Photo Credit: Masako Fujinami
Location: White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas
Native plants give us a sense of where we are in this great land of ours.
-- Lady Bird Johnson
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas
Photo Credit: Masako Fujinami
Location: White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas
Native plants give us a sense of where we are in this great land of ours.
-- Lady Bird Johnson
Valueless If Bought
The cost of making only the maker knows,
Valueless if bought, but sometimes traded.
A poor man may give one as easily as a king.
When one is broken pain and deceit are assured.
What am I?
Answer
A Promise.
Valueless if bought, but sometimes traded.
A poor man may give one as easily as a king.
When one is broken pain and deceit are assured.
What am I?
Answer
A Promise.
Stronger Than Steel
Stronger than steel, yet lighter than cotton
Found in a corner, forever forgotten
I bother so many, but marvel a few
You can't seem to make me
I'm a mystery to you.
Answer
Spider silk.
Found in a corner, forever forgotten
I bother so many, but marvel a few
You can't seem to make me
I'm a mystery to you.
Answer
Spider silk.
Greek Mythology
Complete the series by making a selection from the pool.
Series: Hermes, Aphrodite, Gaea, Ares, Zeus, Cronus, Uranus, Poseidon, ?
Pool: Athena, Dionysus, Eros, Hades, Hephaestus, Hera
Answer
The series is the equivalent Greek names for the planets, which are Roman. When the Romans assimilated Greek mythology, they renamed many of the Greek gods.
Mercury = Hermes
Venus = Aphrodite
Earth = Gaea *
Mars = Ares
Jupiter = Zeus
Saturn = Cronus
Uranus = Uranus **
Neptune = Poseidon
thus
Pluto = Hades
* Although earth is not a Roman god, Gaea is Mother Earth in Greek mythology.
** The Romans did not change the name of the Greek Uranus.
Series: Hermes, Aphrodite, Gaea, Ares, Zeus, Cronus, Uranus, Poseidon, ?
Pool: Athena, Dionysus, Eros, Hades, Hephaestus, Hera
Answer
The series is the equivalent Greek names for the planets, which are Roman. When the Romans assimilated Greek mythology, they renamed many of the Greek gods.
Mercury = Hermes
Venus = Aphrodite
Earth = Gaea *
Mars = Ares
Jupiter = Zeus
Saturn = Cronus
Uranus = Uranus **
Neptune = Poseidon
thus
Pluto = Hades
* Although earth is not a Roman god, Gaea is Mother Earth in Greek mythology.
** The Romans did not change the name of the Greek Uranus.
Which One?
In this teaser, I have given you 4 words. Beside each word are a series of letter groupings. Your task is to find the 8-letter answer to the word on the left by choosing one letter from each of the letter groups to the right of each clue.
Example:
Statuette: fro evi gse rpu lor nai ngd rep
Answer:
Fro evI Gse rpU loR naI Ngd rEp = FIGURINE
1. Spine: btc har com bak bol tro and ent
2. Private: phr eai lrd oms gop nep anl wld
3. Proclaim: abc ran uon mou umk ens sch tec
4. Canine guard: cwt ahr ort cul ghi dgh hio trg
Answer
1. Spine: Btc hAr Com baK Bol trO aNd Ent = BACKBONE
2. Private: Phr Eai lRd omS gOp Nep Anl wLd = PERSONAL
3. Proclaim: Abc raN uoN mOu Umk eNs sCh tEc = ANNOUNCE
4. Canine guard: cWt Ahr orT Cul gHi Dgh hiO trG = WATCHDOG
Example:
Statuette: fro evi gse rpu lor nai ngd rep
Answer:
Fro evI Gse rpU loR naI Ngd rEp = FIGURINE
1. Spine: btc har com bak bol tro and ent
2. Private: phr eai lrd oms gop nep anl wld
3. Proclaim: abc ran uon mou umk ens sch tec
4. Canine guard: cwt ahr ort cul ghi dgh hio trg
Answer
1. Spine: Btc hAr Com baK Bol trO aNd Ent = BACKBONE
2. Private: Phr Eai lRd omS gOp Nep Anl wLd = PERSONAL
3. Proclaim: Abc raN uoN mOu Umk eNs sCh tEc = ANNOUNCE
4. Canine guard: cWt Ahr orT Cul gHi Dgh hiO trG = WATCHDOG
Baseball Hall of Fame
Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame was dedicated in Cooperstown, New York, in 1939. The year 1939 was chosen to celebrate the supposed centennial of baseball as it was then believed that Abner Doubleday had developed the game at Cooperstown in 1839 - a story that was later discredited. Of the 25 immortals who had been elected to the Hall of Fame up to that point, 11 were still living; and all of them journeyed to Cooperstown to attend the centennial celebration. Selections to the Hall of Fame are made annually by two groups: the Baseball Writers' Association of America and the Baseball Hall of Fame Committee on Baseball Veterans. More than 200 individuals have been inducted into the Hall of Fame and the first players chosen (in 1936) were Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame was dedicated in Cooperstown, New York, in 1939. The year 1939 was chosen to celebrate the supposed centennial of baseball as it was then believed that Abner Doubleday had developed the game at Cooperstown in 1839 - a story that was later discredited. Of the 25 immortals who had been elected to the Hall of Fame up to that point, 11 were still living; and all of them journeyed to Cooperstown to attend the centennial celebration. Selections to the Hall of Fame are made annually by two groups: the Baseball Writers' Association of America and the Baseball Hall of Fame Committee on Baseball Veterans. More than 200 individuals have been inducted into the Hall of Fame and the first players chosen (in 1936) were Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson.
Flag Day
Flag Day
A Presidential Proclamation (1335) was issued in 1916 by Woodrow Wilson declaring June 14 as "Flag Day," but it was not until 1949 that President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 of each year as National Flag Day. The idea started in 1885 when BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of "The Stars and Stripes") as "Flag Birthday." In 1983, the world's largest flag was displayed in Washington, D.C. The flag, which measured 411 feet by 210 feet, weighed 7 tons and each star measured 13 feet across.
A Presidential Proclamation (1335) was issued in 1916 by Woodrow Wilson declaring June 14 as "Flag Day," but it was not until 1949 that President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 of each year as National Flag Day. The idea started in 1885 when BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of "The Stars and Stripes") as "Flag Birthday." In 1983, the world's largest flag was displayed in Washington, D.C. The flag, which measured 411 feet by 210 feet, weighed 7 tons and each star measured 13 feet across.
St Vincent's Gulf, in Adelaide, South Australia
Photo Credit: Shannon Mowling
Location: St Vincent's Gulf, in Adelaide, South Australia
None of us really changes over time. We only become more fully what we are.
-- The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice
Small and Pause
I am so small, and sometimes I'm missed.
I get misplaced, misused, and help you when you list.
People usually pause when they see me,
So can you tell me what I could be?
Answer
A comma
I get misplaced, misused, and help you when you list.
People usually pause when they see me,
So can you tell me what I could be?
Answer
A comma
Word Challenger 1
Find the correct words that fit with the following words:
Example: Air PORT Wine
1. Birth _ _ _ Light
2. Knock _ _ _ Line
3. Rock _ _ _ _ _ Bar
Answer
1. DAY
2. OUT
3. CANDY
Example: Air PORT Wine
1. Birth _ _ _ Light
2. Knock _ _ _ Line
3. Rock _ _ _ _ _ Bar
Answer
1. DAY
2. OUT
3. CANDY
Drowning
Imagine you are in a sinking rowboat surrounded by sharks. How would you survive?
Answer
Stop imagining!
Answer
Stop imagining!
Live Above a Star
live above a star, and yet I never burn,
I have eleven neighbors, and yet none of them turn,
I am visited in sequence, first, last or in between,
PRS (& sometimes Q) are my initials,
Now, tell me what I mean.
Answer
The ''7'' on the telephone keypad
(new ones have the letter Q with the PRS)
I have eleven neighbors, and yet none of them turn,
I am visited in sequence, first, last or in between,
PRS (& sometimes Q) are my initials,
Now, tell me what I mean.
Answer
The ''7'' on the telephone keypad
(new ones have the letter Q with the PRS)
Spazy Croonerisms 6
A spoonerism is a pair of words that can have their initial sounds switched to form new words. The pairs need only sound the same, not necessarily be spelled the same (power saw & sour paw, horse cart & coarse heart). There may sometimes be one or two connecting words (kick the stone & stick the cone, king of the rats & ring of the cats). Given the following definitions, what are the spoonerisms?
1) spoiled Neanderthal child & courageous cougar
2) child of a sorceress & liquid in a trench
3) milk and cheese & fops who are imaginary beings with magical powers
4) fondle feathers & Amsterdam
Answer
1) cave brat & brave cat
2) witch daughter & ditch water
3) dairy foods & fairy dudes
4) touch down & Dutch town
1) spoiled Neanderthal child & courageous cougar
2) child of a sorceress & liquid in a trench
3) milk and cheese & fops who are imaginary beings with magical powers
4) fondle feathers & Amsterdam
Answer
1) cave brat & brave cat
2) witch daughter & ditch water
3) dairy foods & fairy dudes
4) touch down & Dutch town
Magna Carta
Magna Carta
In 1215, King John of England sealed the Magna Carta (Latin for "Great Charter") - the first charter of English liberties and one of the most important documents in the history of political freedom and human rights. It became a symbol and a battle cry against oppression. It guaranteed the freedom of the church, restricted taxes and fines, and promised justice to all. Four original copies of the 1215 charter survive; two are held at the British Library while the others can be seen in the cathedral archives at Lincoln and Salisbury.
In 1215, King John of England sealed the Magna Carta (Latin for "Great Charter") - the first charter of English liberties and one of the most important documents in the history of political freedom and human rights. It became a symbol and a battle cry against oppression. It guaranteed the freedom of the church, restricted taxes and fines, and promised justice to all. Four original copies of the 1215 charter survive; two are held at the British Library while the others can be seen in the cathedral archives at Lincoln and Salisbury.
Fields Pond Audubon Society in Holden, ME
Photo Credit: tcrawford
Location: Fields Pond Audubon Society in Holden, ME
The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives.
-- Albert Einstein
Golf
Golf
Though the Dutch game of kolf has been claimed as the origin, the first undoubted reference to golf was in 1457 when the Scottish Parliament deplored its popularity, since it took young men away from archery practice. At first, golf was played on seaside links with their crisp turf and natural hazards. Later, play on downs, moorland, and parkland courses began. In the U.S., golf balls and sticks from Scotland arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, in the mid-18th century, but not until the late 1880s did the nation's first permanent courses and country clubs get started, mainly for elite white males.
Though the Dutch game of kolf has been claimed as the origin, the first undoubted reference to golf was in 1457 when the Scottish Parliament deplored its popularity, since it took young men away from archery practice. At first, golf was played on seaside links with their crisp turf and natural hazards. Later, play on downs, moorland, and parkland courses began. In the U.S., golf balls and sticks from Scotland arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, in the mid-18th century, but not until the late 1880s did the nation's first permanent courses and country clubs get started, mainly for elite white males.
Sunset Beach, North Carolina
Photo Credit: Jim Dollar
Location: Sunset Beach, North Carolina
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
-- Henry David Thoreau
Watergate
Watergate is the political scandal involving illegal activities on the part of the incumbent Republican administration of President Richard M. Nixon during and after the 1972 presidential election campaign. The first inkling of the scandal was the arrests at Democratic Party Headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., of five men who broke into the headquarters - which eventually led to Nixon's resignation in August 1974. So much did the Watergate scandal affect the national and international consciousness that many scandals since then have been labeled with the suffix "-gate."
Morro Bay, CA
Photo Credit: Michael "Mike" L. Baird
Location: Morro Bay, CA
Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you, to leave this world better than when you found it.
-- Wilfred Peterson
War of 1812
"The War of 1812 was fought between the U.S. and Great Britain from 1812-14, though some fighting continued after the Treaty of Ghent was signed in December of 1814. Most of the fighting took place along the Canadian border, in Chesapeake Bay, and along the Gulf of Mexico. After the American Revolution, the U.S. was anxious for the British to withdraw from American territory and their unwillingness to sign trade agreements with the U.S. The British were keeping the U.S. from trade with themselves and with France, with whom they were battling (French Revolutionary Wars, Napoleonic Wars). They captured U.S. ships and took hostages and goods and, by 1812, the British had blockaded America's coasts, ruining American trade and finances. So, the U.S. attacked the British colony of Canada. There was fighting on land and at sea - and though the Americans were not prepared at first, they started to gain power. There was strong opposition to the war from its citizens. In 1814, Britain defeated Napoleon and France. They could easily have turned all their force against the U.S., but they were tired of war. They signed the Treaty of Ghent (Belgium) in December, in which neither side gained anything, but the war ended. The War of 1812 marked the first time the U.S. got involved in foreign affairs and it was the beginning of its movement to becoming a world power."
South of Fort Collins, Colorado
Photo Credit: Pat Gaines
Location: South of Fort Collins, Colorado
You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth.
-- Evan Esar
Wagon Trail, Wagon Train
Wagon Trail, Wagon Train
In U.S. history, the most famous wagon trail was the Santa Fe from Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was an important commercial route (as were the Oregon Trail, Smoky Hill Trail, and later the Southern Overland Mail route) between the 1820s until railroads took over around 1880. Merchant wagon caravans traveled in parallel columns and when they were attacked by Indians, which was often, formed a circular line of defense. A wagon train was a caravan of settlers emigrating to the American West. One type of wagon, the Conestoga, became famous as a freight wagon and as part of wagon trains, and its descendant, the prairie schooner, was the most common vehicle used by settlers in the opening of the American West. Wagon trains tended to follow a fixed daily schedule from 4am rising to 7am departure, then 4pm encampment.
In U.S. history, the most famous wagon trail was the Santa Fe from Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was an important commercial route (as were the Oregon Trail, Smoky Hill Trail, and later the Southern Overland Mail route) between the 1820s until railroads took over around 1880. Merchant wagon caravans traveled in parallel columns and when they were attacked by Indians, which was often, formed a circular line of defense. A wagon train was a caravan of settlers emigrating to the American West. One type of wagon, the Conestoga, became famous as a freight wagon and as part of wagon trains, and its descendant, the prairie schooner, was the most common vehicle used by settlers in the opening of the American West. Wagon trains tended to follow a fixed daily schedule from 4am rising to 7am departure, then 4pm encampment.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Michigan
Photo Credit: Peter M. Bryant
Location: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Michigan
It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.
-- W.C. Fields
Ed Sullivan
The "Ed Sullivan Show" premiered in 1948 - but was first called "Toast of the Town" (till 1955). It became the longest-running variety show (through 1971) and showcased all types of acts. Thousands of performers made their television debut on the show, among them Fred Astaire, Irving Berlin, Victor Borge, Walt Disney, Hedy Lamarr, and Jane Powell. The largest audiences were attracted by the Beatles and Elvis Presley.
Wimbledon
Wimbledon, England, is the site of the All-England Championships in tennis. The tournament, first held in 1877, is now one of the four grand slam events in professional tennis. Wimbledon was originally played by amateurs but the championships were opened up to professionals in 1968. Women joined the tournament in 1884, mixed doubles and women's doubles in 1913. Rod Laver of Australia and Billie Jean King of the United States won the singles events in 1968.
Baby Boom
After World War II, many industrialized countries experienced a "baby boom." Four countries in particular - the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand - experienced sustained and substantial rises in fertility from the depressed levels of the prewar period. In the U.S., for example, fertility rose by two-thirds, reaching levels between the 1950s and 1980 not seen since 1910, before World War I. Some even demarcate the Baby Boom period as being January 1, 1946-December 31, 1964 - in which over 77 million births occurred.
Belinda Cyckevic Gordon
Photo Credit: Belinda Cyckevic Gordon
Location: Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.
-- Anais Nin
Tornado
Tornado
Tornadoes are violent windstorms that are also called twisters or cyclones. Extremely fast, rotating columns of air descend from cumulonimbus clouds and the winds can either cause explosions within buildings or sweep objects up into its eye. A tornado sounds like a thundering train coming through. Tornadoes occur all over the world except on the two poles and are the most common in the U.S. A tornado over water is called a cyclone. They occur in unstable air, as that caused by a thunderstorm. In the center of a tornado, winds can get to 400 miles per hour (650 km).
Tornadoes are violent windstorms that are also called twisters or cyclones. Extremely fast, rotating columns of air descend from cumulonimbus clouds and the winds can either cause explosions within buildings or sweep objects up into its eye. A tornado sounds like a thundering train coming through. Tornadoes occur all over the world except on the two poles and are the most common in the U.S. A tornado over water is called a cyclone. They occur in unstable air, as that caused by a thunderstorm. In the center of a tornado, winds can get to 400 miles per hour (650 km).
Typewriter
Typewriter
In 1867, the American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes read an article in the journal Scientific American describing a new British-invented machine and was inspired to created what became the first practical typewriter. His second model was patented the next year and "wrote" at a speed far faster than a pen. Those the first typewriter was crude and large, it underwent improvements each year and in 1873 Sholes signed a contract with E. Remington and Sons for its manufacture and the machine was soon named a "Remington." It wrote capital letters only; the first shift-key typewriter (Remington 2) appeared on the market in 1878 and could write uppercase and lowercase. There was a serious problem with jamming, so one of Sholes's business associates, James Densmore, suggested splitting up keys for letters commonly used together, thereby creating the slowest keyboard arrangement possible. This arrangement - known as the QWERTY keyboard - is still used in almost all computers today. Mark Twain purchased a Remington and became the first author to submit a typewritten book manuscript.
In 1867, the American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes read an article in the journal Scientific American describing a new British-invented machine and was inspired to created what became the first practical typewriter. His second model was patented the next year and "wrote" at a speed far faster than a pen. Those the first typewriter was crude and large, it underwent improvements each year and in 1873 Sholes signed a contract with E. Remington and Sons for its manufacture and the machine was soon named a "Remington." It wrote capital letters only; the first shift-key typewriter (Remington 2) appeared on the market in 1878 and could write uppercase and lowercase. There was a serious problem with jamming, so one of Sholes's business associates, James Densmore, suggested splitting up keys for letters commonly used together, thereby creating the slowest keyboard arrangement possible. This arrangement - known as the QWERTY keyboard - is still used in almost all computers today. Mark Twain purchased a Remington and became the first author to submit a typewritten book manuscript.
Technobabble II
The following are colloquialisms/idioms written in their literal form. Try to find all four.
Example: A Panthera Pardus is incapable of altering its texture. (A leopard can't change its spots)
1. A colorless crystalline carbon existing within a uncouth environment.
2. Descending in the manner of the order of Diptera.
3. A late pop singer has departed from the premises.
4. To be delivered by metallic object that brings forth a great ringing noise.
Answer
1. A Diamond in the Rough--A term referring to someone with good character, but lacking social grace.
2. Dropping like flies--This means to lose attention or become bored easily. It can also mean for a large number of people to get sick very rapidly.
3. Elvis has left the building--It was an announcement made at the end of Elvis' concerts to get fans to leave. It is now used when a major event has ended.
4. Saved by the bell--Now used when someone is in trouble, and is saved by an unrelated cause.
Example: A Panthera Pardus is incapable of altering its texture. (A leopard can't change its spots)
1. A colorless crystalline carbon existing within a uncouth environment.
2. Descending in the manner of the order of Diptera.
3. A late pop singer has departed from the premises.
4. To be delivered by metallic object that brings forth a great ringing noise.
Answer
1. A Diamond in the Rough--A term referring to someone with good character, but lacking social grace.
2. Dropping like flies--This means to lose attention or become bored easily. It can also mean for a large number of people to get sick very rapidly.
3. Elvis has left the building--It was an announcement made at the end of Elvis' concerts to get fans to leave. It is now used when a major event has ended.
4. Saved by the bell--Now used when someone is in trouble, and is saved by an unrelated cause.
Philadelphia
Photo Credit: Pauline Rosenberg
Location: Philadelphia
Joy can be found only one place at one time: right here, right now.
-- Marianne Williamson
Last Stand
The Battle of Little Bighorn, otherwise known as Custer's Last Stand, was fought at the Little Bighorn River in Montana Territory between federal troops led by Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer and band of combined Indian tribes. Custer and all of his men were killed. The outcome of the battle was so upsetting to Americans that government troops flooded the area, forcing the Indians to surrender
Leap Second
June 30 is one of the two times (the other being December 31) when the addition or subtraction of a second from our clock time is allowed to coordinate atomic and astronomical time. The determination to adjust is made by the International Earth Rotation Service of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures at Paris. A leap second is an intercalary, one-second adjustment that keeps broadcast standards for time of day close to mean solar time. Leap seconds are necessary to keep time standards synchronized with civil calendars, the basis of which is astronomical. The announcement to insert a leap second is given whenever the difference between UTC and UT1 approaches one-half second, to keep the difference between UTC and UT1 from exceeding ±0.9 s. After UTC 23:59:59, a positive leap second at 23:59:60 would be counted, before the clock indicates 00:00:00 of the next day. Negative leap seconds are also possible should the Earth's rotation becomes slightly faster; in that case, 23:59:58 would be followed by 00:00:00.
Spazy Croonerisms
A spoonerism is a pair of words that can have their initial sounds switched to form new words. The pairs need only sound the same, not necessarily be spelled the same (power saw & sour paw, horse cart & coarse heart). There may sometimes be one or two connecting words (kick the stone & stick the cone, king of the rats & ring of the cats). Given the following definitions, what are the spoonerisms?
1) no-cost fish lures & honey shipment
2) leaping legumes & colliding dungarees
3) crustacean movement & criminal sunscreen
4) baseball term & seasonal pig
Answer
1) free bait & bee freight
2) jumping beans & bumping jeans
3) lobster motion & mobster lotion
4) ball four & fall boar
1) no-cost fish lures & honey shipment
2) leaping legumes & colliding dungarees
3) crustacean movement & criminal sunscreen
4) baseball term & seasonal pig
Answer
1) free bait & bee freight
2) jumping beans & bumping jeans
3) lobster motion & mobster lotion
4) ball four & fall boar
Forward and Back
Each pair of hints below relates to two words. One of the words is the other one spelled backward. What are the ten word pairs?
Example: married, moisture
Answer: wed, dew
1. light source, rodents
2. dwell, wicked
3. retain, sneaking look
4. weapons, tight fit
5. portion, catching device
6. prize, furniture compartment
7. drinking aid, skin blemishes
8. stopper, big swallow
9. implement, stolen goods
10. precinct, illustrate
Answer
1. star, rats
2. live, evil
3. keep, peek
4. guns, snug
5. part, trap
6. reward, drawer
7. straw, warts
8. plug, gulp
9. tool, loot
10. ward, draw
Example: married, moisture
Answer: wed, dew
1. light source, rodents
2. dwell, wicked
3. retain, sneaking look
4. weapons, tight fit
5. portion, catching device
6. prize, furniture compartment
7. drinking aid, skin blemishes
8. stopper, big swallow
9. implement, stolen goods
10. precinct, illustrate
Answer
1. star, rats
2. live, evil
3. keep, peek
4. guns, snug
5. part, trap
6. reward, drawer
7. straw, warts
8. plug, gulp
9. tool, loot
10. ward, draw
Confusion Abounded
Before I came, confusion abounded.
I'm late, I'm late was frequently sounded.
I'm not average, but was based on a mean.
My size, in theory, is constant: fifteen.
I'm two dozen steps, again in theory.
But walk my length and you'd get weary.
I take half and quarter steps at times.
In reality, I don't follow the lines.
I shrink to nothing in two cold extremes.
Over a thousand miles wide in the betweens.
What am I?
Answer
Time zones.
Before the invention of standard time zones, each city or region could have its own local time. This became increasingly awkward as railways and telecommunications improved.
Originally, time zones based their time on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Mean solar time is defined by the rotation of the Earth, which is not constant in rate. Starting January 1, 1972, a new system was used, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which used a fixed rate and added leap seconds when necessary to compensate for variations in the rotation of the Earth.
In theory, there are 24 time zones, making each a constant 15 degrees of longitude apart. A time zone varies in width from zero miles at both poles to over 1000 miles at the equator.
In reality, there are about 40 time zones, and the border between time zones is irregular, following political or geographical boundaries. The island of Newfoundland, India, and parts of Australia use half-hour deviations from standard time, and some nations use quarter-hour deviations.
I'm late, I'm late was frequently sounded.
I'm not average, but was based on a mean.
My size, in theory, is constant: fifteen.
I'm two dozen steps, again in theory.
But walk my length and you'd get weary.
I take half and quarter steps at times.
In reality, I don't follow the lines.
I shrink to nothing in two cold extremes.
Over a thousand miles wide in the betweens.
What am I?
Answer
Time zones.
Before the invention of standard time zones, each city or region could have its own local time. This became increasingly awkward as railways and telecommunications improved.
Originally, time zones based their time on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Mean solar time is defined by the rotation of the Earth, which is not constant in rate. Starting January 1, 1972, a new system was used, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which used a fixed rate and added leap seconds when necessary to compensate for variations in the rotation of the Earth.
In theory, there are 24 time zones, making each a constant 15 degrees of longitude apart. A time zone varies in width from zero miles at both poles to over 1000 miles at the equator.
In reality, there are about 40 time zones, and the border between time zones is irregular, following political or geographical boundaries. The island of Newfoundland, India, and parts of Australia use half-hour deviations from standard time, and some nations use quarter-hour deviations.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Wilderness just north of Yosemite National Park
Photo Credit: Adrian Cotter
Location: Clouds over granite at '8500 in the Emigrant Wilderness just north of Yosemite National Park
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
-- Audrey Hepburn
Number Tricks
Ms. Arroyo asked the class to see if they could find the sum of the first 50 odd numbers. As everyone settled down to their addition, Terry ran to her and said, "The sum is 2,500." Ms. Arroyo thought, "Lucky guess," and gave him the task of finding the sum of the first 75 odd numbers. Within 20 seconds, Terry was back with the correct answer of 5,625.
How does Terry find the sum so quickly?
Answer
The following pattern holds: The sum is equal to n x n, when n is the number of consecutive odd numbers, starting with 1. For example, the sum of the first 3 odd numbers is equal to 3 x 3, or 9; the sum of the first 4 odd numbers is equal to 4 x 4, or 16; the sum of the first 5 odd numbers is equal to 5 x 5, or 25; and so on.
How does Terry find the sum so quickly?
Answer
The following pattern holds: The sum is equal to n x n, when n is the number of consecutive odd numbers, starting with 1. For example, the sum of the first 3 odd numbers is equal to 3 x 3, or 9; the sum of the first 4 odd numbers is equal to 4 x 4, or 16; the sum of the first 5 odd numbers is equal to 5 x 5, or 25; and so on.
Guess the Animals
Find out what the animals are! (for example, "To run away or escape" could be a "flea")
1. hair-control foam
2. very exposed
3. tellin' falsities
4. a lamenting cry
5. a dull person
6. a precious or loved one
7. first you get a parking ticket, then you get this
8. these make up a chain
Answer
1.Moose (Mousse)
2. Bear (Bare)
3. Lion (Lyin')
4. Whale (Wail)
5. Boar (Bore)
6. Deer (Dear)
7. Toad (Towed)
8. Lynx (Links)
1. hair-control foam
2. very exposed
3. tellin' falsities
4. a lamenting cry
5. a dull person
6. a precious or loved one
7. first you get a parking ticket, then you get this
8. these make up a chain
Answer
1.Moose (Mousse)
2. Bear (Bare)
3. Lion (Lyin')
4. Whale (Wail)
5. Boar (Bore)
6. Deer (Dear)
7. Toad (Towed)
8. Lynx (Links)
A Conversation
Fred and his wife, Nikita, were having a conversation about words while on a road trip.
Fred said, "I am thinking of a devilishly tricky word that has five consonants in a row."
Nikita countered with, "That's a good one, but people are lining up to find a word with five vowels in a row."
What words were Fred and Nikita thinking of?
HintFred's word: "devilishly"
Nikita's phrase: "lining up"
Answer
Fred was thinking of witchcraft and Nikita was thinking of queueing.
While having a good chuckle over their cleverness, Nikita missed the turn off for Wheeling and they wasted an hour getting back on the right road.
Hide
Fred said, "I am thinking of a devilishly tricky word that has five consonants in a row."
Nikita countered with, "That's a good one, but people are lining up to find a word with five vowels in a row."
What words were Fred and Nikita thinking of?
HintFred's word: "devilishly"
Nikita's phrase: "lining up"
Answer
Fred was thinking of witchcraft and Nikita was thinking of queueing.
While having a good chuckle over their cleverness, Nikita missed the turn off for Wheeling and they wasted an hour getting back on the right road.
Hide
Korean War
The Korean War started out being between North Korea and South Korea. After World War II, Korea was hurriedly divided for administrative purposes at the 38th parallel. Almost immediately, the Soviets began a short-lived reign of terror in northern Korea that quickly politicized the division by driving thousands of refugees south. An independent South Korea became UN policy in early 1948 and southern communists opposed this, so warfare began in parts of every Korean province below the 38th parallel. The war became international in June 1950 when North Korea, supplied and advised by the Soviets, invaded South Korea. The United Nations, with the United States as the principal participant, joined the war on the side of the South Koreans, and the People's Republic of China came to North Korea's aid. In 1953, Joseph Stalin died, and within weeks the Politburo of the Soviet Communist Party voted that the war in Korea should be ended. After more than a million combat casualties on bo th sides, the fighting ended in July 1953 with Korea still divided into two hostile states.
Micanopy, Florida
Photo Credit: Becky Davis
Location: Micanopy, Florida
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.
-- Albert Einstein
Pirate
A pirate or buccaneer was a person who seized a ship and took the property aboard. They stole from any ship that came by and disrupted the trade of many nations. There are many tales - tall and true - about pirates. The stories go back 4,000 years, but we are most familiar with those who were active between 1500-1800 - Captain Kidd, Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, and Jean Lafitte. Pirates used small, fast ships that were easy to maneuver. They had lots of weapons and cannons. There are still pirates today - especially in the South China Sea close to Vietnam. Pirates are often confused with privateers who have the blessing of their nation to seize enemy property. Famous ones were Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins, and Sir Walter Raleigh. True pirates only stole for themselves. Pirates often buried their stolen treasure in secret places and some drew up treasure maps and charts marking the spot with an X."
Happy Birthday
Mildred J. Hill, a schoolteacher born in Louisville, Kentucky, composed the melody "Happy Birthday to You." Her younger sister, Patty Smith Hill, wrote the lyrics. The song was first published in 1893 as "Good Morning to All," a classroom greeting, in the book Song Stories for Sunday School. Mildred Hill died in 1916 without knowing that her melody would become the world's most popular song, but her sister Patty did not die until 1946. The lyrics were amended in 1924 to include a stanza beginning, "Happy Birthday to You." It is now sung somewhere in the world every minute of every day. Though its writers earned very little from the song, its copyright owner earns about $1 million a year. The song is expected to enter the public domain upon expiration of the copyright in 2010.
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was a peace document signed at the end of World War I by the Allied and Associated Powers and by Germany in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, France. It took effect on January 10, 1920. The population and territory of Germany was reduced by about 10 percent by the treaty. The "war guilt clause" of the treaty deemed Germany the aggressor in the war and consequently made Germany responsible for making reparations to the Allied nations in payment for the losses and damage they had sustained in the war. The Treaty of Versailles was revised and altered over the years, mostly in Germany's favor. Numerous concessions were made to Germany before the rise of Adolf Hitler, and by 1938 only the territorial settlement articles remained in effect. The harsh treaty and its lax enforcement are blamed by many historians for Hitler's rise and his militarism setting the stage for World War II.
Father's Day - Understanding (and Appreciating) Your Dad
by Kip, on Thu Jun 4, 2009 11:12am PDT 18
Report Abuse What famous father does yours resemble? Is your father like George H.W. Bush, dependable, consistent, and rule-enforcing? Perhaps your dad is more like John F. Kennedy or Teddy Roosevelt who were laid-back and encouraged risk-taking or like Martin Luther King, Jr., who was a father who wanted to make a better world for his children. Or finally, your father might be like Bill Gates who limits his children’s time on computers and other media to foster their thinking skills and creativity.
For some, Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the good relationship they have with their fathers. Others, who have absent fathers or fathers who hurt them deeply, find Father’s Day difficult. Some people have mixed feelings about their dads but would like to know how to show appreciation for them. This article can help you understand how your father operates and how to get along with him better.
Fathers come in four different temperaments. These temperaments differ greatly in how they do things and what they want to accomplish in parenting. The most common kind of father in the United States is the Guardian. Guardians work hard to provide for their families. They tend to be fiscally conservative. They often motivate themselves to higher achievement by telling themselves to keep improving and never let up. Their goal in parenting is to raise children who know their place in society and are contributing citizens.
Maddi’s father, Patrick, is a Guardian who pushed her hard to get good grades in school. No matter what she accomplished, he was always sure she could do even better. She felt that he never really approved of her. Maddi really wanted a father who would get to know her personally, but that simply wasn’t on her dad’s agenda. For years, she was very angry with him. She finally realized that she was never going to get what she wanted, and she wanted to learn how to appreciate what he did do for her. She discovered that Patrick showed love in a very different way from her way. She finally realized that he was saying he loved her and even respected her when he had saved money for her to go to college, when he had cosigned the loan when she bought her first house, when he’d arranged ‘accidental’ hand-me-downs just when she needed them, and when he saved money for her own children to go to college. Her feelings towards her father changed, and she found it much easier to sincerely appreciate and praise him.
The second most common kind of father is the Artisan. Artisans live in the moment, enjoying life to the fullest right now. They tend to believe that everything will work out in the end and are less prone to worry than most other temperaments. Artisans are flexible and love spontaneity, excitement and surprises. Artisan fathers are likely to push their children physically to help them toughen up. Their goal in parenting is to have fun with their children and to raise courageous adults.
Jen found her Artisan father, Mick, exasperating. When Jen wanted to plan ahead and finish work early, her father told her not to worry, that she had plenty of time. Jen hated having to rely on her father since she knew she’d have to wait until the last minute for everything. Whenever she and Mick played sports, her father was always determined to beat her and wouldn’t hesitate to occasionally use what Jen thought were some underhanded moves. Her father never seemed serious and was always pulling pranks that annoyed her. Jen was glad to move out of the house and make a nice, quiet home for herself. When Jen learned about temperament, she spotted her dad immediately. She began to realize that her father had done a lot of things right. Mick had supported Jen and shown faith in her in many different situations. He had helped his daughter become physically fit. He had encouraged her to take risks when Jen was afraid and was there to help her whatever happened. Eventually, Jen got a friend to teach her a couple of martial arts moves. The next time she visited home, his dad started wrestling with her as usual. Jen used one of the moves and knocked her dad over. Her father was thrilled. Jen had done something unexpected and beaten him.
The third most common type of father is the Idealist. These fathers tend to be the most nurturing. They are the most likely to be in tune with their children. They are usually good at manipulating, generally with good motives. Idealists view parenting as a chance to help a child find out who s/he really is. They want to raise children who know themselves and use their gifts.
Jayme felt embarrassed by her Idealist father, David. David is an artist, working with oils and bronze castings. Jayme didn’t like the way David would wander around in the most bizarre clothing (David said it helped him think outside the box). When Jayme brought her friends to the house, David would sometimes come in and join the conversation and practically take her friends from her. Jayme’s friends usually thought her dad was pretty cool although they almost always commented that he was a little “weird” (which really embarrassed Jayme). David could cry at the drop of a hat which made Jayme very uncomfortable. As Jayme got older, she realized that her father wasn’t so bad. David had supported and encouraged every harebrained idea Jayme ever had and never made her feel stupid. He had offered a lot of emotional support but had tactfully withdrawn any time Jayme made it clear she wanted to solve the problem on her own. David had spent a lot of time playing with Jayme when she was younger. He had also let Jayme in his art studio and given her her own projects to do but wasn’t disappointed when Jayme said that art wasn’t her thing. Jayme still can’t handle the crying, but David’s clothing and schmoozing with all of Jayme’s friends is now something that’s funny and not embarrassing.
The least common type of father is the Rational. Rational fathers want their children to become independent thinkers who can logically explain their point of view. Rational fathers may be somewhat remote emotionally, but they are usually good at talking to their children seriously as equals. They like to excite their child’s imagination, and they encourage a life-long love of learning.
Suzanne felt inadequate in her father, James’, eyes. James was highly intelligent and could cogently argue on almost any topic. No matter what she argued, she couldn’t seem to beat him. It also irritated her that he was so arrogant and certain of his own abilities. He wasn’t emotionally supportive, and she wondered if he really did care for her. After learning about Rationals, Suzanne realized that James had done a great job of encouraging her to choose whatever career she wanted even if it wasn’t a career women were supposed to want. He had constantly sharpened her thinking with games, discussions, puzzles, and humor. She could hold her own with just about anyone except James. As Suzanne learned about Rationals, she realized that her father had spent all that time with her teaching her logic and other things because he felt that she was worth the investment. Her father’s way of showing love for her was to train her for more achievement. James recently told her that his boss had bragged about his son and James had said that Suzanne could take his son any day of the week. Suzanne realized that was high praise and evidence of her father’s love.
Hopefully you recognize your father in one of these descriptions and can identify some positive impacts he has had in your life. Perhaps understanding your father better can help smooth some rough edges in your relationship with him. May you and your dad have a satisfying Father’s Day!
Your can find out more about Temperament - and understand your own, at www.keirsey.com.
Related: temperament, personality, keirsey, fathers day, dads
What Makes a Dad
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,
He called it ... Dad
~~Author Unknown.~~
Happy Father's Day
A Dad is a person
who is loving and kind,
And often he knows
what you have on your mind.
He's someone who listens,
suggests, and defends.
A dad can be one
of your very best friends!
He's proud of your triumphs,
but when things go wrong,
A dad can be patient
and helpful and strong
In all that you do,
a dad's love plays a part.
There's always a place for him
deep in your heart.
And each year that passes,
you're even more glad,
More grateful and proud
just to call him your dad!
Thank you, Dad...
for listening and caring,
for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you!
Happy Father's Day
A Father means so many things...
A understanding heart,
A source of strength and of support
Right from the very start.
A constant readiness to help
In a kind and thoughtful way.
With encouragement and forgiveness
No matter what comes your way.
A special generosity and always affection, too
A Father means so many things
When he's a man like you...
~Author Unknown~
QUOTES ABOUT FATHERS
"The most important thing a father can do
for his children is to love their mother."
~~Author Unknown
"To her the name of father was another name for love."
~~By Fanny Fern.~~
"They didn't believe their father had ever been young;
surely even in the cradle he had been a very,
very small man in a gray suit,
with a little dark mustache and flat, incurious eyes."
~~By Richard Shattuck.~~
"Fathers, like mothers, are not born.
Men grow into fathers-
and fathering is
a very important stage in their development."
~~By David M. Gottesman.~~"It is a wise father that knows his own child."
~~By William Shakespeare (1564-1616)~~
"It doesn't matter who my father was;
it matters who I remember he was."
~~By Anne Sexton (1928-1974) U.S. poet.~~"I cannot think of any need in childhood
as strong as the need for a father's protection."
~~By Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)~~
"A Man's children and his garden both reflect the
amount of weeding done during the growing season."
~~Author Unknown.~~
"The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God, and I call him Dad!"
~~Author Unknown.
Report Abuse What famous father does yours resemble? Is your father like George H.W. Bush, dependable, consistent, and rule-enforcing? Perhaps your dad is more like John F. Kennedy or Teddy Roosevelt who were laid-back and encouraged risk-taking or like Martin Luther King, Jr., who was a father who wanted to make a better world for his children. Or finally, your father might be like Bill Gates who limits his children’s time on computers and other media to foster their thinking skills and creativity.
For some, Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the good relationship they have with their fathers. Others, who have absent fathers or fathers who hurt them deeply, find Father’s Day difficult. Some people have mixed feelings about their dads but would like to know how to show appreciation for them. This article can help you understand how your father operates and how to get along with him better.
Fathers come in four different temperaments. These temperaments differ greatly in how they do things and what they want to accomplish in parenting. The most common kind of father in the United States is the Guardian. Guardians work hard to provide for their families. They tend to be fiscally conservative. They often motivate themselves to higher achievement by telling themselves to keep improving and never let up. Their goal in parenting is to raise children who know their place in society and are contributing citizens.
Maddi’s father, Patrick, is a Guardian who pushed her hard to get good grades in school. No matter what she accomplished, he was always sure she could do even better. She felt that he never really approved of her. Maddi really wanted a father who would get to know her personally, but that simply wasn’t on her dad’s agenda. For years, she was very angry with him. She finally realized that she was never going to get what she wanted, and she wanted to learn how to appreciate what he did do for her. She discovered that Patrick showed love in a very different way from her way. She finally realized that he was saying he loved her and even respected her when he had saved money for her to go to college, when he had cosigned the loan when she bought her first house, when he’d arranged ‘accidental’ hand-me-downs just when she needed them, and when he saved money for her own children to go to college. Her feelings towards her father changed, and she found it much easier to sincerely appreciate and praise him.
The second most common kind of father is the Artisan. Artisans live in the moment, enjoying life to the fullest right now. They tend to believe that everything will work out in the end and are less prone to worry than most other temperaments. Artisans are flexible and love spontaneity, excitement and surprises. Artisan fathers are likely to push their children physically to help them toughen up. Their goal in parenting is to have fun with their children and to raise courageous adults.
Jen found her Artisan father, Mick, exasperating. When Jen wanted to plan ahead and finish work early, her father told her not to worry, that she had plenty of time. Jen hated having to rely on her father since she knew she’d have to wait until the last minute for everything. Whenever she and Mick played sports, her father was always determined to beat her and wouldn’t hesitate to occasionally use what Jen thought were some underhanded moves. Her father never seemed serious and was always pulling pranks that annoyed her. Jen was glad to move out of the house and make a nice, quiet home for herself. When Jen learned about temperament, she spotted her dad immediately. She began to realize that her father had done a lot of things right. Mick had supported Jen and shown faith in her in many different situations. He had helped his daughter become physically fit. He had encouraged her to take risks when Jen was afraid and was there to help her whatever happened. Eventually, Jen got a friend to teach her a couple of martial arts moves. The next time she visited home, his dad started wrestling with her as usual. Jen used one of the moves and knocked her dad over. Her father was thrilled. Jen had done something unexpected and beaten him.
The third most common type of father is the Idealist. These fathers tend to be the most nurturing. They are the most likely to be in tune with their children. They are usually good at manipulating, generally with good motives. Idealists view parenting as a chance to help a child find out who s/he really is. They want to raise children who know themselves and use their gifts.
Jayme felt embarrassed by her Idealist father, David. David is an artist, working with oils and bronze castings. Jayme didn’t like the way David would wander around in the most bizarre clothing (David said it helped him think outside the box). When Jayme brought her friends to the house, David would sometimes come in and join the conversation and practically take her friends from her. Jayme’s friends usually thought her dad was pretty cool although they almost always commented that he was a little “weird” (which really embarrassed Jayme). David could cry at the drop of a hat which made Jayme very uncomfortable. As Jayme got older, she realized that her father wasn’t so bad. David had supported and encouraged every harebrained idea Jayme ever had and never made her feel stupid. He had offered a lot of emotional support but had tactfully withdrawn any time Jayme made it clear she wanted to solve the problem on her own. David had spent a lot of time playing with Jayme when she was younger. He had also let Jayme in his art studio and given her her own projects to do but wasn’t disappointed when Jayme said that art wasn’t her thing. Jayme still can’t handle the crying, but David’s clothing and schmoozing with all of Jayme’s friends is now something that’s funny and not embarrassing.
The least common type of father is the Rational. Rational fathers want their children to become independent thinkers who can logically explain their point of view. Rational fathers may be somewhat remote emotionally, but they are usually good at talking to their children seriously as equals. They like to excite their child’s imagination, and they encourage a life-long love of learning.
Suzanne felt inadequate in her father, James’, eyes. James was highly intelligent and could cogently argue on almost any topic. No matter what she argued, she couldn’t seem to beat him. It also irritated her that he was so arrogant and certain of his own abilities. He wasn’t emotionally supportive, and she wondered if he really did care for her. After learning about Rationals, Suzanne realized that James had done a great job of encouraging her to choose whatever career she wanted even if it wasn’t a career women were supposed to want. He had constantly sharpened her thinking with games, discussions, puzzles, and humor. She could hold her own with just about anyone except James. As Suzanne learned about Rationals, she realized that her father had spent all that time with her teaching her logic and other things because he felt that she was worth the investment. Her father’s way of showing love for her was to train her for more achievement. James recently told her that his boss had bragged about his son and James had said that Suzanne could take his son any day of the week. Suzanne realized that was high praise and evidence of her father’s love.
Hopefully you recognize your father in one of these descriptions and can identify some positive impacts he has had in your life. Perhaps understanding your father better can help smooth some rough edges in your relationship with him. May you and your dad have a satisfying Father’s Day!
Your can find out more about Temperament - and understand your own, at www.keirsey.com.
Related: temperament, personality, keirsey, fathers day, dads
What Makes a Dad
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,
He called it ... Dad
~~Author Unknown.~~
Happy Father's Day
A Dad is a person
who is loving and kind,
And often he knows
what you have on your mind.
He's someone who listens,
suggests, and defends.
A dad can be one
of your very best friends!
He's proud of your triumphs,
but when things go wrong,
A dad can be patient
and helpful and strong
In all that you do,
a dad's love plays a part.
There's always a place for him
deep in your heart.
And each year that passes,
you're even more glad,
More grateful and proud
just to call him your dad!
Thank you, Dad...
for listening and caring,
for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you!
Happy Father's Day
A Father means so many things...
A understanding heart,
A source of strength and of support
Right from the very start.
A constant readiness to help
In a kind and thoughtful way.
With encouragement and forgiveness
No matter what comes your way.
A special generosity and always affection, too
A Father means so many things
When he's a man like you...
~Author Unknown~
QUOTES ABOUT FATHERS
"The most important thing a father can do
for his children is to love their mother."
~~Author Unknown
"To her the name of father was another name for love."
~~By Fanny Fern.~~
"They didn't believe their father had ever been young;
surely even in the cradle he had been a very,
very small man in a gray suit,
with a little dark mustache and flat, incurious eyes."
~~By Richard Shattuck.~~
"Fathers, like mothers, are not born.
Men grow into fathers-
and fathering is
a very important stage in their development."
~~By David M. Gottesman.~~"It is a wise father that knows his own child."
~~By William Shakespeare (1564-1616)~~
"It doesn't matter who my father was;
it matters who I remember he was."
~~By Anne Sexton (1928-1974) U.S. poet.~~"I cannot think of any need in childhood
as strong as the need for a father's protection."
~~By Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)~~
"A Man's children and his garden both reflect the
amount of weeding done during the growing season."
~~Author Unknown.~~
"The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God, and I call him Dad!"
~~Author Unknown.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Hug Point on the Oregon Coast about 3 miles south of Cannon Beach
Photo Credit: Darrell Wyatt
Location: Hug Point on the Oregon Coast about 3 miles south of Cannon Beach
It's all out there, floating free, waiting for you to pull it down and anchor it.
-- Ann Bernays
Pens
Reed was the first real "pen" (c 3000 BC) and the first inks contained a gelatin derived from boiled donkey skin, which gave the ink its viscosity - but also a very unpleasant odor that had to be perfumed with musk oil. Around the 6th century BC and for more than a thousand years thereon, the quill reigned as the standard writing instrument for people of many civilizations. Swans, turkeys, and geese's large wing feather made the best quill pens. Archaeologists discovered bronze pen points embedded in the ruins of Pompeii but not until the late 1700s were stell-point pens used. A century later, fountain pens were developed - the name chosen because the ink of these pens flowed continuously, like water in a fountain. L.E. Waterman, a New York stationer, devised the practical ink reservoir system. Lazlo Biro relied on improved methods for grinding ball bearings for machines and weapons and produced the first ball-point pens suitable for writing on paper around 1944. The Pentel, introduced by Tokyo's Stationery Company, was the world's first felt-tip pen, c 1960.
Mint
The first U.S. mint was established in 1652 - in defiance of English colonial law - by John Hull, a silversmith in Massachusetts. The first coin issued was the Pine Tree Shilling. The initial issue consisted of simple round planchets with NE punched on the obverse and the denomination on the reverse. John Hull's share in the profits of the mint was fifteen pence out of every twenty shillings and he rapidly amassed a fortune. With the exception of Maryland, where Lord Baltimore struck off a few silver coins, Massachusetts is the only one of the 13 colonies that had a mint before the American Revolution. The mint in Philadelphia was founded in 1792 and still makes the majority of the coins used in daily circulation in the United States. The mint in Denver, founded in 1906, also produces general coinage. The mint in San Francisco, founded in 1854, discontinued making general coinage in 1955; but was reestablished in 1965 to make proof sets of coins for collectors. The mint at We st Point, New York, is now used primarily for gold minting.
CRUSH
When you were in your early school years, you can remember when you had a CRUSH on that cute girl sitting nearby. The only problem comes when you say something stupid and she SLAPS your face. Try to get from CRUSH to SLAPS in 5 steps by making a word each time.
Answer
CRUSH
CRASH
CLASH
CLASS
CLAPS
SLAPS
Answer
CRUSH
CRASH
CLASH
CLASS
CLAPS
SLAPS
Attack!
Two separate royal families are always in battle,
Centuries long has been their feud.
There is a king,
but the queen has power,
and small as they are,
their armies are strong.
They cannot fight without their general,
he chooses every attack there is to be.
And I'm quite sure you have heard of their eternal battle;
What is it? Could you please tell me?
Answer
A chess game!
Centuries long has been their feud.
There is a king,
but the queen has power,
and small as they are,
their armies are strong.
They cannot fight without their general,
he chooses every attack there is to be.
And I'm quite sure you have heard of their eternal battle;
What is it? Could you please tell me?
Answer
A chess game!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Colorado
Photo Credit: Pam Morris
Location: Colorado
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
-- Mark Twain
Hong Kong
A lease was signed by Great Britain in 1898 for the 400 square miles of Hong Kong. The 99-year lease expired in 1997 and Hong Kong's sovereignty reverted to the People's Republic of China. Hong Kong Island was originally ceded by China to Great Britain in 1842, the southern part of the Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters (Ngong Shuen) Island (now joined to the mainland) ceded in 1860. The New Territories, which include the mainland area lying largely to the north, together with 230 large and small offshore islands were part of the 99-year lease. The name Hong Kong (in Chinese, Xianggang) means "fragrant harbor."
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Westport, Washington
Photo Credit: Kay Schultz
Location: Westport, Washington
Expect nothing, live frugally on surprise.
-- Alice Walker
IMAX
IMAX is a cinematographic technique which produces an image approximately ten times larger than that from standard 35 mm film. The name is probably "i" as a representation of "eye" or "image," plus "max" as short for "maximum." It is a trademark for a giant-screen, large-format movie and motion-simulation entertainment complex, with a motion-picture screen that is eight stories high and compatible with 3-D technology. The first IMAX film was demonstrated in 1970 and first system set up in 1971 (in Toronto) on which was shown North of Superior. Film types are usually described by their gauge, or approximate width. The 65-mm format is used chiefly for special effects and for special systems such as IMAX and Showscan. It was formerly used for original photography in conjunction with 70-mm release prints; now 70-mm theatrical films are generally shot in 35-mm and blown up in printing. With some exceptions the 35-mm format is for theatrical use, 16-mm for institutional application s, and 8-mm for home movies.
Trade-Off
The answers to the two clues in each line below are six letter words that differ by only one letter. Example, if you trade off the p from stripe with the letter k in the same position you get strike. (chevron=stripe, hit=strike)
1. sew___swap____
2. ravine__mounted gun____
3. grumble___green club___
4. short doze___Tabby's treat___
5. stronghold ___ranch animals___
Answer
1. Stitch, Switch
2. Canyon, Cannon
3. Mutter, Putter
4. Catnap, Catnip
5. Castle, Cattle
1. sew___swap____
2. ravine__mounted gun____
3. grumble___green club___
4. short doze___Tabby's treat___
5. stronghold ___ranch animals___
Answer
1. Stitch, Switch
2. Canyon, Cannon
3. Mutter, Putter
4. Catnap, Catnip
5. Castle, Cattle
The Man... of Money
Fill in the blanks below with three 4-letter words that are anagrams of each other (they all contain the same four letters):
"The man ____ ____ of money because he couldn't walk away from the ____ machines."
Answer
The letters L-O-S-T
Blank 1: LOST
Blank 2: LOTS
Blank 3: SLOT
"The man ____ ____ of money because he couldn't walk away from the ____ machines."
Answer
The letters L-O-S-T
Blank 1: LOST
Blank 2: LOTS
Blank 3: SLOT
Opposites
In the following code, each symbol stands for one of five letters.
+ stands for I, J, G, A, or M
* stands for N, B, P, Q, or W
= stands for R, U, C, X, or T
& stands for H, E, K, Z, or Y
? stands for O, L, F, H, or V
The five letter code word, *?+=&, can be translated into two English words that are opposites. What are the two words?
Answer
White and Black.
+ stands for I, J, G, A, or M
* stands for N, B, P, Q, or W
= stands for R, U, C, X, or T
& stands for H, E, K, Z, or Y
? stands for O, L, F, H, or V
The five letter code word, *?+=&, can be translated into two English words that are opposites. What are the two words?
Answer
White and Black.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Sierra Nevadas, Southern California
Photo Credit: Frank McNamara
Location: Sierra Nevadas, Southern California
Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Volcano
A volcano is an opening in the earth from which molten rock and gas erupts. The molten rock (magma) forms a hill or mountain around the opening and the burning gas, ash, and hot lava may explode out or pour down the sides. The explosion of a volcano is called an eruption and can do much damage, as seen in Pompeii and Washington state's Mount St. Helens. There are about 800 places in the world where volcanoes are active, including 80 below the sea. There are belts were there are volcanoes, including one large one circling the Pacific Odean and others running east-west in Indonesia and the Mediterranean Sea. The materials deep underground move around and push up to the mouth of the volcano. The theory of plate tectonics says that huge plates of material making up the Earth's crust shift and volcanoes erupt where the plates meet and push together. Some can be dormant for years and then suddenly erupt. Others become extinct. Mauna Loa in Hawaii is the world's largest volcano. Th e study of volcanoes is called volcanology."
Drive-In Movie
The first drive-in movie theatre was opened in 1933 in Camden, New Jersey by Richard M. Hollingshead, Jr. Hollingshead designed it for his mother, who complained about the uncomfortable seats at theatres. A drive-in would allow her to enjoy the comfortable, plush bench seats of a vehicle of that era. Then known as an "automobile theater," the drive-in had room for 500 vehicles and charged a rate of 25¢ per person or $1 a car. The sound was provided by a public-address system with a single large speaker mounted on the projection booth. After the locals complained about the noise, Hollingshead tried other solutions before deciding to install smaller speakers mounted on poles at each parking spot. At the height of their popularity (1958), there were more than 4000 drive-in movies in the U.S. Now, only a few hundred still exist.
Time Is The Capital II
What has wings,
But can not fly.
Is enclosed,
But can outside also lie.
Can open itself up,
Or close itself away.
Is the place of kings and queens,
And doggerel of every means.
What is it upon which I stand?
Which can lead us to different lands.
Answer
A Stage.
But can not fly.
Is enclosed,
But can outside also lie.
Can open itself up,
Or close itself away.
Is the place of kings and queens,
And doggerel of every means.
What is it upon which I stand?
Which can lead us to different lands.
Answer
A Stage.
Find the Words
The following sentences have two blanks that can be filled with two words that are anagrams of each other. Please find those words.
1. The _____ on the water was giving the fisherman a headache. "Oh, well", he thought, "maybe another _____ will help," as he reached for his cooler.
2. As the two lovers sat quietly staring into _____, they were both glad that they had brought their _____ on this chilly night.
3. It is not that Officer Smith _____ this part of his job, it was just that there was no easy way to tell someone about a _____ in the family.
Answer
1. glare, lager
2. space, capes
3. hated, death
1. The _____ on the water was giving the fisherman a headache. "Oh, well", he thought, "maybe another _____ will help," as he reached for his cooler.
2. As the two lovers sat quietly staring into _____, they were both glad that they had brought their _____ on this chilly night.
3. It is not that Officer Smith _____ this part of his job, it was just that there was no easy way to tell someone about a _____ in the family.
Answer
1. glare, lager
2. space, capes
3. hated, death
Wet Desert?
Although much water you see,
by definition, "desert" fits me.
In the winter I double in size,
but staying away is a word for the wise.
I am very windy, that is a clue,
What am I? Good luck to you.
Answer
Antarctica.
Antarctica is full of snow and ice - forms of water.
It receives less than 10 inches of precipitation a year, which makes it a desert.
In the winter, water freezes around it, doubling its size.
The extremely cold temperatures are deadly for humans.
by definition, "desert" fits me.
In the winter I double in size,
but staying away is a word for the wise.
I am very windy, that is a clue,
What am I? Good luck to you.
Answer
Antarctica.
Antarctica is full of snow and ice - forms of water.
It receives less than 10 inches of precipitation a year, which makes it a desert.
In the winter, water freezes around it, doubling its size.
The extremely cold temperatures are deadly for humans.
Four People in a Race
John, Paul, George, and Ringo all enter a race, but there is nobody at the finish line to judge the ending. When the judge finally shows up to award the prize for coming in first, these are the statements the four of them make:
John: I was neither first nor last.
Paul: I did not finish last.
George: I won the race!
Ringo: I came in last.
The judge starts to hand George the prize, when Yoko, who was watching the race, says, "Exactly one of these four is lying."
To whom should the judge grant the prize?
Answer
The prize should go to Paul.If John is lying, then George and Ringo would be telling the truth, which would mean John was not lying, so he can't be the liar.
If Paul was lying, then Ringo would also be lying, so he must be telling the truth, as well.
So we now know that neither John nor Paul finished last. If Ringo was lying, then George would have finished last, which would mean that he was lying, as well. So Ringo can't be lying.
This leaves George as our liar, so we know George did not finish first. Neither did Ringo (he finished last), nor did John (he finished neither first nor last). Therefore, Paul won the race!
Hide
John: I was neither first nor last.
Paul: I did not finish last.
George: I won the race!
Ringo: I came in last.
The judge starts to hand George the prize, when Yoko, who was watching the race, says, "Exactly one of these four is lying."
To whom should the judge grant the prize?
Answer
The prize should go to Paul.If John is lying, then George and Ringo would be telling the truth, which would mean John was not lying, so he can't be the liar.
If Paul was lying, then Ringo would also be lying, so he must be telling the truth, as well.
So we now know that neither John nor Paul finished last. If Ringo was lying, then George would have finished last, which would mean that he was lying, as well. So Ringo can't be lying.
This leaves George as our liar, so we know George did not finish first. Neither did Ringo (he finished last), nor did John (he finished neither first nor last). Therefore, Paul won the race!
Hide
Broken #5
In this teaser you have been given a series of letters in groups of three. These letters have been taken from a quotation, with the spaces and punctuation between the words removed. Your job is to rearrange the pieces to reconstruct the message. The dashes indicate the number of letters in each word. (Unfortunately, each word must be set out vertically due to spacing problems)
jou yis the rew rne the ard
_ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _
_ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _.
Answer
The journey is the reward.
Chinese Proverb
jou yis the rew rne the ard
_ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _
_ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _.
Answer
The journey is the reward.
Chinese Proverb
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prizes are annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for outstanding public service and achievement in American journalism, letters, and music. The prizes, originally endowed with a gift of $500,000 from the newspaper magnate Joseph Pulitzer, have been awarded each May since 1917. Currently there are 14 prizes in journalism, six prizes in letters, and one prize in music. The first prizes for letters went to Laura E. Richards and Maude H. Elliott for the biography Julia War Howe and to Jean Jules Jusserand for the history With Americans of Past and Present Days. The only U.S. president to win a Pulitzer was John F. Kennedy (1957) in Biography for Profiles in Courage
Word Challenger 2
Find the words that fit in the spaces below, and make two new words.
Example: Air PORT Wine
1. Swimming _ _ _ _ Table
2. Free _ _ _ Ward
3. Wisdom _ _ _ _ _ Ache
4. Bear _ _ _ _ Up
5. Watch _ _ _ _ _ Gang
Answer
1. POOL
2. WAY
3. TOOTH
4. HOLD
5. CHAIN
Example: Air PORT Wine
1. Swimming _ _ _ _ Table
2. Free _ _ _ Ward
3. Wisdom _ _ _ _ _ Ache
4. Bear _ _ _ _ Up
5. Watch _ _ _ _ _ Gang
Answer
1. POOL
2. WAY
3. TOOTH
4. HOLD
5. CHAIN
Try Not to Upset This Bunch!
Even though this is a group of super heroes, which one does not belong?
Spiderman
The Hulk
Batman
Thor
Iron Man
Captain America
Nightcrawler
Answer
This is a list of "Marvel" comic super heroes.
Batman does not belong. Batman made his first appearance as a comic book superhero in DC Comics "Detective Comics No. 27, May 1939". Bob Kane has been credited with the original creation of Batman.
Spiderman
The Hulk
Batman
Thor
Iron Man
Captain America
Nightcrawler
Answer
This is a list of "Marvel" comic super heroes.
Batman does not belong. Batman made his first appearance as a comic book superhero in DC Comics "Detective Comics No. 27, May 1939". Bob Kane has been credited with the original creation of Batman.
Three of a Kind
Following are groups of three words. Can you figure out the common link within each group?
Example: Hurricane, camera, needle (answer: eyes)
1: Barber, Rooster, Beehive
2: Bowling Alley, Tailor, Wrestling Match
3: Telephone, Deck of Cards, Car Trunk
4: Fishing Rod, Actor, Checkout Counter
5: Watermelon, Tennis Tournament, Idea
Answer
1: Combs
2: Pins
3: Jacks
4: Lines
5: Seeds
Example: Hurricane, camera, needle (answer: eyes)
1: Barber, Rooster, Beehive
2: Bowling Alley, Tailor, Wrestling Match
3: Telephone, Deck of Cards, Car Trunk
4: Fishing Rod, Actor, Checkout Counter
5: Watermelon, Tennis Tournament, Idea
Answer
1: Combs
2: Pins
3: Jacks
4: Lines
5: Seeds
Find the Missing Word #5
In this teaser, your job is to discover the missing word that links the two given words. The dashes indicate the number of letters in the missing word. Good luck!
i.e. WAR - FARE - WELL
1. ARM _ _ _ _ _ LIFT
2. CREAM _ _ _ _ ADDER
3. WOOD _ _ _ _ BENCH
4. SHOULDER _ _ _ _ _ POCKET
5. CANDY _ _ _ _ WASHER
Answer
1. ARM (CHAIR) LIFT
2. CREAM (PUFF) ADDER
3. WOOD (WORK) BENCH
4. SHOULDER (PATCH) POCKET
5. CANDY (DISH) WASHER
i.e. WAR - FARE - WELL
1. ARM _ _ _ _ _ LIFT
2. CREAM _ _ _ _ ADDER
3. WOOD _ _ _ _ BENCH
4. SHOULDER _ _ _ _ _ POCKET
5. CANDY _ _ _ _ WASHER
Answer
1. ARM (CHAIR) LIFT
2. CREAM (PUFF) ADDER
3. WOOD (WORK) BENCH
4. SHOULDER (PATCH) POCKET
5. CANDY (DISH) WASHER
Aussie Slang:
1. "G'day" is short for "good day".
2. "Grouse" is As a way of saying, "it's great."
3. "Emma Chisit?” sounds like "How much is it?"
4. "Esky" is a brand name for insulated boxes. Australians now call an insulated box an "Esky".
5. "sheila" means a female
6. "mate" means a good friend.
7. "tucker" means some food.
8. “Bloke” means a male.
9. “Ankle biter” means a little kid.
10. “Arvo” means afternoon.
11. “Bikkie” means biscuit.
2. "Grouse" is As a way of saying, "it's great."
3. "Emma Chisit?” sounds like "How much is it?"
4. "Esky" is a brand name for insulated boxes. Australians now call an insulated box an "Esky".
5. "sheila" means a female
6. "mate" means a good friend.
7. "tucker" means some food.
8. “Bloke” means a male.
9. “Ankle biter” means a little kid.
10. “Arvo” means afternoon.
11. “Bikkie” means biscuit.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Lake Crescent, WA
Photo Credit: Chrissy Gombos
Location: Lake Crescent, WA
My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing.
-- Aldous Huxley
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is an open square in the center of Beijing, China - one of the largest public squares in the world. It was originally designed and built in 1651, then enlarged to four times that size in 1958; it now covers 100 acres and each flagstone is numbered for assembling parade participants. The square gets its name from the massive stone Tiananmen ("Gate of Heavenly Peace"), which was once the main gate of the former Imperial Palace.
Big Splash
What do these words have in common?
Swan
Cannon
Can
Pencil
Belly
Answer
They are all the first words of types of dives into the water.
Swan Dive
Cannon Ball
Can Opener
Pencil Dive
Belly Flop
Swan
Cannon
Can
Pencil
Belly
Answer
They are all the first words of types of dives into the water.
Swan Dive
Cannon Ball
Can Opener
Pencil Dive
Belly Flop
Words With One Letter Changed #2
In this teaser you have been given two definitions. Each pair of definitions is for two unrelated words. Your task is to discover what these two words are. In the answer to the second word, I took the first word, but changed one of its letters to make a completely different word. (i.e. table - fable)
1. An instrument used to measure time - an outer garment.
2. An instrument used in woodworking for smoothing wood - a shallow dish used for eating food.
3. A deep basin used to hold liquids or food - to utter a loud prolonged cry.
4. A position of authority - a group of singers.
Answer
1. clock - cloak
2. plane - plate
3. bowl - howl
4. chair - choir
1. An instrument used to measure time - an outer garment.
2. An instrument used in woodworking for smoothing wood - a shallow dish used for eating food.
3. A deep basin used to hold liquids or food - to utter a loud prolonged cry.
4. A position of authority - a group of singers.
Answer
1. clock - cloak
2. plane - plate
3. bowl - howl
4. chair - choir
, 14, 17, 21, 27, 28, 35, 37, ?, ?
What are the next two numbers in this sequence?
7, 14, 17, 21, 27, 28, 35, 37, ?, ?
Answer
42, 47.
They are the numbers that either contain the digit 7 or are divisible by 7.
7, 14, 17, 21, 27, 28, 35, 37, ?, ?
Answer
42, 47.
They are the numbers that either contain the digit 7 or are divisible by 7.
Jailer and Jeweler
Fill in the blanks with four words, such that the first and the fourth are the same, while the second and the third are homonyms.
A jailer _ _, and a jeweler _ _.
Answer
A jailer watches cells, and a jeweler sells watches.
A jailer _ _, and a jeweler _ _.
Answer
A jailer watches cells, and a jeweler sells watches.
Twisted Life
Of shiny silver, gold or white,
I stem the surge with all my might.
From morning light to night's return,
My life is full of twists and turns.
What am I?
Answer
A water faucet.
I stem the surge with all my might.
From morning light to night's return,
My life is full of twists and turns.
What am I?
Answer
A water faucet.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
New Found Gap in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee
Photo Credit: Charity Drake
Location: New Found Gap in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee
I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.
-- John Muir
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway, June 3-6, 1942, was one of the decisive Allied victories of World War II. The battle, fought mostly with aircraft, resulted in the destruction of four Japanese aircraft carriers, crippling the Japanese navy. The Yorktown, which was damaged at the Battle of Coral Sea, was the U.S. carrier lost at the Battle of Midway at the hands of the Japanese carrier Soryu, which was also destroyed in the battle. The Battle of Midway brought the Pacific naval forces of Japan and the United States to an equal standing and was the turning point of the military struggle between the two nations. The islands are now administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Everything's Relative
Find the word that precedes or follows four of the five words in each group below. Then, find the bonus word that precedes or follows the five words you've eliminated. (One from each group)
1. Bean, milk, chamber, nurse, bar
2. Case, flag, pattern, tube, pilot
3. Suit, book, ridge, breaker, man
4. Ball, theme, trailer, double, may
5. Cat, lily, shark, ski, moth
BONUS : __________
Answer1. Maid (milk-maid, chamber-maid, nurse-maid, bar-maid)
2. Test (test-case, test-pattern, test-tube, test-pilot)
3. Law (law-suit, law-book, law-breaker, law-man)
4. Park (ball-park, theme-park, trailer-park, double-park)
5. Tiger (tiger-cat, tiger-lily, tiger-shark, tiger-moth)
BONUS: Pole (bean-pole, flag-pole, ridge-pole, may-pole, ski-pole)
1. Bean, milk, chamber, nurse, bar
2. Case, flag, pattern, tube, pilot
3. Suit, book, ridge, breaker, man
4. Ball, theme, trailer, double, may
5. Cat, lily, shark, ski, moth
BONUS : __________
Answer1. Maid (milk-maid, chamber-maid, nurse-maid, bar-maid)
2. Test (test-case, test-pattern, test-tube, test-pilot)
3. Law (law-suit, law-book, law-breaker, law-man)
4. Park (ball-park, theme-park, trailer-park, double-park)
5. Tiger (tiger-cat, tiger-lily, tiger-shark, tiger-moth)
BONUS: Pole (bean-pole, flag-pole, ridge-pole, may-pole, ski-pole)
The Art of Diplomacy?
Can you figure out the famous quote below?
Aye, dame, I am befuddled. But in the forenoon I will be clear-headed and you will still be unsightly.
Answer
Yes, madam, I am drunk. But in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.
This humorous quote was furnished by Winston Churchill (1874-1965), British prime minister and author
Aye, dame, I am befuddled. But in the forenoon I will be clear-headed and you will still be unsightly.
Answer
Yes, madam, I am drunk. But in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.
This humorous quote was furnished by Winston Churchill (1874-1965), British prime minister and author
Up and Down
The bottom heats,
The top cools,
And little blobs
Swim in my pools
I can be different colours,
And be a source of light,
A bedroom accessory,
I light up the night!
What am I?
Answer
A lava lamp.
The top cools,
And little blobs
Swim in my pools
I can be different colours,
And be a source of light,
A bedroom accessory,
I light up the night!
What am I?
Answer
A lava lamp.
The Gemstone Series
Unscramble the words below, then take the letters from each word as instructed to form another word that is the answer to this teaser:
LIUQA Take letters 1 & 2
PDIET Take letters 1,2 & 4
ETRSO Take letters 1 & 4
DONU Take letters 1 & 4
Unscramble the letters you collected... what do you get?
AnswerLIUQA Take letters 1 & 2 - QUAIL, take Q,U
PDIET Take letters 1,2 & 4 - TEPID, take T,E,I
ETRSO Take letters 1 & 4 - STORE, take S,R
DONU Take letters 1 & 4 - UNDO, take U,O
Unscramble the above to get 'Turquoise'.
Turquoise is a beautiful blue gemstone known since ancient times for its beauty. Through today, it is believed to bring wealth to one who wears it. In some cultures, it is known to act as a talisman to avoid any untoward accidents or dangers in life.
Hide
LIUQA Take letters 1 & 2
PDIET Take letters 1,2 & 4
ETRSO Take letters 1 & 4
DONU Take letters 1 & 4
Unscramble the letters you collected... what do you get?
AnswerLIUQA Take letters 1 & 2 - QUAIL, take Q,U
PDIET Take letters 1,2 & 4 - TEPID, take T,E,I
ETRSO Take letters 1 & 4 - STORE, take S,R
DONU Take letters 1 & 4 - UNDO, take U,O
Unscramble the above to get 'Turquoise'.
Turquoise is a beautiful blue gemstone known since ancient times for its beauty. Through today, it is believed to bring wealth to one who wears it. In some cultures, it is known to act as a talisman to avoid any untoward accidents or dangers in life.
Hide
Sleeps on Water
What sleeps on water,
Dreams to be heard,
It's full of destiny it does not know?
Answer
A message in a bottle.
Dreams to be heard,
It's full of destiny it does not know?
Answer
A message in a bottle.
Can You Find It?
There are so many words. If you take the letters found in the word VALENTINES, using the clues below, can you figure out the words that can be made?
1. A number between 8 and 10
2. A person owned by another person
3. An indigenous person
4. To express anger, or a heating duct opening
5. A person who stands watch and/or is watching
6. Necessary to existence or well-being of something
7. A type of beverage served in a pub
8. Agreeably tolerant or permissive
9. Lacking noise
10. Foreign Language
11. Goes away, or items that fall from trees and need raking
12. Opposite of odd
Answer1. NINE
2. SLAVE
3. NATIVE
4. VENT
5. SENTINEL
6. VITAL
7. ALE
8. LENIENT
9. SILENT
10. LATIN
11. LEAVES
12. EVEN
1. A number between 8 and 10
2. A person owned by another person
3. An indigenous person
4. To express anger, or a heating duct opening
5. A person who stands watch and/or is watching
6. Necessary to existence or well-being of something
7. A type of beverage served in a pub
8. Agreeably tolerant or permissive
9. Lacking noise
10. Foreign Language
11. Goes away, or items that fall from trees and need raking
12. Opposite of odd
Answer1. NINE
2. SLAVE
3. NATIVE
4. VENT
5. SENTINEL
6. VITAL
7. ALE
8. LENIENT
9. SILENT
10. LATIN
11. LEAVES
12. EVEN
Often Sought After But Seldom Found
I am often sought after but seldom found.
Some people never find me until they are in the ground.
Arguing nations find me hard to find.
Yet often, I am just a state of mind.
Some believe I can only be found by divine intervention from above.
Another name for me is Love.
Now is the time to stop being shy.
Shout out your answer, what am I?
Answer
Peace.
Some people never find me until they are in the ground.
Arguing nations find me hard to find.
Yet often, I am just a state of mind.
Some believe I can only be found by divine intervention from above.
Another name for me is Love.
Now is the time to stop being shy.
Shout out your answer, what am I?
Answer
Peace.
Double Meanings
Below are definitions of words (with the length of the word in parentheses), followed by a clue for a broken version of the word. For example:
PONDERING (8)...Monarch after dieting.
Would result in the word "THINKING", which could be broken into "THIN KING".
Can you decipher the five words below?
1. Certain Evening (9)...Tiny chess piece
2. Deed Subjects (10)...Cravats that are suitable
3. Ne'er-do-well (11)...Onion performing hip-hop music
4. Hawaiian person, eg. (8)...Confessions of a scandalmonger
5. Buddhist belief (13)...Flower adorning a horse's bridle
Answer
1. WEEKNIGHT...WEE KNIGHT
2. PROPERTIES...PROPER TIES
3. RAPSCALLION...RAP SCALLION
4. ISLANDER...I SLANDER
5. REINCARNATION...REIN CARNATION
PONDERING (8)...Monarch after dieting.
Would result in the word "THINKING", which could be broken into "THIN KING".
Can you decipher the five words below?
1. Certain Evening (9)...Tiny chess piece
2. Deed Subjects (10)...Cravats that are suitable
3. Ne'er-do-well (11)...Onion performing hip-hop music
4. Hawaiian person, eg. (8)...Confessions of a scandalmonger
5. Buddhist belief (13)...Flower adorning a horse's bridle
Answer
1. WEEKNIGHT...WEE KNIGHT
2. PROPERTIES...PROPER TIES
3. RAPSCALLION...RAP SCALLION
4. ISLANDER...I SLANDER
5. REINCARNATION...REIN CARNATION
My Veins...
My veins extend beneath the earth,
My hands raised toward the sky,
I can seem to live forever,
Though many times I die.
I cry when I am wounded,
Sweet tears that help me heal,
I mourn and take off all my clothes,
When bitterness I feel.
What am I?
Answer
I am a Tree.
The first section refers to roots and the tree's hibernation in winter.
The second section refers to tree sap and the shedding of leaves when it gets bitter cold
My hands raised toward the sky,
I can seem to live forever,
Though many times I die.
I cry when I am wounded,
Sweet tears that help me heal,
I mourn and take off all my clothes,
When bitterness I feel.
What am I?
Answer
I am a Tree.
The first section refers to roots and the tree's hibernation in winter.
The second section refers to tree sap and the shedding of leaves when it gets bitter cold
Ancient Wonders I
In these Word Pyramids, the first letter is given to you (which is the first answer). Use the clues to build the pyramid to find the answer. In each consecutive answer, a letter is added to the previous answer. However, the answer letters might not be in the same order. Good Luck!!
Starting letter: D
Clues:
1. pop-up material
2. assistant
3. utter aloud
4. surprise attacks
5. render harmless
6. indefinite number
7. polyhedrons
Answer
D
1.AD
2.AID
3.SAID
4.RAIDS
5.DISARM
6.MYRIADS
7.PYRAMIDS
Starting letter: D
Clues:
1. pop-up material
2. assistant
3. utter aloud
4. surprise attacks
5. render harmless
6. indefinite number
7. polyhedrons
Answer
D
1.AD
2.AID
3.SAID
4.RAIDS
5.DISARM
6.MYRIADS
7.PYRAMIDS
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon
Photo Credit: Rosa Waggoner
Location: Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon
I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see.
-- John Burroughs
Bahamas
"The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is a string of about 700 islands (and 2400 uninhabited islets) in the West Indies, spread across the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south of Florida and north of Cuba. It is believed that Christopher Columbus first stepped on San Salvador when he found the Americas in 1492. The Arawak Indians were the first inhabitants of the Bahamas. Many of the islands are uninhabited and the rest are flooded with tourists looking for beautiful beaches. The main islands are New Providence, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco, Andros, Cat Island, and San Salvador (Watling's Island). More than 80 percent of the 230,000 people are black, having descended from slaves brought to the island. The Bahamas were a British colony until 1973 when they became an independent member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The capital is Nassau and there is approximately 5,380 sq. mi. of land."
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Duplicate Disorder
Synonyms have been substituted for each word in the following two-word phrase. Can you guess the phrase?
Duplicate disorder
Answer
Double trouble
Duplicate disorder
Answer
Double trouble
Tomb-Sweeping Day
According to Chinese custom in China and Taiwan, there are days in April observed in the maintenance of ancestral graves. The graves are swept, food, wine, and flowers are presented as offerings; and the burning of paper money at the gravesides is thought to help ancestors in the afterworld. People also picnic at the gravesites.
Walter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp (1859-1925), played a major role in reshaping the rules of American football so that it would be distinct from rugby football. As an undergraduate and then a medical student at Yale (1876-1881), Camp played football and served as team captain (at that time, equivalent to head coach). Among his innovations were reducing the number of players on a side from 15 to 11, introducing the scrimmage, giving one team definite possession of the ball, and proposing the downs system.
Buddhist Holidays
Buddha is Sanskrit for "the enlightened one," and he is regarded as the founder of Buddhism. Buddha's given name was Siddhartha, the family name Gautama, and the clan name Shakya or Sakya. Three major events of the Buddha's (c 563-483 BC) life - his birth, Enlightenment, and entrance into final nirvana - are commemorated in all Buddhist countries but not everywhere on the same day. In countries observing the Theravada tradition, the three events are all observed together on Vesak, the full moon day of the sixth lunar month, which usually occurs in May. Among Buddhist holidays, the birthday of the Buddha (Day of Vesak) is the most important.
Civil War End
The American Civil War (also called the War Between the States) ended in April 1865. About 1,556,000 soldiers served in the Federal armies, which suffered a total of 634,703 casualties (359,528 dead and 275,175 wounded). About 800,000 men served in the Confederate forces, which sustained approximately 483,000 casualties (about 258,000 dead and 225,000 wounded). General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Army of North Virginia, surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant, commander-in-chief of the Union Army, ending four years of war. Grant drew up very unselfish terms of surrender. The Confederate soldiers were permitted to keep their horses and go free to their homes; the Confederate officers were allowed to retain their swords and sidearms.
Edible Flowers
Which flowers are edible? Among the most common edible flowers are peonies, pansies, carnations, chamomile, chrysanthemums, dandelions, daylilies, gardenias, geraniums, gladioli, lavender, lilies, nasturtiums, primroses, roses, squash blossoms, sweet violets, pot marigolds, and yucca blossoms.
American Dictionary
The first dictionary of American English was published in April 1828. The two-volume dictionary was written solely by the American lexicographer Noah Webster. He began work on it in 1807 and finished in 1824-1825. It contained 12,000 words and 30,000-40,000 definitions that had not appeared in any earlier dictionary. The rights to the dictionary were sold in 1843 by the Webster estate to George and Charles Merriam.
Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana
Photo Credit: C.S. Drake
Location: Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana
Jump and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall.
-- Ray Bradbury
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) was a comic actor, writer, director, and producer in motion pictures. His father was a music hall entertainer and his mother was a singer. Charlie made his stage debut at age five, filling in when his mother lost her voice on stage. By age eight, Chaplain became a professional entertainer when he joined the Eight Lancashire Lads, a clog-dancing act. Chaplin improvised an outfit with a too-small coat, too-large pants, floppy shoes, and a battered derby - plus a postage-stamp mustache and a cane as a prop. His screen alter-ego, the Little Tramp, appeared in the second of the Keystone comedy films (1914).
Nature
The marvels of daily life are exciting; no movie director can arrange the unexpected that you find in the street.
-- Robert Doisneau
Verrazano
Giovanni Verrazano 1485-1528), an Italian navigator and explorer for France, was the first European to sight New York and Narragansett bays. In early 1524 he sailed to the New World and reached Cape Fear, then sailed northward, exploring the eastern coast of North America. He made several discoveries on the voyage, including the sites of present-day New York Harbor, Block Island, and Narragansett Bay, and was the first European explorer to name North American sites after persons and places in the Old World.
Lunar Eclipse
When the Moon moves through the shadow of the Earth, it loses its bright direct illumination by the Sun, although its disk still remains faintly visible. Since the shadow of the Earth is directed away from the Sun, a lunar eclipse can occur only when there is a full Moon - that is, when the Moon is on the side of the Earth opposite to that of the Sun. The longest that the total eclipse can last is about one hour and 45 minutes. During the eclipse, the surface of the Moon cools, depending on the makeup of the lunar soil, which varies just like the Earth's soil varies.
Nature 2
Love builds up the broken wall and straightens the crooked path. Love keeps the stars in the filament and imposes rhythm on the ocean tides. Each of us is created of it and I suspect each of us was created for it.
-- Maya Angelou
ANZAC
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and it is an abbreviation made famous during World War I in the Gallipoli (or Dardanelles) Expedition in 1915 in which combined Allied naval and military forces tried to capture the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey so that a route would be opened to Russia. ANZAC, with a reputation of being elite troops, took much of the brunt of the battle, which lasted nine months and which was ultimately lost to the Turkish-German military.
Between Chile and Argentina
Photo Credit: Ana Maria Fores Tamayo
Location: Between Chile and Argentina
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.
-- Robert Frost
Spelling bee
The Scripps National Spelling Bee was actually started by The Louisville Courier-Journal with nine contestants in 1925. In 1941, Scripps assumed sponsorship of the program. There was no Scripps National Spelling Bee during the World War II years of 1943, 1944, and 1945. Co-champions were declared in 1950, 1957, and 1962. The word "bee" as in "spelling bee" is not referring to an insect but to a community social gathering at which friends and neighbors join together in a single activity (sewing, quilting, barn raising, etc.), usually to help one person or family. The first attested use of the term in writing dates to 1875.
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Vowel-less Knights #4
And now for more mystery quotes in the style of the Vowel-less knights...
1. dn't knw wh m grndfthr ws; m mch mr cncrnd t knw wht hs grndsn wll b.
2. t's rnng cts nd dgs t thr!
3. 'll gt thrgh, cm hll r hgh wtr.
Hint1. Spoken by an American President.
Bonus point: Who?
2. A popular saying dating from the Middle Ages in Western Europe.
Bonus point: Why does this saying use these animals for comparison?
3. An expression from the early 1900's.
Bonus points: What group is thought to have originated this saying, and what were they doing?
Answer
1. I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.
Bonus: Abraham Lincoln
2. It's raining cats and dogs out there!
Bonus: Because a very heavy rain on an uninsulated roof sounds like heavy objects are hitting it.
3. I'll get through, come hell or high water.
Bonus: Cattle ranchers, driving herds to market.
1. dn't knw wh m grndfthr ws; m mch mr cncrnd t knw wht hs grndsn wll b.
2. t's rnng cts nd dgs t thr!
3. 'll gt thrgh, cm hll r hgh wtr.
Hint1. Spoken by an American President.
Bonus point: Who?
2. A popular saying dating from the Middle Ages in Western Europe.
Bonus point: Why does this saying use these animals for comparison?
3. An expression from the early 1900's.
Bonus points: What group is thought to have originated this saying, and what were they doing?
Answer
1. I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.
Bonus: Abraham Lincoln
2. It's raining cats and dogs out there!
Bonus: Because a very heavy rain on an uninsulated roof sounds like heavy objects are hitting it.
3. I'll get through, come hell or high water.
Bonus: Cattle ranchers, driving herds to market.
Hidden Category II
Remove a letter from each of the words below and rearrange the remaining letters to form new words. The 10 words will all fall into a certain category. For example, given the words DEAR, ANGRY, and RENEGE, you could drop the "A" in DEAR to get RED, drop the "N" in ANGRY to get GRAY, and drop an "E" in RENEGE to get GREEN. These would all fall into the category of "Colors".
If you're stuck, the hint will name the category. The tough part is getting all 10 words.
EPOCH
EXPEL
WRIST
BUNDLE
INWARD
REPUTE
UNSEAT
ASCRIBE
MEMOIRS
PHRASING
Answer
Like the hint says, these are all recipe directions:
CHOP
PEEL
STIR
BLEND
DRAIN
PUREE
SAUTE
BRAISE
SIMMER
GARNISH
If you're stuck, the hint will name the category. The tough part is getting all 10 words.
EPOCH
EXPEL
WRIST
BUNDLE
INWARD
REPUTE
UNSEAT
ASCRIBE
MEMOIRS
PHRASING
Answer
Like the hint says, these are all recipe directions:
CHOP
PEEL
STIR
BLEND
DRAIN
PUREE
SAUTE
BRAISE
SIMMER
GARNISH
Flights of Fancy
Riddles are little poems or phrases that pose a question that needs answering. Riddles frequently rhyme, but this is not a requirement.
Explosive as the daylight and with the dust I tease,
I whisper through the willows, wreak havoc with the leaves.
You feel me on your face, and hear me in the night,
And with my lonely mournful cries I give you such a fright .
I dance across the landscape, carefree and full of gust,
You can chase me all around, try and catch me if you must .
And in the cold of winter I give you such a chill,
But with the spring I race young foals swiftly up the hills.
The clues now spoken you have my friend, have you guessed me yet ?
Answer
I am the wind.
Explosive as the daylight and with the dust I tease,
I whisper through the willows, wreak havoc with the leaves.
You feel me on your face, and hear me in the night,
And with my lonely mournful cries I give you such a fright .
I dance across the landscape, carefree and full of gust,
You can chase me all around, try and catch me if you must .
And in the cold of winter I give you such a chill,
But with the spring I race young foals swiftly up the hills.
The clues now spoken you have my friend, have you guessed me yet ?
Answer
I am the wind.
Audubon
John James Audubon (1785-1851) was a youngster growing up in France when he developed an interest in drawing birds. At 18, he was sent to the United States to avoid having to serve in the army and he became fascinated with North American birds - which he studied from Florida to Labrador in Canada. In 1824, he started to consider publishing the exquisite drawings but was advised to seek a European publisher because the methods for printing the drawings was more advanced there. The engraver Robert Havell of London undertook the project and published the four-volume The Birds of America with its 435 hand-colored plates between 1827-1838. The Audubon Society was founded in 1905. Although Audubon had no role in the organization that bears his name, there is a connection: George Bird Grinnell, one of the founders of the early Audubon Society in the late 1800s, was tutored by Lucy Audubon, John James's widow.
Mother Goose
Who was Mother Goose? "Mother Goose" was first associated with nursery rhymes in an early collection of songs and lullabies sung by British nurses/caregivers, "Mother Goose's Melody" (or "Sonnets for the Cradle") published in 1781 by John Newbery. The Newbery company may have derived the name "Mother Goose" from the title of Charles Perrault's French collection of fairy tales "Contes de ma mere l'oye," (or "Tales of Mother Goose" - which means fairytales or old wives' tales) published in 1697.
Pitcher's Elbow
Pitcher's elbow or thrower's elbow is a term used for the injuries associated with a baseball pitcher's throwing method or overuse. Professional baseball pitchers produce arm speeds of 7000 degrees per second as the arm rotates inwards. The elbow is subjected to violent forces during all phases of the pitching motion. There can be damage to the triceps muscle, its tendon, and the olecranon process (the tip of the elbow) which may suffer stress fractures. Pitchers are also predisposed to osteoarthritis in the arm. Until about 1870, the pitcher was merely a player assigned to put the ball in play by pitching it to the batter to hit. Now, until a batter hits the ball, the game is a duel between the pitcher (and catcher) and the batter. Of a major league's team roster of 25, usually 11-12 are pitchers.
Rockefeller Preserve in Tarrytown NY
Photo Credit: natureluv
Location: Rockefeller Preserve in Tarrytown NY
Keep true to the dreams of thy youth.
-- Johann Friedrich von Schiller
James Beard
James Beard (1903-1985) was called the "Father of American Cooking." He wrote more than 20 classic cookbooks and appeared on television's first cooking show ("I Love to Cook") in 1946. He championed American cooking throughout the world. Beard's Greenwich Village (New York City) brownstone was the site of his cooking school and is considered America's only culinary historic landmark. It is the headquarters of the James Beard Foundation
Indianapolis Zoo
Photo Credit: C.S. Drake
Location: Indianapolis Zoo
For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else.
-- Winston Churchill
Sack of Rome
Fact of the Day: Sack of Rome
The Renaissance ended with the Sack of Rome by the armies of the Holy Roman emperor Charles V, in May 1527. In eight days, his Spanish troops and German mercenaries killed around 4,000 Romans and looted works of art and literature. Even the Pope, Clement VII, was imprisoned. Though the Renaissance was effectively ended, Rome bounced back and by 1600, it was once again a prosperous city.
The Renaissance ended with the Sack of Rome by the armies of the Holy Roman emperor Charles V, in May 1527. In eight days, his Spanish troops and German mercenaries killed around 4,000 Romans and looted works of art and literature. Even the Pope, Clement VII, was imprisoned. Though the Renaissance was effectively ended, Rome bounced back and by 1600, it was once again a prosperous city.
Colorado
Photo Credit: buddah52
Location: Colorado
If you surrender to the wind, you can ride it.
-- Toni Morrison
Inauguration
The first U.S. inauguration was held in 1789 - for George Washington - at Federal Hall in New York City. Washington's second inauguration (and that of his successor, John Adams) was held in Philadelphia because the capital had been moved there. Thomas Jefferson was the first president to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C. Any Presidents who assume office upon the death of their predecessor take the oath wherever they are and do not have inaugurations: Chester Arthur took the oath in New York City; Theodore Roosevelt in Buffalo, New York; Calvin Coolidge in Plymouth, Vermont; and Lyndon Johnson in Dallas, Texas. The word inaugurate is from Latin and it meant "to take omens from the flight of birds and to install or consecrate after takes such omens (or auguries)."
Kirkland Transit Center, Washington
Photo Credit: Chrissy Gombos
Location: Kirkland Transit Center, Washington
The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.
-- Oscar Wilde
Mother's Day
The second Sunday in May is set aside in the United States to celebrate mothers. There is also a Mother's Day celebration in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, Japan, and Belgium. England's "Mothering Sunday", similar to Mother's Day, is also called Mid-Lent Sunday and it is observed on the fourth Sunday in Lent, though it has largely been replaced by Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May. Anna Jarvis, born in Grafton, West Virginia in 1864, started the movement to have a Mother's Day. She wrote letters to politicians, newspaper editors, and church leaders and organized a committee called Mother's Day International Association to promote the new holiday. She wanted Mother's Day to be close to Memorial Day so people would recognize mothers for the sacrifices they made for their families in the same way that servicepeople had for their country. The first official Mother's Day observance was in May 1907. President Woodrow Wi lson gave the day national recognition in 1914. Jarvis spent the last years of her life trying to abolish the holiday she had brought into being, because she protested its commercialization.
Crater Lake, Oregon
Photo Credit: Randy A. Wetmore
Location: Crater Lake, Oregon
Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air…
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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