Extremely Dangerous Activities

Extremely Dangerous Activities - While driving to mine office this morning, I encountered a young man who was car surfing(1) atop a Ford pickup that had a hideously elevated suspension and enormous wheels and tires. This young man was apparently entertaining a group of young men and women traveling in a rice-burning SUV that followed behind the pickup. The passengers in the SUV were cheering loudly and encouraging the car surfer to perform increasingly dangerous stunts from his lofty stage. They appeared to consider the actions of the car surfer to be courageous. I have a label for such as he: I call them "organ donors."

My personal opinion of those who engage in car surfing or other extremely dangerous activities is they are direly in need of psychological counseling and are not operating on a sane level. Above all, they should not be encouraged!

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(1) The term "car surfing" describes an activity in which passengers of moving vehicles perform various stunts (also known as urban surfing or ghost riding), including hanging out of the car or "surfing" on the hood, trunk, or on the roof of the vehicle while it is in motion. Car surfing has been popularized by the hyphy movement and is similar to ghost riding except that the vehicle remains under the nominal control of another person. Car surfing has caused several people to be killed during the course of such stunts. A 2008 study by the United States Centers for Disease Control identified 58 newspaper reports of car-surfing deaths and 41 reports of nonfatal injury from 1990 through summer 2008. Most reports of injury were found in U.S. Midwest and Southern newspapers (75%), largely involving males (70%) and youths aged 15-19 (69%). A majority (58%) of reported car surfing incidents ended in death.

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Burning Down the House, The Kids Are Alright, -and- iBurn

Burning Down the House - Reno teen sets home ablaze trying to kill spiders
The Kids Are Alright - teen charity drive raises over $1 million
iBurn - overheated iPod nano caused fires

On this day in history: August 19, 1996 - After Miss Universe Alicia Machado gains 40 pounds in just 3 months, she is ordered to lose 27 pounds in two weeks or forfeit the crown.

Born on this day in history: August 19, 1919 - Malcolm Forbes Biography (1919 - 1990) Born Aug. 19, 1919, New York City, N.Y., U.S.—died Feb. 24, 1990, Far Hills, N.Y.) American business leader, owner-publisher of Forbes magazine, and promoter of capitalism known for his opulent lifestyle and lively self-promotion.

Scripture of the Day: When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? - Isaiah 8:19

Video of the Day: Extreme Skydiving - submitted by Darin

Here is a photograph from last Saturday's Youth Fair. Click to enlarge.

MY PREDICTION: I have put a good deal of thought into this, and I am predicting that Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin will be John McCain’s choice for vice president. Palin is a bold, first-term Republican governor, a former beauty pageant winner, and a mother of five. She would bring an energy—a dynamism—to the campaign and could help McCain win several battleground states.

Here is her Web site: Governor Palin

Here is a good resource: Sara Palin on the Issues

Other Charges May Apply, Calling All Carbs, -and- Animal House

Other Charges May Apply - dirty tricks credit card companies play
Calling All Carbs - dietitian hired to arrest LA cops' obesity
Animal House six fraternities suspended in drug probe at San Diego State University

On this day in history: May 7, 1959 - Small-time boxing promoter Don King is arrested in Cleveland on suspicion of drug dealing. His criminal record includes a 1955 arrest for arson, a 1954 arrest for murder, and others.

Born on this day in history: May 7, 1901 - Gary Cooper (1901–61) Born in Helena, MT, actor Gary Cooper became a star as the laconic cowboy in "The Virginian" (1929). Initially known for off-screen romances, he came to personify the archetypal American, winning Academy Awards for work in "Sergeant York" (1941) and "High Noon" (1952).

Scripture of the Day: Cast all your anxiety on him [God] because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:7

Video of the Day: 400-way Skydiving World Championship - submitted by Amber

For dinner last evening, I made a potato and sausage sauté: I pre-cooked quartered baby red potatoes by boiling them for 10 minutes. I sautéed a sliced white onion, sliced red bell pepper, three sliced Jalapeño peppers, and a head of peeled garlic cloves in extra-virgin olive oil. I seasoned with Tony Chachere's More Spice, ground black pepper, and ground cumin. I sliced three Johnsonville hot Italian sausages (previously grilled for Sunday's dinner) into 1/2-inch slices. When the onions became translucent, I added the sausage. Our new GE microwave oven is still in the service center, awaiting a part, so I used a "trick" that impressed Laura greatly: I warmed two flour tortillas by folding them and placing them in the toaster. The meal was delicious. The leftovers will follow Laura to Chico today for her lunch.

We watched "Rattouille." [Brad Bird (The Incredibles) co-directs this Oscar-winning Pixar offering, following the antics of a passionate rat named Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) who yearns for a sip of the good life. Growing up beneath a five-star Parisian restaurant owned by a famous chef (Brad Garrett), Remy inherits a taste for fine food. But his culinary ambitions only anger his practical father, who wishes his son could just eat garbage like everyone else.] We had seen this movie before (at the theatre, actually--a very rare thing indeed), but the viewing experience was considerably enhanced by viewing the movie in Blu-ray Disc on our HD system. It is a wonderfully entertaining movie. I highly recommend it.

This weekend is the annual May Madness Corning Car Show. Friday evening, there will be burnouts (in front of the police station!) and a cruise. Saturday will feature burnout finals and a car show. It is an excellent event. If you find yourself near this area, I highly recommend that you attend this event.

Forget Paris, Don't Try This at Home, -and- Home Alone

Forget Paris - Grandpa Hilton to donate 97% of his wealth to charity
Don't Try This at Home - skydivers hope to land without parachute
Home Alone - 9 kids left alone for nearly a week

On this day in history: December 27, 1992 - Harry Connick, Jr., was arrested at Kennedy Airport in New York City after telling authorities he had an unloaded 9mm pistol in his luggage, which he said he had forgotten that his sister had given to him.

Born on this day in history: December 27, 1904 - Marlene Dietrich (1904–92)Born in Berlin, Germany, actress and singer Marlene Dietrich gained international attention in The Blue Angel (1930) and moved to Hollywood with its director, Josef von Sternberg, who starred her in six films that emphasized her persona of enigmatic sexuality. Resisting requests by the Nazis to return to Germany, she became a U.S. citizen in 1939.

Scripture of the Day: "Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." (Psalm 103:1-2)

Video of the Day: Disappearing Car Door - submitted by Jay

That bites! I encountered this scene as I passed the pond behind my office this morning. Ouch! 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

32 Degrees! What a difference 4 degrees makes! While it is still very cold, it seems much warmer than yesterday—particularly since there was no frost on Mr. Nitro this morning. When I saw the frost on him yesterday, I shivered. When I saw "28 degrees" on his temperature display, I shivered more! This morning, it is certainly cold, and I was eager to get to the office and engage the heating system. It does not seem, however, nearly as cold as it seemed yesterday morning at the same time. In actuality, I seriously doubt that one can physically differentiate between 28 and 32 degrees, but psychologically, one can certainly imagine he is colder!

Interestingly, Mr. Nitro has a remote-start feature, which allows me to start him from up to 300 feet away. This would be great on these cold mornings: I could simply start Mr. Nitro from the comfort of our house and enter him once he is warm inside. The problem is I never think to set the heater controls when I park him upon arriving home in the afternoon. Obviously, without having the heater controls set properly, there is no value in starting him remotely. Perhaps a Post-it note, applied to Mr. Nitro's dash, would serve as a reminder for me to do this.