I'm sitting in my sister's kitchen at the blog box while she wanders around opening and closing cabinet doors reading labels aloud and telling me not to link to her blog....
I'm so tempted.

Alright, fidalia, I won't link to your page. (hehehe)

My open drawer policy.

My 100th Post!

Folks, I'm celebrating my 100th post on You Learn Something New and in honor of this momentous occasion, I will be offering you 100 pieces of useless information...

...if I have time, that is.

LET'S GET BLOGGING!

1. I currently have $6.74 cash on my person.
2. I am listening to a Loreena McKennitt song titled "Skellig."
3. Today is Jean Reno's Birthday. He was born 1948.
4. This was originally the post with random alligator pictures. Which I deleted when I hijacked this post so I could call it my 100th post.
5. Today is Hilary Swank's 30th Birthday!
6. 2 + 3 = 5
7. I just wrote out a purchase requisition for $188.04. For t-shirts. Blue ones.
8. The number eight on it's side is an infinity symbol. Falling eights are infinitely heavy!
9. Lisa Kudrow is 41.
10. Measurements of a pole bean.
11. The Only Band You'll Ever Need
12. Desperado; learn it and sing it!
13. 40 years for Vivica Fox.
14. Jimmy Hoffa disappeared this day in 1975. Learn more.
15. The 38th governor of California was born on this day in 1947. Way to go, old timer!
16. Shop at Smart Bargains!
17. It's international BOG day! (no, not "blog")
18. Apollo 15 lands on the moon
19. Delta Burke was born on this day in 1956.
20. Fotoblog
21. Where to hire look-alikes.
22. PopNots
23. 91st result from a Google search on "crude oil."
24. negative facial expression.
25. What my brother drank. He even has those cups now...
26. For a good time call the Neistat bros.
27. Cart Companion
28. For Hot Heads
29. Bottle Rockets: make your own!
30. Wendy's dollar menu reviewed.
31. Rabies Prevention for kids! It's fun!
32. Lyrics for R. Kelly's Hump Bounce
33. (thanks El Fid) Johnny Lang's new album has just dropped! (actually it was released last year. oops.)
34. Cleveland stinks during the summer.
35. Guess what? Chicken butt.
36. Guess why? Chicken thigh.
37. Open toe tights!
38. Fishies!
39. Morocco
40. Portuguese Train Station
41. I'm not sure where they are, but I'm pretty sure They're Not Having Fun.
42. Trucks of Kelly Park.
43. Unappetizing
44. World's Cutest Greeters
45. Graffiti. Love it.
47. Free Standing Tombs
48. More Graffiti
49. In France they're called Tagues
50. Currently the first Google hit for Purple Leaves
51. The President's 2004 Veteran's Day Proclamation
52. I have this dream all the time ---> &$
53. And I threw these guys in for good measure
54. Upsy-daisy
55. Nice catch there, Lisa
56. Not just a nice word, it's also a great place to eat!
57. I'm a little more than half way there...
58. A funny movie. You should watch it some time.
59. Thought you'd like to know where the Amazon is
60. The perfect age. I can't wait to be sixty. Well, I can wait, but I think it'll be awesome. At least, I hope so. I'll be very disappointed if it's not.
61. So mellow
62. Lyrics to Open Your Eyes
63. Learn a little more about Diamonds
64. How to Turn Down A Valentine
65. Sometimes there's a downside to being man's best friend...
66. It's from the Hit TV Show so it can't be that bad
67. Where critics gather to throw ripe fruit
68. It's Thursday. Syke. It's Tuesday. Man, you're gullible.
69. I'm obsessed with graffiti for some reason. Love the shading
70. Steve Biko was murdered in 1977
71. Hungry? Try Rally's.
72. Make love not war
73. giglet (GIG-lit) [noun, also giglot] A giddy, frolicsome girl.
74. I love bread
75. 3/4 of the way there. I can almost smell the finish line!
76. What are giblets?
77. How many people spell it "deartment?"
78. Brush up on your Engrish?
79. Llama sing-a-long
80. Reverse Scam
81. Dirty Vegas
82. Mexico City has more taxicabs than any other city in the world.
83. Colombia celebrates Tomatina, a holiday in which they throw tomatoes at each other.
84. I have six keys and three bonus cards on my key ring.
85. Rainy Day Resource Page (you know, for kids!)
86. Wheee!
87. Rumpelstiltskin
88. Embarrass has two 'r's.
89. I can finish the word search from the local paper in twelve minutes or less.
90. Somewhere a breeze is blowing.
91. Definition of Economics
92. Do you know the Muffin Man?
93. This technically isn't my 100th post. That and it's been almost a year since I started this list.
94. I wonder what ever happened to Lieberman?
95. Jaboticaba
96. Don't just stand there, Bust A Move!
97. In Devon, Connecticut it is illegal to walk backwards after sunset.
98. Men get hiccups more often than women.
99. Did you know Mexico has 31 states?
100. Can you believe I finished this post? I bet half the links are broken by now.

One thing led to another in a random google search today for "pedicure" and I came up with this: carte blanche pedicure

Some lovely photoblogging

I wonder if I'll get sued using the McD's logo as my profile shot? ---->


[Also, please note new links to the right.]

There is a rubik's sphere out there. What's really odd is the background music. See if you can figure it out...

Considering this blog was only created in the last twenty-four hours, I'd say it was pretty good. But really, John McAdams, did you have to post that creepy spider blog?

(and by the way, John McAdams, I think it's just a shame that you are the only Blogger interested in pistacios)

HYRO

Today we perform a random internet based research on the word "HYRO."

What does it mean? What does it stand for? Is it a real word? Where is it and what does it do? Can it cook shrimp?

Well, we intend to find out:

First of all, welcome to HYRO! They appear to be an internet marketing and business solutions company (buzzword, buzzword). Good for them.

HYRO is also a motorbike dealership in Lansing, IL. Vroom vroom.

HYRO Thailand has a nice picture on their homepage. I think they do investments. Really I have no clue.

This teens organization of the same name claim to be making responsible members of society... we can only hope that's true. Although their first order of business seems to be making campfires. Tsk!

Here, HYRO is a pseudonym (at least I hope that's an assumed name) of a cartoon (sorry - action comic) colorist with aspirations of greatness. Good luck, Hyro! I wish you well. (Nice glint on that sword, by the way.)

Apparently, HYRO is also a band that "takes extremes from experimental music and meshes them with electronics, usually in the vein of off-the-wall dance music." And you can buy the CD without even having to listen to any of their music!

Now here's something interesting: David Brown Hyro Pumps. And I thought they were shoes... silly me!

And last but not least 400 year old Professor Hyro Gladius teaches you about Ancient Runes. Thanks, dude, but anybody who can't spell "hello" correctly should not be teaching languages, especially old ones.

Bringing you the best in random pictures every day!

Seriously though, folks, how much more random can these pictures get? If you all were to select a random picture of the day, which would yours be? Go ahead. Link one!

Come waste time here.

I have noticed a recent influx of visitors from around the world trying to find this photo in my blog (and it's buried quite deep). Now, I can believe that a picture might become popular, even internationally, but the frequency of these searches, not to mention the absolute shotgun international appeal has me thinking that these searches originated with one poor devil who is using a randomiser on his server, has no idea where his photo is and is trying desperately to seek it out.
Well, allow me to help. Your photo is linked to my blog under the entry for 3.10.2004. Scroll down to July 21st. It should read, 'A fish.' That's your baby. Oh, and thanks for letting me use it this long, whoever you are.

Pina Bausch was born this day in 1940. Picture.



[editor's note: random photo of a naked man (from behind) taken down out of shame and general desire to be accepted in society as a decent human being. Oddly enough, even while I feel guilt about putting it up, I also feel guilt about taking it down. There's no winning with some people!]

I woke up late this morning...

My brother tells me that Willliam Tell and his family were avid bowlers. I expressed surprise and asked if he could refer me to a reliable link. To which he replied, "The records were destroyed by fire. Sadly, we'll never know for whom the Tells bowled."

Summertime
for lostdog
(for those of you confused, "lostdog" is the username of the person who requested I sing this particular song. See comments here. Other songs are Sunny Days and Man of LaMancha.)

Ten guesses as to what he's singing.

Quality Entertainment! Almost lost my job playing this one. There's just no disguising it as office work...

New words I learned from my hyper-intelligent friend David:

tantalus: From legend of the King of Lydia who in Hades was submerged in a pool of water up to the chin with a fruit bough above his head, both of which pulled away or receded when he tried to eat or drink. Where we get our word "tantalize."

chimerical: (pronounced KYE-merical) product of unchecked imagination, fantastical or improbable vision or scheme.

Local landmark of the day. I have to have that hat!

La Taupe

The French refer to the mole as la taupe. I translated this informational page on this goofiest of God's creatures. The poor translation serves only to make "la taupe" seem even weirder. Poor, ugly little guy.

I learned something new last night, but I can't remember what it was... Now you know why I write this stuff down.

[later that day]
Nope, I still can't remember. *sigh*

My dad always says, "If you don't write it down, it never happened." But he was talking about history. And there's plenty of history that was written down, but never really happened.

Random shot de jour

My favorite random photo thus far.

I am almost certain I have covered Pica on this blog before, but if not it should be noted.

This morning I finally met Noble Maloof. I'd seen and heard the old man with the Brit accent many times on the bus, but sadly never met him until today.

I plunked myself down next to him and after a moment he extended a hand saying, "Good morning!" as if we were going to be working on a long project together rather than just taking the bus into town. "Good morning," I said rather surprised. I shook his hand. "My name is Mumble mumble," he said. "What?" I said. "Noble Mumblef," he said. "Nice to meet you," I said. After a few moments he turned to me again. "What's your name?" "Sarah" I said. "What?" he said. "Sarah!" I said as the young man in front of us turned to look.

Noble fumbled in his breast pocket for something, pulled out a battered plastic check book, absent-mindedly opened and closed it, and stuffed it back into his pocket. He then pulled out his wallet. I wasn't sure why he wanted to show me his medical insurance card until he pointed at his name: Noble Satskru Rihnums (sp) Maloof. "Ah!" I said, "how did you get a name like that?" "It's a long story," he muttered. He then pulled out his checkbook again and a pen. "Write your name here, please," he said, pointing to the back of a deposit slip. I wrote my first name. "Sarah!" he said with approval, very relieved at knowing my name. "Do you have a surname?" he asked. "H****," I said. "Hoagland?" he said. "Yes," I said. He carefully printed out the name Hoagland next to the first name on the back of his deposit slip and then underlined it twice. "I once knew a Hoagland," he said.

Today for the first time ever, I was Sarah Hoagland. This will probably never happen again.

I found out that Noble Maloof is a surgeon, operated once on a naval captain's daughter's appendix and the grateful father took him along on his ship, he fought in WW2 where he lost most of his hearing, moved to the US, took up research at a local University, where he is currently working on a book about kidneys.

"All mammals have kidneys," he said, "elephants, humans, whales (pause), rhinos." "That's something we have in common then," I said. "What?" he said. "Kidneys," I said. "You do?" he asked, startled. "All mammals," I said (slightly louder). "Do what?" he said. "HAVE KIDNEYS!" I said. "Oh, heh heh, yes. Yes, we do."

We arrived at my stop and I thrust out my hand to shake his and said, "Good luck in your research today." "Oh, thank you," he muttered and looked out the window.

To all those homies out there who recently got laid off, this one's for you!
(Thanks to rbl.)

Just looking at the fishies. Somewhere under the sea there's a toilet. I wonder how it flushes. And where.

Odd Sport of the day. (That's odd sport, not old sport. Although I suppose the hammer throw is pretty old as well.)

Ok, here's another odd sport. So exciting! Two in one day! This one has two parts: cycle ball and artistic cycling. These pictures are from the world championships, don't ya know.

I'd rather be here.

I found a brother site (brother not brothel). I'm jealous and touched, simultaneously.

Quarks were named for a James Joyce's line in Finnegan's Wake. Not often a scientist makes a literary reference... (thanks, Worldgineer for finding that one.)

'Yebo' is Swahili for 'yes.' Yooz it today!




Random photo.


Freebie. Get advil.

Handwriting Analysis
Limited time offer

I am currently absorbed in graphology and I would like the chance to assess some handwriting with the participation of the author. If you send me a scanned sample of your handwriting via email I will return a handwriting analysis (probably today if all goes well). You can then tell me if I'm on-target or completely off-base. Make sure scan is 100% or larger than the original.

Sample must be: on regular UNLINED paper. Write several lines on topic of your choosing (an area of personal interest is always a good bet) and sign it (if so inclined. anonymity respected). No findings will be posted on this blog.

Send scan to: ksrasra (at) gmail (dot) com

(crosses fingers and waits)

A goat and a baby. Need I say more.

The traditional primary color triad of yellow, red and blue is obsolete and therefore should never be taught. Now it's yellow, cyan and magenta. Other interesting factoids about color.

A lovely beachside French property. Seriously interested clients only.

Soapstone carvings, a major export of the Arctic.

Zap is the name of a kind of yarn. Who knew?

What ever happened to tasteful decor? I never see these things around any more.

Movie Title Pages for those of us curious about these things...

I didn't realize you could get executed in China for fraud.

Random photo (which just happens to be at the National Tattoo Convention in Germany).

Today is Ingmar Bergman's 86th B-day. Happy Birthday, Bergy! Thanks for all the films!

Feel-good picture of the day.

I think this site is a little creepy, but it's also very interesting. C'est a vous maintenant. [later note: this site is more than creepy, it's downright disgusting. I didn't need that. *shudder*]

Random truck of the day!

Fun foreign destination of the day. (It's German)

I think everyone should meet Oolong the rabbit.


Sadly Oolong is no longer around, balancing things on his head. The pictures tell it all...

Someone studied the President's handwriting. See what they discovered.

Did you know that small writing signifies intense emotions? I recognize this from my own journals on film. When I really like a scene my writing gets smaller and the column grows narrower.


On this day in 1997, Mike Tyson was suspended from boxing and fined $3 million for biting Evander Holyfield's ear in a televised match.

Today is O.J. Simpson's birthday. Happy Birthday, O.J.! How's the wife?

On this day in 1962, Bob Dylan first recorded "Blowin' in the Wind."

Argentina gained their independence from Spain on this day in 1816.

A busy day for history...


Everything you wanted to know about different types of bumble bees.



Random photo of the day.

Dancing spidey makes me happy. Dance, Spidey, dance! ------>

Go here for a slap in the face. You'll like it. I promise.

Random foreign destination of the day. Cool sculpture herein.

Random photo. Norwegian hookers or bridesmaids. Not sure which.


CONTEST! Prize goes to anyone who can name a country with a llama on it's national flag.

Congratulations, Worldgineer! Peru and Bolivia both sport a llama on their national flag. As a prize I have selected the finest llama trivia page for your surfing enjoyment.

How to survive a manure pit.

Kerry/Edwards 2004

Kerry and Edwards (democratic presidential candidates) made their first campaign trail stop in Cleveland, of all places. At 12:34pm I trudged down to Mall C (c is for crowded) just as a squall of summer rain emptied the backlot of most of its onlookers. I got a great spot. Edwards (candidate for V.P.) was finishing his speech. Southern drawl with jock inflection. Then Kerry spoke. He looks and sounds like Sam the Eagle from the Muppet show. Wearing a slightly rain soaked navy suit, white shirt and red tie (de rigeur for politicians), he intoned nobly on various vague topics, made big promises and harked back to the olde times and pointed us on to the future. The usual shtick. Behind him a large sign declared "a New Team for a New America," but oddly enough he finished his speech with a promise to return to the old America. So, I think it's just rhetoric.

I took notes on how many "virtues" each candidate used in their speech. Here's what I came up with:

Edwards: truth, courage, faith, responsibility, hope. (only five. But to be fair, it was the end of his speech...)
Kerry: committment, truth, hope, fairness, credibility, optomism, perserverance, respect, service, faith, compassion, confidence, justice, determination, peacefulfulness.

"You're not going to make a virtue out of that, surely!"

Did you ever stop to ask yourself, "What are virtues anyways?" I mean we know that patience is a virtue, but is it the only one? Who decides what is or isn't a virtue? Where do virtues come from? Why are they called virtues? How many are there?

And since I didn't know, I did a little internet research:

1) First link in Google: The Virtues Project seeks to "support the moral and spiritual development of people of all cultures, by helping them to remember who they really are." By that I take it to mean that being unduly optomistic about human nature is a virtue. This site lists 52 virtues. And indeed, patience is one of them.

2) This Italian website lists all of the original virtues with their latin origin. 41 including patience. I think that first website is making stuff up. (It's funny how many of these words show up in politics and nowhere else.)

3) A third website has fewer virtues (12), but will sell you a cheesy poster to help you remember which one you picked. And probably need to work on. Patience doesn't have a poster most notably.

The etymology of virtue comes from the latin for manly fortitude or courage. St. Thomas defined virtue as "an essentially good habit."

There are four Cardinal virtues (from Greek philosophers): prudence, temperance, courage, and justice.
There are three theological virtues (from St. Paul): faith , hope, love.
There are seven Contrary virtues to counteract the seven deadly sins (as presented by the Catholic church): humility (pride), kindness (envy), abstinence (gluttony), chastity (lust), patience (anger), liberality (greed), diligence (sloth).

4) I also found out that The Virtues are a band. I was visitor #16440 to their site. Rock, rock on, Virtues!

5) And last but not least, here someone has pitted beer against tea in a battle of virtues. I think this technically doesn't count as a virtue, but it is a good example of how the word gets thrown around.

Random photo of the day:

Something about the way she holds the dog makes me uneasy.

Sunny Day
(Sesame Street Theme)

Here it is, folks! The jazz rendition of Sesame Street's theme song. Brother Joel wailin' on the upright bass.

NEWLY EDITED
(I updated the colors. Hopefully they are a little less bright.)

Bearing in mind that color varies for each computer, the painting we did on my brother's house this week is as follows (copy paste numbers to HEX code box and press "calculate"):

Office: AA6300
Living Room/Kitchen: 959D55
Boy's Room: 83C4D3 & 6AD85B & FFF366

It's a workout. Believe me.

I learned a new joke:

Q: What's green, has six legs, and would kill you if it fell out of a tree?

A: A billiard table.

(credited to rbl)


Here's a random photo for you. I don't know why I like that one, but I do.

(there will be no blog today. the author is busy painting her brother's office. all computers are shut off and placed in the hallway so as to spare them a painty death. this blog will continue tomorrow as scheduled unless of course we have to do a third coat. thank you for your patronage.)

Yes, exactly. Now I have a song request list that is five songs strong, three of which I don't even know, and my brother's phone isn't working.

Crap.

Where does that leave me? (takes out pencil)

Sunny Days - jazz arrangement
Summertime - also jazz
My Old Man's a Dustman - dunno?
Gor Blimey Trousers - tuneful
Country Girl - in a haunting style

Is that it all of em? I'd better get to work...


Radom photo. I think it's a van. I can't really tell. This computer is backlit.