This Is For The Ladies...!

The ongoing war between the sexes has been going on probably since the Garden of Eden!

Little did we know that even the founding fathers were catching hell from their better half at the start of our country! I found that even John Adams had to stand a little harassment from his wife, who wrote him to keep in mind that the women were the real power in the future government! In fact, you could say that she pulled no punches about it at all!

Abigail Adams asks her husband to "remember the ladies"

On this day in 1776, future first lady Abigail Adams writes to her husband urging him to "remember the ladies" when drafting a new "code of laws" for the fledgling nation.

While John Adams participated in the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Abigail remained at their home in Braintree, Massachusetts, managing their daily affairs in his absence. At the same time that Adams was preparing to publish his "Thoughts on Government" essay, which outlined proposed political philosophy and structures for the new nation, Abigail pondered if and how the rights of women would be addressed in an American constitution.

A prolific letter writer, Abigail never hesitated to debate her husband on political matters. She begged Adams to draft laws that were "more generous and favorable" to women than his predecessors had. She half-jokingly claimed that "all men would be tyrants if they could" and pointed out the glaring hypocrisy of male Patriots fighting against British tyranny if they should disregard the rights of half the population when drafting a constitution. Abigail warned "if particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or Representation."

Adams responded to his wife's letter, by teasing her in return and declaring that men were not really the "masters" of women but were "subject to the despotism of the petticoat." However, like their predecessors, Adams and his contemporaries failed to make codifying women's rights a priority. It was not until 1919 that Congress amended the Constitution to grant women the right to vote.

It has always amazed me that we, as men, managed to get that far in the history of our country before giving women the right to vote! After all, any man that has ever been married can tell you that "women rule the world"!

To tell the truth, I really don't have a problem with that! But then, I'm single!

How about some fresh coffee on the patio? Don't worry...I made it 'cause I don't have a woman around to help me! Any volunteers?

What Are The Odds...?

Only a child's faith would allow him to believe this bottle would ever be found!

It only seems fitting then that the bottle be found by another child! I guess that ol' Neptune has a soft spot for the wishes of the children. Or it could be that a beautiful mermaid decided to help out and guarded the bottle during it's 24 year journey?

No matter how it happened, this reads like something in a child's book of high sea adventures!

Message in a bottle answered 24 years later

Associated Press
March 29, 2011, 3:08PM

MOSCOW — Nearly a quarter-century after a German boy tossed a message in a bottle off a ship in the Baltic Sea, he's received an answer.

A 13-year-old Russian, Daniil Korotkikh, was walking with his parents on a beach when he saw something glittering lying in the sand.

"I saw that bottle and it looked interesting," Korotkikh told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "It looked like a German beer bottle with a ceramic plug, and there was a message inside."

His father, who knows schoolboy German, translated the letter, carefully wrapped in cellophane and sealed by a medical bandage.

It said: "My name is Frank, and I'm five years old. My dad and I are traveling on a ship to Denmark. If you find this letter, please write back to me, and I will write back to you."

The letter, dated 1987, included an address in the town of Coesfeld.

The boy in the letter, Frank Uesbeck, is now 29. His parents still live at the letter's address.

"At first I didn't believe it," Uesbeck told the AP about getting the response from Korotkikh. In fact, he barely remembered the trip at all; his father actually wrote the letter.

The Russian boy and the German man met each other earlier this month via an Internet video link.

I wish more things in our everyday lives worked out like this story, but sadly they don't. Most of the time, the bottle would get broken, or would leak water and sink, or would meet the fate of so many ships in the past...and just disappear for good!

Nice to know that sometimes the impossible happens, and the outcome is good!

How about coffee on the patio this morning! Just cool enough to be comfortable!

Acting Is Dangerous Work...!

I guess that you could get hurt in any job, but sometimes it's in a way you just don't plan for.

No telling how many times these guys had to practice this, but quite obviously one more time would have been a good idea! I'm just saying...!

Actor wounded by sword during 'Hamlet'

Associated Press
March 22, 2011, 8:43AM

DUBLIN — Good night, stunned prince.

An audience watching an Irish production of “Hamlet” has been shocked to see the prince exit the stage too soon — when a sword fight really wounded the star.

Conor Madden, playing the title character of Shakespeare’s tragedy, suffered a gash beneath his eye and collapsed at Monday’s production in the southwest city of Cork. He was hospitalized but released.

Many playgoers thought the wound was part of the act. Artistic director Alan Stanford took the stage to say the blood and moans were real, and Hamlet couldn’t continue without the prince.

Madden is missing Tuesday’s two performances at Cork’s Everyman Theatre but may return Wednesday, when Hamlet is expected to resume shuffling off this mortal coil in line with the script.

This is probably the reason that my folks didn't want me to be an actor! All this time, I thought it was because they didn't want me to starve to death! I just never knew that the real reason was that they hated the idea of me being injured in a sword fight in front of a couple hundred people!

Boy, my parents were cooler than I thought! Imagine...worrying about me like that!

Now, my friends, let's get some fresh coffee and sit outside for a bit. Nice and cool this morning!

You Go, Willie...!

I guess this just shows that some judges have good taste in music, but a little bit strange outlook on justice.

Of course, it IS Willie we are talking about! I guess it's a good thing that the judge doesn't like rap music!

Willie may have to sing in court for pot charge

© 2011 The Associated Press
March 25, 2011, 5:24PM

EL PASO, Texas — A West Texas prosecutor says that singer Willie Nelson can resolve marijuana possession charges if he agrees to plead guilty, pay a fine and sing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" for the court.

County Attorney Kit Bramblett told The Associated Press Friday that he recommended those penalties to Hudspeth County's judge Becky Dean-Walker. Bramblett says the judge specifically demanded that Nelson appear in court instead of pleading by mail, a common procedure in these cases.

Bramblett says, "She wants to meet Willie."

Dean-Walker did not immediately return a call Friday.

Nelson was arrested for possession of marijuana on Nov. 26 at a Border Patrol checkpoint after an agent smelled an odor coming from the vehicle and decided to search it.

Nelson's spokeswoman declined to comment.




Wonder if this would work for the rest of us if we had to go to court? Probably not! Most of us are just not rich enough or famous enough to be that special!

Let's get some fresh coffee and sit in the kitchen for a bit. Looks like rain, I think!

How About A "Little Horse" Play...?

Sometimes it's not your size that counts, but the size of your heart!

No one told this little guy that he was strange, so he just goes about his business, having fun and playing with his slightly larger friends!

Sometimes you just have to smile a bit at Mother Nature's way of putting so much "cute" in a small package!

My REALLY little pony: Einstein, the world's smallest stallion, gets set for first birthday

By Daily Mail Reporter




He may not be able to compete in the Kentucky Derby, but he is surely as popular as the winner.

And with appearances on Oprah and across the U.S. it has certainly been an eventful first year for Einstein, the world's smallest stallion, as he approaches his birthday.

Standing just 20 inches tall, the horse attracted huge media interest when he was born in April last year.



Thousands queued at a farm in Barnstead, New Hampshire for a glimpse of him.

But while human interest was high, he didn't have many friends of his own breed.

Now his quest to find buddies and his life at home with owners Charlie Cantrell and Rachel Wagner in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, will be published in a new a book to celebrate his birthday.

'This has been a remarkable year for us and for Einstein,' said Mr Cantrell, 44, who bought Einstein for their small farm along with his wife Rachel.

'We are both horse enthusiasts and we decided to get ourselves a miniature horse from the renowned breeder Judy Smith at a Miniature Horse Farm in New Hampshire.

Standing only 20 inches high hasn't stopped Einstein becoming quite a celebrity with appearances on Oprah and across the U.S.

'Einstein is the smallest horse on record ever to survive and when the news got out to the media the level of interest was incredible.

'The average weight of a newborn miniature horse is 18lb. The average height at birth is 21 inches.

Einstein is all the remarkable because he shows no dwarf characteristics and is simply a very small miniature horse.

His mother Finesse stands a relatively tall 32 inches and his dad Painted Feather measures 30 inches.



Best of friends: Einstein stands alongside Hannah, a St. Bernard he has become buddies with. He also plays with his owner's dog Lilly

'Guinness approached us straight after the original press that surrounded Einstein,' said Mr Cantrell.

'He can't be officially recognised as the smallest stallion until he is four, but we are both relatively sure that he has stopped growing.'

With the press surrounding him, it wasn't long before Einstein did make friends - of all shapes and sizes.

He now spends his time mingling with his giant friend Playboy - a full sized stallion - and messing around with Charlie and Rachel's dog Lilly.

'Playboy is owned by a young lady who lives next to our farm and Einstein sometimes meets him to have a head sniff and a simple hello,' explained Charlie

'You see the adorable thing about Einstein is that he doesn't seem to be too aware of his height at all.

'He approaches Lilly and Playboy just like he was a fully grown stallion. He rears up and huffs and gallops around.

'However, due to his extraordinary size he can't mingle around with other horses because it would be dangerous and he might get trampled underfoot.

'So him and Lilly kiss and say hello, he knows a particularly friendly St Bernard at the farm he was born at and we have a couple of Nigerian Dwarf Goats that he spends time with here in New Hampshire.'

Living peacefully in his own pen on his owners land, Einstein's first birthday is something that GP Rachel and Charlie can't wait to share.

'He loves children and they of course love him,' said Charlie.

'They get wide eyed because they have never seen a horse this size before and they want to smother him.

'However, he is so small, so hopefully the book will satisfy everyone's desire to see Einstein and his cute and unusual life.'

Green grass, good friends, and sunshine...ain't life grand?

Let's get some fresh coffee and sit on the patio this morning. We can watch for signs of rain, but it doesn't look very promising.

Some Thoughts On WAR...!

The folks supposedly in charge are really pushing the fact that (to them) this present conflict we are involved in is NOT a war.

Funny...but it looks like a war, sounds like a war, cost like a war, reeks of death like a war! If it isn't a war, I wonder just what it is?



Just one more thought about war...



Have a great Saturday! Now, let's get some fresh coffee and sit outside, OK?

Only In Texas....!

Just one more interesting fact of history concerning Texas.

I know you may get tired of hearing about Texas, but being a native son I feel a certain compulsion to tell these stories when I find them! Besides, you have to admit this is pretty interesting! We can thank the folks over at LiveScience for this article.

Humans camped by the shores of a small creek in Texas possibly even before the Clovis society, classically regarded as the first human inhabitants of the Americas, settled in the West.

The site, located in central Texas on the bank of Buttermilk Creek, has produced almost 16,000 artifacts, including stone chips and blade-like objects, in soil dating up to 15,500 years old, more than 2,000 years before the first evidence of Clovis culture. Many of the items are flakes from cutting or sharpening of tools, but the research team also found about 50 tools, including several cutting surfaces — including spear points and knives.

"The tools that we found there indicate that they were camping along the Buttermilk Creek," study researcher Mike Waters, at Texas A&M University, told LiveScience. "This probably would have been a place where they were living and conducting daily activities."

All of the objects were small and light and seem to indicate that the group led a mobile lifestyle, moving from place to place but always returning. From the wear and tear on the artifacts, some seem to have been used for cutting soft materials, like hides, while others may have been used on harder materials, like stone.

The prehistoric humans seem to have used the site for multiple centuries, as the soil where the artifacts were found was dated to between 12,800 and 15,500 years ago. "They would leave the site and come back, and each time leave behind evidence of their activities," Waters said. "They slowly but surely built up these deposits. Dating them shows they range from 15,500 years ago, then just keep going until the Clovis material."

The researchers couldn't date the material with the gold-standard method using carbon-14, since none of the artifacts had organic components, such as plant matter. The team used a different kind of dating on the soil around the artifacts, and some researchers called it into question. Extended excavation of the site could reveal carbon-dateable objects, which would confirm the age of the site.

If the dating is correct, this group would predate the Clovis society, long thought to have colonized the Americas 13,000 years ago, and could have given rise to the Clovis society. These prehistoric human societies are generally defined by the stone tools they used, the size and shape of which changed over time. Clovis used bigger blades and tools than those found at this layer of the Buttermilk site.

The site isn't the first to predate Clovis, though Waters believes his evidence is the clearest yet.

Not everyone agrees with Waters' interpretations of the findings, though. While other researchers don't question that there were probably human populations in America before Clovis, they note the evidence isn't as strong at this site as at some others.

Tom Dillehay, a researcher at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee who wasn't involved in the study, told LiveScience that the ecological conditions at the site, including rain-swept mud and remnants of creek flooding, may have mixed the sediment layers, meaning the Clovis sediments could have been buried on top of the artifacts described by Waters, and therefore been considered more recent. The top layers are very thin.

Gary Haynes, of the University of Nevada, Reno, praised the authors for a "potentially major find" but had many of the same concerns about the research.

"They need to excavate a bigger area of the site before they can draw these kinds of conclusions," Dillehay told LiveScience. "I don't see that the data is there to present the conclusions that they are presenting."

I always kinda wanted to go on a dig, ya know? Just think of the excitement when digging up or finding something not seen for a thousand years or so! What a rush that would be!

Let's have some fresh coffee on the patio and talk about our old ancestors...OK?

Shelterbox...Useful And Practical !

All of us want to help in times on a national emergency in another country, but sometimes just giving money isn't the only way to help.

This company, ShelterBox, has a very nice package that can be customized for the disaster and then delivered to the affected area at a very reasonable price.

I think that this kind of aid would be much more beneficial to folks in need, as often stores are not open or even left standing, making it impossible to spend money anyhow!

Each box is packed at ShelterBox HQ in Cornwall, England. Depending on the location and nature of the disaster the contents of the box may vary but each box typically contains...

Shelter

At the heart of every ShelterBox is a disaster relief tent for a family of up to 10 people. It is custom made for ShelterBox by Vango, one of the world’s leading tent manufacturers, and is designed to withstand extreme temperatures, high winds and heavy rainfall. Internally, each tent has privacy partitions that allow recipients to divide the space as they see fit.

A smile

A children’s pack containing drawing books, crayons and pens. For children who have lost most, if not all,their possessions, these small gifts are treasured.

Warmth and protection

In addition to the tent, there is a range of other survival equipment including thermal blankets and insulated ground sheets, essential in areas where temperatures plummet at nightfall. Where malaria is prevalent mosquito nets are supplied, as well a life saving means of water purification. Water supplies often become contaminated after a major disaster, as infrastructure and sanitation systems are destroyed, this presents a secondary but no less dangerous threat to survivors than the initial disaster itself.

Self sufficiency

A basic tool kit containing a hammer, axe, saw, trenching shovel, hoe head, pliers and wire cutters enables people to improve their immediate environment, by chopping firewood or digging a latrine, for example. Then, when it is possible, to start repairing or rebuilding the home they were forced to leave.

Fit for purpose

Every item is durable, practical and brand new. The box itself is lightweight and waterproof and has been used for a variety of purposes in the past - from water and food storage containers to a cot for a newly born baby.

A heart to the home

Key items are either a wood burning or multi-fuel stove. The multi-fuel stove can burn anything from diesel to old paint. Some boxes also contain our specially designed wood burning Frontier Stove, pictured below. This provides the heart of the new home where water is boiled, food is cooked and families congregate. In addition, there are pans, utensils, bowls, mugs and water storage containers.

Adaptability

We keep a broad range of equipment in stock so we can adapt the contents of a box to a specific disaster. For example, following the Javanese earthquake in 2006, when some resources were available locally or could be salvaged from buildings, the overwhelming need was for shelter – so we just sent tents, packing two in each box.



Now this is kind of like a bug out package for the whole family that all of the Preppers I know have for their own use! I just thought it was interesting that there was a company who specialized in this type of product. Not a bad idea, in my way of thinking!

I'm sure that many people in places like Japan would be very happy to have something like this right now! Not to mention all the folks in our own areas here in the states who are homeless due to floods and tornados.

I think that a smaller package similar to this could be put together as a gift to members of our own families, who haven't quite caught on that they might be needed some day! If a small amount of food items were included, you could just hand them a package at your door, point them to the yard or the road, and say "good luck"! Better than having them just hang around with their hands out, trying to lay a guilt trip on ya!

Now, want some coffee on the patio this morning? C'mon...I'll share with you!

Some Things To Think About...!

No matter how many times we hear some of these, we can always stand to hear them again!

The truth never loses it's edge, I think.

God... a being whose only definition is that he is beyond man's power to conceive.
Ayn Rand

Government "help" to business is just as disastrous as government persecution... the only way a government can be of service to national prosperity is by keeping its hands off.
Ayn Rand

I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.
Ayn Rand

It only stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there's someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there's service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.
Ayn Rand

People create their own questions because they are afraid to look straight. All you have to do is look straight and see the road, and when you see it, don't sit looking at it - walk.
Ayn Rand

Potentially, a government is the most dangerous threat to man's rights: it holds a legal monopoly on the use of physical force against legally disarmed victims.
Ayn Rand

The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity.
Ayn Rand

The man who lets a leader prescribe his course is a wreck being towed to the scrap heap.
Ayn Rand

The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.
Ayn Rand

We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.
Ayn Rand

When man learns to understand and control his own behavior as well as he is learning to understand and control the behavior of crop plants and domestic animals, he may be justified in believing that he has become civilized.Ayn Rand

The truth will never be silenced for long. It may be hidden, twisted, or perverted by some, but that's only because they fear it!

Now how about some coffee on the patio? I could use some, couldn't you?

Whiskey Or Whisky...Who Cares ?

I thought that this morning I would give a little lesson about a subject that many folks may be familiar with...WHISKEY!

I know that some of you may be saying "that's the wrong spelling" but listen to this...it actually can be spelled correctly in two different ways! See? Already confusing and we haven't even had a taste yet! Isn't that special?

Wait, is it "whiskey" or "whisky"?

It's both. "Whiskey" is the Irish spelling (used in Ireland and the US), while "whisky" is the Scotch spelling (used in Scotland, Canada and Japan). Whichever spelling, the origin of the word goes back to both Ireland and Scotland. Uisge beatha or usquebaugh is Gaelic for "water of life." It was translated from the Latin aqua vitae, used to describe spirits.

How are the different kinds of whiskeys made?

Generally, whiskey is made by (1) crushing grains (barley, corn, rye, wheat, etc.) to create the grist, (2) adding water to create the mash (3) boiling this mixture and then allowing it to cool, (4) adding yeast, which carries out fermentation by eating the sugars to create alcohol, (5) draining the resulting liquid, which is now beer, and then distilling using a still, and (6) aging the resulting liquor in wooden barrels.

Here's how the different varieties are made:

Scotch is made from water and malted barley (ie. barley that's been steeped in water to trigger germination), distilled to less than 94.8% alcohol, aged for at least three years in oak barrels that can hold no more than 700 liters, and bottled at no less than 40% alcohol. No additives are allowed except for water and caramel colouring. By law, it can only be called scotch if it follows this process and is made in Scotland.

"Single malt" scotch is made from malted barley in a single distillery while "single grain" is made from malted barley and other grains in a single distillery. "Blended" scotch is a mix of whiskys/eys from multiple distilleries.

Irish whiskey is distilled to less than 94.8% alcohol and aged for at least three years in wooden barrels. By law, whiskey can only be called Irish whiskey if it follows this process and is made in Ireland.

Bourbon is made from a mash of at least 51% corn, distilled to 80% alcohol, combined with water to get the alcohol content down to 62.5%, entered into an unused charred oak barrel, aged in that barrel, and then bottled at no less than 40% alcohol. By law, whiskey can only be called bourbon if it is made by this process and in the United States.

Tennessee whiskey is bourbon made in the state of Tennessee and filtered through sugar-maple charcoal. Other American whiskey includes versions made from rye, corn, barley and other grains. Blended American whiskey is a mix of 20% American whiskey and 80% neutral spirit.

Well, I do hope this little lesson helps you some. Maybe so, but probably not! I do know this...regardless of what you call it or what kind you may like, sometimes just a touch in your coffee in the morning helps to serve as an eye opener!

Speaking of coffee, why don't we grab a fresh cup and sit out on the patio this morning!

Bad Guys Get A Trim...!

The one thing we are starting to see in the news more and more is the fact that the elderly folks have just about had enough!

Nearly every day there is a news story about some older folks standing up for themselves against greater odds! Maybe it's about time some of us start following the examples set forth by the "army of gray"!

It's a shame when the elderly have to show the rest of us how to grow some backbone!

Knife-wielding robber scared off by woman with hedge shears

By ZEN T.C. ZHENG
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
March 18, 2011, 10:42AM

A knife-wielding man who demanded car keys from two sisters working in their yard Wednesday morning ran off when one of them confronted him with a pair of hedge shears.

The incident took place around 9 a.m. in the 7900 block of Tomayo Drive in the Mission Bend subdivision.

The sisters, ages 63 and 65, told authorities they were trimming hedges when a man came up to them with a knife and demanded the key to their car parked in the driveway, Fort Bend County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Craig Brady said.

The older sister ran to a neighbor's home to call police while the other turned around to confront the man with the shears she was holding.

"He got scared and just ran off," Brady said.

zen.zheng@chron.com

The time has come when the younger folks, especially in the cities, are going to have to grow some spine and follow the lead set by the "old folks"! That is...if they can keep up with them!

Fresh coffee on the patio! Gotta love this Spring type weather!

Now This Is Unusual...!

Not often do you run across a story like this!

Talk about having an angel watching out for you...! This could have been so much worse for this lady! I, for one, am glad to see a news story with a happy ending!

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – You can file this under something you don’t hear about everyday. Members of Dallas Fire Rescue responded to a call of a “choking” at an apartment in the 8500 block of Fair Oaks Crossing.

Firefighters arrived to find the front door of the apartment open. They entered cautiously and soon heard someone calling out to them.

When rescuers went to the bathroom, they found something unexpected. “A 69-year-old female, sitting on the toilet, with a toilet paper holder impaled in her neck,” explained Dallas Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Jason Evans.

The woman had no trouble breathing and was able to speak. She told firefighters that she simply slipped and fell.

“She has a history of bad knees and it’s very difficult for her to walk,” said Evans. “And she apparently fell and the toilet paper holder just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Rescuers were worried about the weight of the toilet paper holder, which still had toilet paper on it, and decided to remove it at the scene. Firefighters used bolt cutters to cut off the heavy end and the remaining piece fell out on its own.

The woman, who was in good spirits, was taken to Baylor Hospital and is expected to only need a few stitches.

Since my Mom has a tendency to fall from time to time, I guess I had visions of how something could possibly happen to her! Like I said, it could have been so much worse!

Let's get some fresh coffee and sit out on the patio today! Should be up in the 80s!

How About Some Moon Lore...?

For generations, farmers and other country folks have been using the phases of the moon to schedule chores.

There are so many things associated with moon phases that I couldn't possibly post them all, but thanks to some help from the Old Farmer's Almanac I have put together a partial list for your entertainment! See if any of them could be of use, OK?

The age-old practice of performing farm chores by the Moon stems from the simple belief that the Moon governs moisture.

Pliny the Elder, the first-century Roman naturalist, stated in his Natural History that the Moon "replenishes the earth; when she approaches it, she fills all bodies, while, when she recedes, she empties them."

The Moon's Phases

The Moon's phases guided many a farmer and gardener in the past, and still do today:

* Moonrise occurring in the evening brings fair weather, says one proverb, harking back to the belief that the waning Moon (full and last quarter, which rise in the evening) is dry.

* The New Moon and first quarter, or waxing phases, are considered fertile and wet.

* The new and first-quarter phases, known as the light of the Moon, are considered good for planting above-ground crops, putting down sod, grafting trees, and transplanting.

* From full Moon through the last quarter, or the dark of the Moon, is the best time for killing weeds, thinning, pruning, mowing, cutting timber, and planting below-ground crops.

* The time just before the full Moon is considered particularly wet, and is best for planting during drought conditions.

Moon Folklore

Folklore is rich among farmers, given their close ties to Earth and her natural rhythms.

* Rail fences cut during the dry, waning Moon will stay straighter.

* Wooden shingles and shakes will lie flatter if cut during the dark of the Moon.

* Fence posts should be set in the dark of the Moon to resist rotting. Ozark lore says that fence posts should always be set as the tree grew. To set the root end upward makes a short-lived fence.

* Don't begin weaning when the Moon is waning.

* Castrate and dehorn animals when the Moon is waning for less bleeding.

* Slaughter when the Moon is waxing for juicier meat.

* Crabbing, shrimping, and clamming are best when the Moon is full.

* Best days for fishing are between the new and full Moon.

* Dig your horseradish in the full Moon for the best flavor.

* Set eggs to hatch on the Moon's increase, but not if a south wind blows.

Like I said, I have no idea if any of these will work for ya or not, but I figure it certainly can't hurt, ya know? If you're like me...you can use all the help you can get! I know I can!

Coffee inside in the kitchen this morning. It may rain today, who knows?

How About Some Tequila This Morning...?

How many times in life does a lucky accident happen that can change everything for those involved?

Probably a lot more than we know! This song is just one such case. What started out as a "B side" filler is still around...after 50 years! Pretty amazing! In fact, it was on this date, March 17th, 1958 that this catchy tune became #1 on the Billboard charts!



Written on the spot and recorded as an afterthought near the end of a session at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, the song—"Tequila" —hit #1 on the Billboard pop chart on March 17, 1958. It was the Champs' one, and only, pop hit.

Half a century later, this accidental, one-word classic still sounds as fresh and irresistible as it did to the long-forgotten Cleveland disk jockey who rescued it from the cutout bin of history.

The reason "Tequila" needed rescuing is that it was never really intended to be a hit. It was recorded rather hastily one afternoon in December 1957 to fill the B-side of a single called "Train to Nowhere," by Dave Burgess. Burgess was a minor rockabilly guitarist in the Los Angeles area whose day job was as an A&R man with Gene Autry's fledgling record label, Challenge.

After a session of laying down instrumental tracks for the country singer Jerry Wallace's next album on Challenge, a frugal Dave Burgess decided to use the leftover studio time to record his own B-side. It was not uncommon at the time for B-sides to be devised in the studio from some or other riff contributed by a session musician, and this one would be no exception.

Saxophonist Danny Flores contributed the now-familiar melody and vaguely Latin, syncopated rhythm. He also contributed the low, growling vocal line, "Tequila," without which the song might truly have remained the throwaway it was intended to be.

It was only after the "Tequila" session that the musicians present that day came up with a name for themselves, inspired by the name of Gene Autry's horse, Champion. It was also after that session that Danny Flores came up with the pseudonym "Chuck Rio," under which he was given the songwriting credit on "Tequila."

None of this would have mattered, however, had a Cleveland DJ not decided to "flip" the flop called "Train to Nowhere" one day in the winter of 1958 and treat his listeners to the first broadcast of "Tequila," which in short order went on to become one of the biggest B-side hits in rock-and-roll history and a #1 hit for the Champs on this day in 1958.

Just goes to show ya that some accidents happen for a reason!

I know I'm getting old 'cause I remember when this song was playing on my transistor radio all the time! Boy, where in the world have all the years gone to?

What say we get some fresh coffee and sit out on the patio this morning? I'll tune the radio to the oldies station...and we can reminisce a little!

I'm Gonna Be Late Today...!

Sorry folks, but I have a couple of issues that I need to address this morning.

If I can, I'll get back later with a real post! Meanwhile, you know where the coffee pot is, right?

Washington And The Newburg Conspiracy...!

This happened on this day in history,and shows just what a hands on type of president George Washington was.

It probably took a lot of courage to take this step. Certainly couldn't have been easy, but George was never one to take the easy way out.

It's a shame that some of our leaders don't man up and put the country first, and think of the party lines later! Unfortunately, we all know that will never happen! Still, it would be nice if more politicians would follow the example set by Washington way back in 1783. Taken from the pages of the History Channel, here is the story!

On the morning of March 15, 1783, General George Washington makes a surprise appearance at an assembly of army officers at Newburgh, New York, to calm the growing frustration and distrust they had been openly expressing towards Congress in the previous few weeks. Angry with Congress for failing to honor its promise to pay them and for its failure to settle accounts for repayment of food and clothing, officers began circulating an anonymous letter condemning Congress and calling for a revolt.

When word of the letter and its call for an unsanctioned meeting of officers reached him, Washington issued a general order forbidding any unsanctioned meetings and called for a general assembly of officers for March 15. At the meeting, Washington began his speech to the officers by saying, "Gentlemen: By an anonymous summons, an attempt has been made to convene you together; how inconsistent with the rules of propriety! How unmilitary! And how subversive of all order and discipline..."

Washington continued by pledging, "to exert whatever ability I am possessed of, in your favor." He added, "Let me entreat you, gentlemen, on your part, not to take any measures, which viewed in the calm light of reason, will lessen the dignity, and sully the glory you have hitherto maintained; let me request you to rely on the plighted faith of your country, and place a full confidence in the purity of the intentions of Congress."

When he finished, Washington removed a letter from his breast pocket that he had received from a member of the Continental Congress. He hesitated for a moment as he looked down at the letter before fumbling to retrieve a pair of spectacles from his pocket. Before reading the letter, Washington, in an almost apologetic tone said, "Gentlemen, you must pardon me. I have grown old in the service of my country and now find that I am growing blind." The eyes of most of his audience filled with tears. The content of the letter became irrelevant as the assembled officers realized that Washington had given as much or more in the service of the new nation as any of them. Within minutes, the officers voted unanimously to express confidence in Congress and their country.

In a letter to the Continental Congress dated March 18, 1783, Washington wrote to assure the body that the unrest of officers was over, writing, "The result of the proceedings of the grand convention of the officers, which I have the honor of enclosing to your Excellency for the inspection of Congress, will, I flatter myself, be considered as the last glorious proof of patriotism which could have been given by men who aspired to the distinction of a Patriot army; and will not only confirm their claim to the justice, but will increase their title to the gratitude of their country."

Why can't we elect some leaders that want to lead? Why must everything be decided by what's good for the "party" and not by what's good for the Country? Why can't the people in charge behave like men and not like puppets? Why is it so hard for them to understand that they are here to to serve the people of the country and NOT the other way around?

I'm sure that someone somewhere has the answers...but I don't! After all, I'm just one of the masses. Seems like the popular belief in the Capital is that we have to be protected from ourselves, in spite of what we feel! Again, this is just my opinion!

Let's get some coffee and sit in the kitchen for a bit!

Know Who "Max Brand" Was...?

You know, often we find that we have to do things we really don't enjoy in order to make a living. Such was the case with Max Brand.

Even though this guy is long gone, his story is not all that different from many of us today. I guess that's the reason I find this particular person so interesting!

Not only did he make a lot of money, but became very good at what he did. Just imagine what he could have done if he had enjoyed his work!

Mar 14, 1919:

Max Brand publishes his first novel

Max Brand, perhaps the most prolific writer of western stories, publishes his first novel, The Untamed.

Max Brand was one of 21 pen names used by the Seattle-born author Frederick Faust. When he was still a young boy, Faust's family moved to the San Joaquin Valley of California, where he grew up in poverty and enjoyed few educational advantages. Early on, though, Faust developed a passionate love for reading. He was especially fond of traditional poetic writers like Milton and Shakespeare, and he initially tried his hand at writing serious poetry.

Faust's poetry was forgettable at best, and it held little potential for providing him with a living. Reluctantly, Faust began to write short adventure stories. Editors who had previously rejected his serious work eagerly snapped up his popular fiction and encouraged him to write more. Motivated primarily by the considerable money he could make writing for popular magazines, in 1917 Faust began to churn out a prodigious number of short stories, from spy thrillers to medical dramas to Westerns. Embarrassed by his "lowbrow" stories, he never appended his real name to any of his popular works.

Faust claimed to dislike the American West, and he spent most of his adult life in Europe. Nonetheless, he wrote more stories and novels in the Western genre than in any other, many of them dispatched from his luxurious Italian villa. He published his first Western, a fast-paced adventure called The Untamed, in serial form in 1918. The serial was so popular that the Putnam Publishing Company brought out a hardcover edition of the story on this day in 1919.

Unlike many western authors, Faust made no pretense to historical accuracy in his works. His novels concerned a mythic West of his imagination, and he rarely provided any identifiable geographical details or demonstrated any mastery of the minutiae of western life. His strength was his ability to tell a compelling story, and he had a keen sense of style.

In The Untamed, Faust created the hugely popular Dan Barry, a peaceable man who avoided trouble whenever possible. However, when Barry or those he cares about were attacked, he was transformed and was capable of wreaking violent vengeance on wrongdoers. Faust continued Barry's story in two bestselling sequels.

Besides gaining fame and fortune as the author of Max Brand westerns, Faust also created the character of Dr. Kildare for his medical thrillers. Faust died in 1944, having written an estimated 30 million words, including more than 500 western serials or short stories.

The sad thing about all of this is the fact that what he did, although he was very good at it, didn't make him happy! To me, that's sad! That, my friends, isn't living...that's existing!

I'd rather scrape by doing something I love, than make a ton of money doing something that I hate!

Bottom line here is that Mr. Brand was a sellout! Sure, he had fame and fortune, but he sold his soul to get there! That is NOT what I call success!

Let's get some fresh coffee and sit outside before the rain starts! All the new gardens need this rain, I think!

Want Some Shakespeare This Sunday...?

I realize that many of us don't have the time to read the classics like we might want to, so I thought I would help a little!

Now I know that some folks have a hard time reading Shakespeare, so what I'm going to do here is to give you a whole play...broken down by acts to make it easy!

I'll do Hamlet-Prince of Denmark...mainly because so many folks have heard about this guy, but may not know his story! So I'll attempt to explain about this joker, OK?

Here goes!

Act I: Hamlet's uncle, super bad dude kills dad, marries mom, becomes king. Dad's ghost hangs around to tell Hamlet the whole story. Meanwhile, Hamlet wants Ophelia to friend him but brother Laertes says Hamlet, though a swell guy ,means trouble.

Act II: Hamlet mad (angry, peeved) but acts mad (loco, nut case). Ophelia tells dad Polonius that he is acting kinda weird. Polonius tells king who tells queen that Hamlet has distemper. Hamlet ready to whack king.

Act III: Hamlet muses "to be or not to be." Ophelia shows up to return his gifts. Hamlet tells her to go join a convent. Hamlet with queen, Polonius hiding behind arras listening. Hamlet pokes sword, kills Polonius.

Act IV: King ships Hamlet to England along with secret letter asking Brits to bump him off. Hamlet escapes, returns to Denmark. Ophelia mad (loony, cuckoo), sings a lot, drowns. King hatches a plot, recruits Laertes ready to avenge dad's death. King has plan B, chalice with poison.

Act V: Clowns digging Ophelia's grave, old skulls thrown around. Laertes and Hamlet leap into grave fighting but king wants fencing match. During the match, Queen drinks poison meant for Hamlet –adieu.
Laertes, Hamlet wound each other with same poisoned rapier.
Hamlet wounds king, makes him drink poison – adios
Laertes slumps, Hamlet croaks.
The End

We can thank the fine folks over at the Oregonian for this touch of class for this Sunday! After all, gotta give credit where credit is due, right?

Let's grab some fresh coffee and sit outside. Oh, and please don't forget to say a prayer or two for our friends in Japan! God Bless 'em All!

The Judge Gets It Right...!

Once in a great while, even a judge can get it right!

I have to applaud not only the judge, but Mr. Fried, who stood his ground and refused to be bullied!

This is the type of folks that we certainly need more of in this world! This man, knowing the actions he took would be punished, did what he thought was right and in the end...justice prevailed and he was backed up by a judge with some backbone!

Kingman man acquitted of trespass, gets pitchfork back

Mar. 11, 2011 09:45 AM
Associated Press

KINGMAN - A Kingman man gets his pitchfork back after he's acquitted in a trespassing case.

Mohave County Judge Pro-tempore Paul Julien ruled March 5 that Mervin Fried was not guilty of third-degree trespassing.

The Daily Miner reports Fried was arrested for attempting to bring a pitchfork into the county supervisor's building on Feb. 16, 2010.

Fried was asked by County Manager Ron Walker to leave his pitchfork outside. Fried was arrested when he refused and tried to enter the building with the pitchfork.

The judge ruled Walker did have the authority to restrict access to the building.

However, Julien wrote Walker's decision allowing members of the public with holstered handguns access to the building but denying access to the defendant because he had a holstered' pitchfork was arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable.

I would imagine that the county manager was made the laughing stock around the "good ol' boys" circle! The message here couldn't be more clear...Leave The Working Man Alone!

Coffee on the patio again this morning! It's going back up to the 70's again!

Must Be A Little Senile...!

I'm not sure what this guy was thinking, but you can bet that his weekend pass from the "home" will probably be canceled!

I can't help but wonder if this could be a side effect of Viagra, or another performance drug! Maybe the 4 hour time limit had expired and the guy was just feeling a little too frisky! Who knows?

More than likely, given the robber's age, he was only looking for some free room and board for his waning years. Hard to make it on just social security now days!

This story is straight from the pages of the Statesville Record & Landmark!

Elderly Walmart greeter charged with robbing fellow employee
Published: March 06, 2011

STATESVILLE, NC - An 83-year-old Walmart greeter is charged with robbing another employee and firing a shot as he left the store Sunday night.

George Plane Jr., 83, who has addresses in Mooresville and New York, was arrested Sunday night after police said he stuck a gun to the head of a Walmart employee and took money from a cash register.

Statesville Police Chief Tom Anderson said Plane was working at Walmart Sunday night. He left the store, went outside to his car and got a gun, Anderson said. He then walked over to the garden entrance of Walmart, stuck a gun to the head of an employee and walked him to the cash register, Anderson said.

Plane took the money from the register and then walked back outside, where he fired a shot into the air, the chief said.

Two witnesses saw him get into a vehicle and followed him across the parking lot of the Crossroads Shopping Center, Anderson said.

The witnesses flagged down a N.C. Highway Patrol trooper who was responding to the call, and pointed out the vehicle. A trooper and Iredell County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped the vehicle and took the driver, identified as Plane, into custody.

Anderson said the victim positively identified the man, who wore a disguise when he committed the robbery.

Anderson said because of the seriousness of the call, the on-duty supervisor, Capt. Tom Souther, requested any law enforcement officers in the area respond to assist. Three troopers, who were eating at nearby restaurant, as well as several ICSO deputies, answered the call for assistance, he said.

Plane will likely be charged with robbery and discharging a firearm inside the city limits.

I tell ya, every day it's getting crazier and crazier around the world! I'm almost afraid to go anywhere here in the big city!

Must be some major sunspots going on...or something! Beats the heck out of me...!

Coffee on the patio this morning! Should be nice and clear this morning!

A Small Taste Of George Carlin...!

It does have a few words in it that are NOT suited for younger ears, but there is a lot of truth in this video.

That was the beauty of what ol' George said...he had a way of telling the truth most of the time, and all the while making us smile at what he said. Without a doubt, the man was a genuine wordsmith!

You just have to get past the strong language to see and understand what he was saying!



Like him or not, you will have to agree that he was a comic genius! Unsurpassed in what he did...and mostly what he did was make us smile, sometimes at ourselves!

Coffee on the patio this morning. You have a great day, OK?

You Want Something Really Different...?

I quit going to the rodeo many years ago, mainly because of the entertainment that they started having!

In my mind, the rodeo was always about cowboys and cowgirls doing western stuff. But when folks start showing up, like Janet Jackson...forget about it! Can you imagine? Janet Jackson at the Houston Fat Stock Show and Rodeo...somehow, that does NOT compute!

The one thing you can always count on at the fairgrounds, however, is the unusual and totally unexpected food that seems to show up every year! The folks at the Houston Chronicle were kind enough to give us a little preview!

At rodeo, one dilly of a pickle

By KEN HOFFMAN Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle
March 7, 2011, 11:51PM

People love snacks that are sweet. And sour. And crunchy. And salty.

Chocolate-covered pickles! Hello?

The carnival midway at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is famous for introducing wonderfully bizarre "carny food" like fried Twinkies, fried Beer, fried Coke, fried butter and, well, fried anything.

The truth is, while fried this and fried that are good for laughs — whoa, almost forgot fried Snickers — dining along the carnival midway is awfully great for what it is. If you like turkey legs, the rodeo has the biggest, most delicious turkey legs. Corn dogs? The corniest. Hot dogs? Half-pounders that can't be beat.

But chocolate-covered pickles? That took some extra-hard thinking.

Unlike New York Stock Exchange burger chains, which spend years and millions of dollars creating, test-marketing and introducing a new "secret sauce," things move fast on the carnival midway.

Last month, Mike Ousie was preparing his Pennsylvania Dutch Funnel Cake booths for the rodeo. His funnel cakes are famous on the state fair circuit. You really have to eat them hot from his cast-iron frying pans with powdered sugar or chocolate frosting on top.

A few years ago, Ousie began selling chocolate-covered strawberries. And he's always sold big juicy pickles.

"My daughter Kate said, 'Why don't you make chocolate-covered pickles?' It sounded strange to me at first, too. But I thought, you know, she might be on to something," Ousie said.

"I wanted to add something different that would get us some attention. Chocolate-covered pickles would certainly do that. Once I started playing around with the concept, things moved pretty quick," Ousie said.

They're $4.75.

Ousie first tried traditional chocolate coating, like a chocolate-dipped cone at Dairy Queen. He didn't like the waxy texture. He also wanted a richer, "more chocolaty" flavor. So he went to Sam's Club and bought some Ghirardelli chocolate bark. He melted the chocolate in a double boiler and dipped a giant dill pickle. He waited to see if the chocolate hardened properly and stuck to the pickle.

It did, but Ousie didn't think the chocolate flavor was right — not "chocolaty enough." So he tossed a few handfuls of Nestlé Toll House chocolate chips into the double boiler with the Ghirardelli chocolate bark. Perfect.

Then came an unexpected problem. Ousie was having trouble finding the right size pickles, and enough of them, for the huge crowds expected at the rodeo. He eventually ordered a truckload of dill pickles from the Cajun Chef company in St. Martinville, La. They arrived just in time for the rodeo's opening day.

Ousie makes his chocolate-covered pickles fresh each morning. He starts with cold pickles, so the chocolate hardens fast. Ousie rolls each chocolate-covered pickle in candy sprinkles or adds a swirl of white chocolate on top.

The chocolate shell is crunchy and brittle, and it crumbles in your mouth when you bite into the pickle. Ask for an extra napkin — these pickles are juicy and squirty.

Chocolate-covered pickles have become a surprisingly good seller for Ousie. His best customers are women. "And not pregnant women, either."

"When people bite into one, they get a surprised look on their face. It's like, 'Wow! That wasn't what I expected!' I think I've got a nice little product on my hands," Ousie said.

A different kind of meatball

Over at Enzo's Pizzeria Stand, owner Dominic Palmieri has a nice big, and I mean super BIG, product on his hands.

It's the 22-inch, 3½-pound, jaw-dropping, belt-popping, Man vs. Food-defying Ball Buster Meatball Submarine.

"I developed this sandwich at an Italian festival last year, and now I'm introducing it to the 1.5 million people who'll come to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo," he said.

Huge is easy. Huge and delicious is the trick, and this sandwich is a whole lot of both.

The Ball Buster Meatball Submarine starts with meatballs that are barbecued — that's different — over an open flame. Then Palmieri sprays the meatballs with a beer marinade. The result is a smoky, charred flavor.

"It's a very distinct flavor profile. The beer really explodes the taste of the meatballs," he said.

What kind of beer does Palmieri use? "The cheapest I can find." Palmieri describes himself as "The Meatball King" and leader of "Foodie Boomer Generation."

The Ball Buster serves 2, 4, 6, 8 … who do we appreciate? The Meatball King!

That'll be $20, tax included.

The meatballs are made with beef, pork and bread crumbs. They're 2 ounces each, about the size of a plum. They're kept warm in a giant pot of authentic marinara sauce. Each Ball Buster has 12 meatballs end to end.

Palmieri has a baker in Houston who supplies all the bread products for the carnival midway food booths. A 2-foot hoagie bun can be a challenge.

"The bread has to be stout enough to hold 12 good-size meatballs plus sauce and mozzarella cheese, we're talking over 3 pounds, but delicate enough for people to enjoy it. You can't just pick this up like a normal sandwich. We serve it across four paper plates. When someone orders one, other people in line get a shocked look on their faces. People grab their cameras and take photos of the sandwich," he said.

"This sandwich was a no-brainer for us, and we're enjoying its notoriety and success. It's definitely gourmet carnival food meets Texas."

ken.hoffman@chron.com

Now you know me and you know I love chocolate! But I just somehow draw the line on a chocolate covered pickle! I mean, I like 'em both...but not together! Kinda makes my jaws ache just thinking about it!

Yes Sir, one thing about Texas...they can always come up with something just a little bit different! Sometimes, even a LOT different!

How about some fresh coffee this morning? No pickles, I promise!

Some More Warnings About Booze...!

I don't know if I've told you this before, but I pretty much gave up drinking the hard stuff a few years ago.

I guess one of the main reasons is that I saw way too many images of myself in this list. At first it was just funny, but then I started to see a lot of myself in it!

The list of warnings is still funny, and I can appreciate it even more with nothing stronger than some Colombian coffee in hand!

As most Americans are familiar with, the federal government mandates health warnings on alcoholic products to warn people about the potential negative effects. This is also an increasing occurrence in other countries as well. It has come to our attention that a few additional warning may be appropriate.

WARNING: consumption of alcohol may lead you to think that a "2" is a "10."

WARNING: consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell the same boring story over and over again until your friends want to SMASH YOUR HEAD IN.

WARNING: consumption of alcohol may cause you to thay shings like thish.

WARNING: consumption of alcohol may lead you to believe that ex-lovers are really dying for you to telephone them at 4 a.m.

WARNING: consumption of alcohol may leave you wondering what the hell happened to your pants.

WARNING: consumption of alcohol may cause you to roll over in the morning and see something really scary.

WARNING: consumption of alcohol is the leading cause of inexplicable rug burns on the forehead.

WARNING: consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher, handsomer and smarter than some really, really big guy, named Chuck.

WARNING: consumption of alcohol may lead you to think people are laughing WITH you.

WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may cause you to wake up with breath that could knock a buzzard off a shit truck at 100 yards.

WARNING: Consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like an idiot.

WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell the boss what you REALLY THINK while photocopying your butt at the office Christmas party.

AND Instead of warning women not to drink when they are pregnant --- the new guidelines should read...

WARNING: consumption of alcohol is the leading cause of pregnancy in the world. Proceed with caution.

Probably as good a list as I know of, but if you can come up with some others...please let me know!

Coffee inside this morning...it's trying to rain, I think!

Now This Is A Caring Father...!

There are many ways to show your love, and this is just one example.

With all the craziness going on in the world today, it's nice to run across a story like this for a change! This is a good case of making the best of the time you have left to do something for your family. I found this story over at FoxNews.com.

You might say that this is taking prepping to a whole new level! Prepping from the heart!

British Dad to Record 1,600 Words Before Losing Voice Forever

Published March 06, 2011

BOLTON, England -- A British man who will lose his voice because of disease said Sunday that he is recording thousands of words so he can continue to read his son bedtime stories.

Laurence Brewer, from Bolton, northern England, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) three years ago and expects to lose his speech as his condition worsens.

But the 43-year-old wants to ensure his son, Stan, will hear his father's "authentic" voice, complete with his regional accent, when he has to speak through a synthesizer.

Brewer, a university researcher, will have to communicate using technology similar to that used by Prof. Stephen Hawking, the British physicist who also suffers from MND.

Brewer will record 1,600 sentences for a computer program that will break them up into individual sounds and then piece them back together again to form words under Brewer's control.
Brewer said his inspiration for the project was his 13-month-old son.

He said, "He is the key motivation for me to record my voice so that if my voice is lost, he can still hear what his dad sounds like. I might be able to read him bedtime stories; your voice is part of your identity. He can maybe also hear what I sound like when I am no longer here."

I hope for the best for this man, and I know that some day his child will be able to really appreciate just what efforts his dad went through. Hearing bedtime stories in his father's own voice will be something memorable, without a doubt!

Coffee on the patio this morning, is that OK?

A Rainy Sunday Mystery...!

Looks like another rainy day and a bit of a chill is in the air!

Sounds like a good setting for studying a mystery, don't you think? Well, if you think so I certainly have a good one for you to ponder! This one is recent enough to make it easy to do some research if you want! You can find a more complete story about this at Wikipedia.

The Taos Hum

The ‘Taos Hum’ is a low-pitched sound heard in numerous places worldwide, especially in the USA, UK, and northern europe.

It is usually heard only in quiet environments, and is often described as sounding like a distant diesel engine. Since it has proven indetectable by microphones or VLF antennae, its source and nature is still a mystery.

In 1997 Congress directed scientists and observers from some of the most prestigious research institutes in the nation to look into a strange low frequency noise heard by residents in and around the small town of Taos, New Mexico.

For years those who had heard the noise, often described by them as a “hum”, had been looking for answers. To this day no one knows the cause of the hum.

Like I've said before...I really like these kinds of mysteries! Gives me a nice break from everything crazy that's going on in the world, ya know?

How about some coffee in the kitchen this morning? A little chilly outside today.

Hey, Pull My Finger...!

You know, just when you think you've heard it all...something like this comes along!

It does open up some interesting ideas for similar products here in the states! I'm surprised that some company here hasn't started selling something along these lines! You know...someone like Glade?

Believe me...I couldn't make this up if I wanted to! The rest of the story is right here!

Cow fart cans offer 'authentic smell of countryside'

Cans filled with the aroma of cow farts are proving a big hit with shoppers - despite costing £5 a tin.

Tins filled with the air sucked out of an ageing wooden stable, straw lined and filled with gas producing cattle has become an instant hit after it went on sale in Germany.

Managers of the 'Countryside air to go' project say their clients are mainly country people who have moved to the city and want to be reminded of home.

The cans cost £5 a pop and can be ordered from the web site www.stallduft.de

One advert boasts: 'Simply put your nose to the tin and peel back the lid for the authentic smell of the country'.

Designer Daniela Dorrer from the village of Adlkofen in Bavaria in Germany said: 'We hope to make people who miss the countryside happy and remind them of home.

'We are planning other smells such as horse, straw, pigs and manure. But most people miss the smell of the cows in the country, not really surprising as much of the smell is from cows.'

Cows' farting and burping have even been accused of causing global warming problems.

Just one cow gives off enough harmful methane gas in a single day to fill around 400 litre bottles, which is really bad for the environment, say experts.

I was just thinking that if they wanted a really unusual gift along these same lines, the smell of all the Manure in Washington would certainly fill the bill! I'm just not sure there would be a market for such an odor...unless it was for retired politicians!

Now, let's get some coffee and sit on the patio for a bit!

Let's Listen To Carl Sagan Again...!

Maybe now more than ever, it would be a good time to heed the message put out by Carl Sagan before he died!

So much crazy stuff is going on in the world that hopefully some part of this message gets through to someone!

For the first time in a really long time, I have to admit that I am getting very concerned about things! More than concerned, I would say jumpy is a better choice of words. Food shortages are becoming a very big problem, gasoline prices are almost to the point of being ridiculous, prices of medicines and health care are beyond the reach of many families, and the job market is in the toilet no matter what the "manufactured numbers" show!

There is more hate and fear and distrust of our fellow men than I can ever remember! We have to start finding some way to do something positive about our situation...at least, that's the way I feel!



At my age, the last thing I want to see happen is for our country to get involved in another war. I don't want to see anymore of our troops left in a foreign land. I don't want to see any more politicians getting rich by creating situations where the rich get richer, while the average working folks struggle to make ends meet!

In short, I would like to spend my waning years in peace! Peace for my country, peace for my friends and family, and peace for those in the rest of the world that truly want it!

Coffee on the patio this morning! A little "snakebite" medicine is there on the side in case you want to brace your coffee a bit!

Just Thought You Should Know...!

I have to be one of the first to admit, I didn't know the numbers!

I don't care what party you are a member of, I think we all can agree with the fact that there is something really wrong somewhere when we are spending like this!

Of all the things I consider out of control in DC, this certainly is one I think we should address immediately! I don't understand the justification behind most of this.

There certainly seems to be some changes made in the way we send foreign aid! At least, that's my opinion!



I feel very ignorant about not paying more attention to the idiocy going on here! What in the world are they thinking?

This is just one of the examples of change that needs to be taken care of. Just like the man said, it's time we change the way we spend foreign aid...especially with our own finances in such a mess!

Guess the inmates really are in charge of the institution!

Let's get some coffee and talk about this! Maybe someone can explain it better to me!

A Mystery For A Wednesday...!

Sorry about missing yesterday, but sometimes life gets in the way, ya know?

I thought that we could go over something today that I found very interesting! I really like these strange stories, especially when there are pictures to go with them!

History is so full of many mysteries that as yet to be solved! I guess we could spend the rest of our lives checking them out and maybe never find an answer...but just think of how interesting it would be to try!

Check this out...!

The Aluminum Wedge of Aiud
Posted on February 14, 2011

In 1974, in Romania, East of Aiud, a group of workers, on the banks of the river Mures, discovered three buried objects in a sand trench 10 meters deep. Two of the objects proved to be Mastodon bones. These dating from between the Miocene and the Pleistocene periods.

The third object — the Aluminum Wedge of Aiud, also known as the Object of Aiud, is a mysterious wedge-shaped block of metal similar in some respects to the head of a hammer. The object was sent to the archeological institute of Cluj-Napoca. The examination of this object showed it to weigh about 5lbs. There are two holes of different sizes. The object has two arms. Traces of tool marks can be seen on the sides of the object and at its lowest part. It measures approximately 8″ x 5″ x 3″.



Dr. Niederkorn of the institute for the study of metals and non-metallic minerals located in Magurele, Romania, concluded that the object is comprised of a alloy of an extremely complex metal. Twelve different elements combine to form the Aiud Object. It consists of: 89% aluminum, 6.2% copper, 2.84% silicon, 1.81% zinc, 0.41% lead, 0.33% tin, 0.2% zirconium, 0.11% cadmium, 0.0024% nickel, 0.0023% cobalt, 0.0003% bismuth, and trace of galium.

Furthermore, this strange object is covered with a thick layer of aluminum oxide, which lends credence to its antiquity. After the analysis of this aluminum oxide layer, specialists have confirmed that the object is a minimum of 300 to 400 years old.

The fact that this strange metal object was found alongside Mastadon bones does cause one to wonder and raises many issues. These findings helped to ignite a heated debate within the scientific community.

The results puzzled the researchers because pure aluminum was not readily obtainable until the middle of the 19th century. Aluminum is not found freely in nature, but is combined with other minerals. The manufacturing process requires 1,000 degrees of heat. It has been thought that only in the last 100 years or so has the technology existed to successfully separate the materials from the mineral bearing ore.



Other specialists claim that the object could be 20,000 years old because it was found in a layer with mastodon bone. Perhaps this particular specimen lived in the latter part of the Pleistocene.

Some researchers suppose that this piece of metal was part of a flying object that had fallen into the river. They presume that it had an extraterrestrial origin. Other researchers believe the wedge was made here on Earth and its purpose has not yet been identified.

Not much information can be found on this subject. The lack of data can possibly be explained by the imposed restrictions on archaeology and history by the communist rule of the time.

The aluminum wedge of Aiud remains a mystery.

Ya know, we could sit and speculate for a long time as to what this thing actually is...and where it came from! But then, that's what makes it a mystery, right?

You just have to love stories like this! At least, I do!

Now, my friends, let's get some fresh coffee and sit on the patio! You can help me decide what I'm gonna put in the garden!