Reinke Faces Life

http://www.uclick.com/client/mma/sudoc/

I’ve been playing a while. My personal opinion is I’m somewhere between “hard” and “evil”. My objective is to ward off dementia. Though some would say I’m already demented. I have shown many people that it’s really not a hard puzzle.

The AARP site allows you to turn on hints. That puts the possible combinations on the screen. You can then focus on the “rules” to find the right answer.

I only have one gripe. It’s not possible, or I couldn’t figure out how, to turn OFF a hint. If it thinks that 1 is possible for a cell and you KNOW by the rules that it isn’t there’s not way to nuke that little 1! Argh.

Otherwise, it is a good training site for learning.

On a technical note, the “put in all the values and start methodically erasing” technique has allowed me some success with the “evil” class of puzzle. But that’s for another blog posting.

Completely unnecessary. But, I was noblisse oblige. At least I didn’t have to wear a funny hat. And got two useful presents. (This year everyone out did themselves with “good” stuff. High on the nerd o meter)

They also made good on a prize we won when last we were out with them. A painting of the shore house. While not as good as painting the shore house, it was neat. Frau was tickled with it. That’s always great fmpov.

It’s always nice to see the talented people do something they are good at. I think that there are only a few times in our lives when we get to perform at that level. Sadly, some people like me have no talent. Ask me to draw the same thing and you’ll get a stick drawing that has little resemblance to anything. Most first graders could do better. So it was a gem and most impressive.

I am always concerned when Frau pushes with the upcoming medical mystery theater redeux. But she slept in the car, so she seemed in fine form. Getting out is good for her. She laughed a lot and I think that’s the best medicine. The test and latest “fix” will come soon enough.

We went to the Prepster64 restaurant Marios on Arthur Avenue and it was good. I hate picking restaurants when others are involved. My favorites are never their favorites. Regardless of who the “they” are. And, there’s a chance that they will be disappointed in some way. I then feel that’s my fault because I chose it. But last night worked well.

The restaurant served a carrot dish with the bread that was great. Like a slightly blanched carrots with garlic and stuff with an italian dressing. I ate lot of that. Have to find a recipe for Frau.

Got home quickly without trouble. All in all a fun night.

Kids were full of the “old harry”. very entertaining.

mix1 (nil) quitting smoking (again) hope she makes it.

mix2 whatta dad. if’n i’d been one, i hope i could have his patience

mix3 didcha know 10,035 is a lotta money (?where did that number come from?)

mix4 beginning to speak up (that’s not dora!!)

mix5 doesn’t say much but knew i was the food dispenser or the diaper changer and hence asked for another server.

Noise tumult and chinese food. life’s complete.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sychowolf7/124428076/

Of course, if this car was at the far end of the lot, then who cares. But, this was funny!

http://www.hooters.com/news_and_events/news/2006/
2006-10-31_Gates_Buffet.asp

http://tinyurl.com/wczkm

World’s Two Richest Men Can Eat for Free at Hooters

*** begin quote ***

(Atlanta, GA) On Friday October 20, 2006 Bill Gates and Warren Buffet made a stop at the Hooters Restaurant along with members of the Board of Directors for Berkshire Hathaway. The visit came at the request of Buffet so the group could pose for a Christmas Card photo with the chain’s beautiful Hooters girls.

*** end quote ***

You have to be able to laugh at yourself. And, the wings are great. With copious amounts of an adult beverage.

http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2006.html

Named in honor of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, the Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it.

I took a few pictures of some carolers at the Plainsboro shopping center (by the “good” chinese restaurant).

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?
Uc=xiwgp6n.c7ff01k3&Uy=-29yltk&Upost_signin=
Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0

http://tinyurl.com/ygtzu6

It was serendipity.

This group showed up and start singing. They weren’t collecting. I guess they were just doing it for the joy, or for practice.

I had my camera as usual.

But the clincher was that there was a little girl there with her birthday balloon who was absolutely enthralled with the show.

Now maybe if I was a better  camera operator or had better gear, I could have gotten a better picture.

In any event it was a great moment.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/art/2006/12/the_50_artworks_you_rate_highe.html

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/
200612/kt2006120519152511900.htm

Samsung Plaza Eats Word on Ferarri Raffle Mishap
By Cho Jin-seo
Staff Reporter

*** begin quote ***

A simple mistake could have cost Samsung Plaza an unexpected 123 billion won in a promotional lottery event, as 440 people showed up claiming they had won the first prize _ a Ferrari F360. The sports car is priced at 280 million won apiece.

*** and ***

The department store, which is located in Pundang, south of Seoul, held a lottery for customers with three Ferraris as the top prize. A silver one was on display in its lobby, luring passers-by to join the draw.

Customers had to pick six numbers out of 26 on the lottery ticket, which were covered invisible with a silver coating. The possibility of winning the first prize was calculated as 0.0004 percent, or one in 230,230. However, in some way, 440 out of 39,000 participants showed up with the right six numbers scratched out. Some suspect that they used a clever method to see through the silver coating.

*** end quote ***

Never underestimate the laws of probability.

http://zena.secureforum.com/cartoons/show_toon.cfm?toonID=22
48&toonList=2248,2247,2246,2245,2244,2243,2242,2241,2240
,2239,2238,2237,2236,2235,2234,2233,2232,2231,2230,2229,2228
,2227,2226,2225,2224,2223,2222,2221,2220,2219,2218,2217,2216
,2215,2214,2213,2212,2211,2210,2209,2208,2207,2206,2205,2204
,2203,2202,2201,2200,2199,2198,2197,2196,2195,2194,2193,2192
,2191,2190,2189,2188,2187,2186,2185,2184,2183,2182,2181,2180
,2179,2178,2177,2176,2175,2174,2173,2172,2171,2170,2169,2168
,2167,2166,2165,2164,2163,2162,2161,2160,2159,2158,2157,2156
,2155,2154,2153,2152,2151,2150,2149,2148,2147,2146,2145&
index=index.cfm

http://tinyurl.com/wkrbu

If we laugh at them, they lose the battle for people’s minds.

I was playing “let it ride” and was losing. A while ago, I decided that I wanted the big kill. So, in evaluating the game, I decided to “chase low pairs”. It basically means that on a low pair (i.e., nine or less), that I would let my first bet ride. It increases the house edge to over 5%. But, I’m only going to be there until I lose 6 hands in a row. So today I was tempted to renege on that strategic decision. I decided not to when on what was to be my next to least hand. Dealt a 6 – 6 – 3, was sore tempted. But I was strong. The only way you can get four of a kind without starting with trips is to bet on the low pair in your hand. So I was focused on the dealer turning a 6. He didn’t. He turned a three! I had to check my cards. So that gave me two pair. So, of course, I let my second bet ride. Sure enough, he turns a 6! Full house. Yes! 200$ bonus and 110$ for each of my three bets. $530!! Yes. So, when you make a decision, you have to be strong. Strong enough to follow your own advice!

Now before you say “who”, here’s her website.

http://www.brendalee.com/

Once I get a chance to scan it, I’ll share my photo and autograph.

You’d be hard presses to find a more gracious performer. She, after an hour plus of effort, more than I would have done, was happy to greet each one of her fans. Celine (“Sell anything” lean) Dion didn’t do that. And, she cost five or ten times what Brenda did. She was very genuine in her greeting of each person.

I call that the Pat Sajack school of grace. Truly amazing. And it was a hoot.

# # #

UPDATE:

Upon reflection, a joyful experience. I hope she gets all the Universe has in store for her. Good things come to good people. She made me laugh at myself. The fact, that Frau and friends were laughing at my chagrin, makes me smile today.

# # # # #

http://www.guidodaniele.com/bodypaint01.htm

… just look at page one!

As one would expect for a European, on subsequent pages, the paint goes to interesting places.

I’m no prude but, as an injineer I have to ask: How does one clean up from these projects? The hands on page 1 are easy. The later pages are more of a challenge. Dip your “palate”, or your “pal”, in paint remover?

It is a fun site. It made me laff! At least page 1.

I always admire those who are more talented than me. I wouldn’t have even come up with the idea. Let alone been able to make it look like an inhineer slopping on bridge paint to prevent rust.

It does remind you that the inet is for adults.

http://ww12.e-tractions.com/snowglobe/globe.htm

Injineer. Frau. Jobs. It’s a life!

—–Original Message—–
From: support@twitter.com [mailto:support@twitter.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2006 2:00 PM
Subject: Twitter Contest and New Features

Hello Twitter-ers!

This email comes with a special treat from Twitter and Smith
Magazine: The Six-Word Memoir Challenge! Twitter your own memoir in exactly six words and you could win a free iPod!

HOW TO ENTER

1. Make smithmag a friend: http://twitter.com/smithmag 2. Preface your six-word entry with “smithmag” like this:

smithmag He wore dresses. This caused messes.

ABOUT THE SIX-WORD MEMOIR CHALLENGE

Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in six words. The result was “For sale: baby shoes, never used.” More recently, Wired Magazine revived the challenge and author Margaret Atwood came up with this short but funny beauty:
“Longed for him. Got him. Shit.”

We realize November is National Novel Writing Month but 50,000 words in 30 days? That seems heavy considering genius may surface in just six words. The folks over at Smith Magazine think everyone has a story and they want to reward you for yours.
For more information visit: http://smithmag.net/sixwords/

http://www.earlytorise.com/index.php

***Begin Quote***

Steve started off the conference with a parable:

A man on a safari in Kenya gets separated from his group and wanders off, lost. He comes across an elephant lying in a clearing, nursing a foot that has been pierced by a branch.

Carefully and slowly, the man approaches the elephant. Once he gets close enough to touch the beast, the man yanks the branch from its foot. He runs back across the clearing, then stops to look back at the elephant.

The huge animal stares at him. Then it rises to its feet, walks slowly over to the man, and touches him on the forehead with its trunk. Then the gentle giant turns and walks away.

The man eventually meets up with his group and goes home.

Ten years pass.

The man goes to the zoo with some friends. At one enclosure, he notices that an elephant is staring at him intently. The elephant drops the food it is eating and approaches the fence, staring all the while at the man.

The man’s friend says, “Hey, looks like that elephant recognizes you.”

And the man starts wondering, Is this the same elephant?

As the elephant stares at him, he becomes more convinced that this is the same elephant he saved in Kenya. He goes closer to the fence. The elephant stares at him. He starts to climb the fence, despite the protests of his friends. He drops into the enclosure. The elephant stares at him. Then, slowly, the elephant reaches out its trunk and touches him on the forehead.

I know this elephant! the man thinks. Then the elephant stretches out his trunk again, and grabs the man around the waist and slams him on the ground.

It wasn’t the same elephant.

Steve got a lot of laughter from this story. But his point was that info marketing is not the same elephant.

***End Quote***

I gotta kick out of thins and a new catch phrase “different elephant”!

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/
2006/11/09/1162661802875.html

http://tinyurl.com/yzo2ap

Outcry at stupid Stefaan’s croc shock
Jamie Pandaram and Jano Gibson
November 9, 2006 – 5:06PM

***Begin Quote***

The two-metre croc will live out its days in a farm as a breeding crocodile after biting 24-year-old Belgian tourist Stefaan Vanthournout’s leg when he tried to get its attention by wading into a creek and slapping the water with a stick.

***End Quote***

http://www.darwinawards.com/

***Begin Quote***

The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who, uh, remove themselves from it…

***End Quote***

As a pro-life libertarian, I deplore any loss of human life. But when people freely do “dumb things”, and bad things result, I say “say la v”! Certainly, punishing things, animals, people is irrational. In this case, I’d allow all the dumb tourists to feed themselves to the crocs. As Judge Judy says, “beauty fades; dumb is forever”. My concern is that this tourist’s next stupidity might have an innocent victim.

I heard a wag say today:

***Begin Quote***

Well, it’ll be quick in comparison to a human that takes between 18 years and 25 years to move out on its own.

***End Quote***

That struck me funny. In a techie sort of way.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/
news.html?in_article_id=414417&in_page_id=1770

http://tinyurl.com/yj2n3w

Autumn finally arrives in spectacular fashion
By PAUL HARRIS Last updated at 22:00pm on 3rd November 2006

***Begin Quote***

Autumn in bloom at the National Trust gardens in Stourhead, Wiltshire
The landscape is so perfect it might have been painted by numbers. But this spectacular backdrop of red and gold is a living work of art, coloured only by nature.

***End Quote***

Wish I could take photos like this!

http://www.aftenposten.no/english/bildeserier/
article1479765.ece?start=11

http://tinyurl.com/yydpgo

Great pics of Norway. Don’t miss the one with the island and rainbow.

http://blog.ask.com/2006/10/you_do_andor_ma.html

This is a stich. Best thing I seen from them since they did a bad thing and nuked Jeves. (Sorry Blaise!)

http://wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/sixwords.html

Issue 14.11 – November 2006
Very Short Stories
33 writers. 5 designers. 6-word science fiction.
Page 1 of 1

***Begin Quote***

We’ll be brief: Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words (“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”) and is said to have called it his best work. So we asked sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writers from the realms of books, TV, movies, and games to take a shot themselves.

***End Quote***

I liked:

Automobile warranty expires. So does engine.
– Stan Lee

And was moved by:

K.I.A. Baghdad, Aged 18 – Closed Casket
– Richard K. Morgan

http://tinyurl.com/yhfhqk

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/
article-23371855-details/1%2C500+cruise+ship+
passengers+without+toilets+for+three+days/article.do

1,500 cruise ship passengers without toilets for ‘three days’
23.10.06

***Begin Quote***

Around 1,450 passengers on a luxury cruise ship have been left without toilets for three days, according to people on board.

***End Quote***

I can’t imagine anything less fun than this. Unless it was that cruise where everyone one had Montezuma’s revenge.

And they say this is pleasure?

Stayed up past my bedtime to watch the Mets lose. I’m paying for it this am.

I received an email from FTL about their auction.

***Begin Quote***

—–Original Message—–
From: FTL-Updates@googlegroups.com
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 10:10 AM
To: FTL-Updates
Subject: [FTL-Updates] Just over 90 mins left!

Wow… someone might just walk away with 1,000 guaranteed impressions of their printed ad on the backside of the upcoming bumpersticker for less than $27. That’s the current price of the FTL auction. That’s less than three cents per impression for a direct mail campaign that would normally cost hundreds if not over a thousand dollars!

If you were thinking about bidding, now is the time. Don’t miss out:

http://auction.freetalklive.com

Thanks for listening,
Ian

–~–~———~–~—-~————~——-~–~—-~
Want to help FTL? AMP at http://amp.freetalklive.com and shop with us at http://amazon.freetalklive.com !

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “FTL-Updates” group.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to FTL-Updates-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://updates.freetalklive.com
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***End Quote***

On a lark, I bid. (I was not even sure what I’d have put on it. Probably “IluvFTL?”. ;-) I was immediately outbid by someone else’s maximum bid. Interesting concept. So by doing nothing, I got you more money. Strange. Like a poker game? Except if you bluff, and your opponent raises, you get to keep your chips. Weird. Strange. Unsettling.

http://www.aim.com/acronyms.adp?aolp=0

ROFL that they have to PUB a TLA list.

I notice the left out STFU or WTF or RTFM or W00T or … YMMV …

or my personal favorite TANSTAFL!