In the Simpsons, Homer's brother Herb (who's car company was bankrupted by Homer in an earlier episode) invents a baby translator. The Baby Translator does just what it sounds like: it translates babies crys, goo ga's and gurgles into what they really mean.
Now many years later, there's an app for that as they say. The $30 Cry Translator for the iPhone tells you if the cry is "hungry, sleepy, stressed, annoyed or bored." They claim 96% accuracy regardless of the age of the child.
Almost makes me want to try it on Glenn Beck!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Four for Fridays
Hello everybody! Welcome back to Four for Fridays! This weeks' questions are about movies...
1) What is your favorite movie?
2)What is you least favorite movie?
3) What was the last DVD you rented?
4)Have you ever cried while watching a movie? If so, which one?
Have a good weekend folks!
1) What is your favorite movie?
2)What is you least favorite movie?
3) What was the last DVD you rented?
4)Have you ever cried while watching a movie? If so, which one?
Have a good weekend folks!
More of Our Money Spent to Make Sure that Spending More of Our Money is a Good Idea
"Art nonprofit to evaluate artist relocation program" - http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_063048c8-ca63-11de-909c-001cc4c03286.html
Now that the city has committed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the artist relocation program in uptown, the time has come to decide wheether or not it is a good idea. So we're gonna spend $12,500 more of our money to hire self-proclaimed "experts" to reassure us that giving $40,000 to a Texas "artist" to flip our city the bird is a wise investment.
No jobs, no chances, no hope for those born here who seek a living, but millions for "artists" and "experts" from out of town.
Party on, lying John!
Now that the city has committed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the artist relocation program in uptown, the time has come to decide wheether or not it is a good idea. So we're gonna spend $12,500 more of our money to hire self-proclaimed "experts" to reassure us that giving $40,000 to a Texas "artist" to flip our city the bird is a wise investment.
No jobs, no chances, no hope for those born here who seek a living, but millions for "artists" and "experts" from out of town.
Party on, lying John!
All the birds that are fit to flip - We have Winner!
In another close and bitter fight, we have reached a irregular decision on who deserves this week's honor. For conduct unbecoming a newspaper, for uneven reporting, for pushing agendas and censorship (giving rise to our little group of happy souls), for slimy journalism, intimidation and direct plagiarism, we award :
And the "what would my mother say?," flip o' the day.... stu, you should never encourage me!
The coveted "You even ticked Grandma off" bird flip! Great Job JT.
Also, for ripping off the Racine Post, the Racine Uncovered blog, and for random snooping and sneakiness here at JTI we also present you with the editorial cartoon flip:
And the "what would my mother say?," flip o' the day.... stu, you should never encourage me!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Estranged
Huck is not the only guy to have a jukebox in his head. This song has been in my head all day. Guess I'm in a Gun's n Roses frame of mind today.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Eight Irrestible Principles of Fun
I stumbled across this today....It made me think.....
Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun
I should take some of that advise as well...Enjoy!
Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun
I should take some of that advise as well...Enjoy!
Can it be that time again?
A little birdy told me that it's time to nominate for Bird of the Week. Who really steams your rice. Who burned your fries. Who crunched your cookies. What made your noodles boil this week. Let off some steam and nominate here. Name and reason please.
The Iranian Hostage Crisis: 30 Years Later
Yep, it was November 4th, 1979 that the U.S. embassy in Iran was stormed and they took Americans hostage and held them for 444 days, even through a failed rescue attempt.
Even though I was pretty young at the time, I remember that pretty clearly due to the fact that I had a newspaper route at the time. I remember seeing the headlines on the Des Moines Register the next morning when I picked up my paper and thought the nuclear weapons were going to fly and I would be dead within the week (to be fair, I was a pretty nuclear war obsessed child and had long accepted that the nukes were going to fly and I wouldn't make it through high school).
Of course today will be marked in Iran by some anti-American speeches (and I bet I wouldn't have to search hard for some anti-Iranian screeching today on the web from Americans).
30 years later there are signs of another potential shift in Iran as we saw with the dramatic protests against the disputed presidential election earlier this year.
Once again, I urge everyone to see the film Persopolis (now on DVD). Based on an animated novel, it tells the story of a young woman who grew up during the revolution. It's a little said that some of the better commentary I have seen on the Iranian revolution in the U.S. comes from a cartoon (says a lot about our political commentators to say the least!)
Just thought it was a worthy anniversary to mention today.
Even though I was pretty young at the time, I remember that pretty clearly due to the fact that I had a newspaper route at the time. I remember seeing the headlines on the Des Moines Register the next morning when I picked up my paper and thought the nuclear weapons were going to fly and I would be dead within the week (to be fair, I was a pretty nuclear war obsessed child and had long accepted that the nukes were going to fly and I wouldn't make it through high school).
Of course today will be marked in Iran by some anti-American speeches (and I bet I wouldn't have to search hard for some anti-Iranian screeching today on the web from Americans).
30 years later there are signs of another potential shift in Iran as we saw with the dramatic protests against the disputed presidential election earlier this year.
Once again, I urge everyone to see the film Persopolis (now on DVD). Based on an animated novel, it tells the story of a young woman who grew up during the revolution. It's a little said that some of the better commentary I have seen on the Iranian revolution in the U.S. comes from a cartoon (says a lot about our political commentators to say the least!)
Just thought it was a worthy anniversary to mention today.
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my glimmering gladiolas! How are you? The shift back from Daylight Saving Time always takes a little out of me. What did you do with your extra hour? I slept. I needed it after Madame Esmeralda’s Halloween blow out. I can party with the best of them, but Madame E. takes it to a new level. Everyone was in disguise and the drinks were flowing freely. The evening turned into a blur and the next thing I knew, I was on a couch being pawed by old man Mysterio, the retired magician. I threatened his crystal balls and he backed off. The nerve of some people! I had a wonderful time overall, but I had to leave around 3 a.m. (astral standard time). I guess I’m slowing down a little as I enter the latter half of my 20’s. ;)No message in a bottle or other communiqué was delivered to my desk this week.
Racine has been relatively quite this past week, too. There have been some more shenanigans at City Hall, but that’s business as usual. The real mischief is just about to begin nationwide with the census. Trust Madame Zoltar on that one.
I really don’t know what to say about our precious Packers defeat at the hands of Mr. Favre and his Viking cohorts. It galls me all the more because he still has not made good on the rubber check he gave me for the last potion he purchased. When it runs out, I hope he doesn’t think he can charm any more out of me. I’m on to your game now, Brett, and I don’t think Deanna would appreciate the statistics. Pay up or lose your edge. Maybe it’s for the better if you don’t come up with the money. It’s beginning to look a little suspicious how a 40-year old hillbilly addict is throwing the ball so darn well.
If you go to the H1N1 vaccination clinic at Case High School this Saturday, I predict a long line. It’s only for specific people and age groups, so don’t attend unless you or someone you are taking is eligible. More information is available on the City of Racine’s Health Department website: http://www.cityofracine.org/Depts/health/media/pdf/Vaccine clinics website info.pdf. They don’t want you there if you have a fever or are sick. Please don’t spread the germs in public. They will have about 5,500 doses to distribute. I don’t understand how Kenosha got more doses than we did, and earlier, too. I am sure that there is some logical explanation involving red tape and submitted forms and deadlines and so on. Every time that I try to penetrate the mysteries of the bureaucratic universe, I am reminded of my trips to Hades - but at least those were educational.
Speaking of the government and hell, I was hoping to give my Irregulars some predictions on the health care reform, um, process that is currently fermenting in Washington, DC. I have peered and peered, my dears, into the future on this one, but each time that I do, it’s completely different. I’m seeing everything from teeming masses of healthy, robust Americans to legions of lepers and zombies swarming and spreading disease across the land. Until they stop tinkering with the works in Washington, it’s impossible to call it. I hate to say it, but our representatives seem to always lean more toward the zombies than health.
The following video is a request from Mr. OrbsCorbs’ cat, Charlie. Charlie, of course, cannot post videos (because he is not an author on this site). He contacted me as I am sensitive to communication with nonhuman life forms. Charlie hopes that this short video is in keeping with the start of the Thanksgiving holiday season. He also wanted to make the point that it’s not always the cat, Mr. OrbsCorbs. Thank you, Charlie, for “Happy Thanksgiving:”
That’s my blog for this week, my dear Irregulars. Thank you so much for reading it. I sincerely appreciate each and every one of you. Please don’t hesitate to send me your latest gossip or surgical horror stories: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Indian summer or arctic blast ahead? Mother Nature isn't telling me. I hope for the best and plan for the worst. Emporia!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Roll Call!
As I'm reading these blogs last couple of days, I was thinking where is everybody? I'm going rise up and meet Lizardmom's challenge to blog more here. Is anybody else ready? Let's see a show of hands here! Raise your hand and make a comment! Need to know if you guys are still around!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Science is Real
I have been on the road a lot recently and haven't had much time to write. On of the blog entries that I know I needed to do is to plug They Might Be Giants new album Here Comes Science. This bargain comes with a 19 track CD as well as a DVD with videos for all the songs. All the songs are science based ditties laced with TMBGs sensibilities that have made them a long time favorite of mine.
I am lucky enough to be at the Association of Science and Technology Centers annual convention in Forth Worth. TMBG signed copies of their CD Saturday night (yeah, I got mine signed) and did a performance at the reception last night. They rocked the house and had a bunch of nerds belting out the chorus to songs such as "I am a Paleontologist" and "My Brother The Ape". They did some of their classic songs as well.
Here are a couple of videos of songs from Here Comes Science.
What Does This Button Do?
You need to be careful not to touch buttons or pull levers when you are around expensive equipment. One man in South Africa found this out the hard way when he was in a jet with South Africa's Silver Foxes (their version of the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels). He accidentally pulled the lever to the ejection seat during his flight.
Fortunately, he was in a good position to eject and escaped with only minor injuries...but what a ride!
Fortunately, he was in a good position to eject and escaped with only minor injuries...but what a ride!
"Thinking negatively can boost your memory, study finds"
"SYDNEY, Nov 2 (Reuters Life!) - Bad moods can actually be good for you, with an Australian study finding that being sad make people less gullible, improves their ability to judge others and also boosts memory.
"The study, authored by psychology professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales, showed that people in a negative mood were more critical of, and paid more attention to, their surroundings than happier people, who were more likely to believe anything they were told.
"'Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking paying greater attention to the external world,' Forgas wrote.
"'Our research suggests that sadness ... promotes information processing strategies best suited to dealing with more demanding situations.'"
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP488505
Now I feel much more positive about being so negative:
"People in a bad mood were also less likely to make snap decisions based on racial or religious prejudices, and they were less likely to make mistakes when asked to recall an event that they witnessed."
"The study, authored by psychology professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales, showed that people in a negative mood were more critical of, and paid more attention to, their surroundings than happier people, who were more likely to believe anything they were told.
"'Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking paying greater attention to the external world,' Forgas wrote.
"'Our research suggests that sadness ... promotes information processing strategies best suited to dealing with more demanding situations.'"
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP488505
Now I feel much more positive about being so negative:
"People in a bad mood were also less likely to make snap decisions based on racial or religious prejudices, and they were less likely to make mistakes when asked to recall an event that they witnessed."
Sunday, November 1, 2009
San Diego Panda
I took this video of a panda at the San Diego Zoo when I was in California last September. Ain't it cute!
...and the winner is,.. SER!!!
Congratulations SER!!Now comes the monthly challenge for blogging.
We started a practice run for October
and it is now on for every month.
Who will blog the most?