DarcOso's Musings

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Movie Guessing Game

Alright, now for a game...what do the following actors and actress share in common?

Give up? Their all starring (or directing in the case of Ridley Scott) in the upcoming new Robin Hood movie starring Russell Crowe as the bowman himself and Cate Blanchett as his Maid Marian. I'm quite excited about this for all of the reasons above! It's truly a star-studded cast and what's great is that the movie is expected to open the Summer of 2010 (mid-May).

Therapeutic Tuesdays!

This idea also comes from the wonderful mind of my wife! To start this topic off right, and since I've begun reading The 60-Second Shrink (by Lazarus & Lazarus), I decided that everyone needs to know how to de-stress their lives. If not, one might explode! So, now it's a good idea to go through this process at least twice a day if not every few hours.

1.) Sit in a relaxed position, preferably leaning back at least a bit.

2.) Close your eyes.

3.) Breathe slowly and regulate your breathing.

4.) One by one, loosen your muscles from feet to head to fully relax and release the tension.

5.) Imagine some sort of pleasant, peaceful scene (essentially a daydream).

This simple process can take just a few minutes, but it allows you to just forget about those around you, especially the extra annoying persons you can't seem to escape. So, the next time you feel like exploding, don't. Simply go and sit back and relax a little. This will make your work environment an easier place to be.

Word of the Day: Lothario

lothario

Pronunciation: \lō-ˈther-ē-ˌō, -ˈthär-\

Inflected Form(s): plural lotharios

Usage: often capitalized
Etymology: Lothario, seducer in the play The Fair Penitent (1703) by Nicholas Rowe

Date: 1756

Definition: a man whose chief interest is seducing women

This word came via freerice.com where you can answer vocabulary questions to gain free rice which correlates to rice donated to the United Nations Food Program (so go play it often). What's even better about this though is the photo that Google Images delivered (and many others were really NSFW - try it when you're at home...Wow). This guy is a bit whacky.

Belated Word of the Day (Monday): Velleity

velleity

Pronunciation: \ve-ˈlē-ə-tē, və-\
Inflected Form(s): plural velleities

Etymology: New Latin velleitas, from Latin velle to wish, will

Date: 1618

Definition: 1: the lowest degree of volition 2: a slight wish or tendency; inclination

This word choice is actually from my wife yesterday. In fact, if you wish to know the whole of it (which, if you're even reading this, I assume you do), the entire "Word of the Day" post decision came via the wife as she always has some random word for each day. As she says, " Good words like when you show them off and introduce them to new friends." As for the Google Images version of velleity, I happened to find this jewel from someone in or at least visiting Toronto in Canada (just in case there are other Torontos out there - don't want to confuse anyone).

Update for this Tuesday Early-ish Morning

So, I was just checking my e-mail and reading some of the blog updates to which I have subscribed when I check the updates from Geeks Are Sexy. The video below was included in the update. This girl is amazingly fascinated with the AR-15 rifle she is field stripping and then reassembling. It's great to watch, and short at only one minute long. And who said American kids weren't talented?

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Manly Mondays: Versus Mode

For today, I thought I'd just do a small photo exercise comparing various ways men have captured the essence of manliness and how others just failed miserably. To start off, while they are not homo sapiens, I think that starting with these gorillas is still appropriate, and whoever captured this moment did so superbly.

Agressively Manly

Not Quite There, Maybe Another Spray?

The Epic Grill of Manliness

There's just something missing here

Crazy Tough Manliness

Failure to Achieve

Just Some Old-Fashioned, Presidential Manliness

Sorry, but This Doesn't Cut It

Manliness in the Female Form

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Word of the Day: Higgledy-Piggledy

higgledy–piggledy

Pronunciation: \ˌhi-gəl-dē-ˈpi-gəl-dē\
Etymology: origin unknown

Date: 1598

Definition: in a confused, disordered, or random manner (tiny hovels piled higgledy–piggledy against each other — Edward Behr)

So, the main reason I chose this word for today is because it's just one of those words that remind you of your childhood, or at least it reminded me of my childhood days reading lots of Dr. Seuss. Ah...the good ol' doc! Lastly, as usual a short time on Google Images brought forth the wonderfully strange art concoction below.

Belated Word of the Day (Saturday): Ostensible

ostensible

Pronunciation: \ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-bəl, ə-\

Etymology: French, from Latin ostensus, past participle of ostendere to show, from obs-, ob- in the way + tendere to stretch — more at ob-, thin
Date: circa 1771

Definition: 1a: intended for display 1b: open to view 2a: being such in appearance 2b: plausible rather than demonstrably true or real (the ostensible purpose for the trip)

And, although I'm not sure how this photo exactly incorporates the word ostensible, it was the first to show itself on Google Images. Perhaps it is that the fun of the activity shown is quite apparent or ostensible?

Stately Sundays

I recently was able to view for the umpteenth time the film The Dark Knight which I think is a spectacular movie, and it saddens me to think that Heath Ledger has died because he brought a lot to this and many other films. But since I was on the bat theme, I thought that today's Stately topic would be Devil's Den State Park which is located in Northwest Arkansas outside of Winslow and the Ozark National Forest off I-540. I remember visiting there a few years ago with my father and siblings to go spelunking in some of the caves. It was a great time, and the bats were sometimes close enough to reach out and grasp (we didn't though thanks to my father's scare stories of rabies, etc.).

In light of some constructive criticism, I realize that my last Sunday post was a bit wordy and lengthy, so I'll try to cut this one back a bit and highlight some of the better points. In that case, first I would like to mention the update on their site detailing that the Farmer's Cave and Big Ear Cave are both off limits due to fungus infestations which are detected by the white noses as shown in the picture below. Yuck, but fungi can be tasty!

Aside from the caves though, there are wonderful cabins, a park cafe, and a swimming pool overlooking a gorgeous lake (who would want a pool when there's a lake though, I don't know). Additionally, they offer bike trails, canoeing and kayaking, and best of all, there is a horse camp for all you equine enthusiasts! This truly is a great park, and if I hope to visit it again soon to explore more of it's secrets which you'll only find by visiting first hand!

Lastly, although most of the park's history is somewhat vague on the various sites I visited, it was formed in the 1930s as part of a CCC (Civilian Construction Corp - part of the New Deal) construction project where they handcrafted much of the rustic wooden structures still in use today. Additionally, the CCC created some stone dams to create the 8-acre Lake Devil on which the park sits, and the dams, while upgraded and maintained for safety, still use many of the same stones that were first placed in the 1930s. A wonderful site to see indeed! So, go...visit...enjoy!!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Super Sports Saturday: Shoot a Handgun

I came across this article detailing some great pointers on how to use a handgun and shoot well. I thought I would detail a few of the high points here, but you should definitely read Massad Ayoob's full article which is not very long.

In short, to successfully fire a handgun fairly well and accurately, one should follow these guidelines:

1.) Use the proper stance which Mr. Ayoob calls the "Power Stance."

2.) Use a high hand grasp.

3.) Use a firm grip to hold the handgun.

4.) After identifying your target, focus on the gun's front sight.

5.) Finally, squeeze or "roll" the trigger.

That's it in five simple steps. After all, it's champion of the combat pistol, Ray Chapman, who said, "shooting well is simple; it just isn't easy."

And to go with this article, I thought that this video would be appropriate. It's a husband/wife tactical pistol team. They're pretty good. Enjoy.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Word of the Day: Panoply

panoply

Pronunciation: \ˈpa-nə-plē\
Inflected Form(s): plural - panoplies
Etymology: Greek panoplia, from pan- + hopla arms, armor, plural of hoplon meaning tool, weapon
Date: 1632

Definition: 1a: a full suit of armor 1b: ceremonial attire 2: something forming a protective covering 3a: a magnificent or impressive array (panoply of a military funeral) 3b: a display of all appropriate appurtenances (panoply of power)

And as I did yesterday, below is the first picture I happened upon after attempting to shed more light on the word panoply through Google Images.

WTF Fridays!

Wow, this artwork by Sheharzad Arshad is both creepy and hilarious! It is truly something worth your time to check out, especially for a Friday! Below I have included a couple of examples that are quite unusual, but the artist has a great imagination for other fairy tales as well!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Men: Extinct in 100 Years?

Now, I know that men everywhere might look at this article and cringe a bit, but I don't worry much (if at all). For starters, I know that this is only the beginning of even being able to extract and manipulate stem cells in a conversion process towards creating sperm via lab methods. I also know that there will be a large fight against even allowing this (due to the ethics, naturally), but I honestly see no reason to worry. I mean, many men now, at this very moment, already prove their worth minute by minute.

In fact, the article includes a wonderful quote from Rowan Pelling, reporter for The Daily Telegraph:

"Yet I feel compelled - and not just as the mother of two small boys - to make a spirited defence of the weaker sex. Where would I be without my husband to read 80 pages of a car manual, in French, to find out how the back windscreen-wiper works? Who would tug the dried lumps of excrement from our cat's backside? Who would explain the rules of cricket to an American? Who would clear a blocked drain of unspeakable clotted matter? Who would take hours to demonstrate the dreadnought manoeuvres at the Battle of Jutland, armed only with salt cellars and jam jars? Without men, there would be no one to read Joseph Conrad or Norman Mailer, to remove spiders from the bath, or (important one, this) to tell women they're pretty."

Yes, isn't that great?! We can still be of use to society, and feel good about it. Now, don't ever forget to tell a woman she's beautiful, but be sincere or it won't mean anything.

But seriously now, there has been shown through various science fiction works that worlds ruled and dominated on the whole by either singular sex is destined for failure. In fact, while these works are indeed works of fiction, if one were to meditate on the underlying themes, one might find that it would be better to have equality with both sexes than to have one rule the other. Additionally, in my private life while observing the interactions between loving couples there is always a certain tendency--it is there in nature too--for one to become the more dominant figure of the two and for the other to take a more submissive role.

I don't speak merely of those couples where the private life at home is riddled with abuse and strife. No, if you were to observe every couple, be it heterosexual or homosexual, there is a placement of sorts which happens as the couple settles into their own nest. It need not matter the sex of the two for this happens in almost every couple I have seen. In fact, I would admit that when a couple tries to do things "equally" is when things turn for the worse. Indeed, I would liken it to dancing: one must lead and the other follow. If not, both are left with an incomplete act.

Getting back to the heart of the article though, there are a great number of benefits to being able to produce sperm--and eggs--from stem cells. Think of the couple unable to have children due to a lack of producing sperm. With this new technology, the doctors could take some of the father's frozen stem cells and produce sperm from his loins so to speak. I know that this may not be a great improvement on the quality of life and it isn't a life saving invention, but for that couple, whether it be the man's sperm or the female's egg, there is a certain hope that you can only imagine if you are not those individuals. So yes, continue the work Dr. Karim Nayernia. I for one look forward to even more developments in the area of stem cell research for, properly implemented, it can lead to cures, surgical improvements, and most importantly, the improvement of individuals' psyches.

Word of the Day: Bivouac

bivouac

Pronunciation: \ˈbi-və-ˌwak, ˈbiv-ˌwak\

Etymology: French, from Low German biwacht, from bi by + wacht guard

Date: 1819

Definition: 1: a usually temporary encampment under little or no shelter 2: encampment usually for a night 3: a temporary or casual shelter or lodging

So, I was talking about favorite poems today with some friends when read his which contained the word 'bivouac' in one of the stanzas. Since I did not know the word, I looked it up via Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary. As we were chatting, another friend suggested looking for a picture to help in visualizing the definition. This was the first picture, and it is definitely not a bivouac where I would want to sleep. Looks fun though!

World's Largest RC Helicopter!

Another great video from the fine folks at LiveLeak.com. This time, it's a RC helicopter that's roughly 6 feet in length which estimates it to be a 1:5 working scale model of the real "Russian MI-24 chopper, a monstrous beast that's 55 feet long" (quote via Gizmodo). As you can see in the video below though, this thing not only works, it's amazing! I'd love to fly it at least once!

Audi: Now with Pianos!

I can picture the wife now because I know she's laughing at me, especially after this post.

I really, really more-than-you-know am enchanted by most of Audi's cars! In fact, I usually make it a habit to point to any I see on the road to show the other passengers the beauty of Audi's automobiles. Either way, not only are they still making these wonderful driving machines, but the company has now decided to create equally beautiful pianos! I love them, but they are quite pricey! $140, 000!!

from Gizmodo via Autoevolution via Newlaunches

Techknow Thursday!

Bear with me here, this post really does pertain to today's topic. There is an actual relevance, and if you make it through the first part, I'll make up for it in the second half. Thanks.

Okay, so when I was quite a bit younger and first learned that bananas grow "upside down," I didn't really think much of it, but a few years later, when I began learning about biology and nature and how there is a certain order to nature, I began to wonder again about the growth of bananas. This led me (yes I ponder some of the strangest questions sometimes) to wonder why we, as a society in general, eat bananas from the opposite "top" than how they grow, but this question was just a hypothetical that I quickly blew off.

versus

Fast forward to yesterday, when I found the video below which made complete sense of this ridiculous and very miniscule predicament. Of course, I should have just paid attention to the monkeys earlier! Oh, well...now I know, right? And on a funny note, if you have ever watched Aladdin (version a la Disney), you'll notice that when Abu, as an elephant, is trying to eat bananas, he does so like in the video below using the correct top of the banana, but he ends up just squishing them into his face. At least Disney gets some things right in their movies!

And as I promised, for being such great sports and reading my insane drivel, here's a more intriguing entry for Techknow Thursday! I actually just found out fairly recently that my dad is restoring/modifying a 1990 Ford Mustang for drag racing, and when I found this article/video, it made me think of him and really anyone else looking for outdated car parts. The video below is from Popular Mechanics and Jay Leno's Garage (he's got a massive and wonderfully diverse collection of cars). It basically describes and demonstrates the re-engineering of obsolete car parts via a 3D scanner and 3D printer which forms the part in hard plastic.

Now I've heard of 3D printers before that do 3D renderings using glue and paper dust, but this is amazing. Not only are there uses for recreating obsolete car and machine parts, but it can save tons of time machining working models of new products! It's great, and now I'll leave you with the video!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Happy Wednesday!

The good ol' EvilDM posted a few goodies here and here. In fact, they were so wonderful, for my Happy Wednesday, I'm using one of them! The picture is below...I love America!

Additionally, I thought I should include a little something extra so here are a couple of beautiful Brazilians (I think?) for you!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Threats and a MMA Fighter: Manly Monday!

Antoni Hardonk, MMA fighter, seen on the left

In life, whether you are an honest and reputable person or not, there are some things you should never attempt. One of those is detailed in the following story I found through Five Ounces Of Pain. It involves armed robbery, a bit of MMA, and a large dose of stupidity.

First, let me ask a question: if you were looking to thieve a quick buck would you attempt to do so by approaching a guy who stands at 6'4" and looks to hit the scale at about 250? Of course not! Even if there are three of you, it'd be much easier to find just some average Joe walking about than someone like Antoni Hardonk, but the three misguided miscreants decide that they would approach Hardonk asking for money. When Hardonk came up empty handed, one of the three pulled out a homemade, two-inch shank. Really?! And right in front of the Los Angeles airport!

Mr. Hardonk obviously questioned the hardiness and guts of the three assailants and when they demanded his billfold, he simply said, "Come get it." They then went running like rats! Hardonk, thinking that to be the end, entered a car with his attorney, but as they started to pull away, he noticed the trio holding up another gentleman and then steal a purse from a woman. Wrong move guys, but then you don't think much do you?

The first two harassing the man never saw Hardonk as he bullrushed them and knocked them to the concrete, and Hardonk continued after the third, escaping with the purse, until the assailant wisely dropped the loot to escape Hardonk. For once, a smart choice. Hardonk retrieved the purse and returned it to the woman. While the trio eventually escaped by hopping a fence, they are lucky to escape with so few injuries. Perhaps they will be more cautious next time. I mean, wouldn't you rather just accept minimum wage now rather than risk running into another someone like Antoni Hardonk?

And, as I finish this post, I have come up with Monday's topic: Manly Mondays! Where I'll do my best to bring stories about random acts of manliness! Belch, swear, and drink a cold one or two: it's Monday!

The One-Minute Writer (Monday)

"Imagine you will be sitting down a week from today to describe how your week
went. What do you hope you'll be writing?"

My response:

Hmmm...that is indeed a great question. Well, I hope that my entry would go something like this: I woke up Monday morning to find myself blindfolded and gagged as my captors drag me out the doors tied up in a blanket. They drug me to a vehicle, most likely a pickup truck, where the four of them threw me into the truck bed where I promptly whacked my head and was knocked out. I woke to a hard slap the next day in a small airplane hanger outside of Fayetteville as a tall fellow wearing a Marilyn Monroe mask faced me. He then picked up a small electronic device to mask his voice. He showed me a picture of my wife and said if I ever wanted to see her again, I would have to complete a couple of jobs. Then, all the men and women in the room piled into three pickup trucks and sped away.

Shortly thereafter, two police cars pulled in and the officers, saying nothing, cut me lose, handed me a manilla envelope, and then left just as quick as they arrived. I opened the envelope dispursing its contents onto a small metal desk. There was a photo, a small slip of paper which read 02 - 24 - 35, a Ford car key, and a hotel keycard for a Marriott hotel. Taped to the keycard was another small slip of paper which read 428.

A phone rang. It was the University of Arkansas fight song. My cell phone, so I reached into my pocket and answered. It was my wife although she sounded mechanical and a bit frightened. She said, "you have four days to complete the tasks they have for you or I will never see you again," and then a male spoke, "four days. Call the police, and we'll know. Do what we need and you and your pretty Mrs. B---- will be together and free again."

"Why me?" I asked.

"You're nobody, and you love her enough to do it," he answered and then the phone went dead.

Right, so four days to do what exactly? I looked at the photo and laughed. It was Kevin Smith, you know, Silent Bob? So, what did this have to do with my wife and me? I decided to call the Marriott hotels in the area. I eventually found two that had more than three floors and visited the first. Room 428 was vacant. Twenty minutes later, I was at the other. Room 428? Rented to a Mr. Johnson. I thanked the front desk clerk, and took an elevator up. The keycard fit, and I entered half expecting someone to either shriek or club me. Nothing. The television was on Fox News. "Hello?" I asked. No answer.

After shutting the door and quickly checking the room, I found myself alone. There was a mini-fridge on the squatty dresser and a small safe in the closet. I tried the safe: locked. I fumbled for the slip of paper and entered the combination. It worked, and upon opening the safe, I found another manilla envelope with my name across the front. I spilled it out onto a bed and found a plane ticket, a car rental reservation, and $500. The ticket and reservation were to New York and for a silver Ford Taurus at the Hertz counter. That must be what the key was for. Maybe?

On the back of the envelope were a few instructions:

Get on the plane leaving Little Rock tomorrow morning, fly to New York, get the car and drive to 12269 N. Johnson Ave in Trenton, NJ. Knock twice on the door and wait for Miles to answer. Tell him your there about Mr. Smith's appointment. He'll detail your assignment from there. Burn this envelope.

Halfway to New York, after a brief stop in Chicago, it had dawned on me that I had not once thought to call the police or FBI. How stupid? Who knows, but as the plane touched down, I began to sweat. I pulled out the carry-on and exited. I went to the rental desk and showed the bleach-blonde twiggy woman my reservation. She handed me a key, and pointed to a door as she simply said, "thank you for choosing Hertz. Enjoy the city!"

I stopped at an information desk to pick up a map of the area so I could get to Trenton. The traffic wasn't nearly as horrible as one might think, and except for a couple of stops, it was smooth driving the major part of the way. I pulled up in front of the address: a small deli that seemed closed. I thought twice about it before knocking, but upon ending the second tap, a squatty, plump and balding man answered. "Miles? I'm here about Mr. Smith," I told the man, half whispering.

"Come in," he grumbled as he yanked on my collar.

I entered and smiled as I took in the savory-sweet aroma of what smelled like spaghetti. I tried to open a conversation: "Cooking something?"

He didn't answer but pointed toward a table and chairs, motioning me to sit. As I did so, he ventured off into another room behind the large glass counters which were dark and empty.

A few minutes later, he returned with two large plates of fettucine with chicken covered in a red sauce. "Might as well eat while we're waiting," he huffed before he began inhaling his own pasta.

Twenty minutes later, three men entered the front door carrying briefcases. No, not those metal "spy" cases, just regular briefcases of fake leather. They joined us at the table and one of them spoke, saying with a small chuckle, "no dinner for us Miles? For shame, you don't have any manners do you, old buddy?"

Miles just smiled, exited to the kitchen, and returned with three more heaping plates.

--I can't mention any more of these three. Just suffice it to say that I received a generous compensation from them along with some documents which aided in my task which was to kidnap Kevin Smith. Yes, I know, this is the stuff of movies, but it did happen. Perhaps you heard of the car which flew from the 42nd level of a parking deck in New York into a hotel? Yes, that was part of the scheme. It allowed me to "escort" Mr. Smith from the Hilton where he was doing an interview about a new movie.

Don't worry, he's not hurt nor dead. Just "borrowed" as they put it. The wife and I are back in Fayetteville, and we never take for granted the time we have together. Other than that, we still go out; we still plan on traveling although it may be in a car or train instead of by air, but we enjoy ourselves. Overall, it was a bit gruelling and definitely not something I wish to do again. Either way, I was able to fly a helicopter, steal loads of cash, and kidnap Kevin Smith. Not bad for one week!

And then I woke. The cat was licking my toes again. Yep, all a dream, but what a dream it was!

The One-Minute Writer: Sacrifice

Today, on The One-Minute Writer, the topic was too important for me to pass up, so here's today's writing prompt:

What is the greatest sacrifice anyone has ever made for you?

The answer to this prompt hit me literally the moment I read it. Hands down the single greatest sacrifice anyone has ever made for me was when my wife agreed to marry me. Okay, ha-ha, I know that I've joked about it being horrible to live with me, but at the time we were to be wed, I was a special case indeed.

First, there was the age: I was 22, and she was 19.

Second, and more importantly, I was (am?) Mormon. And not just a Sunday, church-going Mormon. I had just recently, like a year before, returned from a two-year mission for the church and was really feeling those Mormon oats. The reason this was especially hard for the wife was that while she had become Mormon, her parents hadn't. This meant that they were not even able to give their daughter away at the ceremony. In fact, the only person at the ceremony close to either of us was my mother.

Why did we do this? I don't fully know. Because it was expected? Partly. Because of faith that blessings would spring forth eternally and that we would benefit because of it? Maybe. But the main reason we did it was because Mormons believe that all who are sealed (read: married) in a temple will be together forever, and more than anything, the wife and I truly love each other and desire to always be with one another. If that meant going down this path, then so be it. She followed me through it all, and the worst thing is I never gave any of it a second thought. I knew I loved her, I wanted to be married, but I never questioned the religion itself. I will forever be grateful for her sacrifice and now think twice before venturing into any decision.

So, four years, no children, and a lot of meditation and tears later, we indeed feel much differently. First of all, we are truly happy to be together and we always have fun. Secondly, we know that as we now look back we realize that we were young and headstrong. Third, I am grateful to her parents for sacrificing their happiness and joy so that the wife and I could make our decisions based on our desires (however different or sideways they may be sometimes).

Lastly though, and most importantly, I'm most thankful that the wife still said yes to me and to us (and still does daily!). Her heart still breaks thinking back on our ceremony and the utter loneliness there was in that room. She wanted it to be different, more familial, but she followed me wherever I was to lead. I'm sorry that I never gave her that walk down the aisle with her father giving her away to me. I'm sorry that I was the cause of so much heartache, but I'm not sorry that we are married. I'm forever grateful for my wonderful partner and love! She truly is my fountain of joy, pleasure, and happiness. Her smile and laugh can drag me out of the deepest, darkest pits, and her tears, though few, rip me through and through every time.

We have since made many different and more thoughtful decisions regarding our joint spirituality and although it most definitely isn't "what mother wants," it is what we want. And that, my friends, is the seat of a happy and successful marriage. I'm sure that we will continue to grow and as we do, the topic of spirituality will always swirl in and out and around our lives, but of one thing I am confident: life is what we choose it to be, always.

*Edit: We've since talked about the marriage and parents issue several times and have decided to do a renewal of vows so that her parents can be there and so that her father can give her away if she wishes. I love that woman!

Miscellaneous Thoughts on Reading

Lately I've been extremely interested in a series of books by John Norman entitled the Gor series. It's a series detailing the various accounts of a people who inhabit a Counter Earth: a planet extremely similar to Earth in almost every way except that it orbits the sun in the position exactly opposite our Earth (i.e. a mirror to Earth's orbit).

This series has been extremely interesting, but as I was reading the fourth of the series, Nomads of Gor, and a friend of mine lent me his electronic copy. I opened it in Microsoft Word, and as I got to page nine or ten, a message popped up from Word: This document contains too many spelling and grammatical errors for Microsoft Word to continue processing. Click "OK" to continue. That actually made me laugh, and granted some of the words were fictional characters, creatures, and implements, it still had a plethora of legitimate spelling and grammatical mistakes. I thought it was just hilarious that Microsoft Word not only confirmed that in its own small way, but Word actually gave up trying to help me fix those mistakes!

In other news, though, I was listening to Bill Maher the other day on YouTube and on his show (via HBO) he runs a segment entitled New Rules where he mentions ironic "new" rules we should set up in the country based on idiotic or illogical precidents that have been showcased recently by the media-at-large. Well, New Rule: We don't need any new electronic devices to simply hold a novel or multitude of novels.

If I don't have time to buy the book and bring it with me or it isn't available electronically to read on a computer. Who cares?! Don't sell us another useless piece of technojunk that will be outdated the minute it reaches us! If you want to sell electronic copies of books/newspapers, then do so through current technological means. We have enough gadgets, gizmos, and thingamajigs to give us cancer (okay, really just a headache). We don't need another one! Especially if it resembles anything like this:

Stately Sunday!

Yes, yes, I'm at it again here, and Sunday's topic has also been decided: Stately Sundays they shall be forever more. As you may have guessed, each Sunday, the topic will cover the state of Arkansas. Why? Because this is my blog, I'm from Arkansas, and the state actually has some neat places and wonderful sites to visit. In fact, I'd say that Arkansas has a few gems still tucked away that not many people have seen (or seen enough of).

To start the topic off right, though, I've decided to go with something near and dear to my heart: State Parks. I was able to work for three years at the Visitor Information Center at DeGray Lake Resort State Park, and I enjoyed most every minute of it! The lake is magnificent and beautiful, the park employees are wonderful to work with and be around (especially that rowdy VIC staff!), and there are plenty of activities for the entire family...especially during the summer!

Degray Lake comprises 13,800-acres, and the lake and dam were originally authorized by Congress as part of the River and Harbor Act of 1950. While June 6, 1964 was the groundbreaking for Degray Dam, the lake itself didn't begin to take shape until August of 1969 and wasn't completed until 1972. The state park, situated on the north shore, was dedicated shortly thereafter.

Of course, the most obvious fun to be had at the lake is the boating, tubing, water skiing, and especially the fishing. There are loads of fish waiting to be caught, and if you find the right guide, you'll make out like a bandit with the amount of catches you have. Both the state park marina and the marina at Iron Mountain, on the south shore, have weekly or bi-weekly fishing reports detailing the latest setups to work for various types of fish and other relevant information all in hopes of enabling you to land every fish you can! They even have information on local guides should you need or want one!

Among the other many ammenties offered in the state park, perhaps one of the most enjoyable things I was able to experience was camping in the park...especially close to wintertime right after the first chill has hit. Additionally, the park is located right off of Scenic Highway 7 which is one of our country's most beautiful byways to travel, especially after the leaves have changed colors for the fall season. I've chatted with many bikers who travels thousands of miles simply to travel Highway 7 in mid-to-late October. It truly is spectacular to behold.

Another option at DeGray aside from camping and their 96-room lodge are the (currently) three YURTs or Year-round Universal Recreational Tents. These wonderful heavy-duty, tent-like structures (seen in the photo below) are great for groups or families of up to six and offer a unique way to see the state. They include three sets of bunk beds, a table and chairs, and a propane stove along with the standard picnic table, grill, and fire pit, but the accomodation that really sells the YURTs is truly the location. Set right off the water, there is always a great view to wake up to, and for you who enjoy fishing, what better way to go than being able to access your boat right from the camp area?! It's wonderful!

Seriously though, I know I may sound like just a really poor salesman, but I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent camping, fishing, and swimming at DeGray Lake State Park (by far the best swimming area). And I was also fortunate to be able to work there for a few years. So, please, if you find yourself in the Greater Hot Springs area looking for something fun, drive just a bit farther to DeGray. You won't be disappointed!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Happy Fourth! Happy Independence Day!

First and foremost: Happy Independence Day! For those of you working at the park today, I'm sorry, but try to enjoy the day the best you can. For those of you elsewhere, resist the urge to simply stay indoors today watching the Macy's Fireworks Show and go out to watch a local show somewhere. Even if you have to pay to get in like up here in the Northwest Arkansas area. I don't mind though because the majority of proceeds fund the show for next year.

Next, I've got to say I enjoyed this post from an acquaintance of mine (knew her from working at the park and through my wife). She has some decent points to make and some great quotes and videos, one of which I've decided to post here. The first clip is from the movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington which I have not seen, but the clip is pretty good. The second clip is from a movie I just finished watching a couple days ago: The Majestic. When it first debuted in theaters, I had been let down by The Truman Show, so I never got around to seeing it. Finally, a friend let me borrow it mentioning that I'd probably like it. I gave it a go, and enjoyed it immensely! I hope you'll enjoy the clip I've included here for you.

Either way, while you're going about your labors or fun today, please remember why we are celebrating this day. We do it to remember the day our Founding Fathers signed The Declaration of Independence and the beginning of our new country with its freedoms and privileges. We do it to remember the battles fought, against other countries and among ourselves, to retain those freedoms and privileges. But mostly, we celebrate our Independence Day to remind ourselves that we still live in a country with freedoms that are not available to all humankind. We have a right to make sure that those freedoms are available for many years to come!

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

The Majestic

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government."

Super Sports Saturday!

Yes, Saturday is now Super Sports Saturday which means I'll cover anything and everything related to sports in some way. I'll do my best to find a great video or article, but sometimes it may simply be the lineup for Sunday's games or the scores from the day.

To kick this off right, and seeing as it is a holiday (Happy Independence Day!), I thought I'd show you a great video of a couple of guys wakeboarding.

Have you ever looked at something and questioned whether or not you could attempt the seemingly impossible or improbable (J, I'm looking at you)? Well these guys looked at a 60-foot yacht and asked the question, "I wonder if we could surf behind it...you know, without ropes..."

They attempted it and succeed in the video below, and for you all who can't see the video, I captured a few still shots.

And here are the still photos. In the first one, it's just a side view of the yacht as it starts out. The second photo shows the two surfers right as they're tossing the pull ropes back on to the yacht. The third and fourth photos both show the two surfers doing what they do best (note in the fourth picture the guy on the left is sipping a Corona while surfing). Sorry the photos are a bit grainy. I assure you the video isn't that bad.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Blind Man Can See Again...Through Tooth

There's quite a bit of odd news coming out of the United Kingdom today, but then, I usually read their news more often than that the U.S. papers because, well, I actually want to know what's going on around the world.

Either way, here's a great article from the Daily Mail Online explaining how a man who went blind on the job from a splash of molten aluminum can now see thanks to a rare medical procedure. The procedure, which "uses the segment of tooth as a holder for a new lens grafted from his skin," has been performed less than 50 times in Britain. I'm just astonished at what doctors can do these days with just a bit of skin and a tooth...it's even better than MacGyver!

Seriously though, I can't wait until stem cells are introduced for surgical use. There will be loads of developments and new procedures derived from those cells. Hopefully the United States will get on the band wagon and increase R & D funds for stem cell labs. Anyway, before I forget, I've included the depicted explanation of the surgery from the Daily Mail's site. Enjoy!

WTF! Fridays

Last night, apparently the world of Mexican midget wrestling lost two of its more famous stars after two women, posing as prostitutes, poisoned the wrestlers: "Alberto – aka 'La Parkita' (Little Death) and Alejandro – aka 'Espectrito II'."

What's more is that the UK's Metro news reports the following:

"Brothers in armlocks Alberto and Alejandro Pérez Jiménez were found dead in a hotel room after being drugged and robbed.
The women who spiked the twins' drinks are thought to be members of an organised crime gang who pose as prostitutes to attract victims.
The 36-year-olds were veteran stars of the 'Lucha Mini' world of midget wrestling."

Wow, remind me to never go looking for sex in Mexico. It baffles me that there is actually an organized ring specifically set up to do this kind of stuff. Wow indeed.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Visiting the United States

So, perusing the web today I came across this little site where you can map which states you've visited. It's pretty cool, and now I have a visualization of which states I'd like to visit next. I don't know if I'll ever get to Alaska though!

visited 20 states (40%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or Like this? try: Visited Countries

Iowa River Rescue

The UK's Telegraph had a great article and pictures regarding a story about a husband and wife who, while on the Des Moines River, experienced an unfortunate turn of events when their boat capsized leaving them both to weather the cold water and harsh, rapidly moving waters. When they were found, the husband had died and the wife was only alive due to her life jacket.

The most moving part of this story is the rescue of the woman who was noticed be a group of construction workers who created a makeshift harness from chain and rope and then lowered Jason Oglesbee down to the woman using a crane. Jason was able to grab the woman and transport her to the safety of a rescue raft beyond the dangers of the turbulent waters at the base of a dam. That's some wonderfully quick thinking and fascinating ingenuity from those construction workers!

Jason Oglesbee is seen here pulling the woman from the water.

Techknow Thursday!

Yesterday as I was posting the weekly Happy Wednesday post, it occured to me to start having different themes for different days. As it so happens, I recently came across this post which made me think. I already have a few ideas for Monday, and now Thursdays will be Techknow Thursdays meaning each week I'll do my best to bring you, my wonderful readers, an interesting article regarding Technology or Science with most of the articles leaning more towards the tech side than the science.

However, there is still Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to be wrangled in with a topic, so that's where you all come in: leave a comment with a topic you'd like to see here and I'll try to fit it in!

Now, to start this Techknow Thursday off right, here's a gem that comes from Panasonic: a Dish Washing Robot! That's right! Oh wait, except instead of washing dishes, it simply rinses them and loads them into a dishwasher for you. Thus, if you're too lazy to even load your dishwasher there is now yet another useless piece of junk to load those dishes leaving you that extra ten minutes to pop some popcorn before The Apprentice or any other horrible reality TV show starts (yeah, I'm talking to you American Idol!).

Below is a short video and some pictures (courtesy of DeviceGuru) of the robotic monstrosity at work:

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Happy Wednesday!

Yes...it's that time again already! Happy Wednesday everyone, and to celebrate it this week, I'm recruiting the help, yet again, of Co-Ed Magazine where they have uploaded truly a myriad of "SFW Boobs!" So, here's a few tasty morsels from their stock, and make sure to visit them to view even more!

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