tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15669952839676524502011-12-02T16:28:26.479-06:00...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.comBlogger1601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-56011566873716765542011-11-30T23:20:00.003-06:002011-11-30T23:29:34.167-06:00

...Ray Raphael is an unabashed, and unrepentant, child of the Sixties. Describing his college years, he acknowledges his official major was philosophy ...but notes "my real focus was on being an activist."His activist spirit was fueled by two summers of civil rights work in the American South of the early ‘60s. After completing his undergraduate degree he "became a full-time activist working with

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-78079379660136475932011-10-09T17:32:00.006-05:002011-10-09T18:01:05.473-05:00

...We have all probably seen her picture. First published in June 1985 as the cover photograph for National Geographic magazine, her beautiful—yet haunting—eyes fix on us. Disheveled hair frames her life-weary face. Cloth wraps round her, covering her head and upper body, ragged holes worn through, telling us these eyes have seen too much. No smile, no frown, no emotion visible. Just ...those ...

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-1897643397115275102011-10-06T20:41:00.002-05:002011-10-06T20:45:40.872-05:00

...A favorite back in the day . . .wait ...a favorite today..!!...tom...

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-69994416847704853242011-07-31T20:20:00.005-05:002011-07-31T20:34:40.996-05:00

...OK . . .I give up.We are all familiar with the 'captcha' technology (by that brand name and others) required for posting comments at many sites. They serve a purpose I suppose ...but sometimes they are infuriating indeed.What, for example, does this one 'say'..?? I have no idea. (Click on the image to see the larger image.).The second word I can take a guess at . . .but wtf for the first one.

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-43504539333560833322011-07-11T23:01:00.004-05:002011-07-11T23:30:18.350-05:00

...Oh ...my ...gawd.I have always been a fan of 'puffy' Cheetos. Or more correctly the Cheetos brand of cheese-flavored cornmeal snack. Keep your 'crunchy' Cheetos ...gimme that bag of 'puffy' Cheetos..!!I also love the Cheetos Flamin' Hot Cheetos. But until recently I had only seen them in the 'crunchy' form.Today my youngest daughter brought these into the house...Woohoo..!!.Look at that golden

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-70181632927295915252011-06-22T22:05:00.010-05:002011-06-22T23:21:18.546-05:00

...Yes, sadly, I resort to a 'photo-post' in the act of applying the paddles to my moribund blog. I truly am pathetic..The large silver maple tree in our backyard. It is a pain with all the seeds and leaves . . .but it is good for shade ...and the squirrels love it.Click the image for the larger pic ...it definitely looks better..A stained Adirondack chair that sits on our deck under the silver

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-81705824328311502052011-04-30T22:59:00.004-05:002011-04-30T23:25:58.992-05:00

...Random pics taken in fall/winter 2010 and 2011.A white moth resting on a window screen, strongly backlit with outdoor light..A bee gets his pollen on at a flower in our yard..A barbed wire fence at a local farm..A pre-storm evening shortly before sunset..A praying mantis found in our front yard while mowing. Luckily I saw him before I ran over him..!!.I will leave this one for you to 'figger

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-66695930020230380212011-02-27T13:31:00.004-06:002011-02-27T13:45:12.096-06:00

... Waveland Avenue. 'the Friendly Confines', ivy on outfield walls, 'Hey, hey..!! ', 'It might be, it could be...', 1969, 1984... Many words, phrases, and years evoke only one place and one team for a baseball fan ...Wrigley Field and the Chicago Cubs.When you add the names ...Brickhouse, Williams, Santo, Sandberg, Caray, Smith, Durham, Sutcliffe, Dawson, Maddux, Wood, Zambrano ...when you add

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-57508677362747667452011-01-26T20:06:00.008-06:002011-01-26T21:15:41.063-06:00

...I am a fan of books that list or compile or compare ...places to visit, best books, words to know, etc.. When you start comparing 'this' to 'that' ...in a heartbeat 'my guy is better than your guy' breaks out and soon David is slinging a stone at Goliath. Fast forward several thousand years, mix in competitive sports ...and the 'Manning vs Brady vs Favre' discussion/argument is on."The

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-62473301075010924542011-01-12T23:40:00.003-06:002011-01-12T23:52:36.270-06:00

..."Gentle Willow is a book for children who may not survive their illness. This comforting story ... will also help all children with the death of friends, family members, or even pets."Pretty heavy task for a kid's book. But too often the specter of death intrudes into a family and into a child's life.Gentle Willow is a thin, full-size children's storybook written by Joyce C. Mills, a marriage

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-33779030349923054402011-01-01T01:19:00.001-06:002011-01-01T01:20:48.302-06:00

....tom...

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-28232773050286454802010-12-15T23:02:00.006-06:002010-12-17T08:32:49.229-06:00

...One of Iowa's finest goes home..." 'He was the best pitcher I ever faced,' Ted Williams once told me. 'He was the hardest thrower I ever faced, and he had the best curveball. I hit him pretty good, but he was great.' "--Tim Kurkjian at sports.espn.goPhoto credit: clevelandseniors.comThis is too soon following the recent loss of Ron Santo. Another legend of the game gone from our lives and from

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-5220907803362479552010-12-15T16:42:00.014-06:002010-12-15T19:08:36.148-06:00

...Her people number over 1.3 billion ...one of every five humans lives here. Fifty-six distinct ethnic groups are spread patchwork-like across the thirty-three provinces of the fourth-largest country in the world. From subtropical jungles to seemingly endless deserts, from Mount Everest to the border of frozen Russian Siberia, the people of China are as diverse as its landscapes and

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-79879779711355937852010-12-07T13:35:00.004-06:002010-12-07T13:47:50.830-06:00

..."Yesterday, December 7, 1941 a date which will live in infamy the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. ...With confidence in our armed forces with the unbounded determination of our people we will gain the inevitable triumph so help us God.I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-8497133309258314122010-12-03T10:48:00.005-06:002010-12-03T11:33:31.871-06:00

...Photo credit: flickr user wfbakker2 via Wikimedia CommonsRest easy Mr. Santo, rest easy my friend....tom...

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-9487358199184764862010-11-21T11:28:00.003-06:002010-11-21T11:59:43.190-06:00

...It is said that if birds knew what they were doing ...they would fall from the sky like rocks. That they do not is a tribute to the efficiency of intelligent design or evolution ...take your pick.Photo credit: gaetanlee via Wikimedia Commons...Continuing in the vein of 'capturing nature' comes Andrew Zuckerman with his signature white backgrounds, and his skill in capturing the beauty and

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-65851331566846610712010-11-20T10:43:00.003-06:002010-11-20T10:53:02.395-06:00

...Sometimes someone on the Intertubes gets it exactly right.Gate Rape November 19, 2010 Urban Word of the Day The TSA airport screening procedure.My sister got gate raped at LAX.Kon Tiki got it right and s/he made it 'short-n-sweet' to match the attention span of the average net-surfer.Ya gotta strike while the iron is hot and match the mood of your readers. The topic may be dead in a week ( I

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-81671116251717797792010-10-21T12:21:00.004-05:002010-10-21T12:37:40.673-05:00

...Technology today continues to amaze.I mean, when you or I or any group can (with enough planning and preparation) send a video camera into space and return it safely (hopefully..!!) to Earth ...well, what is not possible..?!?Too cool.Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.Make sure you check the perpetrators homepage at Brooklyn Space Program dot org for more information and views

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-47981216648095833982010-08-07T22:23:00.008-05:002010-08-07T22:46:50.705-05:00

...Question: How do you feel about President Barack Obama's performance this past year?That poll question I recently found online. The results are what caught my attention.Answers:Impressed. I knew I was right to vote for him.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ...38%Satisfied. He's doing his job.XXXXXXXXXX ...10%Pleased. But he could definitely do better.XXXXX ...5%On the fence. It's too

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-44306371629460841512010-07-20T10:34:00.010-05:002010-07-20T11:30:51.123-05:00

...One of the features I really like about the Mozilla Firefox browser is the auto-spellcheck function. It is nice to see misspelled words politely underlined in red to let you know something is amiss.But I do find some of its idiosyncrasies (Firefox spellcheck used right there..!!) to be amusing.Photo credit: Mary ShawPhoto credit: villagevoice.comThe Firefox spell-check function will offer the

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-77860875576464244952010-07-11T20:31:00.005-05:002010-07-11T21:19:20.578-05:00

...I had heard a while ago that a solar eclipse was soon to be visible somewhere in the southern hemisphere. I had no idea where and really paid little attention to its arrival as I knew I would not be able to see it.Wrong..!!Thanks to the power of the Intertubes I was alerted at an online forum about a live-streaming site where the solar eclipse could be viewed in the south Pacific.Apparently

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-24556398253670758352010-07-08T21:20:00.005-05:002010-07-08T21:48:57.953-05:00

...Photo credit: The Big Picture, boston.com, June 30, 2010A young woman lies on the grave of an American soldier killed in Afghanistan.Sister, girlfriend, fiance, wife, stranger..?? Who knows.Perhaps only in sleep, in the darkness of a daydream with eyes closed, perhaps only there does the sun really shine.Incredible picture, incredibly sad.Faces of the Fallen, The Washington PostLance Cpl. Noah

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-24892760029204246442010-07-05T19:43:00.005-05:002010-07-05T20:09:01.264-05:00

...A recent post by a blogger I consider an online-friend made me think to share my thoughts about the novel Earth Abides by George R. Stewart. Earth Abides is an old novel. Written in 1949 it is one of the first post-apocalyptic novels. Fresh on the heels of WW II and at the beginning of the Cold War, Earth Abides addresses the idea of a pandemic wiping mankind from the earth as easily as

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-26527727273719278192010-06-29T21:23:00.003-05:002010-06-29T21:47:04.774-05:00

...Maybe it is just me. Anyone else see a resemblance..??....SNL alumnus Jon Lovitz ... and ... Supremes nominee Elena KaganAm I nuts ... or do they look alike..??...tom...

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-72181589531162245082010-06-03T20:25:00.008-05:002010-06-03T20:46:22.211-05:00

...I am bored...So I downloaded some recent photos and will share.I know, I know: how exciting....Let's roll..!!.Oooooh..!! Shiny..!!.Too bright, my eyes hurt..!!....round and round and round we go..The big yellow ball 'shadows' the big red ball....You surely have figured out where we were early that morning......tom...

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-9223274556510328352010-05-31T14:20:00.005-05:002010-05-31T15:27:57.920-05:00

...Disagreement, conflict, strife, war: by any name it seems to be a fatal flaw of the human condition.Man is a creature who relishes the control of his surroundings, his lands, all the bounty of nature that lies before him. When others seek (or even seem to desire) to deprive him of any of his power and control . . .well, all hell breaks loose.It is depressing that conflict and war seem to drive

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-39757424687737829622010-05-29T13:18:00.004-05:002010-05-29T13:30:53.914-05:00

...On this date it was the end of the world as they knew it.For on this date in 1453 the city of Constantinople fell after a siege by forces led by Sultan Mehmed II.Some historians use this date as the endpoint for the Middle Ages and credit the fall of Constantinople and its reverberations throughout medieval Europe as an important stimulus for the beginning of the period known as the

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-39923277637788576782010-05-17T16:37:00.005-05:002010-05-17T17:16:32.612-05:00

...Do you remember your best friends from elementary school ...middle school ...high school..?? Have you kept in touch with them..?? Or have you drifted apart over the years, finding your own way in the wide, wide world..??As a 'features' writer for The Wall Street Journal (given the "freedom (to) tend to the hearts of our readers" ...yes, even despicable robber-baron-zombie readers of The WSJ

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-62860554106116751012010-05-07T19:01:00.002-05:002010-05-07T19:53:01.826-05:00

...Yes . . .I am way behind the curve on this one.But I still like the idea, the video, the music. Hate me if you must . . .though I would prefer a hug. ...:minism:......tom...

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-19054039779129394762010-05-03T22:33:00.004-05:002010-05-03T22:41:27.657-05:00

...Going old school here. When music had form, function, and was actually performed rather than 'produced'....tom...

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-82411499464114671142010-03-20T23:58:00.003-05:002010-03-21T00:10:20.373-05:00

...It has been a while since I shared a desktop view. Not that I imagine my reader or three are continually checking for the next one. My hit counter would certainly not indicate they are.This one continues my theme of 'space' pictures. Is there really anything more beautiful, challenging, or exciting than the idea of exploring and living in space..?? Not for me.This selection is from APOD,

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-12295065137167009132010-03-10T22:39:00.003-06:002010-03-10T22:49:23.061-06:00

...A little off color for me . . .but too funny (and true) to resist sharing.Breaking News: Some Bullshit Happening Somewhere"I'm just some phucking guy."Too funny....tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-19607079943657538742010-03-01T22:32:00.007-06:002010-03-01T23:04:49.109-06:00

...Look at your pay stub. Not your 'take home' pay amount. But your total earnings before any taxes are taken out. Now add in another 7-plus percent taxes paid by your employer.Imagine getting all that gross income. Imagine not having to worry about 'net' income ever again. Except for the deductions you choose to make.Look at your tax return as you prepare it this spring. Not at the $200 or $2000

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-5889884046941815112010-02-22T20:33:00.010-06:002010-02-22T21:36:51.814-06:00

...A recent online solicitation I received:"WIN $5,000 A WEEK for Life!"Geezus..!! Where do I go to sign-up..!?!Of course, once I check it out a little more thoroughly ...this missive from Publishers Clearing House ...once I check it out thoroughly I see the odds of winning are "1 in 1,750,000,000"..!! One in one point 75 Billion..!! And I thought the Powerball lottery odds were long..!!Lets see,

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-58626631893997928952010-02-12T19:14:00.005-06:002010-02-12T20:21:14.563-06:00

...It has been more than a while since I have posted one of these 'unique phrases' posts. I would like to think I have a ton of new and entertaining phrases to share.Well sure . . .I would like to say that....As always, these are simply short phrases that I have encountered while reading on the web. They either strike me by their 'musical sound' or their discordant cacophony. As always, the

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-71614501467298701052010-02-10T18:37:00.005-06:002010-02-10T19:21:11.342-06:00

...A review I wrote a couple of years ago on Epinions.Somehow, it seems appropriate right now, given the season...Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to SeeOK, OK. I confess. This book is not really about 'how to write a love letter'. I am just shamelessly throwing myself at the web search engine spiders.Perhaps my sticky net caught you also my dear reader. If it did

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-30488333391109224282010-02-07T21:41:00.003-06:002010-02-07T21:47:21.443-06:00

...Like a carefully arranged photo album, the pictures of The Snowman share one special day, and night, of one little boy. We know nothing about him, neither his name nor where he lives. We only know this special day is cold and snowy.Told without words, dozens of smaller and larger pictures tell the story of the creation of 'the snowman' and his interactions with the young boy as he comes to

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-87593627686731888322010-01-28T18:51:00.004-06:002010-01-28T19:00:29.187-06:00

...No. Not a review of the recently released film. But my thoughts about the novel on which the film is based.The Lovely Bones does not waste your time. Seventeen words into the story you learn of the ultimate horror: "My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973."By the end of this first chapter Susie Salmon is dead and you

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-70267143780538953762010-01-24T00:49:00.008-06:002010-01-24T01:21:19.986-06:00

...They are the hot topics of today: the economy, health care, the war on terror, energy, taxes. They were hot topics in the last presidential election cycle; Nostradamus is not needed to predict they will remain hot topics for many years, and many elections, to come.Mike Huckabee, former Baptist pastor and Republican Governor of the Democrat-controlled state of Arkansas, shares his thoughts on

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-32680520728105708602009-12-30T19:44:00.004-06:002009-12-30T20:17:42.537-06:00

...For some reason I just seem to have had a rekindling of my Christmas spirit...Surely it could not have been finding this pic that perked up my mistletoe..?!?....please scroll down . . .hey, it is a cheap ploy to build some suspense..............Picture is from the website of the Bakken Amusement Park in Klampenborg, Denmark.Apparently each July, for forty-some years now, they have a gathering

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-50865715643445071042009-12-09T10:32:00.004-06:002009-12-09T10:57:33.173-06:00

...One of the earliest Christmas presents I remember receiving as a child was a set of Hardy Boys mystery books. One in particular, about a lost gold mine, really caught my imagination. I have never been able to pin that early memory down to one specific book but the imagined world of the Hardy boys swallowed me up. Frank and Joe were my BFF.From that gift, and probably others before it and many

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-68001861739309012512009-12-01T18:16:00.004-06:002009-12-01T19:14:32.184-06:00

...Lifetime cable network is currently in the midst of their 'Falalala Lifetime movie marathon' for the holiday season. If you need your first light dose(s) of holiday schmaltz/cheer ...flip the channel over to Lifetime. (Can I use 'schmaltz' to describe a Christmas-time movie..?? Is that kosher..??)Jane (Nancy McKeon) is a yuppie career businesswoman, too busy enjoying the perks of her VP

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-50949559539833235422009-11-23T23:07:00.004-06:002009-11-24T09:21:18.131-06:00

...Something fun and catchy, just because.. . .and because it is for a good purpose...If only my 'hospital employer' was this fun..!!Hat tip to dianapinions at Epinions dot com....tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-52754988535623819432009-11-21T23:32:00.005-06:002009-11-22T00:21:47.794-06:00

...The large precinct room was open and claustrophobic at the same time. Large, solid columns spaced too close together told you immediately this was not modern construction. Old worn chairs butted up against too-small desks piled too high with papers, folders, and open, crumb-filled donut boxes. From the overflowing trashcans it was hard to tell when the cleaning crew had last been through.From

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-77686888664703022972009-11-19T22:55:00.004-06:002009-11-19T23:16:52.765-06:00

...When I volunteered at my workplace to travel out of state for special training I had no idea of the sweet perquisites that would come with it.Traveling to the Dallas area and staying at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas was the best part of the experience. If only that annoying 'workplace training' nonsense had not kept getting in the way of really enjoying

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-4107193760076797442009-11-15T02:05:00.008-06:002009-11-19T22:54:51.512-06:00

...'Route 66'The name conjures an icon of the American way of life: always on the road seeking the next grand vista ...the next travel adventure, breaking through all obstacles of geography, climate, and native populations unfortunate enough to stand in the way of manifest destiny.As the Old West and the frontier vanished and the automobile became a fixture in American life, Route 66 became the '

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-80936415619403407002009-10-24T16:54:00.003-05:002009-10-24T17:23:23.180-05:00

...I am on the generic Amazon dot com customer e-mail list. Occasionally users receive offers and suggestions for products based on their previous purchases and ratings at the site.Several days ago I received an e-mail with this one, 100 Words for Lovers. as a featured product for me. Any reader of this blog would know this is a product that might interest me, no surprise there. But what was a

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-90387470399844495572009-10-15T18:27:00.004-05:002009-10-15T19:23:51.551-05:00

...Yes, there is a theme here. Astronomy pics often take my breath away. Particularly those of Astronomy Picture of the Day. The one shared here is from September 27, 2009.At about 100 meters from the cargo bay of the space shuttle Challenger, Bruce McCandless II was farther out than anyone had ever been before. Guided by a Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), astronaut McCandless, pictured above, was

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-78215285826990423052009-09-16T18:32:00.006-05:002009-09-16T19:13:37.346-05:00

...Any baseball fan knows catching that ephemeral foul ball is the crowning moment of any baseball game. Well, other than that bottom of the ninth game-winning comeback. It is rather silly to attach so much value to a simple foul ball; but it does make you a part of the onfield struggle if only for that brief moment.Now imagine catching that elusive foul ball, highfiving with the fans around you,

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-14660879395871582292009-09-07T09:35:00.004-05:002009-09-07T10:02:32.849-05:00

..."Today (September4, 2009) planet Earth passes through the plane of Saturn's rings. From the perspective of earthbound astronomers, Saturn's rings will be edge-on. The problem is, Saturn itself is now very close to the Sun, low on horizon after sunset, so good telescopic images will be difficult to come by." Read more.Photo courtesy of Astronomy Picture of the Day, September 04, 2009....tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-86509588980366296852009-09-06T08:46:00.004-05:002009-09-06T09:03:20.375-05:00

...Sorry, no deep analysis of 'talking nonsense' to follow. Just an observation.An old (circa 2006) thought found while reading on Epinions dot com:"I originally had a lot more to say, but a lot of it makes less sense than what I just typed, so I should just stop here."Damn it people..!! That is why we read on the Internet: to find nonsense..!! Quit self-censoring your thoughts..!!Talking

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-80993693788422220672009-08-02T15:09:00.011-05:002009-08-02T16:07:07.863-05:00

...I remember like it was yesterday...American League Rookie of the Year in 1970.Seven-time All-Star.Runaway AL MVP in 1976.I hated the NY Yankees ...still do. But I admired the talent, play, and heart of one Thurman Munson.Thirty years ago today he died when his private jet crashed as he was making a series of practice landings.Image source: wallyg at flickr.comImage source: NY Daily NewsRest in

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-47191158604415874622009-07-29T21:42:00.006-05:002009-07-29T22:07:34.266-05:00

...The Greek god Zeus is considered the king of all the gods. Zeus rules Mount Olympus and bears the thunderbolt as but one symbol of his power and glory.When Mother Nature looses her thunderbolts on us I am always reminded of Zeus and the ancient Greek gods.The pic above is from The Big Picture, a 'photo blog' found at Boston.com, the website presence of The Boston Globe newspaper. Once again

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-44844372178316893452009-07-26T17:45:00.005-05:002009-07-26T18:33:06.520-05:00

...OK, let me get this straight.Because my wife and I made an intelligent car-buying decision a decade ago, because we chose a vehicle with a higher EPA MPG rating, because we made a smart purchasing decision . . .Because of that, we are now penalized by this latest (or surely not, by now) government give-away of our children's future productivity and tax payments.Ya know, I am not just whining

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-9543041667001920092009-07-19T12:41:00.004-05:002009-07-19T12:49:39.818-05:00

...Oh my gawd..!!Three straight 'picture posts'..!!.I have turned into a . . .gasp ...'photoblog'..!!For someone who likes to think he can turn a phrase (even if laboured to do so) or recognize a good phrase elsewhere . . .this is almost embarrassing to me.. . . ...sigh......tom...' and no..!! No dang photos this post..!!'.

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-71476216991736572912009-07-18T10:22:00.005-05:002009-07-18T11:59:26.926-05:00

...All right..!! All caught up, if still late by a few days, with this post..!!Earlier this month my wife and younger daughter visited Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.Iowa State has had a horticultural garden since the early 1900s to support its educational goals. The current Reiman Gardens is the third 'edition' of this garden. The current location was chosen to provide "a

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-17829883962328735172009-07-05T11:16:00.021-05:002009-07-05T13:47:54.175-05:00

...OK, OK. I am trying to catch up. I may even get July's nine on the ninth done in the correct month. But first, to make short order of June's late entry...Once again, in the tradition that is 'nine on the ninth' ...lets 'git 'r done'.Prepping our son's old bedroom walls before repainting. We painted over old paneling years ago. Yeah, we hand-painted those stripes, the grooves in the paneling

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-57324734252999856472009-06-09T20:04:00.015-05:002009-06-09T21:47:36.203-05:00

...OK, OK. It is a blog, not like it is national defense surveillance or your computer's virus checker. So it is a little late. Better than other things that can be late..!!In the tradition that is 'nine on the ninth' ...lets 'git 'r done'.Some early flowers that are planted alongside our main driveway. Always a bright way to arrive at or depart from the homestead...While red and yellow seem to

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-46073300045087387212009-06-07T13:24:00.008-05:002009-06-09T22:18:23.508-05:00

...Previous 'say what' posts ... where I discuss and link various 'unique phrases' I have found while reading online.Say What #3, Mar 2009Say What #2, Feb 2009Say What #1, Sep 2008Time again for yet another entry in the 'unique phrase' series.I have not been spending much time reading widely on the net recently. So most of my recent 'unique phrases' come from my participation at Epinions dot

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-49482458243419242082009-05-28T17:11:00.005-05:002009-06-07T13:20:32.766-05:00

...Dang it. It is content like this that makes the Intertubes so valuable.Forget science, knowledge, social justice, politics, families and friends, space, derailing global warming, h3ll ...even forget about porn ...forget about all that. The Intertubes is not about doing it smarter, faster, better, with more connections...No, the intertubes is all about seeing grown men (and women) falling down

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-79507527583630153512009-05-25T17:13:00.009-05:002009-05-25T18:20:43.148-05:00

...Memorial Day was once much more than just the cap to another three-day weekend. It once was a day of solemn remembrance of those who gave their "last full measure of devotion" that these United States and this "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."Perhaps hearing the story of one such soldier, plucked from the middle of Texas and thrust into

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-48154511844585653612009-05-15T21:45:00.005-05:002009-05-15T22:27:41.781-05:00

...Yet another great human being passes too soon due to cancer.Image source: www.champoli.comWayman Tisdale, first team All-American in basketball at the University of Oklahoma. Olympic gold medalist in 1984. NBA player for a dozen years. Public Servant. Prolific smooth jazz bass guitarist.You will be missed....tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-51050326856461145482009-05-07T00:06:00.005-05:002009-05-07T00:19:31.438-05:00

..." James nearly averaged a triple-double -- 32 points, 11.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists -- as the top-seeded Cavaliers breezed through the first round of the playoffs, ... "OK, we can agree LeBron James is the class of the NBA this season. Just named MVP of this 2008-2009 season and having already finished second in the race for defensive player of the year, no one is the equal of Lebron right

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-29148648976679875652009-04-15T21:07:00.006-05:002009-04-15T23:21:11.779-05:00

...It hurts my heart, it tears my eyes, it makes my head ache trying to understand what it is all about.All I really know is that too many have died. Too many on 9/11, too many in Iraq, too many in Afghanistan ...too many have died around the world.Perhaps someday sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers ...perhaps someday we can all just live in peace and never have

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-12372903899474168882009-04-14T21:44:00.008-05:002009-06-09T19:43:40.798-05:00

...Nine on the ninth . . .just a few days late.Lets get started..!!Bottles of wine, on the shelf, waiting to be drank... Yes, I have told the wifey they should probably be on their sides, ..no..??********************************************************Chocolate Easter eggs in the bag. Family and friends got rid of most of the 'junk food' that day and the rest went to workplaces to be shared the

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-57805003408915317262009-04-03T00:02:00.002-05:002009-04-03T00:10:49.943-05:00

...Love the song, love the video images crafted to accompany it... Nice job outta you krissygirl333.As much an easy link for me to find as a treat for you.Win - win, ehh..??....tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-86011266042456118392009-03-28T23:01:00.009-05:002009-03-29T00:43:41.606-05:00

...I thought I might make a permanent record of the origin of the ...:smiliemoment:..., a 'phrase' that I use occasionally ... OK, maybe frequently, on the web.I have always disliked using ordinary emoticons or static/animated smilies. Regular text/character emoticons just seemed a little goofy to me. So I generally did not use them.When I did . . .things seemed to go wrong. In fact, I was once

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-21964413192791275502009-03-25T23:35:00.006-05:002009-03-26T00:46:27.573-05:00

...OK, OK. Just a wee bit late with 'nine on the ninth' this month.The whole idea, at least as I try to apply it, is to motivate myself to take more pictures, to be more critical about which ones I post, and to further my photography 'experience' . . .whatever the h3ll that means.So here I am, two weeks-plus late, grabbing some photos over the last day or two, and throwing them up here late at

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-29194257446205066912009-03-23T23:32:00.002-05:002009-03-23T23:38:51.898-05:00

...OK, OK. These music and video posts are so cheap . . .but what the hey."Monolithic Oil Corporation. We want you to . . .pay."...tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-90465550209937829162009-03-14T19:14:00.015-05:002010-04-29T20:15:09.653-05:00

...Previous 'say what' posts ... where I discuss and link various 'unique phrases' I have found while reading online.Say What #2, Feb 2009Say What #1, Sep 2008What defines a 'unique phrase'..?? Well, it has to be at least two words. A one word phrase makes no sense, right..?? These unique phrases also have to be made up of real words, though I will stretch the definition for a word or phrase that

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-67119563202470648492009-03-05T23:05:00.006-06:002009-03-05T23:36:48.656-06:00

...Even the name of the song is cool: 'Obsession Confession'.First heard it while listening to a 'smooth jazz' station on-line. When I alt-tabbed backed to the page, to see who was playing the guitar . . .my jaw dropped.So much for that stereotype..!! Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA Apparently this was featured in the 1996 film Curdled. Never heard of the film

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-85622881492536789122009-02-28T18:19:00.014-06:002009-02-28T23:34:38.067-06:00

...Detecting Pancreatic Cancer Before It Begins was the subject line of a recent e-mail I received.I was a subscriber to Newsmax magazine at one time and one of the 'benefits' is a seemingly endless stream of 'infomercial' e-mails from them. Along with financial and medical news, you get links to various products sold through the magazine. Certainly something you can 'opt out of' (I believe) if

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-28237355482650167132009-02-27T14:25:00.007-06:002009-02-27T14:41:29.404-06:00

...My previous post spoke to my worst fears for an online 'friend' and her son.Unfortunately, my worst fears were confirmed and I learned shortly afterward that her son had indeed succumbed to his illness.I would encourage any who care to do so to check the Dr. Smak link blogrolled at my page. Reading a few or many of the previous posts at her blog will afford you an intimate glimpse into the

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-31520101426230905602009-02-25T17:51:00.005-06:002009-02-25T18:48:18.531-06:00

...It has been a long time since I felt compelled to post, since I really had something personal and of import to me to share.I have been reading a fellow blogger here at blogger dot com for some months now. Not because her blog is fun or informational. But perhaps more because I found great value in her blogging the experience of her son dying of cancer.Yes ... it sounds weird to say that ...to

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-62659236873413130272009-02-21T23:27:00.009-06:002009-06-07T13:23:06.713-05:00

...I have previously talked about 'unique phrases' I have found online. My September 2008 post listed just a few. Since then I have been trying to note and 'save' others that I have found.What defines a 'unique phrase'..?? Well, it has to be at least two words. A one word phrase makes no sense, right..?? These unique phrases also have to be made up of real words, though I will stretch the

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-78780939989604763332009-02-14T22:13:00.008-06:002009-02-14T22:26:35.793-06:00

...I knew that if I looked long enough I would find something to share with my readers for Valentine's Day.Little did I know that, once again, it would APOD coming to the rescue.I offer you a 'heart' ... seemingly as big as all creation...Image from Astronomy Picture of the Day, Valentine's Day, February 14, 2009....tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-62890678172648982332009-02-09T19:35:00.007-06:002009-02-09T20:26:53.328-06:00

......

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-30055845850546865672009-02-06T16:02:00.006-06:002009-02-06T21:15:32.060-06:00

...OK. I might as well admit it. I am hopelessly addicted to the images created by this young lady/blogger. And now she has posted a video featuring many of her images set to music.Ah ... to be young and talented...Previous posts re: Acroline ... ...qui aime gribouiller......tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-80897640015915397432009-02-03T19:57:00.012-06:002009-12-30T20:27:44.973-06:00

...I think every kid who has ever read Treasure Island or Robinson Crusoe has dreamed of one day sailing the high seas, plundering ships, taking treasure, and never going to bed until they wanted to...Then we grow up and find our spot in the grown-up world. Which usually does not involve sailing, plundering, and other pirate-y stuff.But even today we can be taken back to those days by news of old

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-59864679150387532312009-01-30T08:33:00.010-06:002009-01-30T10:48:57.744-06:00

...I had intended to title this post 'Chocolate madness' ...but some times life changes your plans. Hopefully it will be the small things, like this, and not the more important things in your life that change for the bad.A local radio station, WHO, 1040 AM, has hosted a 'chocolate breakfast' for some years now. Program director Van Harden and the AM 'drive-time' co-host Bonnie Lucas are known for

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-85671743213549723312009-01-24T10:00:00.007-06:002009-09-07T09:52:26.198-05:00

..."Of three objects prominent in this thoughtful telescopic image ... two (the spiky ones) are nearby stars. The third is the remote globular star cluster NGC 2419, at distance of nearly 300,000 light-years. NGC 2419 is sometimes called "the Intergalactic Wanderer" ..."Photo courtesy of Astronomy Picture of the Day, January 23, 2009....tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-49821537623587387822009-01-23T13:42:00.005-06:002009-01-23T14:04:43.969-06:00

...I am not a 'help desk' worker, never have been one.But I have tried, more than a few times, to help co-workers or my kids drill their way through a computer problem or two. I do not think I made things much worse than they already were...But when I saw this cartoon on teh intertubes recently:...I just had to laugh.I am sure I will be thinking 'PEBKAC' about many things I see online going

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-42304165359554706812009-01-17T14:16:00.006-06:002009-01-17T15:10:24.633-06:00

...I have it blogrolled there at the left, I make a point of checking it daily, and I pimp it out here all too often.But I love the science, the beauty, the value of the photographs published daily at Astronomy Picture of the Day. This link is a bit clunky when you go there. But it dumps you on the main page for checking out the various offerings of the site, ranging from pics of the Cosmos, the

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-48085844309893051202009-01-13T08:01:00.012-06:002009-02-09T21:21:24.742-06:00

...I know it is a superficial take on the phenomenon . . .but given the below zero temperatures spread across the upper Midwest today ... tell me again about 'global warming'.Image source: Weather dot comBrrrrrrrr......tom...

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-15632801730165384492009-01-09T20:53:00.014-06:002009-02-09T20:28:21.825-06:00

...Picture descriptions, top to bottom:A garden frog sinks beneath a layer of snow-ice...Dining room floor, rug, chair, shadows...Hanging ivy plant and shadows on the wall...A bowl painted/decorated/fired at a commercial kiln...Close-up of our flag, purchased at this event...Daughter's cube bookshelf with shadows...Bookshelves again...DVD cases on another bookshelf...Flag, as above, w/o flash....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-66752028718589101602009-01-07T21:36:00.013-06:002009-01-07T22:59:40.929-06:00

...It is always a little scary to go dumpster-diving into your e-mail account's spam folder. But sometimes you are missing a message someone swears they sent you ... so there you are. Time to lift the lid and start digging through the garbage.Image source: stumptownpanda via flickr dot comI would not be so upset with spam in general if they would not get so personal ...why they gotta bring my

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-13945402548107822902009-01-06T23:31:00.009-06:002009-01-07T00:33:44.856-06:00

...I am sure you all have your own ideas about the actions and goals of PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.Myself, I enjoy the meat thing: steaks, grilled hamburgers and brats, sausage pizza. All the stuff that is surely killing me. Here in Iowa, where the hogs outnumber the people, the meat-eaters definitely outnumber the vegans and vegetarian.Today, two young PETA representatives

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-12521324275978608912009-01-05T21:17:00.006-06:002009-01-05T21:26:30.545-06:00

...Shamelessly stolen, err ...borrowed from car54 ...err Colloquy ...err Stacy.(Damn, this girl has a real identity crisis..!!)Some Barry White would have really 'sexed' this one up...I feel almost silly for labeling this one 'Nature'... This video almost perfectly defines my sense of humor ... yes, it is dark and awfully silly in here....tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-31566124915849233832009-01-03T18:21:00.011-06:002009-01-03T21:34:28.691-06:00

...While the Perseid and Leonid meteor showers seem to get all the publicity, there are a few others that make regular visits to North America.One is the Quadrantid meteor shower that peaks in January. Somehow it does not seem especially enticing to be out in the elements in the middle of winter. But that does not stop some fools from staying up to nearly dawn and driving miles out into the

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-25276443274812549322009-01-03T00:35:00.021-06:002009-01-03T01:37:49.871-06:00

...Sometimes good (and hot..!!) things come in small packages...A picture of a seasonal decoration in our house: some glass bulbs, tinsel ...in a woven basket.Candles on my kids birthday cakes. Twins, boy/girl, turning 21 ...lots of candles..!!Unwrapping presents, reading cards; where did my little babies go..?!?...tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-82382584933984182652008-12-28T16:13:00.013-06:002008-12-28T16:56:44.169-06:00

...Actually, the ice was deposited about 24 hours ago, but it was still hanging around this morning. Luckily I did not have to scrape any windshields or do any driving so it was a minor inconvenience for me. Though the weekend guests (wife's sister and family) did stay an extra day.No major power outages that I am aware of, perhaps typical Iowa winter weather, looking at the big picture.This was

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-36945967467548821322008-12-21T00:29:00.005-06:002008-12-21T01:13:25.590-06:00

...In my first month of blogging I posted about a website, Mixwit dot com, that allowed users to create their own 'mixtapes' of songs. Songs that when all perfectly selected, matched, and sequenced by a listener meant something special to them, something the creator would want to share with others.They even went so far as to use images of the old cassette tape to visualize the mixtape format.

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-82690936434509810102008-12-19T21:50:00.009-06:002008-12-19T22:04:19.450-06:00

...It is always nice to see ones thoughts confirmed by another. Especially one whose work is found worthy of national distribution.Mark Hemingway, a staff writer for National Review, seconded my thoughts on the progress of true freedom in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein so long ago:With the hurling of shoes at Bush, the relationship between the people and their government has moved in the

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-44643103083906727302008-12-17T20:37:00.004-06:002008-12-17T20:48:34.796-06:00

...Bring Him Home Santa...tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-12587913093181611452008-12-15T19:34:00.004-06:002008-12-15T19:44:31.064-06:00

...RE: the shoe-throwing incident involving President Bush and an Iraqi journalist:I read now the 'shoe thrower' is being celebrated as a 'folk-hero'..Ya know, I wonder how Saddam Hussein would have dealt with someone who threw a shoe at him..?? Or one of his guests..??I hope to hell the Iraqi people realize just how free they are now.Unfortunately, I am afraid the irony will be lost on them.

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-77889487032147611062008-12-14T12:40:00.024-06:002008-12-14T14:33:59.212-06:00

...She was a bright star a bit before my time. But from my first viewing of Some Like It Hot I was hooked.image circa 1953Sure some of it was the hormones of a teenage male. But I also like to think my addiction was due to the sheer innocence and vulnerability of both the film character and of the beautiful Marilyn.No one did comedy and 'sexy' on the silver screen any better. Not a dirty,

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-61169907017228397512008-12-07T20:59:00.005-06:002008-12-07T21:32:53.702-06:00

...No, not today.But a warm, lazy tropical day two generations, if not more, ago....President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Address to joint session of the U.S. Congress, December 8th, 1941Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan....As Commander-in-Chief of the Army

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-57431484669536377572008-12-04T19:31:00.004-06:002010-02-19T19:30:27.828-06:00

...OK, it is a cheap post . . .but I got this one stuck on my player and stuck in my mind right now:Gretchen Wilson LIVE!!! ...as someone titled it at youtube...Edited Feb 19, 2010: As is often the case at youtube . . .the original video was pulled. Here is a different live performance. Still a great song and singer....tom....

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-23404417682937418112008-11-30T18:03:00.008-06:002008-11-30T18:53:33.588-06:00

...Oh man. Not already. No way..!!Last day of November and here comes ol' man winter. Never got the leaves in the back yard raked and bagged. Did not get the timber and brick sidewalk rebuilt. Did not get the lawnmower emptied of gas and have not got the snowblower going yet. Luckily, this first 'real' snowfall is not that muchBut still..!! Arrggghhhh..!! Anyone know a real estate agent in

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-60510259441852819232008-11-25T12:58:00.001-06:002008-11-25T13:00:57.668-06:00

...Yet another invite from an online acquaintance:Xxxxxxxx makes it easy to create, share and discuss your blog, photos, videos and music with more of the people you know, and less of the people you don't. Hmmm. Perhaps there is a clue there to why I just do not get the appeal of sites like Facebook.My idea of web-time well spent is to find new stuff I have not seen before, new people I have not

...tom...http://www.blogger.com/profile/06445539913213011334noreply@blogger.com1