Conway Notebook | Chocolate Creations Pave Way For Strollers
Barbara Whitley of Crady's Restaurant at Fourth Avenue and Main Street talks with the soul of a poet when she describes making chocolate confections.
Words like "serendipitous" and "umami" flavor her sentences with unexpected treats.
Serendipitous, she explains, is the magic of the moment when carefully-tended chocolate, butter and whipping cream miraculously meld into a dark, silky ganache.
Umami is the inexpressible quality of chocolate that delights everyone.
"When you taste it," Whitley says, "it explodes in your mouth with flavor."
Whitley has been making chocolate creations for 50 years, and some of her confections - along with those at 25 other businesses - will be available to strollers in downtown Conway on Feb. 12.
That's the day Conway Main Street is sponsoring a Chocolate Walk as another way to promote the River City's historic downtown business district. –Read more at SunNews
Jan 30, 2011
Ragbag Headliners
Why Facebook Wants Your Phone Number
Facebook wants your address and mobile phone number.
But it's not sure exactly how to ask.
It's a complicated digital courtship, particularly because Facebook doesn't just want this data for itself -- it wants to "share" this info with all of its friends, which in this case happens to be app developers (think FarmVille, Compare People and Where I've Been -- all that non-Facebook stuff that pops up in your news feed).
That may sound confusing, but the debate over this Facebook phone-number-sharing -- which caused Facebook to backtrack a bit from the request after bloggers and users expressed outrage this weekend -- essentially comes down to two related questions:
Why does Facebook want your phone number and address?
And, based on what you think about that answer, is it in your interest to hand this personal information to the network?
Let's start with the first question. –Read more at CNN Tech
Facebook wants your address and mobile phone number.
But it's not sure exactly how to ask.
It's a complicated digital courtship, particularly because Facebook doesn't just want this data for itself -- it wants to "share" this info with all of its friends, which in this case happens to be app developers (think FarmVille, Compare People and Where I've Been -- all that non-Facebook stuff that pops up in your news feed).
That may sound confusing, but the debate over this Facebook phone-number-sharing -- which caused Facebook to backtrack a bit from the request after bloggers and users expressed outrage this weekend -- essentially comes down to two related questions:
Why does Facebook want your phone number and address?
And, based on what you think about that answer, is it in your interest to hand this personal information to the network?
Let's start with the first question. –Read more at CNN Tech
An Important Comparison Worth Noting
Many [if not all] have read the comparison between Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy … .e.g., Lincoln was assassinated in 1863/Kennedy was assassinated in 1963; Lincoln had a secretary surnamed Kennedy/Kennedy had a secretary surnamed Lincoln, etc., etc. …
Below is a comparison between Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama.
1. Lincoln placed his hand on the Bible for his inauguration. Obama used the same Bible.
2. Lincoln came from Illinois. Obama comes from Illinois .
3. Lincoln served in the Illinois legislature. Obama served in the Illinois legislature.
4. Lincoln had very little experience before becoming President. Obama had very little experience before becoming President.
5. Lincoln rode the train from Philadelphia to Washington for his inauguration. Obama rode the train from Philadelphia to Washington for his inauguration.
6. Lincoln was a skinny lawyer. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
7. Lincoln was a respected and respectable Republican. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
8. Lincoln served in the U.S. military. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
9. Lincoln believed that everyone should carry his/her own weight. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
10. Lincoln as President did not waste taxpayers' money on lavish personal enjoyment. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
11. Lincoln was a highly respected lawyer. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
12. Lincoln was so honest, he became known as "Honest Abe". Obama is a skinny lawyer.
13. Lincoln saved the USA from a split between the North & the South. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
14. Lincoln was a natural-born citizen of the United States. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
3. Lincoln served in the Illinois legislature. Obama served in the Illinois legislature.
4. Lincoln had very little experience before becoming President. Obama had very little experience before becoming President.
5. Lincoln rode the train from Philadelphia to Washington for his inauguration. Obama rode the train from Philadelphia to Washington for his inauguration.
6. Lincoln was a skinny lawyer. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
7. Lincoln was a respected and respectable Republican. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
8. Lincoln served in the U.S. military. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
9. Lincoln believed that everyone should carry his/her own weight. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
10. Lincoln as President did not waste taxpayers' money on lavish personal enjoyment. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
11. Lincoln was a highly respected lawyer. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
12. Lincoln was so honest, he became known as "Honest Abe". Obama is a skinny lawyer.
13. Lincoln saved the USA from a split between the North & the South. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
14. Lincoln was a natural-born citizen of the United States. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
15. Lincoln is one of the most loved US Presidents. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
Author Unknown
Author Unknown
A Quote From A Czech Citizen
The quote below is from a European political commentator.
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president." -Author Unknown
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president." -Author Unknown
A Perfect Definition
Mr Webster would be proud to put this in his dictionary!’
There is an annual contest for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term. Here's the winning definition of the term political correctness.
The belief fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media that a piece of shit has a clean end. –Author(s) Unknown
There is an annual contest for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term. Here's the winning definition of the term political correctness.
The belief fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media that a piece of shit has a clean end. –Author(s) Unknown
The International Space Station
Look at how the International Space Station has grown since 1998.
Watch the pieces come together as they are sent up from Earth. This is the International Space Station (ISS) Assembly diagram piece by piece.
This is really cool. Click here.
Watch the pieces come together as they are sent up from Earth. This is the International Space Station (ISS) Assembly diagram piece by piece.
This is really cool. Click here.
A Real Man’s Letter To Help Line
Dear Helpline:
I really need your advice for a serious problem. I have suspected for some time now that my wife has been cheating. The usual signs: phone rings, if I answer the caller hangs up; going out with the girls a lot. I try to stay awake to look out for her when she comes home but I usually fall asleep.
Anyway, last night about midnight I hid in the shed behind the boat, when she came home she got out of someone's car buttoning her blouse, then she took her panties out of her purse and slipped them on. It was at that moment crouched behind the boat, I noticed a "hairline crack" in the outboard mounting bracket. Is that something I can weld or do I need to replace it? -Author Unknown
I really need your advice for a serious problem. I have suspected for some time now that my wife has been cheating. The usual signs: phone rings, if I answer the caller hangs up; going out with the girls a lot. I try to stay awake to look out for her when she comes home but I usually fall asleep.
Anyway, last night about midnight I hid in the shed behind the boat, when she came home she got out of someone's car buttoning her blouse, then she took her panties out of her purse and slipped them on. It was at that moment crouched behind the boat, I noticed a "hairline crack" in the outboard mounting bracket. Is that something I can weld or do I need to replace it? -Author Unknown
Jan 23, 2011
Locally Speaking
New Theater In Myrtle Beach Area Will Be Home To Tribute Artists, Broadway Shows
A theater opening in the former Legends in Concert building will bring celebrity impersonators back to Surfside Beach in addition to Broadway shows, a representative of the company said.
Celebration Music Theatre will open Feb. 14 at 301 South Kings Highway, Managing Artistic Director Greg London said. The show will be produced by Stars in Concert, which has done similar shows in Europe, London said.
The company is entirely separate from Legends in Concert, which is produced by On Stage Entertainment Inc., he said. Legends in Concert announced in September that it would move to Broadway at the Beach and held its last performance in the Surfside Beach venue on Oct. 6. That show will open March 11 in the former Club Kryptonite building.
Celebration Music Theatre plans to have offerings beyond the tribute artist show, London said.
"We are more a hybrid theater organization and, while our house show will be a tribute artist show, we will also produce plays and musicals here," he said. "Our plays and musicals and children's shows are specifically catering to locals."
The theater will produce six Broadway shows during the year and will offer a daily children's show during the summer, London said.
The theater will hire about 45 people to work in positions such as box office attendants, ushers and stage crew. Those interested in applying can call the theater's office at 839-6750. –SunNews
A theater opening in the former Legends in Concert building will bring celebrity impersonators back to Surfside Beach in addition to Broadway shows, a representative of the company said.
Celebration Music Theatre will open Feb. 14 at 301 South Kings Highway, Managing Artistic Director Greg London said. The show will be produced by Stars in Concert, which has done similar shows in Europe, London said.
The company is entirely separate from Legends in Concert, which is produced by On Stage Entertainment Inc., he said. Legends in Concert announced in September that it would move to Broadway at the Beach and held its last performance in the Surfside Beach venue on Oct. 6. That show will open March 11 in the former Club Kryptonite building.
Celebration Music Theatre plans to have offerings beyond the tribute artist show, London said.
"We are more a hybrid theater organization and, while our house show will be a tribute artist show, we will also produce plays and musicals here," he said. "Our plays and musicals and children's shows are specifically catering to locals."
The theater will produce six Broadway shows during the year and will offer a daily children's show during the summer, London said.
The theater will hire about 45 people to work in positions such as box office attendants, ushers and stage crew. Those interested in applying can call the theater's office at 839-6750. –SunNews
Ragbag Headliners
Hero Pilot Pulls Out The Stops to Help Grandpa Reach Funeral
The most important trips aren't about getting somewhere. They're about getting to someone. (via Elliott.org)
But in an age of mounting airline fees, reduced in-flight services, uncomfortable security pat-downs and multi-day delays caused by erupting volcanoes, it's easy to forget that.
Amid the cries of "I've already paid for my hotel!" and "You need to get me to Atlanta!" anger and inconvenience frequently blind us to the fact that travel is ultimately about people. We also forget that airline employees - bound by big company rules and regulations - get frustrated, too.
Enter Nancy, whose travel triumph, tempered by a great deal of sadness, has turned an unnamed Southwest Airlines pilot into an online hero.
Nancy reads a blog by Christopher Elliott, a consumer advocate and journalist, and wrote to him about her husband's recent ordeal traveling on flights from Los Angeles to Tucson to Denver. Their situation makes complaints about leg room look downright petty. –Read more at Yahoo News
The most important trips aren't about getting somewhere. They're about getting to someone. (via Elliott.org)
But in an age of mounting airline fees, reduced in-flight services, uncomfortable security pat-downs and multi-day delays caused by erupting volcanoes, it's easy to forget that.
Amid the cries of "I've already paid for my hotel!" and "You need to get me to Atlanta!" anger and inconvenience frequently blind us to the fact that travel is ultimately about people. We also forget that airline employees - bound by big company rules and regulations - get frustrated, too.
Enter Nancy, whose travel triumph, tempered by a great deal of sadness, has turned an unnamed Southwest Airlines pilot into an online hero.
Nancy reads a blog by Christopher Elliott, a consumer advocate and journalist, and wrote to him about her husband's recent ordeal traveling on flights from Los Angeles to Tucson to Denver. Their situation makes complaints about leg room look downright petty. –Read more at Yahoo News
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1.78 million Facebook Users May Die In 2011
Does Facebook really have more than 500 million "active" users?
According to data from digital-legacy planning firm Entrustet, a big portion of these users will soon no longer be considered "active," by any reasonable measure.
The company compared Facebook usership data with average death rates from the Center for Disease Control, and discovered that this year, around 480,000 Facebook users may pass away in the U.S., and 1.78 million worldwide.
These figures are only likely to grow year to year, especially as Facebook expands pass the 600 million user mark. -Read more at CNN Tech
Yes I’m A Senior Citizen!
Senior citizens are constantly being criticized for every conceivable and deficiency of the modern world, real or imaginary. We take responsibility for all we have done and do not blame others. HOWEVER, upon reflection, we would like to point out that it is NOT the senior citizens who took . . .
melody out of music;
pride out of appearance;
courtesy out of driving;
romance out of love;
commitment out of marriage;
responsibility out of parenthood;
togetherness out of the family;
learning out of education;
service out of patriotism
the Golden Rule from rulers;
the Nativity scene out of public places in cities and towns;
civility out of behavior;
refinement out of language;
dedication out of employment,
prudence out of spending,
ambition out of achievement; or
God out of government and school.
pride out of appearance;
courtesy out of driving;
romance out of love;
commitment out of marriage;
responsibility out of parenthood;
togetherness out of the family;
learning out of education;
service out of patriotism
the Golden Rule from rulers;
the Nativity scene out of public places in cities and towns;
civility out of behavior;
refinement out of language;
dedication out of employment,
prudence out of spending,
ambition out of achievement; or
God out of government and school.
And senior citizens certainly are NOT the ones who eliminated patience and tolerance from personal relationships and interactions with others!
We do understand the meaning of patriotism and those who have fought and died for our country. Does anyone under the age of 50 know the lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner"? How about the last verse of "My Country 'tis of Thee"?
"Our father's God to thee, Author of liberty, to Thee we sing. Long may our land be bright with freedom's holy light. Protect us by Thy might, Great God our King."
Just look at the Seniors with tears in their eyes and pride in their hearts as they stand at attention with their hand over their hearts.
YES, I'M A SENIOR!
I'm the life of the party …
even if it lasts until 8 p.m.
I'm very good at opening childproof caps …
with a hammer.
I'm awake many hours before my body
allows me to get up.
I'm smiling because I can't hear a thing you're saying.
I'm sure everything I can't find is in a
safe secure place, somewhere.
I'm wrinkled, saggy, lumpy …
and that's just my left leg.
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I'm a walking storeroom of facts
but I've just lost the key to the storeroom door.
Yes, I'm a SENIOR and I think
I am having the time of my life!
Now if I could only remember who sent this to me,
I would send it back to them.
While we're at it,
why don't you send this to many more, too?
Spread the laughter. Share the cheer.
Let's be happy while we're here.
I'm the life of the party …
even if it lasts until 8 p.m.
I'm very good at opening childproof caps …
with a hammer.
I'm awake many hours before my body
allows me to get up.
I'm smiling because I can't hear a thing you're saying.
I'm sure everything I can't find is in a
safe secure place, somewhere.
I'm wrinkled, saggy, lumpy …
and that's just my left leg.
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I'm a walking storeroom of facts
but I've just lost the key to the storeroom door.
Yes, I'm a SENIOR and I think
I am having the time of my life!
Now if I could only remember who sent this to me,
I would send it back to them.
While we're at it,
why don't you send this to many more, too?
Spread the laughter. Share the cheer.
Let's be happy while we're here.
Author Unknown
You Think It Can’t Happen Here?
This past July, I had the pleasure of sharing a July 4th backyard barbecue with several friends, one of whom is a refugee from Cuba. Our conversation was like any other. It began with a simple banter about the mundane things, such as, sports and the weather. It then rapidly progressed to various other topics, such as, the country and the direction it has taken since Barack Obama came to power. We shared the usual complaints about the sour economy and the liberal social engineering emanating from the rulers in Washington, D.C.
But then our Cuban guest made a comment which caused everyone to listen when he said: "You know, when Castro took power, many of us in Cuba did not think he was a Communist. Yes, we all thought he was a patriot, a nationalist. Before the revolution, he didn't sound like a radical at all."
At this point, I jokingly interrupted, "You mean just like Barack Obama?"
Unsure how he took my jest, he responded plainly, "Yes, just like Barack Obama." And then he went on to say: "We were all shocked when the government just continued to grab more power. First, we were told that the revolution was over, and we were told to turn in our guns. People willingly complied. Later on, I remember my uncle saying, 'Castro will only nationalize some of the big industries, he will never come and take our family hardware store.' But that is exactly what happened, Castro started with the sugar mills and the large industries. Then, one day, some government agents came and knocked at the door of our house attached to the hardware store which my family had owned and run for generations. I recall one agent telling my father, 'We now own your hardware store, and you work for us. This large four-bedroom home you own, it is now our property also, and you can move yourself and five children into two rooms of the house because others are moving in with you.' "
The lesson I learned from that Cuban refugee last July 4th barbecue discussion is a lesson many Americans somehow refuse to hear. It has been proven many times over that political leaders can talk about their impressive agenda but once in office they take totally unexpected turns.
If someone had told me three years ago that General Motors would be nationalized, I would have laughed and never believed it. Neither could I ever contemplate a country where the rule of law, the most fundamental building block of justice, would be evaporating in front of my very eyes, just like it did in Castro's Cuba in the early 1960s.
The news of injustice in the USA today keeps increasing. Black Panthers are not charged with wrongdoing by the U.S. Department of Justice because their crimes are against whites. The bondholders of GM are stripped of their assets without due process by the government. Government leaders are being bribed in broad daylight only to have investigation stifled by the U.S. Attorney General. The U.S. borders are overrun by crime and illegal activity but the leaders in Washington D.C. act as if it is more important to protect the lawbreakers while the innocent are being killed. When local communities attempt to enforce the law, they are ridiculed and labeled as racists and bigots, and they are even sued by the very administration and authority entrusted with enforcing the law.
The U.S. Constitution has been disregarded and violated, yet nothing has been done by the nation's leaders to stop the violation. Without the rule of law our beloved America is swiftly becoming a country where only the well-connected and politically powerful are safe. As Michelle Malkin stated: "A culture of corruption has replaced honest government."
It appears now that the only way this problem can be fixed is by massive citizen action. All honest citizens who want to be treated equally must come together and demand that the favoritism, the bribes, and the non-enforcement of law end now.
And yes, the experience of Cuba can happen here in the USA, if Americans continue their nonchalance and complacency. –Author Unknown
Upgrade Your Life: Simple Solutions To High-Tech Problems
Can't work your iPhone with your winter gloves on? Got a scratched DVD that's skipping? Or how about a work PC that signs you out the moment you step away from your desk? The MacGyver-approved answer may be hiding in your junk drawer.
In this week's episode of Upgrade Your Life, Yahoo! News's Becky Worley delivers some simple, everyday solutions for what might appear to be daunting high-tech problems, starting with:
1. Touchscreen phones that won't work when you have gloves on
The capacitive touch displays on the latest and greatest Android and iOS handsets are tops when it comes to tapping out messages with a light touch. Winter gloves, however, will block the electrical charge from your fingertips that capacitive screens use to register a tap — bad news if you're trying to answer a call in a blizzard.
Becky's solution: Cut a tiny slit in your wool gloves (assuming you don't mind slicing up your winter wear) to allow a finger to pop out whenever you need to start tapping.
Don't want to cut holes in your gloves? Try the Pogo Stylus, a pencil-sized metallic stick with a specially made tip that works with capacitive displays.
2. Dirty cell phone cases
That case you bought for your smartphone looked pretty spiffy when you first slipped it on. After a few months, though, you'll be in for a rude shock when you take the case off and look inside. Where did all that gunk come from? On second thought, don't tell us.
Becky's solution: If it's a one-piece silicone case, just toss it in the dishwasher — done. Beware, though: Plastic cases with multiple, glued-on parts will come apart if you give them the dishwasher treatment.
3. Wet gadgets
News flash: Gadgets and water rarely mix. If you do manage to leave your cell phone, camera, or other battery-powered gear out in the rain — or worse, drop them in a toilet — the prognosis is usually pretty grim.
Becky's solution: Before you give up hope, try dropping your soaked gear into a Tupperware container full of rice to draw out the moisture. (Check out more details on this method from Popular Mechanics.) Or, as a general preventative measure to keep moisture away, save some silica gel packs (you know, the ones you'll find in boxes of new shoes or beef-jerky packages) and stuff them in your cell phone or camera case.
4. Scratched DVDs and CDs
There's nothing quite as annoying as a skipping music CD or a DVD that randomly jumps seconds or minutes ahead, without warning. In some cases, you might be dealing with a dirty laser in your CD or DVD deck; more often, however, the culprit is a scratched disc.
The good news is that it is possible to repair scratches in the polycarbonate plastic coating that protects the underlying layer of data on a DVD or CD, as long as the scratch isn't too deep.
Becky's solution: Polish the scratches with a little furniture cleaner, perhaps with a follow-up dose of car polish. Just be sure to start from the center of the disc and rub outward, in a straight line; whatever you do, don't rub in circles.
5. Work PCs that sign you out too quickly
Code-clearance NSA operatives performing top-secret data entry at secure terminals should probably skip this tip. For the rest of us, however, here's an easy way to keep your paranoid PC from signing you out the moment you turn away from the screen.
Becky's solution: Take off your watch (assuming you still have a watch, of course) and lay your mouse on top of its face; the ticking hands will fool the optics in your mouse into thinking it's still in motion.
6. Not enough D batteries for your flashlight
The power's out, and you've got your flashlight — minus one more D battery. D'oh!
Becky's solution: If you've got a spare C battery floating around in your junk drawer, you're in luck; just drop it into the D-cell slot and fill the remaining space with a stack of quarters. Sounds crazy, but Becky promises it'll work. (Just make sure to pick up some more D batteries the next time you're in the hardware store.) -Yahoo News
In this week's episode of Upgrade Your Life, Yahoo! News's Becky Worley delivers some simple, everyday solutions for what might appear to be daunting high-tech problems, starting with:
1. Touchscreen phones that won't work when you have gloves on
The capacitive touch displays on the latest and greatest Android and iOS handsets are tops when it comes to tapping out messages with a light touch. Winter gloves, however, will block the electrical charge from your fingertips that capacitive screens use to register a tap — bad news if you're trying to answer a call in a blizzard.
Becky's solution: Cut a tiny slit in your wool gloves (assuming you don't mind slicing up your winter wear) to allow a finger to pop out whenever you need to start tapping.
Don't want to cut holes in your gloves? Try the Pogo Stylus, a pencil-sized metallic stick with a specially made tip that works with capacitive displays.
2. Dirty cell phone cases
That case you bought for your smartphone looked pretty spiffy when you first slipped it on. After a few months, though, you'll be in for a rude shock when you take the case off and look inside. Where did all that gunk come from? On second thought, don't tell us.
Becky's solution: If it's a one-piece silicone case, just toss it in the dishwasher — done. Beware, though: Plastic cases with multiple, glued-on parts will come apart if you give them the dishwasher treatment.
3. Wet gadgets
News flash: Gadgets and water rarely mix. If you do manage to leave your cell phone, camera, or other battery-powered gear out in the rain — or worse, drop them in a toilet — the prognosis is usually pretty grim.
Becky's solution: Before you give up hope, try dropping your soaked gear into a Tupperware container full of rice to draw out the moisture. (Check out more details on this method from Popular Mechanics.) Or, as a general preventative measure to keep moisture away, save some silica gel packs (you know, the ones you'll find in boxes of new shoes or beef-jerky packages) and stuff them in your cell phone or camera case.
4. Scratched DVDs and CDs
There's nothing quite as annoying as a skipping music CD or a DVD that randomly jumps seconds or minutes ahead, without warning. In some cases, you might be dealing with a dirty laser in your CD or DVD deck; more often, however, the culprit is a scratched disc.
The good news is that it is possible to repair scratches in the polycarbonate plastic coating that protects the underlying layer of data on a DVD or CD, as long as the scratch isn't too deep.
Becky's solution: Polish the scratches with a little furniture cleaner, perhaps with a follow-up dose of car polish. Just be sure to start from the center of the disc and rub outward, in a straight line; whatever you do, don't rub in circles.
5. Work PCs that sign you out too quickly
Code-clearance NSA operatives performing top-secret data entry at secure terminals should probably skip this tip. For the rest of us, however, here's an easy way to keep your paranoid PC from signing you out the moment you turn away from the screen.
Becky's solution: Take off your watch (assuming you still have a watch, of course) and lay your mouse on top of its face; the ticking hands will fool the optics in your mouse into thinking it's still in motion.
6. Not enough D batteries for your flashlight
The power's out, and you've got your flashlight — minus one more D battery. D'oh!
Becky's solution: If you've got a spare C battery floating around in your junk drawer, you're in luck; just drop it into the D-cell slot and fill the remaining space with a stack of quarters. Sounds crazy, but Becky promises it'll work. (Just make sure to pick up some more D batteries the next time you're in the hardware store.) -Yahoo News
You Have To Love This Lawyer
Part of rebuilding New Orleans caused residents often to be challenged with the task of tracing home titles back potentially hundreds of years. With a community rich with history stretching back over two centuries, houses in New Orleans have been passed along through generations of family, sometimes making it quite difficult to establish ownership. Below is a case of one lawyer who dealt with the FHA on behalf of a client:
You have to love this lawyer …
After a New Orleans lawyer sought an FHA loan for a client, he was told the loan would be granted if he could prove satisfactory title to a parcel of property being offered as collateral. The title to the property dated back to 1803, which took the lawyer three months to track down. After sending the information to the FHA, he received the following reply from FHA.
You have to love this lawyer …
After a New Orleans lawyer sought an FHA loan for a client, he was told the loan would be granted if he could prove satisfactory title to a parcel of property being offered as collateral. The title to the property dated back to 1803, which took the lawyer three months to track down. After sending the information to the FHA, he received the following reply from FHA.
(Actual reply from FHA):
"Upon review of your letter adjoining your client's loan application, we note that the request is supported by an Abstract of Title. While we compliment the able manner in which you have prepared and presented the application, we must point out that you have only cleared title to the proposed collateral property back to 1803. Before final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary to clear the title back to its origin."
Annoyed, the lawyer responded as follows:
(Actual response to FHA):
"Your letter regarding the title of Case No. 189156 has been received. I note that you wish to have title extended further than the 206 years covered by the present application.
However, I was unaware that any educated person in this country, particularly those working in the property area, such as the FHA, would not know that Louisiana was purchased by the United States from France in 1803, the year of origin identified in our application.
For the edification of all uninformed FHA bureaucrats, the title to the land prior to U.S. ownership was obtained from France, which had acquired it by Right of Conquest from Spain. The land came into the possession of Spain by Right of Discovery made in the year 1492 by a sea captain named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege of seeking a new route to India by the Spanish monarch, Queen Isabella.
The good Queen Isabella, being a pious woman and almost as careful about titles as the FHA, took the precaution of securing the blessing of the Pope before she sold her jewels to finance Columbus' expedition.
Now, the Pope, as I'm sure you may know, is the emissary of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and God, it is commonly accepted, created this world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume that God also made that part of the world called Louisiana. God, therefore, would be the owner of origin and His origins date back to before the beginning of time and the world as we know it and hopefully the FHA.
I hope you find God's original claim to be satisfactory. Now, may we have our loan?"
The loan was immediately approved and granted.
Author Unknown
"Upon review of your letter adjoining your client's loan application, we note that the request is supported by an Abstract of Title. While we compliment the able manner in which you have prepared and presented the application, we must point out that you have only cleared title to the proposed collateral property back to 1803. Before final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary to clear the title back to its origin."
Annoyed, the lawyer responded as follows:
(Actual response to FHA):
"Your letter regarding the title of Case No. 189156 has been received. I note that you wish to have title extended further than the 206 years covered by the present application.
However, I was unaware that any educated person in this country, particularly those working in the property area, such as the FHA, would not know that Louisiana was purchased by the United States from France in 1803, the year of origin identified in our application.
For the edification of all uninformed FHA bureaucrats, the title to the land prior to U.S. ownership was obtained from France, which had acquired it by Right of Conquest from Spain. The land came into the possession of Spain by Right of Discovery made in the year 1492 by a sea captain named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege of seeking a new route to India by the Spanish monarch, Queen Isabella.
The good Queen Isabella, being a pious woman and almost as careful about titles as the FHA, took the precaution of securing the blessing of the Pope before she sold her jewels to finance Columbus' expedition.
Now, the Pope, as I'm sure you may know, is the emissary of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and God, it is commonly accepted, created this world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume that God also made that part of the world called Louisiana. God, therefore, would be the owner of origin and His origins date back to before the beginning of time and the world as we know it and hopefully the FHA.
I hope you find God's original claim to be satisfactory. Now, may we have our loan?"
The loan was immediately approved and granted.
Author Unknown
Jan 16, 2011
This Weeks Sound Off
Law Passed To Ban Picketing At Tucson Funerals
Arizona legislators quickly approved emergency legislation Tuesday to head off picketing by a Topeka, Kan., church near the funeral service for a 9-year-old girl who was killed in the Tucson shootings.
Unanimous votes by the House and Senate sent the bill to Gov. Jan Brewer for her expected signature. It would take effect immediately.
Without specifically mentioning the Tucson shooting, the proposed law prohibits protests at or near funeral sites.
Dozens of lawmakers co-sponsored the bill, and legislative action was completed within 90 minutes. The Senate's committee hearing took just three minutes.
The Westboro Baptist Church said Monday it plans to picket Thursday's funeral for Christina Taylor Green because "God sent the shooter to deal with idolatrous America." The fundamentalist church has picketed many military funerals to draw attention to its view that the deaths are God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.
"This is just horrific that ... people have to deal with this. We shouldn't have to do this in time of great pain for our state," said Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Phoenix Democrat.
The girl was the youngest of the six people killed during the shooting at an event held by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was among 14 people injured. Giffords was shot in the head and critically wounded.
Numerous states have passed laws restricting protests at funerals after members of the Westboro church began protesting at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Arizona legislation is modeled on an Ohio law that was upheld by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Sinema said.
The four-paragraph Arizona bill makes it a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail to picket or conduct other protest activities within 300 feet of a funeral or burial service — about the length of a football field. The prohibition applies from one hour before the event to one hour after.
Shirley Phelps-Roper, a church member and a daughter of its pastor, said the prohibition wouldn't matter because church members plan to picket at one of two intersections more than 1,000 feet from the church where the girl's service will be held.
Phelps-Roper also said church members plan picketing Friday in conjunction with a service for another victim of the shooting, U.S. District Judge John M. Roll.
Sen. Paula Aboud, a Tucson Democrat, said volunteers in Tucson were organizing a human shield to block the protesters from view of victim family members.
Sinema said the prohibition applies only to funeral and burial sites because courts have struck down picketing prohibitions for procession routes.
"This is a good compromise that doesn't trample our God-given rights," said Senate President Russell Pearce, a Mesa Republican.
Sen. Ron Gould, a Republican from Lake Havasu City, voted for the bill but earlier was the only senator who objected to suspending rules requiring several days of legislative consideration before a final vote.
Gould cited the public's right to know what lawmakers are considering. "And when we suspend those rules mistakes get made," he added. –MSN
It’s about time! There’s enough tongue lashing going around … it’s time to either slow or tone it down. Stopping it would be best! Unfortunately, civility has left the country. Arizona is the new brave America! We should be proud!
I’m just saying!
Arizona legislators quickly approved emergency legislation Tuesday to head off picketing by a Topeka, Kan., church near the funeral service for a 9-year-old girl who was killed in the Tucson shootings.
Unanimous votes by the House and Senate sent the bill to Gov. Jan Brewer for her expected signature. It would take effect immediately.
Without specifically mentioning the Tucson shooting, the proposed law prohibits protests at or near funeral sites.
Dozens of lawmakers co-sponsored the bill, and legislative action was completed within 90 minutes. The Senate's committee hearing took just three minutes.
The Westboro Baptist Church said Monday it plans to picket Thursday's funeral for Christina Taylor Green because "God sent the shooter to deal with idolatrous America." The fundamentalist church has picketed many military funerals to draw attention to its view that the deaths are God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.
"This is just horrific that ... people have to deal with this. We shouldn't have to do this in time of great pain for our state," said Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Phoenix Democrat.
The girl was the youngest of the six people killed during the shooting at an event held by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was among 14 people injured. Giffords was shot in the head and critically wounded.
Numerous states have passed laws restricting protests at funerals after members of the Westboro church began protesting at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Arizona legislation is modeled on an Ohio law that was upheld by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Sinema said.
The four-paragraph Arizona bill makes it a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail to picket or conduct other protest activities within 300 feet of a funeral or burial service — about the length of a football field. The prohibition applies from one hour before the event to one hour after.
Shirley Phelps-Roper, a church member and a daughter of its pastor, said the prohibition wouldn't matter because church members plan to picket at one of two intersections more than 1,000 feet from the church where the girl's service will be held.
Phelps-Roper also said church members plan picketing Friday in conjunction with a service for another victim of the shooting, U.S. District Judge John M. Roll.
Sen. Paula Aboud, a Tucson Democrat, said volunteers in Tucson were organizing a human shield to block the protesters from view of victim family members.
Sinema said the prohibition applies only to funeral and burial sites because courts have struck down picketing prohibitions for procession routes.
"This is a good compromise that doesn't trample our God-given rights," said Senate President Russell Pearce, a Mesa Republican.
Sen. Ron Gould, a Republican from Lake Havasu City, voted for the bill but earlier was the only senator who objected to suspending rules requiring several days of legislative consideration before a final vote.
Gould cited the public's right to know what lawmakers are considering. "And when we suspend those rules mistakes get made," he added. –MSN
It’s about time! There’s enough tongue lashing going around … it’s time to either slow or tone it down. Stopping it would be best! Unfortunately, civility has left the country. Arizona is the new brave America! We should be proud!
I’m just saying!
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MLK Snow Make-up Days Upset Civil Rights Groups
A decision by two Georgia counties to use the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to make up a snow day has infuriated civil rights leaders, who say the districts are insulting the civil rights icon in his home state.
Fannin and Gilmer counties in north Georgia are calling students to class on the federal holiday after school was wiped out for the week because of the epic snowstorm that paralyzed the state.
The superintendents from the districts said they had little choice to start making up for nine days missed because of the foul winter weather this school year. But civil rights leaders said the decision was an insult to King and shows disrespect for the holiday in his name.
"It's an opportunity for people, black and white, to reflect on what King's dream meant for blacks and whites," said Georgia State Conference NAACP President Edward DuBose. "And it's humiliating to hear that school districts want to take a snow day rather than to honor Dr. King's legacy." -Read more at SunNews
Frankly, I don’t believe that Dr. King would have objected to students making up lost school days on his birthday (holiday). The NAACP needs to get over it! After all, what’s more important? Education or a day off? Personally, I believe education is by far more important than having the day off. After all, for most American’s, it’s just a day off and nothing more.
I’m just saying.
Locally Speaking
Dixie Stampede Heads Into Sunset
When the applause dies after tonight's final show at Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, it will mark the close of the popular dinner show's 19-year history as a beloved Grand Strand attraction.
Soon, the show's buckaroos will be replaced by buccaneers.
The arena that has been home to horses and buffalo will be transformed into a watery wonderland with an indoor lake where pirates will roam. Pirates Voyage Fun, Feast & Adventure is set to open in June. –Read more at SunNews
Appeared in paper on Dec 31-10
When the applause dies after tonight's final show at Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, it will mark the close of the popular dinner show's 19-year history as a beloved Grand Strand attraction.
Soon, the show's buckaroos will be replaced by buccaneers.
The arena that has been home to horses and buffalo will be transformed into a watery wonderland with an indoor lake where pirates will roam. Pirates Voyage Fun, Feast & Adventure is set to open in June. –Read more at SunNews
Appeared in paper on Dec 31-10
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Pat Boone Family Theater Replaces NASCAR Cafe In Myrtle Beach
A new theater named for a famous singer could open in Myrtle Beach as early as March, a representative of the entertainment company behind the theater said Thursday.
The Pat Boone Family Theater will open this spring in the former NASCAR Cafe at the corner of U.S. 17 and 21st Avenue North in Myrtle Beach, said Glenn W. Milligan, president and chief executive of Liquid Metal Holdings.
The theater will open May 1 at the latest for the start of the peak tourist season, Milligan said. The location was chosen because of the high volume of traffic through the intersection, he said.
Boone, who rose to fame in the 1950s and '60s and continues to record pop and Christian music, will help book acts for the theater and will also perform several shows each year, Milligan said. –Read more at SunNews
Ragbag Headliners
-- Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay sentenced to at least three years in prison in money-laundering case, judge rules. –CNN Reports
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Civil War Message Opened, Decoded: No Help Coming
A glass vial stopped with a cork during the Civil War has been opened, revealing a coded message to the desperate Confederate commander in Vicksburg on the day the Mississippi city fell to Union forces 147 years ago.
The dispatch offered no hope to doomed Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton: Reinforcements are not on the way.
The encrypted, 6-line message was dated July 4, 1863, the date of Pemberton's surrender to Union forces led by Ulysses S. Grant, ending the Siege of Vicksburg in what historians say was a turning point midway into the Civil War.
The message is from a Confederate commander on the west side of the Mississippi River across from Pemberton.
"He's saying, 'I can't help you. I have no troops, I have no supplies, I have no way to get over there,' " Museum of the Confederacy collections manager Catherine M. Wright said of the author of the dispiriting message. "It was just another punctuation mark to just how desperate and dire everything was."
The bottle, less than 2 inches in length, had sat undisturbed at the museum since 1896. It was a gift from Capt. William A. Smith, of King George County, who served during the Vicksburg siege.
It was Wright who decided to investigate the contents of the strange little bottle containing a tightly wrapped note, a .38-caliber bullet and a white thread.
"Just sort of a curiosity thing," said Wright. "This notion of, do we have any idea what his message says?"
The answer was no.
Wright asked a local art conservator, Scott Nolley, to examine the clear vial before she attempted to open it. He looked at the bottle under an electron microscope and discovered that salt had bonded the cork tightly to the bottle's mouth. He put the bottle on a hotplate to expand the glass, used a scalpel to loosen the cork, then gently plucked it out with tweezers.
The sewing thread was looped around the 6 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch paper, which was folded to fit into the bottle. The rolled message was removed and taken to a paper conservator, who successfully unfurled the message.
But the coded message, which appears to be a random collection of letters, did not reveal itself immediately.
Eager to learn the meaning of the code, Wright took the message home for the weekend to decipher. She had no success.
A retired CIA code breaker, David Gaddy, was contacted, and he cracked the code in several weeks.
A Navy cryptologist independently confirmed Gaddy's interpretation. Cmdr. John B. Hunter, an information warfare officer, said he deciphered the code over two weeks while on deployment aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. A computer could have unscrambled the words in a fraction of the time.
"To me, it was not that difficult," he said. "I had fun with this and it took me longer than I should have."
The code is called the "Vigenere cipher," a centuries-old encryption in which letters of the alphabet are shifted a set number of places so an "a" would become a "d" — essentially, creating words with different letter combinations.
The code was widely used by Southern forces during the Civil War, according to Civil War Times Illustrated.
The source of the message was likely Maj. Gen. John G. Walker, of the Texas Division, who had under his command William Smith, the donor of the bottle.
The full text of the message to Pemberton reads:
"Gen'l Pemberton:
You can expect no help from this side of the river. Let Gen'l Johnston know, if possible, when you can attack the same point on the enemy's lines. Inform me also and I will endeavor to make a diversion. I have sent some caps (explosive devices). I subjoin a despatch from General Johnston."
The last line, Wright said, seems to suggest a separate delivery to Pemberton would be the code to break the message.
"The date of this message clearly indicates that this person has no idea that the city is about to be surrendered," she said.
The Johnston mention in the dispatch is Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, whose 32,000 troops were encamped south of Vicksburg and prevented from assisting Pemberton by Grant's 35,000 Union troops. Pemberton had held out hope that Johnston would eventually come to his aid.
The message was dispatched during an especially terrible time in Vicksburg. Grant was unsuccessful in defeating Pemberton's troops on two occasions, so the Union commander instead decided to encircle the city and block the flow of supplies or support.
Many in the city resorted to eating cats, dogs and leather. Soup was made from wallpaper paste.
After a six-week siege, Pemberton relented. Vicksburg, so scarred by the experience, refused to celebrate July 4 for the next 80 years.
So what about the bullet in the bottom of the bottle?
Wright suspects the messenger was instructed to toss the bottle into the river if Union troops intercepted his passage. The weight of the bullet would have carried the corked bottle to the bottom, she said.
For Pemberton, the bottle is symbolic of his lost cause: the bad news never made it to him.
The Confederate messenger probably arrived to the river's edge and saw a U.S. flag flying over the city.
"He figured out what was going on and said, 'Well, this is pointless,' and turned back," Wright said. –Yahoo News
It was Wright who decided to investigate the contents of the strange little bottle containing a tightly wrapped note, a .38-caliber bullet and a white thread.
"Just sort of a curiosity thing," said Wright. "This notion of, do we have any idea what his message says?"
The answer was no.
Wright asked a local art conservator, Scott Nolley, to examine the clear vial before she attempted to open it. He looked at the bottle under an electron microscope and discovered that salt had bonded the cork tightly to the bottle's mouth. He put the bottle on a hotplate to expand the glass, used a scalpel to loosen the cork, then gently plucked it out with tweezers.
The sewing thread was looped around the 6 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch paper, which was folded to fit into the bottle. The rolled message was removed and taken to a paper conservator, who successfully unfurled the message.
But the coded message, which appears to be a random collection of letters, did not reveal itself immediately.
Eager to learn the meaning of the code, Wright took the message home for the weekend to decipher. She had no success.
A retired CIA code breaker, David Gaddy, was contacted, and he cracked the code in several weeks.
A Navy cryptologist independently confirmed Gaddy's interpretation. Cmdr. John B. Hunter, an information warfare officer, said he deciphered the code over two weeks while on deployment aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. A computer could have unscrambled the words in a fraction of the time.
"To me, it was not that difficult," he said. "I had fun with this and it took me longer than I should have."
The code is called the "Vigenere cipher," a centuries-old encryption in which letters of the alphabet are shifted a set number of places so an "a" would become a "d" — essentially, creating words with different letter combinations.
The code was widely used by Southern forces during the Civil War, according to Civil War Times Illustrated.
The source of the message was likely Maj. Gen. John G. Walker, of the Texas Division, who had under his command William Smith, the donor of the bottle.
The full text of the message to Pemberton reads:
"Gen'l Pemberton:
You can expect no help from this side of the river. Let Gen'l Johnston know, if possible, when you can attack the same point on the enemy's lines. Inform me also and I will endeavor to make a diversion. I have sent some caps (explosive devices). I subjoin a despatch from General Johnston."
The last line, Wright said, seems to suggest a separate delivery to Pemberton would be the code to break the message.
"The date of this message clearly indicates that this person has no idea that the city is about to be surrendered," she said.
The Johnston mention in the dispatch is Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, whose 32,000 troops were encamped south of Vicksburg and prevented from assisting Pemberton by Grant's 35,000 Union troops. Pemberton had held out hope that Johnston would eventually come to his aid.
The message was dispatched during an especially terrible time in Vicksburg. Grant was unsuccessful in defeating Pemberton's troops on two occasions, so the Union commander instead decided to encircle the city and block the flow of supplies or support.
Many in the city resorted to eating cats, dogs and leather. Soup was made from wallpaper paste.
After a six-week siege, Pemberton relented. Vicksburg, so scarred by the experience, refused to celebrate July 4 for the next 80 years.
So what about the bullet in the bottom of the bottle?
Wright suspects the messenger was instructed to toss the bottle into the river if Union troops intercepted his passage. The weight of the bullet would have carried the corked bottle to the bottom, she said.
For Pemberton, the bottle is symbolic of his lost cause: the bad news never made it to him.
The Confederate messenger probably arrived to the river's edge and saw a U.S. flag flying over the city.
"He figured out what was going on and said, 'Well, this is pointless,' and turned back," Wright said. –Yahoo News
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Are we too obsessed with Facebook?
Facebook profiles are like belly buttons: Everybody's got one.
Perhaps that statement's still a bit of an exaggeration, but by the numbers, we (that is, Internet users around the globe) are becoming more obsessed with Facebook by the day.
One out of every 13 Earthlings and three out of four Americans is on Facebook, and one out of 26 signs into Facebook on a daily basis.
We could rattle off stats like until the cows come home, but instead, we'd like to show you this fascinating infographic from SocialHype and OnlineSchools.org.
Here, in a visual nutshell (click here), are some highlights about Facebook usage, 2010 trends, adoption numbers and a great deal more.
Take a good look at this information (or click here for the full-size version), and in the comments, let us know what you think about our global fascination with Facebook.
Is Facebook an amazing connective medium? A plague that preys on the easily addicted? A little bit of both, or something else entirely? -CNN Tech
Blog Stats
2010
Life At The Beach – 2471 visitors
Journal – 1470 visitors
Faith – 1290 visitors
Odeum – 576 visitors
Pj Dezigns – 196 visitors
Total Visitors For 2010
3963
To All Who Have Visited, Thank You!
If you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment.
Journal – 1470 visitors
Faith – 1290 visitors
Odeum – 576 visitors
Pj Dezigns – 196 visitors
Total Visitors For 2010
3963
To All Who Have Visited, Thank You!
If you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment.
The Irishman And The Mormon
A Mormon happened to sit next to an Irishman on a flight from London to New York.
After the plane was airborne and had reached its assigned cruising altitude, the flight attendant came around to take drink orders. The Irishman asked for a whiskey, which was promptly brought and placed before him.
The flight attendant then asked the Mormon if he, too, would like a drink.
The Mormon replied in disgust, 'I'd rather be savagely raped by a dozen whores than let liquor touch my lips.'
The Irishman then handed his drink back to the attendant and said, 'Me, too. I didn't know we had a choice."
Author Unknown
After the plane was airborne and had reached its assigned cruising altitude, the flight attendant came around to take drink orders. The Irishman asked for a whiskey, which was promptly brought and placed before him.
The flight attendant then asked the Mormon if he, too, would like a drink.
The Mormon replied in disgust, 'I'd rather be savagely raped by a dozen whores than let liquor touch my lips.'
The Irishman then handed his drink back to the attendant and said, 'Me, too. I didn't know we had a choice."
Author Unknown
A Rminder In History
Do you believe that the media is our biggest enemy?
General Giap was a brilliant, highly respected leader of the North Vietnam military. The following quote is from his memoirs currently found in the Vietnam War Memorial in Hanoi :
"What we still don't understand is why Americans stopped the bombing of Hanoi . They had us on the ropes. If they had pressed us a little harder, just for another day or two, we were ready to surrender! It was the same at the battle of Tet. America defeated us! We knew it, and we thought they knew it. But we were elated to notice that the American media was helping us. They were causing more disruption in America than we could in the battlefields. We were ready to surrender. They had won!"
General Giap has published his memoirs and confirmed what most Americans knew. The Vietnam War was not lost in Vietnam --- it was lost at home. The same slippery slope, sponsored by the US media, is currently underway. It exposes the enormous power of a biased media to cut out the heart and will of the American public.
A truism worth noting: Do not fear the enemy for they can take only your life. Fear the media for they will destroy your honor.
Source Unknown
"What we still don't understand is why Americans stopped the bombing of Hanoi . They had us on the ropes. If they had pressed us a little harder, just for another day or two, we were ready to surrender! It was the same at the battle of Tet. America defeated us! We knew it, and we thought they knew it. But we were elated to notice that the American media was helping us. They were causing more disruption in America than we could in the battlefields. We were ready to surrender. They had won!"
General Giap has published his memoirs and confirmed what most Americans knew. The Vietnam War was not lost in Vietnam --- it was lost at home. The same slippery slope, sponsored by the US media, is currently underway. It exposes the enormous power of a biased media to cut out the heart and will of the American public.
A truism worth noting: Do not fear the enemy for they can take only your life. Fear the media for they will destroy your honor.
Source Unknown
Jan 8, 2011
This Weeks Sound Off
National Geographic: Grand Strand Among The Worst Coastal Destinations
A panel of 340 tourism authorities has ranked the Grand Strand among the worst coastal destinations in the world, according to a report by National Geographic Traveler magazine.
The Grand Strand was rated the eighth worst out of the 99 destinations rated. The area tied with three other destinations in Vietnam, Lebanon and Spain.
The index rates stewardship and integrity of a destination and the survey of experts was conducted by National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations. The results appeared in the November/December issue of National Geographic Traveler.
The report criticizes the area's over-development with one critic calling it, "the definition of unsustainable." State parks in the area are worth visiting, it said.
While the names of some panelists are listed in the report, individual comments made by the experts were kept anonymous. Here's one example:
"A tourism disaster. After my first visit I vowed never to return. Development is rampant and feels out of control. The quality of attractions is terrible. Uber-consumerism is everywhere. However, the region around Myrtle Beach has lovely state parks, beach areas and some small villages. If I were to ever be coaxed back to the region, that is where I would spend all of my time."
The destinations were rated on the following criteria: environmental and ecological quality; social and cultural integrity; condition of historic buildings and archaeological sites; aesthetic appeal; quality of tourism management; and outlook for the future. –SunNews
After reading the above article, I sat and pondered its content and scratching my head I though to myself … Yes, No? After moments of pondering I have to conclude, there is some good points within the article, and the entire piece isn’t all that far off. The only thing I question is, is it really all that bad? No it isn’t!
Yes, the beach front is inundated with high-rises and resorts. There’s no real beach for it is very commercial in nature. But it’s our coastline and for whatever its attraction is, during the summer it is over crowded with visitors. Therefore, it really can’t be all that bad … and guests here spend money!
Myrtle Beach is the cheaper destination. Compared to Charleston, SC., yeah, Myrtle Beach is a money saviors paradise. Plus, Myrtle Beach is centrally located. We are two hours from Charleston to the south. And an hour and a half to the north is Wilmington, NC. Both cities I highly recommend to visit. From Wilmington down to Charleston, and on down to Savannah, GA, the trail is rich with history … good ol’ Southern hospitality and history. And like the article stated, we do have some beautiful State Parks. This part of South Carolina, though urban it may be, it’s a reasonable and friendly place to visit.
I’m Just saying!
A panel of 340 tourism authorities has ranked the Grand Strand among the worst coastal destinations in the world, according to a report by National Geographic Traveler magazine.
The Grand Strand was rated the eighth worst out of the 99 destinations rated. The area tied with three other destinations in Vietnam, Lebanon and Spain.
The index rates stewardship and integrity of a destination and the survey of experts was conducted by National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations. The results appeared in the November/December issue of National Geographic Traveler.
The report criticizes the area's over-development with one critic calling it, "the definition of unsustainable." State parks in the area are worth visiting, it said.
While the names of some panelists are listed in the report, individual comments made by the experts were kept anonymous. Here's one example:
"A tourism disaster. After my first visit I vowed never to return. Development is rampant and feels out of control. The quality of attractions is terrible. Uber-consumerism is everywhere. However, the region around Myrtle Beach has lovely state parks, beach areas and some small villages. If I were to ever be coaxed back to the region, that is where I would spend all of my time."
The destinations were rated on the following criteria: environmental and ecological quality; social and cultural integrity; condition of historic buildings and archaeological sites; aesthetic appeal; quality of tourism management; and outlook for the future. –SunNews
After reading the above article, I sat and pondered its content and scratching my head I though to myself … Yes, No? After moments of pondering I have to conclude, there is some good points within the article, and the entire piece isn’t all that far off. The only thing I question is, is it really all that bad? No it isn’t!
Yes, the beach front is inundated with high-rises and resorts. There’s no real beach for it is very commercial in nature. But it’s our coastline and for whatever its attraction is, during the summer it is over crowded with visitors. Therefore, it really can’t be all that bad … and guests here spend money!
Myrtle Beach is the cheaper destination. Compared to Charleston, SC., yeah, Myrtle Beach is a money saviors paradise. Plus, Myrtle Beach is centrally located. We are two hours from Charleston to the south. And an hour and a half to the north is Wilmington, NC. Both cities I highly recommend to visit. From Wilmington down to Charleston, and on down to Savannah, GA, the trail is rich with history … good ol’ Southern hospitality and history. And like the article stated, we do have some beautiful State Parks. This part of South Carolina, though urban it may be, it’s a reasonable and friendly place to visit.
I’m Just saying!
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Iceland Elects Ordinary Folk To Draft Constitution
Iceland's getting a new constitution — and it's really going to be the voice of the people.
The sparsely-populated volcanic island is holding an unusual election Saturday to select ordinary citizens to cobble together a new charter, an exercise in direct democracy born out of the outrage and soul-searching that followed the nation's economic meltdown.
Hundreds of people are vying for the chance to be among up to 31 people who will form the Constitutional Assembly slated to convene early next year — a source of huge pride for Icelanders who have seen their egos take a beating in recent years.
"This is the first time in the history of the world that a nation's constitution is reviewed in such a way, by direct democratic process," says Berghildur Erla Bergthorsdottir, spokeswoman for the committee entrusted with organizing the Constitutional Assembly.
Iceland has never written its own constitution. After gaining independence from Denmark in 1944, it took the Danish constitution, amended a few clauses to state that it was now an independent republic, and substituted the word 'president' for 'king.' A comprehensive review of the constitution has been on the agenda ever since. –Read more at Yahoo News
If we American’s were to rewrite our constitution, I wonder what it’s final draft would read? Would we keep all or none of it’s rights and guarantees? Or would we write a more nationalistic document? Would be interesting to find out don’t you think?
I’m just saying!
Locally Speaking
The Market Common In Myrtle Beach Sold Out Of Foreclosure
Myrtle Beach retail and residential center The Market Common has been sold out of foreclosure to BEI-Beach LLC, according to a written release from an attorney involved in the sale.
Gregory Maloney, court-appointed receiver for The Market Common, conducted the sale, said Franklin Daniels, Maloney's attorney, in a written statement.
Staff at stores and restaurants in The Market Common said Friday that they planned to continue to operate normally. Lenders filed a foreclosure suit against the center in May after owners failed to make loan payments. –Read more at SunNews
Myrtle Beach retail and residential center The Market Common has been sold out of foreclosure to BEI-Beach LLC, according to a written release from an attorney involved in the sale.
Gregory Maloney, court-appointed receiver for The Market Common, conducted the sale, said Franklin Daniels, Maloney's attorney, in a written statement.
Staff at stores and restaurants in The Market Common said Friday that they planned to continue to operate normally. Lenders filed a foreclosure suit against the center in May after owners failed to make loan payments. –Read more at SunNews
Ragbag Headliners
Defendants With Limited English Have Right To Interpreter
Defendants with limited English-language skills have a constitutional right to court interpreters in criminal trials, the Supreme Court of Georgia ruled Monday.
The ruling came in a case involving a Mandarin Chinese speaker who was sentenced to 10 years in prison on two counts of cruelty to a child. Annie Ling, who had limited English language skills, did not understand that she had the option to plead guilty instead of going to trial and possibly facing a longer sentence, said the American Civil Liberties Union, one of two groups that filed a friend-of-the-court brief stating that denying a defendant an interpreter violates the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws.
"The court acknowledged that we don't have two systems of justice in this country -- one for English speakers and another for everyone else," said Azadeh Shahshahani, director of the National Security/Immigrants' Rights Project at the ACLU of Georgia. "The constitutional guarantee of due process applies to everyone in this country, not just fluent English speakers." -Read more at CNN Justice
Defendants with limited English-language skills have a constitutional right to court interpreters in criminal trials, the Supreme Court of Georgia ruled Monday.
The ruling came in a case involving a Mandarin Chinese speaker who was sentenced to 10 years in prison on two counts of cruelty to a child. Annie Ling, who had limited English language skills, did not understand that she had the option to plead guilty instead of going to trial and possibly facing a longer sentence, said the American Civil Liberties Union, one of two groups that filed a friend-of-the-court brief stating that denying a defendant an interpreter violates the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws.
"The court acknowledged that we don't have two systems of justice in this country -- one for English speakers and another for everyone else," said Azadeh Shahshahani, director of the National Security/Immigrants' Rights Project at the ACLU of Georgia. "The constitutional guarantee of due process applies to everyone in this country, not just fluent English speakers." -Read more at CNN Justice
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Huck Finn Gets Some Changes
Acclaimed by critics, scholars, and -- of course -- readers, Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is one of the great American novels. The book has been reprinted countless times, adapted into movies, and translated into just about every language under the sun. But should it be updated for today's times?
News that the manuscript would undergo some changes sent shockwaves through the Search box. According to Publishers Weekly, NewSouth Books plans to release a version of "Huck Finn" that cuts the "n" word and replaces it with "slave." The slur "injun," referring to Native Americans, will also be replaced.
It's important to note that in using the words, Twain was critiquing racism, not endorsing it. Also important: These changes affect just one version of the classic novel, and won't apply to all the printings. Regardless, public response has been swift. Almost immediately, Web searches on "huck finn censored" and "huckleberry finn changes" spiked into breakout status.
The reponse on Twitter has been equally thunderous. Many of the comments appear to be against the changes. One person sarcastically writes, "I love when people erase racism and pretend it never happened." Still, not everyone is outraged. One respondent writes that it is "awkward being the only black kid in class and having to read it." Another points out that the original is in the public domain and still available to anyone who wants to read it.
A popular column for Entertainment Weekly asks whether this is all such a bad thing. Is it so different, the column asks, from editing "The Godfather" so it can be shown on network television? With this new version of "Huck Finn," more people, including young readers, will be able to enjoy it. Does that make the changes worth it?
We don't know the answer, but it's a question worth thinking about. Either way, the novel will survive the controversy. "Huck Finn" was first published in 1884, and it was just a year later when people began to wonder if the book should be banned. The more things change. - Yahoo News
6 Alternate Uses for Your Freezer
Don't you just hate the kernels of popcorn that are left at the bottom of the bowl? Eliminate the popcorn duds by keeping your unpopped supply in the freezer.
Remove wax from candlesticks
Grandma's heirloom silver candlesticks will get a new life if you place them in the freezer and then pick off the accumulated wax drippings. But don't do this if your candlesticks are made from more than one type of metal. The metals can expand and contract at different rates and damage the candlesticks.
Extend candle life
Place candles in the freezer for at least two hours before burning. They will last longer.
Unstick photos
Picture this: Water spills on a batch of photographs, causing them to stick together. If you pull them apart, your pictures will be ruined. Don't be so hasty. Stick them in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Then use a butter knife to gingerly separate the photos. If they don't come free, place them back in the freezer. This works for envelopes and stamps too.
Clean a pot
Your favorite pot has been left on the stove too long, and now you've got a burned-on mess to clean up. Place the pot in the freezer for a couple of hours. When the burned food becomes frozen, it will be easier to remove.
Remove odors
Got a musty-smelling book or a plastic container with a fish odor? Place them in the freezer overnight. By morning they'll be fresh again. This works with almost any other small item that has a bad smell you want to get rid of. –Shine
Wow, She Mush Have Been Good
Wow, she must have been really good at her job.
At the top right hand corner of page 17 of the New York Post, January 24, 2009, was a column entitled, "Replacing Michelle" in the National Review, The Week.
Here it is below as it appeared:
"Some employees are simply irreplaceable. Take Michelle Obama: The University of Chicago Medical center hired her in 2002 to run 'programs for community relations, neighborhood outreach, volunteer recruitment, staff diversity and minority contracting'.
In 2005 the hospital raised her salary from $120,000 to $317,000 - nearly twice what her husband made as a Senator.
Her husband, Barak Obama, had just become a US Senator. He sure had. He requested a $1 million earmark for the UC Medical Center, in fact. Way to network, Michelle!
Now that Mrs.... Obama has resigned, the hospital says her position will remain unfilled. How can that be, if the work she did was vital enough to be worth $317,000 ?
Let me add that Michelle's position was a part time, 20 hour a week job."
My thoughts: How did this bit of quid pro quo corruption escape the sharp reporters that dug through Sarah Palin's garbage and kindergarten files?
I hope this is forwarded so many times that the media will HAVE to cover it.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.
Recession is when your neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose your job. Recovery is when Obama loses his job! -Author Unknown
At the top right hand corner of page 17 of the New York Post, January 24, 2009, was a column entitled, "Replacing Michelle" in the National Review, The Week.
Here it is below as it appeared:
"Some employees are simply irreplaceable. Take Michelle Obama: The University of Chicago Medical center hired her in 2002 to run 'programs for community relations, neighborhood outreach, volunteer recruitment, staff diversity and minority contracting'.
In 2005 the hospital raised her salary from $120,000 to $317,000 - nearly twice what her husband made as a Senator.
Her husband, Barak Obama, had just become a US Senator. He sure had. He requested a $1 million earmark for the UC Medical Center, in fact. Way to network, Michelle!
Now that Mrs.... Obama has resigned, the hospital says her position will remain unfilled. How can that be, if the work she did was vital enough to be worth $317,000 ?
Let me add that Michelle's position was a part time, 20 hour a week job."
My thoughts: How did this bit of quid pro quo corruption escape the sharp reporters that dug through Sarah Palin's garbage and kindergarten files?
I hope this is forwarded so many times that the media will HAVE to cover it.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.
Recession is when your neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose your job. Recovery is when Obama loses his job! -Author Unknown
Welcome to the new a la carte airline service.
Attendant: Welcome aboard A la Carte Air. Sir, may I see your ticket?
Passenger: Sure.
Attendant: You're in seat 12B. That will be $5, please.
Passenger: What for?
Attendant: For telling you where to sit.
Passenger: But I already knew where to sit.
Attendant: Nevertheless, we now charge a seat locator fee of $5. It's the airline's new policy.
Passenger: That's the craziest thing I ever heard. I won't pay it.
Attendant: Sir, do you want a seat on this flight or not?
Passenger: Yes. . .Aw, all right, I'll pay but the airline is going to hear about this.
Attendant: Thank you. Your carry-on bag needs to be stowed. Would you like me to put it in the overhead compartment?
Passenger: That would be swell. Thanks.
Attendant: No problem. Up we go,and done! That will be $10, please.
Passenger: What?
Attendant: The airline now charges a $10 carry-on stowing assistance fee.
Passenger: This is extortion. I won't stand for it.
Attendant: You're right, you can't stand. You need to sit and fasten your seatbelt. But first I need the $10.
Passenger: No way!
Attendant: Sir, if you don't comply, I'd have to call the air marshal. And you really don't want me to do that.
Passenger: Why not? Is he going to shoot me?
Attendant: No, but there's a $50 air-marshal hailing fee.
Passenger: Oh, all right, here, take the $10. I can't believe this.
Attendant: Thank you for your cooperation, sir. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Passenger: Yes. It's stuffy in here, and my overhead fan doesn't seem to work. Can you fix it?
Attendant: Your overhead fan is working, sir. Just place 50 cents in the overhead coin slot for the first 5 minutes.
Passenger: The airline is charging me for cabin air?
Attendant: No, sir. Stagnant cabin air is free of charge. It's the circulating air that costs 50 cents.
Passenger: I don't have any quarters. Can you make change for a dollar?
Attendant: Certainly, sir! Here you go!
Passenger: You gave me only three quarters for my dollar?
Attendant: There's a change-making fee of 25 cents, sir.
Passenger: For cryin' out loud. All I have left is a lousy quarter?
Attendant: Hang on to it. You'll need it for the lavatory.
Author Unknown
Passenger: Sure.
Attendant: You're in seat 12B. That will be $5, please.
Passenger: What for?
Attendant: For telling you where to sit.
Passenger: But I already knew where to sit.
Attendant: Nevertheless, we now charge a seat locator fee of $5. It's the airline's new policy.
Passenger: That's the craziest thing I ever heard. I won't pay it.
Attendant: Sir, do you want a seat on this flight or not?
Passenger: Yes. . .Aw, all right, I'll pay but the airline is going to hear about this.
Attendant: Thank you. Your carry-on bag needs to be stowed. Would you like me to put it in the overhead compartment?
Passenger: That would be swell. Thanks.
Attendant: No problem. Up we go,and done! That will be $10, please.
Passenger: What?
Attendant: The airline now charges a $10 carry-on stowing assistance fee.
Passenger: This is extortion. I won't stand for it.
Attendant: You're right, you can't stand. You need to sit and fasten your seatbelt. But first I need the $10.
Passenger: No way!
Attendant: Sir, if you don't comply, I'd have to call the air marshal. And you really don't want me to do that.
Passenger: Why not? Is he going to shoot me?
Attendant: No, but there's a $50 air-marshal hailing fee.
Passenger: Oh, all right, here, take the $10. I can't believe this.
Attendant: Thank you for your cooperation, sir. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Passenger: Yes. It's stuffy in here, and my overhead fan doesn't seem to work. Can you fix it?
Attendant: Your overhead fan is working, sir. Just place 50 cents in the overhead coin slot for the first 5 minutes.
Passenger: The airline is charging me for cabin air?
Attendant: No, sir. Stagnant cabin air is free of charge. It's the circulating air that costs 50 cents.
Passenger: I don't have any quarters. Can you make change for a dollar?
Attendant: Certainly, sir! Here you go!
Passenger: You gave me only three quarters for my dollar?
Attendant: There's a change-making fee of 25 cents, sir.
Passenger: For cryin' out loud. All I have left is a lousy quarter?
Attendant: Hang on to it. You'll need it for the lavatory.
Author Unknown
Jan 1, 2011
Jeff Foxworthy And The Taliban
YOU MAY BE A TALIBAN IF...
1. You refine heroin for a living, but you have a moral objection to liquor.
2. You own a $3,000 machine gun and $5,000 rocket launcher, but prefer cheap slippers to shoes.
3. You have more wives & concubines than teeth.
4. You wipe your butt with your bare hand, but consider bacon "unclean".
5. You think vests come in two styles: bullet-proof and suicide.
6. You can't think of anyone you haven't declared jihad against.
7. You consider television dangerous, but routinely carry explosives in your clothing.
8. You're amazed to discover that cell phones have uses other than setting off roadside bombs.
9. You have nothing against women and believe every man is entitled to have four wives.
10. You've always had a crush on your neighbor's goat.
11. Your cousin is [the current "pretending-to-be"] President of the United States.
Author Unknown
Half-baked Idea Undermines Constitution
"Just Cookies" bakery in Indianapolis has come under severe criticism and threat of eviction from the mayor's office and perhaps a fine from the city's Human Rights Commission. The owners chose not to be a part of using their talents for the promotion of a homosexual event. They did not refuse to serve or sell cookies off the shelf to a homosexual at the counter -- they merely declined an order of uniquely designed cupcakes, which they would have had to make specifically for a politically inspired "National Coming Out Day" at a local college campus.
The Constitution protects Americans from being forced to promote messages and ideas against their will. Surely, something as controversial and as medically, spiritually, and psychologically suspect as the homosexual lifestyle is one of those moral matters upon which the right of conscience should be protected.
The critics of Just Cookies point to a controversial city ordinance that passed a few days before Christmas of 2005. Proposal 622 narrowly passed on its third attempt that year. This occurred only after a councilor traded votes on a police consolidation proposal in exchange for passage of his "sexual orientation" ordinance. Indianapolis is one of only a handful of Indiana cities that equate homosexual behavior with the benign genetic and immutable traits of race or skin color.
Constitution signer William Livingston noted: "Consciences of men are not the objects of human legislation." A questionable local ordinance should not trump the rights of conscience, religion, or even the right to remain silent enumerated in the Constitution. The owners of Just Cookies should have the right to say "no" to being part of a homosexual recruitment event. Just Cookies shouldn't be intimidated by the mayor's office or by homosexual demands groups into using their business to advance a political agenda that violates their core beliefs.
Thomas Jefferson observed that "no provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience." Those attacking this business demonstrate a stunning disregard for the liberties protected by the First Amendment and other tenets of the Constitution.
Homosexual-"rights" groups see this as discrimination. In fact, they often see anything which does not fully embrace their lifestyle as discriminatory -- rather than as a difference of moral viewpoints. This may explain why a similar "discrimination" ordinance in Philadelphia was later used in an effort to evict the Boy Scouts from a building they had occupied for over 100 years. The Salvation Army, which like the Scouts does not accept homosexual leaders, has also been targeted by sexual orientation ordinances in Michigan and Chicago. "Tolerance" no longer means diversity of opinion; it means "embrace homosexual politics and beliefs or else."
We all know that the activists attacking this business would be singing a different tune if a homosexual-owned business were being forced to promote a message with which it disagreed, like protecting marriage between a man and a woman. If a Muslim-owned business were approached by a Jew and asked to make cookies in the shape of the Star of David, would the city have this same reaction when they said "no"? I doubt it. It seems that these types of controversies always surround the issue of forcing an acceptance of homosexuality.
Since this controversy, business at Just Cookies has been booming. Hundreds have purchased cookies and stopped by just to encourage the owners for standing for the values that most Hoosiers hold. Thousands more have contacted the mayor's office to complain about his position. Most Hoosiers understand that it's one thing to approach the counter and order a cookie. It's quite another to use the power of a city or political coercion to force someone to promote ideas against his or her will. –OneNewsNow
By Micah Clark - Guest Columnist
The Constitution protects Americans from being forced to promote messages and ideas against their will. Surely, something as controversial and as medically, spiritually, and psychologically suspect as the homosexual lifestyle is one of those moral matters upon which the right of conscience should be protected.
The critics of Just Cookies point to a controversial city ordinance that passed a few days before Christmas of 2005. Proposal 622 narrowly passed on its third attempt that year. This occurred only after a councilor traded votes on a police consolidation proposal in exchange for passage of his "sexual orientation" ordinance. Indianapolis is one of only a handful of Indiana cities that equate homosexual behavior with the benign genetic and immutable traits of race or skin color.
Constitution signer William Livingston noted: "Consciences of men are not the objects of human legislation." A questionable local ordinance should not trump the rights of conscience, religion, or even the right to remain silent enumerated in the Constitution. The owners of Just Cookies should have the right to say "no" to being part of a homosexual recruitment event. Just Cookies shouldn't be intimidated by the mayor's office or by homosexual demands groups into using their business to advance a political agenda that violates their core beliefs.
Thomas Jefferson observed that "no provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience." Those attacking this business demonstrate a stunning disregard for the liberties protected by the First Amendment and other tenets of the Constitution.
Homosexual-"rights" groups see this as discrimination. In fact, they often see anything which does not fully embrace their lifestyle as discriminatory -- rather than as a difference of moral viewpoints. This may explain why a similar "discrimination" ordinance in Philadelphia was later used in an effort to evict the Boy Scouts from a building they had occupied for over 100 years. The Salvation Army, which like the Scouts does not accept homosexual leaders, has also been targeted by sexual orientation ordinances in Michigan and Chicago. "Tolerance" no longer means diversity of opinion; it means "embrace homosexual politics and beliefs or else."
We all know that the activists attacking this business would be singing a different tune if a homosexual-owned business were being forced to promote a message with which it disagreed, like protecting marriage between a man and a woman. If a Muslim-owned business were approached by a Jew and asked to make cookies in the shape of the Star of David, would the city have this same reaction when they said "no"? I doubt it. It seems that these types of controversies always surround the issue of forcing an acceptance of homosexuality.
Since this controversy, business at Just Cookies has been booming. Hundreds have purchased cookies and stopped by just to encourage the owners for standing for the values that most Hoosiers hold. Thousands more have contacted the mayor's office to complain about his position. Most Hoosiers understand that it's one thing to approach the counter and order a cookie. It's quite another to use the power of a city or political coercion to force someone to promote ideas against his or her will. –OneNewsNow
By Micah Clark - Guest Columnist
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