Break in the Weather

The weather is on the mild side here, so yesterday's omelet from Cousin's Restaurant in Woburn Center reflects it:

Historivia 101

Who did this rather elfin-looking baby (born in November, 1890) grow up to be? I think you will be surprised. The answer is below, although I did take the precaution of using 128-bit AES encryption.

Answer: U2FsdGVkX18AHnwRXpHul0QvyPKXBELDpvXxaoSju/M6zmbMxwgA4YqT3IUsUvUO

Penguin Eggs

A few weeks ago I was telling a story about traveling in Scotland, and how I found myself in Inverness. The Youth Hostel had a notice for the 'Inverness Folk Music Club', so I went to check it out. The feature that night was Nic Jones, an English Folksinger with an incredible voice and guitar technique. I bought a copy of his album, and wound up hitchhiking back to England carrying an LP. (I still have it--it's called 'Penguin Eggs, and features several Australian Whaling songs, along with a number of traditional tunes.) Every time I hear the opening chords of 'Canadee-i-o', the first song on that Album, the hairs on the back of my neck rise....

(From the Book of Faces, December 11, 2012 - Thank you, The Story Space.)

Brigham Young

I've gone past the Brigham Young Monument in Southern Vermont numerous times, while riding my bike  from Rowe Camp out to Harriman Reservoir and back. It marks his birthplace, and is on the top of a really steep hill. The view is of woods and hills, followed by more hills, and it's quite a ways down to Whitingham, the nearest town. I can see why he wanted to get out and go somewhere else. (Click on photo to see a larger version.)

 

(Some people like to believe that the last two words in the Inscription above are a veiled reference to the 56 children he had with 16 different wives.)

Strangest Person

(From the Book of Faces, December 7, 2012 - Thank you, Laura Packer, and Bella Vida by Letty):

This poster is beautiful and touching. But, somebody has to be the strangest person in the world...which leads to an interesting question. Imagine if there was a Royal Commission, or Quadrennial Contest, to determine just who the Strangest Person in the World was. Would having it be made official lessen the pain for that person, or make it even worse? Would the notoriety and exploitative job offers be any compensation, or would it just be twisting the knife in the wound?

Do you love Christmas?

Do you love, love, love it? Want to celebrate it year-round? Find yourself stringing more and more lights every year? Have you watched every single movie version of "A Christmas Carol", and wish they'd show them all the time? Do you know the dialogue to "It's A Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Story" by heart? Are you thinking about moving even further North, so you'll have a plausible excuse for wearing those Holiday Sweaters?

Do you love Christmas, and yet, oddly enough, find yourself celebrating the Holidays alone? Now there's Kringle Mingle™, the online Dating Service just for you. And, if you're actually good-looking, and/or have an unusually large head, we may even use you in one of our Commercials! Don't delay, join today--and get a free Santa Hat just for applying!

Exercise #3:

Use the words "Freaking Cat-Squirrel" in a sentence.

Tax Exemption

It's Election Day, just came back from voting. And I said "Yes" to Question 12, which demands that, "Even if all other tax loopholes are closed, so as to balance the budget, there remain an exemption for Flying Cars, Jetpacks, and any other kind of personal Airship".

Beyond Butt Dialing

First bike ride of the Post-Superstorm Sandy, no-more-Indian-Summer Season. Temp in the upper 40's, but very windy. Did 52 miles, Beverly-Ipswich-Newburyport, Rowley-Byfield-Georgetown-Boxford, etc. Then was trying to make a cellphone call, only to discover that I had done something an order of magnitude beyond Butt Dialing--I had somehow "Butt-Added a Speed Dial Number". Back home, I was going through the Phone Manual when I ran across this helpful piece of advice: "Don't try to dry your phone in a Microwave Oven".