As we count down the final days of 2013, here's how the year looked through the music and strains of country and western balladeers.
Maintaining a sense of balance and perspective against the backdrop of a world that may seem dark and delirious
Monday, December 30, 2013
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Woman goes Nuts and Stabs Man with Squirrel
'No beer and no TV make Homer go crazy' is a quote from The Simpsons, itself referencing the film, The Shining, which stars Jack Nicholson in crazed, demented mode. So what about the effects of having no beer at Christmas time?
A report from Charleston, South Carolina in the USA:
'via Blog this'
A report from Charleston, South Carolina in the USA:
A 44-year-old woman angry at a man for returning home without beer on Christmas Day beat and stabbed him with a ceramic squirrel.More on this story at - Woman stabs man with ceramic squirrel for failing to buy beer for Christmas Day - Independent.ie:
'via Blog this'
Friday, December 27, 2013
What Flies Higher than a Trampoline?
High winds blowing across Ireland over the Christmas period caused considerable damage. One family, living in Galway on the country's west coast, woke up one morning to find a large trampoline in their back garden.
More on this story:
Wind blows giant trampoline into Malachy Duggan's back garden Binn Bhan estate in Knocknacarra, Galway - Irish Mirror Online:
'via Blog this'
"The wind was very strong and I think we got the worst of the storm here in the west. It must have blown from a garden somewhere in the vicinity. Either that, or Santa’s aim was a little bit off."
Wind blows giant trampoline into Malachy Duggan's back garden Binn Bhan estate in Knocknacarra, Galway - Irish Mirror Online:
'via Blog this'
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Hard to put your finger on it
An Irish court has ruled that "EU law relating to safety of utensils designed for use by children does not include sugar dispensers." It follows a case for compensation brought by the mother of a then 2 year-old girl who got her finger stuck in an 8mm hole on a metal lid that later had to be cut off.
During the course of the hearing, evidence was heard from engineers representing both the defendant and the plaintiff. The judge described it as a case of 'compensation culture gone mad'.
Finger case is 'compensation culture gone mad', says judge - Independent.ie:
'via Blog this'
During the course of the hearing, evidence was heard from engineers representing both the defendant and the plaintiff. The judge described it as a case of 'compensation culture gone mad'.
Finger case is 'compensation culture gone mad', says judge - Independent.ie:
'via Blog this'
Thursday, December 12, 2013
It Shouldn't Happen to a Debt Collector
Pig farmer who ordered two repo men to strip naked and get into pen with ‘agitated’ boar granted bail - Independent.ie:
The two employees of Dublin-based repossession company Assets Security, Patrick Mulvey and Justin Tighe, gave evidence at the trial that they feared for their lives after the entered the farm to repossess items on behalf of GE Money.
There was evidence that Donal Connaughton had ordered the men to strip and get into the pen with the agitated boar and they feared they were going to be violated by the animal.
On an audio recording made by one of the men on his phone during their ordeal, the pair were heard pleading to be let go and promised Connaughton they would never return to the premises, but he said he wanted to “teach them a lesson”.
The two men were told they would be allowed walk out of the yard if they stripped naked. When the men refused, Connaughton ordered them to get down on their knees and recite the ‘Our Father’ prayer before they were released.
The court heard the two men went to the farm to repossess a generator and two power-washers.'via Blog this'
Thursday, November 7, 2013
The Game of Life: It's All Academic
Conscription, a bit like taxes, is for little people. During the American Civil War, people from the wealthier classes were able to avoid conscription by the practice of hiring a substitute - i.e. paying someone else to go in their place. That somebody would presumably have been from the ranks of the less well-off, or whose prospects in life mitigated the risk.
Earlier in 2013, a story about a software engineer, who outsourced his job to a company in China, went viral on the internet. It seems that this bright young employee had discovered that a Chinese firm would do his job for him, at a fraction of the salary his US employers were paying him. This allowed him to spend his working day, watching YouTube videos and shopping on eBay. Must have felt like Casual Friday every day of the week!
Of course, when the deception was uncovered, the guy was fired. Apparently no one in the company thought fit to promote him; use his innovative skills to everyone's advantage. Strange world we live in! It seems that the practice of paying someone else to do your work for you, raises the hackles of some people, believing that they are guided by a moral an ethical compass. Yet the practice is not new: it has been around in one form or another, probably since the dawn of human civilisation.
Take the halls of Academia for example. College life is demanding enough on hard-pressed students, getting in as much as possible of the 'college experience' before graduating, without the added distractions of research, term papers, dissertation, essays, etc. But institutes of learning would not be that if there were not bright young people around, coming up solutions to the various problems and perplexing issues that life throws at us. Professional academic paper writers can be found online and offer everything the hard-pressed student with too much time and not enough application could possibly dream of - provided that they are willing to pay.
As Henry Ford once observed, "Why I should clutter up my mind with general knowledge, for the purpose of being able to answer questions, when I have men around me who can supply any knowledge I require?"
Earlier in 2013, a story about a software engineer, who outsourced his job to a company in China, went viral on the internet. It seems that this bright young employee had discovered that a Chinese firm would do his job for him, at a fraction of the salary his US employers were paying him. This allowed him to spend his working day, watching YouTube videos and shopping on eBay. Must have felt like Casual Friday every day of the week!
Of course, when the deception was uncovered, the guy was fired. Apparently no one in the company thought fit to promote him; use his innovative skills to everyone's advantage. Strange world we live in! It seems that the practice of paying someone else to do your work for you, raises the hackles of some people, believing that they are guided by a moral an ethical compass. Yet the practice is not new: it has been around in one form or another, probably since the dawn of human civilisation.
Take the halls of Academia for example. College life is demanding enough on hard-pressed students, getting in as much as possible of the 'college experience' before graduating, without the added distractions of research, term papers, dissertation, essays, etc. But institutes of learning would not be that if there were not bright young people around, coming up solutions to the various problems and perplexing issues that life throws at us. Professional academic paper writers can be found online and offer everything the hard-pressed student with too much time and not enough application could possibly dream of - provided that they are willing to pay.
As Henry Ford once observed, "Why I should clutter up my mind with general knowledge, for the purpose of being able to answer questions, when I have men around me who can supply any knowledge I require?"
This is a sponsored post
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
A History of Smoking
Not a public health advertisement, cautioning against the dangers of smoking but a painting by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) - possibly from one of those days when he took a break from painting sunflowers!
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| Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
Friday, June 21, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Health Warnings: Cigarettes and Alcohol
Consider yourself warned. Our job is done. Remember to thank us when you live to an old age.
Monday, June 17, 2013
School of Life
Whatever way you try to dress it up, there are just some things that education cannot teach us - or maybe it would if only we could paid attention.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Amazing footage of a cat breastfeeding ducklings!!
The circumstances behind this bizarre, but undeniably true story can be found here.
The short version is that the ducklings became orphaned at approximately the same time that the cat had produced a litter. It seems that the cat's maternal instincts overcame her predatory ones, for the time being at least.
Of course others have speculated as to whether she is merely 'fattening them up'. The full story has yet to unfold.
The short version is that the ducklings became orphaned at approximately the same time that the cat had produced a litter. It seems that the cat's maternal instincts overcame her predatory ones, for the time being at least.
Of course others have speculated as to whether she is merely 'fattening them up'. The full story has yet to unfold.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
April Fools Day through the Ages
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| By anonymus (Punch (the Danish) page 105) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| By Lars Andersen (Lars Andersen) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| By inconnu (File:Cartes postales poissons d'avril.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| By inconnu (File:Cartes postales poissons d'avril.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| By inconnu (File:Cartes postales poissons d'avril.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| See page for author [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| By NVO (Own photograph) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| See page for author [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Food Emporium
Remember being told not to play with your food when you were growing up? Did nobody realise they were stunting your creativity? The images you are about to see were all created with, you guessed it, food (or so we are told).
Thursday, March 21, 2013
This Month's Offers from Domain Promo Codes
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Bigrock Coupons is offering various discounts on .com registration and web hosting. Offers include up to 30% off Web Hosting togetheer with 10% off Domains - simply use the coupon code DPC29 when you place your order.
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Bigrock Coupons is offering various discounts on .com registration and web hosting. Offers include up to 30% off Web Hosting togetheer with 10% off Domains - simply use the coupon code DPC29 when you place your order.
Register.com Coupon Codes are offering up to 25% discounts on any of their services that include web hosting, domain name registration, SSL certificates including no order minimum when you use the coupon code - REGISTERSPECIAL25.
This is a sponsored post
Sunday, March 17, 2013
A History of St. Patrick's Day
History is heavy stuff. Religious history is heavy and confusing. So if you are still in a fit state to listen on this St. Patrick's Day, here's a quick rundown that will tell you all you need to know, including why you are using this day as an excuse to get shitfaced.
Thinking of you all this St. Patrick's Day
You don't have to be Irish or sober to enjoy St. Patrick's Day but it helps.
