Don't be a hero or you'll be fired! I wouldn't be surprised if this Thai restaurant loses business to this. On the other hand, what would've happened if this waiter was killed? Would the restaurant be liable?
Waiter Fired After Leaving Shift To Save Carjacking Victim - Local News Story - WKMG Orlando
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
How to Freeze Corn - wikiHow
How to Freeze Corn - wikiHow
I'm a huge fan of corn. Here's nice little "How To" for storing corn for an entire year...
Steps
1. Find the ears that are just right. A farmer only has a short period of time between when the corn is too small to be edible and when it's too big to be edible. Of course, everybody's got their own definition of what's too big to be edible! You can determine if it's just right by shaking hands with the corn. If the corn cob fills your hand nicely and the silk on the top is brown, it's ready to pick. If it feels too scrawny, leave it for another day.
2. Have a seat and take all the husks off the corn once you've picked enough corn to keep you busy all day - a couple of hundred ears of corn should do it.
3. Put the corn in containers or in a spot where you can keep an eye on your newly harvested bounty -- there are always critters (whether on the farm or in your backyard) that are looking for the easy mark and they will take your fresh corn away from you if you're not looking.
4. Clean the corn--unless of course you're the type of person who doesn't mind a bit of silky natural floss stuck between your teeth when you're done eating. It's best when you get the corn all clean and shiny with none of the little silky hairs sticking to it. This is kind of a painstaking and sticky job. It helps to keep a bowl of water on the table while working to dip your hands into, otherwise you end up acting like Spiderman with everything you touch sticking to your hands.
5. Move into the kitchen once the corn's all cleaned up. Shown here is one day's harvest (about 500 ears) all ready to be cooked.
6. Blanch the corn. There are other methods of preparing and cooking the corn, but many believe this method gives the best taste. Blanching means you put the corn in the water, put the lid on, then you look the other way while bringing the water to a rolling boil. You have to look the other way because (as everybody knows) a watched pot never boils.
7. Take the corn out when the water's boiling and cool it down as quickly as you can. Once you take out one batch and put in the next, the fresh corn cools the water down a bit and you have to start over again, so it takes about 5-10 minutes to boil each batch. Now comes the hard part. You've got to cool the corn quickly, which is easy if you're doing 10 ears of corn. But how do you cool 500 ears of corn in a row? If you just put it in the water, the water gets warm and loses its cooling ability. You can put ice in the water, or you can keep changing the water, but both of those methods are for small batches.
* Here's the farmer's solution to this problem. Use the right side of the sink to cool the hot ears just off the stove, then move the lukewarm ears to the left side of the sink to finish up the cooling. Cold water trickles in from the faucet into the left hand side of the sink (1). The magic happens in part 2, which is just a simple upside-down U-shaped pipe that acts as a siphon to move the cold water from the left side to the right side. You start by dunking these pipes under the water to get all the air bubbles out of them, putting your thumbs over the ends of the pipes to hold the water in, then put it over the divider in the sink. If you've done it right, the pipes are still full of water. When the water in the left side is higher than the right side, it will flow through the pipes and into the right hand side.
* The second little bit of magic is the overflow pipe in the right hand sink. It's an S-shaped piece of copper tubing which stands up in the sink just short of the top and it runs down into the drain. When the water gets higher than the top of the pipe, it spills down into the pipe and goes down the drain. So now we've created a waterfall type of system where cold water enters a point 1, moves through the pipes in point 2, then exits at point 3. By the time it exits in point 3, it's actually pretty warm water because you keep dumping the boiling corn into that side.
* When you remove the boiling corn from the stove, you'll want to dump it in the right hand side of the sink. The water on the right will be warm, but you'll have a continuous trickle of cool water coming through the siphon pipes. Give someone the job of agitating the corn by stirring it around in the sink. That's a job that the kids love to do, so it's usually that's the youngest person, although sometimes it's just most tired person.
* When the person cooking on the stove is ready to remove their corn, the agitator removes the cold corn from the left side of the sink and sends that on to the next step, then they move the warm corn from the right side to the left side of the sink. The hot corn from the stove is then dumped in to the lukewarm water on the right side of the sink.
8. Cut the corn off the cob once the corn has been blanched and cooled so that the ears are cool to the touch. This takes a little feel so that you get enough corn without getting too much of the cob. This one is probably the most highly skilled of positions in the process and takes some practice.
9. Chill the corn. Once the corn is off the cob, put it into cake pans for a good chilling. Cake pans work well because they spread out the corn and transfer the heat nicely.
* To do this right, you'll need about 6-8 cake pans and a completely empty refrigerator. Put the pans into the freezer of an old refrigerator, then move them from the freezer down on to the shelves of the refrigerator as you get new pans filled. The warmest ones go in the freezer, and the cooler ones get moved into the refrigerator until you're ready to bag it.
10. Bag the corn. Once the pans of corn are completely cooled, you're almost done - all that's left is to package the corn up for final freezing. Use quart and pint Ziploc baggies. You don't want them totally full, just enough so you can close them easily and then flatten them out so they store easily. A quart baggie is about enough for one meal for 4-5 people, and a pint baggie works well for 2 people.
11. Clean up. Take out the garbage and mop that floor. Send the cobs to the compost pile and look forward to eating corn whenever you want.
I'm a huge fan of corn. Here's nice little "How To" for storing corn for an entire year...
Steps
1. Find the ears that are just right. A farmer only has a short period of time between when the corn is too small to be edible and when it's too big to be edible. Of course, everybody's got their own definition of what's too big to be edible! You can determine if it's just right by shaking hands with the corn. If the corn cob fills your hand nicely and the silk on the top is brown, it's ready to pick. If it feels too scrawny, leave it for another day.
2. Have a seat and take all the husks off the corn once you've picked enough corn to keep you busy all day - a couple of hundred ears of corn should do it.
3. Put the corn in containers or in a spot where you can keep an eye on your newly harvested bounty -- there are always critters (whether on the farm or in your backyard) that are looking for the easy mark and they will take your fresh corn away from you if you're not looking.
4. Clean the corn--unless of course you're the type of person who doesn't mind a bit of silky natural floss stuck between your teeth when you're done eating. It's best when you get the corn all clean and shiny with none of the little silky hairs sticking to it. This is kind of a painstaking and sticky job. It helps to keep a bowl of water on the table while working to dip your hands into, otherwise you end up acting like Spiderman with everything you touch sticking to your hands.
5. Move into the kitchen once the corn's all cleaned up. Shown here is one day's harvest (about 500 ears) all ready to be cooked.
6. Blanch the corn. There are other methods of preparing and cooking the corn, but many believe this method gives the best taste. Blanching means you put the corn in the water, put the lid on, then you look the other way while bringing the water to a rolling boil. You have to look the other way because (as everybody knows) a watched pot never boils.
7. Take the corn out when the water's boiling and cool it down as quickly as you can. Once you take out one batch and put in the next, the fresh corn cools the water down a bit and you have to start over again, so it takes about 5-10 minutes to boil each batch. Now comes the hard part. You've got to cool the corn quickly, which is easy if you're doing 10 ears of corn. But how do you cool 500 ears of corn in a row? If you just put it in the water, the water gets warm and loses its cooling ability. You can put ice in the water, or you can keep changing the water, but both of those methods are for small batches.
* Here's the farmer's solution to this problem. Use the right side of the sink to cool the hot ears just off the stove, then move the lukewarm ears to the left side of the sink to finish up the cooling. Cold water trickles in from the faucet into the left hand side of the sink (1). The magic happens in part 2, which is just a simple upside-down U-shaped pipe that acts as a siphon to move the cold water from the left side to the right side. You start by dunking these pipes under the water to get all the air bubbles out of them, putting your thumbs over the ends of the pipes to hold the water in, then put it over the divider in the sink. If you've done it right, the pipes are still full of water. When the water in the left side is higher than the right side, it will flow through the pipes and into the right hand side.
* The second little bit of magic is the overflow pipe in the right hand sink. It's an S-shaped piece of copper tubing which stands up in the sink just short of the top and it runs down into the drain. When the water gets higher than the top of the pipe, it spills down into the pipe and goes down the drain. So now we've created a waterfall type of system where cold water enters a point 1, moves through the pipes in point 2, then exits at point 3. By the time it exits in point 3, it's actually pretty warm water because you keep dumping the boiling corn into that side.
* When you remove the boiling corn from the stove, you'll want to dump it in the right hand side of the sink. The water on the right will be warm, but you'll have a continuous trickle of cool water coming through the siphon pipes. Give someone the job of agitating the corn by stirring it around in the sink. That's a job that the kids love to do, so it's usually that's the youngest person, although sometimes it's just most tired person.
* When the person cooking on the stove is ready to remove their corn, the agitator removes the cold corn from the left side of the sink and sends that on to the next step, then they move the warm corn from the right side to the left side of the sink. The hot corn from the stove is then dumped in to the lukewarm water on the right side of the sink.
8. Cut the corn off the cob once the corn has been blanched and cooled so that the ears are cool to the touch. This takes a little feel so that you get enough corn without getting too much of the cob. This one is probably the most highly skilled of positions in the process and takes some practice.
9. Chill the corn. Once the corn is off the cob, put it into cake pans for a good chilling. Cake pans work well because they spread out the corn and transfer the heat nicely.
* To do this right, you'll need about 6-8 cake pans and a completely empty refrigerator. Put the pans into the freezer of an old refrigerator, then move them from the freezer down on to the shelves of the refrigerator as you get new pans filled. The warmest ones go in the freezer, and the cooler ones get moved into the refrigerator until you're ready to bag it.
10. Bag the corn. Once the pans of corn are completely cooled, you're almost done - all that's left is to package the corn up for final freezing. Use quart and pint Ziploc baggies. You don't want them totally full, just enough so you can close them easily and then flatten them out so they store easily. A quart baggie is about enough for one meal for 4-5 people, and a pint baggie works well for 2 people.
11. Clean up. Take out the garbage and mop that floor. Send the cobs to the compost pile and look forward to eating corn whenever you want.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Warren Buffet's portfolio
Warren Buffet's company, Berkshire Hathaway, just released its stockholdings as of June 30, 2007. Whenever Berkshire releases it's holdings, all investors listen. Why wouldn't you copy the most successful investor of our era?
New Stakes:
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) 8,700,000 shares
Dow Jones (NYSE: DJ) 2,781,800 shares
Raised Stakes:
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. (NYSE: BNI)
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ)
Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) from 4,000,000 shares to 8,000,000 shares
Proctor & Gamble (NYSE: PG)
Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY)
US Bancorp (NYSE: USB)
WellPoint Inc. (NYSE: WLP) from 979,700 shares to 4,200,000 shares
Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC)
Lowered Stakes:
Ameriprise Financial (NYSE: AMP)
Block H & R (NYSE: HRB) from 1,246,800 shares to 0
Norfolk Southern Corp. (NYSE: NSC) from 6,362,800 shares to 0
Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) from 1,483,400 shares to 0
Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) from 10,000,000 shares to 6,310,200
Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) from 10,513,100 shares to 0
Western Union Co. (NYSE: WU) from 9,868,000 shares to 3,200,000 shares
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Materazzi discloses his World Cup insult
ESPNsoccernet - Europe - Report: Materazzi discloses his World Cup insult:
"'I prefer the whore that is your sister"
"'I prefer the whore that is your sister"
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Pentagon Paid $999,798 to Ship Two 19-Cent Washers to Texas - Yahoo! News
Pentagon Paid $999,798 to Ship Two 19-Cent Washers to Texas - Yahoo! News
Tony Capaccio Thu Aug 16, 11:59 AM ET
Aug. 16 (Bloomberg) -- A small South Carolina parts supplier collected about $20.5 million over six years from the Pentagon for fraudulent shipping costs, including $998,798 for sending two 19-cent washers to a Texas base, U.S. officials said.
The company also billed and was paid $455,009 to ship three machine screws costing $1.31 each to Marines in Habbaniyah, Iraq, and $293,451 to ship an 89-cent split washer to Patrick Air Force Base in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Pentagon records show.
The owners of C&D Distributors in Lexington, South Carolina -- twin sisters -- exploited a flaw in an automated Defense Department purchasing system: bills for shipping to combat areas or U.S. bases that were labeled ``priority'' were usually paid automatically, said Cynthia Stroot, a Pentagon investigator.
C&D's fraudulent billing started in 2000, Stroot, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service's chief agent in Raleigh, North Carolina, said in an interview. ``As time went on they got more aggressive in the amounts they put in.''
The price the military paid for each item shipped rarely reached $100 and totaled just $68,000 over the six years in contrast to the $20.5 million paid for shipping, she said.
``The majority, if not all of these parts, were going to high-priority, conflict areas -- that's why they got paid,'' Stroot said. If the item was earmarked ``priority,'' destined for the military in Iraq, Afghanistan or certain other locations, ``there was no oversight.''
Scheme Detected
The scheme unraveled in September after a purchasing agent noticed a bill for shipping two more 19-cent washers: $969,000. That order was rejected and a review turned up the $998,798 payment earlier that month for shipping two 19-cent washers to Fort Bliss, Texas, Stroot said.
The Pentagon Defense Logistics Agency orders millions of parts a year. Stroot said the agency and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, which pays contractors, have made major changes, including thorough evaluations of the priciest shipping charges.
A review of paid shipping invoices showed that fraudulent billing is ``is not a widespread problem,'' she said.
``C&D was a rogue contractor,'' Stroot said. While other questionable billing has been uncovered, nothing came close to C&D's, she said. The next-highest contractor billed $2 million in questionable transport costs, she said.
Guilty Pleas
C&D and two of its officials were barred in December from receiving federal contracts. A federal judge in Columbia, South Carolina, today accepted the guilty plea of the company and one sister, Charlene Corley, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to launder money, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin McDonald said.
Corley, 46, faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years on each count and will be sentenced in the near future, McDonald said in a telephone interview from Columbia. Stroot said her sibling died last year.
Corley didn't immediately return a phone message left on her answering machine at her office in Lexington. Her attorney, Gregory Harris, didn't immediately a phone call placed to his office in Columbia.
Stroot said the Pentagon hopes to recoup most of the $20.5 million by auctioning homes, beach property, jewelry and ``high- end automobiles'' that the sisters spent the money on.
``They took a lot of vacations,'' she said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Tony Capaccio at acapaccio@bloomberg.net .
Tony Capaccio Thu Aug 16, 11:59 AM ET
Aug. 16 (Bloomberg) -- A small South Carolina parts supplier collected about $20.5 million over six years from the Pentagon for fraudulent shipping costs, including $998,798 for sending two 19-cent washers to a Texas base, U.S. officials said.
The company also billed and was paid $455,009 to ship three machine screws costing $1.31 each to Marines in Habbaniyah, Iraq, and $293,451 to ship an 89-cent split washer to Patrick Air Force Base in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Pentagon records show.
The owners of C&D Distributors in Lexington, South Carolina -- twin sisters -- exploited a flaw in an automated Defense Department purchasing system: bills for shipping to combat areas or U.S. bases that were labeled ``priority'' were usually paid automatically, said Cynthia Stroot, a Pentagon investigator.
C&D's fraudulent billing started in 2000, Stroot, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service's chief agent in Raleigh, North Carolina, said in an interview. ``As time went on they got more aggressive in the amounts they put in.''
The price the military paid for each item shipped rarely reached $100 and totaled just $68,000 over the six years in contrast to the $20.5 million paid for shipping, she said.
``The majority, if not all of these parts, were going to high-priority, conflict areas -- that's why they got paid,'' Stroot said. If the item was earmarked ``priority,'' destined for the military in Iraq, Afghanistan or certain other locations, ``there was no oversight.''
Scheme Detected
The scheme unraveled in September after a purchasing agent noticed a bill for shipping two more 19-cent washers: $969,000. That order was rejected and a review turned up the $998,798 payment earlier that month for shipping two 19-cent washers to Fort Bliss, Texas, Stroot said.
The Pentagon Defense Logistics Agency orders millions of parts a year. Stroot said the agency and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, which pays contractors, have made major changes, including thorough evaluations of the priciest shipping charges.
A review of paid shipping invoices showed that fraudulent billing is ``is not a widespread problem,'' she said.
``C&D was a rogue contractor,'' Stroot said. While other questionable billing has been uncovered, nothing came close to C&D's, she said. The next-highest contractor billed $2 million in questionable transport costs, she said.
Guilty Pleas
C&D and two of its officials were barred in December from receiving federal contracts. A federal judge in Columbia, South Carolina, today accepted the guilty plea of the company and one sister, Charlene Corley, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to launder money, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin McDonald said.
Corley, 46, faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years on each count and will be sentenced in the near future, McDonald said in a telephone interview from Columbia. Stroot said her sibling died last year.
Corley didn't immediately return a phone message left on her answering machine at her office in Lexington. Her attorney, Gregory Harris, didn't immediately a phone call placed to his office in Columbia.
Stroot said the Pentagon hopes to recoup most of the $20.5 million by auctioning homes, beach property, jewelry and ``high- end automobiles'' that the sisters spent the money on.
``They took a lot of vacations,'' she said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Tony Capaccio at acapaccio@bloomberg.net .
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Accused says he was just milking goat - Yahoo! News
Accused says he was just milking goat - Yahoo! News
Fri Aug 10, 9:54 PM ET
TACOMA, Wash. - A man accused of having sex with a goat is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday on a animal cruelty charge. Charging papers say a witness saw 63-year-old Arthur Lawton having sex with a goat May 8th in a barn at Eatonville's Pioneer Farm Museum where he worked.
ADVERTISEMENT
Lawton said he was trying to milk the goat.
Lawton missed a scheduled arraignment on August 3rd but turned himself in last night to Pierce County sheriff's deputies.
He's the second person charged in the county since the Legislature made bestiality a crime in response to the fatal injury to a man having sex with a horse in Enumclaw.
A man accused of having sex with the family pit bull dog was acquitted in May.
___
Information from: The News Tribune, http://www.thenewstribune.com
Fri Aug 10, 9:54 PM ET
TACOMA, Wash. - A man accused of having sex with a goat is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday on a animal cruelty charge. Charging papers say a witness saw 63-year-old Arthur Lawton having sex with a goat May 8th in a barn at Eatonville's Pioneer Farm Museum where he worked.
ADVERTISEMENT
Lawton said he was trying to milk the goat.
Lawton missed a scheduled arraignment on August 3rd but turned himself in last night to Pierce County sheriff's deputies.
He's the second person charged in the county since the Legislature made bestiality a crime in response to the fatal injury to a man having sex with a horse in Enumclaw.
A man accused of having sex with the family pit bull dog was acquitted in May.
___
Information from: The News Tribune, http://www.thenewstribune.com
Man sues flower company, saying it ruined his marriage by revealing affair - Yahoo! News
A Texas man is suing 1-800-Flowers for $1 million, saying the company is to blame for his pending divorce.
After Leroy Greer's wife filed for divorce in January 2006, he began seeing another woman and sent his new girlfriend a dozen long-stemmed roses. But a few months after the flowers were sent, Greer reconciled with his wife, and she moved back in to his Missouri City home, according to Greer's lawyer, Kennitra Foote.
That was, until his wife received a thank-you note from 1-800-Flowers.
Confused about the purchase, Bernice Greer called the company, and they faxed her the receipt.
"Just wanted to say that I love you and you mean the world to me!" read the greeting from Greer to his girlfriend, whose name and address were included in the receipt for more than $100 in roses.
Bernice Greer promptly moved out again, continued with the divorce and is now asking a court to give her more money because of her husband's now-documented infidelity, according to the lawyer.
Along the bottom of the fax, Greer's wife apparently added her own comment, according to a copy included in the suit. "Be a man!" it began. "If you got caught red handed then don't still lie. Your tmobile has her number so why still lie."
Greer filed suit Aug. 6 in Texas Southern District Court, accusing the company of breaching their contract with him. Greer claims a sales representative promised him before his purchase that the company would not send notice of the transaction to his home or business.
As a result of the infidelity claims, Greer's wife is now asking for an additional $300,000, as well as $4,000 to $5,000 a month in child support for the boy the couple had together.
"Infidelity is one of the things that would qualify as a pendulum-swinger in a divorce case," Foote said. "And now the wife has cold, hard evidence, and it is solely because of 1-800-Flowers."
A spokesperson for 1-800-Flowers, Steven Jarmon, declined to answer questions about the case, but e-mailed this statement:
"At 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, we take pride in creating relationships with our customers by recognizing and thanking them for their business," the statement said. "We take all matters relating to our customers seriously; however, we are not responsible for an individual's personal conduct. Beyond this, it is the company's policy not to comment on pending litigation and legal matters."
After Leroy Greer's wife filed for divorce in January 2006, he began seeing another woman and sent his new girlfriend a dozen long-stemmed roses. But a few months after the flowers were sent, Greer reconciled with his wife, and she moved back in to his Missouri City home, according to Greer's lawyer, Kennitra Foote.
That was, until his wife received a thank-you note from 1-800-Flowers.
Confused about the purchase, Bernice Greer called the company, and they faxed her the receipt.
"Just wanted to say that I love you and you mean the world to me!" read the greeting from Greer to his girlfriend, whose name and address were included in the receipt for more than $100 in roses.
Bernice Greer promptly moved out again, continued with the divorce and is now asking a court to give her more money because of her husband's now-documented infidelity, according to the lawyer.
Along the bottom of the fax, Greer's wife apparently added her own comment, according to a copy included in the suit. "Be a man!" it began. "If you got caught red handed then don't still lie. Your tmobile has her number so why still lie."
Greer filed suit Aug. 6 in Texas Southern District Court, accusing the company of breaching their contract with him. Greer claims a sales representative promised him before his purchase that the company would not send notice of the transaction to his home or business.
As a result of the infidelity claims, Greer's wife is now asking for an additional $300,000, as well as $4,000 to $5,000 a month in child support for the boy the couple had together.
"Infidelity is one of the things that would qualify as a pendulum-swinger in a divorce case," Foote said. "And now the wife has cold, hard evidence, and it is solely because of 1-800-Flowers."
A spokesperson for 1-800-Flowers, Steven Jarmon, declined to answer questions about the case, but e-mailed this statement:
"At 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, we take pride in creating relationships with our customers by recognizing and thanking them for their business," the statement said. "We take all matters relating to our customers seriously; however, we are not responsible for an individual's personal conduct. Beyond this, it is the company's policy not to comment on pending litigation and legal matters."
Thursday, August 09, 2007
How To Avoid Trapped Arm Whilst Cuddling In Bed
Everyone has been in this position before...
VideoJug: How To Avoid Trapped Arm Whilst Cuddling In Bed
VideoJug: How To Avoid Trapped Arm Whilst Cuddling In Bed
Friday, July 27, 2007
Two News Helicopters crash in Phoenix
High speed chase underway in Phoenix - ABC15.com: Phoenix, Arizona News, Weather, Radar, Breaking News, Traffic and Web Cams: "High speed chase underway in Phoenix"
Two helicopters crash on its way to cover a high speed car chase. ABC15 is one of the news stations involved. I'm watching the news now on FoxNews and there doesn't appear to be any survivors, not confirmed yet though.
Two helicopters crash on its way to cover a high speed car chase. ABC15 is one of the news stations involved. I'm watching the news now on FoxNews and there doesn't appear to be any survivors, not confirmed yet though.
Charles Barkley's golf swing
Being a golfer myself, this could be one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
Aquafina labels to spell out source - tap water - Yahoo! News
What a joke. This story talks about how Aquafina and Dasani uses tap water. You know those bottled waters you see at your local store, it IS TAP WATER. The same stuff you have at your house, out of the faucet. Except this water is bottled and sometimes they are cold. The water from your faucet costs next to nothing and Aquafina and Dasani will cost you about $1 a bottle.
I agree with the "critics," bottled tap water just causes more plastic for landfills and too much energy is wastes by transporting this tap water. For god's sake, just tell people to drink tap water.
Aquafina labels to spell out source - tap water - Yahoo! News
I agree with the "critics," bottled tap water just causes more plastic for landfills and too much energy is wastes by transporting this tap water. For god's sake, just tell people to drink tap water.
Aquafina labels to spell out source - tap water - Yahoo! News
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
How to use a Bidet
I've always wanted to know how to use one of these things. I've only seen one in my lifetime but did not attempt to use it. If I ever see another one, I wash my ass with it.
How to Use a Bidet
If you're traveling through Europe, Latin America, Japan, or the Middle East, chances are, you'll probably encounter a bidet in the bathroom. It's traditionally a basin near the toilet that's used to clean the genitals and anal area after using the toilet or whenever a "freshening up" is needed. While your first encounter with a bidet can be a little daunting, they are actually very simple (and hygienic) to use.
1. Use the toilet first. The purpose of the bidet is to help clean off after toilet use. While some people believe that using a bidet is a hygienic substitute for using toilet paper, many people choose to use both.
2. Straddle the bidet. On most standalone bidets you can either face the bidet's water controls or you can face away from them, as you would on a toilet. It is easier to control the flow and temperature of the water if you face the controls, but if you are wearing pants you will generally need to remove them in order to straddle the bidet in this manner. Alternatively, you can squat with your back facing the bidet just as is done with the toilet. There are a variety of bidet designs, so you may need to face one way or the other depending on the configuration of the jets and the area of your body that you wish to clean.
3. Adjust the temperature and jet strengths for comfort. If the bidet has both hot and cold water controls, start by turning on the hot water. Once it's hot, add the cold water until you have a comfortable temperature. (In normally hot climates, such as the middle east, you should start with the cold water. The water will not need time to heat up and you will end up burning sensitive areas if you turn the hot water on first...)
* Be very careful when turning on the water, as many bidets can produce a very high jet of water with only a slight turn of the control.
* Be sure that you know where the water will be coming from ahead of time, or you could end up with a surprise shower.
* You may find that you need to hold the control to keep the jets on.
4. Position yourself over the water jets so that the jets hit the desired area. For some bidets you can continue to hover above the bidet or you can sit down on it. Note that most bidets don't have seats, but are still meant to be sat upon; you just sit directly on the rim. Some bidets do not have jets, but instead simply have a faucet that fills the basin, as you would fill a sink basin.
5. Clean anal area and/or genitals. Generally, you simply allow the jets to clean the desired area without having to use your hands. If there are no jets, you will need to use your hands to assist in bathing. You can use soap if you want to, applying it just as you would in the shower.
6. Dry your skin. Some bidets have a built-in air dryer that you can use. For others, simply pat dry with a towel or toilet paper. Many bidets have a towel on a ring positioned next to the bidet.
7. Rinse out the bidet. Once you are off the bidet, run the jets at very low pressure for a few seconds to rinse the basin and keep the bidet fresh.
8. Wash your hands with soap and water, as you would anytime after using the toilet.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Chinese Cardboard pork buns?
A few weeks ago, it was reported by a chinese news station that there were restaurants on the streets of China selling cardboard beef buns. Here's a clip.
CNN video on cardboard buns
Now, the Beijing television station is saying that it was all a hoax by the reporter. The station is saying that the reported used deceptive means to get the segment on the air and that he is being punished now for his tactics. Supposedly, he hired some migrant workers to act as the cooks and used the card board boxes to cook the pork buns. He used 60% card board and 40% fatty pork.
Here's my take. The Chinese government is forcing the television to retract this story and say its a hoax. Think about it. How would this affect China's food export business? How would it affect the restaurants and mini street markets if this story was true? What I'm saying is that China is spinning this story by saying its a hoax when it really isn't. I think there are places that would do stuff like this. Otherwise, how would someone come up with such a sick idea of using cardboard as ground beef? The only way he would come up with something this sick is because he's seen it take place. He uncovered this story and the Chinese government is trying to seal it shut. How better to seal it shut than to say it was all a hoax in the first place?
CNN video on cardboard buns
Now, the Beijing television station is saying that it was all a hoax by the reporter. The station is saying that the reported used deceptive means to get the segment on the air and that he is being punished now for his tactics. Supposedly, he hired some migrant workers to act as the cooks and used the card board boxes to cook the pork buns. He used 60% card board and 40% fatty pork.
Here's my take. The Chinese government is forcing the television to retract this story and say its a hoax. Think about it. How would this affect China's food export business? How would it affect the restaurants and mini street markets if this story was true? What I'm saying is that China is spinning this story by saying its a hoax when it really isn't. I think there are places that would do stuff like this. Otherwise, how would someone come up with such a sick idea of using cardboard as ground beef? The only way he would come up with something this sick is because he's seen it take place. He uncovered this story and the Chinese government is trying to seal it shut. How better to seal it shut than to say it was all a hoax in the first place?
Will Beckham play Saturday against Chelsea?
I was watching the MLS all star game last night and this was just a Beckham promotion game. From the start of the broadcast to the end, the talk was all about David Beckham. They must've showed him on the TV about 50 times... And this is someone who isn't even playing on the field. He was just sitting in a luxury box.
This is what's interesting. At the beginning of the broadcast by ESPN and on the ticker at the bottom of the screen, they keep talking about Beckham making his debut Saturday vs Chelsea. They even have a countdown timer saying... 46 hrs, 11 minutes, 09, 08, 07 secs until Beckham's debut. What a joke. It's a joke because during the halftime interview with Rob Stone, Beckham said his ankle still feels awful and that he probably won't play on Saturday. He said this is about 5-years in the MLS not only one game. It has only been 5 weeks since his injury (ligament damage to his right ankle) and he said it usually takes 6-7 weeks for this injury to heal. It appears that he doesn't want to play but I'm sure the LA Galaxy and MLS will have him make a 5 minute appearance during injury time.
ESPN and the MLS is definitely hyping up this game. One reason is because the game is sold out... meaning thousands have paid $45 or more to watch Beckham's debut. And ESPN has been promoting this debut game for weeks now. I just think it's a joke if Beckham will risk playing in this game. It can hurt him and the MLS if he further injures himself. Think about all those other games he has to play to sold out stadiums. You think I'm going to pay $45 to watch Cobi Jones?
ProGolf - Chipping Tips
ProGolf - Chipping Tips: "Chipping Tips
Chipping is also another important method that allows golfers to perfect their overall techniques. Chipping allows you to become an expert golfer like any other professional golfer. Here are some tips and techniques to perfect your chipping techniques:
How do I Chip:
1. Bring your feet close together about a foot apart. 2. Gently shift your weight to your forward foot or the left foot for right handed golfer and right foot for the left handed golfer. 3. You must be able to lift your back foot right off the ground. 4. Now take a breath and keep your hands ahead of the ball. 5. Make a short back stroke and follow through. 6. Never move your legs and upper body during the practice. Just move your arms and shoulders 7. Never break your wrists while chipping as it will cause 'skul' of ball, subsequently resulting in little lifting of ball.
Which club do I use?
1. For an accurate chipping, you need to make the ball roll down the green, rather than fly it though the air. 2. Choosing a correct golf club will make things easier for you. For pitching wedge clubs, the ball will roll one foot for every foot of the club. 3. 9 Iron - for every foot in the air it will roll approximately 2 feet. 4. 8 Iron - for every foot in the air it will roll approximately 3 feet. 5. 7 Iron - for every foot in the air it will roll approximately 4 feet.
As an example, let us say you're just 4 feet off the edge of the green and the pin 4 feet away. Now, you must choose a pitching wedge for chipping. Attempt to make the ball land past the fringe on the edge of the green, and make the ball roll sweetly the rest of the way to the pin. The proper selection of the gold club depends on speed of the green and on the gradient of the green.
How do I create my chipping drill?
1. When chipping the ball, you must get the ball in air, just past the edge of the green and make it roll the rest of the way to the pin. 2. Practice controlling the distance by setting up a target in your backyard. Now start landing the ball on the target initially from about 3 feet. 3. When you make 5 balls in a row land on your target, move back 1 foot and start again.
Chipping is also another important method that allows golfers to perfect their overall techniques. Chipping allows you to become an expert golfer like any other professional golfer. Here are some tips and techniques to perfect your chipping techniques:
How do I Chip:
1. Bring your feet close together about a foot apart. 2. Gently shift your weight to your forward foot or the left foot for right handed golfer and right foot for the left handed golfer. 3. You must be able to lift your back foot right off the ground. 4. Now take a breath and keep your hands ahead of the ball. 5. Make a short back stroke and follow through. 6. Never move your legs and upper body during the practice. Just move your arms and shoulders 7. Never break your wrists while chipping as it will cause 'skul' of ball, subsequently resulting in little lifting of ball.
Which club do I use?
1. For an accurate chipping, you need to make the ball roll down the green, rather than fly it though the air. 2. Choosing a correct golf club will make things easier for you. For pitching wedge clubs, the ball will roll one foot for every foot of the club. 3. 9 Iron - for every foot in the air it will roll approximately 2 feet. 4. 8 Iron - for every foot in the air it will roll approximately 3 feet. 5. 7 Iron - for every foot in the air it will roll approximately 4 feet.
As an example, let us say you're just 4 feet off the edge of the green and the pin 4 feet away. Now, you must choose a pitching wedge for chipping. Attempt to make the ball land past the fringe on the edge of the green, and make the ball roll sweetly the rest of the way to the pin. The proper selection of the gold club depends on speed of the green and on the gradient of the green.
How do I create my chipping drill?
1. When chipping the ball, you must get the ball in air, just past the edge of the green and make it roll the rest of the way to the pin. 2. Practice controlling the distance by setting up a target in your backyard. Now start landing the ball on the target initially from about 3 feet. 3. When you make 5 balls in a row land on your target, move back 1 foot and start again.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
2007 World Series of Poker Payouts
Here are the payouts for this year's world series of poker being played at the Rio Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.
The winner will receive $8.25 million, and all the final table participants are guaranteed to make at least $525,934.
1. $8,250,000
2. $4,840,981
3. $3,048,025
4. $1,852,721
5. $1,255,069
6. $956,243
7. $705,229
8. $585,699
9. $525,934
Last year, if you remember, the entire final table made at least $1 million. Due to the big decrease in players this year, the pool isn't as big so to become an instant millionaire, you have to be in the top 5.
The winner will receive $8.25 million, and all the final table participants are guaranteed to make at least $525,934.
1. $8,250,000
2. $4,840,981
3. $3,048,025
4. $1,852,721
5. $1,255,069
6. $956,243
7. $705,229
8. $585,699
9. $525,934
Last year, if you remember, the entire final table made at least $1 million. Due to the big decrease in players this year, the pool isn't as big so to become an instant millionaire, you have to be in the top 5.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Golf: Chipping Stroke
Chipping Stroke
The chipping motion is similar to the putting stroke. Keep weight left, wrists firm and in front of clubhead. The goal is to get the ball on the green as soon as possible, rolling toward the hole. With the ball back in your stance take a short backswing with no wrist movement. Make a descending blow and brush the ball from the turf. Maintain flex in your knees at all times. The follow through should always be longer than the backswing. The stroke is dominated by the left arm. The right hand/forearm does not cross or roll over the left.
Purpose
1. To understand the mechanics of the chip shot. Chipping requires a slow tempo and a crisp swing. Stand close to the ball for a more direct swing path. Keep your weight left, body leaning slightly left, with hands ahead of the ball. Chipping is mostly an arm movement. You are trying to brush or sweep the grass, hitting through the ball. Your left arm will dominate the shot. Your arms and wrists work as one unit. Keep your lower body action to a minimum. Grip down slightly for the short chips will give you more feel (control) because your hands are closer to the ball.
2. To understand the limited role of the lower body in executing chip shots. Lower body movement is extremely limited in the chip shot. However, there is movement. Chipping is all upper body, right up to the point of impact, then the right knee leans in, bending and moving forward down the target line. Do not force this movement. It is natural and barely noticeable. Your hands are still ahead of the ball at impact and the left arm leads the way.
Do.s and Don.ts
Always chip to a target (landing spot). It is your intermediate target where the ball flight ends and the roll begins.
The chipping motion is similar to the putting stroke. Keep weight left, wrists firm and in front of clubhead. The goal is to get the ball on the green as soon as possible, rolling toward the hole. With the ball back in your stance take a short backswing with no wrist movement. Make a descending blow and brush the ball from the turf. Maintain flex in your knees at all times. The follow through should always be longer than the backswing. The stroke is dominated by the left arm. The right hand/forearm does not cross or roll over the left.
Purpose
1. To understand the mechanics of the chip shot. Chipping requires a slow tempo and a crisp swing. Stand close to the ball for a more direct swing path. Keep your weight left, body leaning slightly left, with hands ahead of the ball. Chipping is mostly an arm movement. You are trying to brush or sweep the grass, hitting through the ball. Your left arm will dominate the shot. Your arms and wrists work as one unit. Keep your lower body action to a minimum. Grip down slightly for the short chips will give you more feel (control) because your hands are closer to the ball.
2. To understand the limited role of the lower body in executing chip shots. Lower body movement is extremely limited in the chip shot. However, there is movement. Chipping is all upper body, right up to the point of impact, then the right knee leans in, bending and moving forward down the target line. Do not force this movement. It is natural and barely noticeable. Your hands are still ahead of the ball at impact and the left arm leads the way.
Do.s and Don.ts
Always chip to a target (landing spot). It is your intermediate target where the ball flight ends and the roll begins.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Golf Chipping Drills and Tips
Golf Chipping Drills and Tips
Chipping - How to:
When setting up for a chip shot you should have your feet fairly close together, about a foot apart, with your weight on your forward foot (left foot for right handed golfers). You should almost be able to lift your back foot right off the ground. Keep your hands ahead of the ball, and make a short back stroke and follow through (always keeping your hands ahead of the ball and no wrist break - like a putting motion). Keep your legs and upper body still - only your arms and shoulders should be moving during the stroke. If your wrists break and you try to "help" the ball up into the air this will de-loft your club and you will most likely "skull" the ball, getting no lift at all.
Chipping - which club do I use?
I always used to have trouble with my chipping - I didn't know any better and would use a wedge and try to land my chip shot close to the pin. My chipping became much more consistent once I learned the following:
You can chip with pretty much any club in your bag. For a more accurate shot, you want to get the ball rolling on the green as soon as possible, rather than have it flying through the air all the way to the pin. Here is how to choose the correct club for the shot you need to make:
So, for example, if you are 4 feet off the edge of the green, and the pin is 4 feet in, you would choose a pitching wedge and try to land the ball just past the fringe on the edge of the green, and have the ball roll the rest of the way to the pin.
If you are 3 feet off the green and the pin is 12 feet from the edge of the green your best bet would be the 7 iron, chipping it 3 feet in the air so it lands just on the edge of the green.
Of course, these figures will vary depending on the speed of the green, and whether you are chipping up or downhill, but if you use this as a general rule of thumb, I think that you will find your chip shots getting much closer to the pin.
Golf Chipping Drills:
Target Practice
When chipping you want to get your ball in the air, just past the edge of the green and have it roll the rest of the way to the pin. Thus, the thing that is going to improve your chipping the most is distance control. This is something that you can easily practice in your back yard. Set up a small target laying flat on your lawn, and practice landing the ball on that target (pretending it's the edge of the green). Start from about 3 feet away. If you can make 5 balls in a row land on your target (landing before the target and bouncing on to it doesn't count!) then move back 1 foot and start again. Make sure to practice this with all of your clubs, not just your wedges!
Chipping - How to:
When setting up for a chip shot you should have your feet fairly close together, about a foot apart, with your weight on your forward foot (left foot for right handed golfers). You should almost be able to lift your back foot right off the ground. Keep your hands ahead of the ball, and make a short back stroke and follow through (always keeping your hands ahead of the ball and no wrist break - like a putting motion). Keep your legs and upper body still - only your arms and shoulders should be moving during the stroke. If your wrists break and you try to "help" the ball up into the air this will de-loft your club and you will most likely "skull" the ball, getting no lift at all.
Chipping - which club do I use?
I always used to have trouble with my chipping - I didn't know any better and would use a wedge and try to land my chip shot close to the pin. My chipping became much more consistent once I learned the following:
You can chip with pretty much any club in your bag. For a more accurate shot, you want to get the ball rolling on the green as soon as possible, rather than have it flying through the air all the way to the pin. Here is how to choose the correct club for the shot you need to make:
Pitching Wedge - for every foot in the air it will roll approximately 1 foot.
9 Iron - for every foot in the air it will roll approximately 2 feet.
8 Iron - for every foot in the air it will roll approximately 3 feet.
7 Iron - for every foot in the air it will roll approximately 4 feet.
… and so on.
So, for example, if you are 4 feet off the edge of the green, and the pin is 4 feet in, you would choose a pitching wedge and try to land the ball just past the fringe on the edge of the green, and have the ball roll the rest of the way to the pin.
If you are 3 feet off the green and the pin is 12 feet from the edge of the green your best bet would be the 7 iron, chipping it 3 feet in the air so it lands just on the edge of the green.
Of course, these figures will vary depending on the speed of the green, and whether you are chipping up or downhill, but if you use this as a general rule of thumb, I think that you will find your chip shots getting much closer to the pin.
Golf Chipping Drills:
Target Practice
When chipping you want to get your ball in the air, just past the edge of the green and have it roll the rest of the way to the pin. Thus, the thing that is going to improve your chipping the most is distance control. This is something that you can easily practice in your back yard. Set up a small target laying flat on your lawn, and practice landing the ball on that target (pretending it's the edge of the green). Start from about 3 feet away. If you can make 5 balls in a row land on your target (landing before the target and bouncing on to it doesn't count!) then move back 1 foot and start again. Make sure to practice this with all of your clubs, not just your wedges!
Golf: Tips for hitting good wedge shots
Top 10 Wedge Tips from Dr. "FEEL"
1. Wedges are precision scoring clubs, swing with maximum 70% of effort.
2. Keep arms free, very soft and relaxed. Keep your chest turned away from the target during the wedge swing and let arms flow through the shot. Your shoulders will automatically line up to the target and your arms will follow the shoulder line right on target.
3. For greenside bunker shots, open the clubface and imagine throwing sand with your left arm all the way to the pin. The ball will float out, that’s all you have to do. It’s the arm swing only, slow and easy, same tempo back, same tempo through.
4. On all wedge shots, use a soft and semi-loose grip and just let the club flow through, do not try to guide it, just let it happen.
5. When shooting from the rough, the deeper the rough the firmer the grip must be. If the rough is 1" high, play the ball back in the stance 1-2" from normal position. If the rough is 2" high, play the ball back 2-3" from normal. If the rough is 3" high, play the ball back 3-4". If more than this, get King Kong as a designated hitter!
6. Align your shoulders with the slope for all shots.
7. If the ball is sitting up �", play the ball � to 1" back in stance. A ball sitting up increases the loft of the wedge, if sitting up 1", play the ball back 1".
8. For tight lies, and/or ball from a divot, play the ball 2-3" back towards the right foot from normal. This allows a steeper downswing and compresses the ball quicker.
9. The softer your arms are in the wedge swing, the more you’ll "spank" the ball and become a better wedge player.
10. Keep your right foot planted firmly on the ground on all shots when playing the wedges. Only after impact does the right foot want to come up slightly. The wedge swing is an arm and upper torso swing only. Never ever force the swing. Just let the arms flow softly.
1. Wedges are precision scoring clubs, swing with maximum 70% of effort.
2. Keep arms free, very soft and relaxed. Keep your chest turned away from the target during the wedge swing and let arms flow through the shot. Your shoulders will automatically line up to the target and your arms will follow the shoulder line right on target.
3. For greenside bunker shots, open the clubface and imagine throwing sand with your left arm all the way to the pin. The ball will float out, that’s all you have to do. It’s the arm swing only, slow and easy, same tempo back, same tempo through.
4. On all wedge shots, use a soft and semi-loose grip and just let the club flow through, do not try to guide it, just let it happen.
5. When shooting from the rough, the deeper the rough the firmer the grip must be. If the rough is 1" high, play the ball back in the stance 1-2" from normal position. If the rough is 2" high, play the ball back 2-3" from normal. If the rough is 3" high, play the ball back 3-4". If more than this, get King Kong as a designated hitter!
6. Align your shoulders with the slope for all shots.
7. If the ball is sitting up �", play the ball � to 1" back in stance. A ball sitting up increases the loft of the wedge, if sitting up 1", play the ball back 1".
8. For tight lies, and/or ball from a divot, play the ball 2-3" back towards the right foot from normal. This allows a steeper downswing and compresses the ball quicker.
9. The softer your arms are in the wedge swing, the more you’ll "spank" the ball and become a better wedge player.
10. Keep your right foot planted firmly on the ground on all shots when playing the wedges. Only after impact does the right foot want to come up slightly. The wedge swing is an arm and upper torso swing only. Never ever force the swing. Just let the arms flow softly.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
YouTube - Carrie Underwood - I'll Stand by You (Idols Give Back)
Carrie Underwood's rendition of I'll Stand by You... it's better than the original by the Pretenders. This particular version is a dedication to the African kids that American Idol is giving back to.
YouTube - Carrie Underwood - I'll Stand by You (Idols Give Back)
YouTube - Carrie Underwood - I'll Stand by You (Idols Give Back)
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Four Keys to Hitting a 460cc Driver
Four Keys to Hitting a 460cc Driver: "Four Keys to Hitting a 460cc Driver
From Kevin Downey, Innovex Golf
How to Get the Most Out of Your Oversized Driver
The key to hitting the ball farther with the modern driver and golf ball (which spins much less off of a flat face than balls of the past) is high launch combined with a low spin rate. Our goal is to get enough spin to achieve lift, while minimizing (hopefully eliminating) drag.
Assuming that you have a driver with enough loft, here are four things that you can do to increase launch and decrease spin rate, thus increasing your distance off the tee:
Tee the Ball Higher
The old adage has always been that the top of the driver should be about halfway up the ball when it is teed up. However, with a 460cc driver, I like to see you set the ball high enough on a peg such that the top of the driver is no more than one-third of the way up the ball. Of course, this means that the standard 2 1/8-inch tee will not be long enough to accommodate. You will need a tee at least 3 inches in length, but likely a little longer than this.
Move the Ball Forward in Your Stance
(Towards your left foot for a right-handed golfer)
The notion of playing the ball off of your left heel is no longer valid. We want to hit the ball on the upswing, thus increasing launch angle and"
From Kevin Downey, Innovex Golf
How to Get the Most Out of Your Oversized Driver
The key to hitting the ball farther with the modern driver and golf ball (which spins much less off of a flat face than balls of the past) is high launch combined with a low spin rate. Our goal is to get enough spin to achieve lift, while minimizing (hopefully eliminating) drag.
Assuming that you have a driver with enough loft, here are four things that you can do to increase launch and decrease spin rate, thus increasing your distance off the tee:
Tee the Ball Higher
The old adage has always been that the top of the driver should be about halfway up the ball when it is teed up. However, with a 460cc driver, I like to see you set the ball high enough on a peg such that the top of the driver is no more than one-third of the way up the ball. Of course, this means that the standard 2 1/8-inch tee will not be long enough to accommodate. You will need a tee at least 3 inches in length, but likely a little longer than this.
Move the Ball Forward in Your Stance
(Towards your left foot for a right-handed golfer)
The notion of playing the ball off of your left heel is no longer valid. We want to hit the ball on the upswing, thus increasing launch angle and"
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