Happy and Cute New Year!

video slow loris (click)

The Slow Loris is related to the Lemur.  It does everything very slowly.  It's bite is toxic! It also is rumored to have a concealed firearm permit and a Glock 9mm, so as warm and fuzzy as it seems, it is not defenseless.

Shrikes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq8MAEBP8Ac

Shrikes are robin sized birds. They are known as "butcher birds" for their feeding habit. They catch insects and small vertebrates then impale their prey on thorns, the spikes on barbed-wire fences or any available sharp point.

From the Doggie Creedo, tips for dogs.

Merry Christmas

                                                          POVERTY
                        
                                                              IS  A 

                                                          WEAPON 

                                             OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

Christmas, the begining.

In the early years of Christianity Easter was the main holiday.  The birth of Jesus was not celebrated until introduced in the fourth century by church officials.   Pope Julius I chose Dec. 25 in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan (Roman) Saturnalia festival.  (Dec 25 was the traditional date for such festivals since Babylonian times.)  By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced.  Doing so, however, risked a certain loss of control by the blending of the two events.

First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432, England by the end of the sixth century, and Scandinavia by the eighth.   By the Middle Ages, Christians attended church on Christmas, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today's Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar would be crowned "lord of misrule" and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink.  If owners failed to comply, the visitors would terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or imagined "debt" to society by entertaining less fortunate citizens. During a period of religious reform, Cromwell and the Puritans outlawed its celebration in England, America, and Ireland during the 1600’s.

V V Vattican vs Anglicans, Religious Cricket World Cup

The head of the Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has accepted a challenge from the Vatican to play their first ever cricket match.  Priests from the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church are planning to compete - appropriately enough - at Lord's in London next September.  The Vatican cricket club, founded in October, includes priests from Australia, India and Pakistan. The umpires will be Muslim or Jewish.  Pope Francis, who played basketball in High School, is a cricket fan.

Vinnie Myers, an Unusual Hero

 

Vinnie Myers is a most unusual hero.  A skilled tattooist (Vinnie’s Tattoos) his business centers on a single  tattoo ------  3 D nipples on women who have had mastectomies.   He first took on the challenge at the request of a surgeon with a seriously distraught patient.  Clients come from all over the world for his services, a mechanism for restoring some self dignity  He has tried to return to a more general practice several times but is unable to ignore the needs of these special clients. Well done Vinnie  --- the  Michelangelo of nipple tattoos.

PS: yes Virginia, reindeer do have to make pee.

Lost Scrolls in Herculaneum

For centuries scholars have hunted for the lost literature of ancient Greece and Rome, missing works of Plato or Cicero, etc.  In Herculaneum in southern Italy, destroyed by a volcano in 79 AD, archaeologists have discovered an entire library of papyrus scrolls turned into solid lumps by high temperatures.  More than 400 burnt charcoal looking scrolls have largely defied efforts to be opened or read.  Some have been lost in the effort. Science has developed some promising techniques currently being experimented with in hopes of recovering some data.

Run Forrest Run!

Depression-era levels of unemployment; people losing insurance; middle class sinking into poverty; school violence; ever growing abuses of big government - and all we can do is debate whether Santa, a fictional character, IS WHITE OR NOT!!!! Run Forrest Run!

Santa

As Comic Book Heroes Corner the Entertainment Market...

..it was only a matter of time till there was a Santa Upgrade.

(Where are all the kiddies?)

The Mystery in Our Lady's eyes

Spanish useful  http://www.sancta.org/videos.html

jpr;The analysis involves a Fourier Transform of the image then spatial filtering then an inverse transform to acquire the clean image. This can be done with mathematics in a computer or  simply with optical lens.
I've done both in the lab but never of a shroud.

The Church is On The Way Back.

Our Pope has been named Time Magazine's Man of  the Year, strong evidence the world recognizes that the Church is addressing its problems.   Interestingly, the announcement came the same day that a Catholic Church child protection watchdog in Ireland published an audit of the Christian Brothers failure to effectively handle sexual abuse complaints against 375 brothers since 1975. That's right, 375 brothers, some of whom had multiple complaints.  The Brothers ran schools under the authority of the Irish Government.  The dichotomy, old vs new, self indulgent corrupt clergy vs service to man,  can't be missed.  Via Pappa.... 

Gerard Manley Hopkins, Jesuit, Poet, Manly, young corpse

My favorite pomation

"Pied Beauty"

Glory be to God for dappled things—

  For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;

    For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;

Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches' wings;

  Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough;

    And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.

All things counter, original, spare, strange;

  Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)

    With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;

He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:

                Praise him.

If I were Ultra Rich I'd invest in Star Trek Action Figures

A painting by Christopher Wool recently sold at Christie's for $26,400,000.  26.4 million? Art? Earth? Hurry and Beam me the hell outta here.

"Apocalypse Now" 4'x5', 1988 

A Thanksgiving after thought.

The tradition for this part of the clan is to gather on Thanksgiving at Mara’s house where the darling child, with help from others, prepares a spectacular meal.  One can hardly get through the appetizers.  And as I sat, stuffed to the limits, I was again reminded of Thanksgiving at 838, and the one time of the year when you knew there would be ‘enough.’  And I think about the cardboard charity boxes that fed us, the ones that so excited mom.  Have no idea from where they came, church and nuns probably, and others who made the goods available to them.  Wish I knew so I might thank them in my prayers.  Think I’ll thank them anonymously, as they originally intended.  They have no idea what their kindness meant to hungry little boys.

Happy birthday Mickey

happy birthday mikey

The department says the cake is legal but a fire permit is required!

Affordable Zen

jeremy brett

Jeremy Brett (born Peter Jeremy William Huggins; 3 November 1933 – 12 September 1995. He was
an heir of the Cadbury chocolatier family. Famous for ten years of TV series Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

me muther's favorite actor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX6a--uu6QM

puer natus

the chant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3XkU1c2uTM

jpr: we hill folk will chant this at midnight  Christmass...oh  yeah A-Capella!.

favorite British word of the day

"PLONK" as in "Valpolocella!- why are you drinking that plonk?"  To paraphrase TSElliot, I have measured out my life in sips of Plonk.

Francis

In his recent  "apostolic exhortation", Pope Francis wrote:

Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralised workings of the prevailing economic system. Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting.

Finally, a real pope.

A little knowledge

When about 12 yrs old or so, us younger guys would sometimes mess with the older boys after dark when they'd be playing football or something under the street lights.  We'd pick grapes or something equally squishy, from the neighbors' backyards.  Then in the darkness between the houses on both sides of the street, we'd pellet the big kids.  Cautiously at first, just a few so they'd not be able to figure out the cause.  Then when they did we let all our ammo fly and then run like hell as they gave chase - big strong tough.  We ran in fear of our lives, not even paying attention to the direction as long as it was away from them, avoiding potholes and jumping gates, and if we fell we didn't stop to assess the damage.  Just hauling ass..  I always felt like I ran a lot faster in the darkness than I did in the daytime.  Like a deer is how it felt. Or like a downhill racer on the edge of losing all control.

 They seldom caught any of us.  The fact is:  we were running faster. One runs faster after dark!  Proven.  I read the study but forgot where so all I got is a little knowledge.  It explained why but I forgot.

Oh, yeah, our pursuers were also running faster.  Ask JPR and Billy.

Attitude of Gratitude

...and Football and Regularity and Cheerleaders and Remote Control and Prilosec

drunk in the snow

jpr: the folly of youth?.Guilty was I.

Why dogs hate cats...click link to find out

doggone cat

turkeys in the snow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ltvxbybJ2k


jpr: safe travel this Thanksgiving!

Santacon

Dec 14 has become a very special holiday in New York City.  Known as Santacon, thousands of New Yorkers dressed as Santa hit bars in mid town Manhattan after work for an evening of excess drinking, urinating and vomiting in public spaces. Thousands of extra police officers will be on duty to deal with the wide spread debauchery.  Unfortunately, I am unable to attend this year but will be peeing and puking in my front yard in 'smypatco' with my friends.

children's parade

jpr: I'm dizzy!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2477757/Pawsitively-adorable-Hundreds-pups-dress-Americas-biggest-Halloween-Dog-Parade.html

England vs New Zealand international rugby

England went down to a hard-fought defeat at the hands of New Zealand despite a valiant attempt which saw them recover from a 14-point deficit to lead midway through the second half.

jpr: Watched the match. it was thrilling action through out. The whole of Wembly stadium broke into song as the English closed to score. The chorus sang the negro spiritual " swing low sweet chariot."

The Doctors

The longest running BBC television show celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.  Still great fun.

digital reconstruction

it works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95ourpqaxdg

baby wild turkey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqQh8DsqOsk

jpr: Coyotes been taking lots of them birds they be hard to find thesedays.

more on wisedom

In Wisdom is a spirit
intelligent, holy, unique,
Manifold, subtle, agile,
clear, unstained, certain,
Not baneful, loving the good, keen,
unhampered, beneficent, kindly,
Firm, secure, tranquil,
all-powerful, all-seeing,
And pervading all spirits,
though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.
For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,
and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.
~scripture

A Friend's Story

  

Tricia Tithridge, a long time family friend, is the longest surviving AIDS victim in Scotland, infected by a blood transfusion more than 30 years ago.  She has just published her story of suffering, family support and endless love of her husband and The McManus Community.  

Jpr quote

Mikey's mind discusses food

tony randall and wife

She was a 20-year-old intern; he was a national treasure 50 years her senior. They had two children together  he died at age 84 while in the hospital.
 peek here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-bJ4D1gOOY

jpr: oh yeah tony studied voice for 32 years.

Billy's Quote for the Day

Great minds discuss ideas 

          Average minds discuss events

                     Simple minds 

                            discuss people.

Durham Cathedral (UK), Luminere Festival

Durham Cathedral illuminated with a 'light painting' of scenes from the Lindisfame Gospels (700 AD) as part of the City's festival of light. 

black snake in the snow

jpr: Us'n hill folk knowd them critters move when the sun shines bright!

It Takes All Kinds

Police in Singapore report the arrest of Batman Bin Suparman for theft.  Superman, a well know local criminal, has a traditional  Javanese last name.  His parents named him Batman after the comic book character who has considerable popularity among the Javanese.  The arresting officer Dick Bin Tracey claimed that Suparman was responsible for additional crimes.

New Discovery--yeti

According to the BBC, British scientists recently compared DNA from hair samples believed to be from a Yeti with a data base of DNA from all known hair bearing animals.  The only results were similarities with bears, but the suspect sample did not positively match any known species.   However, when compared with a larger data base containing now extinct animals scientists got a positive match with ancient polar bears and brown bears, along with an Irishman named Micky Halloran, an 18th century arctic explorer. 

You scoff, you poo pah, you even eschew me and at best you thought I was looney but if you looked it up...

here's what you learned:  DNA testing has shown that ALL Polar Bears descended from one Irish ancestor.

"what does Poo Pah mean?"

Michael Kevin Kearney

He spoke his first words at four months. At the age of six months, he said to his pediatrician "I have a left ear infection"and learned to read at the age of ten months. When Michael was four, he was given multiple-choice diagnostic tests for the Johns Hopkins precocious math program. Without having studied specifically for the exam, Michael achieved a perfect score.

He attended San Marin High School in Novato, California, for one year, graduating at the age of six in 1990. He enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College in Sonoma County, California, graduating at age 8 with an Associate of Science in Geology. He is listed in the Guinness Book as the world's youngest university graduate at the age of ten, receiving a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of South Alabama.

jpr: Zoweeeee!

Quote of the Day by the Aphorist of the Millenium

"Anybody who believes that there is wisdom in aphorisms is an idiot." - Me

to all those Veterinarians out there - woof, meow, moo, squish

Vet Holiday Happy to You

arielle kebbel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4pnZqjlOWU


jpr: decent actress..i just love her name!

world's brightest physicist

jpr: I'm not smart enough to be jealous!

Today on Sesame Street, the letter P

Fluid dynamics researchers from Brigham Young University set out to discover the absolute best spot for dudes to aim at when they're relieving themselves in urinals, to reduce splash back.  They concluded that...well I don't care what they found, but my favorite is it when a bee or fly sticker is placed on the urinal.

The Pakistani Taliban has chosen its new leader, Maulana Fazlullah.

pet jellyfish

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1497255984/desktop-jellyfish-tank

some popular pet names:

delilah

squigylishious

Chika

zookus

sting

ersendalfred

lil jj

Fuyu

Fuji

mayra veronica raving beauty

Mayra Verónica (born Mayra Verónica Aruca Rodríguez August 20, 1980), is a Cuban-born, American model and singer who acquired her fame in the United States on Univision spanish language TV. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVuu4mvT8d4

jpr: saw her appearance on the business channel

Raving Raven Rave

Ravens are smart as Dolphins and Chimps and smarter than Congressmen.  They are able to mimic human speech as well as parrots do. Here's an example:  Nevermore

Comics Raven - No joking here!!

something for him

available fron Esty Hats

• Jpr: Seemingly suitable for all ages!

First Real 'g-men.' An Irish Factoid.

The relief is that of a famous constable of the  Dublin Metropolitan  Police (DMP) who died in 1917 trying to save the life of a trapped workman. The DMP was the British Policing System in Dublin in the years before independence.   It co-existed with the RIC.  While not much mentioned today, the force was famous for advances in forensic work, including the early use of photography, plaster casting, and electronic communications. One of its little know contributions to American Policing is the introduction of the term 'G-men' to refer to armed plainclothes police officers.  American movies and legend incorrectly credit 1930's gangsters with creating the expression to mean 'government men.'  But the Irish used the expression years earlier to describe the dreaded armed plainclothes detectives of 'G Division' of the DMP, thus 'G-men.'  Irish American gangsters brought it with them.

Great Halloween Gag

A Norwegian 'gag shop' sold fake body parts wrapped like meat (to include nutritional data) under the brand name CHOP SHOP during the Halloween season.  Local 'child care' officials were not thrilled and the police were called to inspect the material.  "All in good fun" according to the manufacture.  What a great gag.

mother teresa on prayer

“Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1Q3MREolTc