A Mixer, Jellyfish, Hillary and The Donald

Moonrise over Half Dome in 2011.

Early in the trail, there is a spot where you can see both the Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. Not sure which is which? Well, the Upper Falls in the one on the right that appears at a higher elevation than the Lower Falls on the left.

As you can see, they recommend that you go to the bathroom in the falls. Or maybe it is a separate place, but you've got a lovely view of the falls while you do your business?

Today's bad joke from the Bad Jokes and Puns Calendar:
How does an attorney sleep?
First he lies on one side, and then he lies on the other.

Today's dumb saying from the 365 Stupidest Things Ever Said calendar.
The problems move around, and you have to call police, especially when a customer pulls a knife on you. Other than that, this is the nicest place in town.
Lincoln City bar owner Ron Plooijer in The News Times (Newport, Oregon)

Do you like peanut butter? If you buy one of the 'natural' brands, you may have to stir it before you use it. If so, check out this brand, Witmer, that comes with its own attached mixer. I see nine options on their website. But wait. there's more. Apparently, their mixers come in standard sizes so you could use it on other brands.

Here's a headline I saw today. 'Mexico’s national energy company reckons with low oil prices. Oil titan Pemex will discuss its fourth-quarter results and its plans to cut $5 billion from its 2016 budget.' No, I did not click on the link, but it does bring something to mind. There was an ad shown before movies back in the late 1990s that showed a car crossing the border from Mexico into the US. The driver was happy when he made it into the States. He soon ran out of gas and was walking along with his gas can. People offered him rides, but he kept walking. He crossed back into Mexico and went to a Pemex station to fill the can, demonstrating the superiority of Pemex gas. I thought it was funny. I searched for the ad on youtube, but did not find it to share with you.

Did you watch the Oscars last night. I watched a few minutes at the beginning to see what Chris Rock was going to say. He did indeed do some skewering of the all-white nominations, but he was not too mean spirited. As for the results, Spotlight surprised at the Oscars. It won best picture, beating out The Revenant. Leonardo DiCaprio finally won best actor for his role in that movie, while Brie Larson won best actress for Room. Haven't seen it. Haven't seen it. And haven't seen it.

Have you been itching to hear a medley of songs from The Beatles' Abbey Road done in a R&B style? Well, Booker T. and the MGs have that covered.

No? Well, maybe you want to hear Lime in the Coconut sung by the Muppets? We've got that, too.

I am needing a fix of some defaced public signs. Luckily for both of us, I have some saved up for just such an occasion.

I also have a photo of a chair that someone requested come with arms.

Today, since it is Leap Day, you get a special photo-enhanced Clarity of Vision. Well, maybe it's not really that special, but it does feature current presidential candidates.

Have a great Monday, people.

Anniversaries Are a Dressy Affair

Aww, how cute. How old? Already one year old? That's amazing. It seems like only yesterday.
Of course, by now, you have figured out that I am talking about the Is it black&blue?/Is it white&gold? dress phenomenon on the interweb. Yes, it has been a year since that erupted. BTW, I usually saw it as blue.

When was the last time that Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter and Apple agreed on anything? In fact, has it ever happened before? Well, it seems that they are all in agreement on fighting the government's request to hack into the San Bernardino terrorist's cell phone. How do you feel about it? Yes, he was a terrorist and we want to prevent future attacks. Still, once we move onto the slippery slope of giving the government the ability to hack into our phones, have we opened Pandora's Box? Right now, I fall into the 'No Hacking' camp.

Today's Stupidest Things calendar entry:
Family Feud host: A drink you recognize by the smell.
Contestant: Potatoes.

Today's Really Bad Jokes calendar entry:
Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Oliver.
Oliver who?
Oliver, but she doesn't love me.

Did you watch the Republican Debate last night? Yeah, me neither. Who's going to be the Republican candidate? You don't care? Right now, me neither.

Today's devotional is from Matthew 7:15-20, talking about false prophets as wolves in sheep's clothing. The first thing that popped into my mind was the Crystal Cathedral and Robert Schuller. I cannot know if he was really preaching a true message from God or his own prosperity gospel, but it is interesting that the church is gone right after he passed away. It seems to me that, if his messages and interpretations were real, the church would have survived his death. I confess I wonder the same thing about Joel Osteen.

Do you ever worry about getting hacked? I am fairly good about protecting my data away from home, but maybe a bit less stringent at home. a journalist with Fusion asked a couple of hackers to hack him, and they did. You should read the article if these types of things interest you. It reminded me of a book from long ago called Cuckoo's Egg about a guy chasing a hacked back in the modem days. Anyway, one quote I liked from the article talked about maintaining the appropriate level of caution.
“Do you worry about trained martial artists beating you up on the street?” Marquis-Boire asked me.
“Not particularly,” I responded.
“But you’re aware that they exist,” he said. “You’re also aware that you probably couldn’t do anything about it if one of them wanted to beat you up in the street.”
His point, he explained, was that while people can—and should—take basic steps to protect their digital security, most people probably shouldn’t worry about being subjected to a mega-hack like the one Dan and Chris had put me through. The real danger isn’t the trained martial artist attacking you; it’s the thief who notices that your car is unlocked and decides to help himself to some electronics.

Can you look at a photo and know where it was taken? OK, fine, I am not talking about photos of the Eiffel Tower, or the Washington Monument. You can test yourself at www.geoguessr.com. Give it a try—it’s a lot of fun and more tricky than it sounds. Anyway, Google now has a tool, PlaNet, that can do just that. Read about it here.

Have you filed your tax forms for 2015 yet? I have started mine, but not yet finished them. I want to get them out by mid-March. That should be doable, right?

Luigi's Rollickin' roadsters opens in just a few days. Are you excited, or has the new increased prices for Disney Parks turned you off to their magic. Well, watch the video about the new ride and you just might change your mind.

When I started writing today's CoV, I had no idea that the wife would get upset by the third panel.

We've got a Chorale concert on Saturday this week at a Seventh Day Adventist church. The good thing about that is I won't be rushed to finish Sunday lunch so I can hurry to a concert. OK, have a pleasant and relaxing weekend.

Star Trekkin' and Tickety-Booin'

Surprisingly, although I have no idea why I sometimes think of a song during my shower and sometimes do not, I took a shower today with no song in my mind. As I was in the den gathering my things, I flipped on the TV to see the traffic conditions. The newscasters were talking and one of them said "Everything is..." and paused for a moment. She then said "fine of the roads," but by then, my mind had completed the phrase with "tickety-boo." Does that make any sense to you? If not, then you have never seen a 1958 Danny Kaye movie named "Merry Andrew." He sang 'Everything is Tickety-Boo' in that movie and it apparently has been lurking in my head for years. You can watch the scene and hear it here. Crazy. I guess the mind carries all sorts of memories that somehow never expire.

Does that make you long for other things that never seem to expire? Or maybe think of things that are only just past their expiration date? If so, move to Denmark. No, I mean that in a good way. The world’s first supermarket selling only expired food has opened in Denmark. Would you go there? Do you live and die by the expiration dates on food and toss it out the very next day? I am willing to perform the sniff test if it is still close to the printed expiration date.

I came across a singer named Roy Zimmerman when I was strolling through youtube looking for the Danny Kaye link shared above. He's pretty talented, but so far, my favorite of his songs is 'What if The Beatles Were Irish'. It is very clever.

In searching for ideas for today's blog, I came across this.

Here is a poster I think all of us should hang in our cubicles.

OK, another Star Trek poster.

Why all these Star Trek images? We;;, it is the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, and so the Roddenberry Facebook page is sharing memories for the next few months. And I have been a fan for quite a while. And to help you remember some of the ST:TOS memes, check out Star Trekkin'.

Let's see a show of hands. Who would like to zorb for 14 hours straight? Not sure what zorbing is? Neither was I until I read this. You can see a woman zorbing 21.5 miles across the Irish Sea in the next photo.

No photos today, but there is a comic strip. Does that make up for it?

What? No, of course we don't have an actual DIY Morale Booth at the office. We do have an Employee Engagement Committee, though. And they are trying to determine how to motivate us. At the same time, leadership is no longer going to bring in candy and Pop-Tarts for team. No more free bagels once a month. No fresh fruit every other Thursday. What's wrong with that picture, huh?

Well, enough soap-boxing. The company is not paying us to sit around and chit-chat. Back to the grind, people. Make it a great day....for the company. Bwah-hah-hah.

It is a Riddle, Wrapped in a Mystery, Inside an Enigma

No, nothing in this blog is quite that deep. I do have a picture in a picture in a picture, as you can see. And it is a riddle who will become the Presidential candidates. It is a mystery why I keep creating Clarity of Vision comics. It is even an enigma why I keep writing blog posts every workday. Will they ever stop? The only way to know for sure its to keep checking here everyday.

Let's talk about Democrats and your state. Whether you are one or not, if your state is listed in the chart below, it holds a Democratic Primary. Per the exit polls from 2008, states listed towards the upper right of the chart will favor 'Feel the Bern' Sanders, and those toward the lower left will prefer Hillary Clinton. You can read a little more here. So, where is YOUR state?

For our photos, we are traveling back to Yosemite National Park today. In this shot, you can easily see Half Dome, Vernal Falls (the lower waterfall near the lower right of the shot), and Nevada Falls in the center right. The dome in the center is called Liberty Cap.

You know what? Here's a better explanation of the landscape, including all the hills and falls.

Here's a picture I took of Preacher Bro taking a picture of his camera taking a picture of Half Dome. So many levels of picture taking are represented here. You can see the falls down below and Liberty Cap in the center.

You liked that defaced sign the other day about Bill Stickers? Yeah, me, too. Let's check out a couple more today. First, a nod to Shakespeare.

Clever, but not as funny (to me) as the unexpected Bill Stickers. OK, here's one I did not see coming.

Something else I shared the other day was the alleged real-life excuses for being late to work. Well, I have a couple more to share today.
There was fresh powder on the hill. I had to go skiing.
There was a store grand opening and I wanted to get the opening day sales.

I have no excuse for today's CoV.

Is it a sign of the coming 'mark of the beast' from the Bible book of Revelation? Selfie Pay is becoming a real thing from MasterCard. Yup, you can take a selfie, during which you must blink, and that can replace a password. No, thanks.

McDonald's McPick 2 for $2 has become McPick 2 for $5 after just a few months. At that rate, I don't want to know how much the deal will cost next year. You'd better go there right now.

That's it for me today, I'll be back with more tomorrow if my selfie let's me login. See you then.

Control Panels, Chocolate Cake, and Climbing a Dome

A few years ago, we visited Yosemite National Park and hiked up to Sentinel Dome. It wasn't too strenuous and gave us great views of the park. Here is a shot of Half Dome from the top of the nearby Sentinel Dome.

Turning in another direction, we could also see Yosemite Falls. Too bad it wasn't the time of year for the Firefall, right?

Looking again to my right, I got a wider angle shot to show both Half Dome and the nearby Nevada Fall.

A man in the UK legally changed his name to Bacon Double Cheeseburger. His wife, Large Fries, said she knows he is her soulmate. No word on what their little nuggets think.

This morning's shower song was Blessed Messiah as sung by the pre-Southern gospel Gaither Vocal Band. Not that there's anything wrong with the current version of the group. I just liked the more complex, less twangy songs from their early days. Right now, I have their New Point of View album on my phone.

I got in the car for this morning's commute and my hand went through the various motions of looking for the gear shift. It is in a different location in each vehicle. It's like when you are a parent and you run through all your kid's names looking for the name you want to scold.

A Kansas City chef believes he's found the key to what he calls "chocolate nirvana." Hint: It involves a condiment usually reserved for sandwiches. Curious? I was, even though I (and probably you) already know what he is going to suggest. According to the chef's research, the earliest printed recipe for such a cake dates back to 1927. He also explains that "butter, eggs and oil were rationed around World War II" so the sandwich spread made a great replacement in cocoa-based cakes. Read more and get a recipe here.

Check out the picture below. A man created a wall with all the gadgets that his toddler wanted to play with and it seems to be a hit... at least it is with the interweb. Anyway, it seems to be a toddler version of a device my father built for his kids years ago with all sorts of electrical wonders that we could play with. Noises. Spinning lights. A big red button. Ours was dubbed The Control Panel. I can still visualize it in my mind even after decades have passed. It was lots of fun.

The other day, a lady at work mentioned that something (and I don't remember what) reminded her of artists renderings in a courtroom. That was enough to send my mind wandering, and it landed on the current TV special People v. O.J. Simpson. We are enjoying it a lot. I wonder who will win?

Have we run out of time already? Seems we just get started, and before you know it, comes the time we have to say "So long." Have a great Tuesday, my friends, and we will share again soon. For reals.

Anniversary of the Miracle on Ice

Have you ever heard of the Miracle on Ice? For six of the previous seven years, the USSR had won the gold medal in Men's Ice Hockey in the Winter Olympics. However, on 2/22/80, something unexpected happened. The US beat them in the medal round, 4-3. It was pandemonium, I tell you. Or maybe we should call it 'fandemonium', because suddenly, the whole country was caught up in the frenzy. They went on to win gold from Finland later in the medal round. The U.S. and the Soviet Union next met at the Olympics at the 1988 games. The Soviets won the first round encounter 7-5. The Soviets when on to win the gold medal, while the U.S. placed seventh. That does not diminish the amazing game that happened on this day 36 years ago.

Let's stay on this time machine and travel back another three years to 1977. What happened then on this day? Actually, I don't know what day it happened, but that was the year Disney released Pete's Dragon, a musical starring Helen Reddy and Mickey Rooney. It went on to earn $36 million, but only has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 48%. Ouch. Well, Disney is remaking it. I suspect it will not be a musical, but the trailer looks cool.

Shh. How about a quiet, at-home workout? Well, here's one from Yahoo. You can do it while watching Shades of Blue on ABC. You could also just watch this video while snacking on chips and dip from your couch, but that might not be as quiet. Here's a shot of the lady exercising while watch me with my chips and dip.

Do you ever take those online quizzes about movies to see how well you know them. I just took one about The Princess Bride and it seems I might never get married. I only got 2 out of 6. You'd better be ready for some very specific questions to beat me, although with only 33% right, most people should be able to best my score.

Speaking about movies brings another of my favorites to mind. Here is an article about the origins of the line, 'Don't call me Shirley'. If you don't know which movie that is, it requires another trip on the time machine back to the crazy days of 1980.

Need some creative ideas for being late to work? Here are three from an article I found listing some they claim are real. You can decide.
- I had to chase my cows back into the field.
- A black bear entered my carport and decided to take a nap on the hood of my car.
- My lizard had to have emergency surgery in the morning and died during surgery. I had to mourn while deciding whether to have the lizard disposed of by the vet or bring the lizard corpse with me to work.

If I shared this photo already about how people have defaced some public signs, I apologize. however, it is hilarious.

I am certain I have not shared this next one yet. Who can forget Bill Stickers?

Have you ever heard of Dazzle Camo? It was apparently a thing in WWI. Anyway, a Japanese artists create a Camo Room based on this technique.

Did you see the woman right in the middle of the room? Next is a photo of a warship in WWI painted with the same camo in order to confuse those wanting to torpedo the ship.

bitstrips.com shows that this is the 623rd comic I have created in this tool. That's quite a few. It does not tell me how many of them have been funny, though.

We had a chorale concert last night at a nearby RV park. Oo-whee, it was warm in there. Sometimes, it is bearable, but i felt really warm last night. They did turn on the air conditioning, but it must have been too late to make a difference with 80 singers and 350 audience members.

Mondays keep coming around almost every week, and today is no exception. At this rate, tomorrow will be Tuesday. I am also hearing people arriving around me, so I will sign off now. Have a really good day and check back in again soon.

Cancel That Silver Alert

How do you know that you tried to read a blog post yesterday and it wasn't there? Maybe I wrote one and you just overlooked it? Or maybe, and much more likely, I didn't feel good in the morning and didn't create one. Fine, you caught me. Thanks for noticing, though.

You know what else you should notice. This announcement that McDonald's might offer a Chicken McGriddle. They are currently being tested in Ohio.

Here's a chart containing information you don't often see coming from the likes of J.P. Morgan. That's right, I am talking about a reference to unicorns in the wild.

Let's think back 71 years to see what happened today in history. On Feb. 19, 1945, during World War II, some 30,000 United States Marines landed on the Western Pacific island of Iwo Jima, where they encountered ferocious resistance from Japanese forces. The Americans took control of the strategically important island after a month-long battle. I do not know much about the battle. In fact, I don't even know where the island is. When I think of Iwo Jima, this image is the only thing that comes to mind. Some of you may never have heard of the controversy around this shot. You can read about it here.

I have nothing against the Pope. In fact, I think he is doing a good job. However, that does not mean I won't use his comments to prompt today's CoV.

Have you ever heard of the Yosemite Firefall? It is a famous phenomenon that only happens in mid-February at Yosemite National Park. If the falls have enough water, and the weather is clear so the sun can hit the falls, it creates an unbelievable sight that looks like lava falling. I read that a bunch of people were there this year for it. Maybe one day, I can go.

Is it true that Coke tastes better from a glass bottle than from a can? Before you answer, when was the last time you even had a Coke from a bottle? Yeah, it has been a long time for me, too. That did not stop scientists from checking it out and confirming that it is indeed better. Why? Basically, the Coke can absorbs some of the flavor of the drink, despite being lined with polymers that reduce the reaction. The opposite is also true in the plastic bottles - you might find it tastes different because some of the flavor transfers over into the drink. Now, you know.

No, I don't have any new photos, but in checking for some, I did come across this shot of Stonehenge from a visit a decade ago or so.

OK, since I was out yesterday, I have some catching up to do. How about you? Anything you need to finish before the weekend arrives? OK, let's catch up on the flip side.

Dot's a Bible

What happened when the pigpen broke?
The pig used a pencil.
That was today's joke from my Page-A-Day calendar. It is rated G and is safe for all ages.

I saw an interesting idea today. Donald Trump is popular for the same reasons that Andrew Jackson won the presidency in 1828. He promises everyone a lot of bull. Ha ha, I made that up, but the real reason, according to the NY Times, is "The Republican front-runner is winning because, like Old Hickory, he is a wealthy superpatriot who promises to defend the common man." Intriguing, right? While it worries me, the conjecture is plausible. Then again, maybe it's the hair?

When I started in the IT world, we were using floppy discs to store data. Today, I read about a new glass-based 5D technology that can store the entire Bible in a circle 0.04" in diameter, and should outlast the Earth. That is not even something I can wrap my head around. Maybe it seems obvious to you, and if so, read more here. Unbelievable.

Have you ever had a $50 bill? A $100 bill. What can you do with it? Did you spend it or put it in the bank? As seems to happen periodically, talk is being made to stop printing the $100 note. It is the most popular bill made by counterfeiters. Since normal people rarely use them, a case can be made that it will not impact most of us. What do you think? Does it make sense or would it make no difference? I think it would probably reduce the viability of counterfeit bills, but criminals will find another direction for cashing in.

Do you like a little parmesan on your pizza? Who doesn't, right? An article suggests that maybe most of us don't actually get any, since most parmesan brands include wood pulp as part of the ingredients. Kraft had 3.8 percent, and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s Great Value 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese registered 7.8 percent. OK, so there was a little wood pulp in it. It is still mostly parmesan, right? Hold on. According to the FDA’s report on Castle, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, “no parmesan cheese was used to manufacture” the Market Pantry brand 100% grated Parmesan Cheese, sold at Target Corp. stores, and Always Save Grated Parmesan Cheese and Best Choice 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese, sold by Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc., which along with its subsidiaries supplies 3,400 retail stores in 30 states. Instead, there was a mixture of Swiss, mozzarella, white cheddar and cellulose, according to the FDA. Nice.

"And a good president should know how to play the kazoo. Just listen to this Adele song on my kazoo."

"If you hold your hand like this, no one can tell the spitball came from you. I learned that in fourth grade."

"It's a magic trick. Watch as I drink this cup of water using an 'invisible' straw."

"Sometimes, I try to drink a glass of water, but accidentally bring the wrong hand up to my mouth, and then, I am embarrassed and act like I meant to do that."

Sorry. I got distracted looking for clever captions for this silly photo of Hillary. Hey, I have on a black polo today, and I own more pairs of black jeans than I do blue. How can I keep them looking black? Consumer Reports has some ideas.

I do not have any family photos to share today. Actually, I forgot to even look after choir practice last night. Anyway, I just walked through etsy.com and chose a screenshot of some photos to share. Which ones might you pick to hang on your wall? I like the layers of mountains in the top center image. I have at least one of those that I have shared with you before. Next would probably be the center right shot of Paris. I like how it draws my eye to follow the street until it curves out of sight. I suppose #3 would be the top right shot of San Francisco, but it is a distant third.

I heard someone mention Facebook and what it would be like in real life yesterday.

I heard someone come in behind my cube, so that means the Wednesday workday has begun. Have a great day, friends and family.

Fake Dogs, Fake Cookies, Fake Carrot Cake, Real (Unfortunately) Singing

Today's joke from my Page-A-Day calendar. I am not a golfer, but you do not have to be to appreciate the twist in the joke.
One day a man and his wife were playing golf at their home course. On a certain par four, the man teed it up and hit a big slice into the woods. They found his ball directly behind the greenkeeper's shed; his shot was completely blocked. But his wife noticed that the shed had double doors at both ends: “If we open the doors on either side, you can hit a low shot through the building and right onto the green.” The man congratulated his wife on her cleverness and tried to make the shot, but the ball hit the top of the door frame and came whistling back, striking his wife in the temple and killing her.

A year or so later, the same man playing the same par four hit the tee shot almost exactly to the same spot as before. As he cursed his luck and prepared to hit the ball back onto the fairway, his playing partner said, “Wait, we can open these double doors and—”

“No way,” the man cut him off. “I was here last year and tried that shot and ended up making a six.”

We know that the flavors of Valentine’s Day are red velvet and strawberry shortcake, and the flavors of fall are pumpkin spice and caramel apple, but the Easter candy season apparently needs more novelty flavors. That’s why Hershey has brought us white chocolate-based carrot cake kisses. I heard you can find them at Walmart.

It might seem like Girl Scout cookies are all the same, but it turns out the Girl Scouts use two bakers, and which cookies you get depends on where you live. Now, we did not purchase any this year, but I don't know if I could tell the difference between which baker made the cookies I was eating. The Girl Scouts use two bakers, ABC and Little Brownie. In most cases, where you buy determines which cookies you’ll get, as in Samoas instead of Caramel deLites or Tagalongs instead of Peanut Butter Patties. The LA Times has a map to help you figure out which you’ll get.

How about some baked chicken to go with your cookies and kisses? This sounds like an almost foolproof method to make the perfect chicken breasts. Yes, I might do this recipe, unlike many that I post.

No, no, no! I would not want a stuffed animal in the exact image of a past dog. I do still miss Momo, our last dog, but I don't want a stuffed animal that looks like him. Maybe that's just me, though, so you can decide for yourselves.

Do you suffer from GERD? Many of us do, but not all of us are on the medicines for it. I just learned today that a popular class of heartburn medications might raise a senior's risk of dementia, a new study suggests. Called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), this group of drugs includes Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid. If you are on them, you might double-check with your physician about alternatives.

We get points towards a discount at certain gas stations from our grocer. This past weekend, we used those points and filled up a Honda CR-V for less than $6. Nice, right? I think we got around 12 gallons.

Sometimes, I enjoy reading opinions that differ from my own just to evaluate their reasoning. This is an article ranking every president's seventh year. For the author, Woodrow Wilson's was the worst, and George Washington's was the best. Go have a look to see where Obama and W. rank.

How about those Grammy awards last night. No, I didn't watch it, although I did listen to Adele's song after it went viral on the web. Yeah, not her best.

Do you ever watch those kinds of shows that ask What would you do? I read an article this morning talking about the challenges that AT&T faces and how they are looking toward the future. It has quotes from people in many jobs across many age groups. To keep your job, would you be willing to take courses on your own time at night? Yes, the company will reimburse you up to $6K a year, but you are doing the studying on non-work time. It sounds like many of the older workers are saying, "No, thanks" and the younger ones are complying because they know they must to retain their positions. It is tough for the workers, but the company also has to embrace the digital future. If you worked there, what would you do? If you were in leadership there, would you recognize and embrace the new culture?

How about a fun fact? On Feb. 16, 1923, the burial chamber of King Tutankhamen's recently unearthed tomb was unsealed in Egypt. And today, none of the people who were there are still alive. Curse of the mummy? Who am I to say? You'll have to judge for yourselves.

I cannot start Outlook this morning, so I need to reboot my computer. Since I have to close blogger.com anyway, I will go ahead and sign off from today's post and send it your way. It is Tuesday, but it feels like Monday, right? Either way, have a great day.

Fall Photos Accompany Record Temps and Vegan Verification

It has been over a year since I stopped being a vegan. Don't get me wrong. I still eat quinoa and edamame and fruit for lunch. I still have very low sugar cereal for breakfast. However, I am less stringent about my dinner. Last night, I came across an article that said "Some evidence suggests vegetarian dietary patterns may be associated with reduced mortality, but the relationship is not well established." According to the Huffington Post, the results of the endeavor found that mortality rates during the study's timeframe were 12% lower for vegetarians, compared to non-vegetarians, whereas vegans saw an even lower mortality rate during the timeframe, or a 15% reduced risk of death. Pesco-vegetarian, or vegetarians who make the exception to include fish in their diets, saw a 19% lower mortality rate as compared to non-vegetarians, according to the study, whereas lacto-ovo-vegetarians (vegetarians who eat eggs and non-vegetarian dairy products) saw a 9% lower mortality rate than non-vegetarians. And compared to meat-eaters, semi-vegetarians had an 8% lower risk of death during the study's timeframe. Makes you wonder, huh? Excuse me. I am eating pizza while I read this. Ha ha.

Where did Noah keep his bees? In the Ark hives. Well, it made me laugh. I'll have more of those bad jokes in future blog posts.

Apparently, the Chinese made a clock that physically rewrites the time every minute. It is a bit too large to carry on your wrist, though. Check out the video.

I reached back into my archives and found some shots I caught up in Northern California. We have set heat records the last two days, so I guess I am longing for the coolness of a Fall day, with the bright colors of aspen and maple. So, we will start today with the oranges and yellows of aspen changing color.

And maybe some snow on the hills and mountains. This shot comes from June Lake, CA, in 2011.

Also from June Lake is this chipmunk catching an afternoon snack. He was not too concerned with having us around, so he is obviously used to seeing people, and maybe begging from them.

And today's joke from my Page-A-Day calendar. I rate it as smile-worthy, but not guffaw-inducing.
Two political opponents were having a debate.
“There are many ways of making money,” said the first, “but there is only one honest way.”
“And what is that?” asked the second.
“I had a feeling you wouldn't know,” said the first.

I am not much of a dip-and-chips dude, but I know many of you are. I am even less of a cheese-eater, nor cream cheese, nor sour cream, but I know many of you are. So, I offer up a current Pinterest favorite, Texas Trash Warm Bean Dip. Yes, you may have surmised that it was the name that caught my attention. Look, it will only take you 33 seconds to click the link and look over the recipe, so go decide for yourself.

I just read that Mr. Magoo was in the first Christmas cartoon broadcast on TV.

What do these words bring to mind? Duplicity, fabrication, evasion, stringing someone along, inaccuracy, exaggeration, fudging, rationalization, falsehood, "whopper," deception, misrepresentation, dishonesty, putting someone on, putting up a front, and fibbing. If you recognize them as synonyms for lying, you are correct. Today's devotional is from Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. The author notes, "According to an article by Jan Mendenhall in the June/July 1997 issue of Aspire, college kids lie to their moms in 50% of conversations. Dating couples lie to each other a third of the time, and spouses deceive each other in about 10% of major conversations. Twelve percent of four million Americans lost their jobs for 'misrepresentation.' A November 1997 survey conducted by the publishers of Who's Who Among American High Schools Students reveals that 76% of the students listed in their publication (supposedly the elite achievers) admit having cheated. Two-thirds of these believe it is 'no big deal' to cheat to get a good test grade—and 65% of their parents agree." Sad, indeed.

Today's punchlines remind me of a story Steve Martin used to tell about getting a gasoline-powered turtleneck sweater for Christmas. Exactly, it makes no sense.

MBH noticed that, yesterday, I wished everyone a Wonderful Wednesday. Sorry, I forgot that it was Thursday. That means today is Friday, and the start of the weekend, so have a nice one and come back next week for more merriment.