Recueilli

Top 10 free iphone / itouch apps

2008-11-13T20:07:00.003-05:00

I'm a simple person with simple joys, like adding new apps to my iphone. Top 10 free apps:

1. Pandora AND/OR Finetune
Either of these two apps is a must have (get them both they are small and free). With an unlimited data plan or wifi access you can enjoy uninterrupted, personal, and customizable radio anywhere.

With Pandora you set up stations based on songs or artist you like and Pandora does the rest (picking music to play that matches your preferences). As you listen to your stations you can vote on the music Pandora picks for you. Spending a few minutes voting here and there over a few months will really help you create amazing radio stations more here.

Finetune is another great internet music app that allows you to create playlists of specific songs. Finetune will then play back just those songs in a random order for your listening pleasure.

2. Aroundme AND/OR urbanspoon
These handy GPS like apps are updated constantly and direct you to the closest (aroundme) or most random (urbanspoon) shops, restaurants, bars, clubs, banks, hotels, ect. I prefer aroundme for function and urbanspoon for fun. If you let these apps determine your location they will even map a route very GPSesque.

3. Stanza
This great app turns your $400 mp3 player into an excellent, expandable e-reader. What make the app stellar is its access to thousands of free downloadable books!

4. Sportacular
For all sports nuts, you list your favorite teams and sportacular will provide you will up to date scores, stats, rankings, ect. It's quick, easy and keeps track of the basics.

5. I.tv
Simple easy to use TV guide!

6. minipiano
Tap out a tune anytime anywhere, and if you are really good run this app with music playing and try your hand at accompaniment.

Read more for 7-10

(in random order)
Scribble
MS paint like app that lets you paint over your pictures

Y. Painter
Provides real paintbrush strokes, and is a little more kid friendly

MicroSurface
More for show and tell. This app allows you to manipulate photos on a blank screen in really neat ways. You can use it to make collages of your pictures, I use it to show what my gizzmo is capable of.

Conversions
Converts almost anything (feet, gallons, yards, ect) to almost anything.

Honorable mention:
Google Earth
This probably belongs somewhere within the top five due to its popularity... I don't use it should I?

Didn't rank the best free medical apps: MediMath, Epocrates Rx, Eponyms
Or religious apps: Bible, Quoran, ect.

Let me know what you think.

Best Lollipops Ever

2008-11-11T20:13:00.002-05:00

Ahh, the bittersweet bowl of candy on a secretary's desk. It's not the candy that is the problem it's the uncomfortable glance that occurs about 60-70% of the time. While trying to look inviting the secretary only has one thought going through her mind when someone reaches out to grab a piece of candy - I just re-stocked that bowl yesterday. Through her half smile the nonverbal cues ooze - Get your hands out of my bowl!

The other day I was in the doctor's office when I spotted a bowl full of candy placed just above a clerk's desk. This bowl caught my eye; it was filled with candy I had never seen before. Since the clerk was gone, I walked over to take a closer look. "Oh, just lollipops", I thought, "I'll take one anyway since I'm already here".

Looking at the wrapper as I ripped it off I noticed the flavor: Pomegranate pucker. It was amazing! Really the best lollipop I've ever eaten. As I was standing next to the bowl savoring the flavor, the clerk walked back to his seat. I didn't care.. with the sucker sticking out of my mouth I dove back into the candy bowl for a Mango tango. Let me tell you, the disapproving scowl was so worth it.

Luckily, the wrapper included a website: yummyearth.com
I think you might be able to find them cheaper on amazon.com or costco.com. Enjoy!

No I am not being paid for this post... haha, maybe I should be.

What's in his name?

2008-09-03T23:10:00.001-04:00

Sarah Palin gave a great speech tonight officially accepting the nomination to run for Vice President. She also spent a little time talking about her family and children.

I thought it was pretty interesting that the last little guy's name just happens to be Trig. Now, what if they selected that strange name on purpose? The beautiful child has Down syndrome which is usually a chromosome 21 trisomy. This means that most kids with Downs have three chromosome 21s instead of the usual two. In fact often people refer to Down Syndrome as trisomy 21.

Here is where it gets interesting. Let's just say the TRI in trig stands for trisomy. What about the G? Well, G is the 7th letter of the alphabet. 7x3=21! Now whether they meant to do it or not, the child's disease is hidden within the child's name! Coincidence? Naw, that lady's going to be the Vice President, she knew what she was doing. Thoughts?

Nini the turtle?

2008-08-16T10:25:00.006-04:00

I read this in a forum a while back, but thought it was absurd. However, the more I think about the the more I wonder if it is true. You probably know by now that lining up the first words of each of the Beijing mascots give you "Beijing huan ying ni" which translates to Beijing welcomes you.

Here's where things get interesting. The last mascot is supposed to be a the swallow Nini. Apparently when you turn her around she looks more like a... turtle. So what? Well, calling someone a "turtle grandson" or "turtle egg" in Chinese is slang for a word in English that refers to an illegitimate child.

Basically, without saying the word it is a derogatory term for an unpleasant person. Even more convincing is that the third Chinese slang term for the English word is translated as "wearer of a green hat". It's said that male brothel workers had to wear green hats during the Tang dynasty. Nini, just happens to be green and look like a turtle when turned on her back. Call it coincidence or something else, but there are probably a few people in China giggling about the fast one they pulled on the world. What do you think?

We like it

2008-08-05T22:49:00.001-04:00

It's pretty rare when we here at Recueilli find a blog so irresistible that we have to blog about it. Not that blogging about a blog is bad, it's just that we usually just steal their content and re-fry it like day old beans. Please sir, before you call your lawyer keep my blogging tactics a secret and I'll sign over my "ocean front property in Arizona".

The blog to be blogged is absolutely hilarious...actually it's more like a list or book than a blog. Who knows which came first, but that's all irrelevant. The important thing is it is funny. The blog/book/list is called "Stuff White People Like". And let me just say, I like it all! Man they've got a finger on my pulse! Got a few minutes, head on over. If your as white as this morning's English Muffin then I know you'll find something you like on the list. Common guys I know you want to take a peek.
Here's a link to the full list.

In Honor of the Olympics

2008-07-29T12:13:00.004-04:00

The Summer Olympics are almost here! In their honor, I suggest you watch this:

Team USA will be back on the scene with high hopes and hopefully more worldwide humbling and humiliation! Watch out world. America thrives on competition, and right now were fumbling a war, loosing our dollar, and foreclosing our homes. This year more then ever, we will want to win big at something and it won't be stocks.

Don't think we'll do it? Well our track record is pretty solid, USA has placed first in the medal count since 1992:

	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
2004 Athens	36	39	27	102
2000 Sydney	37	24	31	92
1996 Atlanta	44	32	25	101
1992 Barcelona	37	34	37	108

Need more of Vince Carter's "dunk de la mort" over Frédéric Weis? The french version is pretty good.

World at least until 8/8/08 we own you.

Gonna Make You Sweat

2008-07-26T10:01:00.008-04:00

Summer brings back memories of long hot days spent inside watching 80-90's esque music videos. Here are a handful that I'm sure you'll all love. (Listing based on music, costume, content, and special fx)

1. Bon Jovi - Livin' on a Prayer
2. Van Halen - Jump
3. Starship - We Built this City
4. Milli Vanilli - Girl You Know It's True
5. Lipps Inc - Funkytown
6. Anita Ward - Ring my Bell
7. Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch - Good Vibrations
8. Ace of Base - Beautiful Life
9. M C Hammer - Can't touch this
10. Snap - Rhythm is a Dancer
11. La Bouche - Be my Lover
12. New Kids on the Block - You've Got It
13. C&C Music Factory - Everybody Dance Now
14. Milli Vanilli - Blame it on the Rain
15. Starship - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
16. Real McCoy - Another Night
17. Corona - The Rhythm of the Night
18. Double You - Please Don't Go
19. Haddaway - What is Love?
20. Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby
Bonus: Just for the hair! Bad English - When I See You Smile

Got a favorite that isn't on the list? Share it!

Cow-a-bunga!

2008-07-10T18:27:00.003-04:00

Well it's that time of year again.. the middle of another hot summer. The 4th of July festivities are over, and the burns on Uncle Chet's arm are starting to heal. Now what?

Cow suit + 7/11 = Slurpee + Combo Meal

That's right folks. 7/11 and Chick-fil-a are looking out for you; they've both scheduled their freebies on the same day! That just happens to be tomorrow. So, pull out your cow costume from last year and head on over to Chick-fil-a, on the way stop by 7/11 and you're set. Store Locator links: Chick-fil-a and 7/11.

Accordion is optional, but greatly appreciated! Gotta love freebies.

G world

2008-07-08T19:12:00.004-04:00

What's google up to these days, you ask? Hey, I've been wondering the same thing! It's amazing how that works. Anyway, here are three new (or not so new) things that Google is working on.

Lively - The big G wants to take over the world, and what better way than to build a virtual one first. Move over second life, lively is the new kid on the block and it's free to join. Right now can you make your own avatar and room, but rumor has it that one day the rooms will all be connected in a wide virtual world (with unique advertising of course). If living in a material er.. virtual world is your thing then lively is the place to be.
RE<C - Not so new, but still so hip. Google is on a mission to find renewable energy cheaper than coal. Check out some of the companies they have singled out to assist in their quest. With the way things have gone for google, if any of these companies go public and offer stock you'd be wise to jump on board.
Virtual Tour de France - Kind of like street view on steroids, google has created a virtual tour de France. If you're into that kind of thing, pull out your really tight shorts, hop on a stationary, and click away!

As you can see the monkeys behind google are still hard at work weaseling their fingers into every aspect of your measly internet life. Here's to them, and may every day be a great google day! Cheers!

The World Fact Book

2008-07-07T20:04:00.004-04:00

The CIA is known for a lot of cool things ... like spying, and poisoning, and cracking codes. One of the less cool, but still useful things born from that black abyss known as CIA is The World Fact Book! If any one organization should know something about the world it is the CIA...at least, that is what they think. Hence the book, it's worth a quick glance and maybe a bookmark. You never know when you will need to know the country with the highest fertility rate, or the countries with the highest or lowest (US) current account balance.

Check it out - courtesy of your friendly neighborhood spy.

History of The World Fact Book

Happy Birthday My Dear Friend!

2008-06-30T21:45:00.002-04:00

I've been saving this video for a long time waiting for just the right person to advance in age. Well let's just say it's burning a hole in my bookmarks and I can't wait any longer so to all you June 30th birthdays this is for you. For everyone else consider this your birthday blessing this year. Remember it's the thought that counts!

"How O' are you now?"

The Prehistoric Sink

2008-06-24T07:59:00.007-04:00

I've seen these Petrified Wood sinks before and thought they were pretty cool. But, those are nothing compared to the replica cephalopod fossil sink shown below. Want one? Order here

Spread the fire!

2008-06-17T17:00:00.001-04:00

Download by 1pm 6/18/2008 for world record.

Use this link... it looks like most of their links are sending you back to Firefox 2
"Starting today, the Mozilla Foundation is sponsoring Download Day for Mozilla's Firefox 3. In addition to receiving a free copy of the newly-released Firefox 3 web browser, by downloading, you'll help out with a quest to set the Guinness World Record for most software downloads in 24 hours. Get your downloads in by 1 pm ET on June 18 to help set the record."

The very Best way to cook Steak!

2008-06-11T17:55:00.001-04:00

Today I ate steak...no, today I relished a finely cooked sizzling medium rare 1.5 inch thick freshly cut hand selected boneless rib eye. Every bite was perfectly seasoned, soft, and juicy. Total price $5.06. Total cooking time 6 minutes. Now if your mouth isn't watering and your pocketbook squealing with delight, I suggest hummus and sprouts everyone else read on! This has the potential of putting steak houses out of business.

Great steaks are made from two things. The cow and the cook. I admit that my feeble attempts at steak in the past usually ended in mediocrity. All along I thought my problem was more so with the cow than the cook. I thought the higher the price of the beef the better it would turn out in the pan.

Well, Alton Brown set me straight. The key is in the method. The problem is usually the cook, not the cow! Here's the secret to great steak!!

Have a little more time...watch this:

Let me know how it turns out!

Microwaveable Pork Rinds

2008-06-03T20:52:00.004-04:00

Nothin's better at a Southern County Fair than a big bag of fresh hot greasy Pork Rinds! That savory crunch and crackle brings back so many fond memories of lazy hot summer days. We all know that freshly cooked hot pork rinds are so much better than their counterfeit cousins found on the chip aisle in any Piggly Wiggly and most other grocery stores around the country.

Well, I'm proud to announce that I have found an emulous product that should turn some heads. MICROWAVEABLE PORK RINDS!! Can you believe it. You can now experience that great hot greasy taste of the south in the comfort of your home. Heck, you could even eat your microwaveable pork rinds in your underwear, and this time no one would stare! Would you like to see the babies in action... no problem someone uploaded a video of that very act 2 years ago! And wait there's more.. These are so good for you that one reviewer on Amazon.com said she eats them as part of her diet. Wow, what a concept y'all the microwave pork rind diet! Bet'cha the book would sell. YouTube video, nutritional info, and more after the jump.

For Sale at the big A
Nutritional Info

Life Untouched!

2008-05-30T17:32:00.001-04:00

Yeah, it's been a while. So what is bringing this blog from the depths of extinction? How about a little more free time and a really interesting find... The Brazilian Department of Indian Affairs flew over one of the last untouched tribes in the Amazon. They've posted pictures of the tribe as proof to the world that the rainforest should be left alone. You really should take a look at all of the pictures. They are fascinating. Apparently, the plane photographing the tribe made a few passes. After the first pass the tribe went into attack mode by hiding the women and children and painting their bodies. In a few of the pictures you can seen the men pointing their weapons at the camera. The question now is how did that fly over affect the tribe? Imagine seeing a plane for the first time! My bet is they are already on the move to set up shop somewhere else. Maybe they are making as song about the plane or saying that it was an answer to one of their disputes? Amazing! Main link to pictures. More links after the jump.

BBC article
Survival International
What do the pictures tell us
I wonder if this is related?
Wikipedia

Keep your kids safe

2008-04-17T16:48:00.001-04:00

How to get your potholes filled!

2008-03-26T17:14:00.001-04:00

Hilarious letter written to local road crew:
To whom it may concern,

Our neighborhood was lucky this year as the streets were kept free of ice and frozen debris in a very timely manner. It seems, however, this has come with a price. On one occasion the lovely county snow plow graciously and almost effortlessly removed a bit more than snow from the middle of the road right in front of our driveway. The departure of that first innocent chunk of asphalt seems to have caused a revolt as now the rest of the road has been slowly but surely leaving it's proper place. So far with various tactical measures (i.e. avoidance) we have limited the insurrection to a 3x3 foot area, but the enemy is advancing. We would ask if you would be so kind as to stop this great escape before there is an all out mutiny, and the tadpoles and fish have a chance to set up shop. Thank you for your help in this measure. The hole is located in the middle of the road at a very inconvenient spot directly in front of our driveway: ----

Sincerely, --- Thoughts?

What do you want to do when you get old?

2008-03-22T07:35:00.002-04:00

The way medicine and technology is going these days a lot of the younger generations can expect to live into their hundreds. Really, it's not as crazy as you think. But, that's for another post... let's just assume you will live that long. What do you want to be doing?

Well some guy in London sure is setting the bar high. Buster Martin born Sept 1, 1906 is 101 years old, and he is already the oldest working man in Britain. What's his goal? To bust out a Marathon, and then finish it off with a beer and a smoke. He can do it too, the stubborn brit has already hit up the Roding Valley half marathon, and is a former Army physical trainer. Wanna watch the old man run? He'll be footing it at the 2008 London Marathon April 13th.

When the President Sings

2008-03-14T19:05:00.001-04:00

Just in case you missed it, here's a bootleg of President Bush's off key version of the "green green grass of home". Don't believe it's really him? Well then watch the second video and listen closely.

So without further ado here's President George W. Bush singing the "Brown brown grass of home"

Get the second video with his post-song speech here.

Flu clues!

2008-03-13T19:39:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago the US National Institute of Health revealed the reason we all get the flu when it gets cold outside. They've found that "the virus's outer covering, or envelope, hardens to a rubbery gel that could shield the virus as it passes from person to person." However, when it gets warmer "the protective gel melts to a liquid phase" which is not strong enough to stick around for very long. Without an envelope the virus is left naked and not very effective.

Moral of the story, skip the flu shot and head south for the winter. Can't go south? Turn up the heat indoors, wash your hands often with warm water, and get yourself a heated face mask! Hehe, ok this might be going a little overboard, but remember Recueilli when the next deadly flu pandemic hits.

Here's the link to the original NIH article. Enjoy.

Tina Time

2008-03-09T22:38:00.001-04:00

Speaking of singing, here's a gem..

Yes, that was River Deep Mountain High by Ike & Tina Turner

David Archuleta

2008-03-07T21:53:00.003-05:00

Want to know what the next American Idol sounded like before his vocal paralysis? Here ya go:

Read more for more links to David Archuleta's music pre-idol including a couple Star Search performances!

Archuleta on Star Search
More Star Search
Oh yeah.. he won the Junior Singer category of Star Search '03
Singing at High School talent show
Singing "I'm not going"
Singing "I'm not going" to AI season 1
More Star Search

You get what you pay for??

2008-03-06T17:52:00.003-05:00

Yesterday USA Today reported on a pretty interesting finding from MIT about placebo, money, and electrocution. Here's an excerpt:

"Researchers recruited 82 healthy paid volunteers and gave them a brochure about a new opioid pain reliever described as similar to codeine, only faster-acting.

"Volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. One group was told the new drug cost $2.50 a pill; the other was told it had been marked down to 10 cents a pill, although no explanation was given.

"The researchers applied light electric shocks to the volunteers' wrists to see how much pain they could tolerate. The researchers administered the shocks before and after the pill was taken and asked subjects to rate the pain.

"Of the patients who took the full-price pill, 85% said they felt less pain afterward, compared with 61% of those who took the 10-cent pill. Because both groups received the same sugar pills, the power of the placebo effect in pain relief was illustrated."

We all know that money talks, but this is just crazy. Contrary to popular belief money does not always equal quality, effectiveness, or happiness!

Link.

Thoughts?

El Camino de la Muerte

2008-03-02T20:37:00.002-05:00

Death Road aka north Yungas road runs from La Paz to Coroico, Bolivia. When driving on this road you drive on the left instead of the right for a better view of your outside wheel, which makes passing a bit more safe. To make matters worse North American mountain bikers frequently complicate the picture!!

Read more for another rider's review, and links to a travel group that will take you on the ride of your life.

"For the ride of your life!! Sounds too good to be true?? Think of riding a mountain bike down from a 4700m high alpine pass to lush tropical forests at about 1100m all in 64km. Along roads with spectacular views of mountains, rivers and valleys. Part of the trip is along a stretch of road named as the "Worlds Most Dangerous Road", because of the sheer cliffs along the narrow dirt road where many vehicles over the past years have fallen off...with few of the passengers surviving." Link.

Gravity Assisted Mountain biking tour guide

The True Political Tally

2008-02-29T20:31:00.001-05:00

When it comes to political races sometimes we forget to look at the really important issues, like who has the most songs on Youtube. Is you're candidate in the lead?

Obama - 9
Hillary - 2
McCain - 2 (well, one's negative)

Barack:
Barack Obama Song-"Something About The Man"
The Barack Obama Song
Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video
"I Got a Crush...On Obama" By Obama Girl
We Got The Mo, by The Rockabelles, for Barack Obama
Barack Obama song (Afro-latino beat)
New Obama Song/ Video (Representin' Obama)
You Rock, Barack! Original Obama Song
Matt the Electrician Obama song

Hillary:
The hillary song
"I Got a Crush...On Hillary" (take that obama girl!)

McCain:
LEAD THE WAY- A Song For John McCain
john.he.is

Want to add to the tally? Leave a comment with the YouTube link!

Starting to feel like it's all not worth it.. well, watch this it helps..

"It takes more than a pretty video and a bunch of celebrities singing to make a great president. It takes a person who understands where the true greatness of America lies.

Long before anyone ever heard of Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan challenged Americans to hope, to dream, to believe....

In themselves.

He brought change. He told us "yes we can". Except he also told us we didn't need government to do it. He inspired us with his words and his actions. He showed us that our individual liberty and creativity is what makes our country great not any government program."

Call center transcripts

2008-02-25T19:12:00.004-05:00

I could not stop laughing after seeing these call center transcripts today. Yes, they're real!

Hi, thanks for calling Target GiftCards, my name is Jamie, how can I help you?
--I WANA CHECK DE BALANCE ON MY GIFTKERD.
Okay, can I have the number on the back of the card starting with 041 please?
--BBEEP BOOP BEEP BEEP (Lady is actually punching in the numbers on her phone)
Oh, ma'am, I need you to read me the numbers, ok?
--123,456,789,*0#
I need the number starting with 041, found on the back of the CARD.
--THER'S NO NUMBER LIKE THAT.
Flip the card over, on the back, you should see a strip that says 'Gently remove to check balance.' Some need to be pulled off, others need to be scratched off. Carefully remove it and read me the number, ok?
-She finally reads the number-
Great, there's twelve cents on the card.
**Silence**
--THANKS *Click*
____________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for calling Target Wireless, my name is Jamie, how can I help you?
--Yeah there's a problem with my Recharge Card. It's not accepting it.
Okay, can I have the PIN please.
--*Relays PIN*
Sorry sir, the system is saying that the number doesn't match any card on record... The next time you go to Target, just take the card along with you and the clerk can reactivate it for you.
--But, I didn't get this card at Target.
What!?
--Yeah, I got it at K-Mart.
Uh, call K-Mart? This is Target, sir.
--Oh, ok.

Hit, Read More! if you just can't get enough.

And for one that's not so funny, but still good:

Thanks for calling Target ClearRX, my name is Jamie, how can I help you?

YEAH HI WHAT SHOULD I DO I JUST BOUGHT SOME ANTIBIOTICS FROM YOUR PHARMACY, AND NOW I AM BLEEDING FROM THE ANUS PROFUSELY AND I CAN'T SEE STRAIGHT FROM LOSS OF BLOOD, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Uh, you need to hang up and call 911 immediately, sir! Get yourself to a hospital!

WELL, WHY CAN'T YOU HELP ME!? WHAT SHOULD I DO!?

Sir, I'm not qualified to give you medical advice, you need to call --

WELL WHY THE NOT!? OH NO, I'M SEEING BLACK SPOTS! BLOOD IS EVERYWHERE!

Because I'm not a Pharmacist sir! I'm a 19 year old kid in a call center! I'm going to disconnect this immediately so you can call 911! CALL YOURSELF AN AMBULANCE!
*Click*

I hope he's ok!

A little bit of classical love

2008-02-24T20:46:00.008-05:00

It's great when you get things you love, and it's even better when you get a combo of things you love. Like an ice cream Sunday on Sunday, an outlet mall full of sales, or a sunset with a friend. Here's a combo that I keep coming back to time and time again:

The "Classical Music Library Free Download of the Week" is something I inadvertently found a few months ago and have since fallen in love with. What's the combo? Great music, no strings (or ads) attached, that is updated often enough to keep my interest. On top of that, there is usually a short blurb explaining why the music is so cool.

Today's combo of luv: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, Mvt. 1: Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso - Allegro con spirito.

What better way to spend Sunday evening than listening to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra proclaim "This is why, this is why, this is why we're hot!"?

Where do you find your combo love?

It's good to be VIP

2008-02-20T18:14:00.000-05:00

We're only one month (today) away from the start of March Madness, and I'm totally stoked! I have a gut feeling that this year is going to be a good one. If you get excited as I do at watching blood, sweat, and tears with an occasional alley oop, then you should probably sign up for a VIP pass to March Madness on Demand. It's free to sign up and gives you free, preferential access to every single tournament game this year. Hurry, space is limited. Here's the Link!

Today's News

2008-02-19T16:28:00.003-05:00

The writing has been on the wall for a while now, but it's is finally official. HD DVD is dead. Toshiba has announced today that it will "no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders". Not to worry though, you'll still be able to get high definition DVDs using Sony's Blu-ray technology.

In similar news, Fidel Castro has decided to step down. And, much like the HD DVD war, you'll still be able to watch the exploits of a functioning socialist republic from Raul Castro (Fidel's brother). As one Cuban exile is quoted saying "Same dog, different collar".
They'll be selling for cheap, but stay away from the HD DVD players and movies!

Beautiful Bawdi

2008-02-18T21:56:00.001-05:00

This beautiful structure is an Indian Stepwell or Bawdi. While stepwells have pretty much become a thing of the past, they are great architectural monuments, with some more than 800 years old. Not only were they used to obtain much needed water in the dry western parts of India, they were also used as a place to rest and chat during the scorching daytime heat.

Here's a link to one man's quest in documenting their beauty. Stepwells Exhibition

Image:Chand Baori (stepwell), Abhaneri, Rajasthan, India licensed under GNUfdl

DIY: Wendy's Frosty

2008-02-17T19:48:00.001-05:00

I haven't tried this just yet (waiting for things to warm up a bit), however I've heard it's great. The recipe looks pretty simple, let me know if you give it a go.

Wendy's Chocolate Frosty (original from recipezaar):

1 16oz tub of Cool Whip
1 14oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Gallon chocolate milk

Add Cool Whip and sweetened condensed milk to an ice cream maker then add chocolate milk to fill line. Let maker run until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Don't have an ice cream maker. Freeze the Cool Whip, chill the condensed milk and make a few ice cube trays worth of chocolate milk. Place it all in a blender and add chocolate milk until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Enjoy, my mouth is already watering.

Over my dead body

2008-02-06T12:36:00.000-05:00

It's good to know the price of my dead body is not worth the effort.$5625.00

Fun Fiber Facts

2008-02-04T16:17:00.000-05:00

When it comes to wool or fiber the diameter in micrometers is the best objective way to measures softness. Here's a list of the softest fibers in the world:

1. Down hair from the Tibetan antelope called the chiru (9-12 micrometers). This fiber is so fine it can only be woven by only a handful of very skilled weavers. It's most often woven into a shawl called a Shahtoosh. Because the antelope is endangered and multiple animals are killed for one shawl, it is illegal sell or even own a Shahtoosh in the US and most developed countries.

2. Fiber from the South American Vicuna (12-14 micrometers). These animals are the wild versions of domesticated alpacas. They like alpacas are herd animals and have only one baby per year. An ounce of certified vicuna fiber retails for about $250 in the US.

3. The undercoat from the Angora rabbit (12-16 micrometers). These rabbits must be groomed once or twice a week or their fine hair mats and felts. The fiber cost 10-12$ per ounce.

4. The undercoat from the Cashmere (Kashmir) goat (14-18.5 micrometers). The majority of Cashmere these days comes from China it cost about 12-15$ per ounce.

5. Qiviut is the undercoat of a muskox (15-22 micrometers). It's said to be stronger and 8x warmer than sheep's wool. Interestingly, this wool does not felt or shrink! Qiviut sells for anywhere from 40-60$ per ounce.

6. Fiber from domestic Alpacas (18-29 micrometers). Alpacas are raised all around the world including the US. The animals have sold for as much as $500,000 in the US. The fiber sells for about 4-8$ per ounce.

7. Sheep's wool (20-35 micrometers). Sheep's wools is sold for as much as 1$ per ounce. "Specialty" or "Hand painted" sheep's wool can sell for as much as 5$ per ounce. And here is the rest of it.

Tooth Toons for Tots

2008-01-31T19:34:00.000-05:00

Here's a gimmick that's sure to please... a musical toothbrush! Hasbro is capitalizing on the fact that sound can travel fairly well through bone, by selling a toothbrush that plays music for the two minutes children are supposed to brush their teeth. You buy the brush and tell the kid to brush until the music stops.

Talk about getting a song stuck in your head.. each brush only plays one song so if you want to change things up you'll have to grab your sister's brush just don't get caught!

I have to say this toothbrush concept is almost as good as the image (above) Hasbro has created to illustrate how it works..

Link to Tooth Tunes Don't miss the Commercial!!

Explore your Body

2008-01-29T21:48:00.000-05:00

Explore the Human Body, or at least the major parts of it on National Geographic. It's an interactive and very informative site that should tickle even the dullest of curiosities.
Here's your link to The Human Body

Spice up your run

2008-01-27T10:25:00.000-05:00

If you haven't seen it you should check out these 10 great workouts to spice up your running program

They offer some great training ideas that will hopefully help keep you motivated during these dark winter days.

...Your body adapts. After a month or so of doing one type of workout, you body will adapt and you’ll no longer be getting the same kind of benefits from that workout. You need to change things up every 3-4 weeks … and if you do, you’ll most likely see continued improvements....

A Major Scientific Finding!

2008-01-24T19:34:00.000-05:00

I've seen people change their name, hair color, eye color, even in some cases their height. However, as reported in the The New England Journal of Medicine today, a 9 year old girl has switched her blood type. This is a first in recorded human history and a major finding which encourages future transplant and stem cell research. Granted the switch was from O- to O+ it's still a first and has allowed the girl to better tolerate her transplanted liver. The very basic theory is that stem cells from the donor's liver were able to colonize the child's bone marrow and effectively made the switch from O- to O+.

In other science news US researchers are one step closer to creating artificial life after having successfully made from scratch the DNA of a bacteria. They're calling it "Mycoplasma laboratorium". The great thing about the Mycoplasma genus is that it is very simple lacking even a cell wall. However, also included in this genus are Mycoplasma pneumoniae (which causes atypical pneumonia) and Mycoplasma genitalium (which may be associated with pelvic inflammatory diseases and cancer).

Links after the jump
Switching Blood Types
Making DNA, making bacteria

An amazing Discovery

2008-01-15T20:16:00.000-05:00

"The fossilised skull of a rat the size of a car has been unearthed." Need I say more! Link "The rodent, Josephoartigasia monesi, was uncovered by Andrés Rinderknecht and Ernesto Blanco. It has been nicknamed Mighty Mouse and is thought to have been similar to the capybara and pacarana, much smaller creatures that are still found in South America. Capybaras are the biggest living rodents at just over 60kg fully grown, while pacaranas weigh 15kg. The common rat weighs about 300g."

Squeeze some speed out of your Computer

2008-01-15T19:21:00.000-05:00

Here are a few quick tips to get your personal dust bunny hovel in tip top shape:

1. Check for viruses
2. Check for spyware - you should use at least 2 programs to do this. Try Spybot (free) and Ad-aware (free).
3. Remove any Norton (Symantic) or Mcafee programs and replace with Comodo Firewall Pro (free) and Avast Antivirus (free).
4. Remove Adobe Acrobat Reader and replace with Foxit.
5.Clean your registry and startup using Glary utilities.

I've heard of a "computer guy" who tried to charge $100 to do these same steps.
Of course one of the best ways to speed up your carpal tunnel maker is to increase your RAM. You especially want to do this if you are sitting on less than 1,000 MB (1Gb) to check in windows xp go to start>all programs>accessories>system tools>system information and look under Total physical memory.
Rule of Thumb: never have more than 1 firewall on your computer
at one time. That is the same for an antivirus program, never have
more than 1 installed on your computer at one time. However, for
spyware programs only you should have and use at least 2.

A cry from the dust

2008-01-07T19:43:00.000-05:00

I was really touched by a recent post I read from a blogger who is dead. Andrew Olmsted a Major in the US Army prepared this final post to be made on condition of his death. It is certainly worth reading.

Andrew Olmsted

Major Andrew Olmsted was killed by sniper fire while coaxing three suspected insurgents to surrender in Diyala province northeast of Bagdad. "I died doing a job I loved. When your time comes, I hope you are as fortunate as I was." - Maj. Olmsted The first casualty of 2008.Rest in Peace.

No Foul Called

2007-12-20T15:18:00.000-05:00

Need a good way to stop a great 3-point shooter!?(AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Chris Detrick)
#45 Jonathan Tavernari of BYU on Dec 15, 2007 at BYU, probably the best eye-gouging photo ever. No foul was called, and luckily for Tavernari there was no significant damage done to his eyes.

Get Healthy Get a Wii

2007-12-03T21:43:00.000-05:00

What you still don't have a Wii? Well, if you need another justification to open that wallet... head on over to WiiHealthy. It's a sight dedicated to making you fit while you wii. I really like the Wii sports weight loss program which gives you the amount of time you should play each sport each day. As an added bonus you get to see a lovely picture of some fat guy who lost 30lbs along with his testimonial.

Here's the Link - Wii Sports weight loss.
I love the Wii.

Don't take it too hard the New England Journal of Medicine had an article documenting Wii Sports injuries, luckly so far "wiitis" has not been shown to be deadly.

Flashphone

2007-11-22T00:27:00.000-05:00

Need to make a quick call to Gibraltar, or Iraq, or Uzbekistan, or basically anywhere else in the civilized world? Most people would ask you to pay for something like that... not Flashphone. This new Russian startup is offering free internet to phone calls to almost anywhere. The catch, you only get 3min per call and 3 calls a day. Sounds like just enough time to make that Islandic prank call you've been dreaming of. Here's the link...http://www.flashphone.ru/en/main
Have fun, or I guess I should say hafa gaman.

2000 B.C. Temple Discovered in Peru

2007-11-12T00:53:00.000-05:00

A temple built around 2000 B.C. was discovered in Peru and announced recently. It is located on the northern coast of Peru about 472 miles from Lima. Walter Alva director of the Royal Tombs of Sipan commented to Reuters saying, "what's surprising are the construction methods, the architectural design and most of all the existence of murals that could be the oldest in the Americans."

For you Mormons out there 2000 BC is around the time of the Brother of Jared. Hit this link for a very interesting read on the Jaredites in Peru.

Images from REUTERS/Ignacio Alva/Handout

Learn to type faster!

2007-11-11T00:27:00.000-05:00

How fast do you type? If you are like most people, It's probably not as fast as you would like. Well a great man spent his whole life working to make your typing faster by changing the layout of your keyboard. He proved his layout was far superior time time again, but he was basically ignored. This handy web comic will give you all the information you need to increase your typing speed and prove to the world that you are an open minded educated adapter!

Dvorak Web Comic

Switch to the Dvorak simplified keyboard layout today, save your fingers, save some time, save the world!

This article was typed using the Dvorak simplified keyboard layout. Try it for a week. You'll notice a huge difference.

Read more for more Dvorak resources

1. A great basic online typing tutor. It looks weird, but trust me it works.
2. A free downloadable typing tutor. Scroll to the bottom of the page for download link.
3. Java based online typing tutor A more in depth online tutor, but less user friendly.

What are they: The Answer

2007-11-04T23:43:00.000-05:00

So after another excursion into the hills of Hawaii, a sunburn, a belly and backpack full of fruit, and tons of scratches and scrapes on my calves and ankles I still had no answer.

Then today I was sitting around talking with a guy about my hike. He asked, "So did you see all the guava up there?" I replied, "Guava eh, are you sure that is what they are called?" Staring at me like I'm an idiot he says, "Yeah man, that's guava".

I sit there staring at him blankly thinking, naw I've seen guava before and it doesn't look anything like the stuff I've been eating. In fact I've guzzled my fair share of tasty guava nectar, and it doesn't taste like the stuff I've been chewing on. But, being the savvy traveler, I kept my mouth shut and ran off to wikipedia, as all savvy travelers should do when they aren't 100% sure about something. Turns out the Pilipino was right... Psidium guajava aka common guava or apple guava grows on shrubs all over the place. It is not native to Hawaii, and is actually considered a nasty pain in the neck. Here's a good picture!

Yeah, yeah I know guava is supposed to be red on the inside.. Well my friend we are in fact being misled by the fruit juice industry.. Here is the truth (from the always to be trusted and never to be questioned Wikipedia) "The fruit is edible, round to pear-shaped. It has a thin delicate rind, pale green to yellow at maturity in some species, pink to red in others, a creamy white or orange-salmon flesh with many small hard seeds, and a strong, characteristic aroma. It is rich in vitamins A, B, and C (a guava fruit contains more vitamin C than a typical citrus fruit – the rind contains over five times more vitamin C than an orange). It also contains high amounts of calcium – which is unusual in a fruit."

So there ya go, the answer is wild guava, and I don't care if it is considered a pest, or if some call it common. I call it délicieux.

Did you know that "Guava leaves are used for medicinal purposes, as a remedy for diarrhea!" Sweet.

What are they?

2007-11-02T01:24:00.000-04:00

So I went for a run up a hill and into the brush today in Hawaii. As I got near the top of the hill and far from the road I noticed bushes full of green and yellow fruits. I decided to take a closer look and noticed that native birds and small animals had had their fill of the tantalizing golden ones, but had wisely left the green ones to ripen. So I picked a few soft yellow globes from a nearby bush. Then after a few seconds of contemplation I daringly ripped one open and took a nibble. It was delicious, my mouth started jumping for joy. A few moments later, I noticed the clouds above me had taken on the most beautiful rosy pink hue. Suddenly, I was floating in the wind rising higher and higher until I felt on top of the world... hehe ok just kidding no pink clouds, or abnormal euphoric feelings were seen or felt. Yeah, too bad, huh.

Anyway, this tasty fruit is about the size of a golf ball with soft thin flesh and filled with 20-30 hard seeds that I can't break with my teeth. The fruit is kind of like a pomegranate with sweet juicy sacks surrounding each seed. The flesh of the fruit tastes kind of like a mango and the juicy sacks are just sweet goodness. I've eaten about 2.5 so far without any adverse effects, but I'd really like to eat them by the bushel full without reservation, so if you happen to know what these are please let me know. Thanks.. pictures attached (read more).

Vintage Halloween PSA

2007-10-19T22:14:00.000-04:00

Safety first vintage style.

And of course Garfield's Halloween Special!

Read more for parts 2 and 3
Part 2

Part 3

The only way to Trick or Treat

2007-10-19T21:05:00.000-04:00

We are only 12 days away from that wonderful day when kids worldwide are dressed up and released into the great world of greed, avarice, and gluttony. More than one kind of demon is released each Halloween as kids are sent and sometimes coerced onto the porches of strangers to beg/demand candy.

I'm sure my first few porches included some prodding from my mom, but after I got that taste in my mouth I was hard to catch up with. I quickly learned that the key to Halloween was speed. The fastest way to get the goods was to run up just as the other kids were about to leave. I not only saved the 5 seconds it took for the stranger to open their door, but also the 3.5 seconds it took to say "trick or treat".

Running was the only option on Halloween, and sidewalks were optional. Steamrolling over fairies and princesses only slowed you down especially if there was a grownup around. The older I grew the better Halloween became. I learned the art of candy inspection and practiced this often on my younger siblings. Of course, I had to make sure their candy was safe (and that they weren't eating anything I wanted). I also learned that greed, avarice, and gluttony come with a price; usually an upset stomach and multiple trips to the dentist.

So what are your special "trick or treat" tips for the kiddies?

Know Your Nose

2007-10-11T20:50:00.000-04:00

Sense of smell is such an important aspect in life, yet so overlooked (a lot like Recueilli this past month). Well, luckily researchers are furiously at work in odor to bring your sniffer (and theirs) to the lime light. Today we're going to go over some the the latest news, tips, and tricks.

Whether or not there is some type of magical scent or pheromone that will bring you love and happiness, the fact is odors are able to alter our emotions! According to my favorite and always trusted source wikipedia, Aromatherapy was coined by a Frenchy who plopped his burning arm into a vat of lavender oil and felt better. While the term is used a little differently today the stuff going on is still as crazy. One scientist in Philly tested people's moods after sniffing rags that had been rubbed under different people's armpits (no deodorants etc allowed). The findings: armpit smells of elderly ladies make most people feel good while smells from young testosterone filled teenagers make most people depressed. Moral of this one.. Gramps please stop bathing in your 1950's perfume and live free with your arms held high knowing your making the world a happier place.

Speaking of pheromone's a group of hard working scientists found that the brain processes male sweat and female pee differently. Man, I sure hope so...

Ok, back to Aromatherapy. Most people hate the dentist, it's too bad really if you are fortunate enough to have regular visits you hate it, those less fortunate line up for miles and wait for days for five minutes and a lot of pain. But I digress, somebody decided to change the smell of the dentist office just to see what would happen. That person was a scientist and found out that patients sniffing orange or lavender had a lower level of anxiety, a more positive mood, and were more calm than those not sniffing at all. Moral: Be grateful you can go to the dentist, and do a little bit more to help those less fortunate (they really are all around you). But, when you do go to the dentist or after a stressful day pull out some orange and lavender and slowly sniff away.

PS. Tips from University of Texas Cancer Center: "Lavender is now used to treat insomnia, migraines and provide stress relief. Rosemary relieves muscle pain, low blood pressure and cold feet and hands. Spearmint aids digestion and eases nausea and vomiting. Scents such as bay, laurel, and ylang-ylang appeal to men for their deep scent. They also treat skin rashes, rheumatism and stomach ailments.

Recipes:
Muscle Relaxation Bath Salts - 2 cups of Epsom salts, 5 drops of each oil - lavender, lemon grass, tea tree & orange. Use 1/2 cup mixture per bath.

Room Spray Diffusion - Use any oil 5-20 drops along with 2 to 4 ounces of distilled or spring water. Common sense precaution - don't spray in your eyes.

Energizing Carpet Cleaner - Combine pink grapefruit oil with baking soda and sprinkle before vacuuming.

Natural House Cleaner - Blend lemon and ravensara leaf oils with distilled water and non-sudsing soap.

Quality oils, which are light and heat sensitive, will be in a blue or brown light protective glass. Labeling on the bottle should provide should provide both the common and botanical name for the oil. Steer clear of concentrated oils with rubber eyedroppers since the oils react with the rubber causing it to break down and contaminate the oil."

Road trip coming up? Start sniffing peppermint or cinnamon. They both have been proved to increase alertness and decrease fatigue, frustration, and boredom while driving.

Want the maximum benefit.. science says your sniffer works best if you are sitting or standing.

Last and probably least (there's no science backing on this one).. don't overload your sniffer, and steer clear of the fake commercial stuff.

Ok, ok references after the jump

September issue of the journal Physiology & Behavior
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston
New Scientist magazine
Association for Chemical Reception Sciences Conference
www.medindia.net

Learn to Speak ___ for Free!

2007-09-19T17:50:00.000-04:00

Mango is the world's first language learning system being offered free to everyone. Here's a list of the courses offered: Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Russian, French, and Greek. They also have English for Spanish, and English for Polish.

After taking the site for a test drive, I am really overwhelmed and impressed. The focus is on speaking and understanding the language (the most important parts). While, your not going to become fluent after completion of all 100 lessons, your going to be able to get around.

Of course learning a language takes work and dedication, but mango makes the learning just a little more accessible.

Here's the Link: www.trymango.com

California Disney

2007-09-19T17:10:00.000-04:00

The true Disney experience just wouldn't be complete without a few of the gems out West. If you don't ever plan on making the pilgrimage then at least hit up these vids.

Sorry, no smells or wind in your face for Soaring over California (the smells don't work some of the time on the real ride anyway). My favorite: The Grizzly Rapids.

A taste of Disney World, sans long lines and $3 sodas.

2007-09-14T21:19:00.000-04:00

Good times, and lots of old memories. Be careful watching these or you'll wind up buying tickets. Here's as close as your going to get to the happiest place on earth, while sitting at home in your underwear. Links go directly to nostalgic home videos of the Disney World rides!

Read more for a rare treat; the film "Disneyland From Dream To Reality".

Download free Bare Naked Ladies

2007-09-09T13:53:00.000-04:00

Need more tunes? The Vancouver Sun and Nettwerk music group have teamed up to help feed your ipod. As of right now you can download the album Seriously Westcoast vol.1 for free.

The music is pretty good, there are a couple from good ole BNL, a live Sarah McLachlan, and Fa Fa Fa by Datarock. Another gem is Ocean Size Love by Leigh Nash (the lead vocalist from Sixpence n.t.r.).

Wanna fix? Feed the Pod, Click Here!
How about a direct link to the zip..

"Write something else. Thanks! Best Blog..."

2007-09-07T21:08:00.000-04:00

In honor of yesterday's comment, "Write something else. Thanks! Best Blog...". We've decided to pull our very hard working reporter back from his search for the rumored eighth horcrux (yes, Ms. Rowling may have missed one). Apparently, our reporter was under the impression that lengthy mediation on the black sand beaches of Guatemala would Feng Shui him in the right direction.

When confronted our reporter replied back in a very cryptic message, "Q: Do you need a compass to practice feng shui? A: Yes. Just like a hair stylist needs a pair of scissors and a doctor needs a stethoscope." We are now accepting applications... in the mean time. We suggest you pickup a copy of "You Are Special: Words of Wisdom for All Ages from a Beloved Neighbor" by Fred Rogers. You don't have to take our word for it, here's a comment from an energetic reader on amazon.com

"I began reading while curled in a giant easy chair that pocketed my body; the words of Mr. Rogers and the sensation of being cradled in a secure place returned me to days when I felt completely...satisfied."

Man, forget college football, all you really need is good ol' Mr. Rogers and a giant easy chair. And, while your waiting for your copy of "You Are Special: I have no idea who you are but, I love you Neighbor". Check my main man out, in the flesh:
"Heh, that's really nice" - Mr. Rogers

Free Chicken and Coke!

2007-08-22T19:54:00.000-04:00

Well, if you missed the last Chick-fil-A freebie, here's your second chance, and no cow suit is required this time around. Just hit this link and enter your info. Hurry though, it's limited to a million entries and we all know how fast that happens online.

What a page name www.freechickenandcoke.com!Enjoy!

Free your mind, make windshield washer fluid!

2007-08-21T20:11:00.000-04:00

It rained today, and I finally had a chance to try out my homemade windshield washer fluid. It works! I know, I know windshield washer fluid is dirt cheap, but a few days ago I decided to do something about a three month old nagging indicator light.

I realized that my mind needed a rest. I had endured exactly three months of sitting in the store wondering what I had forgotten and then remembering as I'm pulling out of the parking lot. Adding a few drops of blue food coloring to a gallon of water and calling it a day was starting to sound really good. However, I did a quick search online, and guess what, the recipe is all over the place.

Here's the general idea.. mix some rubbing alcohol with a lot of water and add a tiny bit of dishsoap. I'm sorry, but I am really not going to measure this stuff out, it's windshield washer fluid. But, it works, and now I walk out of the store feeling free. By the way, go easy on the soap a little bit goes a long way.

Want a few links? Google - windshield washer fluid recipe

The Hillbilly Tripod

2007-08-18T09:51:00.000-04:00

Here's a great weekend project that's pretty simple to make: A hillbilly tripod. This small portable camera mount might look more like a glorified hotdog roaster, but it gets the job done. The goofs here at Recueilli found that the whole project from start to finish takes about 30min. The hardest part was finding a screw/bolt that actually, fit into a regular camera mount.

To make a hillbilly tripod you need:
1 long screw/bolt that fits your camera mount
1 coat hanger
duct tape
wire cutters
needle nose pliers

Read More for instructions...

1. Use wire cutters to cut coat hanger into 3 equal straight lengths.
2. Use needle nose pliers to bend a small "u" on one end of each piece of wire.
3. Place the bent ends of each wire on screw making sure you leave enough screw to fit your camera mount.
4. Duct tape the bent ends of wire to your screw as tight as possible.
5. Add more duct tape to make sure it's tight.

Remember this is a hillbilly tripod.. don't try and make it look nice, just try and make it work.

Fun with Cannon in D.

2007-08-16T09:44:00.000-04:00

This video is too funny! Comedian Rob Paravonian shows how Cannon in D's cord progression has been used in tons of popular songs.

You might also want to check out:
Wikipedia's list of pop songs based on classical music.

Which Candidate is Right for You?

2007-08-07T19:38:00.000-04:00

Are you as tired of the popularity contest associated with the Presidential Candidates (sponsored by the media), as the rest of America? Well the internet has made it a lot easier to find out which candidate is right for you based on where you stand on the issues.

1. The folks at 2decide.com have created an awesome table listing the candidates' positions on some of the top issues. If you haven't see this it is worth a look. Even better invite a group of friends over print out a table for each of them and then use it to play bingo as you talk politics! Link

2. Fellow blogger Matt Waterman has created a simple way to find out which candidates share your views. You decide where you stand on the issues and his script matches that to the candidates. I strongly suggest you try this out! Hopefully, you aren't too surprised by the results. Link

3. Ok, so this is piggybacking off of #2, but if you are really interested in where others stand on the issues you need to hit up Mr. Waterman's stats page. Basically, everything that is entered into the candidate matching script (#2) is logged. Mr Waterman has set up another script to generate stats from this info. This stats page has real potential. But, these stats could be hacked, there is no limit on the number of times you enter your issues, and you do not have to be of voting age etc. to participate. Link

Hopefully, these sites will help you cut through the popularity factor and get down to what really matters. And remember, a president never ever changes his mind once he has been elected.

Watch...It's just a matter of time before someone designs a widget etc. for facebook/myspace/blogs to display "Your presidential Match". Would you use it if there was one? I probably would.. but, your just going to have to wait until that time to see who I matched to.

Let them sing it for you

2007-08-03T12:50:00.000-04:00

Here's a cool site called 'Let them sing it for you'.

Just enter text and it is converted to musical words using clips from famous songs. It's a very useful site when you need to send ransom notes to blind people!

Link

10 Trees for $10, and A Good Cause!

2007-08-01T15:26:00.000-04:00

Join the NADF! The National Arbor Day Foundation is dedicated to inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They have a great cause, and to prove it they are giving away 10 trees (free including shipping!) to all new members.

Basic membership costs $10 (which should fit almost any budget) and includes: The Tree Book with planting & care information, a bimonthly newsletter, and 33-56% off any future tree purchases.

These guys really want your free trees to grow, in fact they guarantee it. They also only ship during certain parts of the year, and will modify your order if they think a tree you picked might not survive in your area. So, if you've been meaning to add a few trees to your yard, or if you just want to do something good join the NADF today!

Link: http://www.arborday.org/shopping/memberships/memberships.cfm

Of Cheese and Sleep

2007-07-26T22:03:00.000-04:00

I like Nice Blog, it's a brand new, spruce blog that's wiggling into it's own little niche in the macrocosm. Well tonight the author posted a bit about struggles with sleep and cheese. It brought back memories of a quick NPR segment on some of the scientific research the British have been working on. So in honor of Nice Blog, Wallace & Grommit, and all things British; I bring you Nigel White secretary of the British Cheese Board.

Link to audio for 'All Things Considered' by NPR. (if that doesn't work click here)

Bon Appetite and Good Night!

Use Bringo and cut out the B.S.

2007-07-25T20:09:00.000-04:00

Journal Entry #435 - July 25, 2007
So, today I needed to find a couple of last minute cross country airline tickets. Even after using kayak.com (the ultimate airline search site), prices were outrageous. I decided to pull out all stops and personally call the airlines to compare online prices with their supposed discounted ticket prices (govt, student, AAA, etc.)

My first call to the Airline was answered right away with a bright female computerized voice. After a bit of frustration and 10 minutes later, the computer finally said in a cheery voice, "all of our representatives are currently busy at the moment, please hold for the next available rep". Well, the computer already has all my info, and this should go pretty quick, so I'll just wait, I thought. 20 minutes later I'm still holding the phone to my ear jamming away to beautifully written elevator music. Just as the same song restarts for the 16th time I hang up. Remembering how I had bookmarked a web page I've always wanted to try but never had an opportunity, I go back to the computer.

Hello Bringo! This awesome site should charge money! You give them your phone number and the company you want to talk to, and they do the rest. When the company has a rep ready to speak with you Bringo calls your phone and patches you over. It works like a charm. In less than 10 minutes I was connected to an actual airline rep. (I guess he wasn't too busy this time).

Amazingly, Bringo was 5 for 5 connecting me to the reps I needed to talk to! I was so pleased with the service I found myself graciously thanking the airline reps as they each told me how the internet price was significantly better than any other discounts they offered. Thanks to Bringo, I saved cell phone minutes and a whole lot of time. - Rich

Links after the break
Bringo: Stop Talking to Machines and Talk to a Real Human - Or as I would put it.. Bringo: We cut out the B***S****.

Kayak - Life's a trip. Really, the only way to search for flights.

Chore Wars

2007-07-22T22:01:00.000-04:00

Got kids? Got chores? You've got to get them hooked on Chore Wars. Chore Wars is an online adventure game that extends to your home. "Finally, you can claim experience points for housework."

The site puts a sweet spin on chores letting you and your kids live your own adventure. It helps you keep keep track of the chores you've done, and advances your character accordingly. This would be a really cool way to keep track of allowances for parents who pay per chore. You can even set things up so that the amount of "gold" payed out is random for each chore (ex. each time the child vacuums a room he can earn 1-4 pieces of gold which you then decide equals .25 cents - 1 dollar).

Want to play click here. Or email me for a link to join my party (Suds).

Wanna be a doctor?

2007-07-18T20:55:00.000-04:00

Here's the average pay per hour for Docs based on 2003 data. So next time you go to get your mole removed just remember that your Doc is getting about $1.60 a minute.

Orthopedic Surgeon - $107 per hr
Dermatologist - $95
Eye Doctor - $92
Radiologist - $87
Ear, Nose, Throat Doc - $86.9
Pathologist - $85
ER Doc - $76.5
General Surgeon - $76
Anesthesiologist - $71
OB/GYN Doc - $70.5
Psychiatrist - $54
Internal Med Doc - $53
Pediatrician - $49
Family Doc - $48

Read more for a table with average pay and average hours worked based on medical specialty.
From Dorsey. JAMA, Vol 290(9).Sept 3, 2003.1174.

Just can't pass up free TCBY

2007-07-17T19:58:00.000-04:00

Find the store nearest you.

Harry Potter Leaked

2007-07-17T18:49:00.000-04:00

Well it's out.. at least 4 days early. Each page of the new "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" book has been photographed and put together in a file to be downloaded illegally. Supposedly the publisher spent $20 million to keep the book a secret.. oops. Just makes me wonder how much the government spends on their secrets? Sure hope it's a whole lot more than $20 mil.

Feel like putting your neck on the line by downloading a copy? Don't look here you're going to have to head on over to the pirate bay.

Read more for links

The full, final "Harry Potter" -- leaked online!

Canadian National Post

NetLibrary

2007-07-16T19:42:00.000-04:00

So, I spend at least an hour a day in the car. I think if I averaged out my life it would probably be closer to two, and that's a modest estimate. Actually, I once heard that the average time spent in a vehicle worldwide was 1 hour 6 min per day, per person.

Now that's a lot of time sitting around, and if you are like me most of it is spent listening to music or some kind of senseless talk show. That is until I figured that Harry Potter was even better as an audio book. From then on I've read er.. listened to about 30 different books while traveling.

Most libraries have at least a few audio books, but who wants to be seen in those kind of places. Instead surf the library at home using NetLibrary! I stumbled upon NetLibrary a few months ago when searching for fast access to a book I desperately needed. I was able to sign up with NetLibrary through my local library's webpage and I had the info I needed on the spot. Then a few weeks ago I decided to look for another book on NetLibrary and found that it was offered in audio also. In short, my laziness was rewarded once again over the internet. Now, I'm up to my ears in audio books and don't have enough excuses to hit the road.

Feeling lazy? Contact your local library to see if they offer access to NetLibrary. You could also try doing a quick search here to see if your library is a partner? In any case, it's worth the few minutes of hassle for hours of unadulterated auditory stimulation.
Of course, if you want the latest on the Deathly Hallows your going to have to go somewhere else.. I'd try amazon.com

The Give Away of the Century!

2007-07-11T21:16:00.000-04:00

Are you ready for the give away of the Century? No, I don't think you are... but Chick-fil-A does.

Here's the deal: All day Friday Chick-fil-A is giving away free combo meals! That's right folks, free combo meals during breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

All you've got to do is show up "properly dressed". What do we mean "properly dressed". Let's just say no shirt, no shoes, NO UTTER, no service. Yep, to get your free combo meal you're going to have to help celebrate National Cow Appreciation Day by donning a full cow costume.

No costume, no problem Chick-fil-A has instructions on how to make one [Link]. They've also decided to give away free sandwiches to anyone wearing anything with a cow print (hats, shirts, etc).

Be careful though, dressing up like a cow on Friday the thirteenth sounds a little ominous. Just imagine the news flash: Well known lumberjack freaks out and attacks man dressed in cow costume with his ax this Friday the thirteenth. Rumor has it, the poor, superstitious Lumberjack freaked out after seeing a cow man rocking back and forth muttering something about a combo meal. Lumberjack swears he will never eat meat again. The cow man's family say they are shocked and deeply saddened by these odd turn of events.

After all is said and done.. Please send us pictures!!

Find the Chick-fil-A nearest you.

Rock Quarry to Resort

2007-07-08T17:52:00.000-04:00

So what do you do with a half a mile hole in the ground that used to be a rock quarry? How about an all in one recreational resort?

That's exactly what you'll get if you decide to vacation in Shanghai, China sometime around May 2009. The resort will not only include a 400 bed five star hotel built into the rock face, but will also include restaurants, cafes, sport facilities, conference facilities, and even underwater public areas, guestrooms, and aquariums. Activities include all kinds of boating, swimming, snorkeling, fishing, bungee jumping, and rock climbing.

Oh yeah, did I mention it's going to be green.. using geothermal energy and a green roof.

Props to Atkins for such a beautiful and inspiring design. Read more for links

Inhabitat
World Architecture News

Happy Birthday to Moo

2007-07-01T14:38:00.000-04:00

It's about time for another Recueilli exclusive... The official, hot Happy Birthday to MOO cake.

A few days ago we hired a team of bakers, rocket scientists, and cake designers to come up with an original design that would be simple, yet fun and delicious. After hours of slaving away in the kitchen, they finally figured out how to turn on the oven. The rest was well.. a piece of cake.

Read more for instructions.

1. Follow directions on boxed cake mix to make two 9 inch round cakes.

2. Cut like this:

3. Do this to the head:

so it looks like this..

4. Make it look like this:

and this..

5. Enjoy.. (A BIG CONGRATS to my wife who actually designed and made this awesome cake)

Still don't get it? Leave your questions in the comment box.

Exercise Yo' Fingrs

2007-07-01T14:22:00.000-04:00

Get it on tonight with some DDR for yo' twiddly widdlies. Link!
Thanks for the link Nick!

Using Genetics to Heal Your Heart

2007-06-30T11:39:00.000-04:00

After age 65 if you are going to spend the night in the hospital, odds are it is because of heart problems. Actually, heart problems, especially heart attacks, are pretty common.

Well, researchers may have stumbled on a finding which may help with recovery from heart attacks and possibly other heart problems as well. A team at Columbia University Medical Center in New York found that by switching on a gene, adult mice were able to fix the damage from a heart attack.

So maybe sometime in the future when Old Joe's heart decides to take a smoke break Doc's will be able to go in, do a few molecular modifications, and help Joe's heart get back to the way it was in the good ole days.

Read more for links

Gene switch helps mice fix their own broken hearts
Another interesting find

Free: Super Pool from RealArcade

2007-06-25T18:41:00.000-04:00

Fact: Playing sports on a computer is no where near as fun as really playing sports.
Fact: Free stuff doesn't cost any money (up front).
Fact: Right now you can download Super Pool from RealArcade for free.

So if your into playing free sports games on your computer then hit this link as fast as you can. "This offer expires soon... offer not available for Mac"

Carnival Game Hacks

2007-06-23T14:30:00.000-04:00

Make sure you watch this vid, before trying to impress your honey at the next county fair.

P.S. Carnival Games for the Wii comes out in August. Read more for preview links.

New Wii games offer carnival fun
Carnival Games Commercial
Long game play video?

Are outlet malls worth it?

2007-06-21T21:32:00.000-04:00

Outlets are sites where manufactures sell their goods directly to the public. Supposedly, shoppers save by cutting out the middle man. Many times outlet stores cut prices even more by offering goods that are out of style or slightly damaged (stuff that wouldn't make it in a normal department store).

As a special service to humanity, Recueilli's Reporters braved a day at an outlet mall to answer the age old question: Are they worth it?

A day at an outlet mall really depends on who you are and what you have in your wallet. For example, shopaholics might want to leave their plastic at home. LeBron James doesn't even need a wallet. And if your great-grandma would just carry a credit card you would jump for joy.

So, after driving for an hour, our reporters entered the mall carrying a single $100 bill. In less than 10 minutes, that bill was broken for a few shirts over 50% off. Overall our crew spent $80 on shoes, clothes, food, and cleaner. Add a generous $8 for gas and estimated vehicle maintenance, and the total for the day was $88. Compare that to the full (sticker price) total of $179, and the trip to the outlet saved 51%.

Well, sort of.. Don't forget that there was a total gaspillage (waste) of two hours travel time, and time is money (how much money, is up to you).

So our final answer: Yes it's worth it, at least every once in a while.
Read more for links

KomoRadio ask the same question, and gets the same answer
Outlet Guide
List of some outlets

Have fun, and spend wisely.

Jump on the (hybrid) bandwagon

2007-06-19T21:36:00.000-04:00

Want to build/design a new hybrid car? Well, if you're into that kind of stuff Google is throwing money ($1 million) at it, and has plans on throwing more ($10 million).

From Google.org: "RechargeIT is a Google.org initiative that aims to reduce CO2 emissions, cut oil use and stabilize the electrical grid by accelerating the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid technology."

Right now if Google is doing it, it should turn to gold.

Links: Google, metaefficient, NY Times, and ITworld

Yes, it's true: I love Google.

Ed Brown

2007-06-19T21:05:00.000-04:00

Edward Lewis Brown has decided not to pay income taxes. He says it's not constitutional. He also says he won't come out of his wind and solar powered self-sufficient home alive (that is unless all charges are dropped). Now here's bureaucracy.. instead of reaching into this man's pockets and taking the money they say he owes. The Feds cut off his phones, electricity, and water. His house is surrounded or at least under surveillance, and by the time this thing is over and done with more money will have been spent on making things right than is owed by Mr. Brown (more than $1 million).

According to Wikipedia: "The U.S. income tax was first proposed during the War of 1812, but was defeated.[4] In July 1861, the Congress passed a 3% tax on all net income above $600 a year (about USD 10,000 today). Income taxes were enacted at various times until 1894, but were not imposed after 1895 after an 1894 tax act was found to be unconstitutional. In response, the 16th Amendment was ratified in 1913.[4] Ratification has been unsuccessfully disputed by some tax protestors claiming, among other things, that slight errors in punctuation in the various instruments ratified by the several states invalidates the ratification."

More income tax protestor arguments here. Read more for links.

Links:
ABC News
CBS News
Concord Montior
The blog?

My Points

2007-06-17T13:06:00.000-04:00

So many things in life revolve around points (earning points, making points, taking points, measuring points, pointing, etc). In many ways money is just another point system. You collect enough points, trade them in, and voila the Roles Royce is yours. In sports you get the ball into the net as often as possible to earn the maximum amount of points, in life it's not always that easy, but it's often the same idea.

Over ten years ago a business class started an online company based on points. That company is still alive and kicking today (and buys me dinner about every 3-4 months).

No I don't have anything to do with Mypoints.com, and they probably don't even realize they are buying me dinner. Here's how you can let them buy you dinner too:

The majority of my points have come from spending less than a minute a day quickly scanning emails that mypoints sends me. For every email they send I get 5pts. If I have a few minutes (usually not) I complete the surveys they send and earn 50pts. If I remember, I make my purchases online through them. I spend the same amount of money as I would otherwise, but I get a few points per dollar.

Overall, I spend very little time with mypoints, and expect very little from them. After a few months of not paying much attention, I notice that I have accumulated enough points for a gift card. I choose where I want to go out to eat, order the gift card, and enjoy.

I've streamlined mypoint emails even more by setting up a filter in gmail. I have the mypoint emails skip my inbox, and straight to a mypoints folder. Then, I take care of the emails all at once, whenever I get around to it (usually once a week).

You can sign up for Mypoints from their website, or I can invite you (members get 100pts per referral).

Just remember don't expect much, don't do much, and enjoy a free dinner every few months.

Happy Father's Day

2007-06-17T13:01:00.000-04:00

Sorry Dad, no poem. Just take this as a good ol' fashioned pat on the back.

Love ya.

Is it corn or is it oil?

2007-06-15T21:54:00.000-04:00

The news has been awash with threats of rising milk, cereal, and meat costs. And the accused terrorist...corn. In fact, some say that milk in Florida will end up over $5 a gallon by September. Ouch.

An increased demand for ethanol has led to increasing demand for corn. This means less corn for the cows and kiddies. And, don't forget the staple of American food, corn syrup.

But, perhaps corn is just a quick throw away, accomplice to a much bigger and more formidable attacker: oil. We all know that oil prices are high, with prices staring us in the face on almost every street corner. It seems now we are staring to see some of the side effects of higher oil. It just may be that corn is only the tip of the iceberg.

4 Stress Tips You Haven't Heard Before

2007-06-14T20:45:00.000-04:00

Like the title says, here are four stress tips you haven't heard before. Why? Cause their mine.. Ok, well at least that is what I like to think. The best tips for relieving your stress are your own!

1. Change your posture - Check out the posture of the guy who's stressed out. Hands are clenched, forehead wrinkled, sitting hunched over with feet together. Now next time you're stressed, think of that guy and do the opposite. Ok, so cavemen needed to hide and protect themselves from ligers by scrunching up and being small, but we're no longer at the bottom of the food chain so open up and relax.

2. Feet up and hands above head - When your on wits end your heart starts beating faster, well put that heart back in it's place by forcing the blood back to your core. You don't need extra blood in your hands and feet. Calm down, kick back, put your feet up, and your hands behind your head.

3. Smile / Show some love - Worried then smile, can't then fake it. Give a loved one a kiss or a hug, or do something nice for a stranger. Not only will you feel better, but you will (hopefully) put things back into perspective.

4. Have a sandwich - And, eat it slowly. Food is usually good, and a comfort food like a homemade sandwich is even better. Eating tells your body it's time to rest and digest, eating slowly adds that little exclamation point.

Any great tips of your own.. please share.

Lumosity

2007-06-10T20:20:00.000-04:00

With age comes beauty, money, and.. forgetfulness. We all know someone who fits, at least, that last category. Luckily, research shows there are ways of clearing a few of those cobwebs from the corners of our minds.

NintendoDS has taken advantage of that fact and has a game that's supposed to help you out. If you don't have a NintendoDS or if you've misplaced your BrainAge game and don't know where to find it, all is not lost!

Some really smart people from Lumos Labs have put together a great program online. Their games are fun to play, and well designed. The program's called Lumosity, and they say after 30 sessions you should experience these types of things:

Clearer and quicker thinking
Better memory for names, numbers, directions, etc.
Increased alertness and awareness
Elevated mood
Better concentration at work or while driving

I can't vouch for them yet (did my first session today), but I can say the games are pretty cool in a somewhat brain stretching way.

Here's the link. Hurry though, they make it seem as if they might start charging for the service soon.

Competitive? Read more for my scores (betcha can't beat them!)

My first time playing on level 1:
Birdwatching = 912
Speed Match = 3520 (2nd time playing.. totally messed up the 1st time)
Monstergarden = 2725

Hot, Hot, Hot!!

2007-06-09T19:54:00.000-04:00

Orest Symko a physicist at the University of Utah professes to have found a way to turn heat into sound, and sound into electricity. If their technology holds true it could change the world (remember this is the same university that announced cold fusion and almost 20 years later has nothing to show of it).

Thermal Acoustic Piezo Energy Conversion is a little longer of a name than cold fusion and it seems to be a bit more legit with funding coming from the Army in the form of $2 million bucks.

"Symko expects the devices could be used within two years as an alternative to photovoltaic cells for converting sunlight into electricity. The heat engines also could be used to cool laptop and other computers that generate more heat as their electronics grow more complex. And Symko foresees using the devices to generate electricity from heat that now is released from nuclear power plant cooling towers."

It would be cool to pop one of these puppies on a hybrid car. If your an investor keep your eye on this one.. it's gonna be hot (and noisy).

Photo: University of Utah physicist Orest Symko holds a match to a small heat engine that produces a high-pitched tone by converting heat into sound. Symko's research team is combining such heat engines with existing technology that turns sound into electricity, resulting in devices that can harness solar energy in a new way, cool computers and other electronics, and conserve energy by changing waste heat into power
Link to University of Utah press release.

Go Cougars :)

Ice Ice Baby

2007-06-09T08:02:00.000-04:00

A few days ago the UN released a report on global warming. Just like all politically correct news coming out of the UN, the report stated the obvious: The world's ice is melting.

Yeah, that's the main idea concerning global warming.. a relatively rapid decrease in the polar ice caps. This stuff is serious, but even more disconcerting is what's under and around that melting ice.

Plankton! We all learned in elementary school about the food chain, and hopefully how these funky tiny organisms constituted the bottom of that chain.

Well (like the rest of the world), these creatures are getting lazy. As temperatures in the arctic rise, the plankton store less fat to stay alive. Low fat plankton would be good for an American diet and lifestyle, but it stinks for the fish and animals in the arctic.

So what will be the results of tons of lazy plankton? Who knows, I'd ask the bees, but they seem to be getting lost. Sounds almost like a script from A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy except we're the ones getting ready to bulldoze our own planet.

Image above from UNEP Global Outlook for Ice and Snow
Read more for a lot of links.

Polar Bears in Trouble

Accelerating Climate Change Hurting Canada's Arctic Whales

Rapid changes in Arctic sea ice (NASA)

Bird migration patterns shifting - an early warning of climate change

Warming sea threatens Caribbean corals

Electroplankton!!

Transformers is gonna be Hot!

2007-06-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

If you just can't wait for July 3rd check out more Transformers clips from kooldude88

Here's the official movie site.

20 quick tips you probably haven't heard before

2007-06-01T08:50:00.000-04:00

I got an email the other day with several great, quick tips around the house. Here they are with a few of my own:

1. Homemade foam carpet cleaner - Mix 1tsp vinegar, 1/2tsp ammonia, 3Tbs dish soap, and 1/2 cup water. Beat with and egg beater until foamy. Works just as well as commercial carpet cleaner!

2. Reheat Pizza - Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works. Mona, Orlando, FL

3. Expanding Frosting - When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar/calories per serving. Kathy, Mesick, MI

4. Reheating refrigerated bread - To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster. Dave, Camden, DE

5. Foggy Windshield? - Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth! Alicia, Tampa, FL

6. Conditioner - Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair... Kerry, Canada

7. Broken Glass - Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken glass pieces of glass - the fibers catch ones you can't see! Olive, Santee, CA

8. No More Mosquitoes - Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away. Diane, Moran, SC

9. Measuring Cups - Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out. Kim, Goldsboro, NC

10. Reducing Static Cling - Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and - voila - static is gone. Pam, Maple Rapids, NH

Read more for 11-20..

11. Flexible vacuum - To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings. Donna, Anderson, SC

12. MINE - If you purchase a new bike for your child, place their picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on. If the bike is stolen and later recovered, remove the grip and there is your proof who owns the bike. Janet, Carthage, IL

13. Newspaper weeds away - Put layers of wet newspaper around your plants overlapping as you go. Cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers. Linda, Monmouth Jct., NJ

14. Reopening envelope - If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily. Mary, Lockhart, TX

15. Squirrel Away! - To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it. Kathy, Maumelle, AR

16. Goodbye Fruit Flies - To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever! Barbra, Birch Run, MI

17. Get Rid of Ants - Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," & can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, esp. if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed! Teresa, Mitchell, SD

18. Take baby powder to the beach - Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When your ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin.

19. Easy Deviled Eggs - Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up. Janet, Killeen, TX

20. Keep rabbits out of the garden - Sprinkle dried blood around your plants, or mix a tablespoon of dried blood in two gallons water and spray plants. The rabbits and deer will leave your plants alone.

Got a favorite tip? Let's hear it in the comments..

The Love Maine Lobster Claw Game!

2007-05-31T17:32:00.000-04:00

Summer reminds me of the beach, which reminds me of the boardwalk, which reminds me of arcade games, which reminds me of the claw game. Well some enterprising individuals a few years back combined the claw game with the beach and came up with "The Love Maine Lobster Claw Game". Your prize a healthy, happy live lobster!

You've got to see this puppy in action.. fresh off of youtube: The Love Maine Lobster Claw Game!

Want your very own Love Maine Lobster Claw Game? No problem, Marine Ecological Habitats is selling them for $15,950.. actually, if you order soon you'll get your first 12 live lobsters free. No joke, they project that the machine will pay for itself in 10 months.

Do you know where I can go to play "The Love Maine Lobster Claw Game"? Please leave a comment with price and location, thanks!
Recueilli is in no way associated with Marine Ecological Habitats or The Lobster Claw Game

Coolest way to browse photos ever!

2007-05-27T20:20:00.000-04:00

Here is a link to the coolest way to browse photos ever! Hopefully, one day there will be software that will allow you to do this to your on photos. Imagine one of those new digital picture frames with this kind of capability. Be careful though if you are like me you will spend hours mindlessly clicking away, thinking when does it end.. when does it end..

A big thanks to Tim for the link.

http://interact10ways.com/usa/information_interactive.htm

Pandora

2007-05-26T11:06:00.000-04:00

I love Pandora. This free online radio service has been around for long enough to pass the test of time. On Pandora you set up stations based on songs or artist you like and Pandora does the rest (picking music to play that matches your preferences). As you listen to your stations you can vote on the music Pandora picks for you. Spending a few minutes voting here and there over a few months will really help you create amazing radio stations. Click here to get started: www.pandora.com

Right now Pandora is blocking access to anyone outside the US. There are ways to get around this if you really want to (Link). You might also want to check out Last.fm I like Pandora better, but that's just me.

Feel boxed in by the normal browser version of Pandora? Read more for a few good programs to help you get more out of Pandora.

Check these babies out:

OpenPandora - Let's you play pandora without a browser, combos with Last.fm, use wiimote to control music play.
PandoraFM - combines Pandora and Last.fm
Pandoras Jar - let's you save the music being played to mp3, also combines with Last.fm
FoxyTunes - Use it to control Pandora within your browser

Just in case you care - Here are the artists I used to create a study music station (minimal words mostly soft background music): Dan Gibson, Danny Wright, David Lanz, Dr. Jeffrey Thompson, Enya, George Winston, Jon Schmidt, Kurt Bestor, Lorie Line

Great Games Online

2007-05-25T20:11:00.000-04:00

Well it's been a long week. How about some weekend fun. Here are four totally awesome games you can play online. They are all fairly simple, fun flash games. Playing them might lead to hours (too many hours) of fun.

1. Eagle Eye Game - In this game you are an archer trying to hit various targets. It uses the mouse, and really requires some precision for a high score.

2. Tactics100 - This game gives you 100 points to spend on the army of your choice. After you build an army, you use tactics to defeat your enemy. It's kind of like chess, but you decided which pieces you will use and where they go on the board.

3. Sea of Fire - Imagine a mix between warcraft and risk and you have sea of fire. It's a great game with one downside.. no ending. So, after you conquer all the contries give yourself a pat on the back and move on to better things.

4. Potion Panic - In this game you mix three liquids into deadly concoctions in order to defend your base. It's an amazingly fun game for anyone who likes to experiment.

Got another great online game? Please leave a comment, I'd love to kill another hour or two.

Another Bright Idea

2007-05-21T16:42:00.000-04:00

About a month ago HomeDepot gave away a million CFL bulbs to consumers (Link). Well, Yahoo is jumping in on the CFL bulb giveaway train. From now until June 8 you can get in on the action.

To get a free bulb you need to complete any of the three quick activities on their page... I chose "Raise your Hand" and learned that I already save the world 11 tons of CO2/year! I was also reminded of some quick and easy things I could do to save even more.. like air drying my clothes instead of using the dryer (there's nothing like a stiff pair of partially sun-bleached blue jeans).

So far Yahoo has given away around 10,275 bulbs. The fine print says they are only giving away 150,000 of them, but my gut says they will increase that number by a few thousand if need be.

Here's the link.. Be a Better Planet

By the way, the greenest city wins a fleet of hybrid taxis.

Boring Contest Rules

Radish Top Soup

2007-05-20T12:54:00.000-04:00

The first harvest from my spring garden resulted in healthy bunch of radishes. Not wanting to waste the tops I did a quick search to see if they were edible. What I found was my new favorite soup!

Radish Top Soup is easy to make, tastes great, and is light enough for a warm summer day. The best part about the soup is that you leave the table feeling healthy.

(Recueilli Tweaked) Radish Top Soup:
Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced
4 medium red potatoes, diced
4 cups raw radish greens
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup milk
5 radishes, sliced

Read more for directions, links, and pics.
Directions

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and saute until tender.
Mix in potatoes and radish greens, coating them with butter.
Pour in chicken broth.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
Allow the soup mixture to cool slightly, and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Return the mixture to the saucepan. Mix in the milk.
Cook and stir until well blended. Serve with radish slices.

Link to original Allrecipe.com version

Another (untested) version of Radish Top Soup

Slow Down

2007-05-18T21:35:00.000-04:00

Joshua Bell is to violins as Yo-Yo Ma is to cellos, and if you don’t know either.. well, they are the top of the class when it comes to classical musicians. So, earlier this year Joshua Bell teamed up with the Washington Post to see who would stop and listen to him play on a weekday morning in Downtown DC.

The location was L’Enfant Plaza metro center. He played some of the greatest (and hardest to play) classical music ever written for 45 minutes on his 3.5 million dollar Stradivari violin, and nothing really happened. This guy fills concert halls to capacity! Tickets for the cheap seats at one of his concerts cost around $75. Two of his CD’s are sitting at #3 and #4 on classical music top seller lists.

What’s amazing is that with over a thousand people passing by this amazing artist, only seven paused for at least a minute to listen and enjoy the performance. In an email to me on this subject one person wrote, "it says that we so often are in such a hurry with our own things that we don't take time to appreciate the wonder and beauty that is happening all around us."

I totally agree. Life comes and goes pretty fast.. and it seems the older you get the faster time goes by. So, slow down, smell a rose or two, and stop wondering which "Joshua Bell" you missed on the way the way to work this morning.

Read More for video and links.

More videos (including this one) at original Washington Post article: Pearls Before Breakfast

Sesame Street: Classic Moments

2007-05-16T07:20:00.000-04:00

I would argue that Sesame Street has influenced more American kids than any other children's program. It's as American as Apple Pie. Let's take a quick peek at some classic clips of what was once extremely influential in the lives of most of the up and coming leaders of our day.

This one was first aired November 19, 1973. It features Kermit the Frog and a girl named Joey (if anyone knows what has happened to Joey, I would love to find out.. she should be about 40 today).

"Pinball Number Count" was originally produced in 1972 by Imagination, Inc. It was picked up by Sesame Street in 1977. Music by The Pointer Sisters.

Lastly, "We all sing with the same voice" was turned into a book in 1982 (reprinted in 2005) [Link ]. The lyrics are by Sheppard Greene, music by J.Phil Miller ... Looks like America needs a refresher on this one:
-

The Future of Surgery

2007-05-14T19:51:00.000-04:00

Recently on NewScientist there was an article discussing what will probably be the future of surgery. No general anesthetic, no visible scars, fewer infections, and faster healing time.

We've all seen or at least heard of laparoscopic surgery. It's where surgeons blow you up like a balloon, punch a few small holes in you, stick little robotic arms into the holes, and go to work. Well, Natural Orifice Translumenal Endosurgery (NOTES) takes laparoscopic surgery to a whole new level.

What happens is instead of poking holes into your stomach and blowing you up like a balloon. The surgeon sticks his cool robotic arms down your throat. When he gets to your stomach he finds a nice place to cut a hole and then goes for whatever he is trying to fix.

Surgeons have done the appendix through the mouth thing a few times. A few pancreatic cancer diagnoses again via mouth. And get this, Doctors have taken out gall bladders through the vagina.

So what's the catch? Well, the technique is still pretty new. Doctor's are worried that this thing will get over-hyped. Just remember that anytime you let someone stick their hands (robotic or otherwise) down your throat there are going to be some risks, and you might not like it very much. But, then again, it sure beats getting blown up like a balloon...

Read more for links.
NewScientist - Appendix-removal via the mouth leaves no scar
Transvaginal Cholecystectomy performed at Columbia University
Natural Orifice Surgery Consortium for Assessment and Research

Binaural sound

2007-05-13T22:25:00.000-04:00

Remember the virtual haircut? Yeah, the one that gave you chills when the barber whispered in your ear. What you experienced was binaural (or holophonic?) sound. The recording artists used a dummy head with microphones in each ear. What results is an amazing auditory experience. This recoding method has been around at least since the 1980’s. It’s not very popular because it’s hard to do well, and you have to wear headphones to get the full effect.

Want to hear more of it? Put on those headphones..

Click "Read More" for a huge list of great binaural sounds!
Lots of really great audio from Vietnam.
Geese
Old blog with some goodies
Hair Dryer
Water in your head?
Italian Voice
Freaky dog sounds
Sissors
CHINOOK HELICOPTER! (October 2006 at the old RAF Duxford airfield)
More great misc stuff

P.S. "The Mist" by Stephen King was done using binaural recording (Remember to use headphones)

Happy Mother's Day

2007-05-13T13:45:00.000-04:00

This poem I wrote is dedicated to all the Mother's that have ever had an impact on my life, especially my own.

Pushing past the point of exhaustion,
Bring life into the world.
Mothers live to hold and guide us.
Mother is a sacred word.

Kindly teaching, always giving;
It’s a selfless life they lead.
Mothers live to hold and guide us.
Our Mothers know our greatest needs.

Take good care of mother.
Don’t let yourself forget,
Mothers live to hold and guide us.
A Mother’s love will never end.