In my family, no antebellum houses, and my grandmother was the cook! :-)
Dixie Royal
You are 88% true Southern!
You are pure belle or gentleman! You know your Jones Soda, Nehi and RC colas, your Moon Pies and sweet potato pie; you'd absolutely die without air conditioners in the summer, and you've seen Steel Magnolias and Fried Green Tomatoes (or read the book!). Your grandmother lives in an antebellum home and has a cook who makes the best fried chicken and asparagus casserole and summer squash and everything else in the world. And you know the taste of honeysuckle and the feel of grass between your toes. You are blessed.'
Link: The Southern-ness Test (via Dappled Things)
Today's literary moment...
"Clatter" by Marky-J
"The clatter of my shovel was deafening as I dug beside the mysterious river that flowed helter-skelter over the rocks only to disappear into the evening's darkness. Naturally, then, I was ecstatic as the starlit night quickly gave way to dawn's light where the ominous disappearence of the river quickly revealed its continuance downstream. Suddenly, I was startled by a jim-dandy of a monkey exhibiting rowdy behavior until I realized that it was just playing. I felt like an idiot until I realized the butterfly flying before me had interpreted the monkey's behavior as shady."
"Ennui" by Michelle
"At a starlit dawn, an ecstatic, rowdy little jim-dandy of a monkey quickly rode the shovel down the helter skelter to the ominous river where the butterfly had mysteriously disappeared under the shady natural lighting."
"The clatter of my shovel was deafening as I dug beside the mysterious river that flowed helter-skelter over the rocks only to disappear into the evening's darkness. Naturally, then, I was ecstatic as the starlit night quickly gave way to dawn's light where the ominous disappearence of the river quickly revealed its continuance downstream. Suddenly, I was startled by a jim-dandy of a monkey exhibiting rowdy behavior until I realized that it was just playing. I felt like an idiot until I realized the butterfly flying before me had interpreted the monkey's behavior as shady."
"Ennui" by Michelle
"At a starlit dawn, an ecstatic, rowdy little jim-dandy of a monkey quickly rode the shovel down the helter skelter to the ominous river where the butterfly had mysteriously disappeared under the shady natural lighting."
(The End.)
Life expectancy test
I doubt this is true, but I'll take it anyway! :-)
(What about you?)
Life expectancy test: "Your life expectancy is 93"
(What about you?)
Life expectancy test: "Your life expectancy is 93"
More fun but useless quizzes!
| You Are a Red Flower! |
At times, you are loving like a red tulip. And at other times, you're very enthusiastic, like a bouvardia. And more than you wish, your passion is a bit overwhelming, like a red rose. |
How Machiavellian are you??
"This survey itself measures only one thing -- whether you subscribe to the ideas of a 16th century Italian political philosopher. But experiments have shown that reactions to Machiavelli act as a kind of litmus test, delineating differences in temperament that can be confirmed with more traditional personality inventories.
High Machs constitute a distinct type: charming, confident and glib, but also arrogant, calculating and cynical, prone to manipulate and exploit. (Think Rupert Murdoch, or if your politics permit it, President Clinton.)
True low Machs, however, can be kind of dependent, submissive and socially inept. So be sure to invite a high Mach or two to your next dinner party."
Well... then I guess it's good that I'm low, but not too low!
"The Machiavelli personality test has a range of 0-100.
Your Machiavelli score is: 57
You are a low Mach, you reject Machiavelli's opinions.
Most people fall somewhere in the middle, but there's a significant minority at either extreme."
What about you? Try the Machiavelli personality test!
(from Salon.com via The Presurfer)
High Machs constitute a distinct type: charming, confident and glib, but also arrogant, calculating and cynical, prone to manipulate and exploit. (Think Rupert Murdoch, or if your politics permit it, President Clinton.)
True low Machs, however, can be kind of dependent, submissive and socially inept. So be sure to invite a high Mach or two to your next dinner party."
Well... then I guess it's good that I'm low, but not too low!
"The Machiavelli personality test has a range of 0-100.
Your Machiavelli score is: 57
You are a low Mach, you reject Machiavelli's opinions.
Most people fall somewhere in the middle, but there's a significant minority at either extreme."
What about you? Try the Machiavelli personality test!
(from Salon.com via The Presurfer)
Do *NOT* try this at your hometown!
"On an August morning in 1978, French filmmaker Claude Lelouch mounted a gyro-stabilized camera to the bumper of a Ferrari 275 GTB and had a friend, a professional Formula 1 racer, drive at breakneck speed through the heart of Paris. The film was limited for technical reasons to 10 minutes; the course was from Porte Dauphine, through the Louvre, to the Basilica of Sacre Coeur. No streets were closed, for Lelouch was unable to obtain a permit. The driver completed the course in about 9 minutes, reaching nearly 140 MPH in some stretches. The footage reveals him running real red lights, nearly hitting real pedestrians, and driving the wrong way up real one-way streets. Upon showing the film in public for the first time, Lelouch was arrested. He has never revealed the identity of the driver, and the film went underground until a DVD release a few years ago."
The film is in real time! No tricks were used to simulate high speed... that IS high speed, through tiny, winding ancient Parisian streets clearly meant more for horse-drawn carriages than for Ferraris!! As if you could manage to tear your eyes away, don't miss the ending... True to all things French, after all that bravado, the ending's rather sweet! :-)
Click to watch: Rendezvous! (Be sure to click on the little rectangle on the right bottom side of the viewscreen to see it in all its full-screen glory!!)
(via The Presurfer)
Viva lo spritz! Aperol's coming to the States!!
As previously reported here on MMC, the quintessential Venetian cocktail known as the "Spritz" has gotten a fair bit of great press in the last year or so. But until now, you could only have the Campari version of this delightful beverage on this side of the big pond.
However, soon you too will be able to enjoy my own personal favorite version of the Spritz here in the U.S... Apparently, its main ingredient - Aperol - is coming to the States! Yay!! Viva lo spritz!!
Veniceblog: Arriva Aperol
However, soon you too will be able to enjoy my own personal favorite version of the Spritz here in the U.S... Apparently, its main ingredient - Aperol - is coming to the States! Yay!! Viva lo spritz!!
Veniceblog: Arriva Aperol
Quote of the Day
"Indifference to the wonder of being is the root of all sin."
-Abraham Heschel,
Rabbi, Professor, Holocaust survivor
"Estimating the Airspeed Velocity of an Unladen Swallow"
Those who know me know that I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Monty Python...
One of their classic scenes is, of course, the question of the origin of King Arthur's coconuts (as I understand it, the true origin was that they didn't have the budget for horses!)
Well, somebody's apparently actually worked out the physics of Estimating the Airspeed Velocity of an Unladen Swallow! Enjoy!!
One of their classic scenes is, of course, the question of the origin of King Arthur's coconuts (as I understand it, the true origin was that they didn't have the budget for horses!)
Well, somebody's apparently actually worked out the physics of Estimating the Airspeed Velocity of an Unladen Swallow! Enjoy!!
(from The Presurfer)
WORD SANDWICH !
WORD SANDWICH is a clever little game...
"The object is to guess the mystery five letter word. Your guesses will float to the top if they are too 'high' alphabetically, and they will float to the bottom if they are too 'low' alphabetically."
How good are you at making a WORD SANDWICH?
(from Museum of Modern Betas)
"The object is to guess the mystery five letter word. Your guesses will float to the top if they are too 'high' alphabetically, and they will float to the bottom if they are too 'low' alphabetically."
How good are you at making a WORD SANDWICH?
(from Museum of Modern Betas)
Blogthings - Are You A Good Cook?
| You Are a Creative Cook |
You have the makings of a cult chef. You may not cook at the Four Seasons, but you could have your own little funky cafe in San Francisco! |
Election Shennanigans in Italy
Reminds me of the time that I went to an introductory lecture in Italy on the Italian government, and the speaker asked me later why I personally came... and I said, "Well, because I wanted to try to understand Italian politics." He smiled and replied, "When you do, could you please explain it to me?" :-)
ANSA.it - Nuns, dead people and Big Brother
ANSA.it - Nuns, dead people and Big Brother
Ah... the power of ham!!
Some news in the Sunday paper is actually good news!
"Satellite tracking, helicopter surveillance and dart gun attempts failed - it was a boiled ham dinner that brought Sam, a golden retriever, in from the cold after two years on the lam. Nicknamed the "Golden Ghost," Sam survived two New Hampshire winters, deer hunting season and being hit by a car - and still no one could catch him..." Until now! (more)
And heartwarning video of this "shaggy dog tale" is here. Enjoy!! :-)
"Satellite tracking, helicopter surveillance and dart gun attempts failed - it was a boiled ham dinner that brought Sam, a golden retriever, in from the cold after two years on the lam. Nicknamed the "Golden Ghost," Sam survived two New Hampshire winters, deer hunting season and being hit by a car - and still no one could catch him..." Until now! (more)
And heartwarning video of this "shaggy dog tale" is here. Enjoy!! :-)
Blogthings - How Selfish Are You?
| You Are 35% Selfish |
But at times, you insist on getting your way - when it matters most to you. |
"Douglas Adams: Parrots, the Universe and Everything"
This was an absolutely fantastic talk I once saw on tv about five or so years ago by that legendary "hitchhiker" and humorist, Douglas Adams... As usual, he brought his funny perspectives, but in this case to the serious topic of ecology. Enjoy!
"Douglas Adams: Parrots, the Universe and Everything (#5779; 87 min.): Douglas Adams is the best-selling British author and satirist who created The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In this talk at UCSB, Adams shares hilarious accounts of some of the apparently absurd lifestyles of the world's creatures, and gleans from them extraordinary perceptions about the future of humanity."
(On a somewhat related note, I once almost met Douglas Adams. He was scheduled to sign copies of a book at the once-glorious Oxford Bookstore in Atlanta, and when I got there, I could find nowhere - and I do mean nowhere - to park... the place was swamped! So, I gave up and drove over to the one-and-only lone Borders in town at the time to get my weekend book fix, and no sooner was I deeply immersed in some tome about medieval history when I overheard a guy with a British accent checking out. And, yes, it was Douglas Adams! By the time I managed to snag a copy of his book for him to sign, though, he was gone! Ah, cruel fate!!)
"Douglas Adams: Parrots, the Universe and Everything (#5779; 87 min.): Douglas Adams is the best-selling British author and satirist who created The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In this talk at UCSB, Adams shares hilarious accounts of some of the apparently absurd lifestyles of the world's creatures, and gleans from them extraordinary perceptions about the future of humanity."
(On a somewhat related note, I once almost met Douglas Adams. He was scheduled to sign copies of a book at the once-glorious Oxford Bookstore in Atlanta, and when I got there, I could find nowhere - and I do mean nowhere - to park... the place was swamped! So, I gave up and drove over to the one-and-only lone Borders in town at the time to get my weekend book fix, and no sooner was I deeply immersed in some tome about medieval history when I overheard a guy with a British accent checking out. And, yes, it was Douglas Adams! By the time I managed to snag a copy of his book for him to sign, though, he was gone! Ah, cruel fate!!)
Newsflash: Science suggests we make our own luck!
From "Damn Interesting," a new blog I've discovered from yesterday's "Yahoo! Pick of the Day"... Seems that my earlier "quote of the day" might actually have some real validity to it!
Not to mention, this article may also explain my dear bud Marky-J's extremely annoying tendency to win at - say - slots and poker, while I practically never do... :-P
(Apparently, his luck may well be a skill!)
Damn Interesting: You Make Your Own Luck!
Not to mention, this article may also explain my dear bud Marky-J's extremely annoying tendency to win at - say - slots and poker, while I practically never do... :-P
(Apparently, his luck may well be a skill!)
Damn Interesting: You Make Your Own Luck!
Funny sound files from "WKRP in Cincinnati"
Remember one of the funniest shows EVAR on television... "WKRP in Cincinnati"?
Enjoy these sound snippets (particularly Les Nesmann's!!)
Click the flashing notes to head over to some WKRP wavs.
Enjoy these sound snippets (particularly Les Nesmann's!!)
Click the flashing notes to head over to some WKRP wavs.
The Reincarnation Station!
"It is a widely-accepted fact that when a person dies, he or she is born into a new existence as another form of life. Exactly what form the new life takes depends on how that person lived their previous life. Those who live honest, virtious lives often return as powerful, well-respected creatures. Those who live live of hate and sin, however, typically return as lower forms of life. Answer some questions and it shall be tols what form you are to be reborn as upon your death in this life..." (from The Presurfer)
More Matrix fun!!
The video in the sidebar is "Muppet Matrix" and was produced as a class project for a 3-D modeling class. It's a real hoot! Enjoy!!
Can't get enough of the Matrix re-modelled? How about MatrixXP?
Can't get enough of the Matrix re-modelled? How about MatrixXP?
Release your inner bluesman!!
Fresh from Yahoo! Pick of the Day... this is fantastic!!
Ever wanted to play the blues, but you've got those "I can't play the blues" blues?? Cheer up! You've now got your very own virtual bluesman to play 'em for you!!
Release your inner bluesman with desktopblues!
(And, remember, like B.B. King seems to have once said, "You don't have to have the blues to play the blues, but it helps...")
Ever wanted to play the blues, but you've got those "I can't play the blues" blues?? Cheer up! You've now got your very own virtual bluesman to play 'em for you!!
Release your inner bluesman with desktopblues!
(And, remember, like B.B. King seems to have once said, "You don't have to have the blues to play the blues, but it helps...")
We interrupt this blog for an important message...
(Forwarded from Mom!)
>Just So You Will Know.....
>
>On Wednesday of this week, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 am in the morning, the time and date will be:
>
>01:02:03 04/05/06.
>This won't ever happen again!
>
>You may now return to your normal (?) life.
:-)
>Just So You Will Know.....
>
>On Wednesday of this week, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 am in the morning, the time and date will be:
>
>01:02:03 04/05/06.
>This won't ever happen again!
>
>You may now return to your normal (?) life.
:-)
iPod Fortune Telling!
A really entertaining meme that I found from Don Jim at Dappled Things:
"All-Knowing Ipod -- A fun meme from Omis at Higher Plane, whose responses were much funnier and made more sense than most of mine... Instructions: Go to your music player of choice and put it on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud, and press play. Use the song title as the answer to the question. NO CHEATING."
(It wasn't quite working for me personally, since I had a lot of classical pieces , strange indie songs, and world music with non-English titles coming up, so I fudged and skipped those... Enjoy!)
How does the world see you?
"All-Knowing Ipod -- A fun meme from Omis at Higher Plane, whose responses were much funnier and made more sense than most of mine... Instructions: Go to your music player of choice and put it on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud, and press play. Use the song title as the answer to the question. NO CHEATING."
(It wasn't quite working for me personally, since I had a lot of classical pieces , strange indie songs, and world music with non-English titles coming up, so I fudged and skipped those... Enjoy!)
How does the world see you?
"Tried to be True" (Indigo Girls)
Will I have a happy life?
Will I have a happy life?
"Wicked Game" (Chris Issac)
What do my friends really think of me?
What do my friends really think of me?
"Love of My Life" (The Good Fellas)
What do people secretly think of me?
What do people secretly think of me?
"Porcelain" (Moby)
How can I be happy?
How can I be happy?
"Mambo" (Zaiko Langa Langa)
What should I do with my life?
What should I do with my life?
"Sink Venice" (Ikara Colt)
Will I ever have children?
Will I ever have children?
"Just the Way It Is" (Bruce Hornsby)
What is some good advice for me?
What is some good advice for me?
"Won't Get Fooled Again" (The Who)
How will I be remembered?
How will I be remembered?
"Centerfold" (J. Geils' cover by Hayseed Dixie)
What is my signature dancing song?
What is my signature dancing song?
"Town Called Malice" (The Jam)
What do I think my current theme song is?
What do I think my current theme song is?
"Poor, Poor Pitiful Me" (Warren Zevon)
What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
"Trashy Women" (Confederate Railroad)
What song will play at my funeral?
What song will play at my funeral?
"Bring Me Some Water" (Melissa Etheridge)
What type of men/women do you like?
What type of men/women do you like?
"Ironic" (Alanis Morissette)
What is my day going to be like?
What is my day going to be like?
"The World Exploded" (Bob Schneider)
Think it sounds like a hoot?? If so, consider yourself tagged! You're it!!
Think it sounds like a hoot?? If so, consider yourself tagged! You're it!!
:-)
Quote of the Day!
"The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year."
- Mark Twain
BTW, don't miss yesterday's History Bloopers for a little April Fool's chuckle... Enjoy!!
What European City Do You Belong In?
You Belong in Amsterdam |
Whether you want to be a squatter graffiti artist or a great novelist, Amsterdam has all that you want in Europe (in one small city). |
Ah, Amsterdam... The one European city with more canals and bridges than even Venice!! :-)
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