Milkshake Lake

Today's title kind of has a nice ring to it,don't you think? I chose the title because the water of this lake put me in mind of a strawberry/cherry milkshake. You would almost expect a pink lake to either be on another planet,or the product of pollution,but Lake Retba (Lac Rose) near the capital of Senegal is a natural lake. Its pink color is caused by a bacteria which is attracted to the lakes high salt content. The bacteria produces a red pigment in order to absorb the sunlight. The salinity compares to that of the Dead Sea and at times exceeds it. The locals collect salt from the lake bottom with their hands and use it to cure food. I was surprised to find out that it is not the only pink lake in the world,but it is the largest natural pink lake.

Honey Trap

I had to laugh about this one. The story showcases how big the criminal ego is...as compared to the brain. A 23 year old Long Island man skipped bail after helping his dad collect $410,000 in a life insurance scam. In 2012 he made a frantic call to 911 reporting his father had just disappeared into the waves,meanwhile the dad was heading for his Orlando time share. The bail bond company (Empire Bail Bonds) found the son hiding out at a Marine buddy's home in Ohio. The bond company sent a shapely young woman in high heels and a short skirt to the door asking if his pal was home. While he was busily trying to impress the woman three bounty hunters promptly cuffed him. Empire Bonds claims the ploy works equally well on both sexes.

Flawed Rules

To say I was irritated when I read about these two unrelated incidents is a gross understatement,and to think that the people that are making these rules are in charge of educating the children of today is equally upsetting.
A 14 year old male student in Wales, was punished for violating the dress code against shaved heads. What was not taken into consideration was he was helping raise money for an anti-cancer charity after a third relative of his got cancer. I was surprised to learn that the rule was in place at all,but that is beside the point.
The students of his school staged a walk out until he was allowed to return to school,showing possibly that they had more sense and compassion that the officials.
In a Massachusetts High School a honor student and Volleyball captain was punished for giving a drunk classmate a ride home. The girl was clean and sober,but her action violated the school's zero tolerance attitude toward alcohol,never thinking that it might result in the drunk teen getting behind the wheel and driving.

Creepy Crawlies or Cures?

I would have to be hard pressed to eat a cockroach but they have become popular with the Chinese,not for their taste but for medicinal benefits. According to researchers they can cure a number of ailments,tuberculosis,cancer,cirrhosis,they also reduce inflammation and defy aging. They have been powdered and made into a cream used for burns and cosmetic facial masks. A syrup is being manufactured by a pharmaceutical company to cure gastroenteritis and duodenal ulcers. Another plus is they are cheaper and work faster than Western medicine. Obviously with a sudden demand for the critters farming cockroaches has become popular and profitable. They can be harvested every 4 months and sell for around $89. a pound. One farm harvested more than 100 tons in a year's time. Creepy as it sounds,it has to be better for a person than the chemicals that compose modern medicines.

Nine Lives

Ships have carried cats on board through the ages,they are easily adaptable to new surroundings and most importantly are natures answer to rodent control. There are many stories of seafaring cats,but the one I found noteworthy was Unsinkable Sam. Sam didn't start out with that name,he was originally known as Oskar,the German ship Bismarck's cat. When Bismarck was sunk Oskar was one of the crew that was rescued by HMS Cossack. Oskar (now Oscar) was again among the survivors when Cossack was sunk a few months later. He was taken to Gibraltar where he became ship's cat of HMS Ark Royal,again the ship was torpedoed and sunk with Oscar among the rescued. It was decided at that time to transfer him to a home on land. Along with his new job as mouse catcher at the Governor Generals buildings he received a new name,Unsinkable Sam. He was eventually returned to the UK and spent the remainder of his life in a "Home for Sailors".

Think You Are Bad Off?

This poor man had an unbelievable ordeal, with a sudden and somewhat unexplained onset. The medical community decided on the name scrotal elephantiasis to explain his condition. His scrotum grew to a weight of over 132 lbs and hung down between his ankles,but strictly speaking it wasn't the same disease found in tropical locations and caused by parasites. His condition started when he accidentally struck his testicles while sleeping. The following morning his scrotum had swelled to the size of a soccer ball. The scrotum kept growing until he was unable to urinate normally or even wear pants. He eventually started wearing an oversize hooded sweatshirt upside down to support and cover his scrotum. The good news is earlier this year he underwent surgery,the surgeons donated their time to perform the surgery as his insurance couldn't decide if they covered the condition.

A Fun Mental Image

Considering the holiday and gifts I thought a fun (for me anyway) mental picture might be the order of the day. I'm only sorry I couldn't find more information to share.
When one thinks of Queen Elizabeth II the image that comes to mind is a reserved and composed individual,though in recent years she has shown a more human persona. With that picture in mind I will now introduce a counter image for your consideration. The Queen is a self admitted addict to the Nintendo Wii. I only wish I could supply you with the details of what she likes to do with the interactive device,but in a way it is just as much fun to supply your own scenario for that...almost any of the games available would make an amusing mental image. She even has her own special console that is gold-plated instead of the usual white plastic casing,said to be a gift from the game company.

A Special Kind of Stupid

As with yesterday's blog I often write posts about dumb criminals. I thought the guy in yesterday's blog was obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed...until I read about an Arizona man. This particular 29 year old rocket scientist was attempting to steal copper wire from the back of a work truck when his finger became entangled and was cut off as he tried to pull free. It seems to me that even if someone were feeble minded they would still have the presence of mind to retrieve the finger,but not only did he leave the severed digit he also posted a photo of the hand with the missing finger on Facebook! If that isn't enough to make you groan after the police fingerprinted the cut off portion of his finger he tried to tell them he lost the finger working on his car. In case you're wondering the value of the copper wire he was attempting to steal...$300.

Wisdom Comes With Age?

I heard about this story on my way back from the store this morning and could hardly believe the details offered. This story is wrong on so many levels it makes me angry. First on the list is the man who was stealing a can of gas was 62 years old,it seems like he should have learned stealing was wrong by his age. Secondly it doesn't seem like he was destitute in his thieving,but rather doing what he was accustomed to doing (stealing). Thirdly,he had enough money to by cigarettes (since they are under lock and key I assume he hadn't stolen them) so more than likely he had enough money to pay for the amount of gas he stole. It may sound uncharitable,but I feel like he got what he deserved when he lit himself and his car on fire because he was smoking as he poured the purloined fuel into his gas tank. From the appearance of his car (pre-fire) it wasn't a total junker,so that also points to his lack of excuse for the theft. He was arrested on charges of criminal mischief,reckless burning and theft,but I doubt he will get as much time as he should for his dastardly deed.

More Bang For Your Buck

Before I get carried away with today's post I wanted to assure those of you who might be wondering that after another hour on the phone my computer issue was resolved. Now on with "the rest of the story".
I just happened across a piece of information that I was unaware of,there is always the chance that I am the last person on the planet to be aware of it,and sometimes that is the case. The information I am referring to is that Ecuador uses the US dollar as its official currency. Panama also uses US currency,but that didn't seem as surprising to me. The good news is that if you choose Ecuador as a travel destination your dollar goes a lot further. Coffee (not espresso stand style) can still be had for .25-.35 a cup,if that isn't how you start your day a large glass of made to order juice can be purchased for $1. Soda or bottled water runs from .30 to .60 cents depending on size. If you feel ill in your new surroundings pills for what ails you can be purchased individually. A large bottle of beer is just $1 as are some mixed drinks. The only drawback I heard of was a reluctance to make change,so you might plan on bringing your own.

Warning!

I am for the most part unprepared to write a blog today,but that has never stood in my way before. I wanted to offer a warning to any of you that happen to use AVG Tune Up to not download their upgrade. It for some reason tells your computer that the computer has no disc space left (before the download I had all kinds of disc space) which leaves you unable to delete the freshly downloaded Tune Up,as it will not open,nor can it be deleted in the regular fashion one deletes programs. I spent the time I would normally spend working on the blog on hold waiting for a tech to answer my call and fix the problem,after over 3 hours on hold with annoying continuous loop music,(if one could call it that) I finally had to hang up as my phone was nearly dead. The Tune Up also interferes with your email and if  email gets through at all the only thing that arrives is an envelope,no sender name,no subject and nothing in the body of the email. I have used AVG as my virus program for years and always preferred it over others as it is less intrusive,but the Tune Up I have only had for around a year and am hoping to get it cleared off my computer  either later today or get a fresh start on it tomorrow. If I don't write a post for awhile you will know what happened,and I will either be waiting for this computer to be fixed or waiting for a replacement to arrive,as long as you know I haven't deserted you!

Stressed?

I imagine some of you are quite stressed by now over all the holiday ordeals,so with that in mind I thought I would share some bumper stickers I have seen that I found either funny or meaningful in some way. Enjoy!
"We have enough youth. How about a fountain of smart?"
"If everything's coming your way,you're probably in the wrong lane!"
"Billionaires pay a lower tax rate than their secretaries...Does anyone have a problem with that?"
"Where are we going? And why am I in this hand-basket?"
"You are entitled to you own opinions-but not your own facts."
"All I want is the same healthcare plan that members of Congress have."
"I'm for the separation of church and hate."
"Born okay the first time!"
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." Gandhi
"Going to war over religion is killing people to see who has the best imaginary friend."

Every City Needs One!

Most of you have either heard of the London Eye (135 meters) or seen it on film. What a delightful addition to any city known for tourism,giving people a chance to see the sites and for some get their bearing before setting out to see more of the city. The Tianjin Eye is a 120 meter (400 foot) tall Ferris wheel built on the Yongle Bridge in China. The Tianjin Eye has 48 passenger capsules,each capable of holding 8 passengers and takes 30 minutes to complete a rotation. After viewing pictures of the Eye,I can only imagine the sites to be seen from aboard the wheel.

Leave the Driving to the Blind

Cruise control is something a person either loves and uses all the time,or like myself rarely use it and feel like it makes a person less alert. The odd thing about cruise control is it was invented by a blind man. Ralph Teetor was blinded at age 5 but that didn't stop him from attending college,becoming a mechanical engineer and an inventor. Teetor, after a particularly jerky car trip with his lawyer came up with a device to regulate car speed without the driver touching the gas pedal. Some of the early names for his invention included "controlomatic","speedostat",and "auto pilot". Teetor felt his blindness gave him an edge with his inventions as he was free to visualize what he wanted to accomplish instead of being restricted to what was in front of him.

Just Another Obsessed Fan

Some of you may be too young to remember Clark Gable,but those same people no doubt know who Adolf Hitler was. What's the connection,you might ask? Hitler,along with his other obsessions loved Hollywood movies,and had movies smuggled into Germany to be shown in his private theater. Clark Gable represented the perfect male specimen in Hitler's opinion both physically and with his no-nonsense,tough guy attitude. When Hitler discovered Gable had enlisted and had been transferred to England he offered an enormous reward for Gable's capture and delivery unharmed to Hitler. Gable's plane was never shot down,but it did receive multiple bullet holes. Gable was awarded the Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross,then shipped home in 1943. Curses,foiled again!

Snooze-Fest

Just when a person thinks they have heard it all,something pops up to prove them wrong. I've never been a fan of reality TV,but apparently I am a minority in that respect. The latest trend is even more unsettling to me and as one reality producer stated,"It's a perfect example of how insane our industry is". Anyone know what I am leading up to? It is called "Slow TV",which includes programs like 12 hours of firewood burning and other non-stimulating coverage of cameras on fixed subjects. The idea behind Slow TV is that it doesn't demand your attention,but allows you to sit back and relax. Call me old fashioned but I can think of hundreds of things to do to relax without the aid of a TV. Have people actually been reduced to that amount of dependency?

Feathering a Nest

As more and more places become tobacco free,forcing smokers to go off the property they are associated with and removing the receptacles for the cigarette waste,the more smoke related litter a person sees. Other than the smokers being forced to brave the elements to indulge their habit and treatment that could be described as less than humane,there is a benefit that some people may not be aware of. Birds now have easier access to the discarded butts and use them to line their nests. Before you drop what you're doing and call the authorities allow me to assure you this is not hazardous to the birds. The chemicals from tobacco found in the cigarette remains keep the birds lice and mite free providing them with a healthier environment for their young. So next time you look on in disgust at a group of smokers,remember this and try to show a little tolerance,after all smoking is still legal and they do pay more taxes than non-smokers.

Bondage

I bet that title got your attention! (You know who you are). The title was meant to be a take on James Bond and all of his cool gadgets,so if you were expecting something else read no further. I read about a camera revolver and thought what will they think of next? I couldn't have been more off base with that thought as the Revolver camera was created in 1938. Not much is known of its history other than that. The idea was for the shooter to be able to capture a photo of the target on impact,but why? Sounds like something straight out of Spy vs Spy. The device itself is a tiny camera mounted on the underside of the barrel and the front of the trigger guard of a Colt .38 so the revolver would fire and the shutter would trip simultaneously. It would not be much of a surprise for a device like this to be found in today's times but in 1938...I wonder what else we don't know about those times?

Confusing?

Iceland is a rather unique place and not just because of the museum I mentioned earlier in the month. Icelandic names are patronymic,or matronymic reflecting the first name of the father or mother of the child,not a family last name. For example if your father's first name was Jon your last name would be Jonsson if you were male,or Jonsdottir if you were his female child. Confused yet,or is it just me? for variety they sometimes use a parent's middle name to form the surname. First names must either be on an approved list of first names or be approved by the Icelandic Naming Committee,as they must be able to be easily incorporated into the Icelandic language and contain only letters from the Icelandic alphabet. People are addressed formally by their first names,so it only follows that the telephone directory is alphabetized by first name rather than surname,to avoid confusion...they also list professions!

Cleaning Up

When I heard about the Baby Mop I thought it had to be a joke and that is how it started. In Japan they have spoof news reports about useless inventions and the baby mop was first seen there. "Saturday Night Live" also featured the Baby Mop on Weekend Update,but it is now a real product. For $40 you can outfit your baby as a cleaning tool and apparently sales of the device are doing well. The idea is that since you can't stop a baby from crawling and have little time for cleaning with a baby in the house that you can harness that crawling energy to do the work for you. As you might expect there has been some negative feedback,but the positive comments out number the bad. My first thought was someone was going to jump on the child labor law soap box and that would be the end of the product,but so far they are mopping up!

More Than a Mint

I had always assumed that the mints given out in restaurants after a meal were for your breath. That is partially correct but it goes beyond that purpose. Mint oil has been used throughout the years as a digestive aid and for gas relief. It can also calm an upset stomach as it numbs the stomach wall,it is also helpful for motion sickness. The mint offers respiratory relief as it increases saliva and suppresses the cough reflex. They can also act as a decongestant and clear a stuffy nose,at the same time mint thins mucus,loosens phlegm and helps break up colds. Mint should not be over used by pregnant women and not be used by women who are breastfeeding or people with acid re-flux. Mint tea can be used in the same ways for those of you who are sugar conscious.

A Cure For Male Baldness?

You men readers who are going bald are not going to like this,so don't say I didn't warn you! Your testosterone level may be the cause of your baldness. The good news is there may be a way to prevent this hormone from making you lose your hair. In 1942 they still castrated male mental patients to quiet them. James Hamilton was conducting a study of castrated men when one of his patients received a visitor,his identical twin. The visitor was completely bald while the inmate still had a full head of hair. Hamilton got permission to inject the inmate with testosterone and within six months he was a bald as his brother. How far would you go to save your hair?

Now It Makes Sense

I find it interesting how candy bars are named and only recently found out how 3 Musketeers got its name. It was introduced in 1932 by M&M/Mars as their third product. Originally it contained three pieces in one package all with a different flavor,chocolate,strawberry and vanilla hence the name. Rising costs and wartime restrictions caused strawberry and vanilla flavors to be phased out leaving only the chocolate. To mark its 75th anniversary Mars introduced 3 Musketeers Mint which was followed with several other flavors,some only on the market for a limited time. The candy bar is available in various territories but not under the 3 Musketeers name. In Europe it is called a Milky Way,but lacks the caramel layer that brand name has in the U.S.

Just Say No!

Once again with the holidays in mind I came across a spa treatment that if someone gifted me with I would have to refuse. The treatment is offered in a northern Israel spa to relieve common aches and pains. For a mere $70 (cheap for spa procedures) dozens of non-venomous  snakes are draped over the body,eliciting a variety of sensations (for me those sensations would be revulsion and fear!). Small snakes such as the milk snake brush lightly over the skin,larger ones like the corn snake and the king snake provide deeper pressure to alleviate sore muscles. This is one spa procedure that I would not enjoy,and possibly might not live through.
 

Holiday Hints

I was just reading about the cause of hangovers and thought it would be a good time to share the information in light of the holiday parties happening this time of year.The alcohol that makes you drunk is ethanol,the thing responsible for the hangover is a by product of fermentation,methanol. A general rule of thumb is to avoid dark colored and fruity drinks (whiskey,brandy,cognac and red wine). Vodka contains very little if any (depending on brand) methanol. Enzymes in the body convert methanol to formaldehyde which cause the hangover. The enzymes prefer ethanol,that is why if you have some "hair of the dog" (a drink to cure the hangover) the enzymes go for the ethanol allowing the methanol to be excreted from your body. As long as I'm passing out drinking advice,remember not to drink and drive,it can be way worse than any hangover you'll ever have!

Reoccurring Theme

So far December seems to be a blogs in common month,I have had that happen occasionally,but never consistently. I figure the best thing to do is roll with it,why fight what drops in my lap?
Today is about another daredevil,Alain Robert,aka "the French Spider Man". Robert is famous for scaling skyscrapers using no climbing equipment except a small bag of chalk and a pair of climbing shoes. He has been arrested many times in several countries as authorities do not normally give him permission for his climbs. His exploits include landmarks around the world,the Eiffel Tower,the Sydney Opera House,Petronas Twin Towers and the Sears Tower,plus many others to numerous to list. His is frequently paid for his climbs,but at the rate of $18,000 for a climb that could end his life,again, is it worth it? He has fallen seven times,had multiple broken bones and been in a coma twice. I guess we all hear our own drummer.

Fearless or Crazy?

At some point in the past I posted a blog about Annie Taylor a 63 year old woman who was the first person to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. She had been scared stiff but needed money badly. Today's blog is also about feats of daring (or stupidity) involving those same falls. Charles Blondin's father was a gymnast who sent his boy to study his art at the age of 5. After only 6 months he made his first appearance and quickly became a favorite attraction. He progressively became more fearless and by age 35 he crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope 3 inches thick,1,100 feet long and 160 feet about the water. To keep his audiences coming back he made several crossings,each involving a higher degree of difficulty. He crossed blindfolded,in a sack,on stilts,pushing a wheelbarrow,carrying his manager on his back,and once stopping in the middle to set up a small stove to cook and eat an omelet. His name eventually came to mean tightrope walking in some circles. Money is never mentioned as his motive,so I can't help but ask why a person would repeatedly risk their life...for fame? Is fame worth a life?

Another Coincidence

Once again the fickle finger of fate has pointed my blog in the same direction,which in turn has tied into the subjects of the last two days. Today it is about both a town with an odd name and an unusual museum that is part of that town. The town in question is Condom,France. The name of Condom is derived from 'Condatomagus' meaning old Gallic market. The town existed well before the modern meaning of the word condom (condoms were also known as French letters). The town didn't let the name be an embarrassment but instead exploited the double meaning and opened a museum dedicated to comic presentation of this type of birth control. Sorry I couldn't find any pictures of the museum,so I chose of few of the town at random.

What's In an Address?

There are plenty of towns with odd names  that I have come across,but Fucking,Austria was a new one to me and immediately made the top of my list. Pronounced Fooking (rhymes with looking) it is believed to have been founded in the 6th century by a Bavarian nobleman named Focko. The spelling of the name evolved over the years and ended up with the current spelling in the 18th century. Fucking's most famous feature is four traffic signs with its name on them,which tourist enjoy taking photos of. It is a small village (population 104) and as the road signs were commonly stolen as souvenirs something had to be done to prevent the thefts. A vote to change the name of the village was turned down by the residents. In August of 2005 the signs were replaced with theft resistant ones. Oh,in case you are wondering...there are no Fucking postcards!

A Most Amusing Museum

The more museums I hear about the more convinced I am that there is a museum for everything a person can imagine. Based in Iceland "The Icelandic Phallological Museum" contains the world's largest collection of penises and related artifacts (283). There are penises from every kind of mammal now living in Iceland (yes including man!),nearly half of the collection once belonged to sea mammals,whales,dolphins,seals and walruses which were caught in the local waters. There is also a foreign section which includes a giraffe penis and an old male elephant penis. No animal included in the museum was ever killed for the purpose of being an exhibit. The idea for the museum started as a joke over drinks in the 1970s.

An elephant penis

Sculptures of Iceland's men's handball team.

Marine mammals section shown below.

Tempus Fugit

"Time Flies" doesn't begin to explain this last month or for that matter the last year. I can't believe the year is nearly over.
12/1 Rosa Parks Day
12/2 National Mutt Day
12/3 International Day Of Persons With Disabilities
12/4 National Cookie Day
12/5 Bathtub Party Day
12/6 Faux Fur Friday
12/7 National Cotton Candy Day (or candy floss in the UK)
12/8 Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day
12/9 International Anti-corruption Day
12/10 Human Rights Day
12/11 International Mountain Day
12/12 Gingerbread House Day
12/13 Pick A Pathologist Pal Day
12/14 Day Of The Horse
12/15 Cat Herders Day
12/16 National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
12/17 Wright Brothers Day
12/18 Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day
12/19 National Re-gifting Day
12/20 Underdog Day
12/21 Humbug Day (a personal favorite)
12/22 National Haiku Poetry Day
12/23 Festivus
12/24 Christmas Eve
12/25 No "L" Day
12/26 National Whiner's Day
12/27 Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day
12/28 Pledge of Allegiance Day
12/29 Tick Tock Day
12/30 Falling Needles Family Fest Day
12/31 Make Up Your Mind Day

Yes I have a thing for nutcrackers,they look so diabolical!