Going Out With A Bang...!

At first glance, this seems a little strange.

After closer examination,though, this makes sense in an unusual sort of way! Almost seems like an ideal way to remember a loved one that has passed on. Every birthday of the departed, you could go outside to their favorite hunting spot, load up a special round in their much loved shotgun, and fire off a salute to them that they would be proud of!

If you only kept the "special rounds" around the house as a memorial, they could still be used in case of an emergency! Just think...Grandpa could help fight off the "zombie hordes" in the future years after all! Bet he would like that!

Going out with a bang: The service that will turn your loved one into live ammunition.

A bizarre new service that allows you to lock and load your loved one’s ashes is blowing up on the internet.

Holy Smoke, based in Stockton, Alabama, boasts a 'tribute to your outdoorsman or woman like no other,' according to their website.

The company offers a means to 'continue to protect your home and family even after you are gone,' by turning ashes into fully-functioning bullets.



So how does it work?

Once the deceased’s family decides the calibre and gauge of the ammunition, they send one pound of their dead relative's ashes.
From ashes to gunpowder: Holy Smoke offers the ability to go on one last hunting trip with your dead loved one

From ashes to gunpowder: Holy Smoke offers the ability to go on one last hunting trip with your dead loved one

From there, the staff place a portion of the cremated remains into each shotshell or cartridge, depending on the ammo selected.

In return, Holy Smoke sends the family a case of up to 250 bullets for display in the home or to take on a hunting trip.

The company claims its methods add up to a fraction of the cost of most burial services cost.

Prices begin at $1,250 for the 250 rounds for shot guns and pistols, and 100 rounds for rifles.

The type of service, which is offered through their website MyHolySmoke.com, is unconventional, but certainly not unheard of.

In 2005, the ashes of author Hunter S. Thompson were famously shot out of a cannon, six months after the Gonzo journalist killed himself.

The celebration was funded mostly by Pirates of the Caribbean actor and Thompson’s close friend Johnny Depp.

Actually, I don't see too much wrong with this way of "spreading the ashes", as it were! Much stranger things in the news nearly every day!

Want some coffee on the patio? Hot, but at least the chairs are dry!

Care For A Little Snack...?

It seems like Texas isn't the only state that has some far out foods at their state fair.

This little piece of work would certainly serve a hungry person or two, don't you think? My question is...who in their right mind would even attempt to eat this bad boy? Just looking at it makes me full!

Gasp! State fair features 1,500-calorie ‘Donut Burger’
Decadent dish promises a quarter-pound burger in between slices of grilled doughnut

The "Big Kahuna Donut Burger" will appear at this year's New York State Fair.

SYRACUSE, New York — Want fries with that ... doughnut?

A food booth in Syracuse will feature the "Big Kahuna Donut Burger" at this year's New York State Fair.

For between $5 and $6, the adventurous eater will get a quarter-pound burger in between slices of a grilled, glazed doughnut. Toss on some cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and onion and you've got yourself a 1,500-calorie meal.
Adam Richman on bodily reactions, unexpected guilty pleasures

America's state fairs can be counted on to provide foods featuring offbeat ingredient combinations. Wisconsin has chocolate covered bacon on a stick, you can get fried beer in Texas, Massachusetts provides fried jelly beans and North Carolina has the "Koolickle," pickles soaked in Kool-Aid.

New York's fair opens Aug. 25.

Now the true "question of the day" is what are we going to have for desert after this? Must be something pretty special!

On second thought, I'll just wait and let it be a surprise! In fact, I may not even think of eating again until next week!

Until then, why don't we have some fresh coffee on the patio? Need something to wash down that "burger!"

I Like Ike...!

Remember that catch-phrase? Used to be on all the Eisenhower campaign buttons when he first ran for president!

I don't remember too much about the election. After all, I was just a kid and, like most youngsters of my day, my narrow little mind was filled more with girls and such than with politics!

The one thing I do remember though is that my folks were big Ike fans! Really big! I think that during that campaign, my folks talked more about politics than I ever heard before or after! Maybe this was one of the reasons!

Jul 30, 1956:

President Eisenhower signs "In God We Trust" into law

On this day in 1956, two years after pushing to have the phrase "under God" inserted into the pledge of allegiance, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a law officially declaring "In God We Trust" to be the nation's official motto. The law, P.L. 84-140, also mandated that the phrase be printed on all American paper currency. The phrase had been placed on U.S. coins since the Civil War when, according to the historical association of the United States Treasury, religious sentiment reached a peak. Eisenhower's treasury secretary, George Humphrey, had suggested adding the phrase to paper currency as well.

Although some historical accounts claim Eisenhower was raised a Jehovah's Witness, most presidential scholars now believe his family was Mennonite. Either way, Eisenhower abandoned his family's religion before entering the Army, and took the unusual step of being baptized relatively late in his adult life as a Presbyterian. The baptism took place in 1953, barely a year into his first term as president.

Although Eisenhower embraced religion, biographers insist he never intended to force his beliefs on anyone. In fact, the chapel-like structure near where he and his wife Mamie are buried on the grounds of his presidential library is called the "Place of Meditation" and is intentionally inter-denominational. At a Flag Day speech in 1954, he elaborated on his feelings about the place of religion in public life when he discussed why he had wanted to include "under God" in the pledge of allegiance: "In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."

The first paper money with the phrase "In God We Trust" was not printed until 1957. Since then, religious and secular groups have argued over the appropriateness and constitutionality of a motto that mentions "God," considering the founding fathers dedication to maintaining the separation of church and s

I never knew that Eisenhower was the one that signed this into law! Thanks to the good folks at History.com...I have learned something new today! But that's what we all should do, isn't it? Make each and every day a learning experience!

We've had rain here for the past two days off and on! I'm loving it! The plants are loving it! Even the cats are loving it! I think that it's supposed to stay around until Sunday! OK by me!

Let's have our fresh coffee in the kitchen this morning, OK? Still a little damp outside!

What's That Smell...?

No, I'm not talking about the games being played by all the politicians, but your everyday household odors that seem to hang around like a unwanted relative!

Many of the odors may be almost as hard to get rid of as well! I found some information in the pages of the Almanac that may help. This publication can be a very good source for all kinds of information. I love it, but you already know that, right?

A few odor-taming tips:

During nice weather, just open the windows! Let fresh air blow through.

To perfume the air naturally, cut a lemon in half and set the cut halves in an inconspicuous place, or rub a bit of vanilla on a light bulb

Most folks know that keeping an open box of plain baking soda in the refrigerator will neutralize bad odors. Sprinkle some into the bottom of the trash can and into the trash bag itself for similar results.

Half a cup of baking soda in two quarts of water and a soft cloth or brush also work well for cleaning the fridge, as well as scrubbing down and freshening the tub, tiles, sinks, drains, trash cans, and toilet bowls. For stronger disinfecting properties, scrub with a strong vinegar solution.

Fresh or leftover coffee grounds will also absorb unpleasant odors in a fridge, microwave, or cupboard. They’ll also sweeten the air inside your car or its trunk. For use in the car, place the grounds in a covered plastic container with holes punched in the lid.

Boil two parts water with one part vinegar in a microwave-safe container to remove bad smells from your microwave. The vinegar smell itself dissipates quickly.

Add half a cup of vinegar to a quart of water and allow to simmer on the stove for a few minutes. This will remove smell of burnt food and many other odors from your kitchen (and burned-on food from your stainless steel pots.)

Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and set it overnight in a lunchbox or wastebasket to remove built-up food odors.

Grind leftover citrus rinds in your garbage disposal to sweeten it. Or dump half a cup of salt down the drain and turn on the disposal. This loosens caked-on food and helps neutralize odor.

You can get most smells out of carpets, rugs, and upholstery (including vehicle interiors) by sprinkling liberally with baking soda. Leave the baking soda in place for several hours, then vacuum or shake it out.

Human/pet urine or vomit on carpets and upholstery can be trickier. If you can get at it immediately, blot first with a towel, then spray the area with a 3-parts cold water/1 part vinegar solution and blot (but don’t rub). Repeat several times if needed, until the smell disappears. The vinegar odor will dissipate in a few hours.

bad smell

Old-timers swear by this method for removing set-in odors and stains from carpets and upholstery. It works especially well on pet urine and skunk smells. You might want to test for color-fastness by soaking a small, inconspicuous area with the solution and leaving it for 24 hours before you treat the area with the stain.

Put on a pair of rubber or latex gloves.

Gently mix a quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, a quarter-cup of baking soda, and a teaspoon of liquid soap in a plastic container. Don’t mix far in advance or store in a closed container.

Pour or spray the solution directly onto affected areas and allow to sit for 24 hours before blotting excess liquid. Allow to air dry.

When the house is shut up for long periods of time due to weather or whatever, smells can build up and make it hard to deal with! I'm hoping that maybe these hints will be of some help in getting rid of those lingering odors.

Just trying to do what I can to help, ya know?

Now, let's get some coffee and sit outside. We may have to move inside to the kitchen if the rain comes back.

A Very Deadly Fog...!

This was a bad event, but it could have been much worse!

Just think how bad it would have been had it not have been on the weekend! Sort of reminiscent of 9/11, isn't it? You now, with all the skyscraper's in places like New York it's really a wonder that more accidents like this haven't happened. Guess We have been extremely lucky up to this point, right?

Jul 28, 1945:

Plane crashes into Empire State Building

A United States military plane crashes into the Empire State Building on this day in 1945, killing 14 people. The freak accident was caused by heavy fog.

The B-25 Mitchell bomber, with two pilots and one passenger aboard, was flying from New Bedford, Massachusetts, to LaGuardia Airport in New York City. As it came into the metropolitan area on that Saturday morning, the fog was particularly thick. Air-traffic controllers instructed the plane to fly to Newark Airport instead.

This new flight plan took the plane over Manhattan; the crew was specifically warned that the Empire State Building, the tallest building in the city at the time, was not visible. The bomber was flying relatively slowly and quite low, seeking better visibility, when it came upon the Chrysler Building in midtown. It swerved to avoid the building but the move sent it straight into the north side of the Empire State Building, near the 79th floor.

Upon impact, the plane's high-octane fuel exploded, filling the interior of the building with flames all the way down to the 75th floor and sending flames out of the hole the plane had ripped open in the building's side. One engine from the plane went straight through the building and landed in a penthouse apartment across the street. Other plane parts ended up embedded in and on top of nearby buildings. The other engine snapped an elevator cable while at least one woman was riding in the elevator car. The emergency auto brake saved the woman from crashing to the bottom, but the engine fell down the shaft and landed on top of it. Quick-thinking rescuers pulled the woman from the elevator, saving her life.

Since it was a Saturday, fewer workers than normal were in the building. Only 11 people in the building were killed, some suffering burns from the high-octane fuel and others after being thrown out of the building. All 11 victims were workers from War Relief Services department of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, into the offices of which the plane had crashed. The three people on the plane were also killed.

An 18 foot by 20 foot hole was left in the side of the Empire State Building. Though its structural integrity was not affected, the crash did cause nearly $1 million in damages, about $10.5 million in today's money.

(In the original story as reported by History.com, the term "jet fuel" was used! I have corrected that to read "high octane" fuel as was the correct fuel carried by the plane at the time)

So many factors were in place that kept this from being a major disaster. I would say that luck played a big part in it, for sure! I can bet that if this bomber had been carrying a couple of bombs, the damage and loss of life would have been off the charts!

Let's get some fresh coffee and sit outside for a bit! May have to move inside this weekend if the tropical storm comes in to Texas!

Too Hot To Think...!

It's really way too hot to do anything too serious.

I know, I know...everyone is talking about the weather and the lack of rain or the over-abundance of rain, so I am going to start taking my cues from the animal kingdom! Here is a good example of just what I mean!



Why don't I just take off for the day, and I'll get back with you all tomorrow! In the mean time, just help yourself to the coffee and cookies, OK? OK!

Some Monsters Are Indeed Real...!

We all have, on occasion, had nightmares. Dreams of monsters and ghost and bogeymen are not uncommon.

However, in our waking hours there are enough living, breathing monsters to go 'round! This is a story of just one of them taken from the folks at History.com! Not only was he real, but he inspired some of the most terrifying stories of our time!

Jul 26, 1984:

Real-life Psycho Ed Gein dies

On July 26, 1984, Ed Gein, a serial killer infamous for skinning human corpses, dies of complications from cancer in a Wisconsin prison at age 77. Gein served as the inspiration for writer Robert Bloch’s character Norman Bates in the 1959 novel Psycho, which in 1960 was turned into a film starring Anthony Perkins and directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Edward Theodore Gein was born in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, on July 27, 1906, to an alcoholic father and domineering mother, who taught her son that women and sex were evil. Gein was raised, along with an older brother, on an isolated farm in Plainfield, Wisconsin. After Gein’s father died in 1940, the future killer’s brother died under mysterious circumstances during a fire in 1944 and his beloved mother passed away from health problems in 1945. Gein remained on the farm by himself.

In November 1957, police found the headless, gutted body of a missing store clerk, Bernice Worden, at Gein’s farmhouse. Upon further investigation, authorities discovered a collection of human skulls along with furniture and clothing, including a suit, made from human body parts and skin. Gein told police he had dug up the graves of recently buried women who reminded him of his mother. Investigators found the remains of 10 women in Gein’s home, but he was ultimately linked to just two murders: Bernice Worden and another local woman, Mary Hogan.

Gein was declared mentally unfit to stand trial and was sent to a state hospital in Wisconsin. His farm attracted crowds of curiosity seekers before it burned down in 1958, most likely in a blaze set by an arsonist. In 1968, Gein was deemed sane enough to stand trial, but a judge ultimately found him guilty by reason of insanity and he spent the rest of his days in a state facility.

In addition to Psycho, films including Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Silence of the Lambs were said to be loosely based on Gein’s crimes.

Now if that wasn't enough to scare you and you need even more proof that real monsters exist, then all you need to do is pick up any newspaper, watch any news story on television, or just listen to the radio! They do indeed exist!

We don't need to fear the "Zombies" or the "Werewolves" or the "Vampires" made up from folklore and imagination! We have so many more real life monsters all around us, spreading death and destruction and creating chaos all around! Some are our leaders, some are our friends or family, and some might even be our neighbors! How's THAT for scary?

Now that we all have our juices flowing this morning, how about some fresh coffee on the patio?