Thought for the day

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who as the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. [Theodore Roosevelt]

Friday, October 8, 2010

An Airport With A Sense of Humor

The Milwaukee Airport has a new sign right after security.


via Bits and Pieces

We need an Italian Presiden from New Jersey



Thanks Wayne

Mobile Homes

This is about as green as you can get!

It might just be a crazy thing for you that some people do. These people literally live on their bikes; I mean in a house that is perched on the back of a tiny bike. And, they can take their houses wherever they go. Its like re-inventing the entire idea of mobile housing into something so innovative and minimalistic. In addition to this on the road minimalistic lifestyle, you are also benefitting the environment by not using petrol. Its just so inspirational, looking at things like these. It just tells me to get up and follow my dreams.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Too funny

Better Anticipate the Need!


















via engrishfunny.com

Pineberries














What you see above are, genetically, common strawberries.  They're a cultivar thereof -- a type of strawberry specifically cultivated due to the uniqueness of the variety present.   Called "pineberries," these strawberries originally grew in South America and were almost extinct by 2003, but was saved by a group of Dutch farmers.  The lone company to produce them claims that pineberries are actually the world's first strawberry, but that is probably more marketing spin than actual fact.  If so, it's unneccessary, as pineberries have a built-in marketing hook, as the differences between pineberries and "regular" strawberriers is more than skin deep.  Pineberries don't taste like normal strawberries.  They taste like pineapples.

Great pic


via Shorpy

Pergola Update

Thanks to the good weather and the help I have from Gene, the pergola is coming along.  Good chance I will be finished this week.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Kale and White Bean Soup

This is a recipe I tried for the first time last weekend.  It makes an excellent cool weather soup.

1 lb dried Great Northern beans, picked over and rinsed
1 1/2 tblsp olive oil
2 medium onions chopped
4 cloves minced garlic
5 cups of chicken broth
8 cups of water divided
1 tsp fresh rosemary finely minced or 1/4 tsp dried
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 lb of smoked sausage sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 lb fresh kale, stems removed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 tsp salt
4 carrots cut into half moons

Soak beans covered by 2 inches of water and refrigerated overnight.  Drain and rinse

In a large heavy soup pot heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and cook, stirring frequently until soft (about 5 min).  Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Add beans, broth, 4 cups water, rosemary, bay leaves, and black pepper.  Stir and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until beans are just tender, about 90 minutes.

While beans are cooking, brown sausage on both sides in a heavy skillet.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Once beans are tender, add kale, salt, and remaining 4 cups of water to the soup.  Simmer until the kale is tender, about 15 minutes.  Adjust seasonings to taste, remove bay leaves, and serve with some kind of hot bread.  I like cornbread with mine.

Little Known Fact of the Day

Wild Broccoli Does Not Exist

You’re walking through the forest when you come across some wild broccoli on the forest floor, except wait, wild broccoli doesn’t exist!


Broccoli is a human invention. It was bred out of the wild kale plant by carefully selecting for the traits we wanted and discarding those we didn’t.

via Bits and Pieces

Libertarian Dog

RMR: Bear Tagging

This is a must see video of three bear cubs.


Dog Whisperer

Seems everyone is getting on Prezbo's case these days.



via Politico

Add your captions in the comments

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

LOL at this action sequence

Building a House for the Walkers

Clark Howard is a nationally syndicated consumer activist from Atlanta who has personally donated more than a million dollars to Habitat for Humanity.  He is now sponsoring half of the money for a new home for Army Specialist Walker and his family.  Specialist Walker was driving home after returning from Afghanistan when he learned that his mobile home was burning down.  Please help if you can.

 Building a House for the Walkers on wsbradio.com

Fun Fact















via Bits and Pieces

A Tax on Taxes - Insanity

Michigan's economy is in the dumper and this may one of the myriad of reasons.


Livonia might charge its residents a 1% administrative fee to collect their property taxes, beginning with the December tax bill.

The city is considering the fee as part of efforts to deal with a substantial drop in revenue expected in its proposed $48.4-million budget for the next fiscal year. The council is holding a public hearing tonight, and is expected to vote on the proposed budget, which includes the fee, Oct. 20.
They are not the first to do this however.

If the council chooses to charge its residents to collect, process and distribute their taxes -- an option permitted by state law -- Livonia would not be alone. Terry Stanton, spokesman for the Michigan Treasury Department, said more than three-quarters of the 1,800 tax-collecting units in the state charge the administrative fee.


via J-Walk

Jeannie Seely ~ I'll Love You More

I have to include one of my old favorite country tunes every now and then.


Your handy tip for the day

Tired of putting you hand into those greasy snack bags? Here is the solution!


Thanks to Bits and Pieces

The End Of Civilization

Whew, glad it didn't happen this way.


Monday, October 4, 2010

Earth From Above

Earth From Above is the result of the aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand's five-year airborne odyssey across six continents. It's a spectacular presentation of large scale photographs of astonishing natural landscapes. Every stunning aerial photograph tells a story about our changing planet

New Project - Building a Pergola

I have found someone to assist me in those projects that one person just cannot do by themselves. He is a neighbor who does carpentry jobs. We started building a pergola over the outdoor firepit sitting area we have in the side yard.

World's Scariest Job

I had a job similar to this in 1973 but I did not climb this high. The highest I remember was about 600'.




Thanks Wayne!