What is shite?

I love learning new words, and I was reading a blog today where a British person said that they were an “old shite”.

English people are so quaint, with their made-up words, and I needed a good definition for shite.

At first I thought that a Shite was one of those Arabic tribes, like the Sunni:


Shite and Shiite are different

Then, I postulated that the word "shite", was British for the “S” word, but I was wrong again:



I finally had to look-up shite in my Funk & Wagnall . . .

Evidently, the word “shite” is uniquely British/Irish:

Where do you find a horse with no legs?”

Everyone knows the old riddle “Where do you find a horse with no legs?” (1), and everybody knows about the horse with two legs:


The two-legged horse

But this is the true story of a horse with no legs.

It’s sad when a beloved horse dies, but funerals for dead horses are expensive, involving backhoe’s and other heavy equipment, not to mention the cost of a horse casket:


Horse caskets are large and expensive

North Carolina is horse country and there are many services for dead horses:

- If your horse dies in the NC State horse hospital (the "horspital"), they offer a cremation service, largely because a traditional funeral is a big undertaking.


Do not try to cremate a dead horse


- In North Carolina you can get a necropsy from the Rollins lab in Raleigh, a low cost service that includes disposing of the dead horse. The cost for an equine necropsy is currently $75 plus a necropsy carcass disposal fee based on weight of the animal: $15.00 (0-100 lbs.); $25.00 (101-500 lbs.); $50.00 (over 500 lbs.). Necropsy fees include ancillary diagnostic tests necessary to obtain a diagnosis.


It’s a fascinating lab, but it stinks to high Heaven, with the stench of rotting flesh that would gag a maggot . . . .

Just like a Medical Examiner’s office and you need to dab your nostrils with Vicks Vaporub to tolerate the stench of decomposing equines.

If you ask, they will let you watch the horse autopsy, fascinating to see what’s inside. . .


The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person" - Teddy Roosevelt

Unfortunately, this low cost horse necropsy is abused by cheapskate horse owners who use the service as a funeral home for dead ponies.

I knew one lady who lost a nice mare to founder and called the NC Rollins lab, thinking that they would dispose of her dead horse at little cost to her.

But the lab is wise to this game . . .

Because founder is a disease of the hooves, the body is not needed for a necropsy . . .

So, instead of accepting the corpse, they just took a hack saw and cut off the horses legs!

Imagine her surprise to see that she was left with 1,200 pounds of rotting horse with no legs!



------------------------------------

(1)- “Where do you find a horse with no legs?” – Right when you left him!

The funniest gory movie ever made

Personally, I detest the gore of CSI and the gratuitous bloodletting of some movies.

If I remember my psychology classes, there is a physiological reaction to gore, but taken to the extreme, you become desensitized and blood and guts provokes a laughter response.

South Park understands this phenomenon and they deliberately overdo the gore for the humorous effect, like the epic "Whale Wars" eipsode:



Face it, sometimes gore is so extreme it's actually hilarious!

It's the opening scene of the movie "Ghost Ship", very creative!

WARNING - Funny gore inside

The greatest decades of technological change in human history

The two decades between 1935 and 1955 were the two decades of the greatest technological change in the history of mankind.

Propelled by war, technology advances quickly.

When my father enlisted in the US Army Air Corp in 1936, he was trained as an aircraft mechanic, working on the B3 bomber, a canvas covered biplane bomber with a tiny payload:


The B3 bomber was state-of-the-art in the 1930's

War is hell, but it also drives amazing technology, and in less than 20 years, America went from creaky biplanes to the B-52 Bomber, introduced in 1952:


In less then 20 years, America went from the stone age to the jet age

After the nightmare of December 24th 1945 when the USAF destroyed their entire inventory of B-17, the government said “never again” and they began hanging-on their old warbirds.

Interestingly, the USAF plans to keep the B52 in service for 100 years, and does not plan to retire then until the 2050’s.

Department of Justice modifies the ADA to specifically provide for Guide Horses!

Attorney General Eric Holder has signed into law a modification of the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) to specifically provide for Guide Horses!



Janet and I were honored to be summoned to the US Justice Department in Washington DC in 2008 to advise the DOJ on how to modify the ADA, and we are happy that our suggestions have been codified into Federal Law!

This is a huge win for all blind people who want to have many mobility options!

The new law specifically says that ONLY miniature horses and dogs qualify for rights under the ADA, and by omission, service monkeys and other species are excluded from the definition of a service animal.



It also says that a miniature hose is allowed to perform other tasks other than guiding the blind!

This is a major victory for all Guide Horse users, all across America!



Here is the new text:

Miniature horses. (i) A public accommodation shall make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a miniature horse by an individual with a disability if the miniature horse has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with a disability.

(ii) Assessment factors. In determining whether reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures can be made to allow a miniature horse into a specific facility, a public accommodation shall consider--

(A) The type, size, and weight of the miniature horse and whether the facility can accommodate these features;

(B) Whether the handler has sufficient control of the miniature horse;

(C) Whether the miniature horse is housebroken; and

(D) Whether the miniature horse´s presence in a specific facility compromises legitimate safety requirements that are necessary for safe operation.

(iii) Other requirements. Sections 36.302(c)(3) through (c)(8), which apply to service animals, shall also apply to miniature horses.

------------------------------------------------
Here are the supporting notes for allowing Guide Horses:



Miniature horses.

The Department has been persuaded by commenters and the available research to include a provision that would require public entities to make reasonable modifications to policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a miniature horse by a person with a disability if the miniature horse has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with a disability.

The traditional service animal is a dog, which has a long history of guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision, and over time dogs have been trained to perform an even wider variety of services for individuals with all types of disabilities. However, an organization that developed a program to train miniature horses, modeled on the program used for guide dogs, began training miniature horses in 1991.

Although commenters generally supported the species limitations proposed in the NPRM, some were opposed to the exclusion of miniature horses from the definition of a service animal.

These commenters noted that these animals have been providing assistance to persons with disabilities for many years.

Miniature horses were suggested by some commenters as viable alternatives to dogs for individuals with allergies, or for those whose religious beliefs preclude the use of dogs.

Another consideration mentioned in favor of the use of miniature horses is the longer life span and strength of miniature horses in comparison to dogs.

Specifically, miniature horses can provide service for more than 25 years while dogs can provide service for approximately 7 years, and, because of their strength, miniature horses can provide services that dogs cannot provide.

Accordingly, use of miniature horses reduces the cost involved to retire, replace, and train replacement service animals.

The miniature horse is not one specific breed, but may be one of several breeds, with distinct characteristics that produce animals suited to service animal work.

The animals generally range in height from 24 inches to 34 inches measured to the withers, or shoulders, and generally weigh between 70 and 100 pounds.

These characteristics are similar to those of large breed dogs such as Labrador Retrievers, Great Danes, and Mastiffs.

Similar to dogs, miniature horses can be trained through behavioral reinforcement to be "housebroken."

Most miniature service horse handlers and organizations recommend that when the animals are not doing work or performing tasks, the miniature horses should be kept outside in a designated area, instead of indoors in a house.

According to information provided by an organization that trains service horses, these miniature horses are trained to provide a wide array of services to their handlers, primarily guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision, pulling wheelchairs, providing stability and balance for individuals with disabilities that impair the ability to walk, and supplying leverage that enables a person with a mobility disability to get up after a fall.

According to the commenter, miniature horses are particularly effective for large stature individuals. The animals can be trained to stand (and in some cases, lie down) at the handler´s feet in venues where space is at a premium, such as assembly areas or inside some vehicles that provide public transportation. Some individuals with disabilities have traveled by train and have flown commercially with their miniature horses.

The miniature horse is not included in the definition of service animal, which is limited to dogs. However, the Department has added a specific provision at § 35.136(i) of the final rule covering miniature horses.

Under this provision, a public entity must make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a miniature horse by an individual with a disability if the miniature horse has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with a disability.

The public entity may take into account a series of assessment factors in determining whether to allow a miniature horse into a specific facility.

These include the type, size, and weight of the miniature horse; whether the handler has sufficient control of the miniature horse; whether the miniature horse is housebroken; and whether the miniature horse´s presence in a specific facility compromises legitimate safety requirements that are necessary for safe operation. In addition, paragraphs (c)-(h) of this section, which are applicable to dogs, also apply to miniature horses.

Ponies and full-size horses are not covered by § 35.136(i).

Also, because miniature horses can vary in size and can be larger and less flexible than dogs, covered entities may exclude this type of service animal if the presence of the miniature horse, because of its larger size and lower level of flexibility, results in a fundamental alteration to the nature of the programs activities, or services provided.

Luggage stickers to identify your bags

I love this novel way to identify your luggage in airports,Suitcase Stickers, a very creative way to easily spot your bags on the airport carousel.

Asymmetrical gear examples

Gears have always had a place in machinery, but these non-circular asymmetrical gear designs are intriguing and hypnotic:



This video of non-circular gears is also interesting:



I like this “gear ring”, quite attractive

Tongue texting!

I have never understood the concept of texting:



It reminds me of when I used to do Morse code on SSB radio . . .

But testing while driving is just nuts.

Somebody needs to create a safe way to text while driving, maybe a way to convert the text to audio?

Why didn't I think of this idea?



via J-Walk

The MIT invisible mouse

I always wondered about the "mouse" as a GUI interface, it seemed outdated when it was first introduced.



Today's telephones have the "finger swipe" technology, but I wonder that will replace the traditional mouse?

This is very promising, the invisible mouse from the wizards at MIT:

Do Illegal Immigrants cause increased crime?

With the new Arizona law suggesting that illegal immigrants are a criminal threat, there are interesting arguments on both sides of the fence (pun intended).


The Frito Bandito: Malicious or misunderstood?

Back in the 1980’s, I moved away from Albuquerque New Mexico after my home was repeated robbed.

The last straw was when I was robbed by an entire family illegal Mexicans, (including two minor children who assisted in the burglary).

The police caught them all after they openly kicked-down my front door while I was at work, and there was a police chase through the neighborhood with guns drawn.

I expected Albuquerque child protective services to take the kids and I looked forward to attending their trial, but the police told me that their punishment for robbing me was merely a bus ticket to visit their extended family in Mexico, and they were probably back in America within a month.

It makes one wonder if people who don’t respect immigration laws might not be law abiding in other areas of their lives . . . .

According to US government records, the answer is a resounding “yes”.



Let's examine the evidence in this debate about the millions of illegal Mexicans pouring into America.

Statistics on crime by illegal aliens

Some say that illegal Mexicans are normally law-abiding people whose only crime is disrespect for our immigration law, while others say that the illegal immigrants are common criminals, people with poor social mores, who are far more likely to commit other crimes while hiding out in America.

Fortunately, we can look at reliable evidence to see if these concerns are founded.

With the illegal population soaring to over 10 million, one out of every 30 people in America is here illegally, making this an important social issue.


Are illegal Mexican’s a threat?

Let’s take a look at the government statistics on crimes by illegal immigrants.

Government evidence confirms that illegal Latino’s are twice as likely as the general population to commit a felony and three times as likely to be imprisoned for drug-related offenses.


Some say that Mexicans bring their culture of crime and corruption to American shores

Does America really want to accept immigrants who have no respect for our laws?

There is also evidence that they are straining local hospital and school systems, as in the case here in North Carolina where caring Louisburg residents had a fund raiser to help save the life of a sick illegal Mexican girl.

Sadly, she died, and her illegal Mexican parents repaid our kindness and generosity by suing the hospital, taking millions of dollars.

Last week there were more reports of Mexican drug lords beheading people in Juarez.

WARNING: The picture below is graphic, please scroll down if you are squeamish


Beheaded Mexicans in Mexico

This CBS News report says that the concerns about increased crime by illegal aliens are well-founded:

“Officers say thousands of immigrants and smugglers still cross the border illegally into Arizona every day.

They commit a disproportionate amount of crime.

Illegal immigrants are just seven percent of Arizona's population, but make up nearly 15 percent of the state's prison population.

They represent 14 percent of all inmates jailed for manslaughter and murder, and 24 percent of inmates on drug charges - troubling to many Arizonans”

Henderson NC Blogger comments cause Libel lawsuit

A cutting edge lawsuit is happening in Henderson North Carolina, testing the responsibility of bloggers to be responsible for what they publish, and an injured person’s ability to get the courts to force the blogger to disclose the identity of those who have written unlawful statements.

This brouhaha started when an 85 year old lady was arrested, making the headlines "Arrest made in elder abuse case".

On August 13, 2009, the 85 year old Thompson was arrested and charged with:

• Three counts of exploitation of a disabled person/elder;

• One count of felony larceny for the theft of electricity from Progress Energy;

• and two counts of possession of a stolen electrical meter.




The core issue is whether the landlord had a "doody" to oversee the operations of the old folks home. Here is an example of a bathroon at the boarding house, quite crappy:


Can elderly abuse charges extend to a landlord?

The discussion strayed beyond the core story to the property owner who was accused of culpability in the crime.

The landlord (a former Henderson public figure) responded by suing for Libel and demanding that the identities of the people who published libelous comments be disclosed.

The judge ruled that the comments were indeed libelous, and the names of some of the commenters were published in the Henderson newspaper.

This article note that an NC judge has ruled that a blogger, just like a newspaper, is responsible for what they publish, and ordered the blogger to disclose the identity of the alleged wrongdoers:

“The court stated in the June 28 order that it balanced the anonymous posters' First Amendment rights to free speech against Hester's basic case for defamation and found that the subpoena should not be quashed.”

It’s not easy to find a bloggers identity and many people misunderstand section 230 of the DMCA, a law which immunizes online service providers (like AOL and NCOL) from liability.

Many people misunderstand and believe that a blogger is an online service provider.
Much case law has suggested that bloggers, like any other publisher are responsible for what they publish.

In this case, the injured party is a former Vance County commissioner.

IANAL, but I’ve heard that it’s hard extremely hard for a public figure to win a libel lawsuit because limited purpose public figures have the burden to show that the comments were made with malice, quite a hurdle . . .

Responsibility of the publisher?

I'm not a lawyer, but the evolving law on this issue and section 230 of the DMCA only absolves a publisher of responsibility only when they take a totally "hands-off" approach, and allow any and all comments, no matter how offensive and nasty.

As I understand it, once the online service provider starts taking an active role in monitoring the blog comments, they become responsible for anything that they publish that is unlawful.

In the instant case, it appears that the host of the web site "Home at Henderson" is indeed screening comments:

34.why did my post get deleted? Comment by LUCY!!!! — August 14, 2009 @ 11:14 am

36.Lucy, I sent you an email. Read it. Comment by Jason Feingold, Ed. — August 14, 2009 @ 12:24 pm

It will be very interesting to see how this turns out, especially in light of the constantly evolving case law surrounding this complex and important social issue . . . .

What are Tertiary Lues?

I learned that when a physician examines an insane patient they always check for evidence of “tertiary lues”, a clue to the root cause of nutty behavior.

Evidently, crazy people with syphilis develop these tertiary lues, a visual clue to the root cause of schizophrenic behaviors.



In WWII, Syphilis and gonorrhea was a major concern, and I love the old WWII VD posters:



Syphilis was one rare, but this fatal form of crotch rot is making a comeback:



So what do tertiary lues look like?

Click the link for an image search for tertiary lues if you dare . . . .

The Uroclub; For when you’re a peein’ on the golf course!

Does a golfer pee in the words?

It’s a tradition for guys to pee in the woods when playing golf, but now that women have taken up the sport, it’s not considered polite anymore.

I found this amazing gizmo, the “Uroclub” a unique defication tool . . . .

The Uroclub is not a club for europeans, it’s for when you’re a peein’ on the golf course:


Take a whiz while golfing

Just put on the privacy towel, unscrew the cap and then simply insert your member:


What golfer wouldn't want one of these?

Then, you are free to relieve yourself in front of your guests, and no ladies are the wiser:


Share the Uroclub with your friends

The downside is that you have to have to get your wife to empty it!

I would have designed it to simply drain out the end, into the grass . . .

I think I’ll stick with the tried and true “gotta go look for a lost ball in the woods” ruse.

What are Wolf Trees?

North Carolina is mostly forest and known for lumber production and the lumber farmers go to great effort to prevent trees from growing low-hanging branching limbs.

These are called "wolf trees", trees whose lumber has knots that make the wood less desirable.

This WWII poster warning people to destroy "wolf trees" is interesting:


A wolf tree is a large tree that usually developed in the open with an undesirable form (from a logger's perspective) since the trunks aren't good for lumber and they shade out nearby younger trees.

Wolf trees are generally culled for firewood to make space for trees that will have straight branchless trunks.

Do not parasail with a large ass

This news item warns about the dangers of parasailing with a large ass:



I tried parasailing once, and the powerboat barely got me off the surface of the waves. . .

Charges of animal cruelty are pending.

Lets revoke all civil rights for child molester sex offenders!

I think that it’s a really bad idea for convicted sex offenders to retain their civil rights, especially since many studies have shown that sec offenders can never be rehabilitated and they remain a menace to society.


Pedobear on the prowl

This tale below is just wrong:

Catch a Predator pays for pervert suicide

The “To catch a predator” was a chilling show, exposing how many sick bastards are out there preying on our kids.

"To Catch a Predator" is brilliant TV that also does an important public service:



Nobody denies that “To catch a predator” is blatant entrapment, but when dealing with serial killers and perverts, I don’t care!

God only knows how many young people have been saved by this Tim Hanson.



More than 250 suspected online predators have been exposed, leading to the convictions of over 100 pedophiles and child molesters.

Good riddance to bad rubbish

Bill Conradt, one pervert who was tracked down by "To Catch a Predator" shot and killed himself during the episode, providing great TV entertainment and doing everyone in the community a great favor.



In a sickening development, his sister sued NBC and NBC settled for $105 million.

We need to start ensuring that Civil Rights for child molesters are completely revoked, not just for perverts, but for any felons who can never be rehabilitated. . . .

This is just not right:

Impeach Robert E. Blackburn

I will never understand why the founding fathers felt that Federal judges should be appointed.

Affiming the "Right to Lie"

This is absolutely outrageous, a dimwitted Federal judge who should be impeached for incompetence.

This man has ruled on what is being called the "right to lie", disgracing American servicemen who have fought and died for their personal honor and valor.

Who appoints incompetent Federal Judges?

I have met several Federal judges socially in my life and I was left scratching my head at how they ever got to be judges.

I remember dining with two Federal judges on a cruise and I was genuinely scared for the future of our Federal Government.

This is yet another affirmation of my concerns about the legal ability of the Federal judiciary.

In a rambling and incoherent ruling by the dimwitted Robert E. Blackburn, we see even more reason why Federal Judges should be elected, and never appointed.

Judge for yourself, is this the work of an intelligent man?

""that the people of this nation continue to revere our brave military men and women regardless of – or perhaps even more so because of – false and vainglorious attempts to appropriate such accolades."

Need more evidence? Just look at Judge Blackburn:


Impeach Judge Blackburn

Note his goofy slanted smile and silly bow tie.

In my experience, people with insecurity about their intelligence will often compensate for it my using props like bow ties. It's a common technique used by dullards who want to appear erudite.

Is it just me, or does it look like judge cannot spell his own name?

Here is a cropped image of his signature, and it looks like "Blackbum":


Robert E. Blackbum?

Every resident of Denver should be very ashamed to have elected this fool.

Let’s hope that the Colorado state legislature will move quickly to impeach this horrible disgrace of a judge.

"My goat is in a pen"

The designers of these childrens word scramble tests must be more careful:

Brad Clayton’s right arm has been stolen!

Janet and I are very lucky to have Brad Clayton as our golf coach, and we were saddened to hear that some crook has stolen his right arm.

What kind of dirtbag would steal a man’s right arm?

That’s the question being asked after some thief stole Brad Claytons prosthetic arm from his home in South Carolina last week.

Brad relies on his right arm to play golf:


Brad relies on his arm to earn a living

According to this TV new reports, the right arm bandit has not been apprehended:



Please lend a hand for Brad

While police work to catch this one arm bandit, Brad needs our help.

Even though Brad Clayton has been recognized as one of America’s top golf coaches, he is not a wealthy man, and this robbery has been devastating.

Brad is especially worthy of your help because he donates his time to help in the “Wounded Warriors” program, teaching real American heroes how to overcome their disabilities and play golf.



It takes a special person to donate their time to help disabled war veterans, and Brad is worthy of your help.

This is just one of the testimonials to Brad's good works:



Brad is too proud to ask for help, but if you have an extra right arm that he can use, he would be very grateful.

Nothing fancy, even an old-fashioned claw-hand arm would be most appreciated.

Please call 800-766-1884 if you would like lend Brad a hand.

Origin of the word "Fudgepacker"

As you can see in this 1980's photo, the term “fudgepacker” did not used to have any sexual connotations, a quite innocent word, used to describe yummy ice cream treats:



It was not until the 1990’s when Robin Williams first used the term “fudgepacker” in one of his stand-up comedy routines that the innocent term fudge packer because synonymous with deviant sex acts.

Later, the term "Fudgepacking" came to refer to the act of male gays maing love.


Ben & Jerry’s makes a Pro-fudgepacker reference

Just like other terms that have changed meanings, real fudgepackers had a hard time dealing with this new definition:



The most famous recent fudpacking event was from South Park, where Tom Cruise is packing fudge:


Tom Cruise is a fudgepacker (from South Park episode 200)

Here is the original episode:

Freeze that Dog Poop!

Don’t you hate it when Rover gets a bad case of Doggie diarrhea?

As a diligent pooper-scooper, you need to clean up the mess, but a severe case of canine projectile diarrhea can cause a spray effect that’s mighty hard to consolidate into a little plastic baggie!


Don't try this with a pooper-scooper

Well, move over Rover, this new product Poop Freeze claims to freeze even the runniest stool into a solid mass so hard that you can pick it up with your bare fingers:


Poop Freeze: "Just frost and toss"

Now, whenever Fido lobs a gooey broth into your shag carpet, it's Poop Freeze to the rescue!

You can use Poop Freeze spray to turn it into a hardened “fudgesicle”, making for easy disposal.



The consumer comments on Poop Freeze are entertaining:

- “You know those cans of air you buy to clean your keyboards & other things? Try turning one of those cans upside down and spraying the poop -couple of blasts - each about 5 seconds works great! That and a putty knife lifts it right off the carpet!”

- “I was really excited to try my Poop Freeze right when I received it. I was only a few weeks from receiving my puppy, so I promptly squatted some out on my kitchen counter. I then doused it with Poop Freeze - what a crock! It sprayed poop all over my cupboards and floor! Not to mention the tray of muffins I had cooling. Doesn't matter that it's human poop, does it? And it darn well shouldn't matter it was diarrhea!”

India uses Pyramid Power for traffic control!

I cannot believe how naïve some foreigners can be, believing in all sorts of "junk science" like healing pyramids:


Pyramids: The secret power of the ancients?

I’ve only seen the ridiculous “power” pyramids in Sedona where the burnt-out hippies sell them.

I was under the impression that you had to lose at least 25% of your brain cells from a bad batch of Orange Sunshine to believe this crap, but I was wrong!

Here's proof! The pyramid research kit!

For those who are sceptical of pyramids, look at this, a pyramid “research” kit (1), perfect for foreigners and hippies to need to conslusively prove the power of their pyramids:


Pyramid kit emits high levels of "life energy"

(1) hippie not included

“These precision made pyramid generators use advanced alloys and antenna design to collect and radiate high levels of Life Energy.”

Pyramid Power being deployed in India

People from India believe in pyramid power too, just like hippies!

Indian police use Pyramid Science.

“The department is convinced placing 'pyramidical structures' at the centre of each crossing will result in positive energy circulating in the area and reduction of mishaps.”

That’s right campers, Indian police are using “Pyramid Science”.

And remember, these are the same people who we give Visa’s to come to America because of their superior science skills (I aways wondered why studies show that many Indian H1-B Visa holders have fake science credentials).

I truly wish this was a joke, but it’s quite real:

"A pyramid has a positive energy and it is a proven fact. What needs to be seen is how a pyramid is going to help prevent road mishaps."

Via J-Walk