Thursday, February 11, 2010

World’s strangest aphrodisiacs

Bird’s Nest Soup, poisonous snakes ... oh, the things we consume for love

Excerpt:

In Korea, the hagfish, or slime eel, takes the shape of an enviably large member and emits a slimy substance when touched, likely accounting for its status as an elixir of love. And there is perhaps no more symbolic aphrodisiac than the balut—a duck egg hosting a partially gestated fetus—hawked in the Philippines as commonly as movie theater popcorn.”

Go here to read the rest.

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World’s strangest aphrodisiacs

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Snow way I’d live back East!

I got an email from my buddy, and brother-in-law, Tom today. It was snowing and the winds were howling at 55 mph. He lives near Baltimore and sent me some photos.

All I know is I live on the “Right Coast” even though some call it the “Left Coast.”

National Park Service workers clear snow in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Photo by Alex Brandon / AP

View related photos

Washington, D.C., breaks record for total snowfall with 54.9 inches

Bored to death? It really could happen

Research suggests a link between chronic listlessness and heart problems

Excerpt:

“In a commentary to be published in the International Journal of Epidemiology in April, experts say there's a possibility that the more bored you are, the more likely you are to die early.

Annie Britton and Martin Shipley of University College London caution that boredom alone isn't likely to kill you — but it could be a symptom of other risky behavior like drinking, smoking, taking drugs or having a psychological problem.”

Go here to read the rest.

Related article:

Time flies when you’re having fun, but time flew when you were bored.

Photo source

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Beer may be good for your bones

Here’s some good news for beer drinkers:

Analysis shows a cold brew has high levels of dietary silicon

Excerpt:

If you downed one too many while watching the Super Bowl, here's at least one reason to hold your head high: Drinking beer can be good for your health.

But seriously, a new analysis of 100 commercial beers shows the hoppy beverage is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for bone health.”

Go here for the rest of the story.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Palin Tells Fox News ‘it would be absurd’ not to consider what she can do for U.S.

I agree. It’s absurd not to consider what would happen to our country if Sarah Palin were elected President.

It’s also scary. Watching Palin consult her palm (crib notes anyone?) as she speaks with a GOP lackey chiding President Obama for using a teleprompter while speaking in public, is like a stepping into an alternate universe where sanity has no place.

This paragon of politics who claims she can see Russia from her backyard, and who couldn’t even finish her only term in office as governor of Alaska, is only interested in making money while she’s still a hot topic. Does anyone think that working as a commenter for Fox News will be something she can proudly put on her resume for president?

She even collected money from the Tea Bagger’s to speak at their gathering recently. I thought she was their champion. If that’s so, why do they have to pay her to talk with them? Make no mistake, her book “Going Rogue” was only the forerunner for future fortunes.Being a Conservative diva is probably the smartest thing she can do to fill her coffers with the coins of her slavish admirers.

Does that inspire you to vote for her in 2012? Here’s a pro and con link for your reading pleasure. 

Palin: Won't close door on White House run

‘Morning Joe’ on Palin: Still no substance

1 in 5 prefers pet to partner for Valentine’s Day

True love: According to a survey of 24,000 people in 23 countries, 21 percent of adults would rather smooch their pet than their spouse on Valentine’s Day.

Least likely to choose non-human companionship: the French, of course.

Getty Images stock

Read story here.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Males more likely than females to have noise-related hearing loss

By Dave Stancliff/For the Times-Standard

Posted: 02/07/2010 01:27:41 AM PST

“I wear hearing aids, but I consider myself lucky. There are a lot of people in America today who are deaf due to numerous environmental assaults on their hearing. Many of them don't have insurance to get what they need.

Recent research presented by the American Academy of Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery) in San Diego concluded that males are three times more likely to have noise-related hearing loss than women.

According to Dr. Hamid Djalilian of the University of California Irvine Medical Center, occupational and recreational noise exposure, as well as service in the armed forces, probably explain why men are at greater risk.”

Go here to read the rest of this column.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

I recall looking up at an oily rain …

Photo caption: Vietnam Defoliation Mission. A UH-1D helicopter from the 336th Aviation Company sprays a defoliation agent on a dense jungle area in the Mekong delta., 07/26/1969/National Archives photo

I was in Vietnam in 1970 and saw Agent Orange sprayed everywhere. Hell, I recall looking up at an oily rain as it came down upon me and the guys of my squad as we trudged through dense jungle areas like the one shown above. We didn’t think much of it other than it was sticky and added to our overall discomfort.

Now, I’m researching a column on Agent Orange – and the effects it has had on the children of the exposed veterans. The need for more research is now. Past studies and research (on these children) have somehow slide to the rear of the VAs priorities. The VA has been grudgingly awarding disability ratings to the veterans who were exposed, but the next generation is being forgotten.

photo source

At Long Last, A Small Justice

When grisly images of their daughter's death went viral on the Web, the Catsouras family fought back. Two years later, a court rules in their favor.

These are the photos the Catsouras family wishes you would see.

Excerpt:

“They say losing a child is the worst thing a parent can endure. But for Christos and Lesli Catsouras, whose 18-year-old daughter, Nikki, was killed in a devastating car crash in 2006, there was something much, much worse.

Two weeks after their daughter's death, on Halloween day, Christos got a phone call from a friend. "Have you seen the photos?" he asked, hesitantly. Nine color close-ups of Nikki's mangled remains, still strapped into her father's crushed car, had been circulating around town by e-mail. Within days, the images went viral, popping up on hundreds of sites. Now a California court has handed the family an important legal victory.” Go here to read the entire story

Photo source

Friday, February 5, 2010

Sarah Palin to speak at the Redding Convention Center Feb.8 – Protestors Prepare Greetings

 Looks like some folks in Redding are planning to greet Sarah Palin, but they’ll be outside the building she’s being paid to speak at.

I guess they don’t want to pay to hear her speak. I wonder how much she’s being paid for this gig? Her last one netted $150,000.

 Looks like those Rednecks in Redding have got some some cash to spend.  

SARAH PALIN will be speaking at the Redding Convention Center on Monday, Feb. 8 at 3 PM and again at 7 PM, approximately for an hour each time.

The protestors plan on creating aHIGHLY VISIBLE, peaceful presence” outside the center.

Read  The original press release here. from Redding progressives who are organizing these demonstrations.

The organizers are asking people to PLEASE POST & DISTRIBUTE FLYER EVERYWHERE YOU GO up till Monday morning. According to the protestors, This is for everyone who could never quite picture Sarah Palin in the White House!” 

photo source

Here’s what was happening in 1950 – the year I was born

    If you would like to check out what happened in the year you were born go to infoplease.com

     

    I love some of the movie posters from 1950. The one above is a perfect example of the trashy B-Movies that were churned out back then. 

    World Events

  • Korean War begins when North Korean Communist forces invadeSouth Korea.
  • Sino-Soviet friendship treaty signed.
  • Communist Chinese forces invade Tibet.

British atomic physicist Klaus Fuchs is convicted of spying for the Soviet Union. Background: The Cold War

World Statistics

Population: 2.556 billion
population by decade
Nobel Peace Prize:
Ralph J. Bunche (US)
More World Statistics...

U.S. Events

U.S. Statistics

President: Harry S Truman
Vice President: Alben W. Barkley
Population: 152,271,417
Life expectancy: 68.2 years
Homicide Rate (per 100,000): 5.3
More U.S. Statistics...

Economics

US GDP (1998 dollars):  $294.6 billion
Federal spending:  $42.56 billion
Federal debt:  $256.9 billion
Consumer Price Index:  24.1
Unemployment:  5.9%
Cost of a first-class stamp:  $0.03

More Economics...

Sports

World Series
NY Yankees d. Philadelphia Phillies (4-0)
NBA Championship
Minneapolis Lakers d. Syracuse (4-2) No wonder I’m a Laker fan. It was destiny!
Stanley Cup
Detroit d. NY Rangers (4-3)
Wimbledon
Women: Louise Brough d. M. duPont (6-1 3-6 6-1)
Men: Budge Patty d. F. Sedgman (6-1 8-10 6-2 6-3)
Kentucky Derby Champion
Middleground
NCAA Basketball Championship CCNY d. Bradley (71-68)
NCAA Football Champions
Oklahoma (10-1-0)
World Cup

Uruguay d. Brazil (2-1)

Entertainment

Events
  • Saturday morning children's programming begins.
  • Phonevision, the first pay-per-view service, becomes available.
  • Broadway classic Guys and Dollsdebuts at the 46th Street Theatre and becomes an instant hit. The show ran for three years and became one of the Great White Way's longest-running shows, with 1,200 performances.
  • Charles Schulz introduces thePeanuts comic strip.
  • Movies
    • Sunset Boulevard, All About Eve, Born Yesterday, The Third Man
    • Books
      • Col. David C. Schilling (USAF) makes the first nonstop transatlantic jet flight in 10 hours and 1 minute (Sept. 22). Background: Famous Firsts in Aviation
      • The first Xerox machine is produced.
      • The first self-service elevator is installed by Otis Elevator in Dallas.
      • Richard Lawler (US) performs the first successful kidney transplant at Loyola University. Background:Health & Nutrition
      • Nobel Prizes in Science

        Chemistry: Otto Diels and Kurt Alder (both Germany), for discovery of diene synthesis enabling scientists to study structure of organic matter

        Physics: Cecil Frank Powell (UK), for method of photographic study of atom nucleus, and for discoveries about mesons

        Physiology or Medicine: Philip S. Hench, Edward C. Kendall (both US), and Tadeus Reichstein (Switzerland), for discoveries about hormones of adrenal cortex

        Deaths

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...