Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:21 PM CST
Properly told jokes
"Jokes of the proper kind, properly told, can do more to enlighten questions of politics, philosophy, and literature than any number of dull arguments."
~ Isaac Asimov 
Discuss among yourselves. 
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:36 PM CST
Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:48 PM CST
OK, I admit it. I was wrong.
I would like to preface the following true story below with the fact, that, I have been pondering, whether I should blog it, or not. I've been mulling it over.
I really hadn't decided one way, or the other, until now.
I honestly will not blame anyone at all for giving me a bunch of grief over it.
Indeed, I feel somewhat guilty about it.
Maybe that's why I finally decided to tell you - to get it off my chest, I guess.
Not only was I admittedly wrong for doing this , but what I did was debate-ably illegal.
I also truly would not want anyone to try this at home,
as it might not have turned out, the way it did.
I was coming back from playing tennis with my friend Renato.
We usually play weekly and we are VERY evenly matched.
At the end of each match, we both are just about totally physically spent.
If there is a better form of exercise, I haven't found it.
After I thanked Renato for the tennis, said goodbye and left the courts, I started driving home to take a shower, as I was dripping with sweat.
I got to a long line of traffic on a two lane road.
There's probably 45 cars in a single file, waiting for the light to change at the intersection of route 1.
It's a very long light.
I have been there many times. This day, I'm about car number 35.
The light changes and approximately 15 cars make it through the light,
before it changes back to red again.
The car right in front of me is a 80's white Toyota, with a gray front left 1/4 panel.
As this car is moving up, as is every other car, the passenger tosses first a fast food bag out the window
and then 15 feet later, a large paper cup complete with plastic cover & plastic straw.
Inside my car, I say out loud "that S.O.B. !" and I proceed to write down their license plate number.
Now, I don't know how you feel about this activity, but as a naturalist, it REALLY pisses me off,
when people litter. I hate it !
I mean, is it really too much to ask to keep the friggin' trash in the car and throw it out, when you get home, or near a garbage can !!
As I'm sitting in the car, I am fuming. 
Now, I'm thinking of how I'm going to have to waste hours in court. Not only that, but they will probably delay the court date twice, so I will probably have to go to court three times
and waste more hours.
(continued in first comment below)
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:11 PM CST
The proper way to behave in a response.
I have to admit, that I'm somewhat astonished that I even feel the need to write this. Yet, I am frequently amazed by the improper behavior by others in responding to forum posts and blogs. I mean, everyone on this site is supposed to be at least 18 years old, right ?
EVERYONE has a right to their opinion. You also have a right to disagree with that opinion, if you like to. Afterall, you have right to your opinion too. If you like, explain why you differ in your opinion on the topic covered. I suggest using realistic examples to drive your point home.
Regardless, what I see time & time again instead, is childish name calling and chastisement of other people. If you are going to disagree with someone, disagree intellectually with WHAT HAS BEEN SAID, not with the person themself. Do not call the other person derogatory names, nor berate them. Because, they do have a right to their opinion, as do you. Indeed, all chastisement does, is to make that person have a more rigid stance against you and it also marks the person issuing such poor treatment as a person of low intellect and bad character. Afterall, what you type (or say) is a reflection upon YOU, not someone else.
If anger prevents you from responding properly to the points covered, then I suggest taking a walk and cooling down somewhat before responding. Or perhaps, skipping that blog/forum entirely and moving on to something that pleases you instead. 
Now play nice. 
Posted: Sun Nov 8, 2009 9:23 AM CST
Too cute not to share
Here's a real 911 call. 
Well, she didn't specify WHO to call !
Posted: Mon Nov 2, 2009 10:35 AM CST
Passion & Stability
In looking back on my life, I've had several long term relationships (at least 5 years), some relatively long term relationships (1 to 4 years) and quite a few short term relationships (less than 12 months). Being somewhere in my midlife, I guess I am relatively quite experienced with love.
In summary I find it somewhat ironic that some of my most passionate relationships were also some of the most short lived. I mean, these were often relationships where we both couldn't wait to get our hands (and other body parts) all over each other the moment we got together. It was like nuclear fusion. Now some of these extremely hot relationships fizzled out, because the other person turned out to be already in a (committed?) relationship. But, others just burned out due to other circumstances. Perhaps they were like raging fires that rapidly consumed all in their path. Or maybe that heat was too hot to handle. Regardless, ideally, shouldn't this be the type of relationship you would want to hold onto the most ?
A lifetime of passion sounds very tempting, but maybe a slow steady burn is better for relationship stability ? Or perhaps it had more to do with the intrinsic volative emotional nature of my partner ? Maybe the more emotional type of woman turns out to be the hottest lover, but also the most unstable ? Ideally one needs to seek a happy balance of passion and stability. In my opinion sex is very important aspect in a relationship, but so is other communication as well. Its like the sex & romance provides the heat 
, but the rest decides how cool it is. 
Together, they help you feel overall satisfaction comfort. 
Or perhaps more applicable, the overall satisfaction is the glue that holds together the relationship, but the passion is the magnetic attraction. If you have both, it's a stable long term bond.
May you all find that perfect blissful blend.
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:30 AM CST
The Meaning of Life (according to JimNastics)
Philosophers have LONGGGGGGGGGGGG debated, what the meaning of our presence here on earth means. Why are we here and what is our purpose ? I'm going to finally solve these ongoing mysteries right here in this blog and right now for all those who embrace it. Now, you may disagree with this and are more than welcomed to do so. There is plenty of room for you to pontificate below.
It's time to face the facts. Life is a very temporary occurrence; about 70 to 120 years maximum, if you are very lucky. There is no afterlife. Admittedly, that may shock some of you. However, a hereafter is at best a nice fairy tale and at worst a giant hoax on most of society. This life is all you have. So, make the most of it. Focus on preserving your health as long as possible, because all the money in the world is less important than your health. You may not agree with that now, but unfortunately, there will come a day, when you fully recognize the truth in these words.
Thus, during this very transient existence, it would be fun to focus on the people and things that you love. If you do that, life will be a tremendous fun filled journey. Do whatever makes you happy, as long as you don't harm others. Don't waste time lamenting about the past or your eventual demise, because frankly you can't do anything about either. Now, don't get me wrong, you can learn from your mistakes and that can be a very good thing and you can delay your demise by preserving and improving your health. However, wasting time in mental misery because of past mistakes is a foolish waste of very precious limited time, our most unreplinishable resource. Instead, having learned your lessons, re-focus on what & who makes you truly happy and avoid those that/who make you unhappy.
The meaning of life is to simply fully experience and appreciate life and all it temporarily offers you. Also, appreciate the luck that you can do so. The fact that you are here at all is sheer blissful luck. You can thank your parents mostly for that. While there will always be those who are better off than you, there also will be many who are much worse off. Regardless, you are a totally unique individual with a mixture of both talents and flaws (just like everyone else 
). If you can, improve those flaws of yours. It can be done. However, most importantly, utilize and exploit your talents. They are gifts that can enhance your life and others. Where you can, help others.
It will not only leave a lasting positive impression on those that you directly help, but like ripples in a pond will likely indirectly positively affect many others. Indeed, when you help others, ask those you help to help someone else. If when you leave this life, that you have created a net positive effect on the planet, then you have fulfilled your purpose and will be remembered positively. Now go forth & enjoy !
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:07 AM CST
Too good not to share
The following is a video of a lifetime of pictures accumulated
by wildlife researchers Dr. Lynn & Donna Rogers and contain some
amazing photos of black bears, like we've never seen them before. Some of the shots are truly adorable. Enjoy ! 
Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:08 PM CST
No more Soupy for you !
I pay tribute to entertainer, Soupy Sales, who died yesterday in a Bronx hospice after a long illness. He was born Milton Supman and grew up in Franklinton, NC, where they were the only Jewish family in town. His father was a dry goods merchant, who ironicly sold sheets to the KKK.
Milt had two older brothers who the family nicknamed Hambone and Chickenbone. Thus, Milt got nicknamed Soupbone, which got shortened to Soupy.
After graduating high school Soupy went into the Navy and served during WWII often entertaining shipmates with jokes. After finishing service, Soupy went to college and ended up with a Masters in jounalism from Marshall College.
During college Soupy often performed as a comedian, dancer or singer at local nightclubs. After graduation Soupy worked for radio and as a DJ changed his last name to Hines and then to Sales partly in tribute to comedian, Chic Sale.
Later Soupy Sales got into TV in Cincinnati, where he originated the show he would be most famous for. The show moved to Detriot, Los Angeles, New york and finally to los Angeles again and became known as the Soupy Sales Show and was geared to entertain children, but occasionally he would work in more adult humor, which he got away with because it would have hidden or double meanings, that got past the censors.
As an example, Soupy created several characters that would interact with him onstage. One was a dog named, White Fang. One time he would write letters on a board and ask the dog what letter the dog saw. He would write an A on the board and the dog would say "A". "Good good", Soupy would respond.
Then, he would write a B and the dog would respond "B". "Good good", Soupy would respond. Then he would write the letter F and the dog would respond "K". "No, no, no !", Soupy would say.
He would erase the C and write D. The dog would respond "D". "Good good", Soupy would say. Then he would write a F again and the dog would say "K". Soupy would then turn to the audience and say "I don't understand, everytime I write F, you see K". (Get it ? F U C K). You have to realize this was the early days, with black & white TV. There was no cable.
In another example, Soupy had a girlfriend, Peaches. One time Peaches gave Soupy a gift of an apple pie that she made. After she left, Soupy eagerly tried a piece and it was awful. So, he turned to the audience and said, "my girlfriend can't make good apple pie, but she can sure make my banana cream." 
These are just some examples, but they got past the censors, because they could be interpreted two ways. The one time Soupy WAS suspended for two weeks was on Jan 1, 1965. He was upset having to work the New Years Day holiday and he told the children to go into their parents bedroom and "remove those green papers with president's faces on them and send them to me." He promised to mail them a postcard from an island if they did. He was surprised, when cash (mostly Monopoly money) started coming into the studio by mail. Parents complained and WNEW suspended him.
Coworkers often played tricks on him behind the scenes and more than once a naked bellydancer handed him things just off camera.
Rest in Peace, funny man and thanks for the laughs. You were ahead of your time.
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:04 PM CST
Michael Vick, you prick !
What a guy ! A group that rescued 10 of Michael Vick's dogs offered this week to have Vick come see most of those dogs, while keeping with his probation rules. You remember Vick, the guy who tortured and abused these dogs and went to jail for it. But, Vick says, no. He doesn't want to visit the dogs.
Should we be surprised ? I think not.
I can't post the link here (in keeping with the blog rules), but do a search and you'll find it, as it is in the news today.
On Sunday while he's playing with the Eagles versus the Raiders, I hope a loose pit bull on the sidelines bites him on the fanny.