DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!

Here at the offices of WHY I SHOOT STUFF, we endeavor to bring you witty, well crafted articles, chock full of useful information, prose and insight – covering such matters as famous last meals, garbage and graffiti, flatulence, snow, snow, snow and did I mention snow?

Unfortunately, being the Assistant Editor of this blog is an unpaid position and, at times, manages to interfere with my regular gig (which I used to like, but now I don’t). Recently, my work has been giving me fits and consuming all of my time and creative juices. I tell you this, not because I owe you anything (least of all an apology) but because I’m angry! ANGRY ANGRY ANGRY I TELL YOU!

At what you ask? Well, what is the upload capacity of this post? Because my venom would surely cause this stupid computer to crash! [D.Tkon ponders that . . .looks at his computer and then at the window . . . at the computer . . . at the window . . . Hmmmm].

I’m not going to pour it all out right here right now. No. Not today. It will be more delicious in dribs and drabs. But I will say this to you all you fuckers out there . . . damn us all to hell the day we wake up from this dream we call life and discover that we’ve always been awake while dreaming and in our wakeful hours we’ve slumbered our lives away. Yes! I used to be with it. Then they changed what it was. And now what I’m with isn’t it!

By D.Tkon

With the approach of a major storm forecasted to arrive at the East Coast on Friday (and a possible snow storm on Monday), I've decided to do a little research on the age-old question:

Which will keep you drier, running through the rain or walking?

(Borrowed from the Straight Dope Archives, originally posted 16-Oct-1992)

Dear Cecil:Jumpin' Jack and Lazy Jim, twins, emerge from a fancy restaurant only to find all the valets have split and a heavy rainstorm lies between them and their car, 100 yards away. Jumpin' Jack bets Lazy Jim that if he runs and Jim walks, he will arrive at the car not only faster but drier. Jim accepts the bet, arguing that Jack's broad chest will run into more raindrops than will hit Jim on the top of his slow moving but small head. Who wins the bet? If distance and rain density are important to figuring the answer, please provide us with a handy wallet chart so we may know when to be nimble and when not. Meanwhile, I'll place my bet with Jack. --Ryan Kuhn, ChicagoDear

Ryan:You're obviously a sensible young man, which is more than I can say for some of the people who have looked into this. According to Discover magazine, Alessandro De Angelis, a physicist at the University of Udine, Italy, calculated some years ago that "a sprinter racing along at 22.4 miles an hour does get less wet, but only 10 percent less wet, than a hasty stroller (6.7 miles an hour)."

Conclusion: running isn't worth the trouble.I haven't been able to find the original paper, if any, on which this report was based, so I don't know how De Angelis arrived at his conclusion. Not that it matters. Neither theory nor experiment (mine) bears out his crackbrain view. Running through the rain will keep you a lot drier (not just 10% drier) than walking.

First the theory. We divide the raindrops hitting you into two categories: (1) head drops, which fall from above and would hit you even if you were standing still; and (2) chest drops, which you run/walk into and which wouldn't hit you if you were standing still. We can all agree that the number of head drops is strictly a function of how long you're out in the rain; if you run, fewer head drops. The question is whether the allegedly larger number of chest drops you get when running outweighs the definitely larger number of head drops you get while walking. Not to keep you in suspense, the answer is no.

If we ignore aerodynamic effects, we can show mathematically (but won't) that while you'll collect many fewer head drops running rather than walking, you'll get exactly the same number of chest drops, regardless of the speed at which you travel. Bottom line: you'll be a lot wetter if you walk.

But wait, you say. What about those pesky aerodynamic effects? The requisite math is a bit daunting, but never fear. Heedless of his delicate health or his already low reputation with the neighbors, your columnist spent a recent rainy Saturday running down the street like an idiot brandishing pieces of red construction paper clipped to cardboard, the better to snag and count raindrops.

Methodology: three trials of two runs each over a fixed distance, once running, once walking. Winds: calm. Angle of attack of paper relative to ground: 45 degrees.

Results:Trial #1. Running, 15 seconds to run course; 213 drops. Walking, 40 seconds; couldn't count drops, paper soaked.

Shortened course.Trial #2. Running, 7 seconds; 131 drops. Walking, 20 seconds; 216 drops.

Trial #3. Running, 7 seconds; 147 drops. Walking, 17 seconds; 221 drops.

So there you are. The differences are larger than the numbers suggest because many drops on the "walking" papers dried before I could count them. My guess is that the number of drops is exactly proportional. If you're out twice as long, you get twice as wet.

One obvious caveat. If enough rain falls on you, whether because of the intensity of the rainfall or the distance you have to travel, eventually you'll be thoroughly soaked. After that it doesn't matter whether you run or walk; you're as wet as you're going to get. So the preceding applies only to relatively short sprints through less-than-torrential downpours. Sorry, no wallet charts. My advice: always run--if nothing else you could use the exercise.

YOU CAN FOOL SOME OF THE PEOPLE SOME OF THE TIME ...

Dear Cecil:I enjoyed your column about whether we get less wet running or walking in the rain. I was particularly impressed with your initiative in collecting data. Regrettably, some tests of statistical significance I performed on the data you supplied seem to poop the party: [two pages of incomprehensible mathematical symbols follow]. I know your data look convincing to the untrained eye, but a statistician they smack of the problem of small numbers. Next time invest in a few extra sheets of construction paper and improve your significance level. --Catherine Hagen, Montreal

Cecil replies:Your argument, Catherine, is that two trials isn't a large enough sample to base any firm conclusions on. Cecil knows this. Cecil also knows that if he doesn't get his column in on time, a chancy proposition under the best of circumstances, he may eventually be informed the time has come for him to get a real job. So he takes certain shortcuts. But your point is well taken. Next time I need somebody to dash through the drink a few dozen times, I'll give you a call.

CECIL'S FINDINGS CONFIRMED!

Thomas Peterson and Trevor Wallis of the National Climatic Data Center, writing in the meteorological journal Weather, also tackled the running vs. walking controversy. "We decided to deal with this with scientific rigor. We did an experiment," Peterson was quoted as saying in Health magazine.The magazine goes on to describe the experiment: "One rainy day the two men donned identical sweat suits and hats, which they'd weighed before the test. For added accuracy, they wore plastic garbage bags underneath the sweat suits to keep their underclothes from wicking away any water. They then set out through the downpour on a 100-meter course. Wallas ran; Peterson walked."When they finished, the men weighed their clothes again to find out how much water they'd soaked up. Peterson's had absorbed about seven and half ounces, while Wallis's sopped up only four and a half."In short, running will keep you drier than walking. Told ya. --CECIL ADAMS

by File Boy

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, left, meets with
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran.

Iran: U.S. Wrestling to Blame for Iraq Woes

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's supreme leader on Tuesday said Americans are the "main cause" of the world’s over-supply of wrestling fans and wrestling television stars. “Limiting the world’s supply of wrestlers is the first step to ending the country's discord” according to an Iranian news agency report.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the confusing remarks while meeting with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who is visiting Iran and holding discussions with its leaders. Talabani was welcomed Monday by his counterpart, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was at the Tuesday meeting.

"U.S. policies being implemented through wrestling television programs such as “Smack Down”, “RAW means WAR” and “Smack Down Meets Raw” are the main cause of the current situation in Iraq," Khamenei is quoted as saying by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), a state-run operation.

He said those who are supplying such wrestlers want to pick a Saddam Hussein-style wrestler, a move he said will fail.

"Supplying wrestling television programs in Iraq and igniting the flames of sleeper holds and solarplexic figure-four moves in the country will be quite risky for the U.S. agents and the region," the IRNA quotes Khamenei as saying.

The report said Khamenei pointed to the withdrawal of wrestling programs and the handing over of television programming to Iraq's government "as the first measure towards solving the issue of insecurity in the country."

"U.S. wrestling super stars in Iraq are doomed to failure and continuation of wrestling programs in Iraq is not a bite to be swallowed by the U.S.," he said.

He told Talabani that the wrestling programming is aired to destabilize the government. "Those who once conspired a ploy for wrestling programming in Iraq and then saw it botched are now bent on destabilizing the situation in every possible way through their power moves and antics in the ring that include ladder fights, cage brawls and death matches."

He also said perpetrators of wrestling moves in Iraq operate "under the cover" of sectarian strife.

Khamenei, described as Iran's "highest-ranking political authority," said it "considers assistance in establishment of non-wrestling programming in Iraq as its religious and human task" and supports state-run programming in Iraq too.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani later admitted to being confused by Khamenei’s remarks saying, “I couldn’t get a word in edgewise with that dingbat”.

by File Boy

All Points Bulletin -

Be on the lookout for a man who police describe as a "bibliophile", an "angry, angry, bibliophile" who is wanted for questioning about his knowledge and possible involvement in the recent string of shootings, which have seemingly targeted married women, most having occurred in the women's bathrooms.

Police have little to go on, except for an anonymous tip, which came in the form of an e-mail from a person identified only as "File Boy".

"File Boy has given us quite a lot to go on, including a drawing of how he thinks the shootings occurred." Said Lt. Donofrio of the Wilmington Police Department. "File Boy said the shooter's nickname is 'D.Tkon'". Police are asking for anyone with any knowledge of the shooting incidents, or the whereabouts of the mysterious "D.Tkon" to come forward.

UPDATE -

Police have received numerous phone calls reporting a man running around the Christiana Mall parking lot, wearing only boxer shorts and tube socks, but otherwise fitting the description and identified as "D.Tkon" by an anonymous tipster. Police swat teams are en route to the mall's parking lot now.

We will break in with additional updates as they become available.

by File Boy

Join me, won’t you? As we go on another journey into our favorite city, Filthadelphia.

But where should we go today? Let's consult a local news site, I'm sure we can find something interesting to do there.

Now, which site should we look at? Hmmm...oh, here's one. NBC10.com. Let's see what's in the news today in Philly.

Another Woman Sexually Assaulted On Philadelphia Street
Authorities are on the lookout for a man they believe robbed and sexually assaulted five women in the city. Only 5?

They haven’t found him yet, but that shouldn’t stop you from coming to Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love (and sisterly assault).

Eagles Blog: Bunkley Skips Flight, Civil War Looming?
Eagles are falling apart; the quarterback is out for the season, they will be lucky to win another game this year. Wouldn’t you like to pay $100 to sit in a smelly stadium and get food poisoning from the disgusting hot dogs while you drink your $10 beer and watch your team get it handed to them? Come on down!

Guardian Angels Join Search For West Atlantic City Killer
Aren’t the Guardian Angels supposed to GUARD?!?! They aren’t the “Searching Angels”, they’re the GUARDIAN Angels!!. If they have to search for a killer, that in and of itself means that they have failed at their original goal, which is to GUARD. By the way, they suck as Searching Angels too, they haven't found anything.

Maybe they should change their title to something a little less assuming, like the “After-the-fact Angels” or “Symbolic Angels”. That way, no one would expect anything out of them, and then no one would be disappointed.

Woman Walks Onto I-95, Dies
Wonderful. I wonder what she died of? I doubt it was a speeding lunatic like the ones I see every time I drive through Philly on I-95. Those guys drive so well! I mean its nothing for them to go 100 mph and weave in and out of traffic. In fact, I think they are immune to traffic because whenever it gets bad they just jump out of line and go up the shoulder at about four thousand miles per hour. She must have been killed by someone with less skill than the normal Philly driver.

Officers Skip Hearings; Judge Might Let Defendents Go
Why not? Might as well just let them go, especially if you can’t spell what they are (that’s “defendants” for those of you in Glasgow, DE).

If there isn’t anything good to report on in the city itself, we might as well turn to the sports page. Uh oh, nothing good there either.
Defenseless Eagles Lose To Colts, 45-21

Prosecutors Release Tattoo Photos, Seek Public's Help
These are photos of the tattoos found on the corpse of a murdered prostitute. Prosecutors are hoping that someone will recognize the tattoos and help them to identify the body. Of course, there are probably 10,000 people who have been up close and personal with this poor woman’s body, and would know in a second who she is, but then they’d have to face the inevitable question(s), “How did you know her/When did you last see her/What were you doing that night?”

Oh, and there were at least two other murdered prostitutes found nearby. Or was it a total of 4 prostitutes? The murderer is still on the loose.

Police Investigate Nightclub Shooting
Why bother, there’ll be another nightclub shooting tomorrow, might as well let this one go and get a head start on tomorrow’s nightclub shooting.

Fight, Gunfire May Have Followed Frankford Wreck
Well of course gunfire followed the accident. I mean, someone had to pay for the damage to my bumper. Just kidding of course, but this is a great story to give you an idea of why Philly is so bad. I mean, you get into an accident, and you think you’re having a bad day. But your bad day is just beginning because the guy you hit has a gun and its aimed right at you. What can make your car look worse than an accident? How about some gun holes?

Man Who May Have Been Homeless Found Beaten To Death
“Are there no prisons?”
“Well, yes”
“Did something happen to the workhouses?”
“No”
“Well then perhaps the poor should go there.”
“But many would rather die than go to those places.”
“Then perhaps they should do so and decrease the surplus population.”

Or we could just help them out by beating them to death. A year or so ago there was a rash of murders in town that included homeless people who were not only murdered, but also set on fire. No kidding.

Willow Grove Mall Reopens After Fire
Hurry up and reopen so we can go shoppingduh.

by File Boy

Child Playing With Lighter Blamed For Starting House Fire, Praised for Dexterity of Digits at Young Age

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. -- State fire investigators said an amazingly dexterous child playing with a lighter started a fire that caused $500,000 in damage to a Rehoboth Beach home.

It happened just before 9 p.m. Monday on the 1100 block of Denton Road.

The state Fire Marshal's Office said when firefighters from the Rehoboth Beach, Lewes and Bethany Beach fire departments arrived, the first and second floor on the west side of the house were already in flames. “We later found out that it was started by a 10 year old child, who apparently was good with his hands”, Lt. Dan Forbin commented at the scene of the blaze.

“We were working hard to put the fire out and then someone pointed at the kid in the ambulance and we all just put down our hoses and went over to meet the little fire wizard”, Ralph Fein of the Lewes Fire Company said.

Everyone inside the home when the fire broke out escaped without injury.

“Typically you see teenagers and that age-frame playing with fire, but today’s kids are just growing up so fast!” said neighbor Barbara Gelthy. “I’m just glad to be able to say I know a real child prodigy”, she went on to say.

Barbara’s house was completely destroyed by the fire.

Investigators have determined that the fire started in the first-floor bedroom, and was caused by an amazing little genius child with a real knack for gizmos and gadgets, playing with a lighter. The child’s parents describe him as a real “self-starter”, pointing to an incident earlier this year in which the child ignited his sweater and wind breaker while he was still wearing them.

by File Boy

Combined Effects Of A SnowJob And A BlowJob

File Boy was spotted today, enjoying a pre-Thanksgiving Nooner. He’s my hero! And his ability to fight shrinkage against the most brutal of elements (and ugliest of women) is no longer legendary – but rather is pixilated and digitized, right here, for all comers to ogle.

How does he do it? My answer - He must work quick! As this article demonstrates:

The lowest temperature that can be endured is a combination of the duration and the extent of the exposure, so it is not easily determined. A naked person will start to feel cold if the surrounding temperature drops below around 25?C (77?F). Physiological responses such as shivering and diverting blood away from the extremities and surface of the skin will then kick in.
These physiological responses mean that a reasonably well-nourished adult can maintain their core temperature in still air just above freezing point wearing only light clothing.

This maintenance of temperature becomes much more difficult in moving air and also in damp or wet conditions. If the extremities fall below freezing point, even if only barely, then frostbite and possible permanent damage will occur.

The cooling effect of moving air is well known and the phrase "wind chill factor" was coined by the American Paul Siple to describe the fact that wind increases the rate of heat loss and has the effect of making it seem as though it's really colder than the thermometer is showing.

A reduction in body temperature results in impaired body function. This is seen most easily in cold weather when you try to do something like tie a shoe-lace or do up an awkward button with fingers that are clumsy with cold. The nerve cells that transmit impulses work more slowly as do the muscles controlling your fingers. 12?C is the critical air temperature for good manual dexterity and 8?C for touch sensitivity.

A common symptom of cold weather is its effect on urine production. Exposure to cold causes a reduction in blood flow to the surface of the skin by constriction of blood vessels. This reduces the overall volume of the circulatory system so increasing the blood pressure. The body's response to this is to reduce the fluid volume by getting rid of water in the urine. So when you get cold, you want to pee.

Another reaction you may notice is that when the skin temperature falls below about 10?C, the surface blood vessels dilate (get wider) rather than constrict, If the temperature falls further periods of blood vessel dilation alternate with periods of constriction, This is because your body is trying not to lose heat from the extremities, but at the same time wants to supply the skin with blood for oxygen and nutrients. This phenomenon explains the red cheeks and nose characteristic of frosty weather. Eventually however the body stops the dilation of the blood vessels to the skin and the skin falls to the surrounding temperatures when frost nip or frostbite may occur.

Happy Thanksgiving from d.tkon

Cold Weather and Spit, an experiment you can try at home!

Cold weather. Most folks don’t like it, but there are some cool things that happen when it is cold outside. For one, it has to be cold in order for it to snow.

I spent some time living in a very cold environment back in the early 1990s. I remember one night the prediction was for temperatures to go as low as -35. That’s cold. Colder than I had ever experienced growing up near the east coast. So of course, the thing to do was to go outside and see what it felt like.

Luckily I had some friends who were more accustomed to that kind of extreme cold. They told me (and perhaps I also saw it on the news) that if you are out in that kind of cold you will get frostbite in a matter of minutes (like 5 minutes) if you have any exposed skin. Now, I had a coat and a hat and gloves, etc… but what about my face, eyes and nose? We had to devise make-shift masks out of t-shirts to wrap around our stupid heads so we could go outside and experience the cold without repercussion.

What I remember upon stepping out onto the dry sidewalk was that every step we took squeaked. I’m not sure if it was the rubber soles of our shoes or the sidewalk itself that made the sound, but it sounded like we were walking on snow – but the ground was dry.

I remember inhaling and then squeezing my nostrils to break the ice inside! No kidding. The insides of our noses froze. That was cold.

Then I wondered, “What happens if I spit?” Our spit did not freeze before hitting the ground, but it did freeze as soon as it hit the ground. So at what temperature would spit freeze before hitting the ground? For this and other answers, we turn to the internet. Provider of all things useless and entertaining. Come family, gather around the computer and bask in its warm glowing, warming glow.

From a Q and A session held between school students and scientists at the South Pole via the internet:

What are the warmest day temperatures in the summmer at the South Pole?

Dr. John Carlstrom writes in Feb 2000:The warmest day temperature ever is +7.5F. The warmest this year has been -20F. It is now getting much colder and has already been -40F this summer. The coldest day on record -118F.

Will your spit freeze as soon as it leaves your mouth?

Janice says: "When I was at the South Pole, the temperature was -28 degrees Celcius (-20 degrees Fahrenheit) and my spit did not freeze as soon as it left my mouth. In fact, it took a few seconds before it froze as it lay on the ground. Yes, I was on my hands and knees in the snow observing and touching wet spit on the ground. "

“However, over the winter, we are told, it can get cold and quiet enough that if you simply exhale through your mouth, you can hear the water vapor in your breath freeze.”

Close to an answer….Let’s delve deeper. More on freezing spit –

This very same question was posed to some scientists at NOVA, and they said that they think spit will freeze before hitting the ground at -50 or colder. Hmmm… that’s almost a definitive answer, but not quite.

In a story about Alaska, Jack London wrote that his character estimated the temperature to be at least 75 degrees below zero because not only did his spit freeze before hitting the ground, it audibly cracked at the point that it froze, which was only a few inches from his lips.

Well, he could have just been guessing, we need first-hand experience.

Aha!
From another blogger at this address (http://five-thirteen.blogspot.com/2004_01_01_five-thirteen_archive.html), and in response to a cold wave hitting the east coast (presumably last year or during a previous winter) I read the following (*note: the author made the comment that “it hasn’t been below zero in Boston in hundreds of years” which isn’t true, but if the rest of what he’s saying is true, its pretty interesting, and possibly the answer we were looking for):

“…But seriously, east coasters, come talk to me when it hits -72 degrees, and we'll talk. Yes, I've been outside in -72. I changed a frozen car battery in -72. You have to go outside and make sure that you start your car every hour for about twenty minutes or the fluids freeze, including the battery acid. I learned that the hard way. Let me tell you something, you don't want to have to thaw out a frozen car battery in your apartment. It takes a long time, and you'll be tempted to use the oven, and that's a whole 'nother story. Also, leather gloves are an excellent insulator against electric charges from batteries when you accidentally connect the positive with the negative bolts when your wrench slips and touches both simultaneously. Again, another story.

When it's that cold, your spit freezes before it's even halfway to the ground (not only did I try it, I marvelled that the spit crackled through the air as the ice cracked and re-froze until it shattered on the ground and the liquid inside then immediately froze upon exposure), but any exposed skin will become frostbitten almost instantly upon contact with the cold. And it's not the slow, gradual frostbite where you don't really notice it, or your cheeks start feeling a little bit burned or raw. It feels like the wind is using your face for a pincushion. Shit, it's so cold that not only does the hairs inside your nose freeze solid, you're actually in danger of freezing the inside of your throat and lungs if you're not careful enough to warm up your scarf and breathe through that. Slowly.

I remember talking to a tour guy in Jamaica about that winter, when it was 110 in the shade (just for extreme temperature comparison, doing easy math, that's a 180 difference. If you used the temperature of freezing (32 degrees farenheit) as a starting point, adding 180 degrees would make your blood boil. Literally). He asked how cold it got in Illinois. He asked "Is that colder than my refridgerator?" We answered that it's colder than his freezer. "How long would I survive dressed like dis in dat weather?" (He was wearing nothing but swimming trunks).

I responded, "You'd be dead in five minutes."

By File Boy

According to Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz (from Philadelphia's NBC 10 weather team) we are in for a very snowy winter this year. I won't bore you with all of the details, but he bases this prediction on several factors (el nino, PDO, NAO, etc...). All factors point to big snow this year. We'll have to see how it turns out, but this could be very good news, if you're nuts about snow like I am.

by File Boy

Good Taste / Bad Taste

Here’s the Second installment in what I still hope will become a regular feature here on Why I Shoot Stuff. The premise is simple. A picture, photograph, image, or quote (or anything that provokes thought) will be posted under the heading “Good Taste / Bad Taste”. Sometimes there may be an accompanying commentary to get your literary juices flowing. Either way, you’re invited to click in and vent, tear me a new one, or applaud. Hopefully you’ll be pissed off. Speaking of pissed, here’s today’s picture.

Ahhhh! The pause that refreshes! - What do you say?

Unashamedly Posted by D. Tkon

Recipes -

As Americans, we celebrate Thanksgiving by eating large quantities of food. We all know what’s on most people’s plates at Thanksgiving (spaghetti, ice cream, jelly beans and walnuts - lots and lots of walnuts).

While on the internet today I found a site that invites people to send in their most outrageous recipes. The one caveat to these recipes is that the food has to be something you either have eaten, or enjoy eating regularly.

If you have an outrageous recipe, feel free to tell us about it!

Granny's Oldtime Recipes

Scrapple:

1 hog's head

4 to 5 quarts cold water

4 teaspoons salt

4 teaspoons powdered sage

yellow corn meal (about 3 cups)

Separate one hog's head into halves. Remove eyes and brains. Scrape head and clean thoroughly. Place in large kettle and cover with 4-5 quarts of cold water. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours, or until meat falls from the bones. Skimm grease carefully from the surface; remove meat. chop fine, and turn liquor. Season with salt, pepper, and sage to taste. Sift in corn meal, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened to the consistency of mush. Cook slowly for 1 hour over low heat. When sufficiently cooked, pour into greased oblong pans and store in a cool place until ready to use. Cut in thin slices and fry until crisp and brown. Makes 6 pounds.

Headcheese:

1 hog's head (only 1?!)

1 hog's tongue

salt and peppersage or chili powder

Clean and scrape hog's head and wash thoroughly. Wash and trim tongue (how do you trim a f'ing tongue?!?!). Cover head and tongue with slightly salted water and simmer until meat falls from the bone (hold on, I'm dry-heaving). Drain meat, shred, and season. Pack tightly in bowl, cover, and weigh it down. Let stand 3 days in a cold place. Slice. Makes 6-8 pounds.

Scrambled Brains

"When I was growing up I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ house. I remember that very often on Sunday mornings and occasionally for dinner, my grandmother would fix an appetizing dish consisting of scrambled eggs and calves brains. Now, this I was told is a delicacy, who made this so I can't imagine. I can remember that the brains were mixed into the eggs and were rather hard to distinguish, except for the paler color. While I suppose it wasn't horrible, for a child it was a rather traumatic experience being expected to eat this stuff. On the other hand, another regular dish at grandma's was something called blood sausage, which is indeed made of pigs blood, barley, and spices and when cooked is a black looking sausage. To this day it is one of my favorite things, but for some reason it's very hard to find. Hmmm... "

submitted by: Carol Nizzi

Head Cheese and Hog Maw

"I was really interested in reading those recipes and must add my own. Being Pennsylvania Dutch, I grew up on pigs stomach, pickled pigs feet and some disgusting concoction called head cheese, which looks exactly like a combination of snot mixed with rubber cement. I don't have the head cheese recipe, but I do know how you make pig stomach, which by the way I absolutely love. The problem is that although it's not a one person meal, no one will taste it to see if they like it. I was a little reticent myself, but it is sssoooo good. By the way, to the Pennsylvania Dutch (for which this dish is a norm) it is called "hog mawl" You order the pig stomach from the butcher. He has to soak it to kill off the enzymes. You chop up equal parts of potatoes, onions and country sausage (not breakfast links or Italian, it's a main dish sausage). Stuff the stomach and bake until it is brown and crispy on the outside. To serve, you slice it just like roast. Hmmm... Good." - submitted by: Claudia

by File Boy

Now for another installment of "What say you?"

Please feel free to read the following news story and post a comment.

Michael Richards 'Deeply Sorry' For Racial Tirade
'Seinfeld' Actor Appears Angry, Flustered On Letterman

LOS ANGELES -- "Seinfeld" star Michael Richards took to airwaves Monday night to apologize and say he flipped out when he spewed racial epithets during a stand-up comedy routine Friday in Los Angeles. During an appearance on the "Late Show" with David Letterman, Richards, who played Kramer, said he lost his cool while being heckled and not because he's a bigot. Richards hurled racial epithets at two black hecklers.

Richards, on a video hookup from California, told Letterman, "For me to be at a comedy club and flip out and say this crap, I'm deeply, deeply sorry," adding, "I'm not a racist. That's what's so insane about this."

Then, his tone became angry and frustrated as he defended himself. Richards grew flustered and expressed second thoughts about appearing on the "Late Show" when some audience members chuckled because he used the term "Afro-American."

That's when he told Letterman, "I'm hearing your audience laugh, and I'm not even sure that this is where I should be addressing the situation."

His comments came during a scheduled appearance on the show by Jerry Seinfeld, who has called the incident a "horrible, horrible mistake."

Seinfeld said during the show that Richards deserved the chance to apologize.

Richards, 57, played Seinfeld's eccentric neighbor, Kramer, on the hit sitcom "Seinfeld" from 1989-1998.
In a video of the incident featured on the Web site TMZ.com (note: Video contains profanity), Richards purportedly screamed, "Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f---ing fork up your a--."
On the videotape, some audience members are gasping in disbelief.

Directing his anger at one of the men, Richards said, "Throw his a-- out," and said, "He's a n-----!" five times.

In response to the tirade, one of men shouted at Richards on the TMZ video, "That''s un-f---ing called for, you cracker-a-- motherf-----" and called the comedian a "f---ing white boy."

Also during the three-minute tirade, Richards said, "They're going to arrest me for calling a black man a n-----."

The video shows some people walking out, with others gasping -- but there's also some audible chuckling throughout the outburst.

Comedians ReactComedians are reacting to Richards' racist outburst.
Comic Paul Rodriguez said there are limitations to free speech, and he thinks Richards "found those limitations."
Rodriguez said once someone who isn't black uses the n-word, "then you have a whole lot of explaining."
Comedian George Lopez told a Los Angeles television station that Richards is "an actor trying to be a comedian" and said "he shouldn't ever be on a stand-up gig." He said Richards didn't know how to respond to an unruly audience.
Meanwhile, the owner of The Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, the club where the incident took place, says Richards isn't welcome there until he makes an apology "to everyone."
However, Richards did perform at the club the following night, without incident.

by File Boy

Just a quick snow update - and then we'll get right back to the shenanigans.

(borrowed from Fox29.com, Rob Guarino's blog)

NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) UPDATE-

The NAO is neutral and looks to slide upward the next 5 days (that means warmer with no snow). The NAO forecast is to be near neutral December but may slip to the -NAO side December 2-5th (indicative of a possible snow event). That means colder weather and a possible storm. The GFS sees something that far out but I need to see many more factors before thinking of something around that date. It could be a wet nor'easter here with some snow in the interior mountains of PA, WV, MD and NC. Way too early to call but it is something to keep an eye on at this point.

___________________________

I've noticed a higher than average number of nor'easters thus far this year. May bode well for lots of snow.

Also, keep in mind that tonight, NBC 10's Glen "Hurricane" Schwartz is releasing his winter weather prediction at 11 p.m.

*(As a side note, I like Glen, but he was rated in last place last year by an independent auditing firm who compared all of Philly's forecasters and rated them on accuracy. Rob Guarino came in first place.)

How To Of The Week

One of the greatest things about the Internet is the endless source of serious information about billions of serious subjects. Nowhere else can so much information be found with only a few clicks and keystrokes. I thought I would try posting some of the more “interesting” bits of information. Feel free to comment, guffaw, cringe, or be enlightened. If nothing else, I hope you are entertained. And now, to this week’s How To Segment.

How to Hide an Erection

As guys, we all have times when we're caught off guard with an erect member. It can be embarrasing and awkward, especially when you're a teen, or you are in an important meeting or such. Here is what you can do to avoid such embarrasing situations.

Steps

1. Clothes are key in concealing an erection. Never wear tight clothes, or clothes that restrict movement. Jeans can be good or bad, as looser jeans tend to shield the growth, and tighter jeans accentuate it. Khaki pants are said to be good for hiding the erection, as well.

2. Underclothes can also be a factor. As a general rule, underpants are better than boxers. However, realizing that many men prefer boxers, it is not necessary to wear underpants.

3. Loose shirts are great if you can get away with them. If you're at school or someplace casual, use an untucked shirt at groin length to hide the erection. Sweatshirts work even better.

4. When you can't get away with clothing, resort to dire measures! Physical barriers aid the concealment of this problem quite well. Get something between your member and the people you're around. Hiding it under a desk, putting a book in front of it (held casually with one hand, not obviously), or anything else you can think of is great for concealing it.

5. Another trick is simply time. Give it time and the darned thing will go away. Don't think about it, or it'll stay longer.

6. Think about something engrossing--sports, politics, whatever. Some people find gross things to be effective in the neutralizing of an erection. Think of that video you saw in high school "The Miracle of Birth", and you should be okay.

7. The expression "walking it off" is great when applied to the theme of erections. Physical exercise gets rid of them rapidly.

8. Putting your hand in your pocket and holding your penis to the side can also help but it might hurt a little.

9. When all else fails, go to the bathroom and "tuck it in" pointing up and held with the waistband of your trousers. Don't make it hurt, just hold it in place. The erection will be much less noticeable, and will go away presently. Then, pull up your waistband and free your poor penis.

Tips (no pun intended)

*Don't think about sexual attraction while you have an erection; it'll make things worse.

*NEVER "flex". It's hard to explain, but if you're a guy, then you understand. Flexing will increase blood flow to the penis and make your erection last longer. Control the urge.

*Concentrate on something like a dead cat and try to feel it, taste it, smell it. But never think about how your erection is doing.

*Try not to stand up.

*Put your hands in your pockets and make a fist, this usually works if you are wearing tight pants.

*NEVER make eye contact with a girl you find attractive.

Warnings
Don't do anything to hurt your penis. It's better to be embarrased for a moment than damage your child-bearing, urine-flushing member for life.
borrowed without permission by D. Tkon

Caption

of the

Day

Do these shoes

really go with this outfit?

Just about every time I go hunting, I see a "falling star" or two. Since I don't follow the science of astronomy, I never know if its the end of the world, a meteor shower, or just some rogue meteor. I saw one this morning, while I was sitting in the dark waiting for the sun to come up and thought I'd take a look online to see what was up.

Attached is an article from Accuweather about the Leonid meteor shower, which is visible tonight, provided there isn't any (or much) cloud cover. Since I won't be awake when it is at its peak, I thought I'd pass it on for anyone who is interested.

Please enjoy responsibly. I don't know why I just said that, but it made me smile. Clown penis. Sorry.

______________________________________
If you are lucky enough to live in a part of the nation that will have clear skies tonight, go to a dark location away from the city lights and gaze at the sky, especially between 11:45 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. EST. If you look close enough, you should catch a glimpse of one of the hundreds of meteors that will enter the Earth's atmosphere during the Leonid meteor shower.

A large portion of the nation, such as the southernmost-central states, will have crystal clear skies to enjoy the show. Just to the north, some clouds could prevent a visible meteor shower across the central Plains and parts of the southern Mississippi Valley. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, Tennessee Valley and Northeast, you will have to hope that next year's Leonid meteor shower will be visible since numerous clouds overhead tonight will make watching the show impossible.

Borrowed from AccuWeather.com, Meteorologist Kristina Baker.

by File Boy

Retard of the day!

If you only ever click on one internet link, make sure its this one.

Nuff said ---> Funniest Criminal of All Time!!!

I promised I'd keep you up to date on the upcoming potential east coast snow next week. Here's the latest from accuweather.com...

"The East Coast was battered with wind, rain and destructive thunderstorms Thursday, and another storm might come out of the woodwork early next week. It will be a much different animal, though. Instead of plowing in from the west, Monday's storm will form over the western Atlantic. The key factor is proximity. The closeness of the storm to the coast will make all the difference in the world. The worst-case scenario allows snow to fall from eastern Virginia to southern New England; best case is that it turns out bright and sunny everywhere. AccuWeather.com will keep you posted on this one. A lot can happen between now and then."

by File Boy

Good Taste / Bad Taste

Here’s the first installment in what I hope will become a regular feature here on Why I Shoot Stuff. The premise is simple. A picture, photograph, image, or quote (or anything that provokes thought) will be posted under the heading “Good Taste / Bad Taste”. Sometimes there may be an accompanying commentary to get your literary juices flowing. Either way, you’re invited to click in and vent, tear me a new one, or applaud. The more venom the better. Speaking of venom, here’s our first picture.

Crikey! - What do you say?

Unashamedly Posted by D. Tkon

How To Of The Week

One of the greatest things about the Internet is that it is an endless source of serious information about billions of serious subjects. Nowhere else can so much information be found with only a few clicks and keystrokes. I thought I would try posting some of the more “interesting” bits of information. Feel free to comment, guffaw, cringe, or be enlightened. If nothing else, I hope you are entertained. And now, to this week’s How To Segment.

How to Regain Control of a Spooked Camel

In some parts of North Africa and the Middle East, the camel remains the primary means of long-distance transportation. These remarkable animals are intelligent and strong, and they possess incredible endurance. They can also be quite fast: some camels can briefly attain speeds up to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). While their speed makes them ideal for racing, it can provide a camel rider with a harrowing, potentially deadly experience if a camel is spooked or otherwise begins to run out of control.

Steps

Stay calm. The camel will eventually stop. In fact, a runaway camel will usually regain its composure and slow down pretty quickly. Until it does, you need to keep your wits about you.

Hang on to the reins. Because camels are cud-chewing animals (they are constantly chewing), their reins are usually attached to a peg inserted into the nose, as opposed to being attached to a bit in the mouth, as is the case with horses. Thus, unlike with a horse, you can’t try to steer an out-of-control camel by pulling hard on the reins. A hard pull will break the reins or, worse, tear the peg out of the camel’s nose, which will cause it to panic even more. While you don’t want to pull on the reins too much, you do want to make sure to keep hold of them so you can steer the camel once it slows down.

If the reins are attached to a head halter, as is often the case with camels that are ridden on tourist expeditions, you can pull on the reins to get the camel to turn in a circle and, eventually, slow down. Work with the camel, not against it. Pull the reins to the side that the camel wants to turn its head. If the camel decides to turn its head the other way, allow it to do so, and pull the rein on that side instead.

Consider a quick dismount. If the camel is just starting to pick up speed and won’t respond to commands to stop, consider sliding off. This is especially useful if you have lost the reins. Kick out of the stirrups and attempt to hit the ground running, bending your knees slightly as you land. Note that this should not be attempted at high speeds unless there is impending danger ahead (a cliff, for example). Once you’re on the ground, try to grab the reins. The camel will most likely come to a stop once you have the reins in your hands again.

Hang on. The camel will eventually stop. Your goal is to hold on until it does. Press yourself to the camel to lower your center of gravity, grip the camel between your legs, and hold the horn of the saddle. If you aren’t using a saddle, just hold on as well as you can, and try to lean back a little so that you avoid riding near the tip of the hump, which will be a very bumpy ride at high speeds.

Get off the camel once you have it under control. Once the wild ride is over, have the camel sit. Dismount and continue to hold the reins.

Tips

Don’t get angry with the camel or strike it after you have it under control. While your adrenaline may be pumping, it’s important that you keep your cool. Camels tend to hold grudges, so if you frighten or mistreat them, they are liable to be unpleasant in the future.

Make sure you have sturdy reins and a head halter, especially if you don’t have much riding experience. A head halter can make it much easier to regain control of your camel, and you won’t have to worry about hurting it by ripping the peg out of its nose.

Learn and memorize the correct commands to give a camel while riding it. Different camels are trained to respond to different commands.

Only apply a slight pull to the reins when trying to get the camel to turn. It usually doesn’t take much, and an overzealous pull can hurt your camel if the reins are attached to a nose peg.

Camels generally don't like to be alone in unfamiliar places, so a runaway camel will often come back on its own. This racing camel is looking for its caretaker. Later, he trotted back down the track the way he came.

Most, but not all, camels like to stay close to the herd or close to home, so if you fall from your camel, the camel will likely come back once it calms down.

borrowed without permission by D.Tkon

Man Shits to Death in Port-a-potty Accident

PHILADELPHIA -- A man was found, shitted to death late Tuesday night on 60th Street near Webster in West Philadelphia.

Police said a neighborhood port-a-potty was the scene of the shitting. After eating a large meal at a nearby Kennedy Fried Chicken , the man was urged to use the nearby facility by his girlfriend. “He stunk and his stomach kept gurgling. He looked like he was in serious pain. I was like, ‘honey, why don’t you go use the bathroom?’”

When the noise stopped, and after waiting what seemed like hours, the girlfriend began to knock at the door of the portable toilet. When there was no answer, she held her nose and pushed open the door.

Records show that the police were called from the girlfriend’s cell phone. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found the man dead, the victim of Philly’s latest shitting death.

There's no word on the victim's name or age, however the girlfriend of the victim detailed the components of the last meal. “He placed his order through the bullet proof glass for a large family sized bucket of wing zings and wouldn’t share any of them with me. I had to settle for potato wedges and macaroni and cheese”.

Police have made no arrests. This is the 357th shiticide in Philadelphia this year.

by File Boy

Iran’s President Pleased with Results of American Elections, Delivers Message of Hate, Sans Necktie, Suit

So, the obvious question is, if the elections were a clear signal that America has rejected much of what the Republican Party stood for, and if Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is pleased about those results, should we be? I mean, he sounds like a nice guy and all. Just take a look at some of the quotes below from a cnn.com article describing a recent press release he held.

This from cnn.com:

“During his talk, Ahmadinejad said recent election results in the United States marked the failure of U.S. policies, based on imposition of its will on others, support for bullying, plunder, unilateralism and humiliating other governments.”

Iran’s Nuclear Ambition Tour

The Iranian president “…has repeatedly said uranium enrichment is his country's right and will not be abandoned, despite Western fears that Iran's goal is to build nuclear weapons. The president said the uranium is for civilian projects. Tehran ignored an August 31 U.N. Security Council deadline demanding it halt its nuclear program. By early October, Iran had resumed its uranium enrichment program by building a second cascade of centrifuges and injecting gas into the system, IRNA had said.”

'A message to the American people'

“Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that Iran is ready for better relations with other countries -- with one exception. "We are after positive interaction with the whole world, except a state which we consider its foundation as wrong and do not attach any value to its legitimacy," he said, referring to Israel.”

“Ahmadinejad also said Tuesday he has something to tell the American people. "I will soon send a message to the American people. The message is in the stage of preparation," he said. Without elaborating, he said his message would be in response to U.S. government statements.”

I don’t know about you, but I just can’t wait to get his message. I’m betting it will be a Christmas card. He’s so thoughtful.

by File Boy

Well I went hunting on Friday (spent about 9 hours in the stand) and saw two bucks, both of which were on the small side and did not present a good shooting opportunity, so I passed on both. Then on Saturday I went in the morning and didn't see anything. I sat there in the stand for about 5 hours. Sunday I went to church, and prayed for a buck on Monday. Yesterday I hunted in the morning and saw two bucks and two does, but they were all running and never came in closer than 100 yards so I didn't even take a shot. I went back out at 2 p.m. and hunted til nightfall. I had a buck walk in a huge arc around me, all the while staying about 100 yards out. I had one chance to take him when he ran across the field and stopped for a brief second, but for some reason I just didn't like the shot that I would have to take, so again I didn't shoot.

Now I'm here at work and the scene of those close encounters is playing back in my mind and I'm not sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, I'm ecstatic that I even had a chance to see bucks, and that I had the opportunity to hunt on private land and not see any other hunters. On the other hand, I'm kicking myself for not taking a shot.

Luckily, I have off on Friday and will be back out there Friday and Saturday to see if I can't close the deal.

While I was in my stand, my words that "this is the year of the buck" kept playing back in my mind. I wondered if I had jinxed it by making that prediction.

I tell my girlfriend about my hunts when I get home, and I'm sure it is boring to everyone but me. I see something beautiful every time I go. On Friday I saw a flock of purple grackles in the woods about 75 yards away, on the ground, they were legion and raucous, apparently looking for insects. The birds were turning over every leaf and were hopping around on the ground and in the trees. They made so much noise that nothing else was audible in the woods. I froze completely still hoping they come my way. Eventually I was surrounded. I had them in the tree above me, below me on the ground and in the trees next to me. I was getting a cramp from not moving for several minutes. There were thousands of them. Thousands of eyes watching for movement. When I couldn't take being still any longer I turned my head quickly (smiling as I did it because I knew they would all panic). The flock picked up en masse and the noise from the leaves on the ground was instantly quieted and changed to a softer noise of wings in flight. That's something you don't experience sitting at a desk at work. You have to get out there and be a part of it.

On Saturday I saw a buck chasing a doe into the woods nearby and was excited that they might come my way. Then I saw another buck cross the field in pursuit of the two deer. There was nothing but quiet for several minutes, and then suddenly a doe appeared on the edge of the woods (where the others had entered). Then another doe. Behind her were the two bucks. The first buck was chasing the doe out onto the field. The second buck was chasing the first buck. They zig-zagged their way out onto the field, completely oblivious to the nearby danger that I was. It was like watching a deer circus. Deer are secretive, elusive and mostly nocturnal after opening day of hunting season, but here were four of them running around fighting over who was going to have breeding rights that day.

So, my hunt was a successful one, for these reasons and more. I could write a book on the experiences of just these three days afield, but like I said, you have to be out there to see if for yourself to really appreciate it.

by File Boy

GFS Hints at Snow on Thanksgiving...

The GFS is one of many computer forecasting tools used by meteorologists to predict our weather (there's also the NFS, NOGAPS, the EURO, etc...). This particular model is pointing to a possible snow event for the Philly area (or possibly just south - like in Delaware) on or around Thanksgiving.

This far out, there are a lot of things that can change, so I wouldn't hold my breath. In fact its very hard for our area to get snow before Thanksgiving, and its even harder to get that snow to actually accumulate. We have a warm ground temperature, the ocean is still warm, and the atmospheric dynamics are not yet in the "winter mode".

But if you look at the map above, you can clearly see a precipitation shield that just barely gets into the Delaware area. The northern edge of storms is always the coldest, and in these situtations you are looking at a flurry or light snowfall (not a big one). Nevertheless, its fun to take the bait and start hoping.

Remember, there was a two-inch snowfall on October 10th in the early 1970s in the Delaware valley, and there have been several years when we've had snow on the ground in November, especially late November. I remember going to the tree farm to harvest a Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving last year and there was snow on the ground then.

As the winter approaches, I'll post anything I hear about possible snowfall as far out as possible. This one has a very small chance of actually coming to fruition, but if it does, you can say you heard it here first.

Snowfall, one of the things that prevents me from shooting stuff.

by File Boy

Why is America Doomed?

The Associated Press is reporting that a Jewish man is upset because his polling place was in a Catholic church, and that a Crucifix hung above the ballot box.

The guy’s name is Dr. Zeev Bar-Av , and he’s 65 years old. His argument is that church and state should be separated.

I don’t even know where to begin with this one – I could go into a diatribe about how everyone has to complain about everything and how they should just shut up - but instead I’ll act like this Jewish doctor and complain about how I feel.

America has now become a place where it is not only acceptable, but encouraged to mock, make trouble for, discourage and ridicule anything that is Christian and/or Catholic. If the guy complained that the voting was being held in a mosque, he’d have more of a point, wouldn’t he? But that story wouldn’t be carried by the Associated Press (“ass. press”) because it would be socially insensitive or not politically correct.

If the guy complained that he had to travel into an African American neighborhood to vote, that story wouldn’t be carried by the ass. press either, for the same reasons given above. It wouldn’t matter if that neighborhood was racked with crime and considered dangerous by everyone. Nowadays the only group of people you can persecute are the religious; and you get extra points if they are white, and triple points if they are male.

As an African American woman, I must tell you that this kind of behavior smacks of prejudice. I was listening to an urban music station the other day and they were discussing a candidate of African American persuasion. One gentleman asked the other (both African Americans) if he was supporting the candidate because he was an African American. The answer was something along the lines of “Not only am I supporting him because he’s an African American, but because he’s good for the African Americans in our area”. Now, let’s replace “African American” with “Christian White man” in the above exchange, and change the radio dial to, oh, let’s say WILM news radio. Here’s the exchange again with those changes, “Are you supporting (name here), because he’s a Christian white man?” Answer: “Not only am I supporting him because he’s a Christian White man, but because he’s good for the Christian white men in our area”.

I wonder what would happen to that disc jockey and that radio program. The Sh-t would hit the fan! Am I right? And some of you may be thinking, “White people vote for white people all the time based solely on the fact that they are white”. I disagree. Besides, who you vote for and your motivation for doing so is your business. You are allowed to be stupid, racist, ignorant, whatever. You just can’t go on the radio and say stuff like that if you are a.) white, b.) Christian/Catholic and c.) male. That’s just the reality.

It’s just annoying that every day I am confronted with this racism and it is acceptable. I often listen to the news or the radio and insert “white” when I hear “black” and see if it sounds racist. Often times it does, but that’s ok, because the last group of people you can persecute are the whites. I guess we’ve come full circle, and people who are white now have to pay for something that happened before they were born, even if their ancestors fought and died to bring freedom to African Americans in this country. Doesn’t matter, you’re white, so you’re guilty.

by File Boy

Physiology of Vomiting


With Election 2006 Returns only hours away, I thought it appropriate to provide our readers with some medical information which may come in handy. I found the following article fascinating. The link at the end of the article takes you to a web page called: Stomach Disorders Nausea and Vomiting Health Channel. I was very disappointed that it’s only a web page and not a television channel I can get on Comcast (Damn it!)

“At least after death you're not nauseous.” (Woody Allen in Sleeper)

Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of contents of the stomach and often, the proximal small intestine. It is a manifestation of a large number of conditions, many of which are not primary disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Regardless of cause, vomiting can have serious consequences, including acid-base derangments, volume and electrolyte depletion, malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia.

The Act of Vomiting

Vomiting is usually experienced as the finale in a series of three events, which everyone reading this has experienced:

1. Nausea is an unpleasant and difficult to describe psychic experience in humans and probably animals. Physiologically, nausea is typically associated with decreased gastric motility and increased tone in the small intestine. Additionally, there is often reverse peristalsis in the proximal small intestine.

2. Retching ("dry heaves") refers to spasmodic respiratory movements conducted with a closed glottis. While this is occurring, the antrum of the stomach contracts and the fundus and cardia relax. Studies with cats have shown that during retching there is repeated herniation of the abdominal esophagus and cardia into the thoracic cavity due to the negative pressure engendered by inspiratory efforts with a closed glottis.

3. Emesis or vomition is when gastric and often small intestinal contents are propelled up to and out of the mouth. It results from a highly coordinated series of events that could be described as the following series of steps (don't practice these in public):

A deep breath is taken, the glottis is closed and the larynx is raised to open the upper esophageal sphincter. Also, the soft palate is elevated to close off the posterior nares. The diaphragm is contracted sharply downward to create negative pressure in the thorax, which facilitates opening of the esophagus and distal esophageal sphincter. Simultaneously with downward movement of the diaphragm, the muscles of the abdominal walls are vigorously contracted, squeezing the stomach and thus elevating intragastric pressure. With the pylorus closed and the esophagus relatively open, the route of exit is clear.

The series of events described seems to be typical for humans and many animals, but is not inevitable. Vomition occasionally occurs abruptly and in the absense of premonitory signs - this situation is often referred to as projectile vomiting. A common cause of projectile vomiting is gastric outlet obstruction, often a result of the ingestion of foreign bodies.

Causes and Consequences of Vomiting

The myriad causes of vomiting are left as an exercise - come up with a list based on personal experience and your understanding of the control of vomition. An important point, however, is that many cases of vomiting are due to diseases outside of the gastrointestinal tract.
Simple vomiting rarely causes problems, but on occasion, can lead to such serious consequences as aspiration pneumonia. Additionally, severe or repetitive vomition results in disturbances in acid-base balance, dehydration and electrolyte depletion. In such cases, the goal is to rapidly establish a definitive diagnosis of the underlying disease so that specific therapy can be instituted. This is often not easy and in many cases, it is advantageous to administer antiemetic drugs in order to suppress vomition and reduce its sequelae.

Here’s the great link: Stomach Disorders Nausea and Vomiting Health Channel

MANY HAPPY RETURNS!!!!!

Point and Counterpoint

In this issue of Point and Counterpoint, we'll take a look at shooting sports. We'll discuss shooting sports in general, which include target practice and clay pigeon shooting, and we'll delve into hunting as well.

Post a comment and let us know where you stand on the issues. Your comment can be the counterpoint.

Point: Animals are delicious. One way to coax them into the freezer is to shoot them first. What say you?

Point: Gun ownership and gun use are protected by the 2nd amendment, and I'm all for gun ownership amongst American citizens. What say you?

Point: I wish American citizens all had the right to carry concealed weapons. I think this would act as a deterrent and reduce crimes. What say you?

Point: I have several guns in my collection now, but I could always use more. We could all use more. Am I right, or am I right? right...right..right... What say you?

Point: I'll hunt anything that I think is edible. I might also be inclined to shoot something that is not edible, if I considered it a pest (skunks, opossums, rats, politicians, etc...). What say you?

Point: I've shot dozens of mammals over the years. After the hunt I always end up covered in blood and feeling confused. What say you?

Point: I find shooting pets to be harder than what we were lead to believe in Old Yeller. What say you?

Point: People, the ultimate challenge. Just kidding. What say you?

Point: I wish I owned more land so I could do more celebratory shooting. What say you?

by File Boy

Just How Tough Do You Have To Be . . .

to kill a sweet little animal that will come right up to you and eat right out of your hand.

Or pose with you to have its picture taken after a long afternoon of hiking?

Or sleep peacefully on the back of your truck with its buddies while you give him a ride home?

If you want to take on a buck that will give you a run for your money, try this guy on for size!

Peace out Bro!

The Year of the Buck

Well its that time of year again, we're now only days away from opening day of buck season, and its time to get ready.

This is probably the best time of the year for a hunter, because whether you're a farmer or a city-dweller, if you hunt you have one thing on your mind at this time of the year. Maybe this is the year I'll get a buck. Sure, a lot of us hunters would be happy with Colonel Wilma Deering (Erin Grey) or twiki, but what would really make us happy - what would be almost magical - would be shooting buck.

Perhaps its outsmarting his 25th century know-how; perhaps its getting into the woods and tricking someone who has a robot (I don't know what it is about that robot, his "bee-dee, bee-dee, bee-dee" makes me just want to shoot holes all through him). Perhaps the idea of putting a nice hole in someone like buck, with his fancy "Dr. Theopolis" (you know, the mechanical brain in a box who is part of Earth's Computer Council) would just make me feel good.

Most years I'll settle for any of the cast members of Buck Rogers, and I get all excited and just shoot the first Princess Ardala or Comander Kane I see. Then I go home and wish I had held out for a buck. Sure my freezer is full, but I have to spend the entire next year thinking about what might have been. This year will be different. I'm going to pass on shooting anything but buck, and if he comes walking through the woods into my treestand area, wearing those fancy clothes from the year 2491, I'm going to let the lead fly.

Yes this year it will take more than Gary Coleman dressed as Hieronymus Fox (from the 'Cosmic Wiz Kid' and 'A Blast for Buck' episodes) to sway me. This is the year of the buck for me.

by File Boy

Leaving Iraq will make democrats happy.

Oh look at me!!! I'm making people happy! I'm the magical man from happy land, with a gumdrop house on lollipop lane! Oh by the way...I was being sarcastic. --Homer Simpson

ATTENTION ALL WAR MONGERS

In addition to my comments in the “Democratic Response”, I thought that for fun, I’d point out what I find to be the most ironic of all ironies in this whole Iraq fiasco. The number of dead is essentially meaningless in any argument supporting action by this Country. I’ll splain it to ya.

First of all, suffer my brief disclaimer. 9/11 was a tragedy, it shouldn’t have been allowed to happen, and a measured retaliation was called for. I oppose terrorism and believe that war is necessary when what you believe in is actually and imminently at risk. I also believe that the way you win wars is not by trying not to kill people. That’s how wars are fought and won. Ask anyone who remembers WWII. If we had selectively targeted the German evildoers, we’d still be bogged down in Germany. Like it or not, innocent people have to die. If you don’t have the stomach for it or the mind to understand it, then don’t pretend you think war is a good idea ever. If huge amounts of people will criticize the deaths of innocents, then perhaps the reasons behind the war needs to be rethought. Few civilized persons protested the innocent deaths of Germans and Japanese in the effort to end WWII, because that god-forsaken war needed to be won.

Now back to my commentary – Most people believe that the loss of the lives of 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2006 was the single worst tragedy in American history since 1941, and that the sheer magnitude and suddenness of that loss justified all of the measures which followed, including the creation of a Homeland Security Dept and the initiation of two wars in two separate countries (and lets not forget the appropriation, budgeting and spending of approximately 78 BILLION dollars every 9 months or so – and may this entire Congress dems and repubs all suddenly die of a heart attack caused by pork-induced-clogged-arteries!)

But I digress . . . As a country – as a people, we react to large numbers, or so it seems. Nearly 3,000 people died on 9/11 – and that was the impetus to mentally prepare for war (though our hunger for blood wouldn’t be satisfied for some time thereafter). Nearly 3,000 soldiers have died there, and now we want to change our policy because we’ve had enough. Really? Consider the following.

Every day in this country, approximately 115 people die on American roads as a consequence of traffic accidents – that’s right EVERY DAY. That’s 3,450 Americans dying every month and 41,400 Americans dying EVERY YEAR. This is a national statistic and you can look it up if you find it hard to believe. The NTSB tracks it annually. Since September 11, 2001, 248,400 Americans have died on US roads as a result of traffic accidents. This figure does not include injuries – this figure only accounts for deaths! There are over 6,000,000 accidents every year and over 3,000,000 injuries.

So when we look at the cosmic forces, which account for the greatest loss of innocent American lives, is it terrorism? Is it foreign countries making threats against the United States? No. It’s us – clearly we’re our own biggest threat to what we love and are willing to die for – our right to live. Ok, you might be saying, well can’t we assume that ½ the time the negligent or guilty driver dies in the accident so the number should only be half as much? Sure, if that makes you feel better. In that case, since September 11, 2001, 124,200 innocent Americans were murdered on US roads by negligent drivers. And when you start adding in deaths caused by handguns, (or murder 15,000 per year), negligent medical treatment (doctors negligently cause 100,000 iatrogenic deaths per year), smoking (450,000 people die annually due to causes directly related to cigarettes) etc., you start to wonder just what the hell the excitement is all about. Again, I’m not diminishing what happened on 9/11, but I question the size of the response in consideration of other bigger threats, which go unchecked every day (and often times are protected), right here on American soil.

Ah Yes! But the reason Bush and his buddies are in Iraq is for humanitarian purposes! After all, isn’t the Republican position that Saddam is a war criminal and killed hundreds of thousands of his people in furtherance of his dictatorship? Aren’t we really there to spread Democracy and make Iraq a better and safer place for mankind? Isn’t that our motivation? Save the lives of innocent people whose plight cries out for a Democratic system of government?

Well, if that were true, wouldn’t it make sense to start by stopping the most serious crimes against humanity and prioritize our use of resources? In case you haven’t noticed, millions of people (YES MILLIOINS) are being slaughtered (and have been slaughtered, maimed, butchered, raped and suffered other unthinkable crimes) in Africa and particularly in Rwanda. Our country has done nothing worth mentioning to stop it. Why? Because stopping the human slaughter of innocent people is not the type of business the US gets involved with – unless it can be used as an excuse for pursuing some other loftier (or personal) objective –. And unfortunately for the Rwandans, their sorry asses are sitting on top of useless, sun-baked dirt, below which does not flow billions and billions of barrels of precious oil.
So again, forget the numbers. There’s plenty of big numbers out there to justify any action you want to take. The problem is that it is hard to justify what’s going on in Iraq when you really look at the numbers – which you have to admit, are rather paltry by comparison to the real threat we Americans face every day.

The Democratic Response to File-Boy’s Well-Fed Opinion --

Your point seems to be that if I pull the Democratic lever in order to pull the troops out of Iraq, that doing so will be an affront to all those good soldiers who died there - in vain - for nothing.

Lets be perfectly clear. A majority of those soldiers died there because they couldn't afford to go to college and believed that the GI bill was the best way for them to get an education in a country which favors the haves over the have-nots. Unfortunately for them, they were committed to keep up their end of the bargain when the war broke out. Broke out? (a little editorial chuckle on this end now HA!~)

Those soldiers died over there because they were lied to, not once, but twice by the party in power. I'm not blaming Bush directly, because he may have been lied to as well, and only history will reveal just how much he knew and when he knew it (sound familiar?)

The first lie was that we needed to go over there because Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. The only weapon discovered in Iraq besides rocks, was their unending supply of hate for Americans.

I don't think you can forget that after Bush wiped the egg off his face, he changed his cry from "We need to be in Iraq to stop their weapons program!" to "Isn't Iraq better off without Sadam?" Talk about changing your tune!

The second (and bigger lie in my opinion) was that the US Government would bring to this war the resources necessary to quickly obtain a decisive win through Shock and Awe because the American people would not stand for a prolonged Viet-Nam type battle.

For the record, there were no weapons of mass destruction ever found – in fact they never existed. And the soldiers dying over there ARE dying for nothing, in case you haven’t noticed. They are dying because the Republican Party lied to them and sentenced them to die needlessly. They are dying because this country couldn’t make up its mind regarding whether it really wanted to be there. The war could have been won had we had the heart for it. It’s only too clear now, what we weren’t willing to admit when we first went over there – that we have no appetite for death. Nor are we willing to sacrifice in any meaningful way. As a country, we knew in our heart of hearts that we were never truly at risk from any threat from Iraq to our country, liberties or way of life. People are only willing to die for something that is real. This war is a farce.

I’m going to pull the Democratic handle on Tuesday (100 times if the damn machine will allow me) because the sound of a vote being cast is the only sound EITHER party understands, unfortunately. I want out of Iraq and I want to stop funding this war, which apparently is only benefiting Mr. Bush & Mr. Cheney’s friends, and which my kids will be paying for long after I’m gone. ENOUGH!

How much money have you given to relive the suffering of the poor in the world? We’ll count the United Way, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, Catholic Charities, any and all payroll deducted, tax-diminishing contributions, and anything that you can argue you’ve given money to in the name of a good cause and/or contributes to someone else’s quality of life and costs you something or takes up over an hour of your time. We’ll even include time contributed toward habitat for humanity and any other charity where you can say you’ve lessened the pain, suffering and/or hunger of any human on the planet. Have you adopted a child through any of the various adopt-a-foreign child programs? There’s Feed the Hungry, Christian Children’s Fund, and so many others. Have you donated your clothing to Goodwill or done anything for the Salvation Army?

Answer the above questions honestly, and then think about your position on the Iraq war. Are you for it, or against it? Obviously most sane people are against any war for almost all reasons. No one goes into war happy about the prospect of human lives lost. But then the question becomes, can your stance on the war be based on a distaste for human suffering alone? If so, would you be against any war at any time, even those wars that we undertake to defend American soil from direct attack? Would you have opposed American involvement in World War II? How does your stance on the Iraq war impact your voting? How about the November elections? Are you basing your vote on Tuesday on the war in Iraq?

I’ve talked to dozens of people about their stance on the war in Iraq, and most of them are against it. Most people I’ve talked to are against the war for two reasons. 1.) The intelligence that we relied on was inaccurate, and 2.) There are just “too many Americans dying over there”. Since #1 above is hindsight (and many leaders in the democratic party voted for the war), we’ll focus on #2.

Based on the television ads I’ve seen running in my area, the majority of democrats are running on a “get out of Iraq now” platform, with some “track down sexual predators” and “lower taxes” jargon thrown in for good measure (I’ll ignore the urge to review the democrat’s record on taxes, although it is a “gimme” topic).

If your primary reason to vote “Democrat” on Tuesday is to support a candidate who is likely to pull our troops out of Iraq, and your reasoning is to prevent “further American deaths”, pardon my editorial chuckle (ha-ha).

Hopefully you’re smart enough to see that by voting for someone based solely upon the war in Iraq, with an eye towards getting America out of Iraq, is not, in and of itself very sound reasoning. Hopefully you have a better rationale for your vote other than to hearken to the Democratic Party’s rally call on this war. The significance of the almost three thousand deaths of servicemen and women who chose to join the armed forces and go out to the battlefield to support America would only be diminished by leaving Iraq before the mission is accomplished. There’s no way around it. If we leave Iraq before Democracy is established there, and it falls back to its previous state, those who died, did so in vain.

To date, the number of Americans who have lost their lives since the war began is 2,811. (See Wikipedia article: here).

Conversely, the number of people worldwide who have or will die because of starvation by the time we reach the third anniversary of the war’s beginning will be: 27,375,000 (according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, see Wikipedia article entitled Starvation ). Now, you might argue that we can control the war, but controlling world hunger is not within our means. However, a well-read file boy would argue that America causes hunger and famine in many countries throughout the world (America the leading user of resources article: here ), but that’s beside the point. The point is, if you are willing to pull the lever for a candidate based on his stance to limit American military deaths, what are you willing to do based upon the twenty-some million people who have died to starvation since the war began (25,000 people worldwide die each day because of starvation)?

By File Boy