June 10, 2013

  • The Little Engine That Could (And Megabyyte)

     

    The Little Engine That Could

    The Little Engine that Could is an illustrated children's book that was first published in the United States of America in 1930 by Platt & Munk. The story is used to teach children the value of optimism and hard work. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children...

    In the tale, a long train must be pulled over a high mountain. Larger engines, treated anthropomorphically, are asked to pull the train; for various reasons they refuse. The request is sent to a small engine, who agrees to try. The engine succeeds in pulling the train over the mountain while repeating its motto: "I-think-I-can".

    The story of the little engine has been told and retold many times. The underlying theme is the same — a stranded train is unable to find an engine willing to take it on over difficult terrain to its destination. Only the little blue engine is willing to try and, while repeating the mantra "I think I can, I think I can," overcomes a seemingly impossible task. - wikipedia

    For some reason, when I think of this story, I think of one of my xanga friends and fellow member in the Den of Fools - @MegaByyte!

    @Megabyyte is one of those people, although faced with more than her fair share of challenges in life - always come back at each day with the attitude to try again! The "I think I can" attitude!

    And like the rest of the Den of Fools, she likes to do silly or "foolish" stuff!

    Here she is with an Elmo hat on and Minibyyte in the background!

    And another good thing about @Megabyyte - she likes donkeys!

    Go @Megabyyte! You CAN do it!

    Relaunch Xanga!

June 9, 2013

  • Bridge Over Troubled Water

    Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel

    Youtube Link

    The song introduced the decade of the 1970's. After the 1960's with the introduction of the Laser, the Viet Nam War, the assassinations of JFK, RFK, and MLK - the introduction of the Pill and the mini-skirt, and the Rolling Stones and the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix - the Age of Aquarius - it was time for a change.

    When you're weary
    Feeling small
    When tears are in your eyes
    I will dry them all

    I'm on your side
    When times get rough
    And friends just can't be found
    Like a bridge over troubled water
    I will lay me down
    Like a bridge over troubled water
    I will lay me down

    When you're down and out
    When you're on the street
    When evening falls so hard
    I will comfort you

    I'll take your part
    When darkness comes
    And pain is all around
    Like a bridge over troubled water
    I will lay me down
    Like a bridge over troubled water
    I will lay me down

    Sail on Silver Girl,
    Sail on by
    Your time has come to shine
    All your dreams are on their way
    See how they shine
    If you need a friend
    I'm sailing right behind
    Like a bridge over troubled water
    I will ease your mind
    Like a bridge over troubled water
    I will ease your mind

    Yup! I will lay me down!

    We will make it through this xanga stuff!

    Relaunch Xanga!

June 7, 2013

June 5, 2013

  • You Can't Afford 13 Cents a Day? Really?

    13 cents a day! That's about what $48.00 a year amounts to!

    You can't afford that? Really?

    If you look at the food you drink, the computer and cellphone you pay for, the car or SUV you drive - or whatever your bills are - your telling me you can't afford 13 cents a day?

    (And if you can't I am sorry - I don't not mean to be mean to those who are in really difficult financial situations)

    13 cents a day is probably much less than one stomp on the gas pedal in a SUV
    - or compact car for that matter!

    It's definitely much less than a soda or soft drink.

    A lousy lunch at McD's is probably 5 bucks or more!

    You can pay for a month of xanga for one cheap lunch!

    I mean - a gumball a day out of a gumball macine is more than that!

    Now I can understand how some might not have $48.00 at once crack - and a monthly or quarterly payment might make things easier. $12 a quarter? $4 a month?

    But really!

    Relaunch Xanga!

    *EDIT*

    For the price of one gumball from this machine a day,
     you can almost pay for TWO new xanga accounts!

    1 Gumball ≈ 2 Xanga accounts!

June 4, 2013

  • Xanga And Facebook!

    You know most of my friends on xanga also have facebook accounts.

    And the new xanga will let the free xanga accounts read blogs and comment.

    I frequently post a blog here and link to it on my facebook -
    and likely will continue to do so in the future.

    Frankly, I don't see the mass exodus from xanga happening when blogging is no longer free.

    I do envision people posting more on facebook and less on xanga -
    but for the most part - that has already happened!

    The people who really want to blog will continue to do so on xanga -
    for 13 cents a day!

    And their friends will still come and read popular blogs like Dans.

    A neat feature for the new xanga might be for xanga to allow facebook accounts to comment on xanga posts.

    Probably most of the people threatening to leave will use their free xanga accounts,
    and come and read Dan or @Seedsower or @Megabyyte and post comments.

    Who knows they might even read my blog or Aloysious_son's!

    Relaunch Xanga!

June 3, 2013

June 2, 2013

June 1, 2013

  • Relaunch Xanga!

    Hey!

    C'mon!

    Quit moaning!

    Relaunch Xanga!

    The only way to find out what the new xanga might be is to contribute!

    If they don't make their goal you get to keep your money!

    Go for it!

    (Edit: $48 per year is like 13 cents a day! A soft drink is like 75 cents! It's worth it!)

May 30, 2013

  • Xanga Back Dimples!

    Xanga Back Dimples!

    They have arrived!

    I have posted previously on back dimples. Click here.

    Back dimples, also known as Dimples of Venus or butt dimples, are visible indentations sometimes visible on the human lower back. It is thought that back dimples are a genetically determined trait. They are also rather rare!

    Perhaps the most famous celebrity back dimples belong to Cote de Pablo - of NCIS fame.

    Cote de Pablo (born November 12, 1979), is a Chilean-born American stage and TV actress and recording artist. She is best known for her role as Ziva David in the CBS television series NCIS, for which she has won an ALMA Award. She has also embarked on a career as a songwriter and vocalist. - wikipedia

    But now, we have xanga back dimples!

    @HintOfBlue has posted a picture of her back dimples! The linked image is above.

    Awesome!

    I would say that Cote has nothing on @HintOfBlue when it comes to back dimples!

    Now! I know that there are more back dimples out there! Some of you have told me so!

    @Aloysius_son supposedly has back dimples as well - and there are others!

    So c'mon xangans! Post your back dimples! I will link them if you like!

    Or send me the pics - I can photoshop out anything your don't like!

    I could post pics anonymously if you like as well.

May 20, 2013

  • Anybody Who Calls People Names is Stupid - Repost

    Long ago, about the time these photos were taken, we got to go out to eat at a restaurant once - all 3 kids and the parents. That did not happen very often - usually only on vacations - road trips - from Michigan to Illinois or Pennsylvania. Anyway, this one time we ate out at a restaurant, another family was there too. One of the children in the other family called another child a name. My mother overheard the name - and commented to us, "Anyone who calls people names is stupid!"

    Anyway, that's the family story. It's kind of funny actually.

    Calling people names seems to be a rather common phenomenon.

    There have been all sorts of ethnic, racists, sexists, and other names slapped on to individuals and whole groups of people - to label and demean them.

    About 50-60 years ago, there was an era referred to as "McCarthyism". Wikipedia has this to say about McCarthyism:

    McCarthyism is the political action of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term specifically describes activities associated with the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by heightened fears of communist  influence on American institutions and espionage  by Soviet agents. Originally coined to criticize the anti-communist pursuits of U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, "McCarthyism" soon took on a broader meaning, describing the excesses of similar efforts. The term is also now used more generally to describe reckless, unsubstantiated accusations, as well as demagogic attacks on the character or patriotism of political adversaries. - wikipedia

    It seems to me that people - Americans in particular - are resorting to calling other good Americans names. It's seems popular to use these names to rile people up against each other.

    I think my mom was right - "Anyone who calls people names is stupid!"

    Dead Turkey Joke of the Day

    A husband and wife came for counseling after 20 years of marriage. When asked what the problem was, the wife went into a passionate, painful tirade listing every problem they had ever had in the 20 years they had been married.

    She went on and on and on: neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness, loneliness, feeling unloved and unlovable, an entire laundry list of unmet needs she had endured over the course of their marriage.

    Finally, after allowing this to go on for a sufficient length of time, the therapist got up, walked around the desk and, after asking the wife to stand, embraced and kissed her passionately as her husband watched with a raised eyebrow. The woman shut up and quietly sat down as though in a daze.

    The therapist turned to the husband and said, "This is what your wife needs at least three times a week. Can you do this?"

    The husband thought for a moment and replied, "Well, I can drop her off here on Mondays and Wednesdays, but on Fridays, I fish."
    YouTube Today's YouTube Tune

    The Back Seat Of My Car - Paul McCartney
    Do you listen to people who call other people names? Or do you listen to people who ask you to think about the things people do?