So Much for the CW

Everybody knows reading in dim light is bad for your eyes, shaving body hair makes it grow back faster and thicker (Just ask Kramer.), we use only 10% (or less) of our brains, and eating turkey will make you drowsy.

Well, maybe it ain't so ...

Revealed: The seven great "medical myths"|Oddly Enough|Reuters.com

Lock Bumping - What is it?

Do you know about this stuff

An Icy Blast

The morning of December 13, 2007, saw a blast of wintry precipitation that left everything coated with a frigid layer of ice.

StupidFilter - It's About Time!

I've been waiting for something like this ...

scientists are developing the “StupidFilter” – an open-source filter software that will be able to detect “rampant stupidity” of web-content in written English. Similarly to the way spam recognizing software detects suspicious e-mails, the “StupidFilter” will look for pre-fed words or sign combinations that characterize stupidity

Read more at The Future of Things ...

StupidFilter - Time to Fight Back the Imbeciles - TFOT

Blast From the Past

Everything comes around again! Here's the hot boomer item this holiday season ...

From Brookstone

Homemade Windshield Deicer

For many of us, along with winter comes an endless expanse of mornings spent freezing our fingers off scraping ice from our windshields. Rather than walking that chilly road again this winter, the Dollar Stretcher web site suggests several DIY solutions for keeping your windshield ice-free this winter. For example:

To prevent your car's windows/mirrors from icing up... treat the windows before you go to bed each night. The window treatment can be made up of 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and placed in a spray bottle... [and] will prevent ice from forming.

From other posts in the thread, it sounds like rubbing alcohol can be substituted for vinegar, and the solution can be applied either before or after the ice has formed.

From Lifehacker

Keynote to YouTube

I stumbled upon a great feature of Apple's Keynote '08 presentation software. You can have your slideshow posted as a YouTube video from within Keynote.

Use the File - Send to - YouTube command and just sit back and wait for the magic to happen.

WKRP Thanksgiving Promotion Episode

Fans of WKRP in Cincinnati will remember the classic episode in which the station drops turkeys from a helicopter over a shopping mall in a Thanksgiving promo.

Use an Empty Soda Can to Boost Your Wi-Fi

According to this video from Green Baby Productions via Metacafe you can boost your wireless for virtually nothing using an empty soda can

Caffeine Boost Your WIFI - Click here for the funniest movie of the week

 I have not personally tried this tip so proceed at your own risk. Exercise caution when cutting the soda can as the edges may be sharp.

Wrigley Field Los Angeles???

I learned something I never knew from an old movie, Armored Car Robbery (1950). It was set in Los Angeles. That was made emphatically clear. But, some scenes took place at a ballpark called Wrigley Field. This seemed incongruous. But I Googled "Wrigley Field Los Angeles" and discovered there really was a Wrigley Field in south central LA. It was the home to some Pacific Coast League teams and, in 1961, was the home of the Angels. Learn something new everyday.

Do you believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

This is my first knowledge of an interesting recent phenomenon, the Flying Spaghetti Monster. It seems the FSM was conceived about two years  ago by an Oregon State physics graduate during the  Kansas  controversy concerning teaching intelligent design in public schools.

To learn more ...

Pasta theology: Scholars mull Spaghetti Monster - USATODAY.com

Navy and North Texas Set Scoring Record

I would have loved to have seen this game! Maybe it'll be an ESPN Instant Classic.

ESPN - Navy, N. Texas score most combined points in regulation FBS game - NCAA College Football Recap

The First Notable Snow of the Season

I woke up this morning to the first notable snow of this season. I was surprised to walk into the kitchen and see this out the window ...

Well, it is November. I guess we were spoiled by the unusually warm October. The forecast does call for warmer than average temperatures next week.

And, it's kind of pretty if you don't have to go out in it.

$25,000 Dessert

Some people just have way too much money! If you are a person who thinks this is a great way to spend $25K, I feel sad for you.

And we wonder why people in less developed parts of the world resent us.

New York eatery offers $25,000 dessert - Peculiar Postings - MSNBC.com

ServiceBeacon for Your Car

ServiceBeacon is a free online service that lets you ...

• Track your car's maintenance schedule
• Receive recall notices by email
• Make service appointments online
• Store your car's service history
• Track multiple vehicles

Take the tour of ServiceBeacon.com

Unadvertised Discount Coupon Codes

RetailMeNot is an easy way to find unadvertised coupon codes for online retailers. These are the codes that can be entered on the checkout page for additional discounts.

Coupon codes for thousands of online stores - RetailMeNot.com

The Vatican and the Knights Templar

On October 25, the Vatican will release a nearly 700 year-old report on the holy warriors known as the Knights Templar. The report documents the the accusations of heresy against the order, the Knights' defense, and Pope Clement V's exculpation of the order.

"... the Templars must somehow have survived, adapted, or been subsumed into another, even more secretive trans-national group. Over the centuries, the allegedly still-extant order has been portrayed as malevolent, benign, heroic and occult."

The Vatican and the Knights Templar - TIME

Halloween How To Guides

How to do just about anything Halloween:

• Party ideas
• Costumes
• Pumpkin carving

Halloween How To Guides | eHow.com

What You Need to Know About Staph

It's been in the news recently, both locally and nationally. This TIME article will help you learn about MRSA.

What You Need to Know About Staph - TIME

Freecycle Your Used Stuff

If you're like me, you have a lot of used stuff like computer parts, peripherals, PDAs, cell phones, books, CDs, etc., lying around your house stuffed in closets and cabinets taking up valuable space.

Stuff that's too good to trash, but which you no longer have any use for. What do you do with it?

The Freecycle Network™ is a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Membership is free.

The Freecycle Network

Ahead of its Time?

In 1963, Heineken introduced the World Bottle (WOBO), a more or less rectangular bottle that could be used as a structural component similar to a conventional brick once emptied of its contents.

Read more about the WOBO, 

Inhabitat � HEINEKEN WOBO: The brick that holds beer

The dirty-handed '5th guy'

The '5th Guy' is the one adult in five who does not wash his hands after using the restroom. He's also the star of a Florida Department of Health ad campaign.

Here's a heads-up on the dirty-handed '5th guy' - USATODAY.com

Top 10 Ways to Sleep Smarter and Better

10. Reduce Screen Time Before Bed
9. Exercise to Enhance Sleep
8. Eat to Enhance Sleep
7. Master the Power Nap
6. Avoid the Soul-Shattering Alarm Buzzer
5. Solve Problems in Your Sleep
4. Beat Insomnia with Visualization
3. Shortcut a Long Nap with the Clattering Spoon
2. Take a Caffeine Power Nap
1. Teach Yourself to Lucid Dream

For more details ...
Lifehacker Top 10: Top 10 Ways to Sleep Smarter and Better - Lifehacker

A Safe Give-out Phone Number

Ring-To Number gives you a way to let people call you directly without giving your actual phone number!

Callers dial the anonymous phone number and shortcode, and the call rings on the phone of your choice. Callers will not know your actual phone number when calling via your Ring-To number.

The FREE service gives you a non-local number and a shortcode. For $5 per month you can get a local number with no shortcode required.

Signing The Back Of Your Credit Cards?

The conventional wisdom says you should sign the strip on the back of your credit card immediately upon receipt. This is supposed to be a deterrent to fraud.

On a casual level, this may be true. However, how often have salesclerks actually checked the back-of-the-card signature against your receipt signature. And, if it's a digitally signed receipt, my signature seldom bears even a remote resemblance to the one on the back of the card. And, that's assuming it's not blurred or worn away altogether.

But, don't leave that strip blank, either. golbguru suggests writing "Ask for photo ID" in the space as a more effective solution.

Read more ... Sign The Back Of Your Credit Cards - Useless Fraud Prevention Advice?

Baker Mansion, Altoona, PA

Baker Mansion, a Greek Revival mansion of thirty-two rooms, was built in Altoona, Pennsylvania, between 1844 and 1847, for ironmaster Elias Baker who lived there with his family until 1914.

Home of the Blair County Historical Society since 1922, guided tours are offered through period furnished rooms and historic exhibits on such topics as transportation, leisure activities and the Civil War. Native American and railroad artifacts are on display as well as several carved oak pieces that were imported from Belgium.

The Haunted Wedding Dress at Baker Mansion is said to be the wedding dress of a daughter of a prominent local man, Mr. Bell who founded and gave his name to the nearby town of Bellwood. It's said his daughter was to be married in this dress. Visitors claim to have seen the wedding dress move within its glass case, thus the wedding dress has gained a reputation as being haunted.
Slideshow added Oct 11, 2007.

Do you know how much this is?

The Bush administration is seeking the astronomical sum of $190,000,000,000 to continue to prosecute the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan next year.

Administration seeks $190B for wars - USATODAY.com

Can you imagine the scope of this budget request? Do you grasp how much money $190 billion dollars is?

190 billion seconds would take more than 6000 years to tick off on your clock! That would buy one and a half million new Ferraris. You could provide every kid enrolled in any US school with 2 new high end computers.

The more things change ...

Hilarious!

American Trivia

Here's a really interesting bit of trivia I picked up while watching the Penn State-Michigan game on ABC.

Four American colleges have graduated both a US president and a Super Bowl quarterback.

• Miami (OH) - Benjamin Harrison, Ben Roethlisberger
• Michigan - Gerald Ford, Tom Brady
• Navy - Jimmy Carter, Roger Staubach
• Stanford - Herbert Hoover, Jim Plunkett, John Elway

The Hope Diamond

On a TV show called "Mysteries of the Smithsonian", I learned that the famous Hope Diamond was donated to the Smithsonian in 1958 by New York jeweler Harry Winston.


That however was not the interesting part. It seems Mr. Winston shipped the 45.52 carat diamond by registered U.S. mail! The total postage was $145.29. It was insured for a million dollars, but apparently Mr. Winston had a lot more confidence in the security of the USPS in 1958 than I have in it 50 years on.

Pictures from the Smithsonian Institution web site

Need to supplement your income?

Al-Qaida in Iraq offered $100,000 for the killing of Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks because of a drawing depicting the Prophet Mohammad.

Thousands offered for cartoonist's death - Conflict in Iraq - MSNBC.com

These people need to get over themselves. Somebody needs to explain to them that things like this do nothing to promote the Muslim position in the world. Only lunatics and idiots could actually believe they could win support for their cause pulling stunts such as this. Only other like-minded fools will be attracted.

Brit Cars

Last Sunday, 9 September, DelGrosso's Amusement Park in Tipton, PA, hosted an exhibition of British cars. I would estimate approximately 60 cars ranging from a 1933 Rolls up to a current Mini were on display. Most of the cars were Triumph and MG open roadsters, which were first made popular in the US by returning servicemen.

How to clean your home in 19 minutes

For those of you who are challenged in this area --

How to clean your home in 19 minutes - CNN.com

It seems like the thrust is to keep on top of things, do frequent little jobs rather than allowing jobs to grow into big chores.

The EDSEL, 50 Years On

September 4, 1957, was "E-Day", the day the much anticipated, highly promoted Edsel appeared in dealer showrooms. The name "Edsel" would become a synonym for failure.

First year sales were projected to be 200,000, but just over 63,000 rolled out of six manufacturing plants in the US. During the entire 3 year run, fewer than 111,000 Edsels were turned out. An estimated 6000 remain.

In a brief promotional scheme to boost sagging sales, new Edsel owners were given a chance to win a pony.

One of the Edsel's many innovations included ignition-transmission interlock which is standard today.


More ...
1958 Edsel Page - Wikipedia: Edsel - E D S E L

TIME's 100 Best All-time TV Shows

What are your favorite TV shows ever?

TIME magazine presents a list of their top one-hundred TV shows of all time. The 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME - TIME


My top five are shows I can watch over and over again -

• Sienfeld
• Green Acres
• 'Allo 'Allo
• One Foot in the Grave
• I Love Lucy

Use the Comments link below to add your favorites.

El Presidente once more

Speaking to Australia's Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference, Mr. Bush once again exhibited his prowess with the spoken word by, not once, but twice referring to the host organization as OPEC (the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) ...

"Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit. I appreciate -- APEC summit," President Bush said Thursday, ... . "He invited me to the OPEC summit next year -- the APEC summit." (source: ABC News)

In a related story: Was Osama Bin Laden at the APEC conference?

Bocce Ball

Earlier today, my uncle Jim introduced me to the Italian game of bocce at the Buccinese Club in Altoona. I can recall as a little kid, going with my Dad when he played bocce outdoors in Coupon on Sundays.

My experience today was enjoyable. I didn't actually play any contests. My uncle met me there about an hour early and gave me some coaching as well as a chance to practice on the court. In some ways it reminded me a lot of putting. You have to read the surface and work out the speed and the break.

I then met most of the participants and watched a contest between my uncle's team and another of the club teams. I might be interested in getting into this when the winter leagues form.

Respect Appalachian State

I'm getting really tired of everyone talking about how Appalachian State's 34-32 win over Michigan could be the biggest ever upset in all of sports, let alone college football.

Appalachian State has won two consecutive national championships in Division I-AA where there is a real playoff system. They have won their last 19 games. These are notable achievements, I don't care who you are. This isn't Temple or Florida International.

The difference (aside from actually playing off) between what used to be Division I-A and Division I-AA is 85 scholarships versus 63.

Beating Michigan was an upset. But, I think it's disrespectful to Appalachian State to say it is an upset of enormous, historical proportions.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

I received a couple of these National Guard promotional cards with movie tickets. Do you recognize the error?


Public Law 94-344, known as the Federal Flag Code, contains rules for handling and displaying the U.S. flag. If displayed flat against the wall on a speaker’s platform, the U.S. flag should be placed above and behind the speaker with the union of the flag in the upper left-hand corner as the audience faces the flag.

The National Guard really ought to know better.

Source: United States Department of Veterans Affairs

The Refurb Depot

I'm a real believer in buying refurbished products when I can. Both my Apple computers, my Kodak camera, and several other things were bought refurbished with no problems.

The Refurb Depot | #1 Source For All Things Refurbished

These products often (but, not always, check) come with the same warranty as the new product. Usually, any bugs have already shown up and been corrected.

Many refurbished items were not defective, just returned for various other reasons.

Virtual Vacation of the Weird Kind

Check out this collection of weird roadside landmarks from across the country. Remember the world's largest ball of twine from National Lampoons Vacation? It's here. So is the "Mothman" in West Virginia (The Mothman Prophecies).

Far-out Americana - MSNBC.com

Quick, Easy, Free Reverse Phone Lookup

Quick, easy, free! The only way it would be better is if it were useful, too. It is. Simply enter the area code and the phone number, click Find, and have the caller's name and address in seconds. You can also view a map of the caller's location.

Sullr : USA
Argentina, Belgium, Italy, and France are currently available, too.

Stupid US!

The video speaks for itself ...

Read with Speed

Zap Reader is a very interesting Web site I stumbled upon that may help you read faster. Watch the video clip below and take a look. It's totally free, so what have you got to lose!

ZAP Reader is a web based speed reading program that will change the way you read on your computer. Current beta testers report reading twice as much in half the time—that's a 300% increase in reading speed, without any loss in comprehension! There is nothing to install, it works with most popular browsers, and it's totally free!

If you like this, I suggest you go to the Tools link and put the bookmarklet in your bookmark bar.

10 Surprising Uses For Aspirin

Here's another collection of tips on how to get more out of common products.

10 Surprising Uses For Aspirin

I always wonder who was the first to attempt this trick and why did they try it.

More than a quarter of Americans did not read a book last year

According to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Tuesday, 27% of Americans did not read even a single book last year.Nearly a third of American men and a quarter of women fall into that classification.

They tend to be older, less educated, lower income, minorities, from rural areas and less religious.

Poll: 1 in 4 read no books last year - MSNBC.com

Ten Uses for Lemons

If you are a regular reader, you know how I love these "clever-uses-for-ordinary-things" kind of articles. This one is about the little yellow lemon.

A favorite use I have for the lemon is to freshen the food disposal in the kitchen. I just cut one up and feed it to the disposal. I liked the dishwasher tip. I'm gonna try that one.

Hippyshopper: 10 eco-friendly things to do with lemons from Eco Street

Earlier post "Aliens?"

In a comment by belin104 to an earlier post, he suggested they might be purple martin houses. I did a little Googling and found this picture of purple martin houses at BestNest.com ...
I think belin104 nailed it. This looks pretty much like the picture from Glendale Lake.

Purple martins are a bird species that migrate from Brazil to North America and Canada. They are colony dwellers, which means they live as a group in one dwelling or house with many nest compartments. While traveling north in the spring they establish new colonies and also return to old housing to breed, raise their young and eventually migrate back to Brazil for the winter season. (from Purple Martin Central)

However, I'm not totally giving up on aliens just yet :)

Happy Birthday 2 U

What's shiny, round, has a hole in the center, and more than 200 billion have been made since being introduced 17 August 1982?

Wired Blogs: Gadget Lab

How to Get Rid of Ants with Baby Powder

Apparently the baby powder disrupts the ants' scent trail which they use to navigate to and from the colony. So, ants already in your house can't find their way home and those on the outside have no trail to follow in.

How to Get Rid of Ants ~ Lockergnome’s Doing It

Once again, I have not personally verified the effectiveness of this method, but it interesting.

Looking for that one really clever idea that will make a fortune?

The Directors Bureau Special Projects Idea Generator may be just the trick for for you.

Spin the wheel and you'll get three words that may spawn the next big thing. Following are some examples of ideas I generated:

• oversized nuclear vehicle
• erotic vibrating book
• electric torture furniture
• dramatic concrete clothing
• geometric virtual furniture

Take the wheel for a spin or two. You never know what could spark that magical concept.

More on PA Bridges

Following up an earlier post about Pennsylvania's bridges -

Pennsylvania has the third largest number of bridges, but the largest number of structurally deficient bridges in the US, according to PennDOT. The average age of a bridge in Pennsylvania is 50 years old.

A structurally deficient bridge is safe, but in need of costly repairs or replacement to bring it to current standards.

For more on the states bridges, click here.

Aliens?

What in the world is this?

Click to enlarge

I took this picture earlier today at the end of the boat docks at the Prince Gallitzin State Park marina. I'm thinking they might be webcams. I really don't know. They certainly are curious looking things. If you have any idea, let me know.

What's a cubit, anyway?

Just as seven days ago, the sky opened up and dumped torrential late afternoon rains on our neighborhood. Some people were just getting cleaned up from last week's event.

The onrush of water was chasing me back to the parking lot.

Set Phasers to Stun

The Department of Homeland Security is testing a non-lethal weapon based on a powerful beam of light that would temporarily incapacitate its target. Though this AOL News article compares it to a Star Wars light saber, it makes me think more of Captain Kirk's phaser.

Penn State's Institute for Non-Lethal Defense Technologies will test the weapon this fall.

News - Feds Consider 'Light Saber' Weapon - AOL News

Just for Laughs

You wanna have some fun? Just for Laughs is just for you. I discovered this show on BBC America some time ago and now it comes to the US on ABC, Tuesday evenings from 8 to 9.

Just for Laughs is a Canadian-produced hidden camera show. It's extremely visual with virtually no spoken dialog. Facial expressions and body language tell the story. The gags are often very clever and revealing of human nature. And as it's Canadian, it isn't always as sanitized and PC as typical American TV.

It can always be counted on it to provide a truckload of smiles and laughs.

See clips from Just for Laughs ...

Hot Funn

Hot Fuzz is the most entertaining movie I've seen in some time. It's the story of London supercop Nick Angel (Simon Pegg) who is transferred to a small country village with an easygoing police force (sorry, service) where he's partnered with a lumbering partner (Nick Frost) who is fascinated by cop action films.

It's a tough transition for Sergeant Angel as a series of bizarre "accidental" deaths convinces him something really bad is going on in this seemingly perfect little village. Angel, however, is unable to convince anyone of his suspicions.

While Hot Fuzz is an hilariously funny spoof of the typical cop action movie, the crime story is intriguing and mysterious. It is a product of many of the same people who made Shaun of the Dead.

Pennsylvania's Bridges

Of 22,291 total bridges in Pennsylvania, 42.9% are either structurally deficient (5,532) or functionally obsolete (4,028). (1)

Definitions -
A structurally deficient bridge is closed or restricted to light vehicles because of its deteriorated structural components. While not necessarily unsafe, these bridges must have limits for speed and weight.
A functionally obsolete bridge has older design features and, while it is not unsafe for all vehicles, it cannot safely accommodate current traffic volumes, and vehicle sizes and weights.

For a county-by-county list of such bridges in the state, see
Deficient major bridges in Pennsylvania - Bridge Collapse - MSNBC.com

Gettin' Their Groove On

I captured these wild dancers with my phone this morning. I think they're hilarious!



They're outside the new Ashley Home Furniture Store in Altoona for the Grand Opening.

Better read the small print

I captured this from a TV commercial for CashCall. These commercials feature Gary Coleman, former star of Diff'rent Strokes.

An APR of 99.25%!!! You would have to be desperate or nuts. I can't believe it's even legal to charge this much interest. Forty-two payments of $216.55 totals almost $9100 to pay off a $2600 loan.

Transport Photos

Saturday, I took a lot of transport related pictures in the area of the Juniata bridge in Altoona. I got a series from the rail yards featuring the turntable at the Norfolk Southern Juniata shops and some trucks and trailers at Ward Corporation.

It was an extremely hazy day as you can see from the pictures. I had to do lots of post-production editing.. I just finished the rail yard pictures. The trucks are still waiting.

The new GM electric car

GM seeks a green jolt with a green Volt - MSNBC.com

"General Motors already has five hybrid vehicles on the road, but it is banking its future on a radical departure onto the green road: By 2010, the automaker hopes to have a plug-in electric passenger car in customers’ driveways."

See my earlier post about the film Who Killed the Electric Car?

We have the technology ...

I just watched a powerful, important movie, Who Killed the Electric Car?, which I would vigorously recommend seeing.

At one time, General Motors, Ford, Honda, and Toyota were manufacturing and leasing all-electric plug-in cars, primarily in response to California's 1990 Zero-Emission Vehicle Mandate. This film tells the history of the electric car in America.

Somewhat in the manner of a murder mystery, this informative, entertaining, and easily watchable film investigates the inception and demise of the electric car almost entirely through interviews with people from the auto industry, the oil industry, environmental organizations, government, and owners of electric vehicles.

For more information about electric plug-in vehicles visit PlugInAmerica.com.

Woman’s lighter sparks gas station blaze

In the immortal words of Forrest Gump, "Stupid is as stupid does!" Almost a winner of a Darwin Award.

Woman’s lighter sparks gas station blaze - MSNBC.com

Curve Game Movie

I've been working at learning how to make movies using iMovie HD which is included on all Macs. This is my most ambitious project so far, three minutes, made from five video clips, some stills, with sound effects, transitions, and titles.

Gimme another cup a joe!

For those of you who, like me, seriously enjoy your coffee, good news. Following are brief excerpts from
Up Close & Edible: Coffee - To Your Health - MSNBC.com:

"...benefits have surfaced in Robert van Dam's research. An assistant professor of medicine at Harvard University, van Dam has found a lower risk of type 2 diabetes among coffee drinkers; his research has been replicated in many countries. Other researchers have found links between coffee consumers and lower risks for breast cancer and Parkinson's."

"As for the caffeine, [American Dietetic Association spokesperson Christine] Gerbstadt says it's all about your sensitivity. For most people, 200-400 milligrams will not cause any problems. For those who are more sensitive, it may cause a jittery feeling or difficulty sleeping. The serious risks are for anyone who has high blood pressure or has had a heart attack because caffeine can cause blood pressure to rise to a risky level. Those with acid reflux or who are prone to heartburn, however, can probably sip without worry: a 2006 study conducted by researchers at Stanford University found that there was little evidence for coffee upsetting sensitive stomachs."

Another Miraculous Product

I've been an advocate of vinegar as multi-use product for some time. The applications for vinegar around the house are numerous. This article from because you value your body lists 62 interesting uses.

Some of these which I particularly like are --

• Remove stubborn coffee stains from cups and pots. Fill the cup with vinegar overnight, then rinse with hot soapy water.
• Keep a garbage disposal clean and smelling fresh. Mix one cup of vinegar in enough water to fill an ice cube tray, freeze the mixture, grind the cubes through the disposal, and flush with cold water.
• Prevent ice from forming on a car windshield overnight. Coat the window with a solution of three parts vinegar to one part water.
• Prevent lint from clinging to clothes. Add one cup vinegar to each wash load.

62 Little Known Uses Of Vinegar | because you value your body

Dozens of Tips to Save Money on Gas

wikiHow offers a pretty comprehensive listing of ways you can reduce your fuel consumption and pay less at the pump.

Some simple, easy to implement tips include -

• Don't drive a car when you don't have to
• Avoid idling
• Get a better air filter
• Slow down and drive at a consistent speed
• Anticipate stop signs and lights
• Accelerate slowly from a stop

How to Save Money on Gas - wikiHow

U.S. government web sites for everybody

There are thousands of US government web sites full of information, publications, and other resources available to everyone.

Technophilia: U.S. government web sites you didn't know you could use - Lifehacker

Super Miracle Wonder Product with Thousands of Uses

The Tacoma Wheelmen's Bicycle Club has posted a seemingly infinite list of uses for this miraculous product. And, you probably have some of this stuff around the house right now.

Among its uses --

• Removes crayon from walls and carpet
• Prevents mildew growth on fountain
• Removes tomato stains from clothes
• Camouflages scratches in ceramic tile
• Removes rust from cookie tins
• Spray on bathroom mirror to keep it from fogging
• Displaces moisture from submerged cellular phones
• Cleans clogged inkjet nozzle
• Coat wire tomato plant cages to keep insects away
• Removes snarls from horse hair & manes
• and much, much more

Click here to discover what this wonder product is.

How Hip R U?

Merriam-Webster is adding many new words to the new edition of their Collegiate Dictionary. Take the quiz and see how trendy your vocabulary is?

New Words Quiz - AOL Research & Learn

(BTW, I scored 9 of 10)

Oil by the Numbers

FYI: In the past few days, the price of gasoline at the pump has risen approximately 4%. I read a news story this morning indicating the prices of crude oil for August delivery rose between 0.12% and 0.18%.

Interpret these numbers as you will.

Where the Beer is Made

Yesterday, Ken and I visited the Straub Brewery in St. Mary's, Pennsylvania. Straub's is a family-owned and -operated brewery making beer from all natural brewing ingredients. No sugar, salt, or preservatives are used.

Free tours of the brewery are offered Monday through Friday mornings. Highlights of the tour include a bottle of Straub's pulled off the bottling line (as fresh a beer as you'll ever get), and the Eternal Tap where adults are free to enjoy up to two drafts.

FREE Shipping Materials from USPS

You can get free shipping materials from the US Postal Service, envelopes. labels, boxes of many sorts. Yes, FREE!

Why give your money to Staples when your tax dollars have already kindly bought these things for you.

Gotta love free stuff!

Ah, That New Car Smell!

Like that new car smell? Well, it might be a by-product of one of the most hazardous parts of your new car according to Toxic At Any Speed: Chemicals in Cars and the Need for Safe Alternatives, a report from the Ecology Center, a nonprofit environmental organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Air bags, seat belts, crumple zones, and so forth make cars obviously safer than ever, but the toxins released by the interior materials used in nearly all cars could be posing significant health risks.

The report went on to say that not only are vehicle drivers and passengers breathing toxic air, but are also in constant physical contact with dangerous chemicals leaching from just about every interior surface of a new vehicle. The report says these chemicals give off gases that not only contaminate the air, but also coat interior surfaces with toxic "fog," generally seen as that new car film common to new car interior windshields and windows. These are the same type of chemicals that are, "linked to birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, premature births and early puberty in laboratory animals amongst other serious health problems," according to EC. "... autos are chemical reactors, releasing toxins before we even turn on the ignition."

New Car Smell - AOL Autos

Americans and Energy

A recent Gallup Poll showed energy as the fourth most-important priority for Americans , below Iraq, terrorism and national security, and the economy.

Americans prefer energy conservation over increased production, and a majority also favors tougher emissions standards and developing alternative energy sources.

I don't think anything clarifies the attitude of many Americans as much as the following statement --

"It's not that Americans don't want to be environmentally friendly, it's just that we don't have much of a choice," Cristian Crespo wrote. "As an SUV driver, telling me that my only alternative is a Toyota Prius or a Honda Civic is like telling me to eat beef jerky when I'm used to filet mignon."

Have we reached the energy tipping point? - CNN.com

Good Numbers

This morning, I had my annual medical checkup. I'm happy to report I am in no imminent danger of cashing in my chips. In fact, my blood pressure numbers are terrific, 117/78. These numbers are in the optimal range.

Gee, I wonder if these nice numbers are in any way a result of my retirement from the public education system? Well, just a thought.

If you want to ____, press 5.

If you want to talk to a human (what a novel idea), the GetHuman 500 database will tell you how.

gethuman.com 500 database

Old Bedford Village

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon at Old Bedford Village. It is quite an interesting place. I shot nearly 70 pictures and a little bit of video of bits of the reenactment of a Napoleanic Grande Tactique.

I posted the still pictures to my Picasa Web Albums.

I compiled the video into a YouTube clip with a few stills.

Bad Boys, Bad Boys (or Girls)

The criminal mind is quite often the stupidest of minds.

I turned on the TV and the last 5 or 6 minutes of an episode of COPS was on. It seemed this skinny blond white woman had flagged down a passing patrol car. Her complaint was that she had given this black woman $20 to buy crack cocaine and been given plaster dust instead. The buyer wanted the alleged seller arrested for taking her money. Unbelievable!

10 New Uses for Dryer Sheets

Dust venetian blinds, prevent old books from smelling musty when in storage, loosen caked-on food from a pan, freshen smelly shoes, more ...

10 New Uses for Dryer Sheets | RealSimple.com:

Dutch city to implement geothermal heat

As long ago as 10,000 years, Native Americans used hot springs for cooking. However. it was in July 1904, that Italian Prince Piero Ginori Conti tested the first geothermal power plant using the earth's internal heat to generate electricity.

Hague to warm 4,000 homes with geothermal heat - USATODAY.com

More than 70 countries presently use geothermal energy commercially, accounting for about 0.42% of the world's energy supply. Over half of Iceland's energy is from geothermal sources, however the US produces the most geothermal energy from more than 40 power plants.

Learn more about geothermal energy ...
Wikipedia
RenewableEnergyAccess.com
Energy Kid's Page

A Military Solution to HP Printer Problems

I stopped using HP printers a long time ago and will never buy another one. I just discovered this morning that the expiration date on HP inkjet cartridges is on a chip on the cartridge which reads your computers clock. If you manually turn back the calendar on your computer, the cartridge still works.

Here's a fine militarily expedient solution to HP frustration --

Clever Image

This very clever image appeared in a Siemens ad in Newsweek, 9 July 2007

Tips on How to be Mosquito Unfriendly

10 Thrifty Ways to Deal with Mosquitoes including ...

• Spray garlic powder and water all over the yard.
• Plant mosquito deterring plants around your yard such as citronella, marigolds, basil, lavender, and catnip.
• Try hiding your scent. Some people are sold on the effects of using Bounce dryer sheets, Vicks VapoRub and Avon’s Skin So Soft. Some prefer eating garlic or lemons or taking B1 Vitamins.

Curiouser and Curiouser

Curious and Interesting things I learned this morning --

• The biggest threat to the US economy is a steep rise in personal savings. Since the early 80s, the US savings rate has plummeted from 10% to 0% in 2005.
• The US ranks 15th in broadband penetration among developed countries, down from 12th only a few months ago. If just one building in an entire zip-code is connected, then the FCC counts all people in that zip-code as having access wether they do or not.
• Although Michael Bloomberg won the mayoral election in New York as a Republican, he was a lifelong Democrat and his views are more closely aligned with the Democratic presidential candidates than their Republican counterparts. However, he would not be eligible to run for VP with Hillary Clinton because the Constitution does not allow a president and vice-president from the same state.
• Pepsi's Aquafina and Coke's Dasani are really just bottled municipal tap water.
  

Rainout

Yesterday was my birthday. For the first time this season, I went to a Curve baseball game. Well, that's not exactly accurate. I went to the ballpark and waited patiently for a game that would never happen to begin.

It's hardly rained all month, but, not surprisingly, it surely let loose Wednesday night. But, I got to see some people I haven't seen lately and talk a bit, so it wasn't a total 'washout'.

What are You Thinking?

What was (or was not) in the mind of the designer who created this logo? Never mind the person who approved its use.I glimpsed a TV ad for this organization some time ago and have been trying to track it down since. I looked up at the TV screen and was shocked to see a trail of what appeared to be little swastikas across the picture.

Use a Tennis Ball to Unlock Your Car Door

FYI: I don't know if this really works, I don't have an old tennis ball with which to try it. But, at any rate, it's an interesting idea.

Put a small hole in an old tennis ball. Place the hole against the keyhole in the door. Press the ball hard to force air into the lock. This supposedly will pop the lock. I remain skeptical.


Blondie Unlocks Car - Click here for more free videos

Top 10 Uses For Used Coffee Grounds

Just thought you'd like to know ...
Top 10 Uses For Used Coffee Grounds �

Deodorizer, Plant Food, Insect Repellant, Cellulite Reducer, more

What You Need to Know

Newsweek is doing s series of articles on what Americans know and don't know. Following are links to three of these stories which I think you will find interesting.

Things Americans Should Know

To whom much is given, however, much is expected. Americans remain rich beyond most of the world's imagination—rich in property, in liberty, in security. None of these things is free, and all are vulnerable, either to market reversals, to grasping leaders, to terrorists. But we cannot survive and thrive if we do not know what that world is like—what it loves, what it hates, and why.

Things Americans Don't Know

... more Americans are able to name Jordin Sparks as the winner of the most recent season of American Idol (18 percent) than can identify John Roberts as the Supreme Court’s chief justice (11 percent).

Things That Are Not Essential to Know But May Prove Useful

When dining in a restaurant, signal your server that you have finished eating by placing your utensils across the dish horizontally and face down. If you need to momentarily leave the table and do not want your plate taken away, place both utensils diagonally on the plate, such that they are leaning off the side and touching the table.

The Two Lives of Hugh Beaumont

Last night I watched an old b&w movie, The Seventh Victim, from 1943. One of the stars of this picture was Hugh Beaumont. Beaumont played a lawyer secretly married to a member of a satanic cult. Through the course of the picture, he falls in love with the younger sister of his wife.

Hugh Beaumont is better known to most of us as the Beaver's father, from the TV series Leave it to Beaver.

The interesting twist, as I see it, is that the character from the film is named Gregory WARD while his TV character is named WARD Cleaver. Mere coincidence? I wonder.

Picture from filmbug.com

Disposable Phone Numbers

Recently I published a post about temporary, disposable email addresses. A similar service is now available for phone numbers.

We've all been reluctant to give out our phone number such as in an ad or to a short-term or unknown contact. Full of useful features, Numbr gives you the option to use a disposable number that will expire after a time period you specify. And, it's FREE!

You can also get a temporary number by calling (415) 234-5678

Pennsylvania Wind Farm Goes Online

Rendell Dedicates Locust Ridge Wind Farm

Pennsylvania is already a leader in wind energy production on the East Coast with 179 megawatts of capacity, including Locust Ridge. Within the next 12 months, the commonwealth expects new wind farm projects will add another 214 MW of capacity and more than double the state’s current capacity.

From GantDaily.com

Web Browsers Color Rendering

I learned today that Web images don't look the same on the same system in all browsers. Color rendering is processed in different ways by the various browsers.

Apple's Safari browser does the best job of rendering deeper, richer colors. It's reported the next version of Firefox (v3) will render better color.

My principal browser is Camino, an OS X browser that uses the same Gecko engine as Firefox but functions similarly to Safari. I also use Firefox for some activities which are handled nicely with FF extensions.

This web site tests how well your browser renders colors. I first visited with Camino and the image appeared like the third example at the bottom. I then opened it with Safari and the image looked like the first one.

I like Safari, it's very fast. But Safari is not supported by some sites I use frequently: Google Documents and Spreadsheets, Wikispaces, or editing in Blogger. Safari is now available for Windows as a beta version.

Firefox is a somewhat slower browser with a not-very-Mac-like interface. Camino, though, not perfect, is kind of the best of both worlds.

Perfect Glass

I've long been looking for some kind of glass cleaner that would not streak or leave a fuzzy residue on the windows of my car. Furthermore, I have several large mirrored surfaces in my home that I could never get to look the way they should.

I've tried various commercial products and home-made solutions, sprays, wipes, etc . . I'd think I had the windows or mirrors really clean. Then the light or my angle would change, and I would be amazed at how horrible the glass looked. Every time I saw a new product I would try it out.

Yesterday, in Lowe's, I saw a product called Perfect Glass. It came in spray and wipes. I decided to try the wipes. I am very impressed. Though not totally 100% streak-free, the results are very, very good. I recommend this product to anyone frustrated by their inability to get clean, streak-free glass.

100% STREAK FREE
Hopes' Perfect Glass is a new 100% streak-free glass cleaner specifically developed for those who are frustrated with the haze and residue that ordinary household glass cleaners can leave behind.

INNOVATIVE FORMULA!
Thanks to it's unique no-residue formula, Hope's Perfect Glass cleans quickly and completely, leaving windows, mirrors, and other glass surfaces looking perfect!

SAFE AND PLEASANT!
Hope's Perfect Glass is ammonia free, pleasantly scented, and nontoxic. It is gentle on hands, safe for food preparation surfaces and will not harm tinted windows.

Adult(?) Responsibility

"Parents need to be parents and not their kids' friends," ... "You need to make the really difficult choices and a lot of times that means saying no."

Should Parents Be Liable For Boozing Teens? - MSNBC.com

This story is well worth reading. We wonder why kids are so irresponsible. Look at their role models!

World's Largest Tidal Turbine

1.2 MegaWatts: World's Largest Tidal Turbine To Be Installed (TreeHugger)

This is an intriguing source of green energy. Maybe they could put wind turbines on top them and multiply the energy output.

The impact on sea life may be an issue that needs more investigation.

Note: The fabrication of these turbines is being done at the same facility that built the Titanic.

Every Girl Crazy 'Bout a Sharp-Dressed Man

ESPN - Dressed to 49s: Nolan allowed to suit up at home - NFL

I love the NFL, but sometimes I wonder at the way the league tries to control every minute detail.

Recently, I learned that there is no food permitted on the sidelines during an NFL game. Now this. I understand the Reebok contract thing, but this is really kind of silly. Sew a little Reebok logo on the tie or the slacks. What's the big deal?

And, why only for home games? Anyone who's coached or played knows how superstitious coaches can be. They win a game, they want to keep everything the same, including what they wear.

Highest Paying Occupations in America

This morning, I saw a brief piece on CNN HN about the five highest paying occupations in the US. First was anesthesiologist followed by surgeon. The rest were also healthcare-related.

Having my curiosity piqued, I Googled "highest paying occupations", and checked a number of the links only to find these lists vary considerably. They do have one thing in common. Healthcare occupations dominate the top of each list.

According to CareerInfoNet, anesthesiologist is first, followed by internist, then OB-GYN, oral/maxillofacial surgeons, and orthodontists.

Careerbuilder.com lists physicians/surgeons, aircraft pilots, chief executives,electrical and electronic engineers, and lawyers/judges as the top five.

Family/general practitioners, podiatrists, lawyers, dentists, and OB-GYN are at the top of work-info.com's list.

Physicians occupy first place at bizjournals. Second is airplane pilots/navigators, then lawyers. Optometrists and college medical science teachers round out the top five.

Most of these lists provide annual income and other data.

MSN Money published a list of the 25 best- and worst-paying jobs in America. Health-related professions dominated the top end of this list with 13 of 15 top spots. Chief executive and airline pilot are the only non-health careers in the top fifteen.

"Why do financially pushy parents want their children to marry doctors? Because, as Willie Sutton said of banks, that is where the money is."

By the way, the worst-paying job in America is fast-food cook.

Stormy Friday

About 6:30 PM Friday evening a brief, but powerful storm rolled through our neighborhood.

The middle building of our group had a significantly large tree down on each side of it.

There was storm damage throughout the neighborhood. There were larger branches down all around as well as numerous smaller branches, twigs, and leaves. A neighbor's kiddie pool ended up in our backyard.