Sunday, May 3rd, 2009
Official Google Blog: Mowing With Goats
Google has decided to use goats as living lawnmowers at their headquarters. No joke.
Dolphins Keep an Eye Out While Sleeping?
Dolphins have a clever trick that doesn’t involve jumping in the air for fish: They can overcome sleep deprivation and remain constantly vigilant for days at a time by resting one half of their brain while the other half remains conscious. Because they need to periodically come up for air and keep an eye out for potential predators.
16 Preposterous Products For Pets
As proud pet owners, we understand the desire to spoil and pamper your furry, feathered and scaled little friends. But some people take spoiling their pets to a new level, and manufacturers are making it easier with weird and crazy, sometimes preposterous products for pets. We found 16 of the craziest pet products the internet has to offer.
Unwanted Easter Bunnies Multiplying Like Crazy In Florida
What is it about Florida that inspires pet owners to set their captives free? On a Florida island, forgotten rabbits, the spawn of Easter gifts from as far back as 2002, run wild in a field of two-story condominiums.
Kenyan Man Bites Python In Struggle To Survive
A Kenyan man bit a python that wrapped him in its coils and hauled him up a tree in a struggle that lasted hours, local media said on Wednesday.
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Wednesday, December 17th, 2008
There are a few things in life no one wants to talk about.
Of course I am not going to mention what they are here, because they will only depress me and will probably do the same to you. Included in the list, but really shouldn’t be, is one thing that I don’t think is depressing at all. It’s the topic of having a will.
You might think it’s strange that I bring this up and wonder why I’m talking about it at all, but the reason will become obvious after the next sentence. Just the other day, Laura and I met with the attorney to create two wills.
I know, I know…I debated for days about whether or not I was even going to bring this up, but I decided to talk about it tonight because I began recalling all the “will” conversations I have had in the past ten years. I think that just about everyone I spoke to about it said something like, “Oh yeah, I have to do that” or “Ummm, I really need to update mine.” There wasn’t anyone who said, “Yup, all done. Nice and tidy.”
I guess the reason why many people don’t have a will at all is probably the same reason I never went about getting one. As I put it to the lawyer, “This has been sitting on my to-do list for about a year now and I am just getting around to it.” It’s really not one of those “must do” things in life. It’s more of one of the “should do” things. I think a bit of organization here and there is much more appealing than total chaos at the wrong time.
We learned a few things while sitting at that big table earlier this week. We learned about the state laws and what would happen if we didn’t have a will at all. We learned what would happen now that we did. We also learned all about another type of will, called the “living will.”
If you remember the Terri Schiavo case, I am sure you will begin to understand the importance of having a living will. This, in some ways, is more important than a traditional will. Basically, this piece of paper gives the authority to one person to make a very important decision for you. You can click the “living will” link to learn more about it.
There is a really big area that so many people forget to address while making a will (or updating your existing one). It’s funny, because we actually reminded the attorney to update his own. This area has to do with pets.
Laura used to work in the animal industry. She told me that most animals that are put in shelters are put there because someone died and there were no instructions on what to do with the pet once the time for that decision to be made. Many family members aren’t too keen on taking on someone’s cat or dog, so these pets usually end up in the local animal shelter. Really, all it takes is one line in someone’s will to specify a friend or “pet friendly” family member that the pets should go to. It’s not like an order, but more like informing the people who usually read a will later on. “Oh, would you look at that. I had no idea that Daisy down the road wanted those cats.”
So, there you have it. I think I got through that with some definite skill. It’s sort of like navigating a landmine, but I realized that talking about these things can be helpful and a reminder for all of those people who might now say, “Let’s go get it done.”
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Thursday, August 14th, 2008
All Winter, I say that I can’t wait for Summer. This is for obvious reasons. I always say that I can make it up to January 15 with Winter and then I’m done. If I can’t grow anything, I am not a happy camper.
This next paragraph really has nothing to do with this post. I just thought I would throw it in here.
Laura and I were eating dinner this evening when I noticed Finnegan Gordon Belle (Flipper Human the cat) laying on the chair next to us. Now, just to give a bit of background on this cat…he is grouchy when he sleeps. He really has no time or patience for people who get in the way of his “resting sessions.”
Well, after I finished slowly (repeatedly) placing my food in my mouth, I decided to walk over and pet the cat. I got a few good pets in. I thought this was nice. What did the cat do in return? He looked up at me, shifted his weight, sat up and bit my hand. Nuff said. I walked away and left him alone. Sure, when he wants to get picked up every other minute of the day, I accommodate him, but when I want to play, noooooo.
Here he is, the bum…
Finnegan Gordon Belle
Man, you can almost see the attitude.
Ok, back to the post. If you haven’t noticed around the blogging world yet, things are a bit slow this Summer. I guess people are outside, enjoying the weather. I am sure all sorts of families are vacationing at the beach and places like that. Gee, even I got in the car a few times this season. Well, let’s just say all this enjoyment hasn’t really helped my reading habits. Blog reading I mean. Yes, it’s sad but true.
In my opinion, if you want to be one of these crazy bloggers, you have to write all the time. You have to wake up and want to bring the camera with you when you get your morning coffee. It truly is a disgusting way to live, but if you’ve ever written in a format like this, you’ll know what I am talking about.
The thing of it is…we computer people LOVE to read what you write. It doesn’t matter what it is. We just want to keep up with your lives. I should actually be writing this to myself because I have been slipping through the cracks lately. I mean, I have been cutting down some small trees on the side of the property, but I don’t think I can bring the camera every time, nor do I think people want to continuously read about it. I’m not even sure what I can take a picture of. I keep asking Laura if it looks any different than it did earlier and she just gives me a sad look and turns her face back and forth, saying…”no, my sweet prince, it doesn’t.”
I sometimes make the joke to Laura that people don’t need to call me to see how I am doing. All they need to do is read this silly thing. It’s kind of not fair because I do a lot of calling. Trust me, let’s not change this arrangement. I like you reading and I like doing the calling. Oftentimes, I feel more comfortable if things are on my terms.
I guess I get a little depressed when I see the internet get light for a while. I think overall traffic takes a hit during the Summer. I never thought I would see the day when I get excited at the prospect of a rainy day in September…when all the kids are back at school and college is in session. Ooohhh, look at all those users checking out my sites. The Christmas season is a whole other story.
It’s amazing. For all the cool things we do in the Summer, we really don’t feel like writing about many of them. Maybe it’s the sunshine. Maybe it’s the guilt of bringing the laptop out on the deck with us and writing, when we really should be looking at the squirrels. Perhaps that’s why some of the best authors like to go up to their chilly cabins to write and don’t do it on the beaches of Barbados. Really now, Barbados is no place to write. Maybe Vail…
My friends, the good news is there are new blogs being formed every day. Just yesterday, an old friend of mine showed interest in making a blog of his own. I hope he does because the world needs more smart writing. I am actually curious about what he has to say. I am sure there are other great blogs that have been started recently that I never knew about. Oh, it’s going to be fun because the blogging season is right around the corner.
So, for those people who have shown interest recently about blogging and why they should get into it, I will explain what I like about the whole thing. Basically, I think this is a place for people to get to know me. I really like the format and I feel comfortable sharing things here. I really don’t care if some trucker from India reads this thing every morning before he has his breakfast. If he finds me entertaining and gets a kick out of the projects that I do, then that’s cool. You know, I bet there are a few truckers who like to read my blog.
Also, I really like to take pictures. Here, I can post them and tell people all about what I was doing. Of course, if you haven’t noticed, I think the stuff I do is reeeeally important.
The best thing is when I help people. I know I have said this before, but when someone gets some use out of what I write, that makes it all worth while. You can imagine the blisters on my fingers from all this writing. Can you imagine that?
Well, it’s getting a bit late now and I fear that I am not making sense anymore. I just want to warn you that the camera comes back out tomorrow and I am going to be outside with it. I am going to take a picture of something and post it here. You just wait…
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Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008
So, I did it. I jumped on the Milky Spore bandwagon.
Yesterday, I was thinking about how much I hear about this Milky Spore stuff. You know, Milky Spore is the thing that causes Milky Disease in grubs. It’s powder that you sprinkle onto the ground in a grid that takes years to work. Some people say that too many conditions need to be met and that because of all those conditions, it doesn’t really work. You can read about that here.
Here is how it works…First, Milky Spore comes in two types, powder and granules. The powder is more concentrated, but the granules are a heck of a lot easier to apply to a larger property. I can’t even imagine putting a teaspoon of powder down every four feet to create a grid across the entire lawn. They have applicators, but still…
I prefer the spreader method. Even if you need to apply the Milky Spore more often, it sure is a heck of a lot easier.
Back to how it works. Milky Spore gets placed on the dirt by you. It gets washed in by either a hose or rain. Grubs (when they are feeding) eat the Milky Spore and get sick. Before they get sick, their bodies turn into Milky Spore factories, creating a bunch more Milky Spore. When the grub dies, they release all that new Milky Spore into the soil. This goes on year after year. The only thing you have to remember is that you need to apply enough to build up a certain level of bacterium in the soil to do any damage to the grubs. Also, if it’s too cool when they eat it, it will pass right through them without damage.
Like I said, I like the granule method better.
20lb bag of Milky Spore granules.
The bag says it is safe for other insects, birds, pets and man. I am not sure about women. It didn’t mention anything about them.
Scotts spreader with Milky Spore granules in it.
I bought two 20lb bags this afternoon during a rain storm. When I got home, I waited for the rain to stop and spread both bags. I think there is supposed to be more rain tonight, so it should get washed in. Now, I just have to apply every year. They recommend three times a year, but that probably won’t happen.
I sure would like to get some people’s opinions on this stuff. Does it work?
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Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
He really does. Whenever we dress him up, he starts purring a very strange purr. He stands there and gets a little freaky.
If you have ever dressed a cat up, you would’ve noticed that when they have clothes on, they don’t move. When you put them on the floor, they just stand there. It’s pretty funny.
Ok, I think this will be my last “Simon Dress Up” post for a while. I can’t imagine finding anything better than a little Green Bay Packers sweater. He just loved it and I mean that.
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Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
Have you ever noticed the complete disinterest that people have when being forced to listing to pet stories? They go something like this…”Yeah, my cat is really something else.” “No, mine is crazy and wild. I really think that my cat does the nuttiest stuff.” “Dude, trust me, just the other day…” Get the picture? People argue and argue about who has the funniest animals with real “personalities.” The truth of the matter is that no one really cares about other people’s pets. If they listen, they listen out of politeness. I am fully aware of this.
With that said, here is another picture of Simon. I thought this picture of him wearing my hat was pretty funny. Right?
If you take a close look, you can see my chest hair overflowing past my shirt.
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Monday, February 11th, 2008
Our cat, Simon, has some mental problems. He usually sleeps, but sometimes he fights with the other cats for no reason. He also eats too much. Sometimes, he has his way with articles of clothing or my winter hats. It is an odd scene.
I have this neck warmer that I sometimes wear as a hat. It is in tube formation, so the top of the hat has a big hole in it. The other day, after Simon was acting up, I decided to slip this neck warmer over his body, so it was around his waist. I call it “The Punisher” because he settles down while wearing this. If you have a cat, you know that they act very strange if they are wearing any clothing.
Last night, while sitting on the couch, I decided to slip this neck warmer over Simon’s head, around his neck. I thought he would try to get out of it, but oddly enough, he seemed to like it. Laura just had to run in the other room to get the camera. Wanna see?
You can see the “issues” in his eyes, right?
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Monday, December 31st, 2007
No, this isn’t about drinking, but I knew you would think that.
I have this pillow case…and decided to use it on a certain someone. I had to find someone who wouldn’t care if I shoved their body in it. I found that someone in Simon. Yes, he is a good cat and was a good sport this New Year’s Eve. I took a picture of him after I got half his body in the pillow case.
You see? Simon is half in the bag.
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Saturday, November 17th, 2007
Here comes trouble. I was talking to Craig this morning on the phone about maybe getting a video camera. He told me that his digital camera does a pretty good job of taking video. Ohhh yeah, I forgot mine does too.
Oh, this isn’t going to be good. I took a sample video this morning of Simon, the big, fat orange cat. Here, take a look…
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Thursday, August 9th, 2007
Paul keeps on telling me not to use GrubEx to control Japanese Beetles, but to use Milky Spore instead. Apparently, he has been hit by the Japanese Beetle onslaught this year along with the rest of us.
Paul likes the idea of using Milky Spore because it isn’t an insecticide. It is a naturally occurring host specific bacterium (Bacillus popillae-Dutky). It is harmless to anything other than Japanese Beetle Grubs. This is good if you like to walk on your lawn or have pets and kids. It does need to be watered in, just like an insecticide thought.
The way you apply Milky Spore is different than you would apply an insecticide. Instead of spreading it with a lawn spreader, you pile it in small spots in a grid like pattern on your lawn. Over time, the milky spore is eaten by newly laid white grubs and they become infected by the bacterium. It takes a few years for the milky spore to completely kick in, but the stuff lasts for 15-20 years. That’s pretty damn good.
If this GrubEx that I already put down in the beginning of July doesn’t take care of the grub problem, I will put down milky spore next Autumn. That’s when grubs are at their hungriest and they are the most likely to eat the milky spore.
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