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Saturday, September 20, 2003
Organize Your Outlook Inbox
"Inbox Buddy is a revolutionary product that dramatically improves Microsoft Outlook by making the tasks you do every single day, if not every hour faster, easier and smarter. Key features include: Deleting spam before you ever see it, Color coding email by relationship (client, friend, etc), Sorting email by its relevance to you, Creating email faster and easier and a whole key of a lot more. Best of all, Inbox Buddy runs natively as a part of Outlook so learning it is a breeze, it integrates right into your inbox."
I bought a copy of this with my own money, so I guess you could call that an endorsement!
I bought a copy of this with my own money, so I guess you could call that an endorsement!
But What If They Escape From the Lab and Take Over the World?
This product is designed specifically with the goal of introducing and educating young children to the joy of pet ownership, teaching them responsibility, and preparing them to become caring pet owners. My First Pet is a multifaceted product. It's a book on pet care, an activity book, a book on fascinating world of Sea Monkeys and it also includes the most amazing of pets -- an Instant Pet. Which child can resist the magic of creating an instant colony of pets!
Incredible Stuff. Unbelievable Prices
It's American Science and Surplus. Including your classic science toys (yes, they have the drinking bird), a section of oozes, goos, and slimes, your basic glow in the dark stuff, and what the heck, why not some Russian military uniform buttons too. You need this stuff!
Everything You Need to Know About CornNuts
Including the History of CornNuts, as well How to Make Your Own Corn Nuts
Famine 1975: Who Will Survive?
Garner Ted Armstrong, a silver-haired television evangelist known for his easy charm and dark message, died on Monday. A gifted communicator, the younger Armstrong fronted The World Tomorrow on television and radio, wrote the lead editorial in the church's newspaper, and carried out the day to day administration of the various corporations.
Scary prophecies and juicy scandals. GTA's shabby life would make for a great movie.
Scary prophecies and juicy scandals. GTA's shabby life would make for a great movie.
Friday, September 19, 2003
So What Do I Wear To-Day on Talk Like a Pirate Day?
It's TALK like a Pirate Day, not DRESS like a pirate.
No TV, Please!
Jer's Blog: " . . .So we packed and moved, and I began my Life Without TV. Slowly I began to get in touch with my environment, and discovered things I hadn't noticed before. I knew we had a dog, but the two cats were somewhat of a surprise to me. They're actually kind of cute, and much fluffier than the Saturday morning cartoon cats.
The ghostly movement I used to see in the shadows at the edge of my vision turned out to be my wife, dusting and cleaning things from time to time. I've seen that sort of thing in TV commercials, but didn't people did it in real life. You know -- who believes the commercials, anyway? . . . "
The ghostly movement I used to see in the shadows at the edge of my vision turned out to be my wife, dusting and cleaning things from time to time. I've seen that sort of thing in TV commercials, but didn't people did it in real life. You know -- who believes the commercials, anyway? . . . "
And Print Your Own Monopoly Money
And Send a Monopoly Postcard
Hey! You Ate Boardwalk and Park Place!
Monopoly Chocolate Box: "These chocolates will not pass 'Go', but will proceed directly to jail behind your teeth bars! The objective is to GET RICH QUICK! The wealthiest players, either by luck or skill, are able to bankrupt the opposition and EAT their houses, hotels and playing piece. All are made of delicious solid milk chocolate. Contents include 1 game board, 1 die, 6 solid milk chocolate playing pieces, 16 solid milk chocolate houses, 8 solid milk chocolate hotels, 10 community chest cards, 10 chance cards, 12 title deeds, and 1 Monopoly money pack."
Thursday, September 18, 2003
Real Men Vote Republican
Jay Nordlinger: "Many years ago Chris Matthews--now famous on TV--hit on an interesting formulation: He said the Democrats were the "mommy party" and the Republicans the "daddy party." That is, the Democrats were "nurturers," concerned with health policy and day care. The Republicans were "protectors," taking care of national security and other manly matters. This notion is obviously galling to some. But Mr. Matthews was on to something, and we now find ourselves in a "daddy party" time.
Since September 11, many Americans have rediscovered the virtues of manliness in office. The Democrats have a job to do if they're to challenge the "daddy party" in this respect."
Since September 11, many Americans have rediscovered the virtues of manliness in office. The Democrats have a job to do if they're to challenge the "daddy party" in this respect."
SPAM Brand Merchandise
Check out these Best Sellers, including the black and white snowdomes. Snowdomes cannot be shipped in cold weather so order now for Christmas giving!
International Talk Like a Pirate Day: 1 Day to Go!
Top Ten Pickup lines for use on International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Here are a few:
10 . Avast, me proud beauty! Wanna know why my Roger is so Jolly?
9. Have ya ever met a man with a real yardarm?
8. Come on up and see me urchins.
7. Yes, that is a hornpipe in my pocket and I am happy to see you.
6. I'd love to drop anchor in your lagoon.
10 . Avast, me proud beauty! Wanna know why my Roger is so Jolly?
9. Have ya ever met a man with a real yardarm?
8. Come on up and see me urchins.
7. Yes, that is a hornpipe in my pocket and I am happy to see you.
6. I'd love to drop anchor in your lagoon.
The Super Bowl Barely Makes the Grade
"You have 10 or 12 friends over for the game, you lay out six or seven dips, maybe some chili, drink a few beers, prop up in front of the set in one of those inflatable plastic easy chairs, and at this point, your needs are simple: A little drama, a little zip, a bit of something undecided. That's all you want. A few lead changes, a key play turned in late in the half or the game, something pretty, or pretty bizarre, to watch. That's all you ask.
Does the big game deliver? Um, no, not usually (but, you know, the chili's pretty good most years, and the beer is reliable). Here's a game-by-game breakdown, complete with a letter grade for each one and a cumulative GPA for the whole 36-year Super Bowl experiment."
Does the big game deliver? Um, no, not usually (but, you know, the chili's pretty good most years, and the beer is reliable). Here's a game-by-game breakdown, complete with a letter grade for each one and a cumulative GPA for the whole 36-year Super Bowl experiment."
Was Sigmund Freud a Quack?
The Straight Dope:
"Dear Cecil:
I'm sort of surprised that you dismiss the work of Freud as mere quackery in your recent column about B.F. Skinner. No doubt Freud's theories and the therapeutic effectiveness of psychoanalysis remain open and controversial issues. But accusing the father of psychoanalysis and one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century of quackery is simply 'Freud-bashing' and serves no purpose.
--T. Mehr, via the Straight Dope Message Board
Cecil replies:
I never accused Freud of mere quackery. On the contrary, I think most fair-minded folk nowadays would agree that Freud elevated quackery to a whole new level. . . ."
Classic Cecil.
"Dear Cecil:
I'm sort of surprised that you dismiss the work of Freud as mere quackery in your recent column about B.F. Skinner. No doubt Freud's theories and the therapeutic effectiveness of psychoanalysis remain open and controversial issues. But accusing the father of psychoanalysis and one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century of quackery is simply 'Freud-bashing' and serves no purpose.
--T. Mehr, via the Straight Dope Message Board
Cecil replies:
I never accused Freud of mere quackery. On the contrary, I think most fair-minded folk nowadays would agree that Freud elevated quackery to a whole new level. . . ."
Classic Cecil.
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Art Bell Returns to Radio This Weekend
. . . as the permanent weekend host of Coast-to-Coast AM, the program he made famous. Welcome Back, Art!
The Technology That's Made Pro-Choice a Tough Choice
Perform your own Virtual 4D Ultrasound Exam.
International Talk Like a Pirate Day: 2 Days to Go!
The basics:
Ahoy! - "Hello!"
Avast! - Stop and give attention. It can be used in a sense
of surprise, "Whoa! Get a load of that!" which today makes it more of a "Check it out" or "No way!" or "Get off!"
Aye! - "Why yes, I agree most heartily with everything you just said or did."
Aye aye! - "I'll get right on that sir, as soon as my break is over."
Arrr! - This one is often confused with arrrgh, which is of course the sound you make when you sit on a belaying pin. "Arrr!" can mean, variously, "yes," "I agree," "I'm happy," "I'm enjoying this beer," "My team is going to win it all," "I saw that television show, it sucked!" and "That was a clever remark you or I just made." And those are just a few of the myriad possibilities of Arrr!
And If You're Polish, You Don't Think It's Reverse At All!
The Museum of HP Calculators displays and describes Hewlett-Packard calculators introduced from 1968 to 1986 plus a few interesting later models. There are also sections on calculating machines and slide rules as well as sections for buying and selling HP calculators, an HP timeline, collecting information and a software library
Chief Moose, Shakedown Artist
Gregg Easterbrook in TNR Online
"After the sniper attacks ended, Moose and his wife took a well-earned vacation at Marriott's Ihilani resort in Hawaii. While Moose was wandering the grounds, a security guard asked to see his room key as proof he was a registered guest. Moose claims this was racism, that he was suspected because he is African American. But the Ihilani's claim to fame is a spectacular private beach, pictured here. Security personnel at this hotel routinely ask to see room keys, to keep the un-registered out of the facility. If security wasn't keeping the riffraff off the private beach, the resort would not have been worth what Moose was paying to stay there.
Shortly after returning from Hawaii, the Post asserted, Moose wrote a letter to Marriott threatening to generate bad publicity for the company unless it gave him $200,000. This was done while Moose was still police chief of the county; Moose was threatening to harm a company he had the power to harass in many ways. That's blackmail. If Moose really was the victim of racism, he should use his First Amendment rights to say so. But justice wasn't on his mind, money was. To prevent bad press, Marriott settled for an amount believed to be slightly less than $200,000, and the company signed a confidentiality agreement, forbidding it from talking about the incident or accusing Moose of being an extortionist. Moose, in turn, is currently trying to block Montgomery County from revealing the payment on his final county-required financial disclosure form. "
"After the sniper attacks ended, Moose and his wife took a well-earned vacation at Marriott's Ihilani resort in Hawaii. While Moose was wandering the grounds, a security guard asked to see his room key as proof he was a registered guest. Moose claims this was racism, that he was suspected because he is African American. But the Ihilani's claim to fame is a spectacular private beach, pictured here. Security personnel at this hotel routinely ask to see room keys, to keep the un-registered out of the facility. If security wasn't keeping the riffraff off the private beach, the resort would not have been worth what Moose was paying to stay there.
Shortly after returning from Hawaii, the Post asserted, Moose wrote a letter to Marriott threatening to generate bad publicity for the company unless it gave him $200,000. This was done while Moose was still police chief of the county; Moose was threatening to harm a company he had the power to harass in many ways. That's blackmail. If Moose really was the victim of racism, he should use his First Amendment rights to say so. But justice wasn't on his mind, money was. To prevent bad press, Marriott settled for an amount believed to be slightly less than $200,000, and the company signed a confidentiality agreement, forbidding it from talking about the incident or accusing Moose of being an extortionist. Moose, in turn, is currently trying to block Montgomery County from revealing the payment on his final county-required financial disclosure form. "
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Betty Boop Collector's Edition Monopoly
Boardgames.com: "The Monopoly Game is proud to team up with Betty Boop to bring fans and enthusiasts this exciting collector’s item. The first board game ever to feature Ms. Boop provides players a chance to wheel and deal Betty Boop artwork, comic strips and famous films. Whether it’s Betty posing in her biker gear or infamous red dress, players will want to own all of what makes Betty a most beloved cartoon icon and an American classic."
And That's a Lot of Kelvin Koolage!
MIT scientists have cooled a sodium gas to the lowest temperature ever recorded -- only half-a-billionth of a degree above absolute zero. The work, to be reported in the Sept. 12 issue of Science, bests the previous record by a factor of six, and is the first time that a gas was cooled below 1 nanokelvin (one-billionth of a degree).
Are You Normal?
Facts about us Americans. Did you know that...
- only 30% of us can flare our nostrils
- 40% of women have hurled footwear at a man
- 50% admit they regularly sneak food into movie theaters to avoid the high prices of snack foods
- 90% believe in divine retribution
- 10% believe in the 10 Commandments
- 56% of women do the bills in a marriage
- 2 out of 3 of us wouldn't give up our spouse even for a night for a million bucks
- 44% reuse tinfoil
International Talk Like a Pirate Day: 3 Days to Go!
The Official Talk Like a Pirate Personality Inventory (TOTLAPPI): Bucko, this simple little quiz will tell ye - and everyone else - just what kind o' Pirate ye be.
Note: School Psychologists, Social Workers and Clinicians should be wary of using the TOTLAPPI when qualifying students for IDEA services, DSM IV identifications (under any axis) or as a part of any professional assessment. Medical professionals are hereby cautioned not to use the TOTLAPPI as a tool to determine appropriate medications and/or dosage. Lawyers are hereby notified that the results of the TOTLAPPI are not admissible in most state and federal courts with the notable exceptions of The Bahamas, French New Guinea, Madagascar and Wyoming.
Note: School Psychologists, Social Workers and Clinicians should be wary of using the TOTLAPPI when qualifying students for IDEA services, DSM IV identifications (under any axis) or as a part of any professional assessment. Medical professionals are hereby cautioned not to use the TOTLAPPI as a tool to determine appropriate medications and/or dosage. Lawyers are hereby notified that the results of the TOTLAPPI are not admissible in most state and federal courts with the notable exceptions of The Bahamas, French New Guinea, Madagascar and Wyoming.
The College All-Star Game 1934-1976
"Arch Ward, the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune, in 1934 came up with the idea of a pre-season game between the NFL champions and a team of college all-stars to benefit the newspaper's charity fund. All of the games were played at Soldier Field in Chicago. In the early years, the college players did pretty well against the pros. The NFL champions dominated in later years, however, losing only once after 1955. In 1976, the game was suspended and finally called off because of a heavy rainstorm late in the third quarter, with the Pittsburgh Steelers holding a 24-0 lead. That was the last game of the series. "
And remember how they could only broadcast the game in black and white because of the poor lighting at Soldier Field?
And remember how they could only broadcast the game in black and white because of the poor lighting at Soldier Field?
Monday, September 15, 2003
KGB and CIA Coffee Mugs
From the Sovietski Collection
The First Modern Miss America
"Judi Ford was a world-class trampolinist, having competed on both the national and international levels when she entered the Miss America Pageant as Miss Illinois. Her trampoline exhibition in the talent competition helped win her the title and helped change the image of women athletes."
Competing as a trampolinist was pretty far out in 1968.
Competing as a trampolinist was pretty far out in 1968.
Personalized Photo Playing Cards in a Tin
Newt's Playing Cards: "Deal yourself in for fun with this pack of photo playing cards in a tin! Your favorite photo is featured on the back of every card in this standard, 52 card deck (plus 2 jokers). You also get a matching tin to hold your cards in! Makes a uniquely personal gift for card playing friends or family members. "
International Talk Like a Pirate Day: 4 Days to Go!
Talk Like A Pirate Day Party Kit: A printable poster, an eyepatch, a button, and a greeting card.
The Humorous Vitae of (Yet Another) Tom McMahon, Attorney-at-Law
"Mr. McMahon is a shareholder and director with the "boutique" Denver law firm of Powers Phillips, P.C. He characterizes himself as "an inveterate wanderer of the desolate landscape of urban law firms." When you realize that he came to Powers Phillips after failing to last much over two years at any of his several prior firms, you understand why. Perhaps not surprisingly, his partners prefer that he mostly limit his practice to the esoteric and arcane subject of antitrust law (with the odd bit of other complex litigation thrown in for the sake of variety). That way, no one (neither clients nor partners) can know whether he is doing a good job or not, thus raising an insulating barrier against possible claims of incompetence or malfeasance." (via yet even another Tom McMahon)
Sunday, September 14, 2003
Senate Democrats Enjoy 5 to 1 Advantage in Personal Wealth
The data for this chart was taken from this CNN story. They only included the millionaires in that article, but adding in the rest wouldn't appreciably change the overall ratio.
Gets You Blitzed to the Bejeebers, and Cleans Chrome Bathroom Fixtures Too!
Off-Label Uses for Smirnoff Vodka. Evidently it will also neutralize jellyfish stings and remove grass stains too.
Please clean grass stains responsibly, but only if you're over 21.
Please clean grass stains responsibly, but only if you're over 21.
RIP, Larry Hovis
Famous Deaths: Actor and comedian best known for his role as Sgt. Carter on the long-running TV show "Hogan's Heroes", who was also a regular on "Gomer Pyle USMC" and "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In", and who guested on numerous game shows during the 1970's including "Match Game" and "The Liars Club", died Sept. 9 of cancer in San Marcos, TX at age 67.
International Talk Like a Pirate Day: 5 Days to Go!
"After requests from several teachers, Cap'n Slappy (who, in another life, has experience in The Field Of Education) and Ol' Chumbucket (who has a lot of kids) have developed a Pirate Curriculum with activities, vocabulary and such like fer the young pirates."
Download it here
Download it here
The State with the Longest Name
"The smallest state of the union, Rhode Island, also has the longest official name of any of the states: "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations". For a state that is only 37 miles wide and 48 miles long, it is notable that its shoreline on Narragansett Bay in the Atlantic Ocean runs for 400 miles.
This state was named by Dutch explorer Adrian Block. He named it "Roodt Eylandt" meaning "red island" in reference to the red clay that lined the shore. The name was later anglicized when the region came under British rule."
For a rainy day, also check out the Rhode Island Kids' Page
This state was named by Dutch explorer Adrian Block. He named it "Roodt Eylandt" meaning "red island" in reference to the red clay that lined the shore. The name was later anglicized when the region came under British rule."
For a rainy day, also check out the Rhode Island Kids' Page
