Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Showing posts with label Dayhoff Dr. Pepper Award. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dayhoff Dr. Pepper Award. Show all posts

Monday, November 30, 2009

A reprint of Living and loving in the age of asparagus from Oct 2 2007

Living and loving in the age of asparagus

or

Mary Katherine Ham to Alicia Silverstone: Go Hunting

October 3rd, 2007

Although I have spent a large portion of my life as a vegetarian; as I grew older and life got particularly hectic, I gave it up – for now anyway. Who knows, tomorrow, I may go back. Whatever.

A number of years ago, as I was attempting to reason with an unreasonable person and losing miserably, a colleague said to me:

“You know what your problem is?”

“Ugh.” I really did not need advice at that particular moment; however, I prized his friendship and sheepishly asked: “What?”

“It's a dog eat dog world out there, and you're a vegetarian!"

We solved that by going out to a sub shop where I gave up the anorexic bliss of salads and voraciously scarfed down a cheese-steak sandwich.

It was a road to Damascus experience

I still lose miserably with folks who accept narcissistic fiction as fact, however, I am bigger now and I figure that if I am to be eaten alive, I might as well give folks a flavorful super-sized meal.

Then again, to be candid, I was never good at being a vegetarian. I never stopped eating animal crackers and every once and awhile at Moms, I’d dive into a steak – and I can rarely remember missing turkey at Thanksgiving.

I have a number of colleagues and some family members who are, at the moment, practicing vegetarians - and I respect that choice. Besides, I really like vegetables. Then there are folks who don’t like vegetables or are otherwise broccoli intolerant. To them I say, ya really ought to “give peas a chance.”

A member of my family, who is an avid vegetarian, recently gave some seafood a try.

Bold.

Writing for the Washington Post, Joel Achenbach says:

“Certain kinds of seafood, such as lobster, clams and crabs, are honorary forms of meat, but a small filet of a low-fat white fish should be viewed as essentially a vegetable. Raw oysters are manfood, as is any fish served with the head on and the mouth gaping in horror.

Me, I could live off of Dr. Pepper, coffee and grits. Hey, don’t knock the cooking with Dr. Pepper book. There are some great recipes in there.

I never tried the “vegan” approach. I often wondered how the term came about. When I was quite young I had a great deal of confusion over the term “vegetarian.” If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?

Mr. Achenbach calls to our attention a savior for vegans, who every once in awhile, go Jonesing for a milkshake – “soy cows.”

In the column he was initially singing the praises of his new “Fabulator 5000.”

What is a “Fabulator 5000?” I am so glad you asked. I was fascinated about this development since I am still using the Fabulator model No. 1953.

I’ll let Mr. Achenbach ‘splain:

“I love my new food printer, the Fabulator 5000, which makes the previous food printers look not just clunky but positively medieval. There's no more click-and-point nonsense on the screen, no more waiting five or six interminable minutes for the food to print. You just tell the Fab 5 what you want. The food comes out in about three or four seconds, complete with garnish and a complementary wine.”

Oh, the “soy cows?” Apparently Mr. Achenbach recently “took the kids … to Homewood Farm to see a good old-fashioned agricultural enterprise…”

“I got a look at the new soy cows, grazing in the large field just north of the orchard. The USDA apparently felt that soy milk could be produced much more efficiently if it came from cows made of soy. These cows are so green they nearly blend into the landscape. They say the soy milk is a lot better tasting (not as beany, somehow) than the stuff derived from plants, and the soy burgers are more tender. But you've probably read about how the soy cows dry up badly in drought conditions -- they literally wilt -- and even catch fire. Bored teenagers have been blamed for setting some of the cow fires.”

There is much to be appreciated by the vegetarian lifestyle; nevertheless my goal was to not be evangelical about it all.

But – and ya know there was going to be a “but” in here soon – I’ve never been fond of PETA’s Strindbergian gloom and bleakness approach to advocacy.

When I was a practicing vegetarian, invariably, some folks would suggest some linkage to me, a vegetarian, with PETA’s in-your-face humorless lactose intolerant militancy. An approach which often seems more oriented to being obnoxious and annoying instead of being compelling and persuasive to what is otherwise, a perfectly fine lifestyle, vegetarianism, for which PETA routinely does an injustice....

At a local government - social event, a local elected official’s wife was horrified that I was a vegetarian. “How can a big strapping former Marine be a vegetarian,” she gasped.

I solved that in quick order. She was a dog lover and the owner of a huge dog. I mean huge – about the size of a water buffalo.

I asked her if she had ever eaten dog. When I was in the Marines, a South Vietnamese ranger once cooked-up a mess of dog.

It tasted like chicken.

I suggested to my scowling friend that her St. Bernard could feed an entire village… And one wonders why I lost my last election?

Recently Alicia Silverstone did an ad for PETA that has garnered a great deal of attention. I can’t believe that it is winning over any converts to vegetarianism, but it has attracted attention to PETA.

Whether it is really the sort of attention that an advocacy organization wants is a bigger issue for which there is not right or wrong, it just isn’t my cup of tea.

Nevertheless, in age of so much strife and discord, I yearn for a time when peas will rule the planets, and love won’t be such a fuss. I long for the dawn of the age of asparagus.

Enter stage right, Mary Katherine Ham. Ms. Ham has done a spoof on the Ms. Silverstone ad that is a real crack-up.

Please enjoy it:

####

No animals were hurt in the writing of this column.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

http://www.kevindayhoff.net/

E-mail him at: kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - http://www.thetentacle.com/; Westminster Eagle Opinion; http://www.thewestminstereagle.com/ and Winchester Report.

*****
Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Hideous Man-Beast Washes Up On Shore Of Municipal Pool

Hideous Man-Beast Washes Up On Shore Of Municipal Pool

July 10, 2009 Issue 45•28

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/hideous_man_beast_washes_up_on

SEWARD, NE—Responding to complaints about an awful stench, local lifeguard Matt Frieze, 26, discovered what appeared to be the bloated body of a repulsive man-beast that had mysteriously washed up on the shore of the Dowding Municipal Pool Monday.

Enlarge Image Man Beast

Onlookers were horrified at the sight of the massive, possibly amphibious monster

Frieze, who found the unidentified monstrosity sprawled out on the concrete at approximately 2:30 p.m., said he attempted to inspect the bizarre creature but was repelled by the sight of the putrid mass of flesh and hair.

"I've never seen anything like it before," said Frieze, adding that he first assumed it was just a pile of rotting sewage until he noticed its lower extremities were partially covered by what appeared to be a denim garment. "It looked like some kind of decomposing manatee with these horrible teeth and a face like…."

"Oh my God, I think I'm going to be sick," Frieze added.

Read the entire article here: http://www.theonion.com/content/news/hideous_man_beast_washes_up_on

Cancer Walk Goes Under 15-Straight Miles Of High Tensile Power Lines
7 Million People Direct Descendants Of Single Smooth-Talking Ancestor
[audio] Moment Of Silence Interrupted By New Tragedy
Girlfriend Loves Spending 'Alone Time' With You
Talking To Your Kids About Death: Five Easy Places To Leave This Magazine Lying Around
Mississippi The Fattest State
see more »

*****

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

20080615 I went into stripping for all the wrong reasons


"Craig Seymour: I went into stripping for all the wrong reasons"

June 25, 2008

What a hoot. How could I have missed this? As an artist and a writer, I have gone through some pretty lean times in my life. However, I must admit that this is not an idea that I ever considered…
"I went into stripping for all the wrong reasons."

After Craig Seymour Took It All Off, He Wrote It All Down

Sunday, June 15, 2008; M02 by Gabe Oppenheim for the Washington Post


Before Washington leveled Southeast's gay clubs for a stadium, when neighborhood men could get up close and sweaty together without being in the Nats lineup, Craig Seymour, 39, took the stage in a G-string.

A PhD student and stripper.

This fall, he joins the journalism faculty at Northern Illinois University.

[…]

I always wanted to be a writer, but taking the risk as a stripper allowed me to take risks in other parts of my life. . . .

[…]

I wouldn't put stripping on the curriculum for J-school. That was just part of my journey. That happened to be the thing I needed.

The better solution perhaps is just to take chances all along the way. I think I had made so many safe decisions in my life, I needed a big decision like stripping. . . .

I went into stripping for all the wrong reasons. I went into it because I actually thought it would help me make peace around the issues I had with body image.

[…]


####

20080615 I went into stripping for all the wrong reasons

Thursday, October 04, 2007

20071003 Living and loving in the age of asparagus

Living and loving in the age of asparagus

or

Mary Katherine Ham to Alicia Silverstone: Go Hunting

October 3rd, 2007

Although I have spent a large portion of my life as a vegetarian; as I grew older and life got particularly hectic, I gave it up – for now anyway. Who knows, tomorrow, I may go back. Whatever.

A number of years ago, as I was attempting to reason with an unreasonable person and losing miserably, a colleague said to me:

“You know what your problem is?”

“Ugh.” I really did not need advice at that particular moment; however, I prized his friendship and sheepishly asked: “What?”

“It's a dog eat dog world out there, and you're a vegetarian!"

We solved that by going out to a sub shop where I gave up the anorexic bliss of salads and voraciously scarfed down a cheese-steak sandwich.

It was a road to Damascus experience

I still lose miserably with folks who accept narcissistic fiction as fact, however, I am bigger now and I figure that if I am to be eaten alive, I might as well give folks a flavorful super-sized meal.

Then again, to be candid, I was never good at being a vegetarian. I never stopped eating animal crackers and every once and awhile at Moms, I’d dive into a steak – and I can rarely remember missing turkey at Thanksgiving.

I have a number of colleagues and some family members who are, at the moment, practicing vegetarians - and I respect that choice. Besides, I really like vegetables. Then there are folks who don’t like vegetables or are otherwise broccoli intolerant. To them I say, ya really ought to “give peas a chance.”

A member of my family, who is an avid vegetarian, recently gave some seafood a try.

Bold.

Writing for the Washington Post, Joel Achenbach says:

“Certain kinds of seafood, such as lobster, clams and crabs, are honorary forms of meat, but a small filet of a low-fat white fish should be viewed as essentially a vegetable. Raw oysters are manfood, as is any fish served with the head on and the mouth gaping in horror.

Me, I could live off of Dr. Pepper, coffee and grits. Hey, don’t knock the cooking with Dr. Pepper book. There are some great recipes in there.

I never tried the “vegan” approach. I often wondered how the term came about. When I was quite young I had a great deal of confusion over the term “vegetarian.” If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?

Mr. Achenbach calls to our attention a savior for vegans, who every once in awhile, go Jonesing for a milkshake – “soy cows.”

In the column he was initially singing the praises of his new “Fabulator 5000.”

What is a “Fabulator 5000?” I am so glad you asked. I was fascinated about this development since I am still using the Fabulator model No. 1953.

I’ll let Mr. Achenbach ‘splain:

“I love my new food printer, the Fabulator 5000, which makes the previous food printers look not just clunky but positively medieval. There's no more click-and-point nonsense on the screen, no more waiting five or six interminable minutes for the food to print. You just tell the Fab 5 what you want. The food comes out in about three or four seconds, complete with garnish and a complementary wine.”

Oh, the “soy cows?” Apparently Mr. Achenbach recently “took the kids … to Homewood Farm to see a good old-fashioned agricultural enterprise…”

“I got a look at the new soy cows, grazing in the large field just north of the orchard. The USDA apparently felt that soy milk could be produced much more efficiently if it came from cows made of soy. These cows are so green they nearly blend into the landscape. They say the soy milk is a lot better tasting (not as beany, somehow) than the stuff derived from plants, and the soy burgers are more tender. But you've probably read about how the soy cows dry up badly in drought conditions -- they literally wilt -- and even catch fire. Bored teenagers have been blamed for setting some of the cow fires.”

There is much to be appreciated by the vegetarian lifestyle; nevertheless my goal was to not be evangelical about it all.

But – and ya know there was going to be a “but” in here soon – I’ve never been fond of PETA’s Strindbergian gloom and bleakness approach to advocacy.

When I was a practicing vegetarian, invariably, some folks would suggest some linkage to me, a vegetarian, with PETA’s in-your-face humorless lactose intolerant militancy. An approach which often seems more oriented to being obnoxious and annoying instead of being compelling and persuasive to what is otherwise, a perfectly fine lifestyle, vegetarianism, for which PETA routinely does an injustice....

At a local government - social event, a local elected official’s wife was horrified that I was a vegetarian. “How can a big strapping former Marine be a vegetarian,” she gasped.

I solved that in quick order. She was a dog lover and the owner of a huge dog. I mean huge – about the size of a water buffalo.

I asked her if she had ever eaten dog. When I was in the Marines, a South Vietnamese ranger once cooked-up a mess of dog.

It tasted like chicken.

I suggested to my scowling friend that her St. Bernard could feed an entire village… And one wonders why I lost my last election?

Recently Alicia Silverstone did an ad for PETA that has garnered a great deal of attention. I can’t believe that it is winning over any converts to vegetarianism, but it has attracted attention to PETA.

Whether it is really the sort of attention that an advocacy organization wants is a bigger issue for which there is not right or wrong, it just isn’t my cup of tea.

Nevertheless, in age of so much strife and discord, I yearn for a time when peas will rule the planets, and love won’t be such a fuss. I long for the dawn of the age of asparagus.

Enter stage right, Mary Katherine Ham. Ms. Ham has done a spoof on the Ms. Silverstone ad that is a real crack-up.

Please enjoy it:

####

No animals were hurt in the writing of this column.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com and Winchester Report.

Monday, September 24, 2007

20070924 Today is National Punctuation Day




Today is National Punctuation Day

September 24th, 2007

Please join me in a celebration of the semicolon.

Hat Tip: About.com – Grammar & Composition: http://grammar.about.com/b/a/000153.htm

There is even an official “Meat Loaf of National Punctuation Day.” I kid you NOT!

So please tell me; did you celebrate National Punctuation Day? If so how?

How do you feel about punctuation?”

As I keyboard - festivities are in the works over at WTTR.

Cook the Official Meat Loaf of National Punctuation Day! (see PDF recipe)

Celebrate National Punctuation Day®

September 24


National Punctuation Day founder becomes caped crusader to promote literacy in schools

PINOLE, CA — National Punctuation Day, the holiday that reminds America that a “semicolon is not a surgical procedure,” celebrates its fourth anniversary September 24. But what started as a clever idea to remind corporations and professional people of the importance of proper punctuation has turned into an everyday mission to help school children learn the punctuation skills they need to be successful in life.

Founded in 2004 by former newspaperman Jeff Rubin, NPD is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events and The Teacher’s Calendar, two directories published by McGraw-Hill.

The annual event is widely recognized. Bank of America in Tampa, FL, for example, commemorates NPD with a week-long array of celebrations and trivia contests. Last year, Rubin was a guest on dozens of radio shows, NPD received significant newspaper coverage, and the Dayton Business Journal in Ohio baked cookies and pastries in the shape of punctuation marks.

More: Celebrate National Punctuation Day

In the Spotlight | More Topics |

from Jen Hubley

Formal instruction in grammar and punctuation was out of style when I went to school. If you were a big reader, which I was, it was sort of assumed you'd pick up the mechanics on your own.

National Punctuation Day

Fortunately, my Mom was a former English teacher with a horror of sloppy usage. I was the only kid I knew who diagrammed sentences at the dinner table - and not because it was homework.

- Grammar & Composition Guide Richard Nordquist

Basic Rules of Punctuation

As Richard points out, the problem with rules of punctuation is "like many of the so-called 'laws' of grammar, [they] ... would never hold up in court." One of my favorites to abuse: the "law" of "quote." (See how annoying that was?)

- Grammar & Composition Guide Richard Nordquist

The Campaign to Abolish the Apostrophe

It totally fries me to see possessives spelled without apostrophes. As it's happening more and more - "Pike's Peak" into "Pikes Peak," etc. - I guess I'll either have to lighten up or get myself a pair of fireproof pants.

Grammar & Composition Guide Richard Nordquist

####

Thursday, September 20, 2007

20070920 Best quotes ever – well, maybe not

Best quotes ever – well, maybe not

Hat Tip: Grammy

These were just e-mailed to me. Warning: Do not attempt to consume any liquids while reading these quotes. Your computer keyboard may be at risk…

September 20th, 2007

Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?

Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not
live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever,
then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever,
which is why I would not live forever,"

Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest . (On September 17, 1994, Alabama's Heather Whitestone was selected as Miss America 1995.)

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids
all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love
to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and
death and stuff." --Mariah Carey

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life."
-- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign.

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body"

Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward.

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country"--Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC.

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"I'm not going to have some reporters pawing through our papers. We are the president." -- Hillary Clinton commenting on the release of subpoenaed documents.

````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass, and I'm just the one to do it."--A congressional candidate in Texas.

``````````````````````````````````````````````````

"Half this game is ninety percent mental." --Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark

````````````````````````````````````````````````

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it."--Al Gore, Vice President

And

"We are ready for an un foreseen event that may or may not occur."-- Al Gore, VP

````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix."-- Dan Quayle

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"--Lee Iacocca

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."--Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people."-- Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instrutor .

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure." --Bill Clinton, President

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas." --Keppel Enderbery

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances." --Department of Social Services, Greenville, South Carolina

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record."--Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman

####

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

20070911 David K Kyle and Brian Griffiths

David K. Kyle and Brian Griffiths

September 11th, 2007

Pictured above is David with his old girlfriend, Madonna, in his pink Yugo era.

And featured below is a video of Brian and David from an earlier time. What folks may not be aware is that Brian and David are the original “Pet Shop Boys.”

As you can read here, the split has been less than kind. Brian has drowned himself in blogging. Madonna left David and now he just mopes about listening to Johnny Cash.

They had lost track of each other only to re-discover each other on BNN.

PS: Brian, you may have to turn up the volume…

Go West Young men – Go West

####

Thursday, July 05, 2007

20070705 OMG Best headline Ever

OMG - Best headline Ever

Posted July 5th, 2007

Hat Tip: Best. Headline. Ever, July 4th, 2007 by donsurber

“That’s what an L-Dotter called it. … Read it for yourself to see if you agree. … Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit: ‘Maybe the decade.’”

Read Mr. Surber’s post here: Best. Headline. Ever

Winner of the Dr. Pepper Award. Before you click on: “Read it for yourself” safely secure all liquids…

####

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

20070618 A "Lady Godiva" has her day in New York’s courts

A "Lady Godiva" has her day in New York’s courts

Image credit: Lady Godiva by John Collier, ca 1897

De minimis non curat lex?

June 18th, 2007

I must note that the Pillage Idiot is on quite a roll these days. He must be younger than me or perhaps I wanna know what coffee he drinks to maintain the energy; but his post, “De minimis non curat lex?” wins the Dayhoff Dr. Pepper award.

Or perhaps his post warrants a new category, the “Reductio ad absurdum award”

Of course it all reminded me of the 1966 song by “Peter and Gordon, “Lady Godiva:”

Of “Lady Godiva,” Wikipedia notes:

Godiva (or Godgifu) (c. 990?–September 10, 1067) was an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry in England in order to gain a remission of the oppressive toll imposed by her husband on his tenants. The name "peeping Tom" for a voyeur comes from later versions of this legend in which a man named Tom watched her ride and was stricken blind.

Anyway, the Pillage Idiot writes:

The New York tabloids are having a field day with a settlement between an East Village artist and the City over her arrest for going out topless on the street.

New York Post: "'Bust'ed Gal Payoff."

New York Daily News: "Bra-vo! $29G in topless suit"

The artist, Jill Coccaro, "who now goes by the name Phoenix Feeley" (no immature jokes, please), relied on a 1992 decision of the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, which held that prohibiting women, but not men, from going topless violated equal protection.

Read the rest here – after you safely secure all liquids…: De minimis non curat lex?

####

Saturday, June 02, 2007

20070529 “Duly Noted” by Martin Marty in “The Christian Century Magazine”

“Duly Noted” by Martin Marty in “The Christian Century Magazine”

June 1st, 2007

Fairly hilarious commentary on the use of footnotes in contemporary writing. I like footnotes, however the over-use of footnotes is a challenge, and I have come to not like footnotes that are aggregated in the back of the book or the very end of the article. I like footnotes at the bottom of the page.

Nevertheless. Prepare to smile:

“Duly Noted” by Martin Marty in “The Christian Century Magazine”

May 29, 2007

M.E.M.O.: Duly noted

by Martin E. Marty

article printed from:

The Christian Century Magazine

http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=3403

Herewith,1 an2 essay3 on4 footnotes.5 Quote6: "Lomborg's7 book,8 The Skeptical Environmentalist,9 is10 carefully11 researched12 (2,93013 footnotes14!15)." So reads a line in a letter to the editor that criticized author Bill McKibben for basing his environmental concerns on "bad science which results in equally bad theology" (Century, May 1). The "good science," to this letter-writer, is exhibited in Bjørn Lomborg's "carefully researched" (2,930 footnotes!) book. The right theology, writes this reader, is "one of abundance, not scarcity." Nature has a "resilient capacity to replenish itself. We ought not be anxious, but rather consider how nature arrays (and cares for) itself."16

Now read the entire commentary here: “Duly Noted” by Martin Marty in “The Christian Century Magazine”


Friday, June 01, 2007

20070531 Neighbors

Neighbors

May 31st, 2007

Hat Tip: CJ

I received this in an e-mail. It is, as noted in the e-mail, a “true story.” If it isn’t it doesn’t matter, because it illustrates a great point: It has often been said that the pursuit of world peace begins with getting along with your neighbors…

Yeah, we’ve all been there – although for the past several years, I’ve been very fortunate to have a great group of neighbors…

Once upon a time, in a previous life when I was an elected official, playing referee with the neighbor disputes in the community was quite time consuming and often profoundly unpleasant…

Anyway:

This is a true story, it happened in Utah and was on the news!

No doubt, each of you could use a little comic relief today.

Here's the story.

A city councilman, Mark Easton, lives in an upscale neighborhood. He had a beautiful view of the east mountains, until a new neighbor purchased the lot below his house and built.

Apparently, the new home was 18 inches higher than the ordinances would allow, so Mark Easton, mad about his lost view, went to the city to make sure they enforced the lower roof line ordinance. Mark and his new neighbor had some great arguments about this as you can imagine - not great feelings.

The new neighbor had to drop the roof line - no doubt at great expense.

Recently, Mark Easton called the city and informed them that this same new neighbor had installed some vents on the side of his home. Mark didn't like the look of these vents and asked the city to investigate. When they went to Mark's home to see the vent view, this is what they found...


Monday, May 14, 2007

20070514 I love a woman with a microscope

May 14th, 2007

Please enjoy: And The Lovelace Poster Goes To… Seventy girl geeks vied for top honors in our "She's Such A Geek!" Photo Contest. Who was judged geekiest? by Anne Casselman - 07 March 2007

Dr. Pepper was dripping from my ears when I read: “I have a real Mary Kay pink lab coat…

She’s Such a Geek! Editors Annalee Newitz and Charlie Anders finally picked their choice geeks. They were even responsible enough to put together some criteria: 1. Was the person involved in one of their chosen geeky activities in the photo? (using a computer wasn’t enough) and 2. Was the photo recent and well composed?

So that’s how 31-year-old life sciences teacher Valory Thatcher gets to take home the poster of super-chic geek Ada Byron, Lady Lovelace (we stand humbly corrected on the exact order of the “Lady” and “Lovelace” parts), and place it in her geeky office at Mount Hood Community College. But the competition was stiff, and beautifully geeky brave souls came pretty darn close. We pestered Valory with some questions to suss out the depths of her geekiness. We were very impressed and can rest easy knowing Ada’s going to a good home.

[…]

Read the entire post here (and put away the Dr. Pepper first…J) And The Lovelace Poster Goes To…

For more on the joys of geekdom see: “20070304 True Geek.”

####

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

20070424 Quote of the week

Quote of the week April 24th, 2007

“Some people are like Slinkys, you like them better after shoving them down a flight of stairs....” by “Motorcycle Momma”

I am delighted to be included in a quote of the day e-mail that is sent out by a wonderful community leader in Westminster, “TC.” I look forward to it every morning.

I’ve often thought of popping it up on the web site every morning, but I guess that idea is beyond the scope of this post…

Very seldom does anyone respond - - although I like to every once in awhile send a thank you e-mail.

Well, heckfire - - all of the sudden, this morning’s quote of the day drew several responses.

The quote was: “To disbelieve is easy; to scoff is simple; to have faith is harder. Louis L'Amour (1908-1988) Novelist”

Which promptly drew this response from a colleague:

(TC) For a very long time I have enjoyed your thoughts for the day. I would like to share one with you that was recently shared with me......

Some people are like Slinkys, you like them better after shoving them down a flight of stairs....

Hugs, (MM – Motorcycle Momma)

Well the Dr. Pepper went flying. I was in hysterics – I love it!

And that got the following response from MDA:

Perfect! Maybe I should switch to that one!

"Never trouble another for what you can do yourself." Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) 3rd president of the United States

What a hoot. I have unchristian moments when I can easily understand: “Some people are like Slinkys, you like them better after shoving them down a flight of stairs....”

Hey, we’re doin’ just fine up here in Westminster where everyone is above average... We eat our vegetables, work hard and we amuse easily.

For more Dr. Pepper awards, click here: “Dayhoff Dr. Pepper Award.”

####

Thursday, March 01, 2007

20070301 Fix your ceiling tiles or this gecko will die


Fix your ceiling tiles, or this gecko will die

http://adweek.blogs.com/adfreak/2007/03/fix_your_ceilin.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrixhUg1SCg

March 1st, 2007

Copious amounts of Dr. Pepper were lost when I watched this ad earlier today on “Adfreak.com.”

The latest winner of the Dayhoff Dr. Pepper Award is this ad from Thailand: “Fix your ceiling tiles, or this gecko will die.”

The video is must see and prepare to smile… It was posted by David Kiefaber who said:

“Maybe it’s me readjusting to the North Carolina climate, but I’m honestly too touched by this Thai ceiling-tile ad to make fun of how patently ridiculous it is. Even the obvious Geico gecko reference seems coarse after seeing one teary-eyed gecko reach out to the other and barely missing as it died. Thank God the chess players’ over-emotional response kept it from being another Suicidal Robot. Although I couldn’t help but notice the falling scene’s eerie resemblance to the beginning of Cliffhanger. From Neatorama, via Spare Room.”

Click for other

Monday, February 26, 2007

20070225 Timothy Noah of Slate is being Wiki-Whacked

Timothy Noah of Slate is being Wiki-Whacked

I'm Being Wiki-Whacked - washingtonpost.com.

February 25th, 2007

H/t: “Answers.com”

OMG – Way too funny. This is the winner of this week’s Dayhoff Dr. Pepper Award.

Apparently, Timothy Noah, who writes the "Chatterbox" column for Slate, the online magazine at www.slate.com, “is facing wiki-deletion on the basis of lack of notability.”

But ya can be sure that Anna Nicole Smith is in Wikipedia. Yep, sure thing – find her here. On second thought, why bother. (By the way, Tom McLaughlin is the real father of her baby…)

I now feel so much better that I am not listed. At least I don’t think that I am in Wikipedia? Phew: “No results found (for “Kevin Dayhoff”.) For help on searching within…”

Recently one of my editors issued an edict that he will not accept any cite or reference to Wikipedia in any of our columns. Well, this broke my heart… Okay, I’m over it, moving on here…

In the case of Mr. Noah, “Answers.com” called to our attention, Timothy Noah of Slate pokes fun at Wikipedia's "notability" requirement by, among other things, calling it rococo (ridiculously elaborate). Note: The writer is facing wiki-deletion on the basis of lack of notability...

“Wikipedia already maintains rules concerning verifiability and privacy. Why does it need separate rules governing 'notability'? Wikipedia's attempt to define who or what is notable is so rococo that it even has elaborate notability criteria for porn stars. A former Playboy Playmate of the Month is notable; a hot girlfriend to a famous rock star is not. Wikipedia's stubborn enforcement of its notability standard suggests that... we limit entry to the club not because we need to, but because we want to.”

Writing in the Washington Post, Sunday, February 25, 2007, on page B02, Mr. Noah remarks, “Pardon me if I seem a little blue. My Wikipedia bio is about to disappear because I fail to satisfy the ‘notability guideline.’ ”

What follows is a fun read, find it here: “I'm Being Wiki-Whacked

Mr. Noah, we feel your pain.

Kevin

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

20061030 Wendi Thomas wins this week's Dayhoff Dr. Pepper Award






Wendi Thomas wins this week’s Dayhoff Dr. Pepper Award

Started October 30th, 2006 Posted November 1st, 2006

Hat Tip: Wonkette: “Another Wonkette Victory.”

If you will notice in my “Newspapers, Magazines and Internet-based news” links on the left side of the blog, I have a link for “Memphis Commercial Appeal columnist Wendi C. Thomas.”

And it is here for a good reason Dr. Pepper fans. It is because there is no better columnist around better at getting me to have Dr. Pepper squirting out my nose. I’m her biggest fan on the East Coast.

If you would like to learn more Ms. Thomas, go read my Tentacle column, “Who is Wendi Thomas?.”

I tend to take a look at her column as often as possible.

With the Tennessee Senatorial contest between Harold Ford and Bob Corker so contentious, I’ve been meaning to call her or e-mail her and I just have not found the time.

I also have not had the nerve to leave a message for Ms. Thomas that says, “Wendi, call me.”

If you don’t understand, go here: “Too hot for Corker:” “The denounced RNC-sponsored hit piece on Harold Ford, Jr.” Seems that an anti-Ford ad came out that was a little over the top. It is certainly a hoot. It’s the ad at the top of this blog post.

I’m not exactly sure just what is my favorite line…? Perhaps it is the part where the one character says something to the affect of: “Canada can take care of North Korea. They are not too busy these days.” Or maybe it is: "I guess I have too many guns…”

Folks this contest in Tennessee makes the Virginia Senate contest between James Webb and Senator George Allen look like Romper Room. Oh, maybe that was a bad metaphor.

The Tennessee contest has everything – including “confrontations in the parking lot.”

And then along comes Wendi Thomas… and she weighs-in with her column: “Corker's having it both ways.” (Oh Plueeeze put down the Dr. Pepper before you begin reading!)

In one of Republican Bob Corker's latest campaign ads for the U.S. Senate race, he introduces his daughters, Emily, 17, and Julia, 18, who predictably gush about their daddy.

It's good for his wholesome, traditional, conservative Christian family image, but Julia's picture on the Facebook Web site, not so much.

On the site, you'll see Julia in a full-on lip lock with another blonde. A young man puckers up behind them, as if he's eager to make it a threesome.

Julia's near menage a trois has been bandied about the blogosphere for months, but it didn't seem to be particularly newsworthy. That was before the pic reappeared on wonkette.com last week, and Corker, who has repeatedly ragged on his opponent's family, brought his daughters into the race with the campaign ad invitation to meet his girls.

Junior's campaign is not helped one whit by his family's antics, past and present.

But will the conservatives who believe homosexuality to be an abomination be turned off by the same-sex exploration of Corker's college-age daughter?

Read the rest here. It is well worth the time.

If you are interested in more of the Memphis Commercial Appeal’s coverage of the wallow-in-mud campaign between Messrs. Ford and Corker read through some of these articles:

OCTOBER 29: Early voting in Shelby County; Candidates step it up to get out the vote; Caution prevails in last TV debate; 9th District candidates trade jabs at debate. OCTOBER 28: Corker, Ford in last debate; Ford, Corker pick up backing; Ford ad prompts reaction. OCTOBER 27: Corker pours $650,000 into campaign; Ford ad hits RNC spots tying him to girl, gays; For price, candidates can slant coverage; Early voting in Shelby County ; 19 candidates qualify for 4 special legislative elections. OCTOBER 26: Corker maneuvers loophole; Harold Ford Sr. stumping for two sons; Some clergy want state out of same-sex marriage issue; Suit settlement aids Corker and nonprofit; Jake Ford campaign report late; OCTOBER 25: Corker accused of "playing games" with campaign finances; Corker appeals to GOP stronghold in Jr.’s backyard; Ford fights off allegations in latest attack ad; OCTOBER 24: Corker rises in dead-heat poll;

Ford's move on Corker gets national attention; Giuliani campaigns with Corker.

OCTOBER 23: Harold Ford Jr. on cover of Newsweek; Will polling places be ready Nov. 7?; Political Notebook

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org http://www.thetentacle.com/ Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report http://www.thewestminstereagle.com/ www.kevindayhoff.com has moved to http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/