Civillettes

image: PointClickHome

A nifty idea in this age where we bemoan the death of common courtesy. Catch 'em being good. A kind word or deed from a stranger (or a friend) deserves recognition. These mini business-sized Thank You cards you can carry in your wallet or purse to distribute on the spot.

A nice idea in civility, and they can be passed on by the recipient, too.

Link

100 books every student of humanities should read

As posited by Universities and Colleges.org. Their assessment is removed, so as not to color your opinion.

Like the BBC list, I'm curious as to which you've read and haven't, which you'd recommend and which you wouldn't. Other comments welcome.

Each of these works is available to read online (follow the link).

1. Walden; Or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau.
2. On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin.
3. The Iliad by Homer.
4. Selected Poems of Emily Dickinson.
   
5. The Art of War by Sunzi.
6. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli.
7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
8. A Tales of Two Cities.
9. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.
10. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.
11. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
12. Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
13. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.
14. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
15. Apology, Crito, and Phaedo of Socrates by Plato.
16. Symposium by Plato.
17. The Divine Comedy by Dante.
18. Paradise Lost by John Milton.
19. Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw.
20. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman.
21. The Works of Aristotle.
22. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.
23. The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce.
24. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne.
25. Moby Dick by Herman Melville.
26. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.
27. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
28. Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary.
29. Candide by Voltaire.
30. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo.
31. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.
32. Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac.
33. The Atheist’s Mass by Honore de Balzac.
34. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
35. Notes From the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
36. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
37. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.
38. The Tao Te Ching by Laozi.
39. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
40. The Complete Works of P.B. Shelley.
41. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.
42. Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe.
43. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift.
44. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.
45. Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes.
46. Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche.
47. Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche.
48. The Lifted Veil by George Eliot.
49. Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence.
50. Women in Love by DH Lawrence.
51. White Fang by Jack London.
52. Call of the Wild by Jack London.
53. The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe.
54. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe.
55. Dracula by Bram Stoker.
56. Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker.
57. Discourse by Descartes.
58. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle.
59. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens.
60. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
61. Aesop’s Fables.
62. Beowulf by Anonymous.
63. Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.
64. Common Sense by Thomas Paine.
65. The Ambassadors by Henry James.
66. Daisy Miller by Henry James.
67. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.
68. Hero and Leander by Christopher Marlowe.
69. Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen.
70. The Master Builder by Henrik Ibsen.
71. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.
72. Dubliners by James Joyce.
73. Ulysses by James Joyce.
74. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce.
75. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy.
76. Far From the Madding of the Crowd by Thomas Hardy.
77. Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
78. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
79. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.
80. Lady Windermere’s Fan by Oscar Wilde.
81. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.
82. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott.
83. The Lady of the Lake by Sir Walter Scott.
84. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.
85. The Machine by Upton Sinclair.
86. The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper.
87. The Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper.
88. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
89. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert.
90. Salammbo by Gustave Flaubert.
91. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.
92. Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.
93. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
94. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells.
95. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
96. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding.
97. The Aeneid by Virgil.
98. The Education of Henry Adams.
99. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.
100. The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth.

ABC meme

Swiped from both Kwizgiver and The Gal Herself

Accent: I'm not very accented, except when I'm angry when my New York comes out.

Breakfast or no breakfast: Usually no breakfast.

Chore I don’t care for: Scrubbing the bathtub.

Dog or Cat: Cat.

Essential electronics: Laptop

Favorite Perfume: I haven't found it yet.

Gold or Silver: Silver (here I agree with The Gal Herself)

Handbag I carry most often: Black leather over-shoulder hobo bag.

Insomnia: Not usually

Job Title: I'm taking suggestions.

Kids: Five.

Living Arrangements: Me and the Bear, soon to switch residences.

Most Admirable Trait: Fortitude.

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: Best to ask my parents. Or maybe not.

Overnight hospital stays: All 5 childbirths, plus a couple of surgeries and a couple of pre-delivery pregnancy problems.

Phobias: No real phobias. Plenty of completely rational fears.

Quote: "What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like
a god! the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals!" - Hamlet Act 2, scene 2

Reason to smile: Why not?

Siblings: Two younger sisters.

Time I wake up: 8:30 or 9:00 a.m.

Unusual Talent or Skill: ...I can't think of a one.

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Uncooked tomatoes. Their consistency is just wrong and gives me the heebies jeebies. (Hats off to The Gal Herself for her perfect description).

Worst Habit: I can be a very lazy, lazy slug (Kwizgiver and The Gal Herself and I agree!)

X-rays: Oh, more than I can remember.

Yummy Stuff: There's too many to limit to just one.

Zoo Animal I Like Most: Giraffes and peacocks. Not necessarily in that order.

If you want to play along, let me know so I can compare.

Are you a jerk?

You Are Not a Jerk

You treat everyone as fairly as possible. You think it's important to be good to people. You may feel like being rude at times, but you hold back. You are civilized. While you are considerate, you don't go overboard. You only show others the same respect you'd expect. Those who want to take advantage of you may accuse you of being a jerk, but in truth, they're the real jerks!

Are You a Jerk?

Silver support for flowers

image: Behance.net

Look closely. Russian designer Zhdanova Irina created these silver wire flower head supports to keep cut flowers from whithering. They're also an aesthetic in themselves.

Link

Monday Movie Meme

I know, I know. I'm late. Really late.


This week's movie topic is all about Favorite Oscar Winning Movies...

My favorites:

It Happened One Night (1934)

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Casablanca (1943)

Ben-Hur (1959)

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Schindler's List (1993)

Chicago (2002)

Crash (2005)

Terran eclipse

image: Discover.com

This photo, taken by Japanese satellite Kaguya, shows what a lunar eclipse would look like if you watched it from the moon: A Terran eclipse, or eclipse of the Earth.

The article by Discover is poetic, vis. "that’s the Earth’s atmosphere lit up, a circle of a sunlight, a ring of a thousand simultaneous sunrises and sunsets."

Link via Neatorama

Escher and deficit spending

image: TYWKIWDBI

Are you city or country?

You Are City

You prefer big lights and big dreams over the slow paced life of the country. You crave excitement, and the city has many opportunities for you. While you appreciate the peace and quiet of the country, it's a little too quiet. You need lots people, culture, and action to feel truly alive.

Are You City or Country?

Paper airplane launched from NYC skyscraper

Just watch and enjoy...


Flying from Sam Fuller on Vimeo.

source

Cool fish with transparent head

Just watch and learn.



via Neatorama

What color traffic light are you?

You Are a Yellow Light

You take life at a sustainable past. Fast enough to do a lot, but not fast enough to leave everyone behind. You are open to whatever may come your way in life. You're very receptive. You are quite thoughtful and knowledgeable. You have the perfect mix of reflection and experience. You think before you act. You like to know some of the facts before you make a decision.

What Color Traffic Light Are You?

Clucking soon

Back to the Future alternate ending

What kind of juice are you?

You Are Apple Juice

You're very likable and quite popular. It's hard not to find something to love about you. You are playful and fun. You try to bring levity to situations. While you are entertaining, you're not very hyper or mischievous. You are laid back, low key, and even a bit sensitive.

What Kind of Juice Are You?

Landslide

--------------------------
1. Put Your Music Player on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write down the name of the song no matter how silly it sounds!
4. Put any comments in brackets after the song name.
5. Tag at least 10 friends
--------------------------

What do your friends think of you?
Hazy Shade of Winter - Simon & Garfunkel - Best of Simon & Garfunkel

If someone says, "Is this okay?" You say?
California Dreamin' - The Mamas and the Papas - Forrest Gump Soundtrack

How would you describe yourself?
I Want You - Savage Garden

What do you like in a guy/girl?
She Won't Let Me Fly Away - John Denver - Aerie

How do you feel today?
Harder to Breathe - Maroon Five

What is your life's purpose?
When Will I Be Loved - The Everly Brothers

What is your motto?
Up on the Roof - Rockapella

What do you think about very often?
Would You Light My Candle - Jonathan Larson - Rent (Original Broadway Cast)

What do you think of your best friend?
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd - Delicate Sound of Thunder

What do you think of the person you like?
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams - The Night Before Christmas

What is your life story?
Lean on Me - Rockapella

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Banks of Sicily - Chad Mitchell Trio - The Best of the Chad Mitchell Trio

What do you think of when you see the person you like/love?
Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi - New Jersey

What will you dance to at your wedding?
Cool Change - Little River Band - Greatest Hits

What will they play at your funeral?
Rent - Jonathan Larson - Rent (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

What is your hobby/interest?
Hooked on a Feeling - Rockapella

What is your biggest fear?
I am a Rock - Simon & Garfunkel - The Best of Simon & Garfunkel

What is your biggest secret?
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel - The Best of Simon & Garfunkel

What do you think of your friends?
Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac - The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac

What will you post this as?
Landslide - Fleetwood Mac - The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac

What does your birthday predict about you?

Your Birthdate Predicts You're Fearless

Ever since you were born, you've always been able to assert yourself. You are confident in carving your own path. Soon enough, other people will be persuaded and follow along. You are driven and competitive to the point of being impulsive. You'll do just about anything to win. It drives you crazy when you have to stay still in life. You are too dynamic to stay stagnant.

What Does Your Birthday Predict About You?

Must-see movies

Hulu has an impressive collection of movie trailers, and I'm seeing a whole bunch of movies I'm going to want to see, either on video or in the theater.

The Taking of Pelham 123. I'm surprised they're remaking this one, although I did like the original more than I expected to. The remake has Denzel Washington, which makes it a must-see as a matter of course. I'll wait for video.

Inglourious Basterds. Eight Jewish-American soldiers go Nazi hunting in WWII France. By Quentin Tarentino. Not sure how I feel about this, except to say that I'll wait for the video.

9. Tim Burton's post-apocalyptic CGI escapefest. It's got some good names in it. Another one for video.

Race to Witch Mountain. Reviving a series that's more than 30 years old. I'm interested to see how this works out. I loved the book "Escape to Witch Mountain" when I was a kid. I don't have enough faith in it to make it a theater movie, though.

500 Days of Summer. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschenel are enough of a draw for me. The story revolves around a young man (Gordon-Levitt) reviewing his love affair to find out where it went wrong. Is that Morgan Freeman's voiceover work? Waiting for video.

The Reader. Nominated for Best Picture for 2008, the story of a woman who was secretly a Nazi SS camp guard. Waiting for video.

Fanboys. Friends and Star Wars geeks try to get into the Skywalker Ranch. This is going to be one of those guilty pleasure movies, I just know it. Definitely waiting for the video.

Everlasting Moments. A turn of the century Swedish woman wins a camera. It's not so much the plot as the photography of this one that intrigues me. In Swedish with subtitles. I'll wait for the video.

Plenty more where this list came from, too.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 317

1. Carpet :: red
2. William :: the Conqueror
   
3. Oh! ::Joy!*
4. Board game ::Monopoly
5. Sunlight ::day
6. Delay ::wait
7. Winner ::takes all
   
8. Concubine :: harem
9. Comatose :: movie
10. Satisfy :: hunger

*ohjoy! is an excellent design blog


see more mutterings here.

What would you win an Oscar for?

You Would Win Best Director

You are a mastermind with a great plan. You can visualize what you want in life. You are good at leading people and helping them do what you want. You are an excellent coach and teacher. You are a hard worker, and you're willing to see a project to completion - no matter how difficult it gets. You have the both capacity and drive to be an amazing director. Most importantly, you have the vision that's needed.

What Would You Win an Oscar For?

The Sunset Test

You Crave an Exhilarating Life

Your dream is to live a life of inspiration, ideas, and wisdom. There's so much to do in the world, and it's important that you accomplish something great. You desire success, but not necessarily material success. Success could be helping others find the right path. More than anything else, you want to reach your goals... no matter how high they may be.

The Sunset Test

Time's top 100 movies

1. Aguirre: the Wrath of God (1972)
2. The Apu Trilogy (1955, 1956, 1959)
3. The Awful Truth (1937)
4. Baby Face (1933)
5. Bande à part (1964)
6. Barry Lyndon (1975)
7. Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980)
8. Blade Runner (1982)
9. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
10. Brazil (1985)
11. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
12. Camille (1936)
13. Casablanca (1942)
14. Charade (1963)
15. Children of Paradise (1945)
16. Chinatown (1974)
17. Chungking Express (1994)
18. Citizen Kane (1941)
19. City Lights (1931)
20. City of God (2002)
21. Closely Watched Trains (1966)
22. The Crime of Monsieur Lange (1936)
23. The Crowd (1928)
24. Day for Night (1973)
25. The Decalogue (1989)
26. Detour (1945)
27. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
28. Dodsworth (1936)
29. Double Indemnity (1944)
30. Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
31. Drunken Master II (1994)
32. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
33. 8 1/2 (1963)
34. The 400 Blows (1959)
35. Farewell My Concubine (1993)
36. Finding Nemo (2003)
37. The Fly (1986)
38. The Godfather, Parts I and II (1972, 1974)
39. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)
40. Goodfellas (1990)
41. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
42. His Girl Friday (1940)
43. Ikiru (1952)
44. In A Lonely Place (1950)
45. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
46. It's A Gift (1934)
47. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
48. Kandahar (2001)
49. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
50. King Kong (1933)
51. The Lady Eve (1941)
52. The Last Command (1928)
53. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
54. Léolo (1992)
55. The Lord of the Rings (2001-03)
56. The Man With a Camera (1929)
57. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
58. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
59. Metropolis (1927)
60. Miller's Crossing (1990)
61. Mon oncle d'Amérique (1980)
62. Mouchette (1967)
63. Nayakan (1987)
64. Ninotchka (1939)
65. Notorious (1946)
66. Olympia, Parts 1 and 2 (1938)
67. On the Waterfront (1954)
68. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
69. Out of the Past (1947)
70. Persona (1966)
71. Pinocchio (1940)
72. Psycho (1960)
73. Pulp Fiction (1994)
74. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
75. Pyaasa (1957)
76. Raging Bull (1980)
77. Schindler's List (1993)
78. The Searchers (1956)
79. Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
80. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
81. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
82. The Singing Detective (1986)
83. Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
84. Some Like It Hot (1959)
85. Star Wars (1977)
86. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
87. Sunrise (1927)
88. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
89. Swing Time (1936)
90. Talk to Her (2002)
91. Taxi Driver (1976)
92. Tokyo Story (1953)
93. A Touch of Zen (1971)
94. Ugetsu (1953)
95. Ulysses' Gaze (1995)
96. Umberto D (1952)
97. Unforgiven (1992)
98. White Heat (1949)
99. Wings of Desire (1987)Yojimbo (1961)
100. Yohimbo (1961)

Valentine's Day is SO OVER

Ace of Cakes offered a challenge to You Tubers: create a Valentine's Day cake video to share. Well, I just found the videos today, but one of them is appropos to the week after. While I'm not so much about the dumpage, I think it's one of the more clever and better-made cakes of the finalists.

Teaser Tuesdays: An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England

MizB asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• Share the title of the book the teaser comes from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

From page 75 of An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke (fiction)

"You're talking to the wrong woman," my mother said. "I'm through with books. I'm through with stories of any kind."

Mom's a bit of a problem child, it seems.

I'll see you on the dark side of...

image: /Film

Found this at /Film and had to share. It's a great mash-up and amuses me no end.

Link

No seriously

This painting of Michael Jackson by artist Norman Oak is up for auction, among other of Jackson's possessions. Proceeds benefit MusiCares Foundation of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. The auction will run April 22-25, and Time has a look at the top 10 items.


A little on-the-nose, don't you think?



Eyebrow-raising, but at the same time, I'd totally want one.


All photos: Time.com

Link

Are You Flirtatious, Fearless, Factual, or Friendly?

You Are Factual

You are highly intelligent, especially in areas that deal with concrete knowledge and facts. You are amazingly analytical. You can make sense of chaos without involving your emotions. If anything, you tend to be overly logical. It's sometimes hard for you to come to a decision, because you're too busy weighing all the options. People turn to you in times of trouble. They know that they can trust you to give good, well thought out advice.

Are You Flirtatious, Fearless, Factual, or Friendly?

Art of the moment: Bart van Leuven

Desire to Inspire featured some of Belgian photographer Bart van Leuven's work in a recent post. The apple "sandwich" was an attention-getter and the next thing I knew, I was immersed in his site. Great shots, well worth an explore.





Link

Ah, Fashion Week

photo: CasaSugar

Oscar De La Renta used hyperteased hair, crazy dark eyeliner and supersat color with his collections this year.
Which is just a toned-down version of last year's Dior.


photo: Time

Turns out both of them were ripping off Gustav Klimt


image: ABCGallery

In which I become practically famous

image: TYWKIWDBI

TYWKIWDBI has again delved into the still archives of 1000 Frames of Hitchcock to create a collection of moments from my favorite Hitchcock movie, Lifeboat. According to his post, he selected Lifeboat at my request. Yes, I have influenced the blogosphere.

For those who haven't seen Lifeboat, my review is here. In my opinion, it's one of the finest character studies in film.

Link

Trilogy Meter

Dan Meth has created rank meters of each movie in a trilogy, based on his enjoyment of each individual movie. Note how sometimes the first is not the best. I'm not seeing a case in which the third is the best, in Meth's estimation, though. I agree with several of his assessments. Except Indiana Jones. Temple of Doom should be rated much, much lower.

Link via Neatorama

Awesome advertising gimmick

Wish I'd thought of this.

Eden, a new UK natural history television station, announced its launch by sending a statue of a polar bear and cub stranded on an iceberg down the Thames toward Parliament. Topical and attention-getting.

via Neatorama

Monday Movie Meme

This week's focus is cameos.

Some cameo appearances I can think of off the top:

• Rex Reed in Superman
• Cab Calloway in The Blues Brothers
  
• M. Night Shyamalan in The Sixth Sense
  
• Paul Shaffer in Scrooged
  
• Milton Berle, Mel Brooks, James Coburn, Dom DeLuise, Elliott Gould, Madeline Kahn, Carol Kane, Cloris Leachman,  Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Telly Savalas, Orson Welles and Paul Williams in The Muppet Movie
• Alfred Hitchcock in  Family Plot, Frenzy, Topaz, Torn Curtain, Marnie, The Birds, Psycho, North by Northwest, Vertigo, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Trouble with Harry, To Catch a Thief, Rear Window, I Confess, Strangers on a Train, Stage Fright, Under Capricorn, Rope, The Paradine Case, Notorious, Spellbound, Shadow of a Doubt, Saboteur, Suspicion, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Foreign Correspondent, Rebecca, The Lady Vanishes, Young and Innocent, The 39 Steps, Murder!, Blackmail, Easy Virtue and The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog

Honorable mentions: Alan Ladd, Barbara Stanwyck, Ray Milland, Ava Gardner, Burt Lancaster,  Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Veronica Lake, Bette Davis, Lana Turner, Edward Arnold, Kirk Douglas, Fred MacMurray, James Cagney, Joan Crawford, Charles Laughton, Vincent Price, William Conrad, Charles McGraw, Jeff Corey, John Miljan, Brian Donlevy, Norma Varden and Edmond O'Brien in Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid

Play along at the Bumbles Blog

Pushing Daisies replanted

It was disappointing to learn that Pushing Daisies, the hypercolored life-after-death fantasy procedural musical mystery dramedy romance extravaganza was canceled by ABC. It was tragic when I discovered that the past episodes had been taken down from the ABC.com site.

But joy! Rapture! Today I learned that the episodes are available online at the WB. God, I love this country.

via Pop Candy

Neatorama movie trivia: Sixth Sense

I love movie trivia, and I really enjoyed The Sixth Sense. So I'm glad that Neatorama is posting occasional movie trivia facts, and this time they're highlighting M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense. For example:

• The color red is used to represent “anything in the real world that has been tainted by the other world,” M. Night Shyamalan says. A few examples: the red sweater Cole wears when he gets attacked in the attic, the red dress Malcolm’s wife wears when she visits the restaurant where they got engaged, the doorknob in the scene pictured and right and the red tent where the little girl who was poisoned by her mom appears to Cole.

The rest is here.

Drill Sergeant Joe B. Frick's rules for gunfighting

A list of 28 rules for gunfights. Just in case.

My personal favorite:

10. Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.

Words to live by.

Link

Time's top 10 least memorable presidents

image: Time.com

I chose this president because it's fun to say "Millard Fillmore." Don't know anything more about him than that? Time's slideshow might teach you just a touch more.

Link

Happy President's Day!

photo: CakeWrecks

With the minutes ticking down to the end of President's Day, I wanted to leave you with this impressive cake posted at Cake Wrecks. It's pretty spiff, with the Lincoln Memorial on top and the calligraphy on the parchment-colored cake at the bottom. Of course, when I turn 200, I'll want something just as jazzy. They also showcase several much less impressive cakes in honor of the day.

Link

Are you tea or coffee?

You Are Tea

You are mellow and reflective. You don't allow yourself to feel in a rush and frenzied. You're likely to appreciated the ideas or connections that come up over a warm cup of tea. While you do enjoy the energy of a caffeine boost, you love that it allows you to take a break. You're not in a rush to do anything. You're content with your life, and in no rush to change it.

Are You Coffee or Tea?

Your Forever stamps are about to pay off

image: United States Postal Service

Get 'em while you can. The Liberty Bell "Forever" stamps (they have no denomination, so no matter what price you buy them at, you can use them "forever") are about to increase in value. The price of first class postage is going up on May 11, from .42 to .44. It was nice of htem to wait until after Mother's Day.

You'll still be able to buy the "Forever" stamp in May at the new rate. And it'll save you a few cents when the price of postage goes up again.

Link

New seahorses discovered

photo: National Geographic

National Geographic reports on the discovery of four new types of pygmy seahorses. There have been five different species discovered in the Red Sea and Indonesia. They're all pretty cute lil guys.

Link

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 316

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Be mine :: Valentine
2. Ecstatic :: joyous
3. Orderly ::Neat
4. Sebastian ::Bach
5. Sore :: muscles
6. Don’t need ::much
7. Rockstar :: Hey Hey I wanna be a
   
8. Tinfoil :: hat
9. Addiction :: drugs
10. Where? :: Who?

see more Mutterings here.

Duoseptuagenuple Stuf Oreo

photo: Jason Graphix

Okay, so you've got a package of double-stuf Oreos. You know you're just gonna scrape the creme filling first. What if you put it all together in between just two cookies? Know what you'd have? With a box of 36 cookies, that's the equivalent of 72 layers of "stuf." A duoseptuagenuple Stuf Oreo. You'll only need to do it once.

Link via Neatorama

Steampunk cake

image: Steampunk Workshop

I like the DIY-ness of Steampunk. It just has that cool wood/metal handmade aesthetic. This cake captures that perfectly.



Link via Neatorama

Crazy-cool jewelry storage

photo: Desire to Inspire

This papercraft wall art also stores jewelry. I love it.

Link

Just saved me a trip

photo: TYWKIWDBI

I'd always wanted to go to Pisa, to take my turn holding up the Leaning Tower. Turns out I don't have to. Who knew?

Link

Peanut follies

Salty Peanut
Originally uploaded by EuroMagic.

This just isn't right. CNN reports that Peanut Corp. of America, the company whose tainted peanuts have caused more than 600 cases of salmonella (nine of them fatal), has filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Not a reorganization. They're shutting down.

While I don't have a problem with them no longer producing peanut products, it's ghastly that "PCA's declaration of bankruptcy will, among other things, shield it from liability suits filed by consumers who became sick or whose loved ones died as a result of eating PCA's peanut products," CNN quoted Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union (they publish Consumer Reports).

Link

A vanishing breed

photo: time.com

Time reports on the dwindling Sealyham Terrier breed. In the 50's, the dog was popular among celebs. When I was a youngster, my grandparents had a Sealyham and a Scottie. Seeing these photos brings back memories of the house in Massachusetts, and Misty and Tucky. I had forgotten all about them until this article, and now that I think of it, I can't remember seeing any Sealyhams in years.

Link

Monday Movie Meme

How did I let this one go so long?

This week's movie topic is all about Movie Quotes...

Here are my favorite movie quotes and those that I use often.

1. "Oh, you English think you're soooo superior!" - A Fish Called Wanda
2. "I have a bad feeling about this." - Star Wars
3. "Yippee Ki-Yay, Motherf*@ker" - Die Hard
4. "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." - Gone With the Wind
5. "Making it worse? How could it be worse? Jehovah! Jehovah! Jehovah!" - Life of Brian
6. "You know...I just don't know." - Six Days, Seven Nights
7. "Bear left." "Right, frog." - The Muppet Movie
8. "'Nature,' Mr. Allnut, is what we are put into this world to rise above." - The African Queen
   
9. "Why Mrs. Claypool! Helloooo!" - A Night at the Opera
10. "He's going in there. I wouldn't." - Spaceballs

play along here.

What's your Valentine's Day personality

Your Valentine's Day Personality is Heartbroken

Valentine's Day is something you could potentially enjoy, but not this year. It just brings up too many bad feelings and memories for you right now. That's the problem with Valentine's Day. It's a double edged sword. The better it feels when you're in a couple, the worse it feels when you're single.

What's Your Valentine's Day Personality?

Movie review: The Lottery

Maybe you remember this one from school. It was filmed by Encyclopedia Brittanica's Short Story Showcase.

As an educational film, it's short on production values, and its big-name star would grow up to be Ed Begley, Jr. Cinematically, it's a really terrible movie.

Even so, the story was powerful. I remember it to this day. I haven't yet read the short story by Shirley Jackson, but I will, and soon.

If you haven't seen it, or your kid hasn't seen it, it's available on YouTube, and worth the 20 minute investment.

Part 1:


Part 2:

ology meme

MOUTHOLOGY

What is your salad dressing of choice? ranch
What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Arby's
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Liberty Elm diner
On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant? 15 to 20%
What food could you eat every day and not get sick of it? pizza
What are your pizza toppings of choice? meatball
What do you like to put on your toast? tuna salad
What is your favorite type of gum? spearmint

TECHNOLOGY

Number of contacts in your cell phone? 57
Number of contacts in your email address book? dozens
What is your wallpaper on your computer? none
How many televisions are in your house? one
Do you use a laptop or desktop? laptop at home

BIOLOGY

Are you right-handed or left-handed? left
Do you like your smile? sure
What's your best feature? my hair
Have you ever had anything removed from your body? yes
Which of your five senses do you think is keenest? touch
When was the last time you had a cavity? don't remember
What is the heaviest item you lifted last? my bed
Have you ever been knocked unconscious? no

BULLCRAPOLOGY

If you could, would you wanna know the day you were going to die? depends on how far away it is
Is love for real? yes
If you could change your first name, what would you change it to? Don't know
What color do you think looks best on you? black
Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake? yup
Have you ever saved someone's life? yes
Has someone ever saved yours? I don't think so

DAREOLOGY

Would you walk naked down a public street for $100,000? which street and at what time of day?
Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100? yes
Would you cut off one of your little fingers for $200,000? no
Would you never blog again for $50,000? no
Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000? no
Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? no
Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000? yes

DUMBOLOGY

What is in your left pocket? cash
Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house? tile
Do you sit or stand in the shower? stand
Could you live with roommates? yes
How many pairs of flip flops do you own? 0
Where were you born? Perth Amboy
Last time you had a run-in with the cops? never
What do you want to be when you grow up? something with words and putting them in lines with dots on the ends.
Who is number 1 on your top ??

LASTOLOGY

Friend you talked to? A certain someone
Last person you called? A certain someone
Person you hugged? A certain someone

FAVORITOLOGY

Number? 16
Color? changes frequently
Season? fall or spring

CURRENTOLOGY

Missing someone? a little
Mood? good
Listening to? the quiet
Watching? the cursor move
Worrying about? nothing

RANDOMOLOGY

First place you went this morning? Providence Place Mall
What can you not wait to do? move
What's the last movie you saw? Timeline (again)
Do you smile often? yes
Are you a friendly person? yes
Now that the survey's done what are you going to do? probably more memes and blogging

Fave meme

What is your fave color? changes all the time
What is your fave movie? The Philadelphia Story
What is fave play? Rent
What is your fave TV show? Lost
Whats your fave food? chicken francaise
Whats your fave dessert? depends
What was your fave year in highschool? junior
What was was your fave year in college? ask me when I've finished
What was was your fave vehicle? 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis Wagon
What was was your fave alcoholic drink? Bailey's & milk
Who is your fave friend? Chuck
What was was your fave animal? Peacocks
What was was your fave CD? Aeirie by John Denver
What was was your fave yankee candle? Vanilla Cinnamon
What was was your fave Pro Football team? ...
What was was your fave girl name? Hannah
What was was your fave boy name? Seth
What was was your fave piece of jewelry? changes

Pick one or the other

Coke or Pepsi? coke
WalMart or Target? Target
Lamps or candles? hmmm... both
Debit or credit? debit
Fingers or toes? fingers
Desktop or laptop? laptop
Blinds or curtains? curtains
Chocolate or vanilla? chocolate
Tall or short? short
Love or money? love
Taste or smell? smell

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 315

1. Cups :: of cocoa
2. Brilliant :: gem
3. Disobey :: rules
4. Abstain :: drinking
5. Daily :: life
6. You make me :: crazy
7. Hurl :: throw
8. Intensify :: strengthen
9. Fuck! :: shitdamn
10. Race :: road

see more mutterings here

If you're shopping anyway...

photo: Cap'n Joe on Flickr

A couple of ideas from Carole Summerville of Suite 101 (edited).

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Libra

For Libra, think about a deluxe make-over experience or vouchers for a massage, facial or manicure. Ruled by the loving planet Venus, choose hearts, flowers and anything romantic. Roses are a symbol of love. Send a dozen beautifully wrapped roses to celebrate this Valentine’s Day.


Link via What if this is as good as it gets?

RI parks celebrate 100th anniversary

photo: RIParks.com

100 years ago today, on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, Rhode Island designated its first state park: Lincoln Woods. Not coincidentally, the documents creating the park were signed in Lincoln, RI.

If I'd known this earlier, I might have opted to go to the park today. If the weather's nice, maybe we'll go tomorrow.

Link to Projo story

Happy Darwin Day

image: DarwinDay.org

Charles Darwin, who first postulated the theory of natural selection, was born on this day in 1809. Although his "monkey theory" has been (and still occasionally is) hotly contested, it's gone from radical new idea to generally accepted fact.

for lost o' info on Darwin, visit

What aphrodisiac are you?

You Are Chocolate

You make people feel euphoric and dreamy. You're very addicting. You definitely drive people to passion, lust, and even obsession. While you are quite sensual, you are also comforting. You sure know how to work your magic. It doesn't take long to get someone to love you.

What Aphrodisiac Are You?

Neighbors helping neighbors

image: Lifehacker

If you have a spare coupon or need one, head on over to Retrevo. They match (by ZIP code) those who need with those who have extra. Right now, the former outnumber the latter, but it can't hurt to look, right?

Link

History on Flickr

From the flickr blog:

"The Library of Congress has released a number of fascinating pictures of one of America’s best known presidents. The set, Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), is part of a series of photos released by the Library, and others, in the Flickr Commons, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of President Lincoln’s birth on February 12, 1809."

Link

One good thing: RI nursing homes outperform others in the nation

...according to the RI Department of Health.

details here.

What Internet slang are you?

You Are FAQ

For you, the internet is like your personal library. And you know more facts than fifty normal humans. Your brain is basically lot a computer at this point. You have a lot of information stored up there. You spend hours looking up obscure information and learning things. If you have question, you always Google it. You can't help but be a bit of a know-it-all. You can answer everyone's frequently asked questions.

What Internet Slang Are You?

Art of the moment: Agnieszka Gradzik and Wiktor Szostalo

photo: Tree Hugger Project

Gradzik and Szostalo are co-artists working on the Tree Hugger Project. The mission of the project is "an ongoing work of Environmental Art designed to help us re-discover our relationship with nature at a very personal and intimate level." The sculptures, made of twigs, vines and other natural materials, depict people hugging trees.

As a fan of twig and vine sculpture anyway, I'm intrigued.

Link

An afternoon at the zoo

Opportunity knocked, and we answered. A combined afternoon off and glorious February day meant a trip to the zoo this afternoon, where I saw something I've not seen before: Flamingos in the snow.

It's unseasonably warm, and our pink feathered friends seemed no worse off. They were sunning themselves, preening and having the flamingo equivalent of a good time.

This was also the first chance we've had to see the zoo's new arrival, "Kenya" the baby giraffe.