Let's Make a Deal, Weapons of Choice, -and- He's Back!

Let's Make a Deal - Bulgarian farmer swaps wife for goat
Weapons of Choice - Wal-Mart to film gun sales
He's Back! - "French Spiderman" scales Hong Kong hotel

On this day in history: April 15, 1955 - The first McDonald's franchise opens in Des Plains, a suburb of Chicago. Because it is the first one launched by Ray Kroc, he names it "McDonald's #1" despite the fact that the McDonald brothers had already opened eight of their chain restaurants before they began accepting licensees. Kroc's unfortunate numbering system guarantees perpetual confusion for amateur fast food historians the world over.

Born on this day in history: April 15, 1959 - Emma Thompson (1959– ) Born in London, actress Emma Thompson made her stage debut while still a student. In 1989, she appeared in "Henry V" directed by Kenneth Branagh, whom she married and later divorced (1996). With Branagh, Thompson made several films, including "Dead Again" (1991) and "Much Ado About Nothing" (1993). Other notable films include "Primary Colors" (1998), "Love Actually" (2003) and "Howard's End" (1992), for which she won an Oscar and a BAFTA.

Scripture of the Day: Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. - 1 Timothy 4:15-16

Video of the Day: "The Raven" - submitted by Amber

While driving home from the office yesterday, I decided to go for a drive in the country. I encountered this scene. Click to enlarge.

(Our Daily Bread, April 9, 2008)
The Oyster Man
In the days of John Wesley, lay preachers with limited education would sometimes conduct the church services. One man used Luke 19:21 as his text: "Lord, I feared Thee, because Thou art an austere man" (KJV). Not knowing the word "austere," he thought the text spoke of "an oyster man."

He explained how a diver must grope in the dark, freezing water to retrieve oysters. In his attempt, he cuts his hands on the sharp edges of the shells. After he obtains an oyster, he rises to the surface, clutching it "in his torn and bleeding hands." The preacher added, "Christ descended from the glory of heaven into...sinful human society, in order to retrieve humans and bring them back up with Him to the glory of heaven. His torn and bleeding hands are a sign of the value He has placed on the object of His quest."

Afterward, 12 men received Christ. Later that night, someone came to Wesley to complain about unschooled preachers who were too ignorant even to know the meaning of the texts they were preaching on. The Oxford-educated Wesley simply said, "Never mind. The Lord got a dozen oysters tonight."

Goodbye Hollywood, Stop Thief!, -and- Hot Air

Goodbye Hollywood - Wal-Mart abandons online movie downloads
Stop Thief! - grocery worker fired for nabbing shoplifter
Hot Air - French scientist calls Gore a "crook"

On this day in history: December 28, 1991 - Jack Ruby's pistol, used to kill Lee Harvey Oswald, sells at auction at Christie's for $220,000.

Born on this day in history: December 28, 1954 - Denzel Washington (1954– )
Born in Mount Vernon, New York, actor Denzel Washington appeared in off-Broadway productions and TV movies, gaining a starring role in TV drama "St. Elsewhere" (1982?8). He went on to films such as "Malcolm X" (1992), and won Oscars for "Glory" (1989) and "Training Day" (2001).

Scripture of the Day: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Video of the Day: The Man of Another 100 Voices - submitted by Amber

This is the smallest baby of 2007! Actually, it is the smallest baby ever born! Actually, it is smaller than Tom Thumb was at birth! Click to enlarge.

Recommended Sites:
Nikon Photographer Forum - a free forum for photography enthusiasts
Corning California Message Board - a free message board for Corning
Olive Hut Blog - specials, olive news, recipes, and more

Happy New Year! I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! The next blog entry will be Wednesday, January 2, 2008. Until that time, have a great New Year's weekend, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day!

Driving Force, Animal Kingdom, -and- Don't Call

Driving Force - Oregon to require proof of residency for driver's licenses
Animal Kingdom - monkeys match humans in arithmetic tests
Don't Call! - UK drivers who use cell phones face jail time

On this day in history: December 20, 1971 - Talk show host Larry King, host of CNN's "Larry King Live," arrested in Miami on charges of grand larceny.

Born on this day in history: December 20, 1923 - Nadine Gordimer (1923– ) Born in Springs, South Africa, writer Nadine Gordimer takes on issues of race and repression in such works as "The Conservationist" (1974) and "The Pickup" (2001). She won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991.

Scripture of the Day: "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child." (Luke 2:1, 4-5)

Video of the Day 1: Louie Giglio - Universe Comprehension

Video of the Day 2: Louie Giglio - Laminin

Recommended Sites:
Nikon Photographer Forum - a free forum for photography enthusiasts
Corning California Message Board - a free message board for Corning
Olive Hut Blog - specials, olive news, recipes, and more

The Wal-Mart Driver: A Wal-Mart driver was passing a rest stop and saw a little girl of about 5 years of age, standing alone near the entrance to the rest stop. The driver turned his truck around at the next exit and returned to the rest stop. He stopped, exited his truck, and walked to the little girl.

"Are you all alone, little girl?" he asked.

"I can't talk to strangers," she replied.

"Where are your parents?" he asked.

"I can't talk to strangers," she replied.

"Do your parents know you're here all alone?" he asked.

"I can't talk to strangers," she replied.

"Do you know your parents' phone number?" he asked.

The little girl removed her right shoe and held it up so the Wal-Mart driver could read the telephone number written inside the shoe. He called the telephone number, and the little girl's mother answered. The telephone number was the woman's cell phone number, and she and her husband and their other two daughters were 30 miles away, unaware that one of the girls had gotten out of the car while they were at the rest stop. The family quickly returned to the rest stop, reunited with the little girl, and thanked the Wal-Mart driver.

This is a true story.

True South, Police State, -and- Monkey Business

True South - Chuck Norris blasts "The Golden Compass"
Police State - cops test surveillance system at tree lighting
Monkey Business - young chimp beats college students

On this day in history: December 3, 1974 - Civil aviation authorities in England issue a warning to pilots to avoid a 40-foot-long inflated pig. The aeropork had escaped its tether during a Pink Floyd photo shoot.

Born on this day in history: December 3, 1930 - Jean-Luc Godard (1930 - ____) director. He was a founder of French New Wave cinema; his controversial films include "Breathless," 1960 and "Hail Mary," 1985.

Scripture of the Day: "Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" (John 6:35)

Video of the Day: Terry Fator, Ventriloquist - Part 1 of 5 - submitted by Frank

Here is a photograph of the new Nikon D3 professional digital SLR. I am impatiently awaiting mine to arrive. Click to enlarge.

Recommended Site: Corning California Net - A free forum for Corning, California!

Recommended Site: Nikon Photographer - A free forum for all photographers (NOT just Nikon users!) and anyone interested in photography!

Friday evening, we had six-cheese ravioli for dinner. Laura brought this treat home from Sierra Nevada. It was delicious. We also enjoyed some of Sierra Nevada's fresh bread and wonderful dipping oil.

Saturday morning, I arose at 7 AM. It was 28 degrees when I started making a giant batch of chili. AccuWeather is a Sidebar Gadget on my Vista Ultimate Desktop, and I checked my email just before I began preparations for making the enormous batch of chili. I used 6 pounds of ground sirloin, 4 white onions, 12 Jalapeños, 4 stalks of celery, 2 Habaneros, 8 Roma tomatoes, 1 red bell pepper, 2 packages of Carroll Shelby's chili seasoning, 8 tablespoons of Gebhardt's chili powder, 4 tablespoons of ground Cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons of ground black pepper, and 2 bottles of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. The chili simmered all day, and we enjoyed it for dinner. At the table, we added fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, grated cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

Sunday morning, Laura sang in the choir at Harvest Christian Center. We attended the early service. Laura stayed to sing in the choir at the late service. I scurried home and made a scrumptious frittata, with five small white potatoes, two small white onions, two heads of whole, peeled garlic, six Jalapeños, six jumbo eggs, a package of New York-style link sausage, and cheddar cheese. It was a treat, and half remains for a future meal.

For dinner that evening, we enjoyed some beef tamales. These tamales were produced by a lady who attends Harvest Christian Center. She and her daughters produced 48 dozen authentic, traditional tamales for a fundraiser for one of the young members of the congregation. He will soon leave to attend a Christian college in Texas. The church has been holding fundraisers to help defray the costs he will encounter. We are having a large yard sale for this purpose on the 15th.

Tell Wal-Mart, "Thank you"!

- for ending corporate contributions to national homosexual activist groups.

- for resisting pressure to treat homosexual partners the same way as married couples for purposes of giving employee benefits.

- for not censoring the word "Christmas" in marketing materials during the Christmas-shopping season.

- for supporting the Salvation Army's Red Kettle campaign by allowing their bell-ringers to solicit contributions on Wal-Mart property--and for throwing a $1 million donation in the kettle.

No corporation as large as Wal-Mart will ever be perfect in all of their corporate practices. But in the last year and a half, Wal-Mart has shown that it will listen to the concerns of its customers who hold to traditional values and that it has the backbone to resist at least some of the demands of "political correctness."

So when you shop at Wal-Mart this season, tell your local store manager, "Thank you and Merry Christmas!"

Family Research Council
801 G Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Family Research Council

It's So Easy..., No Diving, -and- Bad Parenting

It's So Easy... - producers: "Cavemen" not racial metaphor
No Diving - thieves steal swimming pool, 1000 gallons of water
Bad Parenting - woman banned for life from Wal-Mart

On this day in history: July 26, 1984 - Serial killer and cannibal Ed Gein dies at the Mendota Mental Health Institute, a home for the criminally insane. Gein inspired the films "Psycho" and "Silence of the Lambs."

Born on this day in history: July 26, 1928 - Stanley Kubrick (1928 - ____) film director, writer His films have a cool, formal visual style, meticulous attention to detail, and often ironic pessimism -- "2001," "Dr Strangelove," and "Lolita."

Today's Video: Flying Steps - We are electric

For dinner last evening, I made a chicken and pasta dish: I simmered sliced white onion, minced garlic, sliced Fresno peppers, sliced Japanese eggplant, diced tomatoes, and shredded (previously grilled) chicken breast in extra-virgin olive oil and Cabernet Sauvignon—seasoned with ground black pepper, sea salt, and Italian seasoning. After this had simmered for two hours, I placed a quantity of fresh basil leaves on top and continued the simmering. An hour later, Laura stirred to incorporate the basil leaves. I cooked a package of Barilla penne for 9 minutes (the box carries a recommendation for 11 minutes), drained, and incorporated into the sauce. I toasted garlic bread under the broiler. It was delightful.

I dreamed of Carmelita, the Frog-faced Girl. I shall tell you of this dream in tomorrow's post.

Fighting Back, Sticker Tricker, -and- Stick to It

Fighting Back - 99-year-old woman fights off home invader
Sticker Tricker - man "buys" everything from Wal-Mart for 75 cents
Stick to It - naked man glued to exercise bike during robbery

On this day in history: May 4, 2001 - After dinner at Vitello's in Studio City, film and television actor Robert Blake remembers that he left something at the restaurant. When he returns to the car, he discovers his wife, Bonnie Lee Bakley, slumped over in the passenger seat. She had been shot in the head by person or persons unknown. Bakley later dies of her injury. One year later, Blake is charged with the murder. He is found not guilty.

Born on this day in history: May 4, 1796 - Horace Mann (1796 - 1859) educator, politician. He is considered the father of American public education; founder and president of Antioch College, 1852-59.

Today's Video: How a Dog Gets a Ball out of the Pool

VIDEOS: The videos are now available via the link "Amazing and Amusing Videos" in the Links section, below the visitor counter.

There is a small pond behind my office. One of the businesses nearby has been dumping toxic waste into this pond. The offending party has been caught and prosecuted, and the dumping has ceased. The damage the toxic waste has done to the catfish in the pond is irreversible, however. They have experienced dramatic mutation. Click to enlarge.

Dinner plans last evening changed when Laura emailed me and declared she was sated by half her lunch and was bringing me the balance. It was a delicious treat from the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. restaurant: Italian Pizza Sandwich—thinly sliced black forest ham, pastrami, and salami, served on hand-tossed flatbread with basil pesto, fontina cheese, lettuce chiffonade, in a red wine vinaigrette, with a side of pasta salad with artichoke hearts, penne, and sun-dried tomato. It was a delightful repast.

One of my brothers is visiting for the weekend. He shall come to our house for sushi this evening. Laura will order an assortment of sushi items from Raley's and pick it up on her way home. It has been some time since we have enjoyed sushi, and I am very eager for it.