Picture of the Day
The skeleton of a young Christian noblewoman, who was laid to rest on a “burial bed” some 1,400 years ago, is giving archaeologists precious clues to the earliest days of the English church. Photograph courtesy University of Cambridge.
Filed under News
Quote of the Day
“[T]eaching children about contraception is comparable to telling kids not to do drugs, then showing them how to ‘mainline’ heroin.”
— Utah state Sen. Margaret Dayton, co-sponsor of Utah legislation that would have allowed school districts to drop sex education and required abstinence-only instruction in those that kept it.
As a politician, I’m sure Dayton knows a lot about sex, drugs and poor decisions.
Filed under News
Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg
As a model car collector, I love just about any kind of miniatures, especially those involving vehicles. This particular display in Hamburg, Germany features the largest model railway in the world, plus a bevy of realistic model vehicles in an equally realistic miniature setting.
Filed under News
March 26, 2012 – 269 days Until Baktun 12
Survivalist Tip: As I’ve recommended before, it’s important you have at least one firearm readily available. Of course, no one really wants to use a firearm, unless you’re trying to scare off such pests as rats and political candidates. But, fortifying the front door to your home is equally important. Most people think of locks, chains, burglar alarms and ‘Beware of Demonic Dog’ notices plastered below the peep hole, when they’re asked about the front door. All of these things, however, are merely deterrents. You have to reinforce the door jamb, which is the vertical portion of the frame onto which the door is secured. Of course, if you didn’t know what a door jamb is in the first place, you’re going to have a really tough time when the apocalypse hits anyway. But, here’s how to fortify the door jamb:
1. Pry off the doorstop. This is the trim that the door closes against. Now find where the jamb has been nailed through the shims. Remove each nail and replace with a very long screw (long enough to reach a couple inches into the stud). Once the screws are flush, put the doorstop back and you’re done.
2. Reinforce the hinges. Most hinges have short screws that don’t reach very far. Simply replace the short screws with long screws that will reach all the way into the studs. That will secure the door to the jamb and the house frame.
3. Reinforce the strike plate. This is the small piece of metal in the jamb that holds the latch or bolt in place. Because the jamb is chiseled out to make room for the keeper, this is a weak spot where the jamb can easily split apart. Once again, you’ll need to replace the short screws with ones that reach through into the stud.
Now, the jamb and both sides of the door are attached to the frame and make a formidable barrier. That way you can enjoy your chocolate and beer in the true comfort of your own home. And, if anyone dares to ask why you’re tearing up your door frame, just look at them like the idiot they are, point your gun above their heads and give them a dollar so they can buy some of their own damn business!
Filed under Mayan Calendar Countdown
Yale University Press Launches Website for Translation Line
Recently, Margellos World Republic of Letters, Yale University’s Press, re-launched its web site. Margellos “identifies works of cultural and artistic significance previously overlooked by translators and publishers, canonical works of literature and philosophy needing new translations, as well as works by important contemporary authors whose work has not yet been translated into English.”
Since 2007, Margellos has collected the best that foreign-language writers have to offer and presents English-language versions of the works to American audiences. This is more than a little refreshing, considering that Americans seem more content with self-help books and reality TV than serious literature. The site has published 19 titles so far and plans to grow even more in the immediate future.
Filed under News
Today’s Famous Birthdays
If yours is today also, “Happy Birthday!”
Sandra Day O’Connor, 1st woman nominated and appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, is 82.
Actor – director Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek) is 81.
Actor Alan Arkin (Catch-22; The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming) is 78.
Basketball Hall of Famer Wayne ‘The Wall’ Embry (Cincinnati Royals, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks; first African-American GM in major league sports) is 75.
National Horse Racing Hall of Famer Braulio Baeza (1st horse jockey to go over $3 million in purses in one year) is 72.
Actor James Caan (The Godfather, Rabbit Run, Brian’s Song) is 72.
Author Erica Jong (Fear of Flying, Becoming Light, How to Save Your Own Life) is 70.
Journalist – author Bob Woodward (helped expose the Watergate scandal) is 69.
Singer – actress Diana Ross (The Supremes) is 68.
Keyboardist Richard Tandy (Electric Light Orchestra) is 64.
Singer Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) is 64.
Actress – singer Vicki Lawrence (The Carol Burnett Show, Mama’s Family) is 63.
Bass guitarist Fran Sheehan (Boston) is 63.
Actor – comedian Martin Short (Saturday Night Live, The Three Amigos) is 62.
Curtis Sliwa (founder, Guardian Angels) is 58.
TV hostess Leeza Gibbons (Entertainment Tonight) is 55.
Actress Jennifer Grey (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Dirty Dancing, The Cotton Club) is 52.
Former professional football player Marcus Allen (Kansas City Chiefs, LA Raiders; 1981 Heisman Trophy Winner) is 52.
Filed under Birthdays
On March 26…
1812 – A massive earthquake struck Caracas, Venezuela, killing an estimated 26,000 people.
1885 – The first commercial moving-picture film was produced in Rochester, NY, by the Eastman Kodak company.
1920 – F. Scott Fitzgerald published his first novel, This Side of Paradise.
1951 – The U.S. Air Force approved its new flag, which included the coat of arms, 13 white stars and the Air Force seal on a blue background.
1953 – Dr. Jonas Salk announced a new vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes polio.
1979 – Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin sign a peace treaty at the White House, ending 3 decades of hostilities between their countries and establishing formal diplomatic and commercial ties.
Filed under History
Picture of the Day
Sunset Clamming
Photographed January 2009, Xiapu, Fujian, China, by Jia Han Dong of Parsippany, NJ. Courtesy Smithsonian Institution.
Filed under News
