From Dream Theater's Black Clouds and Silver Linings
My Christmas gift to you!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
A Few Quickies
Miss Cellania must be all-knowing because she saved me a ton of time by posting The Sports Links of the Decade. Incredible..
Hang On, Dammit!! - Simply a must-see from Wirecutter at Knuckledraggin My Life Away.
Some great reading in this post by Skip over at Website Wednesdays: Every misconception imaginable: The Book of General Ignorance
Disclaimer: This one could take you all day
Hang On, Dammit!! - Simply a must-see from Wirecutter at Knuckledraggin My Life Away.
Some great reading in this post by Skip over at Website Wednesdays: Every misconception imaginable: The Book of General Ignorance
Christmas: The Trans-Siberian Orchestra
No doubt you've heard the main 3 or 4 they play every Christmas. But you probably haven't heard these:
Especially for You
Especially for You
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
12 Dynamic Bathroom & Bedroom Design & Décor Ideas
We spend at least one-third of our lives in our bedrooms and bathrooms, yet the design of these essential domestic spaces is nearly always an afterthought. But smart, sleek design can transform an otherwise bland room into a relaxing space that packs in as many features as possible without visual clutter. Instant lofts, bedroom tree houses and bathrooms that unfold like origami to reveal their components are just a few of the 12 beautiful bathroom and bedroom design and décor ideas that follow.
High-Tech Futuristic Bathroom Design
At first glance, this bathroom appears to be incredibly simple – a ceiling-mounted showerhead and a slatted wooden floor in a large, empty room. But there’s much more to this elegant, minimalist space than meets the eye. The floor opens up to reveal what lies literally just beneath the surface – a set of benches on either side of a luxurious tub.Hanging Bedroom in a Box
Those living in small spaces have to be creative about dividing up the space, but putting up screens only gets you so far. This ingenious solution is an entire loft bedroom that securely hangs from the ceiling, providing a sleeping space that makes use of high ceilings. Positioned as it is within this particular room, the loft still leaves enough room for adults to stand up beneath it, but is low enough to easily walk into from the elevated portion of the space. The back surface of the loft could even be used as a movie screen.Sleek, Luxurious Black Bathroom
Who says bathrooms have to be filled with cold, shiny white surfaces? This bathroom design goes against the grain with exotic dark hardwoods and the curving, ergonomic shapes of Morphosis high-end bathroom fixtures. The design of the steam shower in particular is anything but the expected, with a sloping wooden seat that’s both comfortable and beautiful.Continue reading..
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Leaves
These two pictures were taken today. You'd never have any idea that I raked leaves for an hour and, along with a little help from both my wife and mom, filled 6 huge bags with leaves. (Click to enlarge..)
Isn't this supposed to take place during "autumn"??
The worst part about it? The tree's not done!
Isn't this supposed to take place during "autumn"??
The worst part about it? The tree's not done!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Golf on Christmas Morning
Four old-timers were playing their weekly game of golf when one one of them commented on how nice it would be to wake up on Christmas morning, roll out of bed - and without an argument, go directly to the golf course to meet his buddies for 18 holes. All three of his friends unanimously agree, “Let’s do it! We’ll make it a priority, figure out a way and meet here early Christmas morning!”
A few weeks later it’s Christmas morning - and there all are standing next to each other on the first tee box. One friend exclaims “Boy this game cost me a fortune! I had to buy my wife such a huge diamond ring, she can’t even take her eyes off it.”
Another friend says, “I spent a ton, too. My wife is at home planning the cruise I gave her. She was up to her eyeballs in brochures.”
The third friend replies “Well, my wife is at home admiring her new car… reading the manual.”
Silence from the fourth guy.
The other three friends in the group look puzzled, while the final guy in the foursome is staring at them like they must have lost their minds. “I can’t believe you all went to such and expense for a round of golf. I just woke up, slapped her on the butt and said, ‘Well babe, Merry Christmas! Golf or sex, what’s it gonna be?” and she said “Take a sweater.”
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Energy Every Day: Tips to Fight Fatigue, Bloat, and Stress
There you are, sitting on the couch, remote in hand, thinking, "I should be exercising. If only I weren't too tired to get off the couch!" Indeed, fatigue is among the most common complaints doctors hear. But you might be surprised to learn that experts say one of the best antidotes to beating fatigue and boosting energy is to exercise more, not less.
"It's now been shown in many studies that once you actually start moving around -- even just getting up off the couch and walking around the room -- the more you will want to move, and, ultimately, the more energy you will feel," says Robert E. Thayer, PhD, a psychology professor at California State University, Long Beach, and author of the book Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood With Food.
And, experts say, when it comes to fighting fatigue, not all exercise is created equal. Read on to find out what kind of exercise -- and how much -- you should be doing for optimum energy-boosting results.
Continue to article..
Shake The Salt Habit
Feeling bloated? Salt may be partly to blame. Too much salt can cause you to retain water. And it can contribute to high blood pressure. Cut back on salt by choosing fresh (not canned or processed) foods and experimenting with other seasonings such as curry powder, garlic, cumin, or rosemary to give your food some zing. You’ll expand your culinary horizons and feel more energetic, too.Get Your Beauty Sleep
Banish under-eye bags by hitting the hay. Experts recommend 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night to recharge and lower stress. Having trouble falling asleep? Don't drink caffeine past noon. Avoid exercise two hours before bedtime. Make your bedroom a sleep-only zone -- no TVs, computers, or other distractions. If these tips don't work, talk to your doctor.Continue to slideshow..
Can CT Scans Bump Up Your Cancer Risk?
Radiation doses from CT scans are often high and vary widely, and excessively high doses may contribute substantially to future cancers, a study shows.
CT scans are noninvasive medical tests that combine special X-ray equipment and computers to produce detailed cross sectional images of the body. The number of CT scans performed has exploded over the last three decades, growing from about 3 million yearly in 1980 to about 70 million in 2007.
The new study is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Study researcher Rebecca Smith-Bindman, MD, of the University of California San Francisco, says the idea for the research began "when I was looking at some individual scans; I was surprised at how high the radiation dose was. I thought it was time to start looking."
The new research comes in the wake of the discovery earlier this year that more than 200 stroke patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles had received more than eight times the necessary radiation dose when undergoing CT scans. That, in turn, prompted the FDA to encourage CT facility personnel to review their protocols and be sure the values displayed on the control panel jibe with doses normally associated with the scan being performed.
Continue reading..
Still the Video of the Century
And it shows so much more than it seems to. If you've ever seen the unstabilized clip, you know what I mean. Again, as this is one topic that I love, there will be more!!
Life: Inside The Secret Service
An incredible 18-picture lesson!
The U.S. Secret Service was founded in 1865 to battle the flood of counterfeit currency washing over the country near the end of the Civil War. It wasn't until 1902, a year after the assassination of President William McKinley, that the Service began, as part of its official mission, to protect the president, vice president, their families. (Ironically, the legislation creating the Secret Service was on Abraham Lincoln's desk the night he was murdered by John Wilkes Booth.)
With American flags fluttering, the Presidential State Car—since 1983, a Cadillac limousine—is a national icon and an emblem of power. And in the case of President Obama's edition (every president gets a new ride), the machine is also an absolute beast. In fact, that's the nickname the Secret Service slapped on it before the inauguration in January, when Obama's limo made its formal debut. The Beast has its own air recirculation system to protect the president in the case of a chemical attack. Its doors are now sheathed in 8-inch-thick military-grade armor. Even the bulletproof windows are five inches thick. "The limousines of yesteryear were designed to provide protection and to get the president out of any situation," Ken Lucci, CEO of Ambassador Limousine Inc. and owner of two Reagan-era limos, told CNN. "Today, they [the Secret Service] expect a prolonged attack, and they expect an attack that is a lot more violent than [with] a weapon you can hold in your hand. It literally is a rolling bunker."Continue to article.. Or click the banner pic
Thanks
Our government's Secret Service Site
The beginning of our nation's serious Secret Service - as we know it today.
There will be much more on this later. It's so ironic that the REAL creation of of the Secret Service just happened to coincide with the Secret Service's biggest downfall, and that was the assassination of president John F. Kennedy.
An Incredible Stat
ViaWhat is 3M PF-5030?? And what about color ink cartridges?
Why is ink more expensive than blood?
The Real Prices
Let's Go Fishing
All of you know some trips have been good. Some really sucked. Most of the time it's all about the time spent with buds fishing. Sometimes we actually catch something. Or even several that are worth a sweet picture or eleven! But this takes the cake.. No stringer-limits here, just the happiest guy in the world.
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Yeah, Just Testing You
During a visit to the mental asylum, I asked the director how do you determine whether or not a patient should be institutionalized.
“Well,” said the director, “we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient, and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.” “Oh, I understand,” I said. “A normal person would use the bucket because it’s bigger than the spoon or the teacup.”
“No.” said the director, “A normal person would pull the drain plug….. Now, do you want a bed near the window, or..?”
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“Well,” said the director, “we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient, and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.” “Oh, I understand,” I said. “A normal person would use the bucket because it’s bigger than the spoon or the teacup.”
“No.” said the director, “A normal person would pull the drain plug….. Now, do you want a bed near the window, or..?”
Via
Monday, December 21, 2009
National Debt: Number-Crunchers' Dream
At nearly $12.1 trillion, the U.S. national debt has reached a size that is incomprehensible to most people and as intangible as the '"Big Bang" or bipartisanship.
But it is real in West Virginia, where a small, nearly anonymous group of government accountants calculate the public debt to the penny each day, living a mathematic nightmare and number cruncher's dream.
At a large desk in Parkersburg, Jaime Saling watches over roughly 6,500 pieces of data and trillions of dollars each day. Her title takes up a few characters itself: Saling is the debt accounting branch manager for the Bureau of Public Debt.
She and a division of just 15 people quietly and relentlessly work to account for every penny of the national debt. It is tedious and potentially overwhelming work, but Saling acts as if she flies jet fighters.
Click to see the staggering stats in motion
Our national debt, and corresponding presidents (thru 2004)"I get very excited," the petite and energetic Saling says, "They call me a nerd, several times; I think it's because I get very excited about all the work we do."
That work happens in a simple one-story, brick building in Parkersburg, some 300 miles from Washington. The public debt offices landed there thanks to heavyweight home-state Sen. Robert Byrd.
The bureau's offices are tucked into a corner of town that's easy to miss. A brown hill and train track sit on one side, parking lots for county offices on the other. The locale is still a surprise to some.
Continue reading..
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Sunday, December 20, 2009
NFL: Dallas Changes a LOT
A lot of teams were just seriously affected by this Cowboys win tonight:
(First things first. The game on MNF in week 17 is Green Bay @ Arizona! Wow..)
Obviously .. The Dallas Cowboys. Win two and host a pissed off Eagles team you just beat, or maybe the Packers (hmmm...). Win one and you still have a chance, but shame shame shame to rely on other teams!!!
Also ALL these teams will be scrambling at some level or another to add this Dallas/New Orleans game entire tape to their immediate game preparations, mainly because "This is how you beat a GREAT team." But also, "Wow, They can be beaten!" and, "Pick apart what this good Cowboys team did to win this game!"
Tampa Bay - Saints' next opponent. OMG, I fear for ya'
Carolina - Saints' final opponent. With only a tiny chance to save their season, it's more important for them to play home spoiler role, and they have played well at home. Minnesota's only real hope at the #1 seed.
Minnesota - Likely had their tickets booked, and plans made for the #2 seed. Now they actually can snatch #1. Or worse.. because knowing they can still go 2-1 and still lock up a top-2, they might mess up once.
Arizona - suddenly there is new tape that can get you to the Super Bowl again. Beat this team and you may get there. Minnesota has already watched it.
Philly - Gulp! Suddenly the 49ers and Broncos don't look like easy wins, huh? No doubt week-17 is gonna rock @ Dallas. Giants will be in Minnesota, and Green Bay in Arizona!
Even Green Bay has to know that they're likely in, but would have to face Dallas, and surely one of their main obstacles to the Super Bowl, the Saints.. everyone's watching this tape next week.
Furthermore,
The Giants, because they just had their route to a wild-card slashed by about 40%
The COLTS, because viola! We're now alone. No one else can go 15-0, and 20-something incredible in a row now! Of course we watch this tape, and we'll be certain that the Jets and Bills don't copy what Dallas did against the Saints. Watch their attitudes. Watch trends..
Patriots, well because it's Bill Belichick. New stuff is new stuff. The players are already in the doghouse, and the team well below where they want to be. There were tons of non-championship-caliber plays in that game, and Belichick will point them all out.
Bengals - These two are marginal.. Bengals are a team no one wants to play now! They've snuck-up on countless opponents. They... oh This tape? It could only help one of the best secondaries in football!
Chargers - This clubhouse is looking at this tape a lot. The hottest team in the NFL, no one can stop us! Right? Saints are the offense to beat right now - but we're the best. They just got shut down. But we'll watch it.