WTF: Stormtrooper Groomsmen?

WHAT?!?!?!

WTF: Stormtrooper Lingerie???

Umm, What?!?!?

Enter Shikari have landed!

Enter Shikari have landed Stateside in support of Take to the Skies! The UK group named, “Best Live Band” of 2007 by Kerrang! will take on Portland for the first stop of their short West Coast tour.

With visible media support and praise from the UK’s NME and Kerrang! the band has also gained support in North America from PunkNews.org. The influential source for everything punk has signed on to help promote the trek.

Punk News Presents Enter Shikari West Coast Tour:

11/30/07 Portland , OR The Satyricon
12/01/07 Vancouver , BC The Plaza Club
12/02/07 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
12/04/07 San Francisco , CA Bottom Of The Hill
12/05/07 West Hollywood , CA Troubadour
12/06/07 Anaheim, CA Chain Reaction
12/07/07 San Diego , CA SOMA San Diego

Check out their video for “Sorry, You’re Not A Winner” below:
http://www.youtube.com/v/P4MiC67seUY&rel=1%22

Bullet For My Valentine Release New Single!

Bullet for My Valentine has just released the audio stream and music video for their brand new title track Scream Aim Fire. After selling more than one million copies worldwide of their album The Poison, Bullet for My Valentine is back with their new album Scream Aim Fire, set for release on January 29, 2008.

Scream Aim Fire (WM, Streaming, 64k, Audio)

http://release.theplatform.com/content.select?pid=RMt3Ts08A43ssf-asS1G3_tITtG2NbCB&UserName=Unknown

Scream Aim Fire (WM, Streaming, 96k, Audio)

http://release.theplatform.com/content.select?pid=lY9dweazHGn2rmbawzfPMunO1yfu2hgO&UserName=Unknown

Scream Aim Fire (Real, Streaming, 64k, Video)

http://release.theplatform.com/content.smil?pid=OEEYktSMqqoIzhSGen9sr9ugkozoo7Fw&UserName=Unknown

Scream Aim Fire (Real, Streaming, 95k, Video)

http://release.theplatform.com/content.smil?pid=FO6MOUVscpLaodM3w-BhIzhpmffQaRpV&UserName=Unknown

Bullet for My Valentine is comprised of Matthew “Matt” Tuck (guitars, vocals), Michael “Padge” Paget (guitar, supporting vocals), Jason “Jay” James (bass, supporting vocals) and Michael “Moose” Thomas (drums).

Bullet for My Valentine traveled to El Paso, Texas to record their new album with renowned producer Colin Richardson (Machinehead, Funeral for A Friend), who also produced the band’s debut album, The Poison. Bullet for My Valentine’s sophomore album, Scream Aim Fire, is packed with aggressive tempos, insane guitar riffs and incredible lyrics. The band just shot the video for the album’s title track Scream Aim Fire and will be starting a US and UK headlining tour in late January.

Full track listing for Scream Aim Fire is as follows:

Scream Aim Fire
Eye of the Storm
Hearts Burst Into Fire
Waking the Demon
Disappear
Deliver Us From Evil
Take It Out On Me
Say Goodbye
End of Days
Last to Know
Forever and Always

Radiohead Live Videos

With the official retail release of their In Rainbows coming on January 1st , the Oxford , UK band have also been keeping busy with their “Thumbs Down Webcast” as of late. Thom Yorke said of the episodes, "This is Thumbs Down cause it's ... [holds thumbs down]... We're gonna play some music as we can still stand up. This is our way of celebrating the fact that we’ve finished a record. We're been doing some stupid stuff the past few weeks knocking some things together. Don't expect any high quality cause there isn't any.” The band can be seen performing the first single from the album, “Bodysnatchers,” and another stand out track, “Jigsaw Falling Into Place,” below.

Bodysnatchers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZEpfICFkfQ

Jigsaw Falling Into Place
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GoLJJRIWCLU

Onesidezero announces more dates including 2008 European tour with Adema

Los Angeles based Onesidezero has added more tour dates in support of their recently released self-titled sophomore album. The group will play a series of West Coast dates to round out the year, including a spot on 104.7 The Edge's "Not So Silent Night" show with Atreyu, Five Finger Death Punch and Fair To Midland.

Onesidezero will kick off 2008 with a European tour alongside Adema and Re:Ignition which is scheduled to begin February 27, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany. More cities and dates will be announced soon.

"I think I can speak for all of us in saying FINALLY! We love touring! We've seen most of the United States and Canada several times and it's been awesome. That being said, we're ready for Europe," says Onesidezero drummer Rob Basile. "Europe has produced so much amazing music and art, and I can't wait to experience that first hand. Personally I love history, and good beer, so I can't think of a better place to go. It's also going to be a pleasure hitting the road again with Adema, as we've toured with them on two separate occasions in the past, and Adema's live sh ow is amazing and they're great guys."

"We are really excited to finally be getting our ass's overseas and are grateful to Tiefdruck-Musik for giving us this opportunity," adds frontman Jasan Radford. "2008 is starting to look like a great year for Onesidezero and thank you all for the support!"

Onesidezero 's Ulrich Wild (Static-X, Stabbing Westward, Taproot) produced sophomore album was released through Corporate Punishment Records . The album's first single, "My Confession", has been picking up steam at radio with the track receiving steady rotation on XM Radio's Squizz channel and Los Angeles based KROQ.

Press has also jumped at the chance to praise the band's new album as Kotori Magazine said, " features a cosmopolitan mixture dyed pink with a nice spike of post-Gen-X Rossdale and pre-Soundgarden Cornell while leaving plenty of room for what fans and future music listeners will know as that trademark Onesidezero sound." While CelebrityCafe.com said that the album "might look like your typical hard rock record but if listeners sit back, analyze and take in each song, they will discover that is far from the truth."

Onesidezero Tour Dates (more TBA)
Dec 09 Cell Block, Mesa, AZ
Dec 10 Sunshine Theater, Albuquerque, NM w/ Atreyu
Dec 14 Brick By Brick, San Diego CA
Dec 15 Chain Reaction ,Anaheim CA
Dec 16 Hogue Barmichael's, Newport Beach CA
Feb 27 Club Logo, Hamburg Germany w/ Adema

***
www.onesidezero.com
www.myspace.com/onesidezero

WTF Friday: Beer!

But $25???

Today's "WTF Fridays" come from G-Mo.

Word of the Day for Friday, November 30, 2007

malapropos \mal-ap-ruh-POH\, adjective:

1. Unseasonable; unsuitable; inappropriate.
2. In an inappropriate or inopportune manner; unseasonably.

Urban Word of the Day: sexile

• To banish a roomate from the room/dorm/apartment for the purpose of engaging in intimate relations with one's significant other/sex partner.

My roomate is gonna sexile me on Valentine's Day so that he and Yolanda can have their hot monkey sex in our room.

Quote: "Every man desires to live long, but no man wishes to be old." — Jonathan Swift

Trivia

What was the profession of Peeping Tom, the cad who ogled Lady Godiva during her famous fictitious ride through Coventry?

• He was a tailor.

Today in History

• Russo-Finnish War: began (1939)
• Lucille Ball: wed Desi Arnaz (1940)
• Ann Hodges: woman in Sylacauga, Alabama, became the only person on record to have been struck by a meteorite (1954)

Today's Birthdays

• Mark Twain (1835-1910): author of Tom Sawyer
• Winston Churchill (1874-1965): British PM
• Dick Clark (78): "America's oldest living teenager"
• Billy Idol (52): rocker

• Ridley Scott (70): director of Blade Runner
• Colin Mochrie (50): actor, Whose Line is it Anyway?
• Ben Stiller (42): actor/director
• Elisha Cuthbert (25): actress / hottie

Turtle Thursday: Miscalculation

Silent Bob Basking on his new floating log.

He is a Texas Dark Phased Diamondback Terrapin.

I recently set up a third tank for my herd of turtles. This tank is the playground for our littlest guy, Silent Bob. He's not a tiny hatchling anymore, but he's not big enough to go in with the turtles in the 125 gallon tank, and no one can tell how Roxy would welcome him. So to play it on the safe side I set up a more stable environment for him consisting of the following:

• A good sized plastic storage bin.
• Two light sources, one with a heat bulb, the other with a compact full spectrum bulb.
• Fluval 304 canister filter.
• Zoo Med floating turtle log, size XL.

For a one year old turtle, this is plenty. He has water about a foot deep to swim in. He has the floating log to play in, around, and bask upon. A filter capable of keeping a tank far larger clean. Plenty of light and warmth. Yep. Everyday is like a vacation for this little guy.

Ooops!

A major miscalculation. What happens when you have the water too warm and a lot of light? ALGAE! So now I'm battling algae, a water born mossy substance that's more of a nuisance than harmful. But if allowed to go crazy (like it did while we were away for a week on vacation) it loads the tank up with the plant life and makes the water cloudy and smell bad. After only a week away, the water went from pristine to swampy. Bob was fine, but now I have to think about keeping the water COOLER. this is going to be tough. I guess a smaller heat bulb will be in order.

Videos That Rocked The World!

The music video changed music. Some videos changed the world. Find out what it took to create some of the most influential music videos of all time, at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT, only on Fuse.

Fuse already got the dish on the cheerleaders of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," battled the controversy with Madonna for "Like A Prayer" and marched with Aerosmith's "Walk This Way."

• Tonight (11/29) OK Go - "Here It Goes Again"
• Tomorrow (11/30) Guns N' Roses - "Welcome to the Jungle"
• Monday (12/3) Van Halen - "Hot for Teacher"
• Tuesday (12/4) Britney Spears - "Baby, One More Time"
• Wednesday (12/5) Public Enemy - "Fight the Power"
• Thursday (12/6) Alanis Morissette - "You Oughta Know"
• Friday (12/7) Beastie Boys - "Fight for Your Right"

Don't miss new episodes of fuse's VIDEOS THAT ROCKED THE WORLD every
night this week at 10pm ET/7pm PT only on fuse!

Natalie Portman...

...Has a perfect face.

More on Egotastic.

Broadway re-opens today!

Did you hear the cheer from NYC, especially down in the village? The stage-hand strike ended this morning which means that the show will go on starting tonight on Broadway.

The Strike that went on for weeks cost the city billions in revenue. I'm glad to see this over with.

Christmas Cards

When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center 6900
Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

Never Enough stream entire debut album online

Never Enough, featuring ex-members of Eighteen Visions and Lylah, have streamed their entire debut album at the following location:

http://www.altsounds.com/altsounds/bands/5107/playallhi.php

Never Enough will release their debut, self-titled album ("1.0") in North America on December 4th, 2007 via Corporate Punishment Records. The band is continuing to offer fans a FREE Never Enough t-shirt to those who pre-order the album through the Corporate Punishment website at the following location:

http://www.corporatepunishment.com/shop/index.php?manufacturers_id=28

A perpetually touring underground favorite, Eighteen Visions released 6 full length LP's and a string of EP's and 7 inches, racking up sales well in excess of a quarter million records, before announcing their break-up in early 2007, less than a year after releasing their Epic/Sony debut 18Visions, which debuted in the Billboard top 200, selling over 12,000 copies the first week. 18V also spawned the Top 20 Rock single "Victim", which led to successful worldwide tours with the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, Killswitc h Engage, HIM, Deftones and Hinder.

Texas based Lylah , the brainchild of vocalist/guitarist Norman Matthew, have since become an underground phenomenon of their own, touring with the likes of Evanescence, Static-X, Sevendust and as a part of the Vans Warped Tour.

Ice Nine Kills signs to Red Blue Records 10/31/07

If Brand New, As I lay Dying, and Les Miserables joined forces, Ice Nine Kills would be the shining result. With epic choruses, Jazz like interludes, and an unmatched sense for brutality, INK's new CD "The Burning," is set to raise the bar in the current post hardcore scene.

myspace.com/iceninekills

- Signed to Red Blue Records 10/31/07
- #1 downloaded band on Purevolume.com in US
- #2 selling CD in US on Smartpunk.com - "The Burning"
- Over 1.4+ million myspace plays
- prior Red Blue, #1 google search - "unsigned screamo"
- One of Top selling bands on SMARTpunk.com for last year and half
- 75 date US tour Nov 16-Feb 9th
- New CD "The Burning" available for Preorder now and Launches Nov 20th.
- Full Page Feature in Alternative Press Magazine in Dec/Jan issue (500,000+ viewers)
- Main Feature on Purevolume.com and Purepick
- "The Burning" will be featured in Select Hot Topics

Der Meister will Rückennummern!

This just in from Rammstein:

(find english version below)

Der Meister will Rückennummern!

Das große Interesse an Rückennummern im Zusammenhang mit unserem Meister T-Shirt hat uns überrascht und gefreut. Wir vermuten nun, daß viele von euch sich auf die Fussball EM vorbereiten oder dem heimischen Freizeitkick mit unserem Meister Shirt noch die Krone aufsetzen wollen! Übrigens erreichten uns die ersten Anfragen zu den Rückennummern aus England. Das war allerdings Wochen vor deren unglücklichem Ausscheiden in der EM Qualifikation! Damit wir nun schnell in Produktion gehen können, bitten wir euch, bis zu 3 favorisierte Rückennummern auszusuchen, und diese per Klick zu kennzeichnen.

Diese Umfrage endet am 10.12. 2007 in der Hoffnung, den wildesten Verehrern von Rückennummern noch vor Weihnachten eine Freude machen zu können.

Für die Golfer, Rettungsschwimmer und Jongleure unter euch: Keine Angst, das Shirt wird auch weiterhin ohne Rückennummer angeboten!!!

* http://www.rammstein.de/Meister *


----

The Meister requires back numbers!

Concerning our Meister t-shirt, we were pleased and surprised by the great interest shown in back numbers. We suppose now that many of you want to get prepared for the soccer EM or want to crown their local soccer match with our Meister shirt!

By the way, the first enquiries for back numbers came from England. But this was weeks before their unfortunate retirement from the desired EM placements! We would like to ask you to choose up to 3 favourite back numbers and make a click to mark them, so we can start production fast.

In the hope of making a pleasure to the wildest enthusiasts of back numbers still before Christmas, the poll will end on the December 10, 2007.

For the golfer, lifeguards and jugglers among you:
Don't worry, the shirt will also still be offered without back numbers!!!

* http://www.rammstein.com/Meister *

The reason I don't like to park in lots

From my bro-in-law:

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=7085899

Word of the Day for Thursday, November 29, 2007

hirsute \HUR-soot; HIR-soot; hur-SOOT; hir-SOOT\, adjective:

• Covered with hair; set with bristles; shaggy; hairy.

Urban Word of the Day

www.urbandictionary.com

November 29, 2007: manther
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=manther&defid=640896

• A male [cougar]. Single, usually divorced, and at a minimum 10 years older than a [cougar].

He did not care if the youth laughed at his ragtop corvette that even at this age he could not afford, for he was manther.

Trivia
Which is the only U.S. state south of the Tropic of Cancer?

• Hawaii. Its eight main islands lie just below the Tropic of Cancer, which is the northernmost point on earth where the sun can appear directly overhead at noon.

Today in History

• Army-Navy game: football rivalry began at West Point; Navy won 24-0 (1890)
• UN Partition Plan: the UN voted to divide Palestine between Jews and Arabs (1947)
• Warren Commission: was established by US president Lyndon Johnson to investigate JFK's assassination (1963)

Today's Birthdays

• Howie Mandel (52): actor, comedian, host of Deal or No Deal
• Anna Faris (31): actress, Scary Movie series
• Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), Madeleine L'Engle (1918-2007): authors popular with children
• Don Cheadle (43): actor
• Jacques Chirac (75): former president of France
• Krystal Steal (25): t3h pr0n
• Joel Coen (53): half of the Coen Brothers filmmaking duo, Raising Arizona, Fargo
• Howard K. Stern (39): lawyer for Anna Nicole Smith
• Gena Lee Nolin (36): actress, Baywatch
• Garry Shandling (58): actor, comedian, Larry Sanders Show

Scarlett Johansson...

...For no reason!

Win some SIK prizes!!!

Sarah is insane

A client called in today. I got the call, as the secretary wasn't available. She explained that she's selling fighter jets to foreign countries now.

I blinked. "How do you sell fighter jets to lands abroad?" I asked, restraining a giggle.

"Well, I know all the Heads of State," she answered in a matter of fact way.

But that's her backup, if her real estate biz doesn't work, she has this as a spare tire. BTW we've never seen her sell anything in 10 years. The lady is nuts!

New EPK From Black Tide

Get an inside look into Black Tide as Gabriel, Alex, Zakk and Steven talk about their influences, the Ozzfest rollercoaster ride, and the forthcoming album Light From Above. The video showcases some killer live footage and behind the scenes clips of the band skate boarding, hanging out and gearing up for shows.

Black Tide’s two-song EP is available now at Hot Topic. The full length debut Light From Above will be in stores February 2008.

HERE ARE THE STREAMS!!!!

http://dam.dvs.tv/IGA/UNCENSOREDblackTIDE.mpg

or censored:

http://dam.dvs.tv/IGA/CENSOREDblackTIDE.mpg

Hasselfhoff Wednesday: Pulp Rider

This would've been the coolest crossover on the foreverz!

Ministry Plays 2 Dates at Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza

I had to LOL when I saw the band they are playing with, almost as good as my own Rabbis of Doom:

MiniMinistry with Meshuggah

Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
May 1 & 2

On Sale Saturday, Dec 1 at 10:00 am!

Buy Tixx

Dress up Angelina Jolie!

This is the closest you will ever get to the real thing:

http://www.dailyfreegames.com/games/dress-up-games/angelina-jolie-dress-up.html

Word of the Day for Wednesday, November 28, 2007

incongruous \in-KONG-groo-us\, adjective

1. Lacking in harmony, compatibility, or appropriateness.
2. Inconsistent with reason, logic, or common sense.

Urban Word of the Day

www.urbandictionary.com

November 28, 2007: To the dome

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=To+the+dome&defid=275138

• To consume an entire quantity of intoxicant in a sort time, by one's self.

Dude! Did you just see that? John just took a half-ounce to his dome!

Trivia

What creation, signed “R. Mutt,” was named the most influential modern art work of all time in a 2004 British poll?

• A signed white porcelain men’s urinal that Marcel Duchamp called Fountain. Ranked behind it in importance in the poll were Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych, Picasso’s Guernica, and Henri Matisse’s The Red Studio.

Today in History

• Ferdinand Magellan: reached the Pacific from the Atlantic by sailing through the Strait of Magellan (1520)
• Albania: declared independence from the Ottoman Empire (1912)
• Mauritania: became independent from France (1960)

Today's Birthdays

• Paul Shaffer (58): Letterman sidekick, band leader
• William Blake (1757-1827): English poet
• Randy Newman (64): singer, songwriter; Oscar winner for "If I Didn't Have You" from Monsters, Inc.
• Francesca Lé (37): t3h pr0n
• Berry Gordy (78): Producer, song writer
• S. Epatha Merkerson (55): Law & Order's Lt. Anita Van Buren
• Jon Stewart (45): host of The Daily Show
• Anna Nicole Smith (1967-2007): actress/model

Do you know the Kamikaze Pilots?

Nope, I'm not talking about the all or nothing suicide pilots from Japan during WW2, I mean the band from across the pond!

This is their main site:
http://www.kamikazepilotsband.com/

And a fan page on myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/kamikaze_pilots_fans

Check them out! They'll be working on a new EP very soon.

The Hives new video

The Hives have just released a new video for “Fall is Just Something Grown Ups Invented” featuring a personal performance for Cartoon Network. The Hives’ single is now playing as the fall theme song on Cartoon Network. The Hives’ new album, The Black & White Album, is now available in stores. The Hives are currently on tour in Europe until 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LENxc9hVHVs

Sleep better?

I think I need to look into this:

Brookstone Sona Pillow for Snoring and Mild Sleep Apnea

HIM Live from the Orpheum Theatre

HIM is premiering their new music video for “Bleed Well,” off their new album Venus Doom, for the HIM fan club on Heartagram.com today. Imeem will be featuring the world premiere of the video on Tuesday, November 27th. The band filmed the live footage for the new video at their Los Angeles shows on November 14th and 15th at the Orpheum Theatre. The live footage from the shows will also be used for HIM’s upcoming Live DVD, to be released in 2008.

Word of the Day for Tuesday, November 27, 2007

kvetch \KVECH\, adjective:

1. To complain habitually.
2. A complaint.
3. A habitual complainer.

Urban Word of the Day

www.urbandictionary.com

November 27, 2007: sweet as

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sweet+as&defid=1429972

1. New zealand slang for "everything's okay."
2. Can also be used in place of "yes!"

"yeah, my night was sweet as, got [on the piss] with some mates and sung [karaoke]... badly"

• "wanna beer mate?"
• "yeah, sweet as"
  

Trivia

Who coined the phrase “survival of the fittest”?

• Herbert Spencer, the British philosopher and sociologist. The phrase is attributed to him in the fifth edition of Darwin’s The Origin of Species. Spencer had used the term in his book Principles of Biology.

Today in History

• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: first strode the streets of NYC (1924)
• Toulon, France: during WWII, the French Navy scuttled its own ships and submarines to prevent them from falling into German hands (1942)
• Pope Paul VI: was the subject of an assassination attempt at the Manila International Airport in the Philippines (1970)

Today's Birthdays

• Anders Celsius (1701-1744): Swedish astronomer who developed the thermometer scale
• Bruce Lee (1940-1973): martial arts actor
• Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970): rock guitarist
• William Fichtner (51): actor you won't know by name, but will know his face


• Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg (50): writer and attorney; daughter of JFK and Jackie
• Bill Nye (52): the science guy / nerd
• Jaleel White (31): Urkel / nerd
• Robin Givens (43): actress, former Mrs. Mike Tyson

Posh is good

I dunno if she can sing at all, I know her accent is pretty thick, but she sure looks pretty good in this pic...

More here:

http://www.dlisted.com/node/18335

Pic of the week: November 26, 2007

Look forward to Mondays, no matter how dreary and gray!

Teresa Noreen's pic of the week, new each Monday.

This morning I was thinking about this feature on my blog. I get many hits each week for Teresa Noreen pics, but most people kinda don't know who she is at all. I came across her on myspace. She was trying to expand her base and spread the word, she was out and about looking for model work. You would think she's been modeling a while, when you look at her, but would you believe she's former US Air Force? When she got out she wanted to take a stab at modeling without falling for all the usual pitfalls that hopefuls fall prey to. I just find it hard to believe that a swimsuit model body was being restrained by an Air Force uniform. But good for her, she's not in her 20's anymore, and still getting work and looking good.

Radiohead Out In Stores January 1st

On January 1, 2008, TBD Records/ATO Records Group will release in North America the physical version of Radiohead’s In Rainbows.

Released in download format earlier this year, In Rainbows has already received tremendous acclaim in the press. British music magazine Q wrote “In Rainbows is a brilliant work” while Rolling Stone said the album “ delivers an emotional punch that proves all other rock stars owe us an apology.” New York magazine raved, “Radiohead has made their best music in years, maybe ever.”

Produced by Nigel Godrich, In Rainbows is the band’s seventh studio album and the follow-up to 2003’s RIAA certified Platinum Hail to the Thief.

Back!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there!

I wasn't around last week. We left on the night of November 15th and headed off to Puerto Rico for a week of rest. We stayed at the same place in Cabo Rojo as we did earlier in the year. It was a rather uneventful trip, for the most part. It was warm during teh days, and comfortable in the evenings. The only drawbacks were mosquitoes and the first rental car.

Mosquito Season

The last time we went to Puerto Rico, we were pleasantly surprised by how few mosquitoes there were. So we were certainly looking forward to this trip. How many tropical lands can you go to and not get eaten alive by the flying pests? So we were shocked when we got there and mosquitoes seemed to be waiting for us. I figured out (the hard way) that the mosquitoes won't bite when you have the air conditioning on. One night we slept without a/c and the feeding frenzy went on all night. Ouch!

Honda Fit giving me fits

When we landed at Aguadilla Airport in Puerto Rico we rented a Honda Fit. If you don't know the car, it's the smallest in the Honda line, even smaller than the Civic! The second evening we were there one of the front tires was flat as a pancake. I honestly have no idea how this happened. We had driven home and there was air in the tire when the car was parked, later on, it was flat. Since we were up in the mountains, I slapped on the doughnut spare and we returned the car on Monday morning so we could get a "safe" car, one with four tires and a spare.

Guess what they gave me? A 2007 Ford Focus ZX3 SE. Essentially a newer version of my car in maroon and an automatic transmission. It was much nicer than the Fit, but not as pristine as mine, even though they had about the same miles.

Fly, Butterfly, Fly!

Stacey saw a butterfly get knocked into the water at the beach by the breeze. She ran over and scooped the little guy up and set him on the sands to dry out. After he dried out, the butterfly took to wing and fluttered off on his merry way, possibly happy to have be given a new lease on life.

That is....

Until a bird flew by and caught the fluttering insect in his beak and took off. So long little butterfly.

Other tales and pics hopefully to come...

Thanksgiving Weekend Box Office Numbers

Tops at the Box Office

1. Enchanted
2. This Christmas
3. Beowulf
4. Hitman
5. Bee Movie

Shockingly, that horrid looking Disney movie, Enchanted came in first.

Word of the Day for Monday, November 26, 2007

foundling \FOWND-ling\, noun:

• A deserted or abandoned infant; a child found without a parent or caretaker.

Urban Word of the Day

www.urbandictionary.com

November 26, 2007: cyber monday
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cyber+monday&defid=1530539

• Cyber Monday is the Monday after [Black Friday], when online retailers will be looking for their biggest sales from those who checked out products over the thanksgiving weekend, and will now be ordering them Monday at work.

Forget those long black Friday lines, I'm going to order on Cyber Monday!



Trivia
What inspired Swanson to come up with its first frozen TV dinner?

• The 260 tons of frozen turkey it had left over after Thanksgiving in 1953. Swanson offered its first TV dinner—turkey with cornbread stuffing, peas, and sweet potato—in a three-compartment tray, and sold 10 million the first year.

Today in History

• Kappa Alpha Society: Union College student society became the first college fraternity in the US (1825)
• Alice in Wonderland: author Lewis Carroll gave an illustrated manuscript of the tale to the eponymous Alice as an early Christmas gift (1864)
• Diamant-A rocket: launched France's space program with the Astérix satellite (1965)

Today's Birthdays

• Charles Schulz (1922-2000): creator of Charlie Brown
• Tina Turner (68): singer of "What's Love Got to Do with It?"
• Lil' Fizz (22): rapper, B2K
• Aurora Snow (26): t3h pr0n

Today's History and Birthdays

Today in History

• Hollywood Ten: screenwriters were blacklisted by producers for being suspected Communists (1947)
• Iran-contra affair: arms-sales scandal blew open; Oliver North was fired for planning to ship arms secretly to Iran (1986)
• Elián González: 6-year-old Cuban émigré was rescued by fishermen off Florida's coast, sparking a political asylum/child custody battle (1999)

Today's Birthdays

• Joe DiMaggio (1914-1999): legendary baseball player
• John F. Kennedy, Jr. (1960-1999): publisher
• Christina Applegate (36): actress who played Kelly Bundy on Married... With Children
• Jenna & Barbara Bush (26): twin daughters of George W.

Today's Birthdays and History

Today in History
Tasmania: Australian island was first seen by Dutchman Abel Tasman (1642)
The Origin of Species: Darwin published his book explaining evolution (1859)
Lee Harvey Oswald: JFK assassin was shot to death by Jack Ruby (1963)
D.B. Cooper: skyjacked a Boeing 727 over Oregon; he parachuted out after receiving $200,000 in ransom, and was never caught (1971)

Today's Birthdays
Zachary Taylor (1784-1850): 12th POTUS, known as "Old Rough and Ready"
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901): painter of life in the Moulin Rouge
Oscar Palmer Robertson (69): basketball hall-of-famer
Dwight Schultz (60): A-Team's Murdoch, Star Trek's Barclay
Katherine Heigl (29): actress on Roswell, Grey's Anatomy

History and Birthdays

Today's History:
Battle of Chattanooga: began during the US Civil War, ending with a Union victory (1863)
jukebox: debuted at the Palais Royale Saloon in San Francisco (1889)
China: took over Taiwan's seat in the UN Security Council (1971)

Today's Birthdays:
Franklin Pierce (1804-1869): South-leaning Northern POTUS
Harpo Marx (1888-1964): silent member of the Marx Brothers
Kelly Brook (28): Lex Luthor's girlfriend on Smallville

Turtle Thursday: Did You Know?

I didn't write this week's Turtle Thursday, so I'll post a cute pic of Dante taken a week ago. It was supposed to be a pic of Silent Bob in his new tank setup, but Mrs. Baxojayz never emailed it to me, per my request.

From my email:

Turtlesale.com Information Time

This week's topic:
Common Errors, Truths & Quick Fixes When It Comes To Feeding A Water Turtle.

Did You Know?

1. Pet store People Despite what they may tell you, turtles should not be fed dog or cat food (Sounds insane, but we've heard it!) Research, Research, Research!

2. Pellet-only diets are acceptable. Pellets provide many benefits, but variety is key! Supplement fruits and veggies you have in your fridge- check out our safe list below!

3. Feeding in your turtles tank. You should really try to feed in a separate container to avoid frequent changes of water and filter media. A Rubbermaid container is the easiest way to feed outside your tank.

4. Giving in to Beggars. Turtles will always beg whether you give in or not- they know you are the supplier of food! Supplement between feedings with Iceberg lettuce- its a common filler that doesn't contain much nutritional value, but will keep them content.

5. Failure of providing sufficient Calcium or vitamin D3. Turtles need both for strong bones and shells It is recommended you have a light that supplies UVA and UVB- Reptisun 5.0.

6. Hatchlings. Baby Turtles should be fed everyday for the first year of their lives. Feedings should be done in a separate container so that you do not have to frequently change the water nor the filter media. I found it best to give them as much as they cared to eat in a 10 or 15 minute window. Hatchlings tend to be more Carnivorous than adults, so make sure to check out the suggestions of live and protein-rich foods below for how to supplement accordingly. (Make sure you still give fruits and veggies at this stage!)

7. Juveniles/Adults. Once your turtle reaches the 4" mark, we recommend that you change their feeding schedule to every other day. Again, a separate container is recommended, and the all they can eat deal should still be implemented. Adults tend to become more Omnivorous, so make sure to check out the suggestions of fruits and vegetables below.

8. Our Own Blend Of Low Fat High Protein Turtle Pellets. Commercial Foods Tetra Reptomin ZooMed's Aquatic Turtle Food Exo Terra

9. Frozen/Canned

Spirulina-enriched Brine Shrimp.
Beef Heart
Bloodworms
Plankton
Krill
ZooMed's Can O'Crickets, Grasshoppers, or Meal Worms

10. Live (Carnivorous)

Guppies/Rosies Reds
Crickets (Gut-Loaded)
Pinhead Crickets (for smaller turtles)
Earthworms/Night Crawlers
Ghost Shrimp
Aquatic Snails/Apple Snails
Slugs
Wax Worms/Super Worms

**Be careful about Wild-Caught foods because they can carry parasites that can be transferred to your turtle. Freezing Wild-Caught foods for a month will help to kill off some parasites.

11. Fruits

Apples
Bananas
Grapes
Melon
Tomato
Strawberries
**Should be cut up in small, bite-size or match-like sticks that will be easy for the turtle to bite into and not choke on.

12. Veggies

Squash/Zucchini
Carrots
Broccoli
Greens- Red Leaf, Romaine, Collards, Kale, Dandelion Greens
**Stay away from Spinach. Make sure to cut the veggies in bite-size or match-like sticks so your turtle can eat them easily. Iceberg lettuce is a good filler, but contains little/no nutritional value!

13. Aquatic Plants

Anacharis
Duckweed
Water Hyacinth
Water Lettuce
Water Lily
These are great plants for turtles to eat.

Turtlesale provided a great resource in this. I have a feeling that the forum staff, of which I used to be one, really wrote all this. Too bad they have so much good information but implement it with the turtles they sell. [Bob]

Concussion: Conclusion

A couple weeks ago a posted an ambiguous entry called "CONCUSSION" and had the definition of what one is. Here's the tale that goes with it.

A couple weeks ago I decided to change the oil in our two Fords. Mine is easy. I reach under and it's all done in nothing flat. My wife's car is a little more work to get to, plus she had the car pulled nose first into the garage. I needed to make some space to work, as she had it pulled in so far. When I tried to stand up after making making room I clobbered myself on a shelf above my head. I'm not talking about a a typical piece of shelf material, I'm talking about a shelf made from 2 x 4's that juts out four feet from the rear wall and was about five feet above the ground.

As I stood I hit the back of my head on that shelf so hard that I went down like a sack of cement. I blacked out and when I came out of it my vision was impaired and couldn't hear from one ear. I carefully crawled out of the garage and sat on the side stoop until I felt relatively better.

I went to tell Mrs. Baxojayz about what happened, but she was more concerned with the limited daylight left at that point and didn't want to be bothered with a recap of my misfortune. So i went back into the garage and finished the job. Needless to say, I wasn't in top form and managed to crack myself in the same spot on the head a couple more times, but not as badly.

After I cleaned up I went into the house and sat to rest. I didn't feel well at all and researched what a concussion was, as it seemed like what I might've done to myself.

http://www.answers.com/topic/concussion?cat=health

A concussion occurs when the head hits or is hit by an object, or when the brain is jarred against the skull, with sufficient force to cause temporary loss of function in the higher centers of the brain. The injured person may remain conscious or lose consciousness briefly, and is disoriented for some minutes after the blow. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 300,000 people sustain mild to moderate sports-related brain injuries each year, most of them young men between 16 and 25.

While concussion usually resolves on its own without lasting effect, it can set the stage for a much more serious condition. "Second impact syndrome" occurs when a person with a concussion, even a very mild one, suffers a second blow before fully recovering from the first. The brain swelling and increased intracranial pressure that can result is potentially fatal. More than 20 such cases have been reported since the syndrome was first described in 1984.

After I read that I realized that I did have a concussion, and with the extra poundings on the noggin I could've bought my farm that day in the garage. Moral of the story? Be careful, you never know what the big guy upstairs has in store for you!

For a good time...

...call 323-213-4134!

You'll see!

The Mousetrap

From my email:

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

What food might this contain? The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning : There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr.Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. " " I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The pig sympathized, but said, I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital , and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock.

To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.

So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.