Karl's Korner

Soybean Smackdown!

2012-01-19T14:29:00.002Z

Happy Solstice!

2011-12-22T12:57:00.000Z

Light returns crossing
The Tropic of Capricorn.
Enjoy your Solstice!

Haiku Monday: The Winner

2011-12-07T00:46:00.002Z

Good evening Campers,

Time for the recap. A most interesting competition this week. I don't think I've ever had so many deleted comments. Nor did I understand that time or the passage thereof seems to bother some folks. Being of the belief that you can stop it. Going with the flow seems to be the best way to deal with time's passage. Maintain oneself as best you can and enjoy the ride. Ok enough of all that, let's get on with it.

Jean was first into the fray with:

Time out of mind was
or yet to be remembered
in one-thought pieces.

Once upon a time
this time seemed neverending.
all time is not ours.

A most interesting lamentation of time going by. She had two others on her site, well worth the read if you can stop by.

Troll having just returned from the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, presented us with:

Neither clear nor fair?
You're seeing through dark glasses.
God's Law is timeless.

The most interesting reality that all that happens isn't necessarily clear or fare.

Curmudgeon jumped in with, delay that. Hobbled in with:

Here in the future,
fusion, peace. How do I know?
Read it twenty years ago.

Warm breast and a burp,
school, love, marriage, children.
Next time...out of time

Well his syllable counts were problematic, his sentiments were good. I hope to see fusion, however it's not likely in our lifetimes. At least not on a usable scale. I think your second one catches many of us directly in the crosshairs of reality.

Moi composed:

Planet's birth record?
No need to time travel. Check
Canyon's grand design

To my mind an ode to the sedimentary record mother nature has left us in the beauty that is the Grand Canyon.

Serendipity brought forth two:

Time etches through time;
Water carves banded castles.
Sand becomes new rock.

Time in wild places
Ticks on a different beat
It no longer counts

Also extolling the timeless beauty of mother nature.

Pam gave us:

Older, wiser, but
know I have a lot to learn.
Loved every minute.

Another season
passes by while I commute.
Years move quicker now

Reminding us that you're never too old to learn and that while our commutes progressively get slower, our perception of time seems to get faster. Not weak at all.

Fishy composed:

Once upon sometime
My life joined yours "forever".
How is this measured?

Time's slippage is etched
into these smiling crows feet.
Mirrors lie to me

Blowfish is a lucky man. None of us know how forever is measured, however if there's an afterlife. I'm hoping you get to pick your age. Myself I'm going for mid thirties the returned from the mirror wasn't too bad then.

Rafael presented

Imagination
Watched sun and moon turn the tides
Man invented time

A most accurate depiction for no other creature is obsessed with time the way we are.

Uncles entry:

Nineteen Eighty-five
With a flux capacitor-
Back to the future!

This one seems to have started a most interesting exchange that got Aunty Belle so flustered she didn't produce one of her own. Humorous but we miss her participation. Sure would like to get my own flux capacitor working.

Czar composed:

Deadlines, mortgages:
Accordion-like squeezes,
But like trolley cars . . .

Tomorrow — flexing
Like a whore — and tomorrow.
Shakespeared; lad insane.

In my slow minded way, I had to ask for some explanation which he graciously provided. And in the one that can fit the term "flexing like a whore" into anything deserves a pat on the back. Sir your ability to engage subplots would have made Shakespeare proud.

Fluer's entry:

Second hand sweeps.
My pulse thrums like summer rain;
one beat skips for you.

I'm glad you could play this week, your laments of the heart of are always touching.

And speaking of touching CoryJo's:

Giggles & Laughter.
Here one minute, gone the next.
Where did the time go

We never know where the time has gone. One day we look up and everything is changed. Not necessarily for the bad, just different. You have lots of time with giggles and laughter left. And with the three new additions to your family there will be plenty more. Congratulations.

While I'm normally drawn to the natural, Moi, Rafael and Serendipity. I find that a bond of partners through time is not only important, but for me right now, timely.

Fishy you've won it with:

Once upon sometime
My life joined yours "forever".
How is this measured?

Please let us know that you will host next week and provide a topic. I would suggest posting here and Toll's so that everyone gets the link.

Thank you all for playing!

Haiku Monday: Time

2011-12-04T21:48:00.000Z

Welcome to Haiku Monday!
A weekly contest created by Troll and attended by many fine folks. It's an exercise of intellect and generally lot of fun. Last week our host Serendipity graciously chose me as the winner. So this week I play host again. The topic: Time. You have plenty of it and never enough. Pick your favorite perception and play. Please enjoy!

2 to be judged, 5-7-5 format.

2011-11-24T13:50:00.001Z

Happy Thanksgiving!

Haiku Monday: The Winner

2011-11-23T00:46:00.000Z

Good evening, well here we are another haiku Monday has come and gone. Time to pick a winner.

First bit of a recap:

Boxer jumped in first with:

Even as she sleeps
a thousand thoughts and feelings
are etched in her face

Not sure whether she's talking about herself or Coco either way I like this one.

Moi:

Duck—here come her hands!"
Sorry! Mute without them. Blame
Latin genetics.

Her visual made it fit perfectly.

Then Czar popped in with:

Pooch’s extreme itch:
“Try expressing anal glands?”
Maybe you . . . Not me.

And thankfully he didn't post a visual.

And with:

Attempts fail: Quick jolt
desire reveals vocab lapse.
“Expresso”? Next, please.

Yes sir, coffee before speech can often be prudent.

Curmudgeon was next with:

Chill wind and headaches
Icy cold, fingers frozen
Pain wrinkles my face

And

Thank you DMV
Triplets are in my future
or so I appear.

Both expressions we all likely know well. Perhaps not the folks from Florida. If you haven't had a chance to stop by Curmudgeons, you should. He's quite an entertaining writer.

Serendipity gave us:

As free as a bird;
More than just an expression,
It’s elemental.

And

Happy expression,
Molly’s vole dance is pure joy.
A dog’s morning play.

The visual for Molly's dance was indeed pure joy.

Fleur's haiku was:

Geisha's winter face.
Frozen lake with life beneath
cracks under his kiss.

How you manage to find those Geisha's, I don't know, yet the comedic relief was perfect.

Pam entered with:

The look on his face
did not match with what he said.
Liar expressions.

And

Expression of love:
tiny boy child sees grammy
and smiles, her heart melts.

Not at all weak attempts. The kireji in the last line of your first one was well done and anyone who's seen the face of Caleb knows exactly the sentiment of your second.

Troll interrupted his vacation to give us a front row seat to what has become national news:

All they should say is:
"Gentlemen, Start your engines!".
Moochelle gave speeches.

You really have to wonder, what they were thinking. I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to participate.

Fishy gave us:

Hitchin' his britches,
straw chewin' sloucher whistles...
Blam! Killed in one look

An ode to the movie cowboy or perhaps the radio cowboy. As one passed in a very similar fashion on Gunsmoke, Sunday night on the radio.

K9 presented two:

Movement, abstraction,
uniquely American;
Pollock's expression

and

Hated Facebook
expression: duck lips kissing
in bathroom mirror

The first one I understood immediately, the second I have yet to figure out. Perhaps an inside joke between she and Moi.

Foam serenaded us with:

Sublime sounds caress...
A riveted audience.
Bach's St. John Passion

Bach's beautiful expression of his faith. Give it a listen you won't be sorry.

Aunty Belle being cryptic as she can be at times gave us the mathematical question:

XY + 2X?
May or December it's still
Unfathomable.

To which I have to answer. Perhaps, yet I would enter the equation. K+D=4. I particularly enjoyed the Einstein visual.

And finally Corey Joe. Don't worry, you're worth waiting for. She gave us:

Cookies & milk gone.
The presents under the tree.
Children squeal: Pure Joy.

The expression of children's faces on Christmas morn. She must have the children, we all like to think about.

So now you're thinking where is he going with all this. Well I'll tell you. Thank you all for playing this week. Boxer and Foam your runner's this week. And Foam thank you, I had not heard the entire piece before now, I have because of you.

Serendipity, you win it this week with Redtail, Your expression of freedom of flight is most appealing. So grab your badge and post it proudly.

Please let us know if you will host and your topic for next week. A question to the collective, should the next contest be postponed due to the holiday weekend?

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Haiku Monday: Expression

2011-11-20T22:15:00.001Z

Welcome to Haiku Monday!
A weekly competition created by Troll and attended by many fine folks. It's an exercise of intellect and generally lot of fun. Last week our host Moi graciously chose me as the winner(I think this had to do with sympathy for certain amount of razzing) so this week I play host. The topic: Expression

The noun "Expression"
has nine senses, for your fun.
Pick and choose wisely.

Please submit up to 2 haiku in 5-7-5 format in the comments section. If you wish to post a visual please include a link where it may be seen. Again welcome and have fun.

55th Anniversary

2011-11-08T01:28:00.002Z

For my Mom and Dad on their 55th Wedding Anniversary.

Arlington autumn.
The Lover's separated.
Reunite today.

11/7/11

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T15:11:00.000Z

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

For those of you that are into ghosts, a poem:

All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors
The harmless phantoms on their errands glide,
With feet that make no sound upon the floors.

We meet them at the door-way, on the stair,
Along the passages they come and go,
Impalpable impressions on the air,
A sense of something moving to and fro.

There are more guests at table than the hosts
Invited; the illuminated hall
Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts,
As silent as the pictures on the wall.

The stranger at my fireside cannot see
The forms I see, nor hear the sounds I hear;
He but perceives what is; while unto me
All that has been is visible and clear.
[...]

So from the world of spirits there descends
A bridge of light, connecting it with this,
O'er whose unsteady floor, that sways and bends,
Wander our thoughts above the dark abyss.

From "Haunted Houses" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Movie Clip Wednesday: Best Martial Arts Film

2011-10-12T23:35:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Best Martial Arts Film. Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

I have to take most martial art films as tongue in cheek comedy. So when I saw the topic I thought of: In Like Flint, this 1967 film starring James Colburn was a tongue in cheek spoof of James Bond and had many " martial arts scenes" there was also a sequel: Our Man Flint both movies were equally bad or good depending on your perspective. I found them both fun to watch and easy on the eye.(well most of the co-stars were easy on the eye) Please enjoy.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best Dr. Movie

2011-10-05T23:56:00.001Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Best Dr. Movie. Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

Well I'm running late again. There are a lot of movies that fit this topic. How about MASH or Dr. No I could think of a lot. Yet the one I came up with was one of my favorites. The movie: A Day at the Races, with the Marx brother. Groucho Marx plays Hugo Z. Hackenbush as a veterinarian illegally employed as the medical director of the Standish Sanitarium. I find this fitting to the current Medical System. You never watched any of this old stuff, you really should give it a try. Here is a dance scene and I hope you enjoy.

Movie Clip Wednesday: Humans Under Attack

2011-09-21T17:03:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Humans Under Attack. Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

I've been kinda busy of late, but couldn't miss this topic. so many movies are based on something or other out to destroy the human race. From aliens to asteroids to viruses, there is alot to pick from. So the pick for this one is Them! is a 1954 American black and white science fiction film about man's encounter with a nest of gigantic irradiated ants. (Yes Buzz black and white)One of the first of the "nuclear monster" movies, it was nominated for an Academy Award for Special Effects.The film starts off as a simple suspense story, with police investigating mysterious disappearances and unexplainable deaths. The giant ants are not even seen until almost a third of the way into the film. Staring James Arness, Edmund Gwenn,Joan Weldon. The use of the Thompson submachine gun throughout the movie, helps to prove the old adage "when you can't hit the spot, fire alot. The moral to the story and it's still true today. We are our own worst enemy. I hope you enjoy.

Joanna: I had not though of being Referee. What a great idea;-)

With any luck, I will get home this weekend and things will get back to normal.

Movie clip Wednesday: Comic strip turned into a movie.

2011-09-07T00:06:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Comic strip turned into a movie. Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

Plenty of material for this week's go around. Blondie and Dagwood Movies fit for week. Blondie (played by Penny Singleton) was the beautiful, neighborly housewife. Dagwood (played by Arthur Lake) was always getting into trouble with either Blondie or his boss JC Dithers. He was best known for building those double-decker sandwich monstrosities that no human being could possibly get his mouth around. If you remember back a ways, I used this sandwich for a culinary smackdown. (it was quite tasty) They made 28 films, obviously it was a good combination for making money. I hope you enjoy the clip. I may be slow to reply to comments as I'm back on the road tomorrow.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best Man Pretending To Be A Woman

2011-08-10T22:15:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Best Man Pretending To Be A Woman . Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

Well here we are again. Dealing with the male/female cross dressing issues that seem to be so prevalent in today's society. Or is it today's society? What about Milton Berle or Jack Lemmon? Face it the folks in Hollywood were weird when it started and there still weird.

So this week a clip from a movie about a woman who dresses like a man, but doesn't hide the fact that she's a woman. With a scene in it of a man pretending to be a woman who is exposed for his true sex. Crap this makes my brain hurt. Calamity Jane starring Doris Day and Howard Keel was in 1953 musical comedy. About the alleged romance between Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok. Well I hope you enjoy.

Movie clip Wednesday: TV show turned into a movie

2011-08-03T12:56:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: TV show turned into a movie. Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

Plenty of material to choose from this week. Superman is perfect for this topic in that it has morphed back and forth. Originally a comic strip started in 1932 for DC comics it has been turned into a television show into a movie actually several back into a TV show and is still a comic. The original TV show ran from 1952 - 1958 and starred George Reeves as Superman/Clark Kent. The movie released in 1978 starred Christopher Reeves in the role. And Margot Kidder played Lois Lane. This was a fun movie with many fine actors playing in supporting roles like Marlon Brando as jor-El and Glenn Ford as Mr. Kent. Hope you enjoy.

Movie clip Wednesday: Woman dressing up like a man.

2011-07-27T19:00:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Woman dressing up like a man. Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

My word this was a hard one. I've already used Victor Victoria on a previous post and I don't like to use movies I haven't seen. When using the search engines, I was amazed at how often the search term woman dressing like a man would be reversed to man dressing like a woman. There's obviously a huge imbalance between the former and the latter. Anyway back to the topic. I have seen this movie, I just don't remember much about it. Which is a little strange in that I've always enjoyed movies with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in them. She was a fine actress and could make anyone she starred with look good. But her chemistry with Grant made for some truly fine films. Bringing up Baby, I believe to be the best of the bunch.
This week's Movie is: Sylvia Scarlett a 1935 romantic comedy, it was notorious as one of the most famous unsuccessful movies of the 1930s. Hepburn plays the title role, a female con artist masquerading as a boy to escape the police. Please enjoy!

Movie clip Wednesday: New York New York

2011-07-20T14:03:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: New York New York. Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

This would've been a very easy topic I knew the scene to show as soon as I read it. Unfortunately U-tube and the other video hosting sites have embedding disabled. So you'll only get a link. The movie? On the Town is a 1949 musical film with music by Leonard Bernstein and Roger Edens. It is an adaptation of the Broadway stage musical of the same name produced in 1944.

The film was directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, and stars Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ann Miller, Betty Garrett, Jules Munshin, and Vera-Ellen and features Alice Pearce. 3 Sailors find love and laughter on a 24 hour shore leave in the big apple. Please enjoy.

New York New York

Movie clip Wednesday: Best Bespectacled Hero

2011-07-06T19:50:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Best Bespectacled Hero. Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

Well if you're going to have a hero in glasses, I can think of no better than the Incredible Mr. Limpet. The film is a 1964 American live-action/animated film. It is about a man named Henry Limpet who turns into a talking fish resembling a tilefish and helps the U.S. Navy locate and destroy Nazi submarines, during WW2. Don Knotts plays the title character. His glasses are actually part of the story line and as you can see from this rather low quality copy of the trailer quite prominent throughout the movie. When I was a little kid I thought this movie was very funny. Hope you enjoy the clip.

The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription

2011-07-04T11:43:00.000Z

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated:

Column 1
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton

Column 2
North Carolina:
William Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton

Column 3
Massachusetts:
John Hancock
Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton

Column 4
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
George Clymer
James Smith
George Taylor
James Wilson
George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas McKean

Column 5
New York:
William Floyd
Philip Livingston
Francis Lewis
Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
John Hart
Abraham Clark

Column 6
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
William Whipple
Massachusetts:
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire:
Matthew Thornton

Movie clip Wednesday: Period Drama

2011-06-29T20:37:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Period Drama. Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

I had to look this topic up to make sure I understood it correctly. After doing so I understand why Buzz Kill chose this week to be on vacation. It fits with his particularly interesting sense of humor. Most of the films that seem to fit this topic are not my cup of tea. Then I happened upon this one: John Adams is a 2008 American television miniseries chronicling most of President John Adams's political life and his role in the founding of the United States. Paul Giamatti portrays John Adams. Laura Linley portrays Abigail Adams. And the film doesn't quite credible job of showing the relationship between the two. We watch this on a DVD borrowed from a friend of mine and though it is a long film (8 hours) it really is worth watching. Please enjoy.

Movie clip Wednesday: Shootout

2011-06-15T14:08:00.001Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Shootouts. Hosted by the lovely Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

There are so many good shootout scenes, how can you pick just one? Actually I couldn't and after watching about 20. And finding most of the ones I wanted to use embedding disabled. I settled on 2. The first from The Outlaw Josey Wales. A movie that had enough shootouts each member of the group could pick one and still not play them all. And the second from Raiders of the Lost Ark, a scene that tickles my funnybone every time I see it. Yes Buzz I realize you've used this one before, yet I think it fits here.

Victory Gardens

2011-06-14T00:16:00.000Z

A comment Aunty belle replied to from this post, asked for more information on Victory Gardens. Now I'm sure she knows more about them than I do and this is probably a setup, yet I shall stumble forward anyway. Most of what I know regarding victory gardens came from my grandparents and the PBS TV show. One of the few TV shows that held my attention. Feeding yourself and your family while doing your patriotic duty is an appealing concept to many. With the turmoil in the economy, the advantages of having a secondary source of food becomes apparent.

So how about a little history: The concept of the victory garden was actually started WW1. However it's name came from WW2. Although the DOA originally objected to the concept, for fear of hurting big business. As the war grew more intense it became apparent that more sources of food were necessary. During the course of the war more than 20 million gardens were planted in the U.S. These gardens help to sustain the noncombatant population the United States while most of the commercially produced foods were shipped overseas to feed the troops.

How does the concept the fit in today: Well most folks are totally reliant on huge corporations to provide their food. An amazing number of the population have no concept of how to feed themselves. If they can't order it with a cell phone or pull it out of the drive up window, they could not feed themselves.(K9, this is a advantage that those of us in the know, we will utilize to great advantage in the Armageddon) having a stable food source in your garden, will go along way to helping you provide your own food source, a pretty good source of recreation, exercise and fun.

Could I survive on what I grow? Not yet. All of my garden is in raised boxes or in tire planters, (Thank you, Princess) on land that I lease. But it all helps. We just harvested our first cucumbers of the year and still have a half a jar of pickles from last year.

So think about it, do you grow grass? Yes to some it's pretty. Yet it's pretty useless too. Unless you're feeding Secretariat. Why not plant a garden instead? We are also part of a Co-op farm where we can pick and get local produce. Any portions we don't pick up are given to the local food bank. Why not you?

The following video is from WW2, it's 20 minutes long. If you have time enjoy it. I will be interested in comments on the insecticides.

Auric Redclaw

2011-06-06T23:41:00.001Z

Just in case you'd like to know. The oyster reefs seems to be doing fine. No signs of Dermo or MSX The mature oysters are 5 to 7 inches in length and considering their stressed environment, they're in appear to be doing well.
With Oysters not being very photogenic, nor energetic. I thought that this might be a little more entertaining. For my friend Buzz Kill I present you with Auric Redclaw.(Never say die) A male Blue Crab willing to fight while he holds onto his mate.

Make an avatar

Movie clip Wednesday: Floods

2011-06-01T15:00:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Floods. Hosted by our very own, Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.There are many flooding scenes that come to mind. Just about every submarine movie has a flooding scene. The sabotage of the torpedo tube in Ice Station Zebra. The galley flooding during the naval battle in Ben Hur. The parting of the red sea in the 10 Commandments, (actually this seems to be an unflooding scene) When you talk about flooding, what's the biggest of them all. THE flood of course the flood that Noah build the Ark for. Noah's Ark was filmed in 1928 this movie is a part-talkie. I have an actually seen this film although I wish I had. Myrna Loy was in it as a dancing girl and John Wayne was an extra. The scene itself is a pretty good flood considering the special affects of the time. Please enjoy.

And for your additional viewing pleasure. How the real conversation between God and Noah may have sounded.

Movie clip Wednesday: Movie that reminds you of an Ex

2011-05-25T21:33:00.001Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Movie that reminds you of an Ex . Hosted by our very own, Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

I thought I had a hard time with last week. Aside from being pressed for time this week, this topic had me stumped. The last time I broke up with someone it was 1977 and I can remember any movie that would really remind me of her. We didn't go to a lot of movies. Didn't have the money to go to a lot of movies. I made $75.00 a week as a Harley mechanic and she earned something like 50¢ an hour plus tips as a waitress. If we went out it was generally for a ride or to meet up with friends. I still hear from her every now and then, she seems happy enough.

So back to the topic. After searching for something to post, I just picked a movie from 1977. I remember enjoying this movie and this scene. I hope you enjoy it.

Movie clip Wednesday:Hugh Grant Inspired Fringe

2011-05-17T23:17:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: Hugh Grant Inspired Fringe. Hosted by our very own, Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

I have to admit I had to search Hugh Grant to remember who he was. I've only seen 2 of his movies. They were: Bridget Jones's Diary and 4 Weddings and a Funeral. Nor am I clever enough to figure out the "Inspired Fringe" portion of the topic. So I decided to wing it. Not that I bear the man any ill will. I just couldn't remember who he was. This is the reason for choosing this clip. Please enjoy.

Movie clip Wednesday: The Thin Man

2011-05-11T00:06:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic: The Thin Man. Hosted by our very own, Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

For some reason our dear Joanna has blessed me with my own topic. Well maybe not my own, yet certainly closer to my tastes than any of the other members of the group. Black and white, beautiful women beautiful fashion and lots of fun. If you haven't seen these movies you're really should. The chemistry between William Powell and Myrna loy is so fun to watch. For your viewing enjoyment, my two favorite YouTube clips of Nick and Nora Charles.

Sneaking off getting drunk...without me.

Movie clip Wednesday: Vixen in a teen movie?

2011-05-04T14:17:00.000Z

Welcome to movie clip Wednesday this week's topic:Vixen in a teen movie. Hosted by our very own vixen, Joanna Cake. If you care to play find a clip try to make it less than 3 minutes and go by Joanna's site and tell her you're up.

This week had me stumped I haven't seen many teen coming of age movies. I searched teen movies, coming of age movies, vixen movies and vixens in teen movies. The ones that I found either I hadn't seen or didn't think there was a vixen in them. So I'm going to stretch it a bit. And choose Big with Tom hanks and Elizabeth Perkins. It was a fun film and I think Ms. Perkins could be considered a vixen even in the trailer below there are several clips where I think she looks pretty hot. For your enjoyment.

Haiku Monday: Favorite lyrics

2011-05-02T11:59:00.000Z

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
His final word Götterfunken
Spark of divinity

Haiku Monday is a weekly contest, where individuals write Haiku in the 5-7-5 format. If you want to try your hand at Haiku or simply want to read some very entertaining Haiku stop by Troll Stroll and catch up with this weeks entries. Last week Moi was the winner and she chose best song lyric for the topic this week.

Bird update

2011-04-29T14:56:00.000Z

Good morning,

Over at Fishy'sthere was a discussion about sharing the planet and I mentioned some of the birds I share the neighborhood with and she asked for some pictures. Well it's taken me forever but I have a few for you.

This is one of the osprey that live in the area and enjoy the masthead perch of the many sailboats around.

This is the nest underneath the aft stairway, although I haven't seen the hen in a longtime, two drake's have been hanging out near the boat. The photos below this one are of the two just after they walked off the fore deck and back onto the dock.

And last, Moi had mentioned hearing ospreys and the noise they can make. I thought you should get the chance to hear them as well. This is not nearly as loud as usual. Sorry no shots of the barn swallows I just haven't been able to get the little beggars to sit still. Last night when I came home it was dark and I was walking down the dock. There was a blue heron near as tall as I am, fishing on a finger pier. Needless to say we were both startled. Enjoy your weekend.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best Wedding Scene

2011-04-27T14:07:00.001Z

Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by ~~Anonymous Boxer, Milk River Madman~~ and now the gauntlet has been passed to the lovely and vivacious Joanna Cake. Here's how it works. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Joanna's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week:Best Wedding Scene. As you may have heard there's a wedding going on in England this week it's got a bunch of people excited mainly the poor taxpayer of Britain, who like so many fathers of the bride end up paying bills they had no idea would be coming. Like the cost of security. Father of the Bride (1950 version) was my first choice When I looked around and was unable to find any actual wedding scenes I wanted to use. So I went back to the drawing board and found a movie that actually had two weddings although it's been so long I don't remember whether there were actual wedding scenes or not. But from the groom's point of view the wedding is not the important part. It's after the wedding. And with that thought in mind, for your viewing pleasure. The end of Young Frankenstein.

And for an extra bonus I will include a tune that went over really big at my wedding. The fellow that played music that our wedding was a friend of ours and played regularly at a pub we used to frequent. His rendition is better than this one, but it's the only version I could find with all the verses. You should've seen the faces of the in-laws.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best Space Movie

2011-04-13T21:57:00.002Z

Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Anonymous Boxer may be going on hiatus for a bit. So if you wanna play you better do it quick. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Best Space Movie. I'm running a bit late this week. I find anything to do with space very interesting. Although to me most space movies are nothing but fantasies. Yes fun to watch, but no reality. So I decided to go with a little bit of reality. Apollo 13, this academy award winning film was directed by Ron Howard and starred Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Ed Harris. It was a drama are recreating the real events of in almost tragic flight. Where dedication innovation and the can do attitude, save the lives of three of our astronauts. Please enjoy!

Movie clip Wednesday: Party Scene

2011-04-06T16:29:00.001Z

Movie Clip Wednesday: Elizabeth Taylor Movie

2011-03-30T13:45:00.001Z

Howdy it's Wednesday and we all know what that means, time to search through the living hell of YouTube and post a clip to amuse and entertain. Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by the birthday girl Anonymous Boxer, she's not getting older she's getting better. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Elizabeth Taylor movie. I decided to go with Cleopatra mainly because of the epic scale of the movie. Taylor as Cleopatra with Richard Burton as Marc Anthony and Rex Harrison as Caesar. It won 4 academy awards. Although they were not for acting. In its time it was the highest grossing movie, but it was also the highest costing movie and therefore was considered a financial loss. I'm posting two clips both of them are too long, the first is the trailer and the second is Cleopatra entering Rome. I prefer the second for it shows the extravagance of the movie. But there's very little of Taylor in it. If you have time enjoy them, if not go by Boxers. Wish her Happy Birthday and give her a slap on the butt.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best Hitchcock Film

2011-03-23T15:41:00.000Z

Movie clip Wednesday: Best Drunk Movie Scene

2011-03-15T23:55:00.000Z

Howdy it's Wednesday and we all know what that means, time to search through the living hell of YouTube and post a clip to amuse and entertain. Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Anonymous Boxer. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Best Drunk Movie. Well nobody does drunk better than The Thin Man. Unfortunately I used him the first time we did drunks. So off the search I went. And I found it quite different type of drunk, he played the part so well it won him an Oscar. Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou. Cat Ballou is a 1965 comedy-western film which tells the story of a woman who hires a famous gunman to protect her father's ranch, and later to avenge his murder, but finds that the man she hires is not what she expected. The movie stars (Hanoi) Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin, Michael Callan, Dwayne Hickman, and singers Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye, who together perform the movie's theme song. This movie had a lot of chemistry that made it very funny and made Marvin's drunk portrayal a classic. For your enjoyment, Cat Ballou.

I will likely be a bit slow to reply to comments. So y'all have fun.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best Political Thriller

2011-03-02T04:00:00.002Z

Howdy it's Wednesday and we all know what that means, time to search through the living hell of YouTube and post a clip to amuse and entertain. Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Anonymous Boxer. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Best Political Thriller. What better political movie than Fail-Safe. The Cold War at its finest, filmed in 1964 this political thriller starring Henry Fonda and a star studded cast depicts a computer malfunction leading to a probable nuclear war. And the way the wac jobs in hollyweird felt was a good way to stop it. I've also included a couple of clips from Dr. Strangelove, a movie so close in plot that there were lawsuits. Sorry the first clip is long, but please enjoy.

And now one of my all time favorite clips.

And on the lighter side of apocalypse.

Movie clip Wednesday: Overrated Academy Award Winner

2011-02-23T16:52:00.000Z

Good afternoon it's Wednesday and we all know what that means, time to search through the living hell of YouTube and post a clip to amuse and entertain. Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Anonymous Boxer. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Overrated Academy Award Winner. This topic kinda goes back to the most overrated film for which I posted avatar and since I didn't want to reuse another movie I decided to pick a different James Cameron film: Titanic is the 1997 film about the 1912 sinking of RMS Titanic. It's another example of Cameron not letting reality get the way of what he wants to do. As someone who has spent lots of time in ice cold water. I can tell you that Kate and Jack would have been all but useless before they ever got up to the deck. The movie was all right but it was over rated. Anyhow enjoy.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best movie/Broadway adaptation

2011-02-16T14:24:00.000Z

Good morning it's Wednesday and we all know what that means, time to search through the living hell of YouTube and post a clip to amuse and entertain. Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Anonymous Boxer. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Best movie/Broadway adaptation. I would've picked Oklahoma, but I think it should go to Pam by default. The Unsinkable Molly Brown is a 1964 musical film based on a 1960 Broadway play of the same name. Both are a fictionalized account of the life of Margaret Brown played in the movie by Debbie Reynolds. The real life of Margaret brown is a rags to riches story. Interestingly she was one of the survivors of the Titanic. By some accounts, She was heroic in her efforts to have her lifeboat turn around and look for more survivors. (you knew I'd sneak the water in there somewhere didn't you) This was a fun movie with several very good dance scenes. Please enjoy.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best 1930s Film

2011-02-09T16:28:00.000Z

Good morning it's Wednesday and we all know what that means, time to dig into our collective psyches and post a clip to amuse and entertain. It's the first anniversary of Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Anonymous Boxer with her faithful sidekick and all around good guy Milk River Madman, who has been running the show since last summer and doing a mighty fine job at it. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Best 1930s Film. I don't know if this breaks the official rules. But I'm going to reuse a clip. To me the best films of the 1930s are The Thin Man series. Many of my favorite films are from the thirties the Marx Brothers movies, movies like Captain Blood with Errol Flynn and Mutiny on the Bounty. All great movies and in black and white. But the Thin Man and its sequels have always been my favorites and of the few movies I own, I have all six.

The Thin Man is a 1934 American comic detective film starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, a flirtatious married couple who banter wittily as they solve crimes with ease. Nick is a hard drinking retired detective and Nora a wealthy heiress. Their dog, the Wire-Haired Fox Terrier Asta, played by Skippy, was also a popular character. I hope you enjoy.

Movie Clip Wednesday: Best British Comedy

2011-02-02T14:32:00.002Z

Good morning it's Wednesday and we all know what that means, time to dig into our collective psyches and post a clip to amuse and entertain. It's our weekly installment of Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Milk River Madman If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Best British Comedy. This week was harder that I thought it would be. I looked at several films and narrowed it down to two, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines and Victor Victoria. After watching the available clips I decided to go with Victor Victoria. It was a 1982 musical comedy starring Julie Andrews James Garner Robert Preston Leslie Ann Warren and Alex Karras. The movie was about a woman who dressed up as a man so that he/she, could play a woman. Yeah I know, I didn't think so either. But we want to see it anyway. It was back in the days when you could sit in a theater without having your eardrums blasted or your night vision ruined by some generation Yo texting "what's up" to one of their buddies. (see Trolls post from yesterday) we enjoyed the movie there were several good dance scenes and if few laugh out loud pieces of slapstick. If you've seen the movie, the trailer pretty well says it all. Please enjoy!

Movie clip Wednesday: Best film of the 1940s

2011-01-26T16:04:00.000Z

Good morning it's Wednesday and we all know what that means, time to dig into our collective psyches and post a clip to amuse and entertain. It's our weekly installment of Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Milk River Madman If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Best movie from the 1940s. Another week spent watching way too many clips. So many good movies were produced in the forties. This week I chose: Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. I chose it for two reasons, 1. That World War 2 dominated everything during the forties. 2. I recently read the obituary of Colonel Bill Bower, he passed away on January 10 at the age of 93. He was the last surviving pilot involved in the Doolittle raid. The movie is a 1944 war film. It is based on the true story of America's first retaliatory air strike against Japan four months after the December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The first clip is the trailer. The second clip shows the takeoff from the USS Hornet much of the footage was from the actual takeoff of the mission. And the third is of the bomb run. The last 2 clips are quite long the first 4 minutes of the second and the first 3 minutes of the third give you the just of it. Please enjoy!

Movie Clip Wednesday: Best movie from the 1950s

2011-01-19T14:38:00.000Z

Well folks it's time to get back to the salt mine and forget about all this holiday frivolity. We need to get down to the serious stuff our weekly installment of Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Milk River Madman If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Best movie from the 1950s. There are so many good ones I found myself careening around you-tube and wasted entirely too much time watching clip after clip. I also realize that I've posted several of my favorites already. The Day the Earth Stood Still and Creature from the Black Lagoon to name a couple. I thought about The Blob, a great movie with Steve Mcqueen. Then there was Mr. Roberts (nope Buzz just used this one) or Bridge over the River Kwai and Strategic Air Command. Well you see what I mean, I had to choose something. Then I thought of musicals, the problem there are so many good ones. Brigadoon, The King and I and Singin' in the Rain, all favorites of mine. Anyway I can see your getting bored. So here it is Seven Brides for Seven brothers. A 1954 musical starring Howard Keel and Jane Powell. It was nominated for best picture. The dance numbers are hard to beat and this one became famous for its humor and excellent choreography. Please enjoy the dance at the barn raising.

Movie clip Wednesday: Winter Scene

2011-01-05T03:05:00.002Z

Well folks it's time to get back to the salt mine and forget about all this holiday frivolity. We need to get down to the serious stuff our weekly installment of Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Milk River Madman If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week: Winter Scenes. There are lots of really good ones for this topic. The grizzly bear scene in Jeremiah Johnson, a couple of scenes from Outlaw Josey Wales and the Battle of the Bulge comes to mind also. But I decided to go somewhere very cold. Ice Station Zebra is a 1968 action film directed by John Sturges, starring Rock Hudson, Patrick McGoohan, Ernest Borgnine and Jim Brown. This Cold War thriller was set in the arctic where it even in the summer its winter or at leased it was back then. This was a pretty good movie, although it did have some pretty technical failings regarding the submarine. They don't run on the surface as depicted in the clip. Scenes in the movie or filmed on board the USS Ronquil (SS-396) a diesel electric boat launched in 1944. The underwater scenes were made using a model of a Skate class submarine the last twin screw class. The submarine in the movie was named USS Tigerfish (SSN-509). Boat 509 was diesel electric, not nuclear and was never actually built, because it was canceled at the end of World War 2. But what the heck we shouldn't let facts get in a way of Hollywood. Please enjoy!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T15:54:00.000Z

There's a party going on our dear friend Boxer is hosting the shindig. So stop by and jump into the excitement! Since its early in the day. I thought some coffee might be in order. So pour yourself a cup and get warmed up for the day to come.

For those starting early slightly stouter refreshments are available.

Anyone deciding to stop by have a cup and leave a comment. I will donate a dollar per to the

Fisher House Foundation

These folks help to provide housing for the family's of our wounded service members.

Happy New Year Friends!

Movie Clip Wednesday: Favorite Foreign Actress

2010-12-29T16:08:00.000Z

2010-12-25T16:55:00.000Z

Merry Christmas!

Hope all you wanted was found under your tree!

Movie Clip Wednesday: Favorite Christmas movie.

2010-12-22T06:39:00.000Z

2010-12-21T15:41:00.000Z

Happy Solstice!

I looked around and found a few facts and examples as to why the Winter Solstice is and has been so important. From my perspective it’s the returning of the light, the start of a new year. (most of this is a repost fron 08)
The winter solstice occurs at the instant when the Sun's position in the sky is at its greatest angular distance on the other side of the equatorial plane observer’s hemisphere, the winter solstice as the middle or "extreme" of winter. This system is based on the sun's apparent height above the horizon at noon. This year it is December 21 at 23:38 GMT in the Northern Hemisphere.

Many people can experience mild depression during the first part of winter. Exercise, light therapy can reinvigorate the body from its seasonal lull and relieve winter blues. I can think of quite a few folks that might feel better in the winter if they understood in this.
A few examples of its importance to earlier cultures follow (read this if you have way too much time on your hands):

The solstice itself may have been a special moment of the annual cycle of the year even during Neolithic times. This is attested by physical remains in the layouts of late Neolithic and Bronze Age archaeological sites such as Stonehenge in Britain and New Grange in Ireland. The primary axes of both of these monuments seem to have been carefully aligned on a sight-line pointing to the winter solstice sunrise (New Grange) and the winter solstice sunset (Stonehenge).
The Winter Solstice Festival or The Extreme of Winter is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians during the dongzhi solar term on or around December 21 when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest.

Goru is the (December) winter solstice ceremony of the Pays Dogon of Mali. It is the last harvest ritual and celebrates the arrival of humanity from the sky god, Amma, via Nommo the Aduno Koro, or the "Ark of the World".
Grianstad an Gheimhridh (Ir tr: winter solstice) is a name sometimes used for hypothetical midwinter rituals or celebrations of the Proto-Celtic tribes, Celts, and late Druids. In Ireland's calendars, the solstices and equinoxes all occur at about midpoint in each season.
Shabe Chelle is celebrated on the eve of the first day of winter in the Persian calendar, which always falls on the solstice.
Soyalangwul is the winter solstice ceremony of the Zuni and the Hopi Indians. It is held on December 21, the shortest day of the year. The main purpose of the ritual is to ceremonially bring the sun back from its long winter slumber. It also marks the beginning of another cycle of the Wheel of the Year.
Enjoy it, the sun starts returning tomorrow!

Just a few things.

2010-12-17T14:46:00.000Z

1. I'd like to introduce you to Ski the Polish Crested Rooster, I won him in a drawing over at Chickory's. Chickory, I wanted to say thank you he's a fine fellow. (sorry it took so long)

Here's where he lives

2. Please notice the view out the window above. That was three days ago. Now see the view below. That's what it looked like yesterday morning. This is the earliest year I can remember for having the ice. I must say I'm not at all pleased.

3. And finally: A Little Christmas Story

When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure.

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drunk all the cider and hidden the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of it.

Just then the doorbell rang, and an irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to put it?'

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

Not a lot of people know this.

Have a nice weekend!

Movie Clip Wednesday: Most overrated movie

2010-12-15T00:58:00.000Z

Movie Clip Wednesday: Best Detective Movie

2010-12-07T23:57:00.000Z

Just a few things:

2010-12-06T17:11:00.001Z

Have you heard about the recent shark attacks in Egypt? An interesting theory has been proposed as to the cause: "Environmentalists warned that the string of recent attacks is likely a result of the Red Sea's declining ecosystem. Gabar, the head of the CDWS, said he's seen a jump in the number of sharks off Egypt's Red Sea coast, which he said could be caused by overfishing, which could force sharks to swim closer to shore in search of food." This could be an interesting form of payback from mother nature, for us not taking care of the bounty supplied to us.

And speaking of things that will come back to bite you:

Labor unions had their time in the United States, that time is over. They now impede business and drive jobs off our shores. Their management is as corrupt, if not more so than the folks running Wall Street. Now to have the administration implementing programs like this so that they can keep decisions of who to support out of the hands of the people and to pay back the thugs that helped get them into office. Policies like this one will be job killers not job creators. I have written my senators and representatives to voice opposition to the pro union stance taken by this president and Congress. I urge any of you to contract your representatives. Tell them to stop it!

Onto science:

After extensive testing and personal sacrifice (someone had to taste them all) I can state that there is no difference in the taste of a pie baked with cheap vodka as compared to expensive vodka. This test was conducted with apple cherry pecan and pumpkin pie. All of which have proved to be most delicious, regardless of the cost of vodka used. I just thought you should know.

And now a survey:

I'm considering upgrading my cell phone, the one I have now can do e-mail and basic web searches. However it's proving to be inadequate. So here's the question; What type of cell phones to you use and would you recommend them to others?

Have a fine day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T13:48:00.001Z

The first American Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621.The colonists celebrated it as a traditional English harvest feast, to which they invited the local Wampanoag Indians with out who's helped they would have starved.
George Washington was the first president to declare the holiday, in 1789.
In 1863 a Abraham Lincoln, searching for a way to unite the nation issued a proclamation declaring the last Thursday in November a day of thanksgiving.

Starting in 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt, seeking to lengthen the Christmas shopping season, proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. Controversy followed, and Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November, where it remains.

Be thankful for and enjoy your family and friends, they are what it's about.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Movie Clip Wednesday: Sports Movie

2010-11-24T06:00:00.001Z

Well folks it's time for another weekly installment of Movie Clip Wednesday, hosted by Milk River Madman If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. And find some very interesting and differing perspectives on a single topic. The topic for this week is: Sports Movie. Now Karl doesn't watch sports. I watch one football game a year, at a party and it has more to do with pushups and who can break down and reassemble a model 1911 the fastest, than with the game itself. A few movies I can think of that fit the topic: A League of Their Own(it was a good movie) The Longest Yard, The Knute Rockne story. Yet, I chose The Naughty Nineties not because it's a sport movie, but because it has one of the finest and funniest sports routines ever filmed. The Naughty Nineties is a 1945 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. It is significant for containing perhaps the best-known recorded rendition of the team's classic "Who's on First?" routine, as it is this version of the routine that is shown at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown.

A couple of other fun points about the movie:

The "Who's on First?" routine was intended to be much earlier in the film; Costello begins by saying to Abbott, "When we get to St. Louis...", but by this point in the film, they are already docked there.

The only baseball defensive position not mentioned in this version is right field.

The camera crew can be heard laughing in the background during the routine.

The line, "Who's on First?" made it at number ninety-one on American Film Institute's 100 Movie Quotes.

•

If I were to take up watching sports, this one might fill the bill:

I wish you all a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Movie Clip Wednesday: Worst Sequel

2010-11-17T13:27:00.000Z

SIr Squirrel

2010-11-12T14:21:00.000Z

Shamu I saw this the other day and thought of you and War of the Nuts.

I hope you can use another Knight.

Happy Veterans Day!

2010-11-11T12:47:00.001Z

Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918, 90 years ago today.

By striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Remember: If you can read this thank a teacher, if you can read this in English thank a Vet!

A few good ways show your appreciation for their service:

http://www.fisherhouse.org/index.html

http://www.unmetneeds.com/

Movie clip Wednesday: First date movie

2010-11-10T15:19:00.001Z

Milk River Madman is our host and doing a fine job at it.(Well until he picked this topic) If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. The topic for this week is: First date movie. OK this one has me at a loss. I can't think of a single girl I had dated, that I took to a movie on our first date. Before I had my license it would have meant having to ride with parents, definitely not cool on a date. And I bought my Harley before I had my license. As soon as I was legal on the road, first dates tended to be long rides or rides to parties. Can't remember for sure, but it was 3 or 4 months before Mrs. Karl and I even went to a movie. I believe this is the movie we went to see on our first movie date. We both enjoyed the dance scenes and thought that the rest of it as a little over the top. Roy Scheider and the rest of the cast were certainly easy to look at and their dance scenes were well done. The film was directed by Bob Fosse and even though Roy Scheider character is named Joe Gideon, he's really portraying Fosse. I hope you enjoy All That Jazz.

Just a few things.

2010-11-08T16:28:00.001Z

There are times, watching the sky just before the sunrise.
Just makes you feel good.

Early Saturday morning I went out for a bike ride, it was clear, it was cold and the low sun angle filtering through the tree leaves was quite beautiful, except for one persistent distraction. Politicians win or lose the election's over. Your signs are now litter. Please clean them up.

If I can ask a question: what system to y'all use to know when each other has made a new post. I have tried RSS, but sometimes takes days to update.

And lastly, I'm not one for frivolous spending. So Santa if you're listening, I would really like to find one of these next to the tree:

Movie clip Wednesday: Coming of age movie.

2010-11-02T23:20:00.002Z

Milk River Madman is our host and doing a fine job at it. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. The topic for this week is: Coming of age movie. Captains Courageous is a 1937 MGM family adventure film. Based on the 1897 novel, by Rudyard Kipling, that follows the adventures of fifteen-year-old Harvey Cheyne Jr., the arrogant and spoiled son of a railroad tycoon. Filmed in black-and-white, Captains Courageous was advertised by MGM as a coming-of-age classic with exciting action sequences. The title comes from the ballad "Mary Ambree", which starts "When captains courageous, whom death could not daunt". I enjoyed the book more than the movie. The tail thats told, regardless of medium is truly one of coming-of-age.

2010-11-02T15:41:00.000Z

Movie clip Wednesday: Best Buddies

2010-10-27T12:50:00.002Z

Milk River Madman is our host and doing a fine job at it. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. The topic for this week is: Best Buddies. I can think of so many; Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello and I've used Crosby and Hope before. Plus there's that whole black and white or color thing. Then I remembered a series of movies, the characters were true buddies. Lethal Weapon and its 3 sequels was based on the relationship between these two buddies. Homicide detective Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) is partnered with young and suicidal narcotics officer Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson). For the clip I chose one from Lethal Weapon 2. Hope you enjoy it. The clip has been messed with a little, I couldn't find the unedited version.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best Foreign Actor

2010-10-20T13:24:00.002Z

Milk River Madman is our host he may not want the job but he's stuck with it. And he is doing a fine job. Anonymous Boxer is on hiatus since her revelations in the woods of Georgia. Please hurry back we miss you. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. The topic for this week is: Best Foreign Actor. Since I'm sure Pam will do Sean Connery and to prove to Buzz that I do occasionally watch films that aren't black and white. I decided to go with Peter O'Toole. Peter O'Toole was born in 1932, with some sources giving his birthplace as Connemara, County Galway, Ireland, and others as Leeds, in West Riding of Yorkshire, England, where he grew up. Either way he wasn't born in the United States, so I think he qualifies.

I'm posting three clips today the first is from Lawrence of Arabia filmed in 1962 a truly epic movie. The second is a clip from The Lion in Winter, he and Katharine Hepburn were excellent in this movie. And the third Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha, I included for two reasons one I've been accused of tilting at windmills more than once and Sophia Loren is in it. Which will give you a hint for who I'll pick, when this topic comes up for actress. If you have the time please enjoy them.

Movie clip Wednesday: Disney

2010-10-13T15:22:00.002Z

Milk River Madman is our host he may not want the job but he's stuck with it. Anonymous Boxer is on hiatus since her revelations in the woods of Georgia. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. The topic for this week is: Disney. A company that is turned into the great Satan of marketing to children. For this one I chose 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. You knew this is what I would pick, didn't you? It was a 1954 adventure film starring Kirk Douglas as Ned Land, James Mason as Captain Nemo, Paul Lukas as Professor Pierre Aronnax, and Peter Lorre as Conseil. It was the first science fiction film produced by Walt Disney Pictures, as well as the only science-fiction film produced by Walt Disney himself. It was also the first feature length Disney film to be distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. The film has become the best-known adaptation of the book of the same name by Jules Verne.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best black and white movie.

2010-10-05T22:50:00.003Z

Milk River Madman is our host he may not want the job but he's stuck with it. Anonymous Boxer is on hiatus since her revelations in the woods of Georgia. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. The topic for this week is: Best black and white movie. Most of my favorite movies are black and white. I really think that they did a better job of making movies in the days of black and white. There are so many excellent films who was hard to choose. I went with the creature from the black lagoon because of the underwater photography. Some of the shots were excellent quality.
Creature from the Black Lagoon is a 1954 monster horror film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, and Whit Bissell. The eponymous creature was played by Ben Chapman on land and Ricou Browning in underwater scenes. The film was released in the United States on March 5 1954. I hope you enjoy it.

If you haven't been by The Boobie-Thon there's still time. Stop by and show your support.

Boobie-Thon

2010-10-01T20:11:00.005Z

October is such a fun month the weather begins to turn, the Oktoberfest beers start hitting the market and there's Boobie-Thon! Boob's and Beer what more could a guy asks for? Go stop by and make a donation and if you want, get an eyeful. Better yet make a donation and donate a picture, it's a great cause.

Movie clip Wednesday: Movie I haven't seen, but should have.

2010-09-28T23:02:00.002Z

Milk River Madman is our host this week, while Anonymous Boxer takes a break and flies off to Georgia for an important summit. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. The topic for this week is: Movie I haven't seen, but should have. Gran Torino is a 2008 American drama film directed by, produced by and starring Clint Eastwood. The film marks Eastwood's return to a lead acting role after four years, his previous leading role having been in Million Dollar Baby, and Eastwood has stated that this is his final film as an actor.

It's likely to be a slow day with many of our players traveling. Enjoy and have a happy clip day! May Boxer, Moi and Shamu have a safe and happy trip.

Movie clip Wednesday: Best actor of my lifetime

2010-09-14T22:03:00.003Z

Movie clip Wednesday: Movie turned into a TV show

2010-09-08T16:10:00.002Z

Milk River Madman is our host this week, while Anonymous Boxer takes a break from hosting. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. The topic for this week is: Movie turned into a TV show. I can think of a lot of these mash flipper which have already used 12:00 high is another I decided to go with Topper. Topper (1937) is a comedy film which tells the story of a stuffy, stuck-in-his-ways man who is haunted by the ghosts of a fun-loving married couple. Cary Grant is in the first one unfortunately I couldn't find any good clips with him. There were several sequels to this movie and television show during the 1950s. I remember watching reruns of the show as a kid. I was likely to young to understand the humor, yet I remember liking the program. I also think the chances of a jinx are slim. Hope you enjoy them.
Movie

TV show

Movie clip Wednesday: SNL spin off

2010-09-01T12:56:00.003Z

Milk River Madman is our host this week, while Anonymous Boxer takes a break from hosting. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. You can also see who else is playing. The topic for this week is: Best Saturday Night Live spin off. I chose Animal House mainly because I don't think I watched Saturday Night Live much after the passing of John Belushi. I may have seen it once since Chevy Chase left. Animal House may not exactly fit the topic, but the clips are fun to watch.

I put up a profile picture as a joke for a comment over at Moi's. The question is should I keep it? Does having a profile picture (whether it be an accurate representation of the person or not) make folks more comfortable? Y'all have a good day.

Movie Clip Wednesday: Best 1990's movie

2010-08-25T16:41:00.002Z

Milk River Madman is our host this week, while Anonymous Boxer takes a break from hosting. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. The topic for this week is: The best movie of the 1990s. There were many good ones I decided on using True Lies. True Lies is a 1994 American action-comedy film directed by James Cameron and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere, Charlton Heston, and Art Malik. This was a fun movie and many of the scenes hit about 75% on the BS meter, yet it had plenty of action a couple of good dance scenes and lots of laughs.

Culinary Smackdown: Sandwiches!

2010-08-23T18:31:00.005Z

Doggybloggy was the winner of the last culinary smack down and if you stop by this fellow's place you'll see why. Man can he cook! For this month's challenge he chose sandwiches. I am very fond of sandwiches. If you read as many of them as I do you better be.

Putting a filling into bread to make it easier to eat has been around since neolithic times. First given name by john Montague the fourth earl of sandwich in the 18th century and has been a staple of the American diet since the early 20th century. Giving rise to many types and varieties. The king of them all. The Dagwood.

A Dagwood sandwich is a tall, multi-layered sandwich made with a variety of meats, cheeses and condiments. It was named after Dagwood Bumstead, a central character in the comic strip Blondie. Dagwood frequently makes enormous sandwiches. According to Blondie scripter Dean Young, his father, Chic Young, began drawing the huge sandwiches in the comic strip during 1936

The Dagwood sandwich scene below is stacked with these ingredients: 2 slices of deli Rye bread, hard salami, roast beef, pastrami, chicken breast, deli ham, Turkey breast, Lebanon baloney, American cheese cheddar, muenster, provolone pepper jack and Swiss cheese. Vegetables are avocado, red onion green leaf lettuce, spinach tomato, Mrs. Karl's homemade Pesto, whole seed mustard and a Italian olive to top it off in historic fashion.

The construction of this gastrointestinal time bomb has everything to do with layers, if not properly layered it will self destruct. Also putting Pesto and mustard directly on the bread was a mistake. I should have put a cheese layer in contact with the bread and then preceded with the Pesto and mustard. The sandwich self destructed after about the third bite. Although a blend of flavors is really quite tasty and one sandwich will likely feed three people. So here we go with the photos.

Blogger issues

2010-08-19T19:49:00.004Z

This post should have been for Movie Clip Wednesday. Instead, since Tuesday, I have been unable to connect to any blogger site. I've found this more than a little disconcerting and inwardly telling. In that, conversing and interacting with the folks in this group gives me a sense of loss when I cannot do it. I have family members that I don't talk to for months and think nothing about it. Yet not knowing what Auntie, Boxer, Fishy or Moi are up to, left me feeling disconnected. Not seeing the e-mail stream of comments from Buzz, Heff or Madman make the day seem a little slow. Does this happen to any of you?

Movie Clip Wednesday

2010-08-11T04:00:00.010Z

Who Milk River Madman is our host this week, while Anonymous Boxer takes a break from hosting. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. The topic for this week is: Best opening scene. Now I'm sure I will blog jinx with a bunch of folks so I've chosen an older scene in the hope of avoiding direct matches. The James Bond 007 series of movies are famous for their openings scenes. My favorite Bond was Sean Connery. Although I don't think I disliked any of the others. As long as you don't try to think too hard there a fun series of films to watch. In this one, I think the seagull snorkel-camouflage on his head is an absolute hoot and when he opens his dry suit to expose the tuxedo underneath, anyone who has ever climbed into a dry suit can tell you it just doesn't work that way. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the clip.

Could someone please give me a suggestion as to how to get my links and stuff, back on the sidebar. They jump down to the bottom of the page two posts ago and I can't seem to make them go back to the sidebar.

2010-07-30T19:55:00.002Z

Just a couple of items:

This one's self explanatory:

If the kid that leaked the DOD information is found guilty as charged, he should be publicly executed by firing squad.

Failure to keep a right except when passing should also be a capital crime.

Having someone stick needles into you and then electrically charged them has a way of setting a bad tone for the day.

Have a nice day!

2010-07-15T21:10:00.004Z

Haiku Thursdays

Pam is hosting Haiku Thursdays, stop by and see who else is playing. This week it's topic: The Oil Spill.

The stoppage came 85 days
16 hours after explosion
Don't blow again

This is by no means over. Yet, if the wellhead holds at least the new flow has stopped!

2010-07-08T22:35:00.003Z

Pam is hosting haiku Thursdays, stop by and see who else is playing. This week it's topic: Summertime and the living is easy.

It's summertime
For a few easy living
Many not so much

2010-06-30T15:14:00.003Z

Milk River Madman is our host this week, while Anonymous Boxer takes a break from hosting. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. The topic for this week is: Should have won the Oscar.

In 1949, director Robert Rossen offered the starring role of All the King's Men to Wayne. Wayne refused, believing the script to be un-American in many ways. Broderick Crawford, who eventually got the role, won the 1949 Oscar for best male actor, ironically beating out Wayne, who had been nominated for Sands of Iwo Jima.

This second clip is unrelated to the topic. It's from the movie hell fighters and at the end demonstrates putting a valve on a runaway wellhead.

If you have a few minutes, please see the previous post.

2010-06-28T22:41:00.002Z

Good evening,

If you have a minute and if you bothered to stop by here you must have a lot of minutes. Take a look at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkYJDI8pK9Y

It's about 15 minutes, so grab a cup of coffee and watch it.

Then please copy it and post it on your own site. I would also suggest, sending it to your local TV and radio, with the question. Why aren't you reporting this!

2010-06-09T14:11:00.004Z

Milk River Madman is our host this week, while Anonymous Boxer takes a break from hosting. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by MRM's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. The topic for this week is: Best Sequel.

This is the first of five sequels to the movie, The Thin Man. After the Thin Man is a 1936 American film, starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, and James Stewart. The movie presents Powell and Loy as characters Nick and Nora Charles. These two are some of my favorite movie character's. They're funny and the chemistry between the two of them is hard to beat. Not to mention Myrna loy is pretty easy to look at. Someone tell me, why don't women dress like this anymore?

Embedding was disabled. Please follow the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZuTCnxTXcI

2010-05-27T20:08:00.003Z

Yesterday at the Blue Angels party, I remembered Buzz Kill had worked at the YP basin. I took this shot with him in mind. Things happen pretty fast when these guys fly by so they're a little distant and I'm no photographer. If you look behind the middle mast. See them, I'd estimate between 250 and 300 knots. They're not very loud yet, but 2 seconds after they shot was taken. Oh boy was it loud.

2010-05-26T11:31:00.003Z

Anonymous Boxer is our host. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. The topic for this week is: documentaries. This turned out to be a hard one. Spent lots of time and never could find the clip I was looking for. It was from a documentary based on the book The Living Sea written by Jacques Cousteau.(One of the first real books I ever read) It may have been the pilot for the television series. And some of footage in this clip seems to predate the television series. Some of these images helped to lead me where I am today. It's fun to watch and set to the music Calypso by John Denver.

It's Blue Angels day in Annapolis, part of the Naval Academy graduation. It's a great show and quite the party. I will try to get around late this afternoon.

2010-05-24T21:30:00.002Z

I saw this the other day and I thought it was something that every American should listen to. So that maybe, they can remember where they're from and what they're about.

I applaud Congressman McClintock and Theodore Roosevelt. Your thoughts?

2010-05-20T23:26:00.004Z

Culinary throw down: Caribbean

Bama Trav was the winner of the last throw down. He chose Caribbean as the topic. I suggested, Reusing my last recipe, but since no one jumped on this I figure, that's a no go.

A few of you know I used to live in the Bahamas. It was great place to live, in the winter. In the summer it was too bloody hot. (the idea of living south of 38° N in the summer, well no thanks) When not working and when the catch was in season, we would go out spear fishing and lobstering (please see previous culinary challenge). Now is all great hunters and fishermen will tell you, they always brings something home. And for the most part this is true yet everyone gets skunked.

Well, Conch was a great way to cover for a bad day of diving. But since the conch are down there and I am up here, this was not an option. So I chose, you got skunked option 2.

This recipe is a favorite, it can be used when serving fish not big enough to serve as filets or when you needed something out of the tin.

Fish and bean salad
Ingredients
1 15- to 19-ounce can beans, kidney beans, rinsed(you could use any other bean, you want)
2 5- to 6-ounce cans water-packed chunk light tuna, drained and flaked. Or parts left over from the previous day's catch.
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup lemon juice, divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Combine beans, fish, bell pepper, onion, parsley, capers, rosemary, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oil and salt in a large bowl. Serve with the strong body cracker, scoop and eat.

As many of you know I can be photographically challenged. Sorry for the picture. I'm not sure what I did wrong, it was bigger.

The beverage of choice is Kalik Bahamian beer.

2010-05-18T22:37:00.002Z

Anonymous Boxer is our host. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. The topic for this week is: Science Fiction

When I was a kid there was this show called: Science Fiction Theater, it was great. Mostly B movies, but sometimes a classic. The Day the Earth Stood Still was one of those classics. It was well made and a pretty believable story. Well at least for a little kid. My brother and I would use the quote "klaatu barada nikto" for about a week after seeing it. Please enjoy.

2010-05-14T22:49:00.002Z

Good evening,

Just about a year ago. I made the mistake of allowing outside circumstances to impede my situational awareness. In doing so I missed that one of the members of the team was not doing his job correctly, this was a big mistake. And I ended up taking the fall for it(literally) and now that all the king's horses and all the king's men have put Karl back together again. I can say, I'm not 100%. But, at 50, having been road hard and put away wet, I can't complain.

Before the accident on Fridays I would do a PT drill. It consisted of:
A 4 mile run
100 pushups
100 situps
100 squats
75 pullups
Completed in 55 minutes.

Today I hit:
A 4 mile run
100 pushups
100 situps
100 squats
50 pullups
Completed in 55 minutes.

My best since the accident. And it felt good. I'm a happy camper today. Y'all have a great weekend.

2010-05-12T11:37:00.004Z

Anonymous Boxer is our host. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. The topic for this week is: Best Book adaptation.

There are so many good movies based on books. An example would be Jaws a very good book and a great movie. Although the time it came out, I was miffed that Hooper didn't die in the end as he did in the book. Anyway wanting to avoid a jinx with someone, I'd decided to go a different direction.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: A great book and an all right movie. I actually keep a copy of the book in my office. It's a good reminder, that no matter how comfortable you feel, there's always someone out there, who wouldn't think twice about vaporizing you so he could put in his own hyperspatial express route. Also, the phrases "don't panic" and "so long and thanks for all the fish" are routinely used in my world. Enjoy!

2010-04-28T12:03:00.003Z

Anonymous Boxer is our host. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. The topic for this week is: Best Animal.

This film and the show Sea Hunt are partly responsible for starting a little boy playing in the desert, thinking about the sea.

Filmed in color in 1961 and released in 1963, Flipper has several underwater sequences, along with scenes of the trained dolphin performing stunts. Flipper the dolphin was played by "Mitzi" (1958-1972) In addition to Mitzi, four other dolphins were filmed for the production of the movie. Two of the dolphins, Little Bit, a female, and Mr. Gipper, a male, reproduced at the Dolphin Research Center. The calf was named Tursi, and she still lives at Dolphin Research Center as of 2009.

2010-04-21T11:57:00.002Z

Anonymous Boxer is our host. If you wish to play. Post a clip on your site. Try to make it 3 minutes or less, then stop by Boxer's site say I'm up, with the title of your movie. The topic for this week is: Best kiss. Yeah I know, tell me about it.

Houseboat is a 1958 romantic comedy film starring Cary Grant, Sophia Loren. The Kiss is brief, more of a shift from cheek to cheek. But, it's all I could find that would appeal to the ladies in the audience. And for the men. Well, Sophie isn't hard look at.

And to save a trace of manly respectability. I give you not a kiss but an embrace. Excalibur the final scene.(It's at the end of the clip, sorry about the lenth)

2010-04-16T20:25:00.004Z

Culinary Smackdown: Mountain Oysters,

Err umm

Lobster.

Our host for this event is Heff of Heff's Bar and Grill fame. He and his lovely lady Donna were the winner of the last challenge. And he chose lobster. So here we go. First a little background information:

Clawed lobsters comprise a family (Nephropidae, sometimes also Homaridae) of large marine crustaceans. Though several groups of crustaceans are known as "lobsters," the clawed lobsters are most often associated with the name. They are also revered for their flavor and texture. Clawed lobsters are not closely related to spiny lobsters or slipper lobsters, which have no claws (chelae), or squat lobsters. The closest relatives of clawed lobsters are the reef lobsters and the three families of freshwater crayfish. Lobsters are found in all oceans. They live on rocky, sandy, or muddy bottoms from the shoreline to beyond the edge of the continental shelf. They generally live singly in crevices or in burrows under rocks.
They are invertebrates, with a hard protective exoskeleton. Lobsters have 10 walking legs; the front two adapted to claws. There are more than 45 different species of Lobsters. I have had several varieties varying from crawdad to spiny and maine. All are tasty, although I prefer spiny lobsters. I've chased these buggers around from the waters of Massachusetts to the Caribbean Sea. There as much fun to catch as they are to eat. I apologize for the lack of recipe pictures, real life got in the way.

For this recipe you could use fresh lobster or frozen tails. Freshly speared is best.

It's fast and easy.

The recipe is a lobster tacos:

Ingredients:
1 or 2 strips of lobster tail per taco
1 6 inch or 8 inch tortillas
1/4 teaspoon of blackening seasoning (per tail)
One red pepper
One green pepper
One green pepper
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 red onion
One jalapeno pepper
One firm tomato or cherry tomatoes, include the juice in the bowl.

Directions:
Lay the tail(s) onto a shallow pan partially filled water. Apply blackening seasoning to the tops of the tails. Cover with foil and put under the broiler. Timing of this depends on how hot broiler gets. When the meat turns white firm remove the foil and brown the tops of the tails. While they are cooking. Finely dice the peppers into one 16th to 1/8 inch cubes to make a salsa. (very this to taste, depending on how sharp you'd like it, I generally don't use all of the bell peppers)

Once tails are cooked, white and firm to the touch. Cut into strips and put in a bowl, serve with warm tortillas and coarse salsa served in a bowl. The spice and the salsa create a very interesting flavor with the sweetness of the lobster meat. If serving for a lunch they can stand alone. If serving for dinner, adding pigeon peas and rice and some guacamole will make it more a meal.

Beverage of choice for this meal is Kalik beer. A sweet Bahamian brew perfectly suited for the varying tastes experienced with this dish.

And for a few bonus points I will add one additional recipe. Heff, this is just for you buddy. I no longer eat organ tissue from animals so it has been several years since I've had these. They were rite of passage, when growing up on the ranch. The first ones I ate, I had harvested myself. I found they were not great, not bad.

Mountain Oysters, also known as prairie oysters, are that part of the male animal which is removed in his youth that he may thereby be more tractable and less, uh, masculine. They are considered to be quite a delicacy. Some butcher shops sell bull testicles. These are good but the best source is from young animals. The preparation of mountain oysters is quite simple:
________________________________________
2 pounds calf testicles*
2 cups beer
2 eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup yellow cornmea1
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil**
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
* Be sure to ask your butcher for calf testicles, not bull testicles. Calf testicles are the size of a walnut and are much more tender than the larger bull testicles.
** Use enough vegetable oil to fill your frying container halfway to the top (to allow for bubbling up and splattering) and to completely cover calf testicles while frying.
With a very sharp knife, split the tough skin-like muscle that surrounds each testicle. Remove the skin (you can remove the skin easily if the testicles are frozen, then peel while thawing). Slice each testicle into approximately 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick ovals. Place slices in a large pan or blow with enough beer to cover them; cover and let sit 2 hours.
In a shallow bowl, combine eggs, flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Remove testicles from beer; drain and dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture. In a large, deep pot, heat oil to 375 degrees F. Deep fry 3 minutes or until golden brown (will rise to the surface when done). Drain on paper towels.
Serve warm with your favorite hot pepper sauce and horseradish.

2010-04-07T13:04:00.003Z

Anonymous Boxer is our host, her choice for this week is: Alcohol scene. During the 1930s William Powell and Myrna Loy did the Thin Man series of movies. Nick and Nora Charles would glide bar to bar solving crimes. I can't think of any movie with better alcohol jokes. If you haven't seen them you should. This is a collage of scenes, I think you'll get the picture.

Don't forget to stop by Boxer's and see who else is playing.

2010-03-31T12:44:00.006Z

Anonymous Boxer is our host, her choice for this week is: Action Movies. Talk about painting with a wide brush. One of my first thoughts for this challenge was Dirty Harry. Yet I was concerned about a jinx with Buzz. So I chose one of the more obscure scenes, action with a little humor mixed in. Well, I thought it was funny.

2010-03-24T12:48:00.002Z

Anonymous Boxer is our host, her choice for this week is: Animation. Some of you may remember, how it used to be. Instead of ads and upcoming attractions, before a matinee movie started. There was a cartoon and a newsreel. Let's take a step backward to the days when Karl's allowance 25¢ a week and most of it went to the Saturday matinee.

The Road Runner cartoons were some of my favorites and the happenings at Edwards were always exciting.

2010-03-17T13:24:00.003Z

Anonymous Boxer is our host, her choice for this week is: Death scene. I really enjoyed Jaws even though this movie turned out to be one of the most devastating things to ever happen to the Shark population, second only to finning. The Shark getting Quint one of the best that scenes I can think of. Enjoy!

On another note
Happy Saint Patricks Day!

2010-03-15T17:31:00.004Z

Health Care Reform

This is a bad bill, it should be scrapped there are so many special deals so much pork in this that even the President called for the removal of it(the pork). To which the Senate thumb their nose told him not if you want a bill. More on that here

The bill can be stopped, but only if the voters in states with moderate democrats get on the horn and tell their representatives to vote against it.

As it comes down to wire make sure you let them know how you feel and what 2010 may be like for them. Sometimes frog wins!

In this picture, the frog strangled the bird. I found the pictures here

2010-03-10T10:25:00.004Z

Culinary Throwdown: Pepperoni
Kymmie was the winner of the Last throw down challenge. As the winner she gets to choose food for the next challenge. She chose pepperoni, I know I know, at least she didn't choose "Beets the rematch".
Anyway, here we go, a little background information first.

Pepperoni is a spicy Italian-American variety of salami made from cured pork
The term pepperoni is a corruption of peperoni, the plural of peperone, the Italian word for capsicum.Throughout continental Europe, peperone is a common word for various types of capsicum including bell peppers and a small, spicy and often pickled pepper known as peperoncino or peperone piccante in Italy and pepperoncini or banana peppers in the U.S.
Sodium nitrite, used as a curing agent, is what gives pepperoni its distinct orange-pink color. Sodium nitrate is also used as an ingredient in fertilizers, pyrotechnics,as an ingredient in smoke bombs, and as a solid rocket propellant. It's no wonder one feels like exploding after Peperoni pizza.

This recipe first came from a Sue Grafton Book. The original uses only salami, for this challenge we added Pepperoni into the mix. This added a very interesting twist to a dinner that we enjoy, that is quick and easy to prepare.

Pepperoni and Egg sandwich

Ingredients:
1 Portuguese or Kaiser roll
4 Slices of Pepperoni
4 Slices of Salami
3 slices of Monterey jack pepper cheese
1 Egg
Makes 1 sandwich

Directions:
Lightly toast the Portuguese roll (lightly butter if desired)
Place the salami and pepperoni on the bottom half of roll and put in a toaster oven
Add cheese to the top roll and return it to the toaster oven
While the cheese is melting, fry the egg over easy
Remove the roll from the toaster when the cheese is melted and top with the egg and serve

You can see the large peperoni under the egg. Some folks may have issues with undercooked eggs, but over easy is part of the fun of this sandwich.

2010-03-09T13:04:00.004Z

Movie Clip Wednesday on Tuesday

Anonymous Boxer's is our host, her choice for this week is: Oscar Winners. I'm not a fan of award shows, so this was a little tough.(Wasted half the bloody day looking at clip's) I kept thinking where do I begin then it came to me. The beginning. So I give you two clips from the movie Wing's the first best picture. A silent picture with lots of action and some pretty impressive stunts.

Remember tomorrow is The Pepperoni Culinary Throw Down hosted by Kym. So get your sausages ready and may the best Blogger win.

2010-03-03T14:51:00.004Z

Anonymous Boxer's is our host, her choice for this week is funny scene. So this week I give you two, first is a scene from a Bob Hope movie called The Ghost Breakers and second is a clip from College Humor.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

2010-02-24T13:04:00.002Z

Movie Clip Wednesday!
Bad Boys

Anonymous Boxer's is our host, her choice for this week is bad boys. Both of the gentleman shown in this video were considered to be bad boys both on and off the screen.
With that I'd give you The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone.