I KNOW THE THINGS THAT I KNOW

AND NONE OF THE THINGS I DON'T KNOW

Thats about par for the course. Wouldn't you think?

The lady on the right is the "Venus of Willendorf". It currently resides in the Natural History Museum, in Vienna, Austria. There are two factors about this statuette that are interesting. First, it is about 25,000 years old. Which predates any known civilization on earth by about 15,000 years. Second, it is not the only one in existence. Almost identical creations have been found in France and Russia. It is not made from any local rock. It was created when mastadons still roamed the Earth and mankind lived in small villages.

So I wonder where it was created and by whom and was this individual a traveling salesman of sorts. Plying his wares between the Urals and the Atlantic Ocean? Every new revelation presents untold new questions.

Everyone knows what fingerprints are and how the ridges are used to identify individuals. Now trace elements collected in the oils of the skin that leave these impressions can be read and identified. Thus telling investigators what recent items were touched prior to leaving the print on a surface. CSI for the 21st century.

Inland from the north end of San Francisco Bay is the Sacramento/San Joaquin delta. This delta keeps the salty water of the bay from encroaching on the fresh waters. This delta is composed of hundreds of small islands that are about 20 feet below sea level. Existing only because of their surrounding levees. The soil of these islands is rich peat and can be used for growing almost all year long. But, alas, agriculture and erosion is creating a major soil loss. If the delts island fail, the vast majority of the fresh water shipped 450 miles south to the desert city of Los Angeles would cease. Science has discovered that using old crops can have a positive effect on the eco-system.

Here is where you can keep tab on the overall medal count, by country, at this year's Olympics

1. USA 2 gold 2 silver 4 bronze
2. CHINA 3 gold 1 silver 0 bronze
3. KOREA (s) 2 gold 1 silver 0 bronze

And no, I don't plan on doing this every day of the games. Thats why I gave the link, for those interested.

Dutch swimmers claim Women's 4 X 100m Freestyle gold:

Guo Wenjun of China takes Women's 10m Air Pistol Gold:

In a lot of the smaller countries, any citizen who wins a medal will be a national hero. In America, unless they are a really cute gymnast, their names will be forgotten before the game are over. Its the "Warhol Rule".

Scientists have created stem cells for 10 specific disorders.

Did you read comic books as a kid? Remember those ads for the x-ray vision glasses and magical sea monkeys?

Would you be interested in a vehicle that could get 106mpg.

Maybe this is what Obama was thinking about when he told us to "inflate".





Want to solve a mystery? Turns out there is a whole lot more to Leavenworth KS that its infamous Federal Prison. Be sure to watch the video.

Ever thought about flying a kite to generate power? Some folks have this on their agenda. Video.

I don't know whether all the facts are kosher in this news clip but it is an nice oddity.
08-08-08 @ 0808 hrs @ 8lbs 8oz.

Don't forget, the annual Perseid Meteor shower hits its peak before dawn on Tuesday. Sadly, the Moon will be ashinin' in the night sky until just before dawn.

When people say "Big Brother Is Watching You" they are deadly serious. Especially if you are visiting China.


Everyone enjoy your Sunday.
Maybe a few more will find their way here today than yesterday. Which was one of the worst in this blog's history.
I do wish to thank those of you who do manage to visit. I truly appreciate it.

Later...

"Let's all be careful out there!"

McCAIN'S FORAY...

INTO HOLLYWOOD

Whose's your "celebrity" now, baby?
Just John's brief one-line cameo from the movie "Wedding Crashers".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GILLIAN ANDERSON
Welcome to middle age.


I am processing the video to embed here, but until its ready here's the link:
Two reporters couldn't find dog at their Beijing restaurant, had to settle for dog penis instead. The joys of being a foreign correspondent. I bet they won't eat horse either.

What kind of super power goes around invading small oil filled countries without being provoked? Besides us, I mean?

Excerpt from McCain's new "Painful" TV ad:

“Life in the spotlight must be grand, but for the rest of us times are tough.”

Excuse me, Mr. McCain. By "us", you mean other folks who own 8 homes and have a net worth of over $20 million?





"Let's all be careful out there!"

AUGUST 9TH

***

Today is Saturday, August 9, the 222nd day of 2008.
There are 144 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

• On August 9, 1945, three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, the United States exploded a nuclear device over Nagasaki, killing an estimated 74,000 people.

On this date:

• In 1842, the United States and Canada resolved a border dispute by signing the Webster-Ashburton Treaty.
• In 1848, the Free-Soil Party convened in Buffalo, N.Y., where it nominated Martin Van Buren for president.
• In 1854, Henry David Thoreau's "Walden," which described his experiences while living near Walden Pond in Massachusetts, was first published.
• In 1902, Edward VII was crowned king of Britain following the death of his mother, Queen Victoria.
• In 1936, Jesse Owens won his fourth gold medal at the Berlin Olympics as the United States took first place in the 400-meter relay.
• In 1969, actress Sharon Tate and four other people were found brutally murdered in Tate's Los Angeles home; cult leader Charles Manson and a group of his followers were later convicted of the crime.
• In 1974, President Nixon's resignation took effect. Vice President Gerald R. Ford became the nation's 38th chief executive.
• In 1988, President Reagan nominated Lauro Cavazos to be secretary of education; Cavazos became the first Hispanic to serve in the Cabinet.
• In 1995, Jerry Garcia, lead singer of the Grateful Dead, died in San Francisco of a heart attack at age 53.
• In 1997, Haitian immigrant Abner Louima was brutalized in a Brooklyn, N.Y., stationhouse by Officer Justin Volpe, who raped him with a broken broomstick. (Volpe was later sentenced to 30 years in prison.)

Ten years ago:

• Americans, Kenyans and Tanzanians held church and memorial services to mourn those killed in a pair of U.S. embassy bombing attacks.
• In China, engineers dynamited levees along the Yangtze River to ease the worst floods in 44 years.

Five years ago:

• The Army fired up its first chemical weapons incinerator located near a residential area, outside Anniston, Ala., to destroy two rockets loaded with enough sarin nerve agent to wipe out a city.
• Dancer-actor Gregory Hines died in Los Angeles at age 57.

One year ago:

• President Bush held a news conference in which he publicly prodded Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, his embattled war-on-terror partner, to hold free presidential elections, share intelligence and take "swift action" against terrorist leaders pinpointed in his country.
• China banned exports by two toy manufacturers whose products were subject to major recalls in the United States.
• David Beckham made his long-awaited Major League Soccer debut, entering in the 72nd minute of the Los Angeles Galaxy's 1-0 loss to D.C. United.

Today's Birthdays:

• Former baseball manager Ralph Houk is 89.
• Jazz musician Jack DeJohnette is 66.
• Comedian-director David Steinberg is 66.
• Actor Sam Elliott is 64.
• Singer Barbara Mason is 61.
• Actress Melanie Griffith is 51.
• Actress Amanda Bearse is 50.
• Rapper Kurtis Blow is 49.
• Singer Whitney Houston is 45.
• TV host Hoda Kotb is 44.
• Actor Pat Petersen is 42.
• Football player Deion Sanders is 41.
• Actress Gillian Anderson is 40.
• Jazz musician Jack DeJohnette is 66.
• Comedian-d
• Actor Eric Bana is 40.
• TV anchor Chris Cuomo is 38.
• Rock musician Arion Salazar (Third Eye Blind) is 38.
• Rapper Mack 10 is 37.
• Latin rock singer Juanes is 36.
• Actress Liz Vassey is 36.
• Actress Rhona Mitra is 33.
• Actress Jessica Capshaw is 32.

Thought for Today:

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."
Henry David Thoreau, American author (1817-1862).

"Let's all be careful out there!"

DAILY CHUCKLE 8-222

"Let's all be careful out there!"

LHC (CERN)

GOES "LIVE" TODAY

But not yet up to full power. Sorta like turning on the water in a new building to make sure the taps, faucets and drains work. And don't fear. If something goes awry, we'll never know it.

10 "Green" concept cars pushing the limits
(click images for more info)






Over in Brisbane's Fountain Valley area, the cops are ecstatic that most of the people they have to deal with are on Ecstasy rather than alcohol. With only 15 street cops on duty for an area covering 60,000 people. They are a bit short-handed. The cops are complaining about the citizen to cop ratio. To be honest though, in my day, that would have been great. We normally had 25-30 on shift for about 500,000 - 600,000 population. These guys have got it easy.

There was a bit of a problem in the "Big Apple" yesterday.
Hundreds were trapped atop the Empire State Building when an electrical glitch put the kybosh on elevator service.
I can't think of a place I'd rather be than struck between floors in a crowded, sweaty elevator car on a hot, muggy summer afternoon.
The icing on that cake would be if the car was stuffed with Rosie O'Donnell clones. With PMS.


Uighur extremists in western China, an Islamic group, are threatening violence at the various Olympic venues, according to a recently released video. Their photo-shopping abilities are not up to Iranian standards.

You have an unpaid outstanding county income tax bill of $10.12. You forget to pay it. Along come the County Mounties to haul your ass into jail. Now you owe another $400 for court costs.

Did anyone else notice that in John Edwards' apology, he never once apologized?

God's Waiting Room has been moved from Florida to the Gates of Hell.

Enjoy your weekend.

"Let's all be careful out there!"

DON'T YOU HATE IT...

WHEN THIS HAPPENS?

Here it is, Friday afternoon/evening. Nothing special occurring in my life. Just the typical dog days of summer. Then...

WHAM!!

I wonder what the space-time continuum is shaped like?

Then I got all dimensional:

Followed by lyrical:

I know. Other folks are thinking about tonight's date. The Olympics. How many beers they must consume before the abyss takes control of their brain and body.
I guess I am different.

We heard from Paris.
Now it's Britney's turn. Lets just say she isn't quite as eloquent.


How is a guy to make a dishonest living with all those "goodie two shoes" interferring?


Bob Saget was given a "celebrity roast". For some reason the "Standards & Practices" people left this one on the cutting room floor. But it is funny. In a very sick way. LOL


Hmmm...
I didn't hear McCains "approval" at the end of this one.


I guess the traffic laws in Russia are different that the rest of the world.

I guess the ones who were backing the wrong way figured if they got hit they could say the other guy rear ended them. How far would you get doing this in your part of the world?

And finally...
A little music to finish your day


See ya tomorrow!

"Let's all be careful out there!"

AUGUST 8TH

Today is Friday, August 8, the 221st day of 2008.
There are 145 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

• On August 8, 1974, President Nixon announced he would resign following damaging new revelations in the Watergate scandal.

On this date:

• In 1876, Thomas A. Edison received a patent for his mimeograph.
• In 1908, American statesman and Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg was born in Chicago.
• In 1942, six convicted Nazi saboteurs who'd landed in the U.S. were executed in Washington, D.C.; two others were spared.
• In 1945, President Truman signed the United Nations Charter.
• In 1945, the Soviet Union declared war against Japan during World War II.
• In 1963, Britain's "Great Train Robbery" took place as thieves made off with 2.6 million pounds in banknotes.
• In 1968, the Republican national convention in Miami Beach nominated Richard M. Nixon for president on the first ballot.
• In 1973, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew branded as "damned lies" reports he had taken kickbacks from government contracts in Maryland, and vowed not to resign — which he ended up doing.
• In 1978, the U.S. launched Pioneer Venus 2, which carried scientific probes to study the atmosphere of Venus.
• In 1994, Israel and Jordan opened the first road link between the two once-warring countries.

Ten years ago:

• President Clinton, in his Saturday radio address, vowed the bombers of two U.S. embassies in Africa would be brought to justice, "no matter how long it takes or where it takes us."

Five years ago:

• The Boston Roman Catholic archdiocese offered $55 million to settle lawsuits stemming from sex abuse by priests. (The archdiocese later settled for $85 million.)

One year ago:

• Space shuttle Endeavour roared into orbit with teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan on board.
• Screenwriter-director Mel Shavelson died in Studio City, Calif., at age 90.

Today's Birthdays:

• Producer Dino DeLaurentiis is 89.
• Actress Esther Williams is 87.
• Actor Richard Anderson is 82.
• Joan Mondale (wife of former Vice President Walter F. Mondale) is 78.
• Actress Nita Talbot is 78.
• Singer Mel Tillis is 76.
• Actor Dustin Hoffman is 71.
• Actress Connie Stevens is 70.
• Country singer Phil Balsley (The Statler Brothers) is 69.
• Actor Larry Wilcox is 61.
• Actor Keith Carradine is 59.
• Rhythm-and-blues singer Airrion Love (The Stylistics) is 59.
• Country singer Jamie O'Hara is 58.
• Movie director Martin Brest is 57.
• Radio-TV personality Robin Quivers is 56.
• Actor Donny Most is 55.
• Rock musician Dennis Drew (10,000 Maniacs) is 51.
• TV personality Deborah Norville is 50.
• Actor-singer Harry Crosby is 50.
• Rock musician The Edge (U2) is 47.
• Rock musician Rikki Rockett (Poison) is 47.
• Rapper Kool Moe Dee is 46.
• Rock musician Ralph Rieckermann is 46.
• Rock singer Scott Stapp is 35.
• Country singer Mark Wills is 35.
• Actor Kohl Sudduth is 34.
• Rock musician Tom Linton (Jimmy Eat World) is 33.
• Singer JC Chasez ('N Sync) is 32.
• Actress Tawny Cypress is 32.
• Rhythm-and-blues singer Drew Lachey (98 Degrees) is 32.
• Rhythm-and-blues singer Marsha Ambrosius (Floetry) is 31.
• Actress Countess Vaughn is 30.
• Actor Michael Urie is 28.
• Tennis player Roger Federer is 27.
• Actress Meagan Good is 27.
• Britain's Princess Beatrice of York is 20.

Thought for Today:

"I think most people are more important than their opinions."
Jorge Luis Borges, Argentine author (1899-1986).

"Let's all be careful out there!"

DAILY CHUCKLE 8-221

"Let's all be careful out there!"

FILL YOUR TANK

STARVE A COW

The Governor of Texas requested, and the EPA denied, a rollback on the mandated 9 billion gallons of ethanol to be added to gasoline in Texas this year and the 11 billion for 2009. The Governor says the requirement is causing the price of cattle feed to skyrocket.

Jobless claims hit a 6-year high.

We are all equal under the eyes of gawd, unless you're the preacher's wife. Then you only have to obey a less qualified standard of behavior.

Typical story of a rich blond bitch in First-Class seating. She needs to get her ass back to the trailer park for some reality checking.



American combat troops leaving Iraq by October 2010. Thats if Dubya or McCain or Haliburton don't screw things up. And thats straight from the camel's mouth.


NASA is getting ready for a facelift on the ISS. When completed, the crew capacity will double from 3 to 6. No word on when NASA will be having the "kegger" house warming party.

"Dear Web Poster.
I would like to offer you an opportunity to help promote my Presidential campaign and earn exciting gifts for yourself."
Click here for further exciting details.
There is no requirement for a working brain, since we will supply you with all the cc&p's of "talking points" you'll ever need for any forum, blog or news article comment. Have your entire family sign up today. Lets leave Washington for us wrinkly, white-haired guys. They don't call it the WHITE House for nuttin'.

AOL, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Earthlink, Time-Warner.. Its hard to tell want their new relationships will be with each other, but it will most definitely be different.

Finally, you might find this slinking story a-mew-zing.

Thanks for you time and visit. See you soon.


"Let's all be careful out there!"

NOW THIS IS KEWL!

LIGHTNING IN SUPER SLOW MOTION


Tornado Chasing:

Tailcam Video Of A380 Takeoff


Its called "Blue Beauty" and worth the time to watch.

March Of Shame:


Walk Of No Shame:


I haven't said anything about this before but the groundswell of grassroot support is staggering.


"Let's all be careful out there!"

AUGUST 7TH

***

Today is Thursday, August 7, the 220th day of 2008.
There are 146 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

• On August. 7, 1942, U.S. and allied forces landed at Guadalcanal, marking the start of the first major allied offensive in the Pacific during World War II.

On this date:

• In 1782, George Washington created the Order of the Purple Heart, a decoration to recognize merit in enlisted men and non-commissioned officers.
• In 1789, the U.S. War Department was established by Congress.
• In 1882, the famous feud between the Hatfields of West Virginia and the McCoys of Kentucky erupted into full-scale violence as one member of the Hatfield clan was mortally wounded by three McCoy brothers, who ended up being slain in turn.
• In 1927, the Peace Bridge between the United States and Canada was dedicated during ceremonies attended by Prince Edward of Wales, Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King and U.S. Vice President Charles Dawes.
• In 1947, the balsa wood raft Kon-Tiki, which had carried a six-man crew 4,300 miles across the Pacific Ocean, crashed into a reef in a Polynesian archipelago; all six crew members reached land safely.
• In 1959, the United States launched Explorer 6, which sent back a picture of the Earth.
• In 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, giving President Lyndon B. Johnson broad powers in dealing with reported North Vietnamese attacks on U.S. forces.
• In 1974, French stuntman Philippe Petit repeatedly walked a tightrope strung between the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center.
• In 1987, the presidents of five Central American nations, meeting in Guatemala City, signed an 11-point agreement designed to bring peace to their region.
• In 1993, the public got its first glimpse inside Buckingham Palace as people were given the opportunity to tour the London home of Queen Elizabeth II. (Proceeds were earmarked to help repair fire damage at Windsor Castle.)

Ten years ago:

• Terrorist bombs at U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania killed 224 people, including 12 Americans.
• The Federal Aviation Administration, in a follow-up to the probe of the 1996 explosion that destroyed TWA Flight 800, ordered the inspection of Boeing 747 fuel tanks.

Five years ago:

• A bombing outside the Jordanian Embassy in Baghdad killed 19 people.
• An Indonesian court sentenced Amrozi bin Nurhasyim to death in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.
• West African peacekeepers entered Liberia's rebel-besieged capital; President Charles Taylor picked vice president Moses Blah as his successor.

One year ago:

• San Francisco's Barry Bonds hit home run Number 756 to break Hank Aaron's storied record with one out in the fifth inning of a game against the Washington Nationals, who ended up winning, 8-6.

Today's Birthdays:

• Writer-producer Stan Freberg is 82.
• Rhythm-and-blues singer Herb Reed (The Platters) is 80.
• Bluesman Magic Slim is 71.
• Actress Verna Bloom is 69.
• Humorist Garrison Keillor is 66.
• Singer B.J. Thomas is 66.
• Singer Lana Cantrell is 65.
• Actor John Glover is 64.
• Actor David Rasche is 64.
• Rhythm-and-blues singer Harold Hudson is 59.
• Country singer Rodney Crowell is 58.
• Actress Caroline Aaron is 56.
• Actor Wayne Knight is 53.
• Rock singer Bruce Dickinson is 50.
• Marathon runner Alberto Salazar is 50.
• Actor David Duchovny is 48.
• Country musician Michael Mahler (Wild Horses) is 47.
• Actor Harold Perrineau is 45.
• Jazz musician Marcus Roberts is 45.
• Country singer Raul Malo is 43.
• Actress Charlotte Lewis is 41.
• Actress Sydney Penny is 37.
• Actress Charlize Theron is 33.

Thought for Today:

"Civilization is a movement and not a condition, a voyage and not a harbor."
Arnold Toynbee, English historian (1889-1975).

"Let's all be careful out there!"