July 4th Aftermath

This year my neighborhood was noisier than in the past on the 4th of July this year. When I went out for a walk at 11 PM with my new dog, my street was filled with a fog like haze. I quickly realized it was due to the amount of fireworks being set off in the proximity of my door. 

The next morning, I confirmed just how many people had participated in lighting off fireworks. I found several piles like the ones shown here. I have never seen such displays of fun left to cool off until the morning before. One of the participants noted that the big dark canister in the upper right corner of the top photo went off for about 15 minutes. 

Fortunately, my new Jack Russell is not afraid of the noise. My Australian Sheppard hated the noise and walking her on New Years Eve and July 4th were always a problem. I hope it is quite wherever she is.

Run little lamb, run!

This is a picture from a recent visit to Sasha Farms a sanctuary for farm animals in Manchester, Michigan. We were able to wander around with the animals, which was a lot of fun. 

This link, takes you to a reaction game involving sheep. It's kind of fun, give it a try!

Are you a command freak?

Here's a fun link that will challenge your vocabulary for dog commands. Think you know them all? Give it a try.

Click here for some fun!

What were they thinking?

This just in from the Associated Press:

Parents whose children died or suffered lifelong disabilities after suffering from shaken baby syndrome are demanding an investigation as to how Apple Inc. permitted an iPhone application called Baby Shaker to be distributed this week. 

"There are people out there who think it is funny to shake and kill a baby," said Patrick Donohue of the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation, named after his 3-year-old daughter, who at 5 days old was shaken by a nurse and today still suffers from brain damage. 

The 99-cent app, launched Monday and pulled from distribution Wednesday, let users shake their iPhone until the on-screen baby stopped crying and a large red "X" appeared over each eye. The application was designed by Sikalosoft. 

"Shaken baby syndrome is a violent form of child abuse," said Donohue, who stood outside the Apple Store in Soho Thursday with several other parents protesting Apple's approval of Baby Shaker.

It's funny what people find offensive and what they don't. I find this offensive, but I also find lots of other things offensive that others think are okay. Babies off limits. Kids playing video games where women are raped and maimed-killed-tortured... okay. Now why is that?

Click 'n' Pop!

Yes, this really is a silly game, but oddly a little addicting. Click on this link to take you to an option to pop bubble wrap bubbles using your computer. There is a simple pop option and an option called Manic Mode. 

Go ahead, give it a chance. You might like it!

A picture is worth a thousand words

Frankly, I'll be glad when this election is over. I'm tired to the news being all about the details of the daily schedule of the candidates. 

It's gotten a little ridiculous over the past few months with the negative and outright false accusations. I'm hoping that the public has finally woken up and is thinking for themselves. 

Still there are folks who just believe everything that comes across their desk and TV. I see it everyday. It makes one wonder how those people keep their jobs. Incompetence is rampant. Only 17 days to go. I'm anxious for it to end, but fearful for another Republican outcome. 

I want Sarah Palin to go home to Alaska! Click here to have a little fun at her expense.

Pets and kids

Meet Boomer Hodel and his rat Tofu.

Boomer lives in Hawaii and has taught his pet rats, Tofu and Fin to surf. 

He made the one foot long surf boards himself so that his pals could surf solo. They take to beach twice a week for about 20 minutes of surfing and then its a little warm up on the sunny beach before heading home. 

He feeds them a high protein, low carbohydrate diet to enhance their performance. Seems to be working well so far.

Makes you wish you could be a pet rat in Hawaii!

Shopping Cart Races

I'm not sure how it started, but years ago a group of people decided to start a race using shopping carts. Every year the racers gather at the top of the hill on Ann Arbor's Main Street and race their cart to the bottom of the hill. I'm not sure what time of the day it occurs as Main St. is a high volume street leading into and out of town.

Somehow this year I missed the race. I usually know about it, but not this year. The only reason I knew I missed it, was the collection of carts shown here that were left outside my office door. One of the people in my office spent a fair amount to time calling various shopping stores notifying them of the relocation of their carts. (Since the average cost of a shopping cart is around $100, it is in their interest to pick them up.) It will be interesting to see how long it takes. When they were notified, it took some explaining to whomever answered the phone. It might require more than one call....

Alas, I hardly knew yee....

I guess I just didn't care too much about the Olympics this time around. I watched it sporadically, but never caught the things that I cared about. 

I love crew. Never saw an ore.

Tried watching beach volleyball, but couldn't stand the loud music that was constantly blaring in the background. I just don't get the current generations need for constant loud stimuli. It makes we worry for the future. But that's another story. Don't get me started. Oye vay!

Anyway, I just wasn't that into the Olympics, except for Michael Phelps. Eight gold medals. Now that is cool. But please, please, please don't ever talk to me about what he eats every day.... That is unless, you eat like below.

If this doesn't warm your heart...

...then you must be dead.

This young man is from Khabul, Afghanistan and is the first athlete to win a medal for his country ever. He took the bronze in Taekwondo. 

Fabulous!

What a wonderful feat for a country that can desperately use a hero right now. Congratulations to Rohullah Nikpai!

Kibble for cats and dogs

If you've been paying attention, you know I like games. You also know I am a huge advocate for animals. How perfect when I found this game that combines both of these passions! 

You answer questions and for each one that is answered correctly, kibble is donated to Rocket Dog Rescue and Urban Cat Project. Over one ton of food has been donated already!

The questions are "general knowledge", but if you sign up you can specify a category. When I played the general knowledge and the specific categories I scored about the same. These are much harder than the free rice game I've promoted before. It is the same idea except you feed people instead of cats and dogs.

Either way, when you have a moment to kill and you want to test your skills, give either a try and feel less guilty killing time!

Numbrix

The Sunday Parade magazine has a column called 'Ask Marilyn'. Marilyn Vos Savant has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the person with the highest I Q as a child and as an adult for the past five years. She answers all kinds of questions in her column and posts puzzles regularly. 

This week she introduced a game called Numbrix, which is a numbers game of logic. As a math lover and puzzle solver, I checked all of them out right away. They are fun because they are not too difficult and they do make you think logically. A dying art as far as I'm concerned....

To give them a try, click here! Have fun!

World Geography

How quickly can you identify where all 50 states are located in the US? To find out and test your skill click here! Then when you have mastered that there are other geography games that you can play. Who said learning isn't fun?

Chocolate and math... sweet!

For my friends who are math buffs. You know, like me. I love math. Absolute. Concrete. No subjective answers. 

For my friends who like chocolate. You know, like me. I love chocolate (especially white). Smooth. Seductive. Melt in your mouth. Hmmm.

Q: So, what do the two have in common?

A: Your weekly cravings of chocolate can dictate your age! Don't believe me? Find out by clicking on the above link to take a little quiz!

Other fun stuff:

• Americans eat 13 pounds of chocolate per year.
  
• 43% of Americans list chocolate as their favorite flavor.
  
• In 1999, Americans consumed 7.1 pounds of candy!
  

Fridgerator frenzy!

Fridge frenzy!


A while back, I found a site that contains photos of refrigerators and their contents. You can search this site by country to see how they vary. Since I love all kinds of food, I found it fascinating to see what was in each countries fridges. Who knew it was going to be so much fun! The opening page is ever changing, so it is always fresh and new. Just how your produce should be!

Check out fridge watcher to see other food selections from around the world. These photos are of my refrigerator. If you look under my name, you'll find mine on their site soon too.

Finally, if you would like to feed the world and improve your vocabulary at the same time, click here. Don't believe the two can be related? Come on, give it a try. It's fun and somewhat humbling....

Q: When is a bumper sticker not a bumper sticker?

A: When you plaster your pantry door with them!

What can I say. I love the simplicity of bumper stickers. Short, often humorous, sayings that make a point. Why beat around the bush?  

One online source credits the birth of bumper stickers to a silkscreen printer named Forest P. Gill from Kansas City. They appeared shortly before World War II, were flag like in style and were attached using wires. Shortly thereafter pressure sensitive adhesive made it's debut making them more widespread and practical. Interested? To learn more listen to a recent segment by NPR.

Finally, I couldn't neglect to include a photo of the one on my car. I wish I had purchased two of these when I had the chance! I still find it funny!