Song of the Week

"A Reason to Believe" - Rod Stewart


If I listened long enough to you,
I'd find a way to believe that it's all true.
Knowing that you lied, straight-faced, while I cried,
Still I'd look to find a reason to believe.
Someone like you makes it hard to live without somebody else.
Someone like you makes it easy to give, never think of myself.

If I gave you time to change my mind,
I'd find a way to leave the past behind.
Knowing that you lied, straight-faced, while I cried,
Still I'd look to find a reason to believe.
Someone like you makes it hard to live without somebody else.
Someone like you makes it easy to give, never think of myself.

Someone like you makes it hard to think about somebody else....
If I listened long enough to you,
I'd find a way to believe that it's all true.
I'd find a reason, a reason to believe. (oh no)
And though I want you, you're just not what I need......

Someone like you makes it hard to live without somebody else.
Someone like you makes it easy to give, never think of myself.
Someone like you makes it hard to live without somebody else.
Someone like you, like you......
I'd find a reason to believe.......

I would find a reason to believe.

Away for awhile...

Hey all,
I know it's been a long time and I'm sorry for that. I'm just leaving a quick post... I'm going home to Ontario 'til the 12th of September and while there I'll only have limited internet access so I won't be posting much until I'm back. Fear not though. I fully intend to backpost all of August so there will be plenty to read come mid-September! :)

Amby

Mysteries of Canada

As a follow-up to yesterday's post, here's an interesting site that lists a bunch of oddities, mysteries, ghost stories, biographies and neat stories about Canada. Kind of like "a Part of our Heritage" minutes on the CBC. LOL

http://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/

Frank's Slide

Here in Alberta, not too far from Lethbridge in the Crowsnest Pass there is a place called "Frank's Slide". It used to be a mining community back in the late 1800's, but thanks to an avalanche is no more.

On April 29, 1903 in the wee hours of the morning 90 million tons of limestone fell from Turtle Mountain in just 90 seconds onto the unsuspecting, sleeping town of Frank. It was primarily caused by fault lines in Turtle mountains teamed with coal mining inside the mountain and a quick freeze the night before.

Of the 600 residents of Frank 70 were killed, into the 1920's houses were still being unearthed, the entire town was not destroyed, but many fearing a similar incident moved on to New Frank, which is the present town of Frank, AB. In 1911 a Royal Commission study found the North Peak of Turtle Mountain to be structurally unstable and any remaining residents of the original Frank moved on.


http://www.frankslide.com/faq.html
http://www3.sympatico.ca/goweezer/canada/frank.htm

Playing God

I don't remember if I posted the link to this article in a past blog, so I'll post it here. This is an article on God games & movies, it briefly discusses the movies Bruce Almight, Click, and the video games the Sims and Spore.

http://nymag.com/movies/features/17294/index.html?sssdmh=dm24.89144

I found it to be an accurate, albeit brief, representation of the role of man wanting to play God. I enjoy both movies mentioned and I am, as you know, an avid Sims player. I think that a little God play is harmless as long as that it all it is, play. As long as we remember we are lesser beings under God and not equals to Him, although made in His image. I believe a little God role-playing in a game or a movie isn't harmful, but the real harm is scientists and inventors who create & genetically alter and try to be "God".

YTMND

This is another random thing I came across in my myspace blog search, it's a site that lists random and usually over-used fads, saying, pics, sound clips, etc. It doesn't honestly make a lot of sense, but if you are bored and have time to kill check it out. LOL

http://www.ytmnd.com/

" A popular internetz website founded by Max Goldberg in 2001 using the domain www.Yourethemannowdog.com , using the sound clip from Finding Forrester, a movie about a black kid and Sean Connery. This website quickly spiralled out of control and is currently a picture-sound-text based site where users make thousands upon thousands of fads. Some of the fads are good, most of the fads are absolutely overdone. The real goldmine is in the site, those not shown on the front page."
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ytmnd

MyDeathSpace

Here's one, I found this as I was looking for the articles for the blog the other day on MySpace & teens. This is a site that is "an archival site, containing news articles, online obituaries, and other publicly available information." it has sections on people from MySpace who have become deceased.
http://mydeathspace.com/

There's an article on it here:
http://informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=192500882

Song of the Week

"Sweet Violets" - Children's clapping song

There once was a farmer who took a young miss
In back of the barn where he gave her a . . . .
Lecture on horses and chickens and eggs,
And told her that she had such beautiful . . . .
Manners that suited a girl of her charms,
A girl that he wanted to take in his . . . .
Washing and ironing and then, if she did,
They could get married and raise lots of . . . .

Chorus: Sweet violets, sweeter than the roses,
Covered all over from head to toe,
Covered all over with sweet violets.

The girl told the farmer that he'd better stop
And she called her father and he called a . . . .
Taxi and got there before very long,
'Cause someone was doing his little girl . . . .
Right for a change and so that's why he said,
"If you marry her, son, you're better off . . . .
Single 'cause it's always been my belief,
Marriage will bring a man nothing but . . .
Chorus:

The farmer decided he'd wed any way,
And started in planning for his wedding . . . .
Suit, which he purchased for only one buck,
But then he found out he was just out of . . . .
Money and so he got left in the lurch,
Standing and waiting in front of the . . . .
End of this story which just goes to show,
All a girl wants from a man is his . . .
Chorus:

MySpace

So have you all noticed this MySpace craze that's been picking up momentum for the past couple of years? A little crazy no? I mean I'll admit I have a MySpace, I suppose people contact me on it, I suppose I could respond, quite frankly I wouldn't even know how. I don't know why these little tweeners run home to their computers & their MySpace relationships as if that is the be all and end all of entertainment!

Have you read the news about these "relationships" that's some scary stuff! I've read a few articles now where teens or tweens are lured in and then kidnapped, or molested or raped when they go out to meet people in real life that they found on MySpace. Oh you want to see the articles? Ok, here's some:
• Molestation http://www.da.saccounty.net/pr/060602%C2%AD%C2%AD_Richard%20Alan%20Butenhof.htm
• Teen goes to middle east http://www.lynnclassical.org/MySpaceArticles2005_2006.htm
• Another blog about some MySpace incidents http://betterthenblog.blogspot.com/2006/03/myspace-is-devil-or-its-full-of-sexual.html
• These two met on myspace, she 14, he 18. They killed her parents. http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/young/borden_and_ludwig/index.html

Now I'm not saying that MySpace is all bad, I have connected with some high school friends through it. I've also known (know) people who have met "the love of their life" on MySpace, my friends of course all being out of the "teen/tween" category. I just think that parents need to be more careful with what they are letting their kids do on the computers, especially in open forums like MySpace.

Oh and did you hear about the people who post suicide notes on MySpace and actually do themselves in? Yeah it totally happenes, creepy no? Here's some articles 'bout it:
• A 20 yr. old soldier http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12518853/
• A 17 yr old teen, the original suicide http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=6d8134fbbe964d76f864b3b9682dcb19
• The original suicide note was posted here: http://www.myspace.com/jloveb it is no longer on the site and the site has been taken over as a tribute of sorts.
• A picture post of the original site: http://jblr.ytmnd.com/

There's also creeps out there who just post inappropriate stuff that is totally accessible to minors, now I know the whole internet is accessible to minors, but bad things posted on MySpace are particularly accessible as one can come across them clicking from profile to profile unaware of where the next click may take them.
• Man graphically brags about sexual encounters with high school girls. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,217060,00.html?sPage=fnc.technology/homecomputing
•Threats against fellow students lead to charges http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=4621990&nav=3YeX
• Kids pretending to be older than they are to get on MySpace http://www.ccs.k12.in.us/Creekside/Counselors/chicagomyspace.htm

Comcast Part Six

Another thing I dislike about comcast subscribers is those people who are in an outage or without service and have digital phone as well as internet. They CALL in (on something right?) and rant at me about how they can't be without a phone for ___(insert any number of days here until next available appointment) as they have children or a sick relative or some other necessity that warrants a phone.

Hello people!! What are you calling me from then?!? Oh and I know it's your cell phone because you gave me a number to pass on to the tech to reach you at that was this phone's number, so don't tell me you can't be without a phone! You're not without a phone, you're using a phone!! You are simply without a LAN line! Give your head a shake people!

Microsoft Keybaord Shortcuts

Ever sit there at your computer typing and need to switch to another program, copy some information, open another application and have to go to the mouse, taking your hands off the keys to use the mouse and find yourself thinking "there has to be a faster way to do this"? Well I have, and so have others.

Now most people know the basic ctrl commands to copy, paste, etc. but there is a whole world of keyboard shortcuts that are built right into windows!

Here's a sampling:

Basics:
• F1: Help
• CTRL+ESC: Open Start menu
• ALT+TAB: Switch between open programs
• ALT+F4: Quit program
• SHIFT+DELETE: Delete item permanently

Word Docs:
• CTRL+C: Copy
• CTRL+X: Cut
• CTRL+V: Paste
• CTRL+Z: Undo
• CTRL+B: Bold
• CTRL+U: Underline
• CTRL+I: Italic

Commands & Folders:
• F4: Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)
• F5: Refreshes the current window.
• F6: Moves among panes in Windows Explorer
• CTRL+G: Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only)
• CTRL+Z: Undo the last command
• CTRL+A: Select all the items in the current window
• BACKSPACE: Switch to the parent folder
• SHIFT+click+Close button: For folders, close the current folder plus all parent folders

Accessibility:
• Press SHIFT five times: Toggles StickyKeys on and off
• Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for eight seconds: Toggles FilterKeys on and off
• Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for five seconds: Toggles ToggleKeys on and off
• Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK: Toggles MouseKeys on and off
• Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN: Toggles high contrast on and off

Natural Keyboards:
• Windows Logo: Start menu
• Windows Logo+R: Run dialog box
• Windows Logo+M: Minimize all
• SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all
• Windows Logo+F1: Help
• Windows Logo+E: Windows Explorer
• Windows Logo+F: Find files or folders
• Windows Logo+D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
• CTRL+Windows Logo+F: Find computer
• CTRL+Windows Logo+TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the system tray (use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus to items on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)
• Windows Logo+TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons
• Windows Logo+Break: System Properties dialog box
• Application key: Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item

More can be found at:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/keyboard.aspx
http://www.computerhope.com/shortcut.htm

Comcast Part Five

I've decided I need to set up a pre-recorded CD on my computer at work of all the commonly used phrases so I can just push a corresponding number and the program can say the phrase... these phrases would include, but are not limited to:

- Thank-you for calling Comcast my name is Amber. Can I please have the phone number on your account beginning with area code
- Thank-you. May I please have you name.
- For security purposes can I please have you verify your street address with city, state & zip code.
- Oh really? I'm sorry to hear that
- Let me see what I can do for you
- Just give me a minute while I check for outages in your area and run a quick test on your modem
- What are the lights on your modem currently doing?
- Now in order to schedule this technician I do need to let you know I need someone 18 years of age or older home for the time of the tech call and there is only ever a service fee if the problem is found not with Comcast equipment
- I am sorry but that is the soonest apointment time I have available
- Oh of coures
- I can see how frustrating that would be for you
- If I was in your situation I would feel exactly the same way
- Is there anything else I can help you with today?
- Thank-you for calling Comcast, you have yourself a lovely day.

The "ICE" Idea

This is a fwd I got that I wanted to share, Snopes says it's no hoax and it seems a pretty sound idea:

The "ICE" Idea:

A recent article from the Toronto Star, "the ICE idea", is catching on and it is a very simple, yet important method of contact for you or a loved one in case of an emergency. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is program the number of a contact person or persons and store the name as "ICE".

The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when they went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which numbers to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name to file "next of kin" under.

Following a disaster in London The East Anglican Ambulance Service has launched a national "In case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign. The idea is that you store the word "ICE " in your mobile phone address book, and with it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted "In Case of Emergency ". In an emergency situation, Emergency Services personnel and hospital staff would then be able to quickly contact your next of kin, by simply dialing the number programmed under "ICE".

Please forward this. It won't take too many "forwards" before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest.

For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc. A great idea that will make a difference!

Thought for the day...

Friends are like butt cheeks.
Crap might separates them,
But they always come back together.

Song of the Week

"She's Everything" - Brad Paisley


She's a yellow pair of running shoes
A holey pair of jeans
She looks great in cheap sunglasses
She looks great in anything
She's I want a piece of chocolate
Take me to a movie
She's I can't find a thing to wear
Now and then she's moody

She's a Saturn with a sunroof
With her brown hair a-blowing
She's a soft place to land
And a good feeling knowing
She's a warm conversation
That I wouldn't miss for nothing
She's a fighter when she's mad
And she's a lover when she's loving

[Chorus]
And she's everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
I talk about her, I go on and on and on
'Cause she's everything to me

She's a Saturday out on the town
And a church girl on Sunday
She's a cross around her neck
And a cuss word 'cause its Monday
She's a bubble bath and candles
Baby come and kiss me
She's a one glass of wine
And she's feeling kinda tipsy

She's the giver I wish I could be
And the stealer of the covers
She's a picture in my wallet
Of my unborn children's mother
She's the hand that I'm holding
When I'm on my knees and praying
She's the answer to my prayer
And she's the song that I'm playing

[Repeat chorus]

She's the voice I love to hear
Someday when I'm ninety
She's that wooden rocking chair
I want rocking right beside me
Everyday that passes
I only love her more
Yeah, she's the one
That I'd lay down my own life for

And she's everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She's everything to me
Yeah she's everything to me

Everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She's everything to me

PostSecret 3

It's Sunday, new secrets... there was an e-mail comment at the bottom of the site I found to be particularly true and I wanted to post it for y'all in case it's not ther when you go to visit the site... as in if you don't get there this week:

-----Original Message-----
Subject: biography

Today I went to Barnes and Noble to purchase your PostSecret book. I had sent in secrets that had never appeared on the website, and now felt that looking at or buying the book was a secret in itself. I was having difficulty finding it, and was reluctant to ask for help. After about 20 minutes of searching, I finally caved and asked an associate to help me find it. The woman led me right to it - in the Biography section.

I was shocked.

How can this be considered a biography? A biography of who? It was written by hundreds of strangers - how is this biographical? I sat down with the book, and began to read. I slowly realized the answer to my question. I was reading a biography of myself. Of myself and everyone else I know, or have known. None of the secrets I sent in were published, but the secrets I was reading were mine nonetheless. I felt them, I felt their reality, I knew their depth and their strength. These secrets belong to everyone. This book is a biography of the human spirit, of human nature. It is the deepest, most true biography I have in fact ever read. Most biographies leave out the secrets, those small nuggets of stark reality that people keep inside themselves. This biography is nothing but that - and for that it is invaluable.
-Georgia

http://postsecret.blogspot.com

Canstruction

For today's blog I'll post the canstruction pictures wherefrom the M&Ms picture from yesterday came from. These are some of my favourites. :-)





"A canstruction is a sculpturelike installations with unopened cans of food built by teams from architectural and engineering firms for an annual charity competition. Over 40 CANpetitions are organized each year in the US"


There are many more on the website!
http://www.canstruction.com/indexi.html

And some other websites:
http://www.canstructionvancouver.com/
http://www.sdanyc.org/canstruction.php
http://www.sdacanada.com/Canstruction/
http://www.canstruction-houston.com/
http://www.canstructionnovascotia.ca/
http://www.canstructioncalgary.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/canstruction

M&Ms A Sequel

So I found a whole bunch of random things while I was looking for the packages for yesterdays post. I decided I just had to share them. Where applicable I tried to put a linky underneath.

The actual main site: http://us.mms.com/us/index.jsp

So M&Ms originally had six flavours "The candy's original six colors were brown, yellow, orange, red, green and violet, ousted in 1949 in favor of tan, in turn replaced in 1995 by US voters' choice of blue." In 2002 purple was added.

"Mars Inc founder Forrest Mars Sr. created the candy in the late 1930s based on Spanish Civil War soldiers' hard sugar-encased chocolates. First marketed in 1941, M&Ms'similar ability to resist melting made it a staple food of World War II American GI's.
The candy, whose letters stand for Mars and co-founder Murrie, still boasts its 1954 slogan, "The milk chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hand.' "
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/worldbiz/archives/2002/06/21/141248

The website of the guy who apparently did the M&Ms chocolate river commercials:
http://jparker.freeshell.org/work.html

The commercials:
http://us.mms.com/us/fungames/tv/

This is the Pirates of the Carribean M&Ms site:
http://www.mms.com/us/potc2/index.jsp

The new mega M&Ms "As it turns out, they just doubled up on the chocolate; no freak peanuts."
http://www.bewarethecheese.com/bigmandms.htm

Of course I need the Wiki site for M&Ms: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M&M's


These are some creative ways of displaying M&Ms.




This is a really cool dispenser of all the different M&Ms colors



http://www.printablepromotions.com/NewProducts/newproducts1-04.htm
http://tedspromotions.com/M&Ms.htm
Oh and you can buy the M&Ms in colour combos of your choice on the M&Ms site:
http://www.mymms.com/customprint/index.asp?url=index.asp&sc_cid=dr_callouthome01&src=111182

This is neat, it's part of canstruction... I have a whole set of them somewhere.... maybe a post for another time :)



And this one... I came across... and well it was too funny NOT to post. LOL

Special M&Ms

I got a bag of Pirates of the Carribean M&Ms today the other day and got to thinking about how many different "special" M&Ms there are. Now by "special" I mean the ones that M&Ms puts out as a marketing ploy in conjunction with another company... or movie, or the ones that come out for "a limited time only".

My favouriet thus far are the Shrek ones in the black package. They tasted so big and fat and yummy. This is what I can find.


The Star Wars M&Ms (came out for Episode III)





Shrek M&Ms



Pirates of the Caribbean M&Ms


Holiday M&Ms (Christmas, Easter, Valentines)


Other Special M&Ms


Breast Cancer


Black & White


Groovy


Introduction of Purple


Here's a guy with way too much time on his hand :p although it was helpful for this post:
http://www.mikescandywrappers.com/candymain.html

Quote of the Day

"how is it possible, he thinks. To miss a woman whom he kept at distance so that when she was gone he would not miss her. Only then does he realize how wanting part of her and not all of her hurt them both and how he cannot justify his actions except that, well... it was life." - (Narrator) Shopgirl

August

In August it will be so hot, I will become a cooking pot.
Cooking soup of course. Why not?
Cooking once, cooking twice, cooking chicken soup with rice.

Song of the Week

"I Won't Grow Up" - Peter Pan Soundtrack

PETER PAN:
Are you ready for today's lesson?

ALL:
Yes, Peter!

PETER PAN:
Listen to your teacher. Repeat after me:
I won't grow up,
(I won't grow up)
I don't want to go to school.
(I don't want to go to school)
Just to learn to be a parrot,
(Just to learn to be a parrot)
And recite a silly rule.
(And recite a silly rule)
If growing up means
It would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree,
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up
Not me!
Not I,
Not me!
Not me!
I won't grow up,
(I won't grow up)
I don't want to wear a tie.
(I don't want to wear a tie)
And a serious expression
(And a serious expression)
In the middle of July.
(In the middle of July)
And if it means I must prepare
To shoulder burdens with a worried air,

I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up
Not me,
Not I,
Not me!
So there!
Never gonna be a man,
I won't!
Like to see somebody try
And make me.
Anyone who wants to try
And make me turn into a man,
Catch me if you can.
I won't grow up.
Not a penny will I pinch.
I will never grow a mustache,
Or a fraction of an inch.
'Cause growing up is awfuller
Than all the awful things that ever were.
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up,
No sir,
Not I,
Not me,
So there!

I won't grow up!
(I won't grow up)
I will never even try
(I will never even try)
I will do what Peter tells me
(I will do what Peter tells me)
And I'll never ask him why
(And I'll never ask him why)

We won't grow up!
(We won't grow up)
We will never grow a day
(We will never grow a day)
And if someone tries to make it
(And if someone tries to make it)
We will simply run away
(We will simply run away)

I won't grow up!
(I won't grow up)
No, I promise that I won't
(No, I promise that I won't)
I will stay a boy forever
(I will stay a boy forever)
And be banished if I don't!
(And be banished if I don't)

And Never Land will always be
The home of beauty and joy
And neverty
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up
Not me!
Not me!
Not me!
Not me!
No sir!
Not me!

Wireless Internet on a Dell

My buddy has a Dell laptop and I tried to re-install Windows XP for her. The problem was we realized AFTER we had re-installed the OS that she did not have the Dell Drivers & Utilities disc that would have her wireless network card drivers on it. Without them we, of course, were unable to surf the net on the wireless or wired connection.

After much searching I found the drivers for the Intel wireless card that Dell listed on it's website as the one that most Dell laptops use.
http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/products/compare.aspx/notebooks?c=ca&cs=CADHS1&l=en&s=dhs
The Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG.
http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/pro2200bg/index.htm
(If you need them the drivers can be found through that link.)

I also found some interesting information from Microsoft. If you ever have a machine that uses something other than Windows to search for your wireless network (i.e. Intel) then this is how you reset your Windows to default for wireless connections:

If your computer or your wireless network adapter did not come with its own wireless network software, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type ncpa.cpl, and then click OK.
2. Click Network Connections.
3. In Network Connections, click to select your wireless connection, and then click Change settings of this connection.
4. On the Wireless Networks tab, click to select the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings check box.

To start the Wireless Zero Configuration service, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type %SystemRoot%\system32\services.msc /s, and then click OK.
2. Double-click Wireless Zero Configuration.
3. In the Startup type list, click Automatic, and then click Apply.
4. In the Service status area, click Start, and then click OK.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;871122

Hamsters Part 13

Well Sugar's sickness got worse overnight and this morning when I went to give him his medicine he was dead. :(

Hamsters Part 12

So the other day GP was looking a little under the weather so today when Mark went to check on him he noticed that Sugar was really listless and had diarrhea by his bum and was breathing really shallow so he made a vet appointment and came into work to tell me about Sugar.

I got off early from work and took the boy hamsters to the vet, all of them, and the vet looked at Sugar & GP. He said GP and the other boys looked fine but Sugar most likely had a respiratory illness and needed antibiotics. He gave Sugar some of the medicine and gave me a vial to continue to give to him every 12 hours. He also told me to quarantine Sugar from the other hamsters.

The vet cost $75 (including the money for the medicine.) I went to the Petcetera to get a new cage & they cost too much, same with at Zellers & Petland so I ended up buying an aquarium and hamster toys for it and set it up in my room for Sugar. He is sleeping in it now, breathing very shallow.

Chocolate Milk

Here in Alberta there are two main providers of milk; Dairyland & Beatrice. They both make all the standard milk types Skim, 1%, 2%, Homo, cream, etc. So one would imagine that the two brands would taste alike right? Wrong! The odd part is that Beatrice tastes thicker and creamier across the scale of milk products whereas Dairyland tastes thinner but more flavourful. The most significant difference is in the chocolate milk the two companies make. Beatrice chocolate milk is rich and thick and creamy but Dairyland tastes more like chocolate.

Don't believe me? Go try for yourself, I'm sure you'll agree.

Defraging People

A woman I talked to on the phone today was going on about how she regularly defragged her hard-drive. The woman couldn't find the tools option in Internet Explorer... But she could defrag her hard-drive... Irregardless the point is that she was saying how she wished sometimes that she could defrag herself.

That got me to thinking... How wonderful would it be if at the end of every month we could run defrag. Rearrange all the little bits of ourselves that came loose over the course of the month... Put back all the wrinkles, rearrange all the fat cells, delete all the useless memory we've accumulated. Just start with a cleaned up us every month.

What would be even better would be the ability to do a system restore. Just go back to a date previous to gaining those 20 lbs. Or to a memory file before the bad thing happened... How wonderful! LOL

Sex Workers Demand Equal Rights

The sex workers of Vegas are demanding legalization of prostitution. They feel that by legalizing prostitution there will allow for more control over what does and doesn't go on in Vegas.

Vegas sex workers demand rights, respect
Posted 7/14/2006 11:44 AM ET

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Strippers and hookers are trying to get some respect in Sin City. The so-called sex workers demonstrated Thursday on the steps of the courthouse in downtown Las Vegas to call for more legal protection and decriminalization of the world's oldest profession.
Starchild, a 36-year-old former Army Reservist, stood amid rallying sex workers in Las Vegas on Thursday and boasted of his bid for a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

"And that ballot is going to say 'escort/exotic dancer,'" he said, beaming.
Protesting prostitutes, strippers and men and women of the night said they came to the downtown courthouse steps to try enable others like Starchild — active advocates for sex workers. The group called for more respect and stronger legal protections for legal and illegal workers in the sex industry. They complained that a series of new anti-human trafficking laws restrict their freedom and called for the decriminalization of the world's oldest profession.

"No one here would say prostitution is good for everyone," said Elizabeth Nanas, 33, a former prostitute and sex worker advocate who organized the rally to cap off a three-day conference.

"We're saying the attention and money should be spent on areas where there are problems."
Organizers said the conference, sponsored by the Sex Workers Outreach Project-USA, was the largest meeting of academics, advocates and prostitutes in nearly 10 years. On the agenda were discussions on police brutality, online organizing and a lecture about journalism for sex workers.

"Overall, the biggest issue was looking at criminalization policies and asking, are they doing anything to stop prostitution? Are they protecting and empowering women? Are they making our communities safer?" said Kate Hausbeck, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas sociology professor and advocate. "Are they improving the health, safety and well-being of prostitutes?"
The group met in a state in which 10 rural counties allow prostitution in 28 operating brothels.
But the nation's only legal bordellos aren't a model for advocates, said Priscilla Alexander, a 67-year-old activist with COYOTE, a sex workers' rights organization. Nevada brothels often hire women to work for just weeks at a time, require prostitutes to live on the premises and mandate costly STD tests too frequently, she said.

"Most sex workers don't want to work in those restrictive conditions," she said.
Alexander said sex workers' claims of rape and violence too often are ignored by police, and some departments use scant evidence, like carrying condoms, as cause for arrests.
But she said one of the most pressing threats to sex workers were anti-human trafficking laws passed on the federal and state level that can be interpreted as applying to strippers, dancers and escorts.

"Most human trafficking is not about sex work, it's about construction," Alexander said.
Federal officials say 14,500 to 17,500 people are trafficked to the United States a year; about 75% of federal prosecutions have involved sex trafficking.

"We just want the government off our backs," said Starchild, adding he used the conference to link up with other sex workers interested in restoring the "spirituality and dignity" the profession enjoyed in Elizabethan England.
"We're like courtesans," he said.

Hausbeck acknowledged that the political climate may not be ripe for a mass decriminalization movement.

But she and other advocates won the sympathy of 76-year-old Mary Ellen Hopkins, a quilting expert who held a seminar in the conference room next to the sex workers' meeting.
Hopkins said she and the quilters at first laughed at their neighbors and then listened to their arguments. She ended up outside the courthouse addressing reporters in front of a banner reading, "Support your local sex worker."

"I think it's better to legalize it," she said. "If you legalize it, maybe you'll get rid of all the ugly stuff that comes with it."

Song of the Week

"It Is Well With My Soul" - Traditional 19th Century Shanty/Philip Paul Bliss (M - Ville de Havre) and Horatio Gates Spafford (L) - c.1820/1876

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.


The words to this hymn was written after two major traumas in Spafford's life. The first was the Great Chicago Fire of October 1871, which ruined him financially. Shortly after, while crossing the Atlantic, all four of Spafford's daughters died in a collision with another ship. Spafford's wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram: "SAVED ALONE." Several weeks later, as Spafford's own ship passed near the spot where his daughters died, he was inspired to write these words.

Bliss originally named the tune "Ville de Havre" after the ship on which Spafford's four girls perished, the SS Ville de Havre. Ironically, Bliss himself died in a tragic train wreck shortly after writing this music.

http://www.the-synergy.com/lyrics/itiswell.html
http://www.perfessorbill.com/index2.htm

Two- Tone Lobsters

This is something I had never seen before, two-toned lobsters. Half looks cooked while the other half looks like a normal uncooked lobster.

Maine Lobsterman Pulls Up Rare Lobster

BAR HARBOR, Maine Jul 14, 2006 (AP)— An eastern Maine lobsterman caught a lobster this week that looks like it's half-cooked.

The lobster caught by Alan Robinson in Dyer's Bay that is a typical mottled green on one side; the other side is a shade of orange that looks cooked.

Robinson, of Steuben, donated the lobster to the Mount Desert Oceanarium. Staff members say the odds or finding a half-and-half lobster are 1 in 50 million to 100 million. By comparison, the odds of finding a blue lobster are about 1 in a million.

Robinson, who has been fishing for more than 20 years, said he didn't know what to think when he spotted the odd creature in his trap.

"I thought somebody was playing a joke on me," Robinson said. "Once I saw what it was … it was worth seeing."

Bette Spurling, who works at the oceanarium, said lobster shells are usually a blend of the three primary colors: red, yellow and blue. Those colors mix to form the greenish-brown color of most lobsters. This lobster, though, has no blue in half of its shell, she said.

Bernard Arseneau, a former manager at the oceanarium's lobster hatchery, said lobsters also have a growth pattern in which the two sides develop independently of each other.

The oceanarium has received only three two-toned lobsters in its 35 years of existence, staff members said.

Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2194606

Peter's Drive-In

In Calgary there is this little restaurant called Peter's Drive-In. This is THE PLACE TO GO in Calgary for a bite to eat. There milkshakes are to die for and come in about 20 different flavours. Their prices are dirt cheap for the size of the proportions and there is always a line-up.

Milkshake flavours include:
chocolate
strawberry
banana
root beer
vanilla
butterscotch
maple
pineapple
licorice
crushed maple walnut
rum & butter
bubblegum
orange
cherry
grape
lemon
peach
lime
blackberry
marshmallow
raspberry
blueberry
creme de menthe

"This unassuming place is legendary with Calgarians in the know, and it's so popular that lines to the drive-through are constantly packed. Burgers and milkshakes are the main draw. Everything is made fresh daily, and the portions are more than substantial. Hot, crisp fries and onion rings make the perfect accompaniment; you know they haven't just come out of the freezer by their texture and flavor. Of course, the food isn't the height of healthful cooking, but it's not often you find offerings this authentic. Toss caution to the wind and enjoy drive-in food like it used to be made. There's always time for dieting later." - http://www.10best.com/Calgary/Restaurants/Lunch/index.html?businessID=50014


Wiki: Peter's Drive-in, 219 16 Ave NE, +1 403 277-2747. Peter's Drive-In is a classic drive-through burger joint. Great fries, burgers and milkshakes at slightly high prices, but higher quality (and large portions -- watch out for the "large" = shoebox of fries). Well known throughout Alberta. Rather than waiting in the drive-through line, park in the adjacent lot and walk up to the front windows; you'll get faster service, and you can eat on one of the picnic tables. Burger, shake and onion rings will cost about $8. Please note that Peter's Drive-in only accepts cash as a form of payment. They serve the finest milkshake in the city; thick and made with real fruit (over 20 flavours!).
http://wikitravel.org/en/Calgary#Budget

Reviews:
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2799855-peter_s_drive_in_calgary-i

National Film Board Cartoons

This is a website that has all those old horrible Natiaonl Film Board of Canada animated shorts, including everyone's favourite... "The Sweater"

http://www.nfb.ca/animation/objanim/en/films/


Jer if you are reading this, yes I stole this link from your blog, and no I didn't feel it would be easier to just create a link to your post. LOL

Oh allright... here's the link to Jer's site 'cuz I know you're all dying to know who Jer is now:
http://jmnlman.blogspot.com/

Backing up Outlook Express

I (as you've probably guessed) am backing up my computer and trying to find a way to backup all my Outlook Express files... despite my normal chagrin with the Microsoft website I actually found an article of value in their knowledge base:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270670

Here are the highlights:

Copy Mail Files to a Backup Folder
To make a backup copy of your Outlook Express e-mail message files:

1.On the Tools menu, click Options.
2.On the Maintenance tab, click Store Folder.
3.Select the folder location, and then press CTRL+C to copy the location.
4.Click Cancel, and then click Cancel again to close the dialog box.
5.Click Start, and then click Run.
6.In the Open box, press CTRL+V, and then click OK.
7.On the Edit menu, click Select All.
8.On the Edit menu, click Copy, and then close the window.
9.Right-click any empty space on your desktop, click New, and then click Folder.
10.Type mail backup for the folder name, and then press ENTER.
11.Double-click the Mail Backup folder to open it.
12.On the Edit menu, click Paste.
13.Close the Mail Backup window.

Export the Address Book to a File
NOTE: This step is very important when multiple Identities are in use. A .WAB (Windows Address Book) file is used by Outlook Express 5.x and 6.0 versions, even if multiple Identities are used. The individual data for each Identity is stored in a folder, by user name, within the .WAB file in use.Exporting this data, while logged in to a specific Identity, is the only means of segregating the Address Book data. If the .WAB file becomes dissociated from the user Identities, the data can only be exported in total - not folder by folder.Another reason to export the .WAB file to a .csv file is that if the .WAB file is shared with Microsoft Outlook, the addresses are stored in the *.pst file in Outlook. When you export the file from the Outlook Express File menu to a *.csv file it exports the correct contacts. If the Address Book is shared with Microsoft Outlook, you are not able to export from within the Address Book on the File menu. This option is dimmed or not available.To export your Outlook Express address book:

1.On the File menu, click Export, and then click Address Book.
2.Click Text File (Comma Separated Values), and then click Export.
3.Click Browse.
4.Locate the Mail Backup folder that you created.
5.In the File Name box, type address book backup, and then click Save.
6.Click Next.
7.Click to select the check boxes for the fields that you want to export, and then click Finish.
8.Click OK and then click Close.

Export the Mail Account to a File
To make a backup copy of your Outlook Express mail account:

1.On the Tools menu, click Accounts.
2.On the Mail tab, click the mail account that you want to export, and then click Export.
3.In the Save In box, locate the Mail Backup folder on your desktop, and then click Save.
4.Repeat these steps for each mail account that you want to export.
5.Click Close.

Import Messages from the Backup Folder
To import your Outlook Express e-mail messages from the Backup folder:

1.On the File menu, point to Import, and then click Messages.
2.In the Select an e-mail program to import from box, click Microsoft Outlook Express 5 or Microsoft Outlook Express 6, and then click Next.
3.Click Import mail from an OE5 store directory or Import mail from an OE6 store directory, and then click OK.
4.Click Browse, and then click on the Mail Backup folder on your desktop.
5.Click OK, and then click Next.
6.Click All folders, click Next, and then click Finish.

Import the Address Book File
To import your Outlook Express address book:
1.On the File menu, click Import, and then click Other Address Book.
2.Click Text File (Comma Separated Values), and then click Import.
3.Click Browse.
4.Locate the Mail Backup folder on your desktop, click the address book Backup.csv file, and then click Open.
5.Click Next, and then click Finish.
6.Click OK, and then click Close.

Import the Mail Account File
To import your Outlook Express mail account file:

1.On the Tools menu, click Accounts.
2.On the Mail tab, click Import.
3.In the Look In box, locate the Mail Backup folder on your desktop.
4.Click the mail account that you want to import, and then click Open.
5.Repeat these steps for each mail account that you want to import.
6.Click Close.

Backup MSN Emoticons

When you need to wipe your computer, or just move to a new one here's a way to backup msn... well the pictures within it anyways.

Under "Backup your MSN Display Pictures & Emoticons" (about hafl-way down the page)
Download this program: CEDP-Backup-Wizard.zip (do not download the one called CEDP-Backup-Setup.exe without reading the warning later on.)
at http://www.sherv.net/

and then run it, it will prompt you for your username & then a location to download the emoticons, display pics, etc. to. Select a location and Voila! all backed up.

Alas there is no easy way to get the emoticons back in your msn save for adding them one at a time. :(

These are some other utilities. The other cedp one works well for stealing other users userpics... but be warned they come with spyware.
http://www.sherv.net/

Also this is how you can apparently backup msn, but I've not had much luck with it. :(
http://www.baisoft.it/msnbackup_english.asp

Metrosexuals

I was watching South Park re-runs again and came across the episdoe where everyone in South Park turns metrosexual... like so many other things on South Park this is actually based on fact, people who actually dress gay and have affeminate qualities but are not in fact gay.


Metrosexuals

"Metrosexuality is, according to British journalist Mark Simpson, the trait of an urban male of any sexual orientation who has a strong aesthetic sense and spends a great amount of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle. Simpson coined the term in 1994 in an article in the The Independent [1] after writing his book about contemporary masculine identity Male Impersonators: Men Performing Masculinity. Simpson described the effect of consumerism and media proliferation, particularly the men’s style press, on traditional masculinity."

Read more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrosexual

Song of the Week

"You're Beautiful" - James Blunt


My life is brilliant.

My life is brilliant.
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I'm sure.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that,
'Cause I've got a plan.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

Yeah, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
Flying high, [ - video/radio edited version]
Fucking high, [ - CD version]
And I don't think that I'll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last till the end.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it's time to face the truth,
I will never be with you.

Webby Nominees

There's this online radio I listen to called Accuradio, awhile back they were up for a Webby award... these are the nominees in some of the categories... alas the Webby's are over but these sites are still interesting:

SOCIAL NETWORKING:
Bebohttp://www.bebo.com/
Flickrhttp://www.flickr.com/
JDatehttp://www.jdate.com/
MySpace.comhttp://www.myspace.com/
Xfirehttp://www.xfire.com/

ONLINE RADIO:
AccuRadiohttp://www.accuradio.com/
KEXP.ORGhttp://www.kexp.org/
NPR.orghttp://www.npr.org/awards/2005/webby2.html
Voiceshttp://www.bbc.co.uk/voices
Youth Radiohttp://www.youthradio.org/

BROADBAND
CBC Digital Archives Websitehttp://www.cbc.ca/archives FourDocshttp://www.channel4.com/fourdocs
FRONTLINE/Worldhttp://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/
Google Earthhttp://earth.google.com/
IFILMhttp://www.ifilm.com/

HUMOR:
McSweeney's Internet Tendencyhttp://www.mcsweeneys.net/
The League of Thinning Menhttp://www.leagueofthinningmen.com/
The Onionhttp://www.theonion.com/
The Smoking Gunhttp://www.thesmokinggun.com/
Weird TVhttp://www.weird.tv/

NETART:
Color of Soundhttp://concretethestudio.com/colorofsound
justcurio.ushttp://www.justcurio.us/
PostSecrethttp://postsecret.blogspot.com/

RELIGION:
Beliefnethttp://www.beliefnet.com
NPR: This I Believehttp://www.npr.org/awards/2005/webby10.html
Religion & Ethics Newsweeklyhttp://www.pbs.org/religion
Speaking of Faithhttp://speakingoffaith.org/
What Is Enlightenment?http://wie.org/

NEWS:
BBC Newshttp://news.bbc.co.uk/
Guardian Unlimitedhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/
NPR.orghttp://www.npr.org/awards/2005/webby3.html
The Onionhttp://www.theonion.com/
Yahoo! News: Kevin Sites in the Hot Zonehttp://hotzone.yahoo.com/

Chronicles of Amber

This is something my best bud Steve sent me awhile ago, I don't think I've posted it... Apparently I'm more famous than I thought! LOL

The Chronicles of Amber

The Chronicles of Amber is a popular fantasy series by Roger Zelazny. It has inspired a roleplaying game, and a video game.

In the Amber stories, Amber and the Courts of Chaos are the only two true worlds; all others, including our Earth, are but "shadows" of the tension between them. Royals of Amber (and in the second series, the equivalent Chaos nobility) can freely travel through the shadows and alter them, but they cannot alter Amber itself.

Read more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Amber



And no Steve I had never seen this before.

Best of craigslist Part 2

One in particular I just had to share... :)

Office Poop survival guide:

We've all been there but don't like to admit it. As much as we try to convince ourselves otherwise, the WORK POOP is inevitable. For those who hate pooping at work, following is the Survival Guide for taking a dump at work.

CROP DUSTING: When farting, you walk briskly around the office so the smell is not in your area and everyone else gets a whiff but doesn't know where it came from. Be careful when you do this. Do not stop until the full fart has been expelled. Walk an extra 30 feet to make sure the smell has left your pants.

FLY BY: This is the act of scouting out a bathroom before pooping. Walk in and check for other poopers. If there are others in the bathroom, leave and come back again. Be careful not to become a REQUENT FLYER. People may become suspicious if they catch you constantly going into the bathroom.

ESCAPEE: This is a fart that slips out while taking a leak at the urinal or forcing a poop in a stall. This is usually accompanied by a sudden wave of embarrassment. If you release an escapee, do not acknowledge it. Pretend it did not happen. If you are standing next to the farter in the urinal, pretend you did not hear it. No one likes an escapee. It is uncomfortable for all involved. Making a joke or laughing makes both parties feel uneasy.

JAILBREAK: When forcing a poop, several farts slip out at a machine gun pace. This is usually a side effect of diarrhea or a hangover. If this should happen, do not panic. Remain in the stall until everyone has left the bathroom to spare everyone the awkwardness of what just occurred.

COURTESY FLUSH: The act of flushing the toilet the instant the poop hits the water. This reduces the amount of air time the poop has to stink up the bathroom. This can help you avoid being caught doing the WALK OF SHAME.

WALK OF SHAME: Walking from the stall, to the sink, to the door after you have just stunk the bathroom. This can be a very uncomfortable moment if someone walks in and busts you. As with farts, it is best to pretend that the smell does not exist. This very uncomfortable walk can be avoided with the use of the COURTESY FLUSH.

OUT OF THE CLOSET POOPER: This is a colleague who poops at work and is damn proud of it. You will often see an Out Of The Closet Pooper enter the bathroom with a newspaper or magazine under his or her arm. Always look around the office for the Out Of The Closet Pooper before entering the bathroom.

THE POOPING FRIENDS NETWORK (P.F.N): A group of co-workers who band together to ensure emergency pooping goes off without incident. This group can help you to monitor the hereabouts of Out Of The Closet Poopers, and identify SAFE HAVENS.

SAFE HAVENS: A Safe Haven is a seldom-used bathroom somewhere in the building where you can least expect visitors. Try floors that are predominantly of the opposite sex. This will reduce the odds of a pooper of your sex entering the bathroom.

TURD BURGLAR: This is someone who does not realize that you are in the stall and tries to force the door open. This is one of the most shocking and vulnerable moments that can occur when taking a poop at work If this occurs, remain in the stall until the Turd Burglar leaves. This way you will avoid all uncomfortable eye contact.

CAMO-COUGH: A phony cough that alerts all new entrants into the bathroom that you are in a stall is called a Camo-Cough. This can be used to cover-up a WATERMELON, or to alert potential Turd Burglars. The Camo-Cough is very effective when used in conjunction with an ASTAIRE.

ASTAIRE: A subtle toe-tap that is used to alert potential Turd Burglars that you are occupying a stall. This will remove all doubt that the stall is occupied. If you hear an Astaire, leave the bathroom immediately so the pooper can poop in peace.

WATERMELON: A watermelon is a big poop that creates a loud splash when hitting the toilet water. This is also an embarrassing incident. If you feel a Watermelon coming on, create a diversion. See CAMO-COUGH.

HAVANA OMELET: A case of diarrhea that creates a series of loud splashes in the toilet water. Often accompanied by an Escapee. Try using a Camo-Cough with an Astaire.

UNCLE TODD: An Uncle Todd is a bathroom user who seems to linger around forever. This person could spend extended lengths of time in front of the mirror or sitting on the pot. An Uncle Todd makes it difficult to relax while on the crapper, as you should always wait to poop when the bathroom is empty. This benefits you as well as other bathroom attendees.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/171960631.html

Best of craigslist

These are hilarious! They are the best of craigslist articles:

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/

If you have time give them a read, they are absolutely priceless & so hard to describe, some are ads for things, others replies to postings, some just random... all sooo funny!

Barometric Pressure

What is barometric pressuer? Have you ever wondered as you read the news what exactly a kilopascel was and how it effected barometric pressure... in fact what the heck barometric pressure actually is? I know I have... so here's the anser:

Barometric pressure, otherwise known as atmospheric pressure is the pressure exerted by the weight of the column of air above a given point, expressed in kilopascals. Generally speaking, when the barometric pressure is high, the air is sinking, usually resulting in fair weather. When the barometric pressure is low or falling, air is rising, usually resulting in cloudy skies and precipitation.

http://www.gozoweather.com/glossary.shtml

Mentos & Diet Coke

The Extreme Diet Coke & Mentos Experiments:What happens when you combine 200 liters of Diet Coke and over 500Mentos mints? It's amazing and completely insane.The first part of this video demonstrates a simple geyser, and thesecond part shows just how extreme it can get. Over one hundred jets ofsoda fly into the air in less than three minutes.It's a hysterical and spectacular mint-powered version of the BellagioFountains in Las Vegas, brought to you by the mad scientists atEepyBird.com.

http://eepybird.com/

http://media.revver.com/broadcast/27335/video.mov/13970

Mentos Explosion - Soda Bottle Eruption

Mentos + Pop = Fun Words cannot begin to describe the awesome eruption that is created from adding Mentos candies to a 2-liter bottle of soda. The eruption is enormous... and so is the learning if you consider the chemistry.

Materials:
A roll or box of Mentos (candy mints) and a 2-liter bottle of diet soda. Either diet or regular soda will work for this experiment, but diet soda is less sticky when you're cleaning it up!

Experiment:
1. This activity is probably best done outside in the middle of an abandoned field, or better yet, on a huge lawn.

2. Carefully open the bottle of soda. Position the bottle on the ground so that it will not tip over.

3. Unwrap the whole roll of Mentos. The goal is to drop all of the Mentos into the bottle of soda at the same time (which is trickier than it looks). One method for doing this is to roll a piece of paper into a tube just big enough to hold the loose Mentos. You'll want to be able to position the tube directly over the mouth of the bottle so that all of the candies drop into the bottle at the same time.

4. Don't drop them into the bottle just yet! Warn the spectators to stand back. Okay, you're going to drop all of the Mentos into the bottle at the same time and then get truckin' (move out of the way... so long... bye- bye... hasta la vista!)

5. It's just like fireworks on the 4th of July. The spectators erupt, of course, in a chorus of ooohs and ahhhs. Someone yells out, "Do it again" and you do.

Results:
Here's the question of the day... Why do Mentos mixed with soda produce this incredible eruption? You should know that there is considerable debate over how and why this works. While we offer the most probable explanations below, we also understand and admit that other explanation could be possible... and we welcome your thoughts.As you probably know, soda pop is basically sugar (or diet sweetener), flavoring, water and preservatives. The thing that makes soda bubbly is invisible carbon dioxide gas, which is pumped into bottles at the bottling factory using tons of pressure. Until you open the bottle and pour a glass of soda, the gas mostly stays suspended in the liquid and cannot expand to form more bubbles, which gases naturally do. But there's more...If you shake the bottle and then open it, the gas is released from the protective hold of the water molecules and escapes with a whoosh, taking some of the soda along with it. What other ways can you cause the gas to escape? Just drop something into a glass of soda and notice how bubbles immediately form on the surface of the object. For example, adding salt to soda causes it to foam up because thousands of little bubbles form on the surface of each grain of salt.Many scientists, including Lee Marek, claim that the Mentos phenomenon is a physical reaction, not a chemical one. Water molecules strongly attract each other, linking together to form a tight mesh around each bubble of carbon dioxide gas in the soda. In order to form a new bubble, or even to expand a bubble that has already formed, water molecules must push away from each other. It takes extra energy to break this "surface tension." In other words, water "resists" the expansion of bubbles in the soda.When you drop the Mentos into the soda, the gelatin and gum arabic from the dissolving candy break the surface tension. This disrupts the water mesh, so that it takes less work to expand and form new bubbles. Each Mentos candy has thousands of tiny pits all over the surface. These tiny pits are called nucleation sites - perfect places for carbon dioxide bubbles to form. As soon as the Mentos hit the soda, bubbles form all over the surface of the candy. Couple this with the fact that the Mentos candies are heavy and sink to the bottom of the bottle and you've got a double-whammy. When all this gas is released, it literally pushes all of the liquid up and out of the bottle in an incredible soda blast. You can see a similar effect when cooking potatoes or pasta are lowered into a pot of boiling water. The water will sometimes boil over because organic materials that leach out of the cooking potatoes or pasta disrupt the tight mesh of water molecules at the surface of the water, making it easier for bubbles and foam to form. When a scoop of ice cream is added to root beer, the "float" foams over for essentially the same reason. The surface tension of the root beer is lowered by gums and proteins from the melting ice cream, and the CO2 bubbles expand and release easily, creating a beautiful foam on topNext question... Why should you use diet Coke or diet Pepsi? The simple answer is that diet soda just works better than regular soda. Some people speculate that it has something to do with the artifical sweetner, but the verdict is still out. More importantly, diet soda does not leave a sticky mess to have to clean up. Hey, that's important.What's the record for the biggest Mentos fountain? My official record is a 18 foot blast that shot up and almost took out a half million dollar, high-definition television camera. You'll find video on-line at www.SteveSpanglerScience.com of some of our favorite eruptions.On a personal note... I've performed this demonstration well over a thousand times - on television, talk shows, science conventions, teacher associations, for CEO's at huge motivational speaking rallies, for Nobel Prize winners and anyone else who might watch. And the reaction is always the same... that's amazing! My thanks to Lee Marek who originally shared the Mentos idea with me and to the hundreds of teachers and science enthusiasts who continue to share their funny pictures, videos and experiences.

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000109

Song of the Week

"The Love Song" - Jeff Bates

First time I felt it, think I was five years old.
I was scared, had a nightmare; Momma was there for me to hold.
Daddy, he was different; he never said it much,
But I heard him loud and clear when he brought home that ball and glove.
Then it took on a brand new meaning,
I wasn't just a boy no more, when she moved in next door.

Where you from? What's your name?
Wanna go to my game?
Got the keys to my Dad's old truck.
Turn the radio off to remember the song,
We held hands and there we was,
Love.

Pages kept on turnin', there I was with someone else.
First time in my lifetime, I wasn't livin' for myself.
I knew I wasn't fallin', anywhere I'd fell before.
This place was different: it was deeper, it was more.
Then it took on a brand new meaning,
Yeah, it was strong and it was true, knew what I had to do.

Found a ring, hit my knees,
Couldn't talk, couldn't breathe,
My heart had me all choked up.
Said: "I do," as we cried; wedding bells,
Waved goodbye, the whole church knew it was:
Love.

Then it took on a brand new meaning,
When the doctor said: "It's time to watch your miracle arrive."

Thank the Lord, cut the cord.
Take her home, help her grow.
And complete the circle of love.
Love.

That's the circle of love.

File Cannot Be Deleted...

Ever get the error message "The file cannot be deleted because it is being used by another program"? and don't you just want to HIT something!! You've tried everything and that stupid little program WILL NOT go away!! Well fear not... here's a solution:

VDelete - Can't Delete Files or Folders

Checkpoints/workarounds: Test the Delete after each suggestion.

Submitted by: Una: 9/2005

1) Log into Windows as another user.

2) Open Windows Explorer and navigate to: \Documents and Settings\UserName <--user name with the bad files.

3) Go to Tools Folder Options and click the View tab. Make sure all settings that hide files are turned off. You want to make sure allfiles are visible before the next step.

4) Move all the files in the Desktop folder to another location (well all except the problem files...if those could be moved you wouldn't bein this predicament!).

5) Open a command prompt and navigate to the above location.

6) Enter this command which deletes the Desktop folder and its contents: "RD /S Desktop".

7) Create a new Desktop folder.

8) Move everything back.

9) Log off, then log in again as the original user.

Polka Dot Door Theme Song

Remember the 80's show Polka Dot Door? With Bear, Marigold, Humpy, Dumpty and of course Polkaroo. Well I was one of the die-hard fans... truthfully 'til I was far too old to have any business watching such a show! LOL In tribute to one of my favourite kid's shows of all time I give you... the polka dot door theme song lyrics!

The Polka Dot Door
The Polka Dot Door
Let's peek through the Polka Dot Door
Songs and stories and so much more
Through the Polka Dot Door

This is the time we always say
Get ready, get set for [fill in the day's theme here, such as Dress-up or Imagination or Animal] Day
[This line varied according to the day's theme]
So come in
The Polka Dot way

The days:
Treasure Day
Imagination Day
Dress-up Day
Animal Day
Finding out Day






Wiki on Polka Dot Door:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polka_Dot_Door

Oh and some other TVO kids' theme songs:
http://www.angelfire.com/tv2/tvothemesongs/

IMDB on Polka Dot Door:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168367/

A funny thread:
http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3126108

What is the nation coming to?

There is apparently a group of Americans who can't grasp the simple concept of spelling. This group is wanting to change the spelling of the English language to make it "simpler." They say it will help literacy of children as they will be able to learn to read quicker. It's truly sad they can't just figure out how to spell!

Here's the article:

Push for simpler spelling persists
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jul 5, 5:23 PM ET

WASHINGTON - When "say," "they" and "weigh" rhyme, but "bomb," "comb" and "tomb" don't, wuudn't it maek mor sens to spel wurdz the wae thae sound?

Those in favor of simplified spelling say children would learn faster and illiteracy rates would drop. Opponents say a new system would make spelling even more confusing.

Eether wae, the consept has yet to capcher th publix imajinaeshun.

It's been 100 years since Andrew Carnegie helped create the Simplified Spelling Board to promote a retooling of written English and President Theodore Roosevelt tried to force the government to use simplified spelling in its publications. But advocates aren't giving up.

They even picket the national spelling bee finals, held every year in Washington, costumed as bumble bees and hoisting signs that say "Enuf is enuf but enough is too much" or "I'm thru with through."

Thae sae th bee selebraets th ability of a fue stoodents to master a dificult sistem that stumps meny utherz hoo cuud do just as wel if speling were simpler.

"It's a very difficult thing to get something accepted like this," says Alan Mole, president of the American Literacy Council, which favors an end to "illogical spelling." The group says English has 42 sounds spelled in a bewildering 400 ways.

Americans doen't aulwaez go for whut's eezy — witnes th faeluer of th metric sistem to cach on. But propoenents of simpler speling noet that a smatering of aulterd spelingz hav maed th leep into evrydae ues.

Doughnut also is donut; colour, honour and labour long ago lost the British "u" and the similarly derived theatre and centre have been replaced by the easier-to-sound-out theater and center.

"The kinds of progress that we're seeing are that someone will spell night 'nite' and someone will spell through 'thru,'" Mole said. "We try to show where these spellings are used and to show dictionary makers that they are used so they will include them as alternate spellings."

"Great changes have been made in the past. Systems can change," a hopeful Mole said.
Lurning English reqierz roet memory rather than lojic, he sed.

In languages with phonetically spelled words, like German or Spanish, children learn to spell in weeks instead of months or years as is sometimes the case with English, Mole said.

But education professor Donald Bear said to simplify spelling would probably make it more difficult because words get meaning from their prefixes, suffixes and roots.

"Students come to understand how meaning is preserved in the way words are spelled," said Bear, director of the E.L. Cord Foundation Center for Learning and Literacy at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Th cuntry's larjest teecherz uennyon, wuns a suporter, aulso objects.

Michael Marks, a member of the National Education Association's executive committee, said learning would be disrupted if children had to switch to a different spelling system. "It may be more trouble than it's worth," said Marks, a debate and theater teacher at Hattiesburg High School in Mississippi.

E-mail and text messages are exerting a similar tug on the language, sharing some elements with the simplified spelling movement while differing in other ways. Electronic communications stress shortcuts like "u" more than phonetics. Simplified spelling is not always shorter than regular spelling — sistem instead of system, hoep instead of hope.

Carnegie tried to moov thingz along in 1906 when he helpt establish and fund th speling bord. He aulso uezd simplified speling in his correspondens, and askt enywun hoo reported to him to do the saem.

A filanthropist, he becaem pashunet about th ishoo after speeking with Melvil Dewey, a speling reform activist and Dewey Desimal sistem inventor hoo simplified his furst naem bi droping "le" frum Melville.

Roosevelt tried to get the government to adopt simpler spellings for 300 words but Congress blocked him. He used simple spellings in all White House memos, pressing forward his effort to "make our spelling a little less foolish and fantastic."

The Chicago Tribune aulso got into th act, uezing simpler spelingz in th nuezpaeper for about 40 years, ending in 1975. Plae-riet George Bernard Shaw, hoo roet moest of his mateerial in shorthand, left muny in his wil for th development of a nue English alfabet.

Carnegie, Dewey, Roosevelt and Shaw's work followed attempts by Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Webster and Mark Twain to advance simpler spelling. Twain lobbied The Associated Press at its 1906 annual meeting to "adopt and use our simplified forms and spread them to the ends of the earth." AP declined.

But for aul th hi-proefiel and skolarly eforts, the iedeea of funy-luuking but simpler spelingz didn't captivaet the masez then — or now.

"I think that the average person simply did not see this as a needed change or a necessary change or something that was ... going to change their lives for the better," said Marilyn Cocchiola Holt, manager of the Pennsylvania department of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
Carnegie, hoo embraest teknolojy, died in 1919, wel befor sel foenz. Had he livd, he probably wuud hav bin pleezd to no that milyonz of peepl send text and instant mesejez evry dae uezing thair oen formz of simplified speling: "Hav a gr8 day!"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/simpl_wurdz

American Literacy Council:
http://www.americanliteracy.com/

Simplified Spelling Society:
http://www.spellingsociety.org/

National Education Association:
http://www.nea.org/index.html

Webopedia

Here's a cool web site, it's an encyclopedia for all your tech, computer, internet term related needs:

http://www.webopedia.com/

Things to Watch & Listen to...

These are three guys who were in a bunch of my drama classes, they made this video for Improv night last year when they were unable to show up for the show itself. (Warning it's like 20 min long, but pretty funny.)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7076045171676729354&q=Lethbridge

Disgruntled Tech Support Calls:
http://www.phonelosers.org/techsupport/

A funny episode of King of the Hill where they are discussing the church:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtI2pa2m5cg

The Spiderman 3 trailer is out!:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/spider-man_3/large.html

Quote of the Day

(sorry if this is a repeat.. I can't remember)

"To dream and strive for those dreams. To enjoy victory and grow stronger from defeat. To live life to its fullest and fill others lives with joy... That is success." - J. McNabb

Song of the Week

"Holding Her & Loving You" - Clay Walker


It's the third hardest thing I'll ever do
Leaving here without you
And the second hardest thing I'll ever do
Is telling her about you

She's been good to me
When things were going rough
How can I tell her now
That good ain't good enough

The hardest thing I'll ever have to do
Is holding her and loving you

If she'd give me one good reason I'd be gone
But she ain't done one thing wrong
So don't expect me just to walk out of the door
I still love her but I love you more

She's been good to me
When things weren't going right
She made my days
Long before you made my nights

The hardest thing I'll ever have to do
Is holding her and loving you

Yeah the hardest thing I'll ever have to do
Is holding her, loving you

Girl the hardest thing I'll ever have to do
Is holding her, loving you

The Sims & Playing God

In the Sims 2 newsletter this month they were talking about an article recently written about them in New York Magazine... it discusses "God games" and how the Sims 2 fits into them. I found it rather interesting so I'll post it here:


Are You There, God? It’s Me—Adam Sandler (By Logan Hill)

Playing God has never been more popular: Click is just the latest comedy to grant divine powers to a dumb zhlub, while “God games” grant absolute power to any zhlub with a PC. A look at four of the be-a-deity offerings.

Bruce Almighty (movie)Divine PremiseJim Carrey complains about God; God (Morgan Freeman) makes Carrey walk a mile in his sandals.Holy Power: 2Sales Power$484 million worldwide box office.Divine InterpretationCarrey plays an emasculated Everyman who seeks some control over his life. But the ultimate sign of soul-crushing suburban life—and Hollywood’s imagination deficit—might be Carrey’s lack of creativity once he gets it. If you had divine abilities, would you really use them just to mow the lawn?
(Photo: Courtesy of Electronic Arts)

The Sims (game)Divine PremiseGamers micro-manage emoticon-chirping characters in virtual burbs. Holy Power: 1Sales PowerBest-selling PC game in history, the franchise has moved more than 58 million copies. Divine InterpretationLike Bruce Almighty, the Sims unleashes godlike powers in the burbs—allowing players to well, redecorate. Carl Goodman of the American Museum of the Moving Image complains: “To play God, you should get to make the rules, but with the Sims, you play by the rules. It’s more about consumerism: ‘If I buy that TV, where should I put it?’ ”

(Photo: Tracy Bennett/Courtesy of Columbia Pictures)
Click (movie)Divine PremiseAdam Sandler uses a remote control to fast-forward, rewind, and pause life. Holy Power: 2Sales PowerOpens June 23.Divine InterpretationAccording to Arthur C. Clarke’s famous dictum, “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”—so perhaps it makes sense that this new fantasy is based not on a miracle but on ever more mystifying home electronics. As Louise Krasniewicz, who teaches anthropology of cinema at UPenn, puts it, “Click is about using technology rather than letting it control you.”
(Photo: Courtesy of Electronic Arts)

Spore (game)Divine PremiseUpcoming from Sims creator Will Wright, this game begins with a tiny spore that players can use to evolve intelligent life and whole civilizations.Holy Power: 4Sales PowerOn sale in 2007.Divine InterpretationWright’s new game more than makes up for the limitations of the Sims by allowing players to build life from scratch. It’s not just science, says Goodman: “Spore offers a Darwinian approach to spirituality.” Fundamentalists should love it: Intelligent Design, the Video Game.

http://nymag.com/movies/features/17294/index.html?sssdmh=dm24.89144

I see the point, I mean there is something appealing about controlling people, I love Sim games. Sim City, Sim Theme Park, Sims, Sims 2 and games like Black & White or AfterLife where civilization is in my hands. I think it does give some reverence to our creator though, you play the game long enough and you realize how hard it actually would be to be God. ;)

July

In July I’ll take a peep into the cool and fishy deep,
Where chicken soup is selling cheap,
Selling once, selling twice, selling chicken soup with rice.