Beyond Wikipedia: 20 References You Can't Do Without | Scholastici.us: Student Productivity At Its Finest

Take note, court reporters.

Beyond Wikipedia: 20 References You Can't Do Without | Scholastici.us: Student Productivity At Its Finest

Solutions for 10 MORE Annoying Modern Day Problems - lifehack.org

These are great tips. Here's a couple:

Trouble Keeping Track of Passwords?

Check out these two informative and useful articles.

* 10 Free Ways to Track All Your Passwords
* How to Create Strong Passwords You’ll Remember

Lots more here:Solutions for 10 MORE Annoying Modern Day Problems - lifehack.org

Discount Drugs For All

Did you know that you don't have to be a member of Sam's or Costco to take advantage of their rock-bottom prices on drugs? It's a federal law that a pharmacy must be open to everyone. To get in without a membership card, just let the "guard" know you're there to buy medicine.

Zig Ziglar

"If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time."

One of many quotes I love from Zig Ziglar. I never would have made it through court reporting school without Zig. I could listen to him talk for hours and hours.

Zig Ziglar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Plumber

Here's an ad for Mr. Rooter Plumbing service in the GH magazine.

What the plumber does - Walks through your flowerbed.
What it means - He doesn't respect your home. If he did, he'd use the walkway. It's only a matter of time before he starts using your fancy guest towels to clean his tools.

What he does - Shows up an hour late and doesn't call.
What it means - He doesn't care about your schedule. A good plumber will call if he's going to be late. Don't be surprised if he also takes multiple breaks due to "wrench wrist" or some equally fictitious ailment.

What he does - Gives you a final bill that looks nothing like his estimate.
What it means - He's irresponsible. Who knows what other oversights he's made. There's a good chance your pipes are now held together with kite string and bubblegum.

What he does - Leaves a mess behind.
What it means - He doesn't appreciate the work you put into keeping your home clean. You could be angry and attempt to get even, or you could just feel sorry for the woman that has to put up with him at home. We suggest the latter.

I personally think this goes for all contractors who work on your house.

But if you need a good plumber who will respect you and your property both and you live in the DFW area, call Witt Plumbing (817)447-1784 (http://www.wittplumbing.com/) and be sure and tell them to send Kelly.

Ranch Potato Mash

These sound good.

2 1/4 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon freeze-dried chives (how about just dried chives?)
1 package (22 oz) frozen mashed potatoes (never heard of them, but boxed mashed potatoes sounds like it would work to me)
1/2 cup ranch-style salad dressing
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a saucepan, heat milk and chives to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Add potatoes, dressing and pepper. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes or until potatoes thicken and are heated through.

EZ Leaf Hauler

I saw this in the GH mag. I found a pic of it at Amazon.com, but it says the item is not available yet - I'm such a great help, aren't I. You can have Amazon send you an email when it becomes available.

Info: Just stake the sturdy polyester tarp to the ground, then heap foliage and twigs on the surface; when you're done, give all your debris a quick ride to its curbside destination. Or if you're in Fort Worth, dump leaves in the brown sacks to set out for the trash.


Amazon.com: EZ Leaf Hauler 7-by 5-Feet #0007: Home Improvement

ECards, Free Online Greeting Cards, Animated Musical Cards, Birthday eCards, Funny eCards all customizable with Photo Heads at MushyGushy!

I love this website. It's free and they're funny and you use your own pictures.


ECards, Free Online Greeting Cards, Animated Musical Cards, Birthday eCards, Funny eCards all customizable with Photo Heads at MushyGushy!

Top Eye Makeup Removers

The Good Housekeeping Research Institute says:

Sephora Face Eye Makeup Remover ($6 for 1.69 fl. oz.)
Sonia Kashuk Remove Eye Makeup Remover ($10 for 4 fl. oz. @ Target)

The Kashuk remover took 20 seconds longer, but got high marks for its non-oily feel - plus you get more for the $$.

Find a Museum | Smithsonian's Museum Day - Saturday, September 29, 2007

Next Saturday, September 29, marks the return of Smithsonian's annual Museum Day. You'll get a pass to print out and take to the museum good for the attendee plus one guest. Now go get yourself some free culture!


Find a Museum | Smithsonian's Museum Day - Saturday, September 29, 2007

VIA: http://babycheapskate.blogspot.com/2007/09/visit-museum-for-free-this-saturday.html

Amon Carter and Sid Richardson are among the museums listed in Fort Worth.

Fairs - a photoset on Flickr

Fair Light 8.3.2006
Originally uploaded by 10thAvenue

Fairs - a photoset on Flickr

VIA: http://www.boingboing.net/

Say Thanks to Our Soldiers With a Card

You get to pick a card and Xerox will send a free printed postcard to a soldier stationed overseas at no cost to you.

Say Thanks to Our Soldiers With a Card

Weatherford Crime Report

Wednesday, Sept. 19

In the 500 block of Vine Street, a complainant advised that he had allowed his son to use his vehicle and while his son had the vehicle, his son claimed that a known female (to him) had taken the keys and stole the vehicle from him. On Sept. 20, at approximately 2:17 a.m., Willow Park officer(s) stopped the stolen vehicle and found the complainant’s son driving the vehicle along with the female (whom the son claimed had stolen the vehicle) in the passenger side. During the course of the investigation, officer(s) determined that the son was not being honest about the situation and he was arrested for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle by Willow Park PD. The female passenger was found in possession of dangerous drugs. A 19-year-old white male of Weatherford was arrested for UUMV and a 36-year-old white female of Fort Worth was arrested for possession controlled substance.

How can someone be arrested for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle if they were given permission to drive the vehicle? Sounds fishy to me.
Weatherford Democrat - Crime report

The Wife and the Bull

A man takes his wife to the county livestock show, and they head down the aisle that houses the bulls. The sign on the first stall states, THIS BULL MATED 50 TIMES LAST YEAR.

The wife turns to her husband and says, “He mated 50 times in a year. Isn’t that nice!” After passing a bull that had mated 65 times, she grinningly quips, “You could learn from this one!”

They reach the last bull, whose owner is stroking the massive beast’s head. “How many times has your bull mated this year?” asks the wife.

“This here’s the pride of the county: 365 times, ma’am.”

The wife’s jaw drops, and she turns to her husband. “Wow! You could really learn from this one. You should ask him what his secret is!”

The fed-up man turns to the breeder and says, “Hey, was it all with the same cow?”

VIA: http://www.funnyhub.com/

Global Incident Map: Where Are The Terrorists?

If watching your nightly news doesn’t scare you enough, here’s a website that warns you of terrorism events and other suspicious activities around the world (the page automatically refreshes the list every 7 minutes or so!)

Neatorama » Blog Archive » Global Incident Map: Where Are The Terrorists?

Dresser Knob Cozies

If you know how to knit, this is a cute idea.

Dresser Knob Cozies - Instructables Make Cool How To and DIY [category: home]

Grow Crystals - Instructables Make Cool How To and DIY [category: craft]

After our "dig your own crystals" adventure in Mt. Ida, Arkansas, I think I'll just grow my own.

Grow Crystals - Instructables Make Cool How To and DIY [category: craft]

HOW TO MAKE "THE BEST MOP IN THE WORLD" - Instructables Make Cool How To and DIY [category: home]

I have no idea if this works or not, but it's worth a try. I am very rough with mops. Maybe because I only use them once or twice a year and they get all brittle and fall apart. Seriously though, I bought one of those sponge kind with a super duper scrubber brush on the other side of it, the sponge part of that SOB ripped the first time I used it.


HOW TO MAKE "THE BEST MOP IN THE WORLD" - Instructables Make Cool How To and DIY [category: home]

Stroller Handle Extensions - Instructables Make Cool How To and DIY [category: home]

Since I am 5'8" and Big Daddy is 6'2", we both have a hard time pushing Shortey Rooster in her stroller. I was trying to think of a way to bend the handles back or something, but I came across this. I'm sure we'll come up with some other way to extend the handles. Big Daddy is good at rigging stuff up.


Stroller Handle Extensions - Instructables Make Cool How To and DIY [category: home]

100% Homemade Lathe - Instructables Make Cool How To and DIY [category: craft]

This one is for you, Big Daddy.

100% Homemade Lathe - Instructables Make Cool How To and DIY [category: craft]

The Human Body

The human body is a machine that is full of wonder. This collection of human body facts will leave you wondering why the heck we were designed the way we are.

-Scientists say the higher your I.Q. the more you dream.

-The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm.

-You use 200 muscles to take one step.

-The average woman is 5 inches shorter than the average man.

-Your big toes have two bones each while the rest have three.

-A pair of human feet contain 250,000 sweat glands.

-A full bladder is roughly the size of a soft ball.

-The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades.

-The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica.

-It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.

-The average human dream lasts 2-3 seconds.

-Men without hair on their chests are more likely to get cirrhosis of the liver than men with hair.

-At the moment of conception, you spent about half an hour as a single cell.

-There is about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.

-Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil.

-The enamel in your teeth is the hardest substance in your body.

-Your teeth start growing 6 months before you are born.

-When you are looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate, they do the same when you are looking at someone you hate.

-Blondes have more hair than dark-haired people.

-Your thumb is the same length of your nose.

Now I KNOW you are placing your thumb on your NOSE, aren't you? I DID, AND IT IS.

Thanks, Gretch.

German Parking Garage

Talk about German efficiency! The two photos below were taken at a new parking garage in Munich. The actual space that the facility occupies is approximately only 20% of a comparable facility with the traditional design that is used primarily in the US.

Not only is the German structure less expensive to build, but vehicles are also "retrieved" in less time and without the potential of being damaged by an attendant.


Thanks, Gretch!

Secrets to Longer-Lasting Hair Color

There are two different categories of color-extending products. There are color-depositing products (shampoos, conditioners, & treatments) that leave dye on hair. There are non-depositing ones (products that seal the cuticle of the hair so it better holds on to the dye you already have - many of these also protect against UV fade.)

The GH people did a study and here's their results:
The Winners:
Depositors: Best for all shades - L'Oreal Professional Colorist Collection Shampoo ($15) and Conditioner ($17)

Non-Depositors:
Recommended for blond-gray mix - There was a tie between Marc Anthony True Professional Brilliant Color Color Lock Shampoo and Conditioner ($8 each) and Wella Professionals COlor Preserve Hydrating Shampoo ($13) and Conditioner ($14).

Recommended for brown-gray mix - Redken Color Extend Shampoo ($11.50) and Conditioner ($13.50).

Recommended for brown hair dyed brown - Tresemme Color Thrive Shampoo, Conditioner, and Daily Color Lock In Spray ($4 each).

TIP:
When hair is glossy, it fools the eye into seeing color as fresher than it is. Boost shine with an at-home kit like Clairol Shine Happy ($9). In a GHRI test last January, Shine Happy amped up shine and smoothness in just 10 minutes. For a bit of extra color in addition to the gleam, try John Frieda Luminous Color Glaze Treatment ($10) which leaves behind a dose of sheer brown, blond, or red to subtly war up your overall shade. It also blends in roots making them less noticeable.

Common Drug, Common Mistake

Another GH article:

Most people who use Tylenol and other brands of acetaminophen are not aware of the drug's risks, a smart people survey found. Too much acetaminophen can cause liver damage. But nearly 60% of the smart people surveyed said they weren't aware of that. They also didn't know that acetaminophen is an ingredient in many combination pain and cough-cold medications, putting them at risk for overdose if they use several products at once.

Cut Clutter

Here's a Good Housekeeping reader tip on how to cut kid clutter. (This lady must know what she's talking about because she's from Fort Worth...well, maybe.) Anyway, she says:

"Cut clutter by telling your kids that anything they don't put away during the week will be placed in the "Saturday Box" - meaning they don't get back a toy left out on Monday until Saturday. (To defeat rescue attempts, she keeps the box in the trunk of her car.) Usually the kids are so eager to hold on to their stuff, they put it away in 15 minutes."

I say give them about two seconds to put their toy up or it goes in the "Fort Worth City Trash" cart. I'm just kidding. I really think this lady has a pretty good idea.

Refridgerator Refresher Course

If your fridge looks like this, then you have OCD and you're too skinny.

Since I've been laid up in the bed, I've been reading my Good Housekeeping magazines that I never get time to read. Here's a pretty good article on where to put food in your "fooderator" so they won't spoil too soon.

MEAT, POULTRY - Put anywhere except the door unless your "deli" bin has a temperature control. If so, set it on the coldest level and put items in there.

FRUIT - Stick these in a drawer separate from veggies. Got a humidity-control vent? Keep it partly open - moisture speeds up spoiling.

VEGGIES - These go in the crisper. Close the humidity-control vent, if you've got one. The damp air will be trapped inside and your veggies will absorb moisture which helps them stay fresh longer. (Kind of a catch-22 with the fruit, huh?)

MILK, EGGS, YOGURT - Put them anywhere but the door! The temp there gets too warm. (I didn't know that one!)

BUTTER - Store in the door because it's warmer - your butter will spread better.

The best temperature to prevent spoiling - set the main section of the fridge to 37 degrees - and consider 40 and above a danger zone. The freezer should stay at zero or a little lower.

Best way to avoid freezer burn - Keep air away from food. Freezer bags help and they'll also prevent odors from circulating in your fridge. When using storage containers, fill them almost to the top - that will protect leftovers from burn while giving food enough room to expand.

Best cleaning tips - Dust the condenser coils. They need to be cleaned every couple of months - more often if you have pets. Unplug the fridge, take off grate, then use a coil-cleaning brush or your vacuum's crevice tool. Or if you're like me, use a coat hanger with a toothbrush duct taped onto it and clean them once every couple of years. I'm kidding. I try to remember to swipe a brush underneath the fridge while I'm vacuuming, but I can't ever seem to find a brush small enough. And according to Papa Rooster, I have an obsession with cleaning brushes. I did really use the toothbrush on the wire hanger one time. Those coils get so nasty. I have no idea why.

Use warm, soapy water and a sponge to clean the inside of the fridge. Supposedly household cleansing sprays can harm plastic parts - then someone needs to make some spray that doesn't. If it can harm plastic, then it can harm all kinds of other crap too.

Coldwater Creek - $25 off $100

When shopping, use code PLA8114; online enter code in offer code box at checkout.

Offer valid through 11/18/07

Casual Living Factory Sale - Save Up To 80%

Weatherford Democrat - County Judge offers advice to lower air pollution

Special to the Democrat

Living in one of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas has its advantages, but unfortunately it also brings about big city problems like air pollution.

Serving on the North Texas Clean Air Steering Committee for the past three years, Parker County Judge Mark Riley has focused on working to improve the region’s air quality.

Currently the Dallas-Fort Worth region, which includes Parker County, is in violation of the federal ozone standard.


Weatherford Democrat - County Judge offers advice to lower air pollution

Whenever there's a story in the Weatherford Democrat that says "Special to the Democrat" that means the story was bought and paid for by someone who's up for re-election. Or at least that's my opinion. I guess this story was paid for by Judge Riley's campaign. Don't get me wrong, I think Judge Riley does an excellent job for Parker County. I think he deserves re-election. I know the man works his tail off for the County. I just wished he would have worked a little harder for me to keep my job.

Events take stock of Cowtown’s history - Fort Worth Business Press

The Old West is alive and well on Fort Worth’s North Side.

Cowtown Coliseum, in the Stockyards National Historic District, is polishing up its boots for a party to commemorate its 100th anniversary. The centennial celebration – branded “100 Years … Hundreds of Legends” – kicks off Oct. 6 with ceremonies that include the rededication of the building’s cornerstone, the unveiling of a historic photograph display and placement of a time capsule designated to be opened in 2057.

Events take stock of Cowtown’s history - Fort Worth Business Press

Let's hope our grandkids or great grandkids can find this time capsule. Why don't we leave better directions this time around? Nah - tell them to just Google it.

The Reason Why I Don't Like Kohl's That Much

I got an email about the Super Duper Whopper Early Bird Catches The Worm Online In-Store Whatever-The-Hell-You-Want-To-Call-It Sale at Kohl's. I head over to the website and I guess I was too early for their early bird sale, so I take a gander at the clearance section.

Here's one of the wonderful bargains you can get over there:



You can save a whopping 9 cents! Hurry folks - these may sell out fast at this bargain price!!!

Mootsies Tootsies Red Carpet Sandals

Fight Cell Phone Bills

I just read this article in Good Housekeeping. Thought I'd share a summary of it with you.

1. Be prepared and polite. Know your facts - have your bill handy - explain the situation calmly but firmly - take notes - write down rep's name.

2. Never accept a "no" from someone who can't say "yes." The power to say "yes" is often reserved for managers.

3. Put in the time. In some call centers, once a customer-service conversation passes the 10-minute mark, managers are automatically alerted. Since the center staffers are often graded on or compensated by call volume, the last thing they want is a drawn-out dispute. When they get persistent customers, it can be cheaper for them to surrender rather than fight. So if you plan to battle sneaky cell phone fees, set aside 30 minutes to an hour.

4. Write right. Some reps are good at saying no, but don't give in. Write an effective one-page complaint letter. Begin with a sentence summarizing your complaint and the relief you seek ("I was charged a $36 fee that was not previously disclosed, and I want a complete refund.") Include dates and times of the calls you already made to work out the problem and the names of the reps you spoke to. End the letter saying you will complain to government officials if you don't get what you want. Send the letter to company executives. You may find names and addresses at Hoovers.com, a business information database. But you might need to Google for a head of customer relations. Sometimes a company will ignore every plea. If that happens, write to your state attorney general's consumer affairs office. Find the address at the Consumer Action Website (consumeraction.gov/caw_state_resources.html). Also, you might send a copy to your local BBB and -mail your letter to ripoffreport.com and consumeraffairs.com.

5. Make a business case. One of the most convincing ways to get what you want is by persuading a firm it would be crazy not to make you happy. Add up how much money you've given the service provider over time and politely drop that amount into the discussion )"I've paid your company $3600 in the past three years, but if you won't replace my broken phone, I'll just buy one from someone else, even if I have to pay a termination fee.") In the end, a business can't afford to lose a $3600 customer over the price of a phone.

New Dallas Cowboys Stadium

Sorry about the crooked picture - but with me being under the influence of pain pills, it looks pretty good to me.

February 6, 2011, Super Bowl XLV is coming to North Texas - whoopeefreakindo. No, I'm just kidding. I just dread all the traffic that's going to come with this new stadium.

Here's some stadium stats (they're pretty impressive):

Total Square Footage: 2.3 million square feet - The entire Statue of Liberty and its base could fit into the stadium with the roof closed.

The stadium will also be the world's largest column-free room.

The American Airlines Center in Dallas could fit entirely into the new stadium at field level.

The interior cubic volume is 104 million cubic feet. The Dallas Cowboy Stadium will be the largest enclosed stadium in cubic feet in the NFL.

The stadium will have a seating capacity of 80,000, plus standing room or additional seating in the end zones that can increase the total capacity to 100,000.

The stadium features signature monumental arches, an expansive retractable roof, massive glass retractable end zone doors, a distinguishing canted glass wall (whatever that is) and the world's largest center-hung video board.

The new stadium will have 200 suites in eight different locations on five separate levels.

The domed roof is 660,800 square feet, making it the largest domed structure in the world. The opening measures 256 wide and 410 feet long. Two bi-parting mechanized roof panels - each measuring 63,000 square feet - will be driven by a rack-and-pinion drive system consisting of 64 - 7.5 HP electric motors making it the first of its kind in the world.

The field is actually 50 feet below ground level so fans entering on the plaza level will have a panoramic view over the field.

The end zone will have the flexibility to convert from standing-room only to seating, based on specific event needs.

Overstock.com - Weekend Clearance - $1 shipping on entire order

Overstock.com - Weekend Clearance

Barnes & Noble.com - 3 DVDs for $30

Barnes & Noble.com

Bombay 72-Hour Sale Starts Today

40% off regular-price wall decor, accessories, & tabletop.

Ends 9/23/07

The Paragon - Fall Clearance Event Continues

They've added more than 30 new items - some at savings over 60%

JCPenney - Save 20-50% Plus Free Shipping When You Spend $49 Or More

Many Sizes, Many Savings + Free Shipping

Creative Kidstuff - $5 Off

They have some great stuff here for kids. Things you won't find anywhere else.


Promo Code: tyou
Ends: 11/30/07

Creative Kidstuff Home Page

Why Men Are Not Allowed To Write Advice Columns

Dear Walter:
I hope you can help me here. The other day I set off for work leaving my husband in the house watching the TV as usual. I hadn't gone more than a few hundred yards down the road when my engine conked out and the car shuddered to a halt. I walked back home to get my husband's help.

When I got home I couldn't believe my eyes. He was parading in front of the wardrobe mirror dressed in my underwear and high-heel shoes, and he was wearing my makeup.

I am 32, my husband is 34 and we have been married for twelve years. When I confronted him, he tried to make out that he had dressed in my lingerie because he couldn't find his own underwear. But when I asked him about the makeup, he broke down and admitted that he'd been wearing my clothes for six months. I told him to stop or I would leave him.

He was let go from his job six months ago and he says he has been feeling increasingly depressed and worthless. I love him very much, but ever since I gave him the ultimatum he has become increasingly distant. I don't feel I can get through to him anymore. Can you please help?

Sincerely,
Norma

Dear Norma:
A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no debris in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the jubilee clips holding the vacuum pipes onto the inlet manifold. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the carburetor float chamber. I hope this helps.

Walter

Avoid Public Transportation Whenever Possible!

As the bus stopped and it was her turn to get on, she became aware that her skirt was too tight to allow her leg to come up the height of the first step of the bus. Slightly embarrassed and with a quick smile to the bus driver, she reached behind her to unzip her skirt a little, thinking that this would give her enough slack to raise her leg.

She tried to take the step, only to discover that she couldn't. So, a little more embarrassed, she once again reached behind her to unzip her skirt a little more, and for the second time attempted the step.

Once again, much to her chagrin, she could not raise her leg. With a little smile to the driver, she again reached behind to unzip a little more and again was unable to take the step.

About this time, a large Texan who was standing behind her picked her up easily by the waist and placed her gently on the step of the bus.

She went ballistic and turned to the would-be Samaritan and yelled, "How dare you touch my body! I don't even know who you are!"

The Texan smiled and drawled, "Well, ma'am, normally I would agree with you, but after you unzipped my fly three times, I kinda figured we was friends!!"

Moral of the story...avoid public transportation whenever possible!

Posts

Well, I guess I had my first case of spooning or clapping or fishing or whatever the hell you call it. It happened to me not once, but twice. I'll just list this one though because it's a story out of the Star Telegram, our local paper. I'm not sure how many people actually read that other than me and people who live in Fort Worth, but whatever. What's sad is I have made a grand total of $3.17 cents off of the ads posted on here - no, that's not what I make daily. It's what I've made since I started this blog. I love Nothing To Do With Arbroath. I subscribe to his site. I just wish maybe I could have gotten a little credit (that is, if he even read it off of my blog).

Maybe it's just the drugs talking again - I had massive dental work done again yesterday. The left side of my face is like the size of a basketball and it feels like I got ran over by a Peterbuilt. Quit worrying about it and go back to bed - okay - I think I will. Before I go though, I have to tell you I figured out why people do dope. The dentist yesterday gave me two valium and laughing gas - WOW! That was the freakiest thing I've ever felt in my life. Everything went black but I kept seeing this green light. I kept hearing crickets and they got louder and louder. I thought to myself that I was dying and then I thought if I could just open my eyes, I'd realize I wasn't dead. I popped open my eyes and then the feeling was over with - DAMN THE LUCK! The dentist said, Just keep taking deep breaths through your nose. I said, Believe me, I'm breathing as deep as I can. I had everyone in the dentist office cracking up laughing, including myself. Lord only knows what I was saying. I do remember at one point asking them if the laughing gas was some sort of truth serum. For some odd reason, I thought I remember hearing that a while back. The dentist said, No, it's just laughing gas. And the dental assistant said, Why? You don't want it to be truth serum? To which I replied, Hell no. I heard the receptionist out in the lobby laughing at that one.

I posted this http://shelleyssnippets.blogspot.com/2007/09/did-family-find-face-of-virgin-mary-in.html
Wednesday at 9:10 p.m.

http://arbroath.blogspot.com/2007/09/police-detective-sees-virgin-mary-in.html posted it September 20 at 9:55 a.m.

Cowtown Coliseum Time Capsule A No-Show

FORT WORTH -- The search for a 100-year-old time capsule at Cowtown Coliseum is over -- for now.

Officials had hoped to find the capsule and open it in time to display its contents Oct. 6, the date coliseum construction began in 1907.

After two attempts to find the capsule, including drilling holes through concrete Tuesday, officials decided against continuing the search.
Star-Telegram.com | 09/20/2007 | A WRINKLE IN TIME

Cannot Find The Damn Server

This page cannot be displayed because you need some fresh air.
The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. Your ISP has told us that you're on-line several hours everyday, and that just ain't right.

Cannot find the damn server

VIA: http://seehere.blogspot.com/

Extract Pictures from PowerPoint Photo Slideshows - Simple Hack at Digital Inspiration

Ques: Your have a PowerPoint presentation (PPT or PPS) that contains lot of pictures embedded in the slides. Is there an easy method to save these images out of the presentation?

Shows you how to do it here: Extract Pictures from PowerPoint Photo Slideshows - Simple Hack at Digital Inspiration - Software Reviews, Internet and Technology Guide

VIA: http://seehere.blogspot.com/

Wall Street Journal editor's ordeal with Kmart security - Boing Boing

Laura Landro, assistant managing editor at The Wall Street Journal writes about being detained by Kmart security after they accused her of intentionally putting $24.50 shoes in a $16.50 box, known as "ticket switching."

More Here: Wall Street Journal editor's ordeal with Kmart security - Boing Boing

My favorite part about this story is that an assistant managing editor for The Wall Street Journal shops at Kmart. I love her already.

Chair made from toy plush pandas - Boing Boing

Moss's limited edition "Banquete Chair with Pandas" costs so much they won't even list the price.
Can you say DIY? I know I can.

Chair made from toy plush pandas - Boing Boing

The 25 Ugliest Celebrities — Campus Squeeze

The 25 Ugliest Celebrities — Campus Squeeze

I'm not sure I agree with all of these, but whatever. I do agree with this one:

Texas Court-At-Law Judges Getting Big Raises

Thanks to the Texas Legislature, some judges will be getting hefty pay raises beginning Oct. 1.

Senate Bill 600, passed earlier this year, sets the salaries of the state's 52 county court-at-law judges at not less than $1,000 less than a district judge's salary.

Court-at-law judges getting big raises : Big Country : Abilene Reporter-News

Hey, I need a job!

Circuit City Outlet Blowout Sale - Save Up To 40%

Three Days Only!
Outlet Center at circuitcity.com

Left-handers on roll as numbers triple | Attuworld

Left-handedness has reached record levels, with a more than threefold rise over the past century in the proportion of those using their left hand to write.

More Here: Left-handers on roll as numbers triple | Attuworld


I always thought left-handed people were smarter than us right-handed people. Now I think they're smarter asses. I'm just kidding...sort of.

Ball Pit

Across-the-Board (acrosstheboardblog.com): I've always been kinda freaked out by ball pits.

Home Inspection Nightmares VIII from This Old House - Boing Boing

Papa Rooster, did you do this?

Chew on this

You know you're a redneck HVAC tech when you use a chew can for a junction box.


Home Inspection Nightmares VIII from This Old House - Boing Boing

Did family find face of Virgin Mary in lemon?

WATAUGA -- A bar owner was shocked Tuesday morning when his son saw the face of the Virgin Mary in a sliced fruit.



Star-Telegram.com | 09/19/2007 | Did family find face of Virgin Mary in lemon?

It looks to me like I accidentally spilled a little sangria on it.

Want to lose weight? Sleep more.

My ass - I sleep more than anyone I know and I probably weigh more than anyone I know.

Star-Telegram.com | 09/18/2007 | Want to lose weight? Sleep more.

10 Most Amazing Temples in the World

Some of these are pretty and some of them scare me, but they're all amazing.



Neatorama » Blog Archive » 10 Most Amazing Temples in the World

First Date

I have no idea if this was actually on The Tonight Show or not, and I really don't care because it's freakin' hilarious.

First Date

If you didn't see this on the Tonight show, I hope you're sitting down when you read it. This is probably the funniest date story ever, first date or not!!! We have all had bad dates but this takes the cake.

Jay Leno went into the audience to find the most embarrassing first date that a woman ever had. The winner described her worst first date experience. There was absolutely no question as to why her tale took the prize!

She said it was midwinter... Snowing and quite cold...and the guy had taken her skiing in the mountains outside Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a day trip (no overnight). They were strangers, after all, and truly had never met before. The outing was fun but relatively uneventful until they were headed home late that afternoon. They were driving back down the mountain, when she gradually began to realize that she should not have had that extra latte.

They were about an hour away from anywhere with a rest room and in the middle of nowhere! Her companion suggested she try to hold it, which she did for a while. Unfortunately, because of the heavy snow and slow going, there came a point where she told him that he had better stop and let her go beside the road, or it would be the front seat of his car. They stopped and she quickly crawled out beside the car, yanked her pants down and started.

In the deep snow she didn't have good footing, so she let her butt rest against the rear fender to steady herself. Her companion stood on the side of the car watching for traffic and indeed was a real gentleman and refrained from peeking. All she could think about was the relief she felt despite the rather embarrassing nature of the situation. Upon finishing however, she soon became aware of another sensation. As she bent to pull up her pants, the young lady discovered her buttocks were firmly glued against the car's fender.

Thoughts of tongues frozen to poles immediately came to mind as she attempted to disengage her flesh from the icy metal. It was quickly apparent that she had a brand new problem due to the extreme cold. Horrified by her plight and yet aware of the humor of the moment, she answered her date's concerns about "what is taking so long" with a reply that indeed, she was "freezing her butt off" and in need of some assistance!

He came around the car as she tried to cover herself with her sweater and then, as she looked imploringly into his eyes, he burst out laughing. She too, got the giggles and when they finally managed to compose themselves, they assessed her dilemma. Obviously, as hysterical as the situation was, they also were faced with a real problem. Both agreed it would take something hot to free her chilly cheeks from the grip of the icy metal!

Thinking about what had gotten her into the predicament in the first place, both quickly realized that there was only one way to get her free so, as she looked the other way, her first-time date proceeded to unzip his pants and pee her butt off the fender. As the audience screamed in laughter, she took the Tonight Show prize hands down. Or perhaps that should be "pants down." And you thought your first date was embarrassing.

Jay Leno's comment... "This gives a whole new meaning to being pissed off."

Oh, and how did the first date turn out? He became her husband and was sitting next to her on the Leno show.

Stumbling On Happiness

My sister sent me an email today telling me that the judge who fired me back when I was five months' pregnant has joined the church where my sister works. The judge was a female (I guess she still is - I worded that weird too) and she has since divorced her husband and remarried a local attorney.

If words could explain to you what I felt for two years after I was fired, I would explain away - but I can't do that. It's impossible for me to describe the pain and unworthiness I was feeling. I had to change my way of thinking about this whole situation before I went insane.

Anyway, here's my reply to my sister:
You know, after thinking about all the crap that I went through because of (judge's name) - felt like a piece of crap for almost two years - I think if I saw her, I would hug her neck because she gave me the opportunity to stay home with Maddie. Doesn't that sound crazy? It's kind of like that book I was trying to read, Stumbling on Happiness - you find something really makes you happy that you thought wouldn't.

She's still womp-eyed though.

Shelley

No Left Turns

My mother-in-law sent me this, and I think it's well worth reading.

This is a wonderful piece by Michael Gartner, editor of newspapers large and small and president of NBC News. In 1997, he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. It is well worth reading, and a few good chuckles are guaranteed.

My father never drove a car. Well, that's not quite right. I should say I never saw him drive a car.

He quit driving in 1927, when he was 25 years old, and the last car he drove was a 1926 Whippet.

"In those days," he told me when he was in his 90s, "to drive a car you had to do things with your hands, and do things with your feet, and look every which way, and I decided you could walk through life and enjoy it or drive through life and miss it."

At which point my mother, a sometimes salty Irishwoman, chimed in:
"Oh, bull----!" she said. "He hit a horse."

"Well," my father said, "there was that, too."

So my brother and I grew up in a household without a car. The neighbors all had cars -- the Kollingses next door had a green 1941 Dodge, the VanLaninghams across the street a gray 1936 Plymouth, the Hopsons two doors down a black 1941 Ford -- but we had none.

My father, a newspaperman in Des Moines, would take the streetcar to work and, often as not, walk the 3 miles home. If he took the streetcar home, my mother and brother and I would walk the three blocks to the streetcar stop, meet him and walk home together.

My brother, David, was born in 1935, and I was born in 1938, and sometimes, at dinner, we'd ask how come all the neighbors had cars but we had none. "No one in the family drives," my mother would explain, and that was that.

But, sometimes, my father would say, "But as soon as one of you boys turns 16, we'll get one." It was as if he wasn't sure which one of us would turn 16 first.

But, sure enough , my brother turned 16 before I did, so in 1951 my parents bought a used 1950 Chevrolet from a friend who ran the parts department at a Chevy dealership downtown.

It was a four-door, white model, stick shift, fender skirts, loaded with everything, and, since my parents didn't drive, it more or less became my brother's car.

Having a car but not being able to drive didn't bother my father, but it didn't make sense to my mother.

So in 1952, when she was 43 years old, she asked a friend to teach her to drive. She learned in a nearby cemetery, the place where I learned to drive the following year and where, a generation later, I took my two sons to practice driving. The cemetery probably was my father's idea. "Who can your mother hurt in the cemetery?" I remember him saying more than once.

For the next 45 years or so, until she was 90, my mother was the driver in the family. Neither she nor my father had any sense of direction, but he loaded up on maps -- though they seldom left the city limits -- and appointed himself navigator. It seemed to work.

Still, they both continued to walk a lot. My mother was a devout Catholic, and my father an equally devout agnostic, an arrangement that didn't seem to bother either of them through their 75 years of marriage.

(Yes, 75 years, and they were deeply in love the entire time.)

He retired when he was 70, and nearly every morning for the next 20 years or so, he would walk with her the mile to St. Augustin's Church. She would walk down and sit in the front pew, and he would wait in the back until he saw which of the parish's two priests was on duty that morning. If it was the pastor, my father then would go out and take a 2-mile walk, meeting my mother at the end of the service and walking her home.

If it was the assistant pastor, he'd take just a 1-mile walk and then head back to the church. He called the priests "Father Fast" and "Father Slow."

After he retired, my father almost always accompanied my mother whenever she drove anywhere, even if he had no reason to go along. If she were going to the beauty parlor, he'd sit in the car and read, or go take a stroll or, if it was summer, have her keep the engine running so he could listen to the Cubs game on the radio. In the evening, then, when I'd stop by, he'd explain: "The Cubs lost again. The millionaire on second base made a bad throw to the millionaire on first base, so the multimillionaire on third base scored."

If she were going to the grocery store, he would go along to carry the bags out -- and to make sure she loaded up on ice cream. As I said, he was always the navigator, and once, when he was 95 and she was 88 and still driving, he said to me, "Do you want to know the secret of a long life?"

"I guess so," I said, knowing it probably would be something bizarre.

"No left turns," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"No left turns," he repeated. "Several years ago, your mother and I read an article that said most accidents that old people are in happen when they turn left in front of oncoming traffic.

As you get older, your eyesight worsens, and you can lose your depth perception, it said. So your mother and I decided never again to make a left turn."

"What?" I said again.

"No left turns," he said. "Think about it. Three rights are the same as a left, and that's a lot safer. So we always make three rights."

"You're kidding!" I said, and I turned to my mother for support "No," she said, "your father is right. We make three rights. It works." But then she added: "Except when your father loses count."

I was driving at the time, and I almost drove off the road as I started laughing.

"Loses count?" I asked.

"Yes," my father admitted, "that sometimes happens. But it's not a problem. You just make seven rights, and you're okay again."

I couldn't resist. "Do you ever go for 11?" I asked.

"No," he said " If we miss it at seven, we just come home and call it a bad day. Besides, nothing in life is so important it can't be put off another day or another week."

My mother was never in an accident, but one evening she handed me her car keys and said she had decided to quit driving That was in 1999, when she was 90.

She lived four more years, until 2003. My father died the next year, at 102

They both died in the bungalow they had moved into in 1937 and bought a few years later for $3,000. (Sixty years later, my brother and I paid $8,000 to have a shower put in the tiny bathroom -- the house had never had one. My father would have died then and there if he knew the shower cost nearly three times what he paid for the house.)

He continued to walk daily -- he had me get him a treadmill when he was 101 because he was afraid he'd fall on the icy sidewalks but wanted to keep exercising -- and he was of sound mind and sound body until the moment he died.

One September afternoon in 2004, he and my son went with me when I had to give a talk in a neighboring town, and it was clear to all three of us that he was wearing out, though we had the usual wide-ranging conversation about politics and newspapers and things in the news.

A few weeks earlier, he had told my son, "You know, Mike, the first hundred years are a lot easier than the second hundred." At one point in our drive that Saturday, he said, "You know, I'm probably not going to live much longer."

"You're probably right," I said.

"Why would you say that?" He countered, somewhat irritated.

"Because you're 102 years old," I said.

"Yes," he said, "you're right." He stayed in bed all the next day.

That night, I suggested to my son and daughter that we sit up with him through the night.

He appreciated it, he said, though at one point, apparently seeing us look gloomy, he said:

"I would like to make an announcement. No one in this room is dead yet"

An hour or so later, he spoke his last words:

"I want you to know," he said, clearly and lucidly, "that I am in no pain. I am very comfortable. And I have had as happy a life as anyone on this earth could ever have."

A short time later, he died.

I miss him a lot, and I think about him a lot. I've wondered now and then how it was that my family and I were so lucky that he lived so long.

I can't figure out if it was because he walked through life, Or because he quit taking left turns. "

Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it."

Just Between Friends children's clothing sale at Will Rogers Center - Fort Worth, TX

My brother-in-law sent this to me today.

Welcome to Just Between Friends Fort Worth!
Thanks for helping us become Texas' largest JBF franchise!

Join us September 19 - 24 for our HUGE SALE at theWILL ROGERS MEMORIAL CENTER Exhibit Hall! 24,000 square feet of selling space!

There is no need to shop overpriced mall and department stores, and no more running from garage sale to garage sale. We put it all under one roof!
Come shop the best in "gently used":

• children's clothing and maternity clothing
• shoes and accessories
• children's equipment including outdoor play equipment
• nursery and maternity items
• baby and juvenile furniture
• books, software, videos
• Mommy Mart furniture items (see details under Merchandise Prep)
• toys, toys, toys!

The actual sale doesn't start until Saturday the 21st - I think.


fort worth texas: welcome to just between friends

Fight For Kisses

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Satisfaction.

Sometimes you’d rather call a geeky friend of yours about a problem you’re having with a product, instead of the company that actually made the product, because it’ll probably be easier, faster, and less hassle.

Satisfaction is part online discussion, part FAQ, and part social network for all your products and services. Anyone can ask a question, submit an idea or problem, or just talk. And it's all public, so anyone can answer—even the companies.

FreshArrival » Blog Archive » Satisfaction.

Cool Tool: U-Haul Box Exchange

Free moving boxes via U-Haul. Great idea.

Cool Tool: U-Haul Box Exchange

Gives Me Chills

VIA: http://acrosstheboard.blogspot.com/

Man gets stuck in chimney

Nothing To Do With Arbroath: Man gets stuck in chimney

The family of 18 people living in one house (36 pics) (//STATiC)

I watched a special on TV about this family a long time ago. I'm sure I was pregnant at the time because I liked watching stuff like that when I was pregnant - don't ask me why. About a year ago, I saw this and about fell out of my chair laughing:



The family of 18 people living in one house (36 pics) (//STATiC)

VIA: http://presurfer.blogspot.com/

Dear Service Manager Who Believed I Was Stupid Enough To Pay $1300 For Tires, « To Whom It May Concern

The "To Whom It May Concern" girl scores one for the home team on this one. She is hilarious as always.

Dear Service Manager Who Believed I Was Stupid Enough To Pay $1300 For Tires, « To Whom It May Concern

YesButNoButYes: Homeless Frank on O.J. Simpson

Homeless Frank cracks me up. He tells it like it is.

YesButNoButYes: Homeless Frank on O.J. Simpson

Overstock.com Half Off Sale

I still need a job Overstock.com. See: Shelley's Snippets: I Would Like A Job, Overstock.com

Email Half Off Sale Search Results from Overstock.com

Winning Bid

Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the White House in D.C. One from New Jersey, another from South Carolina and the third, Florida. They go with a White House official to examine the fence.

The Florida contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil. "Well", he says, "I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew and $100 profit for me."

The South Carolina contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says, "I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me."

The New Jersey contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the White House official and whispers, "$2,700"

The official, incredulous, says, "You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?"

The New Jersey contractor whispers back, "$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire the guy from South Carolina to fix the fence"

"Done!", replies the government official.

And that friends, is how it all works!!!

Digestion Time Of Foods

Parsley is the fastest @ 1 1/4 hours.
Brussels sprouts, horseradish & turnip are the slowest @ 4 hours.

Notice the note that says: Foods beyond this time should not be eaten 3 hours prior to bedtime. You'll be surprised at how many there are. I didn't see Blue Bell Cookies N Cream Ice Cream on that list so WHOOPEEE!

Digestion Time Of Foods


VIA: http://presurfer.blogspot.com/

Bears and Trains

The video below reminded me of something funny the big rooster said while we were in Arkansas this weekend. We rode the little train up on Queen Wilhelmina mountain. It was just us three and the guy driving the train. I guess my first clue that we might be in for a wild ride was when the guy driving the train answered his cell phone, "A-1 Bail Bonds, how may I help you?" That is not a joke. I am 100% serious.

Anyway, we're riding along looking at the beautiful scenery and the guy slows the train down almost to a stop. He turns towards us and yells, "We usually see a lot of bear right down there eating. There's a berry patch down there. We had a bear here about a week ago that stayed up on top of a tree for three days; couldn't nobody get him down." With that, he turns around and continues to drive the train.

We get off the train, talk to the man a bit longer and then head on to the car. I don't know why, but nothing was said about this whole deal until we get to Morrilton, Arkansas. I asked Rooster 1, "So what were you thinking when that man mentioned seeing bears down there eating all the time?" His reply, "I was thinking, I wonder how fast this f***in' train will go." I nearly wet myself.


Bet you next time they roll their windows up.

911 Abuse

911 Abuse People call in with problems that don`t need police help.

Peter Pan Peanut Butter

"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan peanut butter or Great Value peanut butter due to risk of contamination with Salmonella

Tennessee (a bacterium that causes foodborne illness). The affected jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter have a product code located on the lid of the jar that begins with the number "2111." Both the Peter Pan and Great Value brands are manufactured in a single facility in Georgia by ConAgra. Great Value peanut butter made by other manufacturers is not affected.

If consumers have any of this Peter Pan or Great Value brand peanut butter in their home that has been purchased since May 2006, they should discard it."

Once again I have evidence to show what a weirdo I am. I still have an empty jar of the recalled Peter Pan peanut butter. You'll notice from the pictures that the whole jar was consumed. The Rooster ate it along with some help from the short rooster. They ate all of it before the recall. I kept the jar all this time so I'd have proof in case either of them got sick. I have officially thrown this in the trash can. I hope they don't start throwing up or something next week then I won't have anything to blame it on. Has there ever been a case of deferred Salmonella poisoning - as in a year and five months of delay?

TaDoodles

These look neat for toddlers. They're $5.99 for three of them. I bet your kid's arm will turn the same shade of purple as they would with the regular "washable" markers.
Crayola® TaDoodles™ Washable First Marks - 80-5801 | The Crayola Store | The CrayolaStore.com

As For The Arkansas No Smoking In Vehicle With A Child In A Car Seat...

Uncle Ralph knew what he was talking about. I found this:

Arkansas and Louisiana appear to be the only two states that have passed bans on smoking in private motor vehicles, but the prohibitions are limited to cars in which children below certain ages are riding. Several other states, including California, Maine, New York, and Utah, appear to have considered similar legislation, but only Arkansas and Louisiana have adopted their bills as law. Both states passed their laws in 2006.

The Arkansas law, HB 1046, took effect in July. It prohibits smoking by anyone in a motor vehicle in which a child who is required by law to be riding in a child restraint system is riding. (In Arkansas, this is a child who is less than six years old or who weighs less than 60 pounds. ) Violators are subject to a fine of up to $ 25, but any violator who proves to the court that he has entered into a smoking cessation program may have his fine eliminated for a first offense.

The Louisiana law, Act 838, took effect in August. It prohibits smoking by anyone in a motor vehicle, van, or pickup truck in which a child subject to the state's child restraint or seat belt law is present, whether or not the vehicle's windows are down. In effect, this means that the ban applies whenever a child under age 13 is in the vehicle. Violators must be fined $ 150 per offense or, at the judge's discretion, sentenced to up to 24 hours of community service. Violation is a primary offense, that is, a police officer may stop the vehicle solely for this violation without having to observe another type of motor vehicle violation. Probable cause for arrest is based solely on the officer's clear and unobstructed view of someone smoking in the vehicle.

My Crappy Job @ Summarizing Laws That Went Into Effect September 1, 2007

Texas Laws
Drivers 79 and older have to renew licenses in person. At age 85, renewal period drops from every six years to two years.

Police will have discretion to issue citations instead of arresting those in possession of four ounces or less of marijuana. The offender must live in the county where they are stopped and must not be considered a threat to public safety.

Prosecutors can seek the death penalty for some repeat child sex offenders.

The State will develop an alert system for missing senior citizens similar to the current Amber Alert program.

The Castle Doctrine removes the requirement that someone must try to retreat before using deadly force to defend themselves. (This means you can shoot somebody in your yard if you feel your life is in danger.)

Senate Bill 153 makes it illegal for a licensed driver supervising someone with a learner's permit to be intoxicated or to fall asleep. (This one kind of threw me for a loop - I never knew that was legal to begin with.)

HB 1766 makes a state jail felony of the theft of wiring or cable that consists of at least 50 percent aluminum, bronze, or copper metals and that has a value of less than $20,000.

SB 244 authorizes a district or appellate court to seal an affidavit when there is compelling state interest for doing so, such as to prevent destruction of or tampering with evidence in a criminal investigation.

HB 991 (became effective May 23) makes confidential DPS records about who holds a concealed handgun in Texas. Criminal justice agency officials still have to access this information.

SB 9 (became effective June 15) requires a national criminal history background check for all certified public school employees; prevents individuals from employment with a school district if they have been convicted of a Title 5 Penal Code felony offense; or a sex offense when the victim of the crime was a child, a primary school student, or secondary school student; and creates a clearinghouse at DPS for criminal history background information on public school employees so this information can be shared between school districts.

HB 233 provides a concealed handgun license fee waiver for active duty military members and honorably discharged veterans within one year of their discharge from the military service.

HB 1241 requires any private security business to maintain criminal histories of its security personnel on file at the business and to make them available for inspection by DPS.

HB 1355, known as Lillian’s Law, requires all dog owners to properly secure their dogs on their property. The law provides that a dog owner can be held criminally responsible if the dog causes serious bodily injury or death at a location other than the owner’s property in an unprovoked attack during which the owner by criminal negligence failed to secure the dog. It exempts many dog professionals (including peace officers) who deal with dogs on a regular basis from the bill.

HB 1839 requires concealed handgun license (CHL) holders to take a continuing education course to renew their CHL every 10 years instead of every five years.

HB80 - A religious bible or other book containing sacred writings of a religion cannot be seized by a creditor other than a lessor of real property who is exercising the lessor's contractual or statutory right to seize personal property after a tenant breaches a lease agreement for or abandons the real property.

HB335 - The official court reporter shall furnish the transcript to the person not later than the 120th day after the date the: (1) application for the transcript is received by the reporter; and (2)[on payment of the] transcript fee is paid or the person establishes indigency.


WOW - There’s so many. If you really want to see them all go to:

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Reports/Report.aspx?LegSess=80R&ID=effectivesept1

Click on the blue hyperlink by each bill, then click on the text tab at the top. You can read it in html, PDF or word format.

Gymboree: Fall Sale - Savings Up To 50% Off Including Halloween

Gymboree: Fall Sale - Savings Up To 50% Off Including Halloween

25 Skills Every Man Should Know: The List, Ready for Your Debate - Popular Mechanics

Here's some examples:
Back up a trailer
Build a campfire
Sharpen a knife
Get a car unstuck
Clean a bolt-action rifle

I'm surprised at some of the computer-related skills men should know. I don't really think "extend your wireless network" is a must-have skill, but who am I to judge?

25 Skills Every Man Should Know: The List, Ready for Your Debate - Popular Mechanics

VIA: http://seehere.blogspot.com/

Microwave Popcorn: Home made, cheap and easy - Instructables

1/4 cup of popping corn (generally $0.99 for a pound bag. This is enough to make at least 50 bags of microwave corn)
1 Teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
To taste - popcorn salt (it has finer granules than table salt with the same taste)

And the following tools:

A stapler
A teaspoon
A measuring cup
A brown paper bag
and
A microwave

Microwave Popcorn: Home made, cheap and easy - Instructables

Arkansas - No Smoking In Car W/ Child Restrained In Car Seat

Did you know that in Arkansas, it is illegal to smoke in a vehicle when you have a child restrained in a car seat in that vehicle? I worded that weird, but you get my drift. That's what Uncle Ralph told me, but I think I might check that out a little bit more.

I'll also be posting something on all the new laws that came into effect September 1 so we all don't get busted and go to the pokey. That will probably take some time and I've got a wedding (Maddie will be the flower girl at my niece's wedding October 6th), a garage sale (yeah, right), and a second birthday party to get ready for all before the third week in October. Place your bets now on the likelihood of all that happening!

California - New And Interesting Laws: Schwarzenegger Signs Bill Banning Minors From Using Cellphones While Driving - Consumerist

Sorry, kids. It's now illegal for you to talk on your cellphones while driving in California. Why? Because you're bad at it, and let's face it... you're not that good at driving in the first place. Sadly for you, it's much easier to slap a ban on you (rather than your parents) because you don't vote and you have limited rights. Ha, ha, ha.

New And Interesting Laws: Schwarzenegger Signs Bill Banning Minors From Using Cellphones While Driving - Consumerist

Fair Debt Collection Act: Sample Letter For Telling A Debt Collector To Drop Dead - Consumerist

Fair Debt Collection Act: Sample Letter For Telling A Debt Collector To Drop Dead - Consumerist

Insiders: Why Stores Love To Force You To Show Your Receipts - Consumerist

Insiders: Why Stores Love To Force You To Show Your Receipts - Consumerist

Insurance: Sample Letter For Appealing Claims Denial Based On Out Of Network Benefits - Consumerist

Bankrate has a good example letter you can use if your health insurance company denies your claim for being out of network. It's in "Madlibs" style, so you'll need to replace all the items in red with your personal information.


Insurance: Sample Letter For Appealing Claims Denial Based On Out Of Network Benefits - Consumerist

Coldwater Creek - 40% off purchases coupon

Coldwater Creek - 40% off purchases coupon

Halloween Costumes For Dogs: Sweaters & Coats, Bandannas, Boots & Paw Protectors, Pet Apparel & More

Here's some cheap Halloween costumes for dogs. For all you people who carry your dog around in your purse and dress them up like they're a doll, you can order an outfit for every day of the year without breaking the bank.


This dog is saying, "Someone help me, please, please; I ain't got no thumbs!"
Amazon.com: Apparel - Dogs: Sweaters & Coats, Bandannas, Boots & Paw Protectors, Pet Apparel & More

CLEARANCE Halloween Costumes and Accessories - BuyCostumes

Some of this stuff is cheap. I have no idea how much shipping is though. Check this out: Your dog can be the laughing stock of the neighborhood.


View ALL CLEARANCE Halloween Costumes and Accessories - BuyCostumes

Toys Prices to Increase After the Holidays

This is BS if you ask me. Why should consumers have to pay for manufacturers mistakes? Why should I bitch about something I can't change? Because I want to.
Toys Prices to Increase After the Holidays

I Am Dumb

Sorry for some of the pictures disappearing on here. I just realized what I was doing wrong. Won't happen anymore...or at least I hope it doesn't.

Original Hollywood Squares

If you remember the Original Hollywood Squares and its comics, this may bring a tear to your eyes. These great questions and answers are from the days when " Hollywood Squares" game show responses were spontaneous and clever not scripted and (often) dull, as they are now. Peter Marshall was the host asking the questions, of course.

Q. Do female frogs croak?
A. Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water long enough.

Q. If you're going to make a parachute jump, at least how high should you be?
A. Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it.

Q. True or False, a pea can last as long as 5,000 years
A. George Gobel: Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes.

Q. You've been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or a woman?
A. Don Knotts: That's what's been keeping me awake.

Q. According to Cosmopolitan, if you meet a stranger at a party and you think that he is attractive, is it okay to come out and ask him if he's married?
A. Rose Marie: No; wait until morning.

Q. Which of your five senses tends to diminish as you get older?
A. Charley Weaver: My sense of decency.

Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say "I Love You"?
A. Vincent Price: No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty.

Q. What are "Do It ," "I Can Help," and "I Can't Get Enough"?
A. George Gobel: I don't know, but it's coming from the next apartment.

Q. As you grow older, do you tend to gesture more or less with your hands while talking?
A. Rose Marie: You ask me one more growing old question, Peter, and I'll give you a gesture you'll never forget.

Q. Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather?
A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.

Q. Charley, you've just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during the first year?
A. Charley Weaver: Of course not, I'm too busy growing strawberries.

Q. In bowling, what's a perfect score?
A. Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy.

Q. It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics, what is the other?
A. Paul Lynde: Tape measures.

Q. During a tornado, are you safer in the bedroom or in the closet?
A. Rose Marie: Unfortunately Peter, I'm always safe in the bedroom.

Q. Can boys join the Camp Fire Girls?
A. Marty Allen: Only after lights out.

Q. When you pat a dog on its head he will wag his tail. What will a goose do?
A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark?

Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to?
A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark.

Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people?
A. Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army.

Q. It is the most abused and neglected part of your body, what is it?
A. Paul Lynde: Mine may be abused, but it certainly isn't neglected.

Q. Back in the old days, when Great Grandpa put horseradish on his head, what was he trying to do?
A. George Gobel: Get it in his mouth.

Q. Who stays pregnant for a longer period of time, your wife or your elephant?
A. Paul Lynde: Who told you about my elephant?

Q. When a couple have a baby, who is responsible for its sex?
A. Charley Weaver: I'll lend him the car, the rest is up to him.

Q. Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmly believes in them and has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What are they?
A. Charley Weaver: His feet.

Q. According to Ann Landers, what are two things you should never do in bed?
A. Paul Lynde: Point and laugh.

50 Spray Rose Blooms - $29.99 w/ free vase @ ProFlowers!

50 Spray Rose Blooms: New at ProFlowers!

Online crooks getting more professional - Yahoo! News

• The sale of stolen personal information online continues to grow. The United States is the top country for so-called underground economy servers, home to 64 percent of the computers known to Symantec to be places where thieves barter over the sale over verified credit card numbers, government-issued identification numbers and other data. Germany was second and Sweden ranked third.

• China had the most computers infected by Web robots, or bots — software that performs automated tasks online, such as propagating spam, often without the knowledge or consent of the computer's owner. China had one-third the world's computers conscripted by "bot herders."

• The number of threats caused by malicious code has ballooned. In the first six months of the year, 212,101 new malicious code threats were reported to Symantec, an increase of 185 percent over the previous six months.

But researchers agreed that professional-grade service agreements between cyber criminals and their agents was the most alarming trend.

A small number of malicious "toolkits" — bundles of exploits that allow criminals to customize their own scams and attacks — is responsible for a growing number of attacks.

Only three toolkits were responsible for 42 percent of the 2.3 million so-called 'phishing' messages spotted and blocked by Symantec during the first six months of the year. Crooks use phishing messages to try and steal personal and financial information by tricking people into entering private information into bogus Web sites that look like the sites of legitimate brands such as banks or popular retailers.


Online crooks getting more professional - Yahoo! News

`Match Game' panelist Brett Somers dies - Yahoo! News

Match Game was just about my most favorite game show ever. I loved Brett and Charles Nelson Riley. RIP. `Match Game' panelist Brett Somers dies - Yahoo! News

Dole recalls bagged salads due to E. coli - Yahoo! News

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A division of Dole Food Co said on Monday it was recalling some bagged salads sold in the United States and Canada because a sample at a Canadian grocery store was found to contain E. coli.

Dole recalls bagged salads due to E. coli - Yahoo! News

Got Crocs? Be careful on the escalator - Yahoo! News

According to reports appearing across the United States and as far away as Singapore and Japan, entrapments occur because of two of the biggest selling points of shoes like Crocs: their flexibility and grip. Some report the shoes get caught in the "teeth" at the bottom or top of the escalator, or in the crack between the steps and the side of the escalator.

More Here: Got Crocs? Be careful on the escalator - Yahoo! News

Alien Invasion

Bunny Wabbit

Aww, how cute. Poor little guy. My brother, who's 6'4" tried to pick him up, but it seems that my brother was more scared than the rabbit - he jumped a lot higher anyway. I thought I heard the bunny screaming, but it was "The Big German".

Shelley Winters Dead @ Age 85

I just realized Shelley Winters passed away this weekend. My parents say that's who I was named after. RIP.

Latest News | WFAA.com

Court to rule on whether Simpson gets bail - CNN.com

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- A judge will decide Wednesday if bail will be granted to O.J. Simpson, who faces numerous charges -- and potentially decades in prison -- for what police said is his role in a sports memorabilia heist.

News Story Here: Court to rule on whether Simpson gets bail - CNN.com

May you rot in jail, OJ. I say let him mingle with the general population there at the prison and let the prisoners do to him what he did to Nicole and Ron.

Bits & Pieces: Not So Easy rider

What the hell is this? Serious gorilla arms.


Bits & Pieces: Not So Easy rider

Bits & Pieces: What has been seen...

Bits & Pieces: What has been seen...

Bits & Pieces: Quotes to live by...

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me the hell alone.

2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.

3. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.

6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

9. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

13. Some days you're the pigeon; some days you're the statue.

14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

17. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.

19. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

20. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

Bits & Pieces: Quotes to live by...