casual.mondays

List of Sponsors for the Next Season of "The Apprentice"

2006-12-15T11:57:00.000-06:00

The new season begins on January 7th, and this season's list of sponsors (for each week's tasks) includes:

Dial Corporation
AdSpace Networks
Adwalker
AMC Entertainment
El Pollo Loco
GNC
The Home Depot
KB Home
Lexus
Priceline.com
Ralphs
Sue Bee Honey
Trina Turk
SmartMouth mouthwash

I'd create links to each of these companies, but I don't have the time to do so today. Sorry folks.

But at least you got the insider information to share with your co-workers and friends. You'll look like the Hollywood Insider you've always wanted to become!

How Is "Silly String" Saving Lives In Iraq?

2006-12-08T10:21:00.000-06:00

Our soldiers are doing their job in Iraq with a level of courage and bravery that astounds me. I salute their efforts with all of my pride, along with my equal thanks to veterans of the military (Thank you, Jeff).

Silly String, it's that neon-colored foamy-type gunk that shoots like a string out of a can. Kids love it, adults love it, and soldiers now REALLY love it!

Many of our brave soldiers are continuing to go door-to-door, ridding Iraq of terrorists and insurgents one bad guy at a time. The Silly String comes in when solders prepare to enter a building of any kind. Tripwires are everywhere, and doorways are one of the main places they're found.

Soldiers spray the Silly String in the doorway and if it falls all the way to the ground then there is no wire. But if it hangs in the air, then it's caught on a wire. The Silly String isn't heavy enough to cause the traps to explode, which makes the string the perfect "tool" for this important job.

New stories are being written daily, so I'm linking to the Google News page for this search term. Keep an eye on it. Donation instructions are found in the articles. They're accepting cash to purchase more Silly String, or cans of it. And yes, the manufacturer, Wham-O brands, is making donations of their product as well.

OOH-RAH!

It's Hip to Be Stressed?

2006-12-07T08:01:00.000-06:00

From Pleasant Morning Buzz...

An article on MSNBC.com says that being stressed out is now hip and totally "chic."

Why? Why? WHY???

How long does it really take to trace a phone call?

2006-12-05T08:05:00.000-06:00

So Says "Ask Yahoo"...

We've all seen movies where the cops try to dupe some telephoning wacko into droning on about his plans to blow up Rhode Island, just long enough to complete a trace on the call. But Slate's Explainer describes how this longtime Hollywood trope no longer applies:

"Tracing problems are a relic of manual switchboards, which required operators to physically connect circuits. In order to track down a caller's location, police needed 10-20 minutes to figure out the maze of circuits....shorter calls could only be traced back...to a nearby switching station rather than the source phone.

Read the rest of this answer here.

Grandmother's Bingo Habit Leads To Drug-running Conviction

2006-12-01T15:06:00.000-06:00

What can I add to that after you've read that title?

Here's the sad/funny/twisted/crazy story link.

Flickr Image of the Day: "Self-Portrait Through Horse"

2006-12-01T07:24:00.000-06:00

Here's an interesting way to take a self-portrait, in the reflection of a horse's eye.

I don't believe that was the intention, but that's how I see it.

It would be an interesting idea (so says I) to intentionally take a "self-portrait" in the reflection of a close loved one's eye.

That kind of picture would be worth at least 1,000 words.

Things I've Learned To Enjoy (or enjoy more than before)...

2006-11-30T12:19:00.000-06:00

Spicy Foods // Endorphins are our friends!

Pain // Don't get me wrong about this. I've grown to enjoy what suffering through pain brings out of me.

Learning More about Others' Religious Beliefs // This has always been interesting to me, but never as much as it is to me today. My regular discussions with my physical therapist about her Hindu beliefs have helped me better understand & explain my own beliefs. This has also helped me better understand the actions of the people around me (i.e., knowing how our spiritual foundation, or lack thereof, leads our decision-making -- whether or not we are acutely aware of it as it occurs).

Football // I grew-up playing and loving baseball, but now my interest has shifted over to football -- both college and the NFL. I still love going out to the old ball game here in Chicago or across the country. But when I'm watching a sport on TV, it's usually football these days.

Yeah, I'd Imagine This Is True...

2006-11-29T11:11:00.000-06:00

"There's always pressure when you go into the family business."

Will Graham, the 31-year-old grandson of Billy Graham and oldest son of Franklin Graham, before preaching his first evangelistic crusade.

Source: Christianity Today magazine

Does This Change the Abortion Debate?

2006-11-29T09:08:00.000-06:00

Amazing.

This "non-human" can yawn, play, practice and learn movements, and responds to stimuli with reflexes -- all way before the time of birth approaches.

Amazing.

Flickr Picture of the Day: "50 Years from Now"

2006-11-29T08:09:00.000-06:00

This picture caught my attention for a couple of reasons.

The first reason is that I hope to still have Nicole at my side 50 years from now. We're only a few months into our marriage, and 50 years would make me, um...let's see...

(...carry the 2, and add the 5...)

...that would make me 84. Yeah, my hand would look something like that when I'm 84 years old.

The other reason this image caught my eye was because their hands are resting on the Bible. Nicole and I were very intentional to craft our wedding ceremony around the faith in Christ that we share. Our belief and trust in Jehovah (not just in a general or generic God) is our foundation.

We don't always get our faith right. But, we have never claimed to be perfect or suddenly pure since we trust in the God we strive to serve.

Everyone has a foundation. Our foundation isn't being pushed on you just because we discuss it with you. And when you tell my wife or me about what you trust in as the foundation of your life, you're not automatically pushing your foundation on us.

Is your foundation strong. Is it in itself strong enough on which to stand? ...to occasionally jump upon? ...to occasionally ?

Choose your foundation wisely. This picture portrays ours, and Nic and I are now only 49 years and 7 months away from our 50th anniversary together upon that foundation.

Be well.

Women Talk Three Times as Much as Men, Says Study

2006-11-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

To be fair, us guys sometimes need to hear something three times to remember it. But even that can be explained, so says this report. Guys can't help it...?

Do women actually get a "high" from talking? Men sure don't. We get worn out.

Check out this study's interesting results and comment below.

Gosh, I sure hope this post doesn't get me in trouble with my wife (read: fingers crossed).

Happy Wednesday!

Bomb-sniffing Bees?

2006-11-28T11:33:00.000-06:00

It could be true. Check out the story from CNN.

Story Highlights

• Scientists train honeybees to sniff out explosives from dynamite to C4

• Researchers say bees could spot car bombs, IEDs, suicide bombers' belts

• When a bee finds explosives, it sticks out proboscis, the tube it uses to sip nectar

• Similar research done with wasps in past, but scientists say bees do better

Flickr Image of the Day -- "Little Woman"

2006-11-28T08:20:00.000-06:00

I'm going to work on getting into the habit of showing you pictures on a regular basis from Flickr.com

I'll be taking the liberty of re-titling each image as well. Because I can.

Some images will be taken by true professionals, and others will be taken by true amateurs. Each one will simply be ones that catch my eye for some reason.

Because I want to preserve the copyrights of each photographer, I won't be copying the images here into my blog. I'll just link to them. But, don't let that stop you from checking out the images -- along with other images from each day's photographer.

So now, I give you today's inaugural picture, it's an image I'm going to call, "Little Woman."

I like how this picture portrays the natural way children desire to run away and explore. One second, a child is amazed by a shiny object, the next second he or she is enthralled and overjoyed by the wide-open space around them.

We all have times of desiring wide-open spaces. We desire these open spaces the majority of the hours of our days -- for most people at least. But, there are also times when we feel a drive to return to the comfort and peace of a confined area much like the womb we once vacated.

These ebbs and flows drive us around and around. The best of times in life are when we can find the open or confined spaces we desire.

For me, I find both of these places of creature comfort in the arms of my wife, Nicole.

It's been five months Sweetie, and we're still going strong! I love you, Nic.

Air Traffic Control Nightmare!

2006-11-28T08:15:00.000-06:00

This picture (okay, it's a composite image) shows what our local airport here (O'Hare International) sometimes feels like when all of the jets want to take off at once.

WATCH OUT!!!

Teen Goes Nuclear at Home!

2006-11-22T07:05:00.000-06:00

There was a time when drugs and halucinagenic mushrooms were one of the biggest concerns with teens. Now it's mushroom clouds!

Okay, I'm not dense enough to carry this story about this teen who created a nuclear fusion reactor in his home all the way to a mushroom cloud. Nuclear weapons and nuclear fusion (where an atomic nucleus splits into fragments) -- or fission (combining light nuclei) for that matter -- are not one in the same. But, this is quite a story (and I needed a mushroom segue).

Here's how the story begins...

On the surface, Thiago Olson is like any typical teenager.

He's on the cross country and track teams at Stoney Creek High School
in Rochester Hills. He's a good-looking, clean-cut 17-year-old with a 3.75 grade
point average, and he has his eyes fixed on the next big step: college.

But to his friends, Thiago is known as "the mad scientist."

Read the rest of the story here.

How Michael Richards Could Potentially Get Some Sympathy...

2006-11-21T14:28:00.000-06:00

If I was his agent, I'd recommend that Michael Richards would now admit he's been suffering with Tourette's Syndrome his entire life, and that the other day was just a flare-up.

(NOTE: No, I'm not making fun or either Tourette's Syndrome or racism. I'm simply attempting to inject a little levity into this discussion that's becomming very old very quickly. It's practically all they're talking about on talk radio again today. Ugh.)

Pug Imitates Life -- I Mean, a Blender...

2006-11-21T14:23:00.000-06:00

I'm not quite sure if this Pug is channeling a blender, or if the blender is channeling the Pug.

Either way, it's funny!

Who Are the Current "A-list" Bloggers?

2006-11-21T09:19:00.000-06:00

Here's a link to the list of top Bloggers.

This list also includes lists for "B-list," "C-list," and "D-list" bloggers.

And no, I'm not on any of these lists -- I prefer to remain a "Z-list" blogger. I'm down here with "the people," I remember where I came from, & um ... I can't get that much traffic to save my life!

Some of the toppers include:

Rand Fish (SEOmoz)
Darren Rowse (Problogger)
Robert Scoble (Scobleizer)
Seth Godin (Seth's Blog)
Steve Rubel (Micropersuasion)
Xiaxue (Everyone's Reading It)
Trent Vanegas (Pink is The New Blog)
Kathy Sierra (Creating Passionate Users)
Richard MacManus (Read/WriteWeb)

Read the rest of the list of top BLOGGERS here!

A Few Interesting Links for Your Coffee Break Today...

2006-11-21T08:54:00.000-06:00

Dateline: Carol Stream, November 21, 2006...

LOVE TAP: Japanese Sub, Civilian Vessel Collide
A Japanese submarine collided with a civilian cargo ship during exercises in waters off southern Japan Tuesday, defense officials said. There were no immediate reports of any injuries... READ MORE

OH BEHAVE: Apparently (Certain) Americans Are Rude To Foreign Visitors
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rude immigration officials and visa delays keep millions of foreign visitors away from the United States, hurt the country's already battered image, and cost the U.S. billions of dollars in lost revenue, according to an advocacy group formed to push for a better system... READ MORE

LIVING FLOORS: Modular "Living Floors"
Walking on them creates play and movement of light stimulating sensations of nature and atmosphere... READ MORE

More links coming a little later...

Beer Flavored Sunflower Seeds

2006-11-17T13:18:00.000-06:00

This item comes from the sister site to the blog mentioned in my previous post. Junk Food Blog brings us a great new product, Beer Flavored Sunflower Seeds!

The seeds actually come in a 6-pack of seed bottles, and also come in these flavors:

Dill Pickle
Hot Wings
Roasted & Salted
Spicy Nacho
Bleu Cheese
Garlic Roast
Jalapeno
Salt & Pepper
Tequila Lime

The official name of these seeds is, "Beer Baked Sunflower Seeds." Keep an eye out for them appearing at your local "Beer-flavored products store"!

Killing Two Birds with One "Stone"!

2006-11-17T13:04:00.000-06:00

(I couldn't resist the awful pun in the title...it was just handed to me. I had no choice but to use it...REALLY.)

The following review is from a blog I've linked to in the past, it's the Strange New Products blog.

Season Shot is the name of a new type of live ammunition containing buckshot loaded with meat seasonings. (Yep, really!)

When you shoot a bird (with a real shotgun) the buckshot disintegrates inside the flesh and releases its flavorings.

The idea came about with two guys who wanted to find a solution towards people breaking their teeth on buckshot when eating pheasant or turkey.

Season Shot comes in varieties of Cajun, Lemon Pepper, Garlic, Teriyaki, and Honey Mustard. Supposedly, they won't be available on the market until 2007.

So, is this for real? I did a search on Google to find out some more. Other bloggers had already picked it up, and apparently at least one reporter was convinced enough to mention it in print in The Birmingham News. I found another newspaper article that someone posted on a forum.

I tried calling the company's phone number, which was listed on their website, and I left them a message, and haven't heard back from them.

What do you think?

Visit Season Shot and develop your own reaction -- and tell me about it in the COMMENTS section!

She Commands $100,000/appearance?!

2006-11-14T12:36:00.000-06:00

Okay, it's out there again (I had already head of this months ago). But most of us could care less ... and yes, this "us" includes me.

Paris Hilton commands $100,000 (this link goes to one woman's explaination of why Americans "Love" Paris Hilton) in order to appear at a bar or restaurant. Usually she is tagged to appear at a grand opening, but other times it's just another opportunity for a bar or restaurant to get nack into the papers. But is it worth this price for these eating and drinking establishments?

I suppose it depends on who you ask.

Personally, I can see that if $100,000 is the take for 3 or 4 nights of business, then yes, it would be worth getting it into the papers that yes, Paris does hang-out here from time-to-time. That'll keep the curious masses of clubbers coming to the bar, drinking their drinks, and running up large tabs as they stay all night in hopes of seeing the one famous for being famous.

That got me thinking about what I would "command." The word "command" seems like a misnomer in relation to my "appearances" at eating establishments. I'd take a discount on my and my wife's meals. That's good enough for me!

What would an appearance by you command? And why?
Leave a comment with your thoughts.

Check Out "Favorville"

2006-11-10T11:11:00.000-06:00

Facilitating the Exchange Of Helpful Acts**
Sites pop-up on the Web every day, and disappear the next ... who knows, perhaps this one might be one of the few exceptions. I like the idea of this site, so I hope it gains some momentum.

Favorville.com is a social networking tool which provides members with the opportunity to help and be helped by others. With Favorville, members can post help requests, offer help and help grow the community. Favorville makes it easy to get in touch and build lasting connections with helpful neighbors, both in your locale or across the global village.

**Thanks to Marcus P. Zillman's great blog of useful online resources for finding this one.

"Swing Blade"

2006-11-08T13:42:00.000-06:00

The Makers of Sling Blade & Swingers...

...have nothing to do with this film.

You get two movies for the price of one when you watch, Swing Blade!

("Mmm-Hmm")

Archerfish Video!

2006-11-08T13:30:00.000-06:00

The more I learn about the elements of nature that make up this world, the more I'm amazed at God's creativity & forethought.

This Archerfish is just one more example of our complex and awe-inspiring universe. It "shoots" its prey with a stream of water which knocks it down to him for dinner.

Perhaps I'll try this tonight in our kitchen. Hmmm...I'll have to think about this a little in order to pull it off. It could be messy...

This Will Pick You Up Today...

2006-11-06T10:10:00.000-06:00

If this short video doesn't make you laugh, check your pulse...you don't have one.

Have a great start to your week, friends.

WMD Proof? Tis True, Tis True

2006-11-03T16:11:00.000-06:00

The New York Times reports that Saddam Hussein's Iraq did have a nuclear weapons program after all. It's hard to believe that it's the NY Times actually printing this, but, that gives it more credibility in the eyes of those who've called President Bush a liar about WMDs.

Last March, the federal government set up a Web site to make public a vast archive of Iraqi documents captured during the war. The Bush administration did so under pressure from Congressional Republicans who had said they hoped to "leverage the Internet" to find new evidence of the prewar dangers posed by Saddam Hussein.

But in recent weeks, the site has posted some documents that weapons experts say are a danger themselves: detailed accounts of Iraq's secret nuclear research before the 1991 Persian Gulf war. The documents, the experts say, constitute a basic guide to building an atom bomb.

Last night, the government shut down the Web site after The New York Times asked about complaints from weapons experts and arms-control officials. . . .

Among the dozens of documents in English were Iraqi reports written in the 1990s and in 2002 for United Nations inspectors in charge of making sure Iraq had abandoned its unconventional arms programs after the Persian Gulf war. Experts say that at the time, Mr. Hussein's scientists were on the verge of building an atom bomb, as little as a year away.

You can read the entire article here.

So, here we are back to knowing that Saddam did have WMDs. Time for another prediction (Yeah!)...

Unless the mainstream media plays down this very important story, we'll be hearing flip-floping Senator Kerry switch back to remembering that he actually did see the intelligence reports about Iraq's WMDs. And, that he was one of the members of Congress who approved the invasion of the Middle Eastern country, and the removal of Saddam Hussein from power.

Tags: WMD, Iraq, Saddam Hussein

The Next Time Someone Tells You...

2006-11-03T14:05:00.000-06:00

...that they hate President Bush because he's banned stem-cell research, you can choose one (or all) of these options in response:

1. The president has not banned stem-cell research. He simply did not choose to expand the current law to allow our tax money to fund EMBRYONIC stem-cell research. No president before Bush chose to do so either.

2. Ask them, "Can you tell me who the only president is who's ever allowed ANY embryonic stem-cell research?" (Answer: Yep, President Bush. He allowed a specific group of embryos which had already been prepared for this kind of research.)

3. Tell them that you are in favor of stem-cell research as well, just as President Bush is. But you and the Prez are in favor of ADULT stem-cell research. At present, there have been more than 70 different viable, or already in use, ways adult stem-cell research is working. Embryonic stem-cell research (which is going on in many places in America -- through private funding) has yet to produce one viable result.

Chose one, or choose them all, but 92-94% of Americans (just my own estimate) don't understand the information listed above.

Tag: Stem-cells, Stem Cells

A Not-so-bold Prediction about the Voting Machines/Ballots/etc.

2006-11-02T14:19:00.000-06:00

Bold prediction of the week:

If the Democrats win control of the Senate, then there will not have been problems with the voting machines. And if they lose, I guarantee there there will be "problems with the voting machines."

Ta-da!!! Thank you very much.

I can be contacted for interviews at ...

Two Things about How John Kerry Is Dealing with His Latest Mess...

2006-11-02T13:37:00.000-06:00

Read about this picture here. It's related to the latest gaff from a politician, John Kerry in this case. There are two things (at least) which bother me about the way John Kerry has backpeddled out of this misstep.

At first I was willing to give Kerry the benefit of the doubt -- because we all mix-up our words at times. And leaving only one or two words out a sentence can definitely change the meaning of what was said. But, I've come to believe that this actually is how he feels, that he sees the military as the place where kids go in order to clean-up their lives, get out of trouble, do something other than further their education in college or university.

Why? Check out this story. This message about his view of the military is a consistent theme of his.

"'A volunteer army would be an army of the poor and the black and the brown'... " -- Kerry, in 1972

The second thing that bothers me with the way Senator Kerry has handled his "mistake" is this. Do you member when former senator Trent Lott was forced to step down from the Senate for saying something offensive? Who was the first political leader (read: that's using the word, "leader" loosely) to call for Lott's resignation? Yep, it was John Kerry.

Can you image someone with this view of the military controlling the military? Thanks to Ohio, back in 2004, we weren't subjected to that scenario.

Tag: John Kerry

What Do We Know about Favorite Trick-or-Treat Candy?

2006-10-31T09:03:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Al's Morning Meeting for this great bit of Halloween information. I took his words, so any references to "Me" or "My" should be attributed to Al...

---------------------------
The National Confectioners Association maintains two Web sites: Candy USA, a consumer site, and eCandy.com, which is aimed at businesses and the media. The first site backs up MY contentions:

Bite-sized chocolate candies are the [m]ost popular type of candy to be included in Halloween activities (76 percent), followed by bite-sized non-chocolate candies (30 percent).

Twenty-six percent of households will include full-size candy (chocolate and non-chocolate) in their Halloween activities.

Kids tell us that their favorite treats to receive when trick-or-treating are candy and gum.

Eighty-four percent of kids said candy and gum are their favorites.

Chocolate preferred by 50 percent

Non-chocolate candy, 24 percent

Gum, 10 percent

Kids' least favorite items to get in their trick-or-treat bags were fruit and salty snacks like chips and pretzels.

Fruit, 1 percent

Salty snacks, 1 percent

Toys, 2 percent

Baked goods such as cookies/granola bars, 2 percent

Other, 2 percent

Don't know, 5 percent

Don't trick-or-treat, 3 percent

Ninety percent of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their kids' Halloween trick-or-treat bags.

Parents' favorite treats to sneak from their kids' trick-or-treat bags are snack-size chocolate bars (70 percent sneak these), candy-coated chocolate pieces (40 percent), caramels (37 percent) and gum (26 percent).

Parents' least favorite goodie to take from their kids' trick-or-treat bags is licorice (18 percent).

Tag:
Halloween

Helpful Muslims & Young Mad Scientists!

2006-09-25T08:34:00.000-05:00

TODAY'S STORIES YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT:

-- This story was great to read...
Muslims Collect Money to Rebuild Burned Churches
Religion News Service via BeliefNet.com
A group of American Muslims is using compassion to counter the violent reactions of fellow Muslims who were angered by Pope Benedict XVI's controversial remarks about Islam.
Read More...

-- This story is a little heady, but it's interesting, and these young people should be recognized...
Popular Science Picks Their Annual "Brilliant 10" Young Scientists
Worms, planets, extra dimensions: just a few of the things that inspire the most creative young scientists of the year.
Read More...

More links to come soon!

I'm Back!

2006-09-21T08:04:00.000-05:00

After taking a few months off after my recent wedding (woo-hoo!), I'm back to blog regularly once more. But, I think I'm going to change my format just a little bit.

The content will be similar -- fun, funny, weird, obtuse, thoughtful, and random content (covers the spectrum, don't you think?), but my presentation will be tweaked just a little bit. Plus, I plan to blog a little more about my life. That'll help my family and friends keep up with me and my happy life.

So, without further adieu...

-- Chavez Is A Coward: From DrudgeReport.com
CHAVEZ FLEES NYC; CUTS TRIP SHORT AFTER 'DEVIL' SPEECH Venezuela President Hugo Chavez will 'wrap up' his controversial NYC visit early this morning to return home to Caracas, sources say. The president cancelled several appointments previously scheduled in NYC today including a second news conference he was to hold at Venezuela's United Nations mission. On Wednesday, Chavez, in a controversial speech in the UN General Assembly, mocked President George Bush repeatedly calling him 'The Devil'.

-- No One Can Even Mention Islamic Extremists Any Longer Without Being Threatened With Death: These groups within Islam get violent when someone calls them violent...and that seems to be their way of saying that it's wrong to call them violent. The rest of the world sees the problem with this stretegy.

-- "Thai Coup": I think I had that once at the Thai restaurant down the road. Apparently they've now taken it off the menu. But, it sure was sneaky to execute this coup while the leader was out of the country. Boy does he feel duped!

-- Now that the White Sox are out of the playoffs, I can officially begin to publically root for the Twins. They have an amazing young team. They'll win it all this year (I've been saying that for the past month and a half -- for the record).

Be well everyone. It's almost the weekend!!!

It's Finally Here!

2006-06-27T11:45:00.000-05:00

We'll be leaving for our honeymoon this weekend, the day after the ceremony. So, what advice would you, my blog readers, give us for the trip?

We'll be in Arizona.

Six Jobs That Won't Exist In 2016

2006-06-21T13:15:00.000-05:00

Interesting...

Here's a list of Six Jobs That Won't Exist In 2016, according to Fast Company magazine.

World Cup Photos

2006-06-21T12:06:00.000-05:00

No, these are not pictures of cups from around the world. They're some great photographs of the action on the field at the World Cup Soccer Tournament.

Even if you're not a fan of soccer, you'll most likely still enjoy these pictures.

Tags:
World Cup, Soccer, World Cup Soccer, Football

A True Ice Cream Vending Machine -- and Fast!!

2006-06-20T11:36:00.000-05:00

This ice cream vending machine doesn't store ice cream and vend it out when a purchase is made. Instead, it uses a "Flash Freeze" technique that allows the machine itself to create ice cream in only 45 seconds.

Amazing!

I hope we'll be seeing these machines all over the place, because I'm an ice cream FREAK! I love ice cream, but even more so, I REALLY LOVE Frozen Custard!

Oh, and get this, "Not only does its onboard computer run on Linux, the machine also communicates wirelessly through satellite technology to provide company headquarters with inventory and sales data."

Tags:
Ice Cream, Icecream, Frozen Custard, Culvers, Desserts

How To Haggle Like A Pro

2006-06-16T09:25:00.000-05:00

After reading this Reader's Digest article/guide, I want to go out and haggle somewhere -- to buy something! I'm just not sure what I want to haggle about.

This article gives us "5 Lines That Work."

Who Are the Most "Powerful" Celebrities?

2006-06-16T07:21:00.000-05:00

Well, Forbes magazine sez...

Actor Tom Cruise, 43, is the most powerful celebrity in the world, ahead of the Rolling Stones and Oprah Winfrey, according to Forbes magazine's annual list.

Despite the controversy surrounding his Scientology beliefs and his romance with Katie Holmes, with whom he has just had a daughter, Cruise has 67 million dollars thanks to "War of the Worlds" and "Mission Impossible 3," and is still the top star in Hollywood, the New York business magazine said.

Forbes based its list on income between June 2005 and June 2006, on the number of hits each received on Google Internet searches, mentions in the press, television and radio as well as the number of cover photos in 26 major US magazines.

Sexagenarian rockers the Rolling Stones earned a silver medal for their "A Bigger Bang" tour, which pulled in 162 million dollars in late 2005, when Mick Jagger and the band played in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for 1.5 million spectators, Forbes said.

At the top of Forbes' 2005 list, Oprah Winfrey, 52, little known outside the United States, where she has aired her show for 20 years, came in third this year, but her communications empire took in 225 million dollars.

Read the rest of the celebrity list.

A Guide To the Latest Batch Of Corporate Buzzwords

2006-06-15T16:36:00.000-05:00

Here they are!

They include such buzzwords as: "War for talent," "Delayering," "Unsiloing," and "Process-flow analysis."

I once saw my doctor about that last one. Fortunately, things cleared-up in a few weeks.

Top Ten Ways To Get Fired

2006-06-15T16:29:00.000-05:00

According to the book, Fire me, please! 101 Ways to Get Fired from Your Miserable Job, these are the Top Ten Ways To Get Fired...

Wear an Easter bunny costume and offer the CEO free pictures on your lap.
Stroll through the office dressed like a 70"s style pimp. Demand everyone call you "Big Daddy."
Show up to work wearing a ninja costume. Try some ninja moves on a client.
Wear a fake mustache and convince your supervisor you're a twin brother from France.
Dress like "Miserable the Clown" and perform a fake kids show.
Wear your underwear on your head. Tell management it's a new way to cure migraine headaches.
Dress up like a pro-wrestler and verbally challenge your boss to an office death match for a raise.
Dress like a football player and tackle everyone in sight.
Dress lik a superhero and call yourself Captain Copier. Defend the office copier from all that is to be copied.
Wear a tie without a shirt. Play it off like it's no big deal.

What are your suggestions of sure-fire ways to get yourself fired from your job?

Are We Making A Positive Difference In Iraq?

2006-06-15T08:32:00.000-05:00

I say that we are making a positive difference...but what weight does that hold? None. I know that.

But, what if the formerly alive Abu Musab al-Zarqawi himself said the same thing, that American forces ARE making the impact they have planned to make in Iraq? And, what if the formerly dispicable al-Zarqawi went into detail about how his insurgents continue to lose ground?

And...what if we read that letter together now?

Yes, we ARE slowly breaking down the forces of the insurgents. We are also making a noticeable and positive impact in the people's society in Iraq without replacing their culture with ours (as some have feared and have proclaimed.

STATS:
452 raids have been completed since al-Zarqawi's death, with 104 insurgents killed. Over 700 opposition forces have been captured during these raids.

Read more information about what else was accomplished and captured during the Al-Zarqawi Raid.

Tags:
Al-Zarqawi, Al Zarqawi, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, Iraq, War On Terror

What Do Experts On Climate Think of Al Gore's Movie On Global Warming?

2006-06-14T15:37:00.000-05:00

FYI: I'm simply reporting on what has already been reported. I have not seen this movie ... but then, why would I?
====================

The vast majority of climate experts are truly amazed that anyone is believing in and promoting Gore's project, The Inconvenient Truth.

No, not just one or two experts, but "hundreds" of them.

Al Gore says, "Scientists have an independent obligation to respect and present the truth as they see it."

Climate Experts say, "Gore's circumstantial arguments are so weak that they are pathetic. It is simply incredible that they, and his film, are commanding public attention."

Read on ...

Tags:
Global Warming, The Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore, Environmentalism, Environmentalists

VIDEO: Kitty v. Cat

2006-06-14T13:23:00.000-05:00

This is an older viral video, but, it's still hilarious.

The added noises make it work.

"Pimp My Grill"

2006-05-31T11:35:00.000-05:00

We have a grill on our wedding registry (Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, & Sears), but it doesn't look anything like this one!

Happy Memorial Day!

2006-05-26T14:22:00.000-05:00

Remember what this Memorial Day holiday weekend is about....

...and enjoy it!

Tags:
Memorial Day, Holidays

What's This 'Nicene Creed' Mentioned In 'The Da Vinci Code'?

2006-05-26T14:05:00.000-05:00

The Nicene Creed is something that is either accepted in full or not at all. This is the stand of Christianity. If you've read the book or have seen the film (The Da Vinci Code), you've heard about this Creed. What is it?

The Nicene Creed states things that may surprise some Christians, or "christians." Surprise them, because they've never been exposed to what it says, and what it asks the reader to believe and accept in his or her heart and mind.

The Nicene Creed is this (you can make up your own mind as to whether or not you accept what this ancient Creed states)...

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, True God of True God, Begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made:

Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man;

And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried;

And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;

And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father;

And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke by the Prophets;

And we believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.

We look for the Resurrection of the dead,

And the Life of the age to come. Amen.

*Note: as recited in Church, we use the first person singular, "I believe...," throughout the Creed, although, as a conciliar decree, it was originally set down in the plural, "We believe...."

Christians Painted Falsely In Da Vinci Code Reactions

2006-05-25T07:34:00.000-05:00

It's sad how reporters, and wanna-be reporters, look for stories and then blow them up represent a group as a whole. This is currently being done to Christians of all flavors in the story of how they/we are responding to the movie, The Da Vinci Code.

I did a search for "anti da vinci" in Google, and these stories came up in their news section. The tops story (at the time of my search) about Da Vinci spam hitting email boxes isn't about Christians being misrepresented -- it's about someone claiming to offer a free copy of the Dan Brown book (I receive this spam every day -- no big deal) -- but the following stories do speak to the problem.

Yes, some Christian groups are boycotting, marching against, writing against, etc. the film's themes. They have every right to do so. But, poor and even misleading journalism is leading people to believe that the majority of Christians are embracing these tactics against the film. This simply isn't true.

Fortunately, some journalists are writing about how Christians are embracing the opportunities this film offers. Films such as The Da Vinci Code produce opportunities to talk about the controversial themes of the movie with people who are not Christians. People talk about it at work, at gatherings, between families members, and in other places. But ... if Christians are not prepared to engage in these discussions, then the opportunity will be lost.

I've told you, my little, but loyal audience, that I work for the magazine publisher Christianity Today. We do publish 13 publications, but that's not all. Here's a sampling (including CTI's resources) that can assist Christians is preparing themselves for the conversations that are still happening everywhere about the themes of this film:

The Truth about Da Vinci
5 Big Questions from The Da Vinci Code (CTI)
Moody Bible Institute
ChristianityTodayMovies.com (CTI)
Christian History & Biography (CTI)
WebTruth.org
PreachingToday.com's Resources (CTI)
ChristianityTodayCourses.com (CTI)

There are many more resources out there. but this will get you started if you want to learn more about truths within the discussion of The Da Vinci Code.

Tags:
The Da Vinci Code, Da Vinci Code, Da Vinci, Dan Brown

FORTUNE: The 100 Best Companies To Work For

2006-05-24T09:26:00.000-05:00

Check out Fortune magazine's list of The 100 Best Companies To Work For in 2006.

You can also check out this list published in one of my employer's publications, Christianity Today magazine, of The Top 40 Christian Companies To Work For.

Tags:
Employment, Jobs, Careers

The Hurricane Freak-Out Begins

2006-05-23T11:10:00.000-05:00

From Al Tompkins' Morning Meeting Media Tip Sheet (at Poynter.org)...

Hey, we have to have something to take the place of the Florida alligator-attack stories, so now we can start the hurricane worry season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there is plenty to worry about this year. Here are some resources that you might want to bookmark for your coverage this year:

The mother lode of disaster-planning contacts and information, from CBS News.
150 years of hurricane tracks from NOAA
One of the coolest parts of this site is that you can enter a ZIP code or a city and query historical storm tracks for that community. So when a storm is heading for a location, you can find the history of storms to that location in a click or two.
Coastal Population Tool: This is a wonderful tool you can use to map out how many people live on any coastline and what the population trend has been for that area. It is vitally important to predict evacuation size and damage estimates. Just pop in a state and county.
NOAA Coastal Services Center resource page: Real-time imagery of storms, Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale explained and more resources.
DisasterCenter.com: Another disaster collection -- ham radio operators use this one.
DisasterRelief.org: A listing of major international disaster-relief efforts going on.

Tags:
Hurricanes, Hurricane Season, Hurricane Katrina, Katrina

What In the World?!

2006-05-23T11:08:00.000-05:00

Oh Baby!

Crazy Band-aids You Can Buy

2006-05-23T11:04:00.000-05:00

I told you, perhaps half a year ago, about one or two of these crazy-styled bandages. But now, this novelty company has a whole line of fun and wild bandages that might even make you want to get a scrape or cut, just so you can stick one of these on your body.

Some of the band-aids include: Bacon, Sushi, a Kiss, Pirate, and Cowboy.

Check out these fun bandages!

Using Old News To Run A Website?

2006-05-22T16:52:00.000-05:00

Can Yesterday's News, not today's news, be interesting fodder for a successful blog?

I'd vote yes.

This is a really interesting idea for a blog. Check it out!

How The Da Vinci Code Doesn't Work...

2006-05-22T16:12:00.000-05:00

This article doesn't so much go into why The Da Vinci Code has problems on the theology side of things. Instead, it goes into some really interesting facts that show problems/falsehoods in the film.

For instance, the tracking device was imbedded in a bar of soap from the restroom of The Louvre (after breaking in through the restroom window to obtain the soap). But, says this article:

The restrooms of the Louvre have liquid soap, just like most other public restrooms.
According to a "Da Vinci Code" tour guide, the restrooms in that part of the Louvre do not have windows [ref].

Read the rest of this Da Vinci Code article.

Tags:
The Da Vinci Code, Da Vinci Code, Da Vinci, Dan Brown

Baghdad's Lionel Richie Obsession

2006-05-22T11:08:00.000-05:00

It's true, Baghdad men get "misty-eyed" at the mere mention of Lionel Richie. "Iraqis who do not understand a word of English can sing an entire Lionel Richie song."

It really something how some musicians become wildly popular overseas -- often years after their careers fizzle here in the states.

Read the article about this Iraqi craze over Lionel Richie here.

NEWS: Sunny D Is Bad For Fish

2006-05-19T14:06:00.000-05:00

Yep, fish are apparently not fan of the refreshing, sweet beverage, Sunny Delight. We found that out today when it was reported that some 8,000 liters of the drink's concentrate leaked into a waterway and fish were found doing that floating thing they do when they die.

Check it out.

The Da Vinci Diet

2006-05-19T11:17:00.000-05:00

(sigh)

This author received reportedly receive a six-figure advance for writing Da Vinci Diet.

:::via: Diet-Blog.com ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Stephen Lanzalotta created what he called the "Da Vinci Diet" in response to the decline in bread consumption brought on by the popularity of the Atkins Diet. The diet consists mostly of Mediterranean foods, including bread, fish, cheese, vegetables, meat, nuts and wine.

The diet is based on the Golden Ratio or Phi, a mathematical value that was used to build the pyramids and has since been found to exist most everywhere in nature. Da Vinci is said to have used the Golden Ratio to proportion the human figures in his paintings which is how it found its way into Dan Brown's hugely popular novel.

The author, Stephen Lanzalotta, is a baker. Read more about this book, and the diet, over at Fox News.

Tags:
The Da Vinci Code, Da Vinci Code, Da Vinci, Da Vinci Diet, Diets

70,000 Beer Cans Found In Utah Home

2006-05-18T09:55:00.000-05:00

Can you imagine this guy's hangover??!!

Tags:
Beer, Beer Cans, Alcohol, Seriously Drunk

Religious Affiliation of History's 100 "Most Influential" People

2006-05-17T16:33:00.000-05:00

Interesting.

You, and I, can argue with the choice of the people who made this list, but it's interesting nonetheless.

The Cow Says, "Moo"

2006-05-17T08:05:00.000-05:00

Here's a fun chart of noises that animals make.

What's so fun about that? People in other countries don't necessarily say that "The cow says, "Moo.'"

People in Japan will tell you that a cow says, "mau mau."

Dutch people will tell you that a cow says, "boe" or "moe."

You can read the rest of the animal and country noises here.

VIDEO: Two Brothers Being Brothers

2006-05-17T08:03:00.000-05:00

My brother and I sure got along better than these two guys.

Get To Know Me, Your Blogger...You'll Want To Read This one

2006-05-16T14:49:00.000-05:00

GET TO KNOW YOUR BLOGGER (that's me)

If you haven't read this story yet, here's a link to my Dad's writing about when I was 10 years old with bacterial spinal meningitis. It was quite an ordeal...

"Your Son Has Meningitis"

This story is from my Dad's series of books that were published as the Silent Echoes Book Series.

Tags:
Meningitis, Spinal Meningitis, Bacterial Spinal Meningitis, Silent Echoes

What Is "Google Notebook"?

2006-05-16T13:37:00.000-05:00

Google has released their latest online tool from their famous "Google Labs" beta tool area.

What is Google Notebook? That's a great question.

Basically, and you can check Google Notebook out for yourself if you really don't care for my explanation, you can collect text snippets, images and links while surfing, right within your browser window. This information is then accessible from different computers, and you can also make notebooks public.

Here's a deeper explanation than that. It's from the "Google Blogoscoped" blog.

Tags:
Google Notebook, Google, Google Blogs

Household Items that Double as Organizers

2006-05-15T12:13:00.000-05:00

Please allow me to get domestic for a moment. Hey, it's all about helping you, my precious readers, learn something new and fun for your needs around the house.

I'll be married in a month and a half (Woo!), so we're getting my place in order. That's why I'm checking out magazines such as this one, Real Simple, which features these 9 great tips on organizing around the house (or, the apartment in my case).

New uses for file racks, CD cases, napkin holders, and so much more!

BONUS: Here are some more great ideas for your life.

Tags:
Organizing, Organization, Home Organizing, Orderly Home

Cooking with Twinkies

2006-05-11T09:48:00.000-05:00

From NPR.org...

NPR's Allison Keyes just wandered by to show me the new book on -- when you're cooking at home -- how best to prepare Twinkies. I kid you not.

The full title is, The Twinkies Cookbook: An Inventive and Unexpected Recipe Collection from Hostess. No author is taking credit for the text, but you should know that the "food photography" is by Leo Gong. This book should be on The Gong Show.

It's one thing to eat Twinkies. People have long been doing that, especially when you run out of Fig Newtons. And I completely understand the lure. "Hostess Twinkies are just great ... by themselves!" gushes the text. "As dessert, as a treat in a lunch box, as a between-meal snack ..." I know that. Actually, when I had my first apartment, in Fort Lee, N.J., Twinkies were not only my between-meal snacks, they were often my meals.

But -- I'm not making this up -- Twinkie Sushi? (page 10: "It's nice to serve Twinkie Sushi at a dinner party on a Japanese tray or bento box with chopsticks," writes an obviously over-Twinkied Clare Crespo of Baton Rouge, La. Twinkie Burrito? (page 29: "One day while at my wife's Mexican restaurant," writes Peter Sheridan of Washington, D.C., "I tried wrapping the mixture in a tortilla so I could eat it with my hands. Even though my wife laughs at me, Twinkie burritos are delicious, and now all of her employees and I are hooked!"

Read the rest of this "Cooking with Twinkies" story.

Tags:
Twinkies, Hostess Snacks, Hostess Twinkies, Snacks

VIDEO: Pilots REALLY Don't Like Flying In Thunderstorms

2006-05-10T11:23:00.000-05:00

...and this video from the FAA's Radar Tracking System proves it!

They're FexEx planes, but they look like little ants avoiding a puddle of water!

via: Kottke.org

The Da Vinci "Toad"?

2006-05-08T10:20:00.000-05:00

That's right! And, you can buy your Da Vinci Toad t-shirt or cap today!

Tags:
Da Vinci, Da Vinci Code, The Da Vinci Code, Da Vinci Toad

Organization To Honor Biggest Boobs

2006-05-05T11:26:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I thought that title might get your attention. (I'm sorry about the title, Mom, but don't worry, this isn't about what you think it's about...well, mostly it's not...just sort of.)

The National Breast Cancer Coalition, a grassroots organization dedicated to ending breast cancer through the power of action and advocacy, today announced the launch of the "Golden Boob Awards," a bold new effort to expose the "biggest boobs" seeking to exploit breast cancer for their own political or financial aims. The effort is headquartered online, at http://www.GoldenBoob.org.

The first two nominees have already been unveiled, but the public is invited to submit additional ones. They are "The Abortion/Breast Cancer Coalition" & "Mark For Life."

Read more about these huge boobs.

(Explanation: Number One: I'm in the PR business, so this creative idea to get the word out about their contest to nail those who are (at least seemingly, from the info they're providing) exploiting for their own good is a great idea. Number Two: I'm getting married in less than two months. So, I have to admit that once in a while I think about a certain woman's anatomy. Do you forgive me?)

Tags:
Breast Cancer, Breasts, Boobs, Golden Boobs, Big Boobs, Biggest Boobs

Great Orators of the Democratic Party

2006-05-05T09:29:00.000-05:00

Great Orators of the Democratic Party

"One man with courage makes a majority."--Andrew Jackson

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."--Franklin D. Roosevelt

"The buck stops here."--Harry S. Truman

"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."--John F. Kennedy

"I was recently asked about the difference between the Democratic and Republican parties. When it comes right down to it, the essential difference is that the Democrats fundamentally believe it is important to make sure that American Jews feel comfortable being American Jews."--Howard Dean

Ha, ha!

via WSJ's OpinionJournal

Clueless about Their Own Attitudes On Abortion...

2006-05-05T09:14:00.000-05:00

Check out this report from the Associated Press (via WSJ's OpinionJournal):

When Tom Cruise announced he had bought an ultrasound machine so he could see images of his unborn child [sic], a California lawmaker thought the "Mission: Impossible III" star had gone too far.

Democratic Assemblyman Ted Lieu said he feared copycat fans might buy the machine for home use, which doctors say could harm a fetus.

It's something how political representatives can't even clearly represent their own attitudes on a topic such as abortion. This assemblyman doesn't want to harm "fetuses," but if you look it up, you'll see that he, and the vast majority of his California Democratic colleagues, also support abortion. Abortion is um, harmful ... for fetuses.

Believe what you want to believe -- I don't have to agree with you. But for goodness sake, make up your mind, Ted. Do you want to hurt "fetuses" or protect them?

Tags:
Abortion, Anti-abortion, Pro-choice, Pro-abortion, Roe v Wade, Roe vs Wade

Fact or Fuelishness?

2006-05-04T12:20:00.000-05:00

Fact or Fuelishness?
by Al Tompkins

Forget about those "fuel mileage boosters." They aren't going to help your gas mileage, and they may very well hurt your car.

Read on about this gas/fuel/petro story.

Roast Veggies 'As Bad for Teeth as Fizzy Drinks'

2006-05-04T12:17:00.000-05:00

First they want to take away my sode/pop/coke (depending on which area of the country you're from -- I'll call it "pop"), not they want to take away my vegetables??!!

Children across the world are passing this article to each other today and will collectively show their parents this article all at the same time this afternoon. Crack your windows to hear the united SIGH by parents everywhere.

(I love roasted veggies.)

What Is a "Bed Book"?

2006-05-03T15:44:00.000-05:00

"Bed Books" are books with the text printed sideways. That way, you can lay on your side and read at the same time.

What do you think about this invention?

VIDEO: Mario Bros. Live On Stage

2006-05-01T10:31:00.000-05:00

If you haven't seen this viral video yet, check out the creativity of these Gordon College students as they re-create the classic game, Mario Brothers.

Tags:
Mario Brothers, Mario Bros., Mario, Super Mario, Video Games

Tiger Woods & Ty Pennington Can Really Sell!

2006-04-28T11:50:00.000-05:00

This is a classic piece of unimportant, but fun, information that I love to give out here at my blog. So, enjoy...

FROM THE NEW YORK POST: Ty Pennington, the megaphone-wielding host of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," isn't the most recognized name in Hollywood, but he carries the most clout on Madison Avenue.
The celeb handyman, who sells his own line of housewares at Sears, is the best at getting consumers to pull out the credit card, a new study says.

Olympic medalist Summer Sanders, actor James Earl Jones, chef Emeril Legasse and "Desperate Housewives" hottie James Denton also score high when it comes to positive "purchase impact," according to research firm NPD Group.

The study, which scored 87 celebrities and sports figures who have appeared in an ad in the last year, focused on overall awareness and whether a celebrity left a positive impression in consumers' minds.

Read the rest of this unimportant -- but interesting -- information about celebrities.

Tags:
Celebrities, Celebrity News, Ty Pennington, Tiger Woods

And Brett Favre's Decision Is...?

2006-04-26T10:21:00.000-05:00

He's back!

Now That's Not Nice...

2006-04-26T10:07:00.000-05:00

...but funny!

"Queen Elizabeth turned 80 over the weekend. She's more of a figurehead. No power. Here in the United States we call that a Democrat."
-- Jay Leno

High Gas Prices Got You Down, Add A Rainbow To Your Day Here!

2006-04-25T12:53:00.000-05:00

Even if we aren't enjoying the gas prices, we can at least enjoy the pretty colors!

Tags:
Gas, Gas Prices, High Gas Prices, Oil

Caffeine Nation

2006-04-25T12:21:00.000-05:00

I'm currently in full buzz mode after some coffee and a few sips of Coke Blak today. So, this story from NPR caught my attention.

A professor at Temple University aims to understand what Starbucks says about us. (It's an audio story, so turn on your speakers.)

Tags:
Caffeine, Coffee, Starbucks, Coffee Buzz, Coke

Why do the letters of the alphabet occur in the particular order that they do?

2006-04-21T15:40:00.000-05:00

This is why.

(the page seems to be having a little trouble coming in for me at the moment, but it should be working again soon -- I assume)

THEORY: A Simple Way To Gauge A Person's Character

2006-04-21T12:33:00.000-05:00

"A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person."

Forget about how a person treats you. Instead, pay attention to how they treat waiters.

Tags:
CEO, CEOs, Waiters, Character

The Truth About The Da Vinci Code

2006-04-21T11:37:00.000-05:00

This website shares the truth about The Da Vinci Code.

It's an extremely well done site on The Da Vinci Code, check it out.

I also really dig the background music, so turn up your speakers!

Tags:
Da Vinci, Da Vinci Code, The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown

UV Tats

2006-04-20T15:47:00.000-05:00

Ultraviolet Tattoos are growing in poularity. Do you know what they are?

They are tattoos which are only visible under a black light. It's gotta be a lot of fun if you get the right tat.

Check out the fun tattoo this guy got in the picture that goes along with this article on UV Tattoos.

Pretty cool.

NOTE: Don't worry Mom, I won't get one...even thought I'm 33 and out of the house.

Coke and Godiva to Offer 'Indulgent' Beverages

2006-04-20T09:27:00.000-05:00

Coca-Cola North America and Godiva Chocolatier are set to debut a new line of beverages this summer that is "more decadent than just plain coffee."

What are they going to offer? Read about the new coffee products here.

Tags:
Coke, Coca-cola, Godiva, Chocolate, Coffee, Flavored Coffee

The 3rd Annual Smithsonian magazine Photo Contest

2006-04-19T09:16:00.000-05:00

There are some impressive photos in this contest.

The 3rd Annual Smithsonian magazine Photo Contest

Tags:
Smithsonian, Photos, Pictures, Photography

One Red Paperclip

2006-04-18T11:56:00.000-05:00

This is a pretty amazing series of trades that led from this person owning one paperclip to now being about to offer a trade of a free year of rent in Phoenix, AZ for the next best trade.

Here's the story...

My name is Kyle MacDonald and I am trying to trade one red paperclip for a house. I started with one red paperclip on July 12th, 2005 and I am making a series of trades for bigger or better things. My current item up for trade is one year in Phoenix. Do you want one year of FREE rent in Phoenix? Pop your offer over to me at (oneredpaperclip@gmail.com) or give me a shout at 514-833-3980. (If you can't get through - please send a text message) You can see the current offers here.

See the official Red Paperclip blog here.

Microsoft Management Secrets

2006-04-17T08:06:00.000-05:00

Very interesting...

This is how the Microsoft company keeps going and growing into the world leader in computers...

1). Hire the Best People
2). Bet the Company's Future On Big Opportunities
3). Expect People To fail & Learn from Their Mistakes
4). Insure that Managers Can Do the Work of the People What Report To Them
5). Evaluate People Only On Their Recent Performance
6). Spend Money Frugally
7). Manage A Large Company Like A Collection of Small, Independent Companies
8). Know What Is Actually Going On In the Company
9). Establish an "esprit de cour" (a spirit of cooperation) to motivate People To Superior Performance
10). Never Make Your Employees Put Up with Stupid Rules
11). Create an Office Atmosphere That's Like a Home Away from Home.
12). (a rule specific to Microsoft's environment) Focus On Total World Domination

In Creating an Office Atmosphere That's Like a Home Away from Home, Microsoft does the following:

-- Microsoft believes employees will not be as productive if their working environment is uncomfortable. The employee owns his own office and is allowed to decorate it as he or she desires. All employees order furniture and supplies from the same catelog. All offices have a window, and all offices are the same size, except for the very few top engineers and Bill Gates & Paul Allen.

-- There is no dress code at Microsoft. Dress can be relaexed as being barefoot, or as dressed-up as one desires.

-- The company provides free soft drinks, coffee, bottled water, etc. Just as one would have drinks supplied to them if they were at their own home.

-- There are no set work hours at the office for employees...and employees tend to put in more time because they only are judged by the work they accomplish -- not by the hours they work. Hours are not tracked by the company.

Tags:
Microsoft, Bill Gates, Computers, Leadership

The World's 50 Best Restaurants for 2006

2006-04-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

This year's winners were compiled by Restaurant magazine. Have you been to any of these top restaurants?

Personally, I haven't been to any of these, and can only pronounce about a dozen of them.

Here are the winners from previous years.

Tags:
Restaurants, Best Restaurants, Places To Eat, Restaurant

Pictures of Where Women Come From...

2006-04-13T12:13:00.000-05:00

No, not THERE!

I'm talking about Venus. Scientists has released new images of the the planet Venus, and they're interesting. But sadly, the images don't get close enough to the surface of the planet in order to see all of the women who are there. Oh well...

Click on the "Slideshow" link on the left hand side of the page. Enjoy!

Tags:
Venus, Planets, NASA, Space, The Universe, Slideshows

Hidden iPod Commands

2006-04-13T08:55:00.000-05:00

It's true!

Check out this quick interactive cart to show the "key-strokes" for hidden iPod hacks/commands (reset, diagnostics, disk mode) on the various models.

Tags:
iPod, iPods, MP3s, Music

"Smell-o-vision" Is Here!

2006-04-13T07:34:00.000-05:00

Well...actually it's "there," in Japan. But, it's now available to watch a movie in a theater in "Smell-o-vision" with a variety of scents floating through the air during specific scenes of the film.

Read more about "Smell-o-vision."

(You'd think they'd pick a different movie to debut this technology in Japan.)

Tags:
Movies, Films, Colin Farrell, Collin Farrell

VIDEO: A Really Bad Idea

2006-04-12T09:54:00.000-05:00

Kids will be kids...

...that is, kids will be kids with burnt hands.

Tags:
Fireworks, Fire, Teenagers, Stupidity, First Aid, Burns

Looper Hotties?

2006-04-11T10:47:00.000-05:00

"You know, a Looper...a caddy..."
-- Bill Murray in the movie, Caddyshack

Now, in the United Kingdom, you can hire a temporary caddy for your 18 holes of golf that's more than just someone to carry your clubs. They're a group of attractive women known as Eye Candy Caddies.

Every caddy completes a special training program to learn the finer points of golf etiquette, including essential rules such as "Never laugh at a bad shot", and "Encourage and applaud where necessary."

(Oh, and there are apparently 3 male caddies as well.)

Read more about them in the latest Springwise Newsletter.

I suppose people will start a business for just about anything these days.

Tags:
Golf, Caddies, Eye Candy Caddies, Golfing

The "Gospel" of Judas

2006-04-11T08:38:00.000-05:00

This discovery of an ancient text is getting some people talking about how Judas and Jesus may have worked together in secret to make it look as if Jesus resurrected from the tomb.

The congruency of the Gospels in the Bible, and how they work in full with the rest of the Bible that fails to contradict itself, hold the credibility here. There's a reason (many, actually) why this "gospel" of Judas was not chosen to be a part of the Bible by those charged to make those decisions through prayer and discernment.

But, the story will be big for the next week or two, both in Christian and in secular circles.

Here's a great list of links from ChristianityToday.com's Weblog (by my colleague Ted Olsen).

The "Gospel of Judas":

The lost gospel Was Judas innocent? (National Geographic)

Ancient text shows a different Judas Religious and lay readers alike will debate the meaning and truth of the manuscript (Associated Press)

In ancient document, Judas, minus the betrayal A 1,700-year-old manuscript of the Gospel of Judas portrays Judas Iscariot as Jesus' favored disciple and willing collaborator (The New York Times)

Earlier version: 'Gospel of Judas' surfaces after 1,700 years The text gives new insights into the relationship of Jesus and the disciple who betrayed him, scholars reported today (The New York Times)

Document is genuine, but is its story true? The real debate over the Gospel of Judas will be whether it says anything historically legitimate about Jesus (The New York Times)

'Gospel of Judas' offers contrarian view of Jesus Controversial manuscript authenticated as early Christian writing (MSNBC)

The lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot? Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John make up the four accepted Gospels of the Christian New Testament. Now a new gospel has been unveiled by the National Geographic Society -- one that focuses on the story of Judas Iscariot (Day to Day, NPR)

Newly translated gospel offers more positive portrayal of Judas Manuscript says that the most reviled villain in Christian history was simply doing his master's bidding when he betrayed Jesus (The Washington Post)

Judas is no traitor in long-lost gospel A document from the year 300 portrays him as Jesus' closest friend, who carried out the betrayal only because Christ asked him to (Los Angeles Times)

A new Judas emerges from rediscovered gospel The Gospel of Judas, which offers a radically different account of Jesus Christ's message and of his betrayal by one of his disciples, has been recovered, authenticated, and translated from Coptic into English after being lost for more than 1,600 years (The Boston Globe)

History of Christianity: The Gospel according to Judas Yesterday, a 62-page codex, written from the point of view of the man who betrayed Christ and said to date from the 3rd or 4th century, was unveiled in Washington. A seismic moment for the Christian church? (The Independent, London)

Judas: this is what really happened Thanks to a newly discovered gospel in Judas's name, we now know what his excuse was: Jesus made me do it (The Guardian, London)

The Judas gospel An ancient manuscript paints Judas Iscariot not as Christ's betrayer but as his favorite disciple (Chicago Tribune)

Arguments begin about significance of Judas text Early writings not included in Bible describe a far more diverse early Christianity (Houston Chronicle)

Long-lost gospel of Judas recasts 'traitor' Some theologians, biblical scholars and pastors say this contrary text is not truly "good news" (the meaning of "gospel") and will make no difference to believers as Easter approaches (USA Today)

Did Jesus ask Judas to betray him? Discovery of 'Gospel of Judas' Raises Questions (Primetime, ABC News)

'Gospel' offers radical new perspective on Judas The discovery and translation of a document lost for 1,700 years sheds new light on one of history's most notorious characters -- Judas Iscariot (All Things Considered, NPR)

Ancient text shows Judas in a different light For much of the history of Christianity the popular belief has been that Judas betrayed Jesus. But the translation of the Gospel of Judas made public by National Geographic Society tells a different story (Morning Edition, NPR)

'Gospel of Judas' called an authentic fabrication Despite the careful work by scholars that has gone into a document of obvious interest, I have to express disappointment when I see National Geographic stoop so low into hyperbole as to distort the significance of this discovery (Bruce Chilton, The New York Sun)

Gospel of Judas is a revelation Manuscript suggests apostle unfairly vilified (The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J.)

Fascinating stuff, but 100 years too late The Gospel of Judas is an interesting document but it will not be changing the way in which historians, scholars or ordinary Christians understand their faith. (John Pritchard, The Times, London)

New testament: Judas redeemed A fifth gospel challenges one of the basic Christian beliefs (The Sydney Morning Herald)

Not so secret gospels There is nothing very revolutionary or scandalous in itself about another new gospel turning up (BBC)

Tags:
Gospel of Judas, Judas, National Geographic, Gospel

Outsourcing the Fast-food Drive-thru?

2006-04-11T08:28:00.000-05:00

It's true, there are now call centers taking orders at your local McDonalds' drive-thrus.

So far, these call centers are in America, but, what if they were sent to India or to another country? It's already tough enough to understand what is being said when a native English speaking person talks to us through the speaker when they are there in the same building.

What would it be like to speak with someone with a heavy accent talking to us from 10,000 miles away on the other side of the globe?

It's a slippery slope folks. The world is no longer as we once knew it...

(okay, that was a little more dramatic than needed, but I felt like it.)

Tags:
McDonalds, Outsourcing, Ronald McDonald, Burger-Flippers

Why do we say, "God bless you" when someone sneezes?

2006-04-11T08:24:00.000-05:00

According to AskYahoo.com

It does seem a rather strange thing to say. You contort your face, expel mucus, and onlookers wish upon you a blessing from the big man. Very strange indeed...

The origin of the "bless you" tradition is not entirely clear. The urban legend experts at Snopes.com list an impressive number of possibilities. One involves the (hopefully) mistaken belief that a human's soul might escape through a sneeze. Saying "God bless you" wards off Satan while the soul is temporarily vulnerable.

Another story veers toward the medical....

Read the rest of the response to this question.

Tags:
Sneezing, Sneeze, God, Yahoo

High Quality Wallpaper for Your Desktop Background

2006-04-07T10:22:00.000-05:00

I just bumped into this site this morning. It offers free wallpaper downloads (no, not the kind that you put up in your bathroom at home and causes fights with your spouse).

Not just wallpaper, it offers seriously high-quality images in normal and widescreen versions.

Check it out yourself!

Tags:
Wallpaper, Computer Wallpaper, Desktop Images, Desktop Wallpaper

Productivity Tips from Bill Gates - How He Works

2006-04-05T12:05:00.000-05:00

Bill Gates talks about his workflow and his organization system. On top of his marketing stuff on his products, he talks about couple of key things that involves in his daily work life.

Read tips from Bill Gates.

Thx: lifehack.org

Dinner By Design

2006-04-05T10:19:00.000-05:00

I know, I know ... this sound like something for suburban soccer moms to get excited about, but, I'm into this too.

My fiancee' and I went to one of the Dinner By Design kitchens last night and had a great time making the meals we'll be eating for the next month. All of the ingredients are there in front of you at each kitchen station, with the right measurement cups in the right ingredients. And the recipe is right there in front of you. There are also a bunch of people walking around answering your questions, refilling ingredients, and doing all the cleaning-up for you.

Each meal feeds 6, so we half the meals and package them accordingly. They're perfect portions for the two of us.

All you do is decide ahead of time what dishes you want to make, and then you make an appointment. Then, you show up and put everything together. It took us, on our first time doing this, just under two hours to do all the meals we'll eat for the rest of the month. That's a great time-saver,. The preparation/cooking directions are on the sticker we put on each bag or container. It couldn't be easier.

We'll be eating great food at a good value, will meals ready to cook when I get home, and no messy kitchen. Beat that!

Check it out here. It's a good value, and every few months we get $100 off the food because of their rewards program.

I'm officially hooked.

Tags:
Dinner By Design, Healthy Cooking, cooking, Food

Street Wars

2006-04-05T09:52:00.000-05:00

It's about as serious of an assassin game as you can play. I'm not talking about playing a video game, I'm talking about stalking your target in the streets of a real city ... breaking into their home and taking them down then and there when they least expect it ... I'm talking about your heart pounding out of your chest because you can feel that your assassin is nearby, BUT YOU CANNOT FIND THEM!!!!

It's Street Wars!

Tags:
Street Wars, San Francisco