"Pinky," a 69-year-old parrot at the Jungle Island tourist attraction in Miami, Florida, was once photographed on the arm of Winston Churchill.
Anytime I read a parrot story I automatically make up dialog such as in the blog title. Can't help myself.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Must Hide From The White Face, Precioussss
Continuing a Lord of the Rings theme this morning, a pub in Scotland has encountered problems after inadvertently replacing standard light bulbs with untraviolet bulbs intended for tanning.
Morgan Smith, a bartender, suffered sever burns to his neck as a result of exposure to the lights, his sister said.
"He was really badly burnt and had sunstroke," Smith's sister said. "He was all dizzy and couldn't see because of the brightness of the lights."
"His neck started peeling and was in a right state," she said. "Nobody could believe he got sunstroke from standing behind a bar. The lamps are only supposed to be used for a few minutes at a time. No one had any idea they were being cooked until staff began to complain of dizziness."
Morgan Smith, a bartender, suffered sever burns to his neck as a result of exposure to the lights, his sister said.
"He was really badly burnt and had sunstroke," Smith's sister said. "He was all dizzy and couldn't see because of the brightness of the lights."
"His neck started peeling and was in a right state," she said. "Nobody could believe he got sunstroke from standing behind a bar. The lamps are only supposed to be used for a few minutes at a time. No one had any idea they were being cooked until staff began to complain of dizziness."
Gandalf Carpools?
A man near Seattle was ticketed for driving in the carpool lane when a cop discovered that the "passenger" in the vehicle was a dummy wearing a mask from the Lord of the Rings movies.
The cops ticketed the motorist and confiscated "Gandalf."
D'you think he told the driver you shall not pass?
The cops ticketed the motorist and confiscated "Gandalf."
D'you think he told the driver you shall not pass?
Friday, March 13, 2009
Mr. Darwin Takes A Hand
It was just not Alaa Agabriya's day. First he ignored a WARNING MINEFIELD sign while on a picnic with his friends, and after his foot was blown off by an exploding mine, Mr. Agabriya was picked up by a rescue helicopter, only to fall to his death before the rescuers could hoist him aboard.
Here's a pic, you can see that Mr. Agabriya is a little longer in his right leg than the left:
EPIC FAIL
Here's a pic, you can see that Mr. Agabriya is a little longer in his right leg than the left:
Murder By Helicopter?
Looks like anti-hunting forces in UK are using helicopters to decapitate fox hunters.
Murder Weapon?
Update A commenter mentions that the vehicle in question should be referred to as a gyrocopter rather than a helicopter. The article makes that distinction, too. I think that most Americans on seeing such a vehicle will call it a helicopter, foregoing (as I did) fine distinctions.
Update A commenter mentions that the vehicle in question should be referred to as a gyrocopter rather than a helicopter. The article makes that distinction, too. I think that most Americans on seeing such a vehicle will call it a helicopter, foregoing (as I did) fine distinctions.
Oh, Sure.
"Vikings were 'model immigrants who lived happily alongside Ancient Britons.'"
Yeah, I bet the Britons were just enthralled with their new neighbors.
/snark
Yeah, I bet the Britons were just enthralled with their new neighbors.
/snark
The Muslim Plan In UK: Outbreed The Infidels
Found in this story.
In another development, there were suggestions that another protester, Abu Omar, chaired a meeting last September in which hardline Islamists discussed taking over Britain 'from within' using the massive baby boom among Muslim families.
Firebrand preacher Anjem Choudary - who further inflamed feelings this week by taunting the families of three Royal Anglian Regiment soldiers killed in a friendly fire incident by saying they were 'not heroes but closer to cowards' - told 100 young followers at the meeting: 'The Home Office say there are 1.5million Muslims but there were 1.5million ten years ago.
'Since then our brothers in Bethnal Green, Whitechapel and other places have had eight or nine children each. Eight children here, ten children, 15 children. There must be at least six million people.
'It may be by pure conversion that Britain will become an Islamic state. We may never need to conquer it from the outside.'
There ya go, Britain. They're even bragging about it.
In another development, there were suggestions that another protester, Abu Omar, chaired a meeting last September in which hardline Islamists discussed taking over Britain 'from within' using the massive baby boom among Muslim families.
Firebrand preacher Anjem Choudary - who further inflamed feelings this week by taunting the families of three Royal Anglian Regiment soldiers killed in a friendly fire incident by saying they were 'not heroes but closer to cowards' - told 100 young followers at the meeting: 'The Home Office say there are 1.5million Muslims but there were 1.5million ten years ago.
'Since then our brothers in Bethnal Green, Whitechapel and other places have had eight or nine children each. Eight children here, ten children, 15 children. There must be at least six million people.
'It may be by pure conversion that Britain will become an Islamic state. We may never need to conquer it from the outside.'
There ya go, Britain. They're even bragging about it.
Is That Bacon Worth A Staph Infection?
When Pigs Make Us Sick.
Maybe - - just maybe - - the Jews and Muslims have it right? And isn't this bacon craze really getting a bit out of hand? Time for a little pushback against Big Bacon?
Maybe - - just maybe - - the Jews and Muslims have it right? And isn't this bacon craze really getting a bit out of hand? Time for a little pushback against Big Bacon?
Thursday, March 12, 2009
If A Volcano Erupts And No One Witnesses It, Did It Really Erupt?
Rumble III, a submarine volcano off the coast of New Zealand, has apparently erupted in a major way, but no indications of an eruption were found.
Weird. No seismograph data? Does the water hide detectable signals that much, then?
Apparently the summit crater has collaped into a caldera, which would be a major eruption; it's what happened at Mt. St. Helen's, and at Crater Lake long ago.
No pics with this one, for obvious reasons.
Weird. No seismograph data? Does the water hide detectable signals that much, then?
Apparently the summit crater has collaped into a caldera, which would be a major eruption; it's what happened at Mt. St. Helen's, and at Crater Lake long ago.
No pics with this one, for obvious reasons.
Jesus Christ On A Pogo Stick!
It must be a miracle, a pogo stick that can jump over cars.
I don't know if this is the stick mentioned in the article, but it's an impressive performance nonetheless:
I don't know if this is the stick mentioned in the article, but it's an impressive performance nonetheless:
4th Fleet To Sink Spru-Can
This story is a bit obscure if you aren't a Navy vet.
The new US Navy 4th Fleet, based in Mayport, Florida, will be doing fleety things in the near future. Among those things is the sinking of a decommissioned Spruance-Class Destroyer. (Spru-Can in Navy slang).
Adding another fleet was one of those pointless reorganizations that Navy brass occasionally engage in to justify their budget and continuing existence.
Wonder which Spru-can will get sunk? Story doesn't say. I served onboard a Spru-can once upon a time, the USS Deyo. Here's a pic:
My blogchild Barco Sin Vela is also an old Deyo sailor, although we didn't serve together. Go visit his blog to see the Life of Riley existence that our retired sailors live. *grins*
The new US Navy 4th Fleet, based in Mayport, Florida, will be doing fleety things in the near future. Among those things is the sinking of a decommissioned Spruance-Class Destroyer. (Spru-Can in Navy slang).
Adding another fleet was one of those pointless reorganizations that Navy brass occasionally engage in to justify their budget and continuing existence.
Wonder which Spru-can will get sunk? Story doesn't say. I served onboard a Spru-can once upon a time, the USS Deyo. Here's a pic:
My blogchild Barco Sin Vela is also an old Deyo sailor, although we didn't serve together. Go visit his blog to see the Life of Riley existence that our retired sailors live. *grins*
What D'ye Want, A Medal Or Something?
A man in UK receives a less-than-grateful letter after stopping a runaway mail truck.
You must think you're some kind of hero!
You must think you're some kind of hero!
Headline of the Day
"Cheese! Actress Reese Witherspoon lights up London with her monster smile."
Here's the monster smile in question:
That's a toothy grin, all right.
Here's the monster smile in question:
That's a toothy grin, all right.
A Moor In The Royal Woodpile?
The UK Guardian has discovered the rumor that Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, had negro blood.
It's a rumor well known here in Charlotte, NC, the city named after the queen. At this late point in history it's something that would be hard to prove without digging Charlotte up for a DNA test.
Here's a painting of Charlotte that can be found in our local Mint Museum of Art:
(It's a huge painting, by the way, a little larger than life size, as I recall from the last time I visited the Mint Museum).
It's a rumor well known here in Charlotte, NC, the city named after the queen. At this late point in history it's something that would be hard to prove without digging Charlotte up for a DNA test.
Here's a painting of Charlotte that can be found in our local Mint Museum of Art:
(It's a huge painting, by the way, a little larger than life size, as I recall from the last time I visited the Mint Museum).
Iraqi Shoe-Thrower Sentenced To Three Years In Prison
Story.
Probably a little excessive, although it reinforces the message that the rule of law applies in Iraq and that journalists aren't exempt from it. Presumably there is an appeals process and provisions for getting out of prison early for good behavior.
Probably a little excessive, although it reinforces the message that the rule of law applies in Iraq and that journalists aren't exempt from it. Presumably there is an appeals process and provisions for getting out of prison early for good behavior.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
BAD Idea.
"Flossing monkeys 'proof' animals teach tool use."
BAD idea. A monkey that can learn to floss can also learn to use floss as a garrote. Then what happens? This:
BAD idea. A monkey that can learn to floss can also learn to use floss as a garrote. Then what happens? This:
Get Ready For AWB2.
With the latest massacre still in the news, it looks like the gunman's weapon of choice, a military rifle that is thought to be either an AR15 or an AK47 (too early for accurate details, this is from a police report) will cause Congress to take up the regurgitated Assault Weapons Ban earlier than they otherwise might have.
Jacob Sullum of Reason has more here.
Jacob Sullum of Reason has more here.
The Secret Inside Lincoln's Watch
In 1861, a watch maker scratched secret messages inside the works of President Lincoln's gold English watch.
Pics:
And:
The watch is in the keeping of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, and the curators there knew nothing of the secret message until a descendent of the watchmaker contacted them. The messages give news of the bombing of Ft. Sumter and gives thanks that "we have a government," which I guess would be the Confederate States Government. Jefferson Davis's name is also inscribed.
Fun little bit of historical trivia.
Pics:
And:
The watch is in the keeping of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, and the curators there knew nothing of the secret message until a descendent of the watchmaker contacted them. The messages give news of the bombing of Ft. Sumter and gives thanks that "we have a government," which I guess would be the Confederate States Government. Jefferson Davis's name is also inscribed.
Fun little bit of historical trivia.
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