Saturday, January 31, 2009

Awesome Typewriter Art: Paul Smith's true inspirational story

  

I was really inspired when I ran across this web site, after getting a tip from my pal Carl, and I want to share it with all of my readers. It's a story of a man who passed away two years ago, but who has left behind an inspiring legacy in art.

Here's the link to a site that tells his story, and shows all of his art work. I highly recommend you take a moment and check his story out. It sure inspired me.

 

Another Controversial Pick: Daschle failed to pay $128,000 in taxes

Obama's choice to lead Health and Human Services is the second Cabinet pick to run into tax problems, jeopardizing his confirmation.

Mark Wilson / Getty Images

Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle is flanked by former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, left, and his wife Linda Daschle, center, as he testifies during his Senate confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Capitol Hill January 8 in Washington, DC

For the whole story in the LA TIMES today click here.

Friday, January 30, 2009

This car was supposed to challenge the Chevy Corvette

Can you imagine if Chrysler would have come out with this baby back in the days of no seat belt laws? This art was featured on the 1960 edition of Motor Trends magazine that went for 35 cents a copy.

(image credit: pbwoychick)

LA area family doubles in size with birth of octuplets!

There's no photos available yet on the LA area family that just had octuplets, so to give the reader an idea what that many kids might look like I got this photo (right) of the Littleton Family (total 14 kids) from a blog called "Stand Your Ground."

The news this morning is that the couple who had those eight babies, also have six more children at home! That's a total of 14 kids! Wow! And in this depression too!

It's no wonder the family doesn't want their name released. They know they would be in for a media circus if they did. However, you can't hide a group of kids that large forever, and it's inevitable that the press will get this story.

Apparently the mother took fertility drugs, despite having six children already. What is your reaction to this story? Too many kids? Never too many kids? I look forward to your comments.

Click here and see the LA Times story about this family that has suddenly doubled in size.

image from forlifeandfamily.blogspot.com

Iraqi shoe-thrower honored with monument of his deed

You gotta love it! The Iraqi's are right-on with this testament to al-Zaidi. Actually, I expect more to go up in other Arab countries. Dubya isn't popular with these people because he never treated them with respect.

A statue built for Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi, who hurled his shoes at former U.S. president George Bush, is seen in Tikrit, 150 km (95 miles) Baghdad, January 27, 2009.

An Iraqi town has unveiled a giant monument of a shoe in honor of the journalist who threw his footwear at former U.S. President George W. Bush.

The letters on the sign reads "Muntazer is fasting until the sword breaks his fast with blood, silent until our mouths speak the truth". Picture taken January 27, 2009.

REUTERS/Sabah al-Bazee (IRAQ)

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Metal animals and insects - good pets for your robot!

  

These creatures are made from scrap metal, and have a very elaborate cybernetic look.
Edouard Martinet's gallery is definitely worth checking out: a kind of robotic zoo.

(images credit: Edouard Martinet)

Rush Limbaugh: the New Conservative Icon or Next Republican Leader?

Right-wing Radio nut, Rush Limbaugh, and his slavering devotees think they have died and gone to heaven because President Obama mentioned his name the other day!

Republicans are wetting themselves while waiting in line to pay "El Rusho" homage. This poster-boy for OxyContin signed a contact extension last year for $400 million to keep rabble-rousing conservatives until 2016.

That's a scary thought. Even scarier, he claims to have 13 million listeners every week, based upon a combination of Arbitron ratings and it's own metrics.

To think that many people tune in to listen to this drug addict rant about every move President Obama makes, is enough to make a sane person hurl! Demigods like "Limp Ba" rise in times of recession/depression when people are desperate and willing to believe any propaganda that they think will improve their lives.

Sad, but true. Obama should have never mentioned his name. It was like giving him validation. It was a mistake.

 The rolly-polly King of Lies has landed on that little mention of his name, and is now proclaiming himself king of the conservatives by way of this acknowledgment.

 Pathetic, but probably effective in rallying his core cronies. What a world. People are losing their jobs right and left and clowns like "El Rusho" are making millions spewing hatred and lies.

As It Stands, the Republican party might as well elect Rush to head them up if he can bring 13 million voters with him!

image via Politicalhumor.com

There's new hope for people who snore while sleeping

My wife often claims that I snore. My response to her is, she snores! So we both snore at night. The trick is to go to asleep before your partner, or better yet, at the same time.

I've tried that band aide type of product to stop snoring, but it didn't work according to my wife.

So now we have a new product. I wonder if it really works. The idea of sticking something up my nose at night isn't too attractive however.

Brez premium nasal breathing aids, are the first commercially available device for inside the nose and are clinically proven to reduce snoring and increase overall sleep quality for the bed partner, according to the company.

The product launched in pharmacies nationwide this week.

Available in three sizes (small, medium and large), Brez inserts easily into the nose and gently lifts, expands and supports the interior walls of the nasal passages to reduce the resistance of airflow.

(PRNewsFoto/AirWare, Inc.)

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

A Cool Advertising campaign for Australia Day event

 

Shades of the sixties dude! Think San Francisco at it's hippie heights when posters like these advertised legends like Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Cream, and many more.

Advertising Agency: Loud Sydney, Australia

Click HERE, HERE and HERE to see more event posters.

Source: Ads of the World

The world's most expensive autograph belongs to the bard

  

The World's Rarest Signature
According to Luxist.com this honor goes to the autograph of William Shakespeare:Every occasion of this signature, if found, will go for a cool $3 million.

Turkey terror in Rockport: Post Office suspends some deliveries after birds' attacks on carriers!

 

After I stopped laughing at this story I knew it would become a classic in mail delivery lore. Score one for the turkey's in this situation. I tried to imagine the poor postal carrier, but in my mind he comes across kinda like the bumbling detective (Inspector Jacques Clouseau played by Peter Sellers) in the comedy "The Pink Panther." Anyway, I thought it was the funny read for the day!

By Jonathan L'Ecuyer
Staff Writer/Gloucester Daily Times

ROCKPORT — Through rain, sleet and snow, Rockport mail carriers deliver — until now, anyway.

And it wasn't the rain, sleet or snow that stopped some of them.

Nearly every day over the last five months, an average of 10 turkeys — led by a pair of male "ring leaders" — have been chasing and attempting to peck a postal worker on his route along Marmion Way and South Street.

Rockport Post Office Delivery Manager Tim Russell said slippery sidewalks and territorial dogs are common challenges for his carriers, but over the 22 years he's worked for the U.S. Postal Service, he's never seen anything quite like this.

"Some of the neighbors said their dogs have been attacked, but mostly it's just been our postal truck," Russell said. "They chase the truck down the street — two males in particular — it's just unbelievable."

The local post office stopped delivering mail to several South Street homes after an incident Jan. 15 when a number of passers-by stopped to help the postal worker as he was being chased by the quick-trotting turkeys.

"Last week, people had to intervene so (the mail carrier) could get back to his truck," Russell said yesterday. "He was trying to wave a bag full of mail at the turkeys as he ran when some folks pulled over to shoo the turkeys away."

For weeks prior to the incident, Russell said the mail carrier had tried to park the truck out of sight or change the time of day he was delivering the mail to that area, but nothing worked.

Postmaster Bob Kerrigan sought help this past week from Capt. John Tulik of the state Environmental Police.

Tulik said turkeys exercise dominance over their area and the only way to deal with them is to be more dominant. Tulik suggested arming the postal worker with an umbrella. When a turkey begins to charge, the carrier should open the umbrella toward the turkey, which in turn should trick the bird into thinking it's facing another dominant male flaring its tail feathers.

Russell said the Environmental Police no longer relocates the birds.

Kerrigan said he's cautiously optimistic the umbrella idea will work.

"We're not going to go out with an umbrella everyday, but after a couple of times it should show the turkey that the carrier is dominant," Kerrigan said. "But I'm a little skeptical because nothing seems to stop them from going after the carrier and truck."

Russell and Kerrigan both said the top priority was the safety of the mail carrier.

"Either the turkeys are going to get hurt or one of the carriers," Russell said.

"The last thing we want to do is strike one of the animals with a truck," Kerrigan added.

Part of the problem, police Chief Tom McCarthy said, is that neighborhood residents have been feeding the birds over the last several years.

"People feed the birds," McCarthy said, "Otherwise they'd be looking for food elsewhere."

Russell said if the umbrella doesn't work, postal workers will have to come up with a "plan B."

Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.

Google image of turkey

Investigators find history of problems; 4 kinds of salmonella identified

I love peanut butter but lately I've been avoiding it because of the salmonella situation.

Experts say it was peanut butter paste that had the problems, not your jars of Peanut Butter for the home.

Somehow that doesn't make me comfortable. You won't believe the conditions authorities found in a George Peanut Butter factory. Click here and read about the whole sticky mess in the Chicago Tribune today.

Google image

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

This huge vehicle, aka The Penguin, didn't work out in 1939

In 1939 U.S. Antarctic Service acquired a very special vehicle: "Snow Cruiser, a.k.a. The Penguin"

   

"The Snow Cruiser failed to perform up to expectations. The tires sank deeply into the snow and spun too easily."

All images from darkroastedblend.com archives

Life is full of interesting illusions: here's four for you!

Top left: VASE and FACES -            Right : Stairway To Nowhere

  

Below left: What do you see? A couple or a skull?

Below Right: Stare into the center for 10 seconds and begin moving your eyes around the perimeter.

  

Brought to you by 123OpticalIllusions.com Optical Illusion Archive

Transparency Test #I: Rove to appear in court over his role in politicizing the Justice Department and other alleged misdeeds

Karl Rove (right) waves goodbye to Americans as Dubya's reign ends.

 But not so fast Karl! It seems some people want to talk with you.

President Obama is getting plenty of opportunities for shows of transparency by his new administration. One will be how hard the government goes after presidential puppet-master, Karl Rove, who has been subpoenaed to appear in court on Feb.2.

He's going to be questioned about his role in politicizing the Department of Justice, his role in the US attorney firings, and the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman.

I hope this is just a prelude of things to come. Ex-president Bush, Cheney, the NSA, and the rest of the lawbreakers, should be next. Governments from around the world want to try Bush and associates for war crimes. They should be brought to justice. Just like the NAZI's were after WW II ended, at the Nuremberg Trials.

Will it ever happen? People in this country are calling upon Obama for the ultimate show of change and transparency. This is Transparency Test #1 for him. Tougher lobbyists rules are fine, but the crimes Dubya's administration has perpetrated upon Americans and the rest of the world need to be accounted for.

As It Stands, I'll really be shocked if Bush, Cheney, Rove, etc., ever go to jail for what they've done.

Wikipedia photo

 

 

Octuplets make history: doctors surprised by number 8!

The arrival of octuplets surprised everyone involved.

A team of 46 doctors, nurses, and surgical assistants at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center, delivered eight babies this morning. They were "only" expecting seven!

This is only the 2nd time in U.S. history that there's been a successful delivery of octuplets. Their arrival was nine weeks early, but all are breathing on their own, according to a CNN broadcast this morning.

The mother has declined to have her name released to the media. My guess is she's got enough on her plate without being a celebrity at the moment.

Doctor's say she intends to breast feed. Before your jaw drops in disbelief, I should explain that she's going to "express" the milk and give it to each baby by bottle.

Congratulations to Mom and Dad! You have your work cut out for you!

google image of baby dolls

Driver's car goes airborn and crash lands on a church!

BERLIN (Reuters Life!)A German motorist missed a bend in the road, broke through a barrier and hurtled up a bank, crash-landing on a church roof in eastern Germany, police said on Monday.

The bank acted like a springboard, propelling the black Skoda about 35 meters (115 ft) forward and straight into the church's roof frame, where it remained wedged 7 meters off the ground, police said in a statement.

"We've never ever had a case of a car landing in a church before," said Frank Fischer, a spokesman for Chemnitz police in the state of Saxony.

The 23-year-old driver suffered serious injuries. The damage to the car, which was extracted from the roof by a crane, amounts to about 10,000 euros ($13,000), police said. The cost of damage to the church has not yet been estimated.

Police said speed was a possible cause for the accident, which happened late on Sunday.

Reuters image

Here's some coffins for people who want to go out in style!

   

There's no end to what kind of coffin can be custom made for people who want to make a statement of some kind. I think it's pretty silly. First off, I don't even believe in burials and all the foo far rah that goes with them. Cremation is the only way to go, as far as I'm concerned. No fuss. No waste of money. I can't imagine why someone would want something so fancy when no one is ever going to see it when the dirt is thrown on top! Click here for some other interesting coffin designs. The last one cracked me up. It really made a statement!

images from humorpix.com   

Monday, January 26, 2009

Marvelous Times: The introduction of Iron Man

I was an absolute Marvel Comic Book nut back in the early sixties and collected them for years. I remember reading this comic about Iron Man's origins.

I had a lot of first issues including Thor, Fantastic Four, The Hulk, Spider Man, and Dr. Strange. I had boxes of comics that I put in storage at my parents house while in the Army.

 Sadly, they couldn't stay there because my parents were moving back east. I had just returned from Vietnam and was stationed at Ft, McArthur. There was no room to store my comics there, so in the end, I gave them to a school teacher who bought my parents house.

Needless to say, if I had them now I'd be doing pretty good as they as they are very expensive collector items now. This comic went for 12 cents. I remember paying a dime prior to that, for Marvel and DC Comics. Those were the days!

Google image

 

Blago no show at his trial today: He's got TV appointments!

 

By CHRISTOPHER WILLS, Associated Press Writer  

Staking his defense to the airwaves rather than his impeachment trial today, Gov. Rod Blagojevich lashed out at his accusers today and revealed he had considered naming Oprah Winfrey to the Senate.

On the day his Senate trial was to begin, Blagojevich is hundreds of miles away in New York, appearing on ABC's "Good Morning America" before scheduled appearances on "The View" and "Larry King Live." Click here for the whole story.

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Sunday, January 25, 2009

Got Khat? Paranoia leads to latest state ban on plant

Today in the Times-Standard, find out why authorities don't want you to have anything to do with this plant-khat.

What plant is going to be next? Why the paranoia over a shrub that most Americans would have nothing to do with?

The stuffs bitter, and only gives you something akin to a coffee buzz. Read more about khat here.

Google image

Blog Break Until Presidential Election is Over

I finally hit the wall today. I can't think of what to say about all of the madness going on in this country right now. I'm a writer...