Saturday, October 17, 2009
High Power Worker
This video was submitted by Concerned Citizen.
I cannot imagine doing that. How can they possibly hold the helicopter that still?
The Hypnobra™ & Other Illuminated Clothing
Illuminated hats, pants, suits, skirts, shirts, vests, gloves, and more are available at: http://www.enlighted.com/.
Graveyard Golf
20 over par on the first attempt. Dang!
I should really stop playing around and do something constructive.... like set up my fantasy football team. I'm playing those stinking Potato Heads who are 3-2. Don't get me started on injuries and woosy players who quit on me that I've had to put up with. ;>
SER's original link wasn't working when I went back to show someone. I did a general search and found this. I guess they can program different songs to play and looks like you can even purchase a dvd, if you are so inclined. I also noticed that not only does it hit the correct key every time, it also returns the balls to the machine for reuse with amazing accuracy. Now that is efficient!
Here is another one with more instruments:
In Response to Lizardmom's Challenge
It would be really great to see some blogs from the more elusive readers or new folks.
I love reading posts by our regulars, but in truth, we get a little burned out too. The more people posting, the more interesting it is to visit and read here. You may feel that no one cares what you have to say. Not true. I think all of us who do post on a regular basis are amazed that anyone would want to read our stuff..... And, if posting still feels too daunting, please drop in some comments when you read to inspire our "poetic juices."
It might be a little while before the stats come together this month, work has been brutal. So, here is the poop: It is EASY to post a blog. (article, story, whatever you want to call it)
If you can write an email, it is pretty much the same thing. You can even preview before publishing it or easily make changes once you have published it.
First, if you are new, you must send an email to jtirregulars@jtirregulars.com and say you want to post a blog. (be an author) One of us, the sheriff, will send you an email back. (make sure to check your spam too if you don't see it) You click on the link within that email and confirm you are a human and you want to become an author.
When you come to the JTI website, you will then have the option on the top toolbar to post a new blog. Login and click New Post. It is very easy. If you have problems, email us back and we will help you through them. We had to learn too when we first started.
As for what to blog, the sky is the limit, but we don't want spam or trash or advertising (unless you give us free stuff) ;> Tell us what is on your mind. Write about some place you have visited. Tell a joke, share a youtube. Post a crazy news story. Share a cool picture or your favorite song. Tell us about good service or bad service from a local merchant. Simply share and have a good time. Please, give it a try. You won't be sorry.
I love reading posts by our regulars, but in truth, we get a little burned out too. The more people posting, the more interesting it is to visit and read here. You may feel that no one cares what you have to say. Not true. I think all of us who do post on a regular basis are amazed that anyone would want to read our stuff..... And, if posting still feels too daunting, please drop in some comments when you read to inspire our "poetic juices."
It might be a little while before the stats come together this month, work has been brutal. So, here is the poop: It is EASY to post a blog. (article, story, whatever you want to call it)
If you can write an email, it is pretty much the same thing. You can even preview before publishing it or easily make changes once you have published it.
First, if you are new, you must send an email to jtirregulars@jtirregulars.com and say you want to post a blog. (be an author) One of us, the sheriff, will send you an email back. (make sure to check your spam too if you don't see it) You click on the link within that email and confirm you are a human and you want to become an author.
When you come to the JTI website, you will then have the option on the top toolbar to post a new blog. Login and click New Post. It is very easy. If you have problems, email us back and we will help you through them. We had to learn too when we first started.
As for what to blog, the sky is the limit, but we don't want spam or trash or advertising (unless you give us free stuff) ;> Tell us what is on your mind. Write about some place you have visited. Tell a joke, share a youtube. Post a crazy news story. Share a cool picture or your favorite song. Tell us about good service or bad service from a local merchant. Simply share and have a good time. Please, give it a try. You won't be sorry.
Friday, October 16, 2009
iChill in the House!
iChill is in the house! A cute little pack of 12 bottles was delivered to the JTI.I have not downed any yet. I opted for a White Russian (maybe 2) for my TGIF celebration. I have begun the required investigation, though, and that bad boy is definitely going down tonight.
First, let me say it is a cute little blue bottle with the slogan, "unwind from the grind" on the label. Catchy! It contains a mere 2 ounces. No calories, no sugar.
Their website recommends that you only drink half the first time to see how you react individually to the product. You can always down the rest in a little bit if you need "enhanced" relaxation effects. Good idea. I guess I could react like a little flower.... gee.
Not recommended if you are pregnant, nursing, on anti-coagulants, are diabetic, are under 12 years of age, or driving or operating heavy machinery. Check, check, check... none of the above will abort the launch.
The main ingredients are: A sprinkling of B vitamins: B3, B6, B12 and B5. The B vitamins seem fairly non threatening. Flushing seems to be the worst thing that could occur, just a little case of the vapors, as they used to say. They are also water soluble so that gets a pass from me.
Valerian Root: Supposed to help with insomnia. A sedative and pain reliever. Can be used as an anti migraine preparation or in the relief of IBS. (I included that info for you, logjam) Wikipedia says oils of this plant are pungent and reminiscent of wet dog or mature cheese. Can't wait to taste that flavor combo! It also is said to be used as a muscle relaxant, now you're talking! ;>
Rose Hips: Contain a lot of vitamin C. Also has some vitamin D and E. Good enough stuff for me. Rose Hips has claims by some for helping Arthritis and Rheumatism. Contains fatty acids and antioxidant flavonoids. I don't think I could say that three times quickly. Wikipedia says it is a healthy treat for pet chinchillas. Okay, huh?
I'm pretty certain they had no idea what type of scrutiny they were getting into when sending this to us.... Maybe they should have read a bit more at our website before offering complimentary samples?
As soon as the effects of my little TGIF party wear off and I am safely in jammies, I will be your guinea pig.... or pet chinchilla.
More on the trial to come. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Shoot out at the Walmart Corral
The Walmart lot was all taped off and plenty of officers out there today. I took these around 4:30 this afternoon.
I'm throwing down the gauntlet, are you up to a challenge???
Let's liven this joint up a bit. I feel a stats report coming out and we've slowed down a bit.
I admit it, I have been slacking too.
I want to experiment for the rest of this year.
I am throwing out this challenge to
EACH and EVERY reader, poster, random visitor -
Let's see who can win the totally awesome,
cooler than anything,
virtual "blogger of the month" award.
(for posting, not just commenting)
(claps and cheers in the background)
Let's practice so we're ready for the challenge
to really start next month.
Can you do it?
Can you handle it?
What are you made of?????
Let's get this party started,
Ready, set, BLOG!!!!!!!!
Not sure how?
Watch for the stats report for further directions!
Coming soon!!
Why do I have to learn that?? I'll never use it!
I saw this and could just hear that beingsaid in math class a near life-time ago.
Have you used something 'in real life' that
you never would have thought you would?
Subjects, particular instances, anything?
If an anteater can use it, I'm sure we can!!
Bird of the week winner
As voted by you, the Irregular Community, the person you think needs to be flipped the bird is:
Randolph Brandt. Former publisher of the Journal Times, current race-baiting, lyric quoting, sheltered, elitist "editorial" poster on the Racine Post. For sitting in your palace and poo-pooing the little people, we salute you with a Jerry Lee Lewis Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire Double bird shot:
First Runner up, by only one vote is no one's mayor but JWAX/RAMAC/Downtown: Johnny Dickert!
You get the runner up flip:
Five foreign snake species threaten US
"MIAMI — Watch out, animals of South Florida: It's a wild world out there. There are five species of foreign snakes just waiting to eat you."More troublingly, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report released Tuesday, nonnative snakes like the Burmese python could slither their way north from the warm, humid conditions of South Florida."
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2009-10-14-foreign-snakes_N.htm
Let's put up a border wall at the Florida state line, too.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A Little Perspective From Mars
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has the HiRise camera on board. HiRise is the largest telescope ever sent to another planet and has been returning spectacular pictures of Mars for the last few years.
On October 3rd, 2007, they turned it around to look at Earth and got the following image (courtesy of NASA/JPL/and the University of Arizona...click to embiggen).
Since Earth is closer to the Sun than Mars, you see Earth has phases just like the Moon. In fact they both have the same phase (the Sun is off to the right in this image). If you look at the full size image, you can make out the cost of South America. It also shows the relative sizes of the Earth and Moon nicely.
Sometimes we just need to see Earth from a different perspective.Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
"It's Official: No Social Security Increase"
"The news had been dreaded by seniors for months -- and today the government made it official: for the first time since 1975, there will be no cost-of-living adjustment (or COLA) for Americans receiving Social Security checks next year.
"Under the law, social security payments are supposed to increase anually if U.S. consumer prices increase. But over the last 12 months, prices have declined. Specifically, the CPI-W -- the price index upon which social security adjustments are based -- has dropped 1.7 percent since September, 2008."
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/PersonalFinance/social-security-benefits-social-security-check-low/story?id=8835753
If consumer prices have dropped, why is mom's rent going up? Why do her groceries cost more? Why is her Medicare premium going up? Why is her supplemental insurance (which already takes 25% of her income) going up? Where the hell is the money supposed to come from?
For that matter, why has Congress excluded themselves from coverage under the proposed health care reform that the rest of us must live with?
Oh, sorry, I forgot, we're just "we the people;" we're not the important ones.
"Under the law, social security payments are supposed to increase anually if U.S. consumer prices increase. But over the last 12 months, prices have declined. Specifically, the CPI-W -- the price index upon which social security adjustments are based -- has dropped 1.7 percent since September, 2008."
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/PersonalFinance/social-security-benefits-social-security-check-low/story?id=8835753
If consumer prices have dropped, why is mom's rent going up? Why do her groceries cost more? Why is her Medicare premium going up? Why is her supplemental insurance (which already takes 25% of her income) going up? Where the hell is the money supposed to come from?
For that matter, why has Congress excluded themselves from coverage under the proposed health care reform that the rest of us must live with?
Oh, sorry, I forgot, we're just "we the people;" we're not the important ones.
Captain Lou Albano, Wrestler & Rocker, Dies
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/celebrities/wrestler-icon-captain-lou-albano-dies-1.1523986
That's him in the video, playing Cyndi Lauper's dad.
Captain, over and out.
The Milky Way from Bryce
Just a quick photo I got of the Milky Way tonight over some trees at Bryce Canyon National Park. Enjoy!
Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Medicine Collection Day this Saturday
Saturday, October 17, 2009
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
6200 21st St., Racine (North of Sam's Club)
156 E. State St., Burlington
3520 30th Ave., Kenosha
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
6200 21st St., Racine (North of Sam's Club)
156 E. State St., Burlington
3520 30th Ave., Kenosha
This is the best way to dispose of old prescriptions and keep them out of our water supply. It's bad enough that we have mercury in our fish. We don't need them hooked on tranquilizers, too.
Bird of the week nominations.
The nomination period is now open. Who needs to be flipped the bird this week? Who ticked you off. Who grated your cheese. Who carved your pumpkin? Name and reasons please.
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my chirpy chinchillas! How are you? Have you been noticing the beautiful colors in the trees and shrubs? This is the time of year when the burning bushes and sugar maples really strut their stuff. So beautiful, so transient, so or sew? Ha-ha! I can play, too.No calls were received this week on the Zoltar-phone:
I’ve decided to use this week’s blog to clear out some of the flotsam and jetsam clogging my files. First is a scene from the classic I Love Lucy television show. Prepare to meet one of my colleagues, Madame Mertzola:
We certainly have come a long way from that, haven’t we? Mr. Bennet discovers in the next video that although a cynic may stop only to sneer, he may stay to believe:
Here’s an odd little segment from MSNBC on how the predictions of Jeane Dixon, a famous psychic of the 1960’s and 70's, fared against those implied by some movies:
And finally, my dears, another warning about those wicked Ouija boards: don’t play with what you don’t understand:
Thank you for reading my blog this week. I appreciate each and every one of you. Don’t forget to transmit all essential data to: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Stay warm and healthy, my Irregulars. Get your flu shots, wash your hands, take your vitamin C, get plenty of exercise and rest, and don’t forget the garlic around your neck. Mercurochrome!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Better Know Racine...
Stephen Colbert got a lot of mileage out of his "Better Know a District" series where we was attempting to interview the Representative of every Congressional District. Eventually of course the politicians wised up and not many of them want to appear in his series any more.
Now Colbert is letting you have a go with the Colbert Nation Interview Simulator. All you need to do is upload a picture of yourself and then record your answers to his questions about your town. If you want to do full fledged video of yourself, that's cool too.
I know quite a few people here have some strong opinions about how things are going in Racine so here is your chance to tell Stephen. Winners will be featured on the Report.
Orbs, I am looking at you! Or better yet, make it a group effort at the next get together!
Now Colbert is letting you have a go with the Colbert Nation Interview Simulator. All you need to do is upload a picture of yourself and then record your answers to his questions about your town. If you want to do full fledged video of yourself, that's cool too.
I know quite a few people here have some strong opinions about how things are going in Racine so here is your chance to tell Stephen. Winners will be featured on the Report.
Orbs, I am looking at you! Or better yet, make it a group effort at the next get together!
A Pretty Morning Threesome
Weather and clouds seemed to be conspiring against me in my attempt to get the conjunction of Saturn and Venus. As an added bonus, Mercury is also in the morning sky right now and fairly bright.
Well, I finally got my chance. I am at a workshop at Bryce Canyon. I got up early and drove to Fairyland Canyon near the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park and set up there to get the conjunction. Venus and Saturn are at the top (Venus is the bright one) and Mercury is the bright one lower in the sky (click to embiggen).
You still got another chance or two. Saturn will be moving up above Venus the next few days and Mercury will be getting lower. You can really watch the movement of the planets from day to day when they are this close together in the sky.
So economists say the recession is over?
Tell it to the people at Kohls Distribution Center this morning.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Ahmish Pizza Delivery
Just a little something I did with some people from the improv troupe. You might recognize the "bearded father".
Cash For Clunkers
The Goverment spent $2.877 billion dollars for Clunkers...
They saved $399+ million in barrels of oil...
15.8 mpg/clunker
15,000 average miles/year
949 Gallons/year
24.9 mpg/new vehicle
15,000 average miles/year
602 Gallons/year
690,114 Clunkers traded in
239,440,194 Gallons of gas saved per year
42 gallons in a barrel of crude oil
5,700,957 full barrels of gas/oil
$70.00 cost per barrel of raw oil
$399,066,989 total savings in barrels
Top 10 Cars Purchased -
1.Toyota Corolla
2.Honda Civic
3.Toyota Camry
4.Ford Focus FWD
5.Hyundai Elantra
6.Nissan Versa
7.Toyota Prius
8.Honda Accord
9.Honda Fit
10.Ford Escape FWD
Uhmmmm not saying much for American Made.....
Source: Department Of Transportation
They saved $399+ million in barrels of oil...
15.8 mpg/clunker
15,000 average miles/year
949 Gallons/year
24.9 mpg/new vehicle
15,000 average miles/year
602 Gallons/year
690,114 Clunkers traded in
239,440,194 Gallons of gas saved per year
42 gallons in a barrel of crude oil
5,700,957 full barrels of gas/oil
$70.00 cost per barrel of raw oil
$399,066,989 total savings in barrels
Top 10 Cars Purchased -
1.Toyota Corolla
2.Honda Civic
3.Toyota Camry
4.Ford Focus FWD
5.Hyundai Elantra
6.Nissan Versa
7.Toyota Prius
8.Honda Accord
9.Honda Fit
10.Ford Escape FWD
Uhmmmm not saying much for American Made.....
Source: Department Of Transportation
Just for fun...
kk and I have been doing this over the weekend. Words that sound alike:
dough or doe
two, too or to
hi or high
do or due
there, their or they're
weight or wait
whey, way or weigh
okay, let's take it from here...kk will not be out-done...just to warn you guys! She is tough.
dough or doe
two, too or to
hi or high
do or due
there, their or they're
weight or wait
whey, way or weigh
okay, let's take it from here...kk will not be out-done...just to warn you guys! She is tough.
Welcome to Racine, Mark Lewis, New Publisher of The Journal Times
"We shall extend and display respect to all others which reflects our own appreciation of humanity. We shall carry our pride quietly, neither boasting of ourselves nor speaking badly of others - often a dishonest method of self-praise. Yet we must be unashamed of our principles and honest in our criticisms."
~ Hawaiian Code of Conduct
Welcome to Racine, Mr. Lewis, I don't know when you officially arrived, or if you're currently staying in town, but I thought you might appreciate a shoutout from one of the very vocal local yokels. I searched YouTube for some Hawaiian music and came across the above video. It struck me not only because of the beauty of the music, but also because of the "Hawaiian Code of Conduct" which was attached. As I understand it, that's where you were last ensconced. I just want to point out right off, in case you haven't noticed for yourself, that's not how things are done in Racine, Wisconsin. LOL, as it were.
In Racine, we like our politics like our snow: dirty. You will have time to learn all of that, though, along with our customs and idioms. ("Bubbler" means drinking fountain in Racine. In January, 30 degrees is "warm.") I sincerely hope that you and The Journal Times impact our community positively. Good luck, sir. You will need it.