Cheshire Smiles

As I was attempting to watch a movie earlier today one of my cats was perched in front of the TV and being a cat, thought I was watching him. That reminded me of some humorous cat quotes I had read a few days ago and I thought it would be a good way to finish out the month.
"Cats can work out mathematically the exact place to sit to cause the most inconvenience."
"A cat is an example of sophistication minus civilization."
"No amount of time can erase the memory of a good cat,and no amount of masking tape can ever totally remove his fur from your couch." (in memory of Lamar)
"A cat determined not to be found can fold itself up like a pocket handkerchief if it wants to."
"The problem with a cat is they get the exact same look whether they see a moth or an axe murderer."
 

She Speaks!

After 59 years Barbie has finally found her voice! I am surprised it has taken her so long when there have been many other talking toys long before now,Chatty Cathy and Furby come to mind along with several speaking game type toys. The way in which Barbie is speaking has some people up in arms as she  records the child's voice then sends it via Wi-Fi to a computer to process a fitting response,so it makes it more like Barbie is talking one on one to the child. Parents are assured that their child's voice will not be used in any other manner and the computer sends a daily recap of the conversations held with Hello Barbie so you can hear what your child is confiding or complaining about to their new best friend. The doll should be on the market in time for Christmas and is expected to retail for around $75. I know it sounds a little 1984ish but my thought is will this take the child's ability to interact with real people a closer step to oblivion?

Have a Cup!

No really have the cup it is edible, or soon will be at some KFC locations (not is the US yet). I'm not sure what to think about this since at this time to go coffee cups can't even be recycled because of a layer of plastic that prevents leakage and now they have invented one that is a cookie wrapped in sugar paper to keep it from instantly dissolving, then coated with white chocolate? Maybe I am just suspicious by nature but I can't make that leap just yet. They have also been developing  edible chicken buckets that are scented with smells to improve your mood,like sunshine and freshly mowed grass but there was no comment on what the buckets tasted like and I'm sure I will take a pass on eating the chicken bucket as it seems like it would be a greasy mess. They both sound like great ideas and even if a person wasn't inclined to eat the containers at least they would be biodegradable!

Mood Dress

Today we have a new addition to the growing techno/robotics clothing market. It is called a Spider Dress,though it only has six limbs which technically contradicts the name. The dress is equipped with wireless biosignals that gauge the proximity of other people and the speed of their approach to the wearer,while at the same time measuring how the wearer is reacting to the people. The legs extend in warning if the wearer feels threatened,but beckon you forward if you are a welcome presence. A word of caution to anyone with long hair that might be in the market for the Spider Dress...I strongly suggest wearing your hair up!

Relief

I often see comments about people having migraines so I have compiled a few natural ways to help for those who might want to try something different. Eating ten to twelve almonds is said to work as well as over the counter remedies. Soaking your feet in warm water with an ice pack on your neck helps many people which makes sense as headaches are a result of either constricted or dilated blood vessels. A herbal supplement called Butterbur relieves spasms and decreases inflammation,both common causes of headaches. Magnesium deficiency can can headaches. Smelling peppermint has a pain reducing effect for many people. Drink plenty of water,one of the most common side effects  of dehydration are headaches.

Busted

The long term readers among you may recall the post I did about the woman with world's largest (natural boobs) bra,size 102ZZZ...now there is a bigger bra,but it has yet to have been filled. It was designed by London sailmaker M. Putt sailmakers and constructed by Chillisauce Event Management Agency for Breast Cancer Campaign "Wear It Pink".  The super bra (size 1222 B) was displayed on the London ITV Tower and certified by Guinness World Records before being auctioned off on eBay  for $5,770 with the proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Campaign.

Suds

I wanted to pass this extremely cool glass along to my friends who enjoy beer,though I see no reason why other beverages couldn't be consumed from it as well (imagine how a tequila sunrise would look in this glass). It is called The Oregon Pint and is a custom blown 16 oz. glass that has Mt. Hood molded into the base. The glass is a combination of modern technology and old world craft. The depiction of Mt. Hood is taken from USGS topographical data of the mountain and converted to a 3D model. The result,in my opinion,is spectacular! If the company (North Drinkware) is successful with The Oregon Pint glass they plan to make glasses featuring other states signature landmarks.

Happy Hour

I knew animals got drunk from eating fermented fruits,but I hadn't considered fruit flies drinking habits since they basically appear when fruit is going bad,it made them seem immune to drunkenness. Not so! Fruit flies go through stages of intoxication similar to what humans encounter. Researchers found two mutant strains that could consume more alcohol without passing out and named the gene they had found "happyhour". They also found a gene that made the flies more sensitive to alcohol and called it "cheapdate". The point of the study was finding a way to turn off the switch in alcoholic humans. Thinking back to high-school biology and studying the color of fruit flies eyes this study seems way more productive!

Why Not?

I occasionally do posts on obscure museums because the things that people think to preserve fascinate me. I guess if I had to pick a favorite it would be the Penis Museum in Iceland. The one I want to bring to your attention today is the Morbid Anatomy Museum located in New York City. It really sounds like my kind of place with all the various exhibits ranging from anatomical art,history of medicine,death and society,mourning china and curiosities to name a few. I also enjoy the idea that it was born mostly from one woman with eclectic interests who discovered her inclinations were interesting to other people as well. It is truly a wacky,wonderful world we live in!
 

Vinegar Scores Again!

A simple test using diluted vinegar slashed deaths from cervical cancer by one third in a study of 150,000 women in the slums of India. In developing countries pap tests are rare as they can't afford those screening tools,but the vinegar test costs very little and can be done by local people with a couple of weeks training. The low-tech exam involves swabbing the cervix with diluted vinegar which makes the abnormal cells briefly change color. However the problem remains of convincing the women of the need for the test in countries where they have lived their whole lives without any type of gynecological exams.

Lucky Day?

This story could go either way when it comes to if this man was lucky or unlucky. He was unlucky when he cut his hand with a chainsaw. He was also unlucky when he called a hospital and a clinic and was told by both places that it would be about 10 hours before they could treat him. He decided he would stitch the hand himself using a sewing needle and fishing line. He had no antiseptic on hand so he used gin to wash the wound,plus he administered the gin orally for pain. After he finished his medical procedure and still could not reach his wife he decided to seek further medical treatment and took off for the hospital. Here is the part where it becomes difficult to say if he was lucky or unlucky...police pulled him over for running a stop sign. His blood alcohol reading was 0.175,more than three times the legal limit. He was charged with several violations,but he was still alive,so lucky or unlucky?

Sci-Fi Stuff

Isn't it fascinating how ideas from books and movies eventually become reality? Scary too in some instances,but I'll try not to let the pessimistic me out today. Today I'm talking about Ex-sight glasses,they are facial recognition glasses used to scan up to 100,000 faces a second. The wearer situates himself in a crowd and moves his head to scan the crowd,this information is sent via the Internet to a central control where the faces are compared with a police database. Even with age differences,beards,glasses and similar changes to faces the system still has a 98% effectiveness. Great,that helps with the known crazies,but not so much with the new crops of crazies that seem to keep popping up.

Cleaning Closets

In honor of President's Day I decided to post some presidential trivia. Beginning with our first president (Washington) who made rye whiskey,apple brandy,and peach brandy many of the following presidents (including Lincoln) have alcohol related stories in their resumes. John Adams and Jefferson vandalized a chair in William Shakespeare's home when they chipped a piece off of the chair for a souvenir. Millard Fillmore married his teacher. Benjamin Harrison was the first president to have electricity in the White House,but he was so afraid of being electrocuted he refused to touch the light switches. LBJ nicknamed his penis "Jumbo". Gerald Ford worked as a fashion model during college,appearing on the cover of Cosmopolitan.
Those of you having an extra day off enjoy your day...of heck,everyone enjoy the day!

Get Hippo!

For those of you who read the monthly calendar you already know today is National Hippo Day. Today I am going to explain how that came to be...a site called Second Life has a game featuring the Hippos as a hero character against the gnomes,(doesn't sound like much of a contest to me) the suggested method of celebrating is to play with the Hippo,online of course,in real life that would be a dangerous undertaking. Those of you who do not wish to play can read on for a few hippos facts for you to wallow in. Hippos are the 3rd largest mammal and though their size makes them seem cumbersome they can outrun a man and are responsible for about 3,000 deaths a year. They are amphibious and spend around 16 hours per day in the water,both to avoid sunburn and to keep cool. They also birth their young underwater and have the ability to close their nose and ears to block out the water. They surface for air about every 5 minutes and when they sleep in the water their bodies automatically bob to the top so they can take a breath. Their skin secretes a red fluid that is thought to be an antibiotic,sunscreen and moisturizer. Happy,happy Hippo Day!

Only Fourth?

I recently read about the Infinity Tower located in the Dubai Marina and wanted more information. Upon completion the tower was renamed Cayan Tower,it stands 310 meters (75 stories) and looks like a geometric puzzle. The tower was built with a 90 degree twist resulting in a futuristic helix shape. The shape of the building reduces wind force on the tower and I wonder if the design would also make it more stable during earthquakes? The helix shape was accomplished by rotating each floor 1.2 degrees. To my untrained eye I consider the design genius,but it was only awarded fourth place at the annual Emporis Skyscraper Awards,so what do I know? Note the building to the left of the Cayan Tower...is it just me or does it look like a giant's razor/hair clipper?

Fear

The fear of Friday the 13th is so common there are even two words for that fear (paraskevidekatriaphobia and friggatriskaidekaphobia not to be confused with the word for fear of the number 13 triskaidekaphobia),if you are one of the fearful ones don't unclench after today because 2015 is one of the years containing three Fridays the 13th. The root to this superstition has several theories,the number one theory being the guest list at the last supper was 13 and Judas was the 13th guest,plus Jesus was crucified on a Friday. US businesses lose millions on Friday the 13th because many people refuse to leave their homes,of course in some countries other numbers are feared instead of 13. Interestingly young people are more likely to be superstitious than older people...so much for the daring of youthfulness!

From Hula Hoops To iphones

You are probably wondering what possible connection Hula Hoops and iphones have and you will be surprised to see how our country's obsessions have changed for the worse. In 1958 people stood in lines stretching for blocks to become the owner of a Hula Hoop, a product that was modeled after an Australian bamboo ring used as an exercise tool,today people sometimes spend the night outside of stores to be the first to get the latest iphone...how times change! But that's not really what today's post is about. The Wham-O company made the Hula Hoop,Frisbee,Slip and Slide,Water Wiggler,Superball and Silly String to name a few of their successes,but what people don't remember is their failed attempt to market a do- it- yourself  fallout shelter during the Cold War for $119. I can relate to the lack of enthusiasm for that item, as who would want to buy a fallout shelter from a toy company?? Just one minor failure after many great toy inventions.

Wanderlust or?

Have you heard about the 63 year old serial stowaway? I don't get it...this woman has not only hopped planes with other people's ID but has also boarded planes and completed flights with no tickets! You long time readers will recall the problems I have had in the past boarding flights with proper ID and ticketing,I'm talking about being gone over with a fine tooth comb,yet this woman has successfully completed flights to several different states, plus on her latest adventure she checked into a $300 a night villa using a fake name. She has been arrested multiple times but is always released in short order,she has also been banned from LAX for all the good it will do. She claims to have an unrecognized medical condition she calls "whistle-blower trauma syndrome",saying she was forced to flee her home by the FBI. Obviously something here is amiss...but the question is,is she crazy like a fox,or really in need of help?

Second Tuesday

It is already the second Tuesday in this short month and also the day to celebrate Extraterrestrial Culture. I was intrigued by this holiday when I did the monthly calendar and wanted to find more information. The holiday began in 2003 when a Republican Representative from New Mexico submitted a proposal to legislature to set aside a day to "celebrate and honor all past,present and future extraterrestrial visitors." He thought it was time to capitalize on something that "did or did not happen" decades ago (1947). For those of you with a fondness for unexplained events you might also want to check out the UFO Festival and Extraterrestrial Abductions Day (March 20th). Live long and prosper!

Running Hazard

Running is a high impact exercise that can cause joint damage,but that isn't the running hazard I'm referring to today. An invasive species of owl is attacking runners in Salem's Bush's Pasture Park. The barred owl is also the guilty party for crowding out the spotted owl,many of us remember the loggers battle over that bird. The owl has attacked four runners by dive bombing,scratching,pecking,tearing out tufts of hair and in one instance stealing a favorite running hat. Apparently they are establishing their nesting territory,I can only imagine their level of aggression once they have hatchlings!

Jinxed

When I got up this morning and made my way to the computer after starting the coffee I was greeted with no internet. I did all the usual checks but nothing seemed to bring it up. I decided I would deal with it a little later in the day when the lighting was better,plus I didn't want to get tied up on the phone with tech support until after I got back from grocery shopping. Next I am on my way to the store and hear a commercial on the radio for appliance insurance and think to myself what a waste of money to insure appliances because by the time you have paid your premiums for several years you would have the cost of the appliance in most cases...and that is the thought that I jinxed myself with! After I got home I called tech support and spent about 1/2 hour going through the same steps I had tried earlier,the guy finally decided I had a bad cord and told me how to temporarily bypass the router,so I unplug the cord and my dear cat had chewed it nearly in half! I am always getting after him for chewing on cords and am beside myself trying to figure out how to discourage him. If anyone has any suggestions PLEASE feel free to tell me!

The Phil Fallacy

I always thought there was something a little off about Punxsutawney Phil's weather predictions but couldn't quite put my finger on it. For awhile I thought it was because Phil resided on the east coast so his predictions didn't extend to the west coast,then I found Groundfog a local (Washington) frog whose prognostications were usually in opposition with Phil,but I still wasn't 100% satisfied with either of their predictions. Now to further muddy the waters it comes to my attention that hedgehogs were the original weather predictors but since they weren't indigenous to North America the early settlers turned to groundhogs for their weather predicting needs. Finally it has come full circle and Whiskers J of the Oregon Zoo has thrown his hat into the weather predicting ring indicating that winter is over for this year! Hedgehogs have a 40% accuracy rate where groundhogs are at a measly 39%. One more thing...why do they have to be hedgehogs? Why can't they share the hedge??

Go Quackers!

Today is National Lame Duck Day,so I thought a brief explanation of the unofficial holiday and suggestions for ways to celebrate were in order. Lame Duck Day is always on February 6th as that date is when the 20th Amendment (known as the Lame Duck Amendment) went into effect in 1933. The phrase Lame Duck mainly is used for politicians who are leaving office,but can also refer to other people experiencing career or even life changes. Being creative when planning your Lame Duck activities is the most important step but some suggestions are: If you are a Lame Duck reflect back on what you have learned. If you know a Lame Duck thank them for their service and show support for their future. If you don't fit into either of those two categories you can share what you have learned about Lame Duck Day. If you have children you could take them on a nature outing in search of a real Lame Duck,or you could boil up some duck eggs and share them with friends while consuming moderated amounts of your favorite beverages!