Thursday Thirteen #58

13 Things About Dane Bramage

13 Things About Feet

One never knows when one's muse will hit. I was sitting on the sofa staring at my dry ashy feet (Black folks understand ashy) wondering what to write this week's Thursday Thirteen about. After examining my feet for cuts, blisters, and sores like a good diabetic should, it occurred to me that most everyone has feet. But do they know feet? So here are thirteen things about feet.

1. One fourth of all the bones in your body are in your feet.


2. Women suffer from foot problems nearly four times as often as men. This may be attributable to wearing high-heeled shoes.


3. Our feet bear a cumulative weight total of 1,000 tons a day.


4. There are over 250,000 sweat glands in your feet. An average pair of feet will create a pint of perspiration a day.


5. Standing and balancing cause babies feet to exert a lot of energy-they may sweat up to twice the amount of adult feet.


6. The average person walks over 115,000 miles during their lifetime. That’s enough to walk around the world 4 times.


7. Our feet cushion as much as a million pounds of pressure during only one hour of strenuous exercise.


8. Your feet may be as much as 5 to 10 percent larger at the end of the day. It's best to shop for shoes in the afternoon or late in the day. Your feet actually swell during the day from walking and activities, so a pair of shoes that felt comfortable in the morning might actually be too snug by day's end


9. No less then 19 muscles and 107 ligaments are used to control the movement of each foot. (Ironically it is the lip and tongue muscles however; that position the foot into your mouth.)


10. Before King George IV of England ordered a set of boots made to fit each of his feet, shoes were designed to be worn on either foot.


11. When a baby is born, the number of bones in the feet are higher, but many of them fuse by the time we reach adulthood.


12. The palms of the hand and the soles of the feet cannot tan. (I don't know what they are talking about, I cannot tan any part of me).


13. The skin on your feet is 20 times thicker than on any other part of your body! (With the notable exception of certain skulls!)

Fifty percent or more of leg amputations not resulting from traumatic injury are a result of diabetes. An annual foot health check up by your Podiatrist is a preventative way to help avoid diabetic foot complications, along with proper diet, exercise, and not smoking. People with diabetes should inspect their feet daily for signs of cracking, sores, skin discoloration, or blisters. See your Podiatrist right away if you have any of these things. People with diabetes must also pay attention to good footwear, since worn out or poorly fitting shoes can cause serious problems.

---

---

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

More "Less AIDS Deaths"

I blogged about the total lack of millions of AIDS related deaths not ravaging Africa like the liberal guilt machine predicted. Now there are fewer AIDS deaths worldwide but the Liberal agenda spin doctors are quick to point out that the reduction is mostly on paper.

Much of the drop is due to revised numbers from India - which earlier this year slashed its numbers in half, from about 6 million cases to about 3 million - and to new data from several countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Previous AIDS numbers were largely based on the numbers of infected pregnant women at clinics, as well as projecting the AIDS rates of certain high-risk groups like drug users to the entire population at risk. Officials said those numbers were flawed, and are now incorporating more data like national household surveys

So how does this work exactly? They inflated the number of AIDS cases to hype the scare. They "projected" AIDS on the population based on a couple of actual cases. People started noticing that they were off by, oh say, 50% in India. Now that the numbers are accurately reflecting the lack of pandemic, they don't want us to give it much heed because the adjustment is on paper and not a real reduction in AIDS cases. What it is, they don't want any reduction in the SCARE of an AIDS epidemic obviously. Isn't anyone besides me upset that they lied about the number of cases to begin with?

Thursday Thirteen #57

13 Things About Dane Bramage

13 Things My Mother Taught Me

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! I know just about every Thursday Thirteener will probably have some thankful list today. I decided to go another route. I am thankful my mother is still with us so in honor of that I am posting "13 Things My Momma Done Taught Me". I want to thank Scott (You know, the guy with the zipper on the back of his head) for sending me this list.

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."


2. My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."


3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"


4. My mother taught me LOGIC. "Because I said so, that's why."


5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."


6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT. "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."


7. My mother taught me IRONY. "Keep crying, and! I'll give you something to cry about."


8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS. "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."


9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!


10. My mother taught me about WATER SPORTS. "If you don't stop teasing your sister I'll hit you so hard your head will swim!


11. My mother taught me about STAMINA. "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."


12. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. "Stop acting like your father!"


13. My mother taught me JUSTICE. "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

What did your mother teach you? Leave it in the comments!

---

---

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Random Acts of Memeness

The Random Yak has tagged me with a meme. My meme policy is to only participate if I feel like it or if the person who tagged you is really cool. Likewise when I tag someone I let them know they are under no obligation in my eyes to participate.
The rules of the meme:

• When tagged, you must link to the person who tagged you (RandomYak).
• Then post the rules before your list, (that'd be this thing here) and list eight random things about yourself.
• At the end of the post, you must tag and link to eight other people.

So this is the Random Eight Meme. I pick eight random things about me to share. I am not quite sure how that works. Should I take everything about me and put it in a hat and draw out eight? Yeah let's do just that.

• Thing #238 I am participating in the NaNoWriMo this year. My NaNoWriMo name is Kevlord. I am writing a science fiction novel and I am pleased as punch with my progress so far. I am also certain that my novel is crap. I am very pleased about that too, believe it or not. It's all about the learning experience.


• Thing #2 Currently I live alone in my own home. The "People Under The Stairs" are gone. Can anyone tell me the best way to clean dried cat crap off a cement floor? Or where to find those scrub brushes with long handles? And I think I need a floor squigee. And a respirator.


• Thing #446 I have been dreaming about dead people Weird. For several nights I have been dreaming about relatives and friends who are all dead. Do I need a shrink or a psychic?


• Thing #37 This is National Games Week Me and a bunch of my gamer friends are all going to get together Friday and play games for 12 hours. At least those of us with the day off. The rest will probably show up after five. We rented a pavilion and plan to consume Thanksgiving leftovers. Stop by if you are in West Akron near Sand Run Metro Park, Shady Hollow Pavilion. Bring food and games.


• Thing #7 I am singing "Birthday For A King" as a solo in church. Again. I sang it last year too. I must get a new song by Christmas 2008.


• Thing #879 I am oddly fascinated by the anime "Bleach". I don't know why. I've been TiVo'ing it for two weeks now and I am actually looking forward to each episode. I puts me in mind of early Dragon Ball Z and I hated DBZ.


• Thing #42 I have been a Bus Captain at church for 12 years. That makes me the longest serving Bus Captain. I am really sad that everyone who was a Bus Captain when I started are out of that ministry now. (although some have move on to different ministries).


• Thing #89 When I turn 50 years old in 2009, I'll celebrate with a Sci-Fi Masque Planning it now. Come as your favorite Sci-Fi or Superhero character. I am looking forward to that and with this much advanced planning how can it not be great?

Now, for the tagees, I choose;

1. Eddie at EddieButler.com


2. JAM at Least Significant Bits


3. Chelle Y at The Story of Me


4. Mitchypoo at Knitting and Losing


5. QTPies7 at My Seven QTPies


6. Nicholas at A Gentleman's Domain


7. Malcolm at Pop Culture Dish


8. Darla at nichtszusagen

Well I hope you all enjoyed this memey goodness!

Headlines for Tuesday 11-20-07

Woman Wins Sears Tower Race for 6th Time
Tower says it will train harder. Hopes to actually move next year.

'Mr. Toilet' Builds Commode-Shaped House
No one wants to come over and sit in his pool

Homeless man uses church phone to call sex hot line
Bigger surprise is the nuns who answered the phone

UK Fat Patients Claim Discrimination
Despite snub Micheal Moore still claims it's better than US health care

Food makers pressured to cut sodium
Dairy producers pressured to cut cheese

Firemen told to abstain from sexual bribes
Asked to return to more traditional money only bribes



Stomach virus races through cruise ship passengers
It got really crowded on the poop deck

CBS news writers give OK for strike call
Now who's going to make up the news?

Experts promote the global warming diet

1. Eat nothing but beans for seven days
2. Seal yourself inside airtight plastic bubble
3. Produce greenhouse gases until you polar regions melt

5 Million Pizzas Recalled on E. coli Fears
Get it back to Dominos in 30 minutes or less or you have to keep it.

Giuliani Promotes Virtual Fence
Fence blocks 100% of illegal aliens from World of Warcraft. Mexicans still get in.




Alabama woman turns 100, gets her diploma
Says; "I had to take P.E. over 87 times but I finally got that last credit"

Burglar drives into store, snatches TVs
Gets home, realizes nothing is on because of the writer's strike, returns them all

Technorati tag: Humor   Headlines

Thursday Thirteen #56

13 Things About Dane Bramage
13 Types of People Who Get On My Nerves

I generally love everybody but sometimes there are certain types of people who get on my nerves in a big way. My nerves have been acutely raw because of some of them recently.

1. People Who Can't Keep Their Promises As a Christian Bus Captain I see this every week when I visit my kids. Their parents swear that the kids are coming and will be ready. But lo and behold come Sunday morning the kids aren't going. The parents don't even bother coming to the door to tell me they aren't coming.


2. People Who Make Excuses for Their Shortcomings "I was going to do it but the weather wasn't good enough". When the weather breaks, "Oh I need a special tool". etc..


3. People Who Make Excuses for Other Peoples Shortcomings "Well he would have done it but he has been so sick lately." Yeah watching the weather and looking for tools can really wear you down.


4. Unreliable People What is it with the world today. It used to be when someone said they were going to do something they did it. Today people tell you they are going to do something and it is "understood" that they are exempt from completing their task if something better, more important, easier, pays more, comes along. When it does they usually become a #2 person.


5. People Who Think You Are Stupid Ever have someone make such an outrageously stupid and/or false statement and look at you in all seriousness expecting you to believe it?


6. Fence Walkers Ever try to get someone to commit one way or another on an issue and all they do is give you excuses on why they can't decide?


7. Liars All liars are fryers. I have no use for someone who deliberately tells me a falsehood. And no I don't buy it when they try to excuse it with "I changed my mind."


8. Busybodies I only have one such neighbor and I try to be loving and kind but she is constantly calling city and county agencies on me. She has a problem that requires a 12 step program to fix but she wont go go go.


9. People Who Do Things For The Common Good(As They See It)
   
   


10. Thieves And I don't mean the old Dungeons and Dragons character class (although they do make great pit detectors). I hate people who just take things or worse, people who feel entitled to your things because they don't have it as good as you.


11. Liberal Democrats Redundant I know. They were covered under liars and thieves.


12. Hypocrites Whether they are celebrity spokesmen who don't live their beliefs, or former politicians who blatantly contribute to the problems they are crusading to solve, hypocrites really rub me the wrong way.


13. Celebrity Know-It-Alls Just because someone made a movie or won an Oscar doesn't make them an expert on anything else. If they want to stop global warming they can start by shutting up.

There I feel much better now! If you have a particular type of person, or a specific person you don't like right now, tell us in the comments. Note:It is not really possible to read a person's mind. Any celebrity images with thought bubbles were created for parody and ridicule of said celebrity.)

---

---

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

New Look

I am thinking of changing my template. You can check ou my proposed template change at my other blog I Blog The Body Electric or you can cheat by just hovering over the link and let Snap Shots show you a preview. IF it brings up the RSS feed then you have to follow the link.

I think it is kind of Christmasy. What do you think? Should I change?

When Life Gives You Lemons

Admittedly most people with a scar would just wear a hat. But no, not the artistic types like my friend and author Scott who had the scar covered with a tattoo. They should have just put in a real zipper. It would have made it easier for Scott to change his mind.

Keep It Really Really Simple Stupid

Okay there is a problem in the UK with a scratch off lottery card game.Minus a grasp for figures explains;

Lottery operator Camelot has been forced to withdraw a scratchcard because players were too innumerate to understand it, according to the Manchester Evening News.

"Too innumerate to understand it" translation; dumb. One card holder was sure she was being cheated out of her winnings;

The story quotes player Tina Farrell, 23:
I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it.
I think Camelot are giving people the wrong impression - the card doesn't say to look for a colder or warmer temperature, it says to look for a higher or lower number. Six is a lower number than 8. Imagine how many people have been misled.

So what are the rules that have everyone so confused?

To qualify for a prize, users had to scratch away a window to reveal a temperature lower than the figure displayed on each card. As the game had a winter theme, the temperature was usually below freezing.

But the concept of comparing negative numbers proved too difficult for some. Camelot received dozens of complaints on the first day from players who could not understand how, for example, -5 is higher than -6.

So either the country is number dumb in general or people with math skills don't buy lottery cards. At least in the U.S. They usually limit it to matching games. No room for error there.

Thursday Thirteen #55

13 Things About Dane Bramage
13 Favorite Television Theme Songs

I stole the idea for this week's Thursday Thirteen from Chelle Y. I would also like to thank Jay Campbell for leaving me the link to http://www.televisiontunes.com. I have links to all of the themes (except the two I used YouTube for) so you can listen to the theme if you want. (It will open in a separate window). My taste in music is very eclectic. So don't let it surprise you if you don't remember or even have heard of some of these 13 T.V. theme songs.

1. Man From UNCLE (Link to 1966 version) There was a variation on the theme every year. 1965 and 1966 were the ones I remember. The theme for the Girl from UNCLE was yet another variation on the this song.


2. Johnny Quest (Link to Theme) I loved this cartoon when I was a kid. They subsequently ruined it with a bunch of P.C. crap but the theme was excellent.


3. The Name of the Game (Link to Theme) Something about late sixties early seventies television themes that I really liked. Very jazzy with a big band behind them. TNotG was a great show too!


4. S.W.A.T. (Link to Theme) This theme was a commercial hit during the disco days of the seventies.


5. Soul Train (TSOP) (Link to Theme) Another disco era hit with a big band sound.


6. Rockford Files (Link to Theme) Another theme song musical hit. I didn't watch the show but I heard the theme on the radio everywhere.


7. Hill Street Blues (Link to Theme) I remember hearing this on the radio too. But I never missed an episode of HSB. An excellent T.V. show and theme song.


8. Taxi (Angela) (Link to Theme) I enjoyed watching Taxi. But I was really happy when Angela (The name of the theme song) did so well. I had been a Bob James fan for years and was really happy he got a mainstream hit.


9. Quantum Leap (Link to Theme) I'm a leap head. I loved everything about the show including the great theme song.


10. Twin Peaks (Link to Theme) To be honest, I was never a TP fan. I saw David Lynch's "Eraserhead" and found it disturbing on many levels. So I never watched more than an episode or two of Twin Peaks. I did love the theme song and the soundtrack album.


11. Northern Exposure (Link to Theme) An incredible show with an awesome theme. Where else will you find harmonica, accordion, saxophone with brazilian percussion?


12. Now and Again I found this show through Bravo's "Brilliant But Canceled" series. Dennis Haysbert builds a twenty six year-old white male superman body (Eric Close) and puts John Goodman's forty-something brain in it. It is not really a comedy but a well written show. The theme song was done by Narada Michael Walden and he never recorded it on any of his other works. That is a shame because the theme is very nice indeed. They did two versions (same song but just used different parts at differnt times). Thank God for YouTube. Here is the theme (both)



13. Cowboy Bebop (Tank!) Anime fans know what I am talking about. Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts perform this great jazzy big band sounding theme song called Tank!. The series itself was very good. Lots of style and absolutely great music.

There were others too. I liked a lot of the Norman Lear show themes. Does anyone NOT know the words to the Jefferson's theme? The Mary Tyler Moore Show? Leave your favorite in the comments.

---

---

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Teens Still Getting Pregnant

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy is releasing a report that states that Abstinence Programs Don't Work in preventing teen pregnancies.

"At present there does not exist any strong evidence that any abstinence program delays the initiation of sex, hastens the return to abstinence or reduces the number of sexual partners" among teenagers, the study concluded.

Isn't that amazing. Color me skeptical but if abstinence only programs worked it would fly in the face of the liberal agenda's free sex beliefs. Funny how before the days of sex education when abstinence was the only form of birth control taught, teen pregnancies were very few. After sex education was introduced into the public schools, teen pregnancies sky rocketed. Now they still teach sex in school but then expect a program that tells teens not to try sex to work? Of course no one is suggesting we NOT teach kids about sex. In fact they still laud that great decision to take sex education away from parents.

The study, conducted by Douglas Kirby, a senior research scientist at ETR Associates, also sought to debunk what the report called "myths propagated by abstinence-only advocates" including: that comprehensive sex education promotes promiscuity, hastens the initiative of sex or increases its frequency, and sends a confusing message to adolescents.

None of these was found to be accurate, Kirby wrote.

Instead, he wrote, such programs improved teens' knowledge about the risks and consequences of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and gave them greater "confidence in their ability to say 'no' to unwanted sex."

Very powerful statements. But again color me skeptical. Why does Kirby praise Sex Ed and is so down on Abstinence programs? Could it be he has a vested and financial interest in sex education?

The sponsors of the study praised Kirby for his "thorough research" and for being "fair and evenhanded," but they also acknowledged that ETR Associates developed and markets several of the sex education curricula reviewed in the report. Several of the previous studies that were reviewed also were written by Kirby.

That makes sense now. Say that sex ed helps and then sell sex ed curricula. Some of the programs he claims are doing well are his so he reviews and promotes his own products at the same time under the guise of "objective study." Yeah right. He even promotes sex ed combined with abstinence training. It's the abstinence only programs that are the only ones he wouldn't make a cent on. You would think people would sponsor a study by someone who didn't stand to personally gain from the outcome of their own report.

Smoke Up! It's for the Kids!

I found this over at Kender's Musings. Don't look at me I voted Republican.

Now And Again You Get What You Want

In 2000 there was a television show on CBS called Now and Again. I never saw it then. I saw it years later on Bravo during their "Brilliant But Canceled" series. In a nutshell, a doctor/scientist played by Dennis Haysbert constructs an twenty six year old superman played by Eric Close, for the U.S. government. Unable to construct a "mind" they harvest John Goodman's forty something brain and put it in the body. The show lasted one season but long enough to show incredible potential in writing. I felt bad for the character Michael "Newman" because the wife he loved was grieving for him and the daughter he raised had to go on without him and yet he was still around, unknown to them and unable to interact with his family. But he does anyway even under "threat" of having them killed. I mean wouldn't you? He obviously can't tell them who he really is. He constantly bumps into them while out saving the country from evil doers. The story lines were imaginative and thought provoking as well as warm and touching.

So why the interest? Well I have already done next week's Thursday Thirteen and it is about T.V. theme songs. Now and Again had a great theme song by Narada Michael Walden. I linked the theme song(s) found at YouTube. I was lamenting the fact that there wasn't a clip avalable and voila! I also found a music video with scenes from the the show. I am in heaven! So here is the video and the song for this great show.

Thursday Thirteen #54

13 Things About Dane Bramage
13 Spin-offs of Other T.V. Shows
I've done television lists before. And I'm going to do one again. This time the theme of the list is spin-offs. I am listing 13 shows that were spin-offs of other shows.

1. Maude (1972-1978) This show was a spin-off of "All in the Family". The eponymous Maude was Edith Bunker's cousin.


2. The Jeffersons (1975-1985) Another "All in the Family" spin-off. George and "Weezie" were Archie and Edith's neighbors.


3. Good Times (1974-1979) This show was spawned by "Maude". Florida Evans was Maude's wise-cracking housekeeper.


4. Happy Days (1974-1984) Happy Days was spawned from a vignette on the show "Love American Style" called "Love and the Happy Days".


5. Lavern and Shirley (1976-1983) A spin-off of "Happy Days". Lavern and Shirley were friends of Fonzie who double dated Ritchie and Potsie.


6. Mork and Mindy (1978-1982) Another "Happy Days" spin-off. Mork appeared in a dream episode.


7. Rhoda (1974-1978) This was one of the spin-offs of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". It was funny for a season then the characters got married and it went downhill from there. Kinda like real marriage so I'm told.


8. Lou Grant (1977-1982) This was weird. Lou Grant was Mary Richard's boss on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" which was a situation comedy. The show "Lou Grant" was an excellent Emmy award winning drama about the same character. Go figure.


9. Trapper John M.D. (1979-1986) Some say this was a spin-off of M*A*S*H the TV show. It would then be one of two drama's spawned from comedies (the aforementioned Lou Grant being the other). But some say, for legal reasons, the show was spun-off of M*A*S*H the movie. I don't know. I do know Wayne Rogers was offered the role and he turned it down.


10. Barnaby Jones (1973-1980) Did you know that Buddy Ebsen's P.I. character was introduced on William Conrad's show "Canon"? Live and learn.


11. Daria (1997-2001) This animated gem had it's unlikely start from "Beavis and Butt-Head" of all places. I recommend Daria. Not so much Beavis and Butthead


12. Family Matters (1989-1998) This show was a spin-off of "Perfect Strangers". Harriet and Carl Winslow were friends of Balkie and Larry.


13. Angel (1999-2004) Angel was spawned from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", Different enough to be interesting and yet it had the same Buffy flavor Josh Whedon fans had come to love. I miss both shows.

I purposely limited the spin-offs to those shows that actually lasted more than a season. That way I didn't have to mention shows like Joanie Loves Chachie, or Phyllis. Many shows were spun off hit TV series that crashed and burned. Do you have a favorite Spin-off?

---

---

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


View More Thursday Thirteen Participants