATES ARE NOT ABOVE THEM.
A HUG CAN BREAK THE LANGUAGE BARRIER,
AND MAKE TRAVEL SO MUCH MERRIER.

NO NEED TO FRET ABOUT YOUR STORE OF 'EM;
THE MORE YOU GIVE THERE'S MORE OF 'EM
SO STRETCH THOSE ARMS WITHOUT DELAY
AND GIVE SOMEONE A HUG TODAY!!

Japanese Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant radiation leak disaster

2011-03-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaI'm keep myself believing/hoping that if there is a cloud of radiation reaches North America it's not fatal - or it hits somewhere else than where I am (Vancouver). But this guy is rightfully angry, and horrified, and you have to feel for him and his family and ...his neighbors and their families - and the 30 million people on Honshu who do not have the money to leave. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15gGuQJzD-U

“The boss of the company behind the devastated Japanese Fukushima nuclear plant today broke down in tears - as his country finally acknowledged the radiation spewing from the over-heating reactors and fuel rods was enough to kill some citizens.

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency admitted that the disaster was a level 5, which is classified as a crisis causing 'several radiation deaths' by the UN - International Atomic Energy Agency.”
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1367684/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-Fukushima-nulear-plant-radiation-leak-kill-people.html#ixzz1H4M4fGJE

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Nuclear plant chief weeps as Japanese finally admit that radiation leak is serious enough to kill people (compuadept.net)
Japanese authorities: We have no control over the Fukushima Nuclear plant, people will probably die from fallout (theboldcorsicanflame.wordpress.com)
Radiation data near Fukushima show little cause for concern (so far) (boingboing.net)
So Sorry (iowntheworld.com)
Japan says food produced near leaking nuclear plant may have unsafe radiation (theglobeandmail.com)
Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant (thenewstribune.com)
Japan detects small amount of radiation in food, water near nuclear plants (theglobeandmail.com)
Japan nuclear plant crisis sees food radiation levels rise in Fukushima area (mirror.co.uk)
Cover-up in Canada: Radioactive Leak Into Lake Ontario (tipggita32.wordpress.com)
Swedish Government: Radiation To Cover Entire Northern Hemisphere (gunnyg.wordpress.com)
US anti-radiation pill sales soar in nuclear scare (rt.com)
Are iodine tablets necessary? (medhealthwriter.blogspot.com)
U.S. readies to fly military families out of Japan (reuters.com)
Coquitlam man says foreigners, Japanese women and children are fleeing Tokyo (with video) (theprovince.com)
On the Brink of a Nuclear Crisis (pochp.wordpress.com)

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