Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A Reporter at Large: The Lost City of Z : The New Yorker

A Reporter at Large: The Lost City of Z : The New Yorker: "Nec Aspera Terrent"= difficulties be damned

Grouchy Old Cripple

Grouchy Old Cripple: "There once was a pervert named Weiner
Who had a perverted demeanor.
Forced from the Hill
For acting like Bill,
Now Congress is one weiner leaner"

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Sense of Events: Conan O'Brien Delivers Commencement Address

Sense of Events: Conan O'Brien Delivers Commencement Address: "Conan O'Brien Delivers Commencement Address

By Donald Sensing

Conan O'Brien Delivers Commencement Address:

'Graduates, faculty, parents, relatives, undergraduates, and old people that just come to these things: Good morning and congratulations to the Dartmouth Class of 2011. Today, you have achieved something special, something only 92 percent of Americans your age will ever know: a college diploma. That’s right, with your college diploma you now have a crushing advantage over 8 percent of the workforce. I'm talking about dropout losers like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg. Incidentally, speaking of Mr. Zuckerberg, only at Harvard would someone have to invent a massive social network just to talk with someone in the next room.'"

VDH's Private Papers:: Muslim Woman Seeks to Revive Institution of Sex-Slavery

VDH's Private Papers:: Muslim Woman Seeks to Revive Institution of Sex-Slavery

The Oil Drum | Tech Talk - The Heavier Oils of California's Kern Valley

The Oil Drum | Tech Talk - The Heavier Oils of California's Kern Valley

Kern River etc

Leen’s Photos: Driza, Ritholtz, Rosner, Kotok, Tobey, King et al. | The Big Picture

Leen’s Photos: Driza, Ritholtz, Rosner, Kotok, Tobey, King et al. | The Big Picture

fishing trip??

Winds of Change.NET

Winds of Change.NET
After Uranium Fission Comes... Thorium?

Friday, June 24, 2011

Kansas golfers hit consecutive holes-in-one on same hole in Hesston | Wichita Eagle

Kansas golfers hit consecutive holes-in-one on same hole in Hesston | Wichita EagleKansas golfers hit consecutive holes-in-one on same hole in Hesston
23 Comments
BY BOB LUTZ
The Wichita Eagle
Photos
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1 of 2
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Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back hole-in-ones at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)

Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle | Buy this photo

Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back hole-in-ones at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)
Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back holes-in-one at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)

Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle | Buy this photo

Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back holes-in-one at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)

What are the odds?

What is the chance that a golfer will make a hole in one?

* Tour player making an ace: 3,000 to 1

* Low-handicapper making an ace: 5,000 to 1

* Average player making an ace: 12,000 to 1

* Two players from the same foursome acing the same hole: 17 million to 1

* One player making two holes-in-one in the same round: 67 million to 1

Information taken from the National Hole-in-One Registry

I'm going to give you the details of what happened last Thursday on hole No. 17 at the Hesston Golf Park. You're not going to believe them. You're going to think I'm making them up to get attention. Or that I've gotten into the liquor cabinet.

On the 212-yard par 3 hole, Greg Bontrager and Justin Pressnall, involved in match play against one another, made back-to-back holes-in-one.

Stay with me here.

Pressnall, raised in Moundridge and now living in McPherson, hit first. The wind was blowing gently toward the No. 17 green as he launched a six-iron.

It was a pretty shot, one that was definitely going to land on the green.

But Paul Voran, who was in the foursome, screamed out that it was something more than just a good shot. He said Pressnall's ball went into the cup, although it was difficult for anyone to see exactly what happened.

Clearly, everyone in the group needed a moment to contemplate. And to wonder.

Then Bontrager, a music teacher in Buhler who lives in Newton, stepped to the tee box. He and Pressnall barely knew one another from their participation in the Hesston men's club. They've never been golfing buddies and could never have known they were about to do something so incredible, so amazing, so unbelievable that they would forever be bound together.

Using a 23-degree hybrid, Bontrager hit his tee shot. Remember, now, everyone on the tee box had just gone through the emotions of what at least one of them swore was a hole-in-one by Pressnall, so the energy level was high.

Bontrager's shot, he said, mirrored the shot hit by Pressnall. The golf ball took the same path of flight and landed on the green and looked to roll straight toward the flag stick.

Could it be? Had a couple of small-town Kansas guys — decent golfers but nothing close to scratch — done the impossible? Or at least accomplished something National Hole-In-One Registry determined has at least 17 million to 1 odds?

But that's on a typical par-3, whatever a typical par-3 is. Hesston's No. 17, at 212 yards, isn't typical.

Hesston pro Scott Welsh, who has been at the course for 11 years, estimates there are three or four holes-in-one on No. 17 a year, among the thousands of rounds played.

"It's not a hole that regularly gives up holes-in-one,'' Welsh said. "I don't remember where the pin was that day, but does it really matter?"

No, probably not.

Neither Bontrager nor Pressnall had ever had a hole-in-one.

As they neared the No. 17 green, neither saw his ball on the green. The anticipation was enormous, but had to be contained. The worst thing would have been for Bontrager and Pressnell to get their hopes up, then be disappointed.

"We all jumped out of our carts and went running up there pretty quick when we noticed there were no balls,'' Pressnall said. "Greg's partner (Voran) got to the hole first and looked into the cup and saw both balls sitting in there.''

Another moment was needed.

"We never really believed it until then,'' Bontrager said. "You want it to be, but you're not going to get too excited before you actually see it.''

At that point, both golfers went a little crazy. It was so loud, they said, that golfers on nearby holes stopped to take notice. And the celebrating lasted for a good long time, a combination of euphoria and disbelief.

Mostly disbelief.

"I've always wanted to just witness a hole-in-one,'' Bontrager said. "It was just crazy.''

The two golfers might have stopped their rounds right there. Called it a night and rushed to a nearby watering hole to rehash the story over and over and over.

But there was a match to be decided. Pressnall had a one-hole match-play lead over Bontrager as they stood on the No. 17 tee and Pressnall, for good reason, probably thought he had locked up the match with his shot.

It turned into a push, however, and Bontrager won No. 18 with a par to Pressnall's bogey. It's probably justice that they tied the match.

Thursday night, Bontrager and Pressnall treated the other players in the men's league to a barbecue and drinks. Probably a few drinks, considering the enormity of their accomplishment.

"If something like this happened on the PGA Tour, I'm sure it would make the Top 10 plays,'' Bontrager said.

Instead, it happened in Hesston, Kan. Two shots heard 'round the world.

Or at least 'round Harvey County.

This is no urban legend. Years from now, when this story of back-to-back holes-in-one is being told yet again, non-believers will be shrill in their skepticism.

But this happened. It really happened.

Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2011/06/24/1906241/its-hole-in-one-after-another.html#ixzz1QDTXgxEo

Saturday, June 18, 2011

All You Have to do is Ask Altucher Confidential

All You Have to do is Ask Altucher Confidential: "Two close boyhood friends grow up and go their separate ways. One becomes a humble monk, the other a rich and powerful minister to the king.

Years later they meet. As they catch up, the minister (in his fine robes) takes pity on the thin, shabby monk. Seeking to help, he says:

“You know, if you could learn to cater to the king you wouldn’t have to live on rice and beans.”

To which the monk replies:

“If you could learn to live on rice and beans you wouldn’t have to cater to the king.”"

Fukushima: It's much worse than you think - Features - Al Jazeera English

Fukushima: It's much worse than you think - Features - Al Jazeera English

Sunday, June 05, 2011

Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association - About the Tebow Family

Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association - About the Tebow Family

Tim Tebow Family

That Stupid Palin, Getting Her History Right | The American Catholic

That Stupid Palin, Getting Her History Right | The American Catholic: "Here’s a letter written by Paul Revere himself:

“I observed a Wood at a Small distance, & made for that. When I got there, out Started Six officers, on Horse back,and orderd me to dismount;-one of them, who appeared to have the command, examined me, where I came from,& what my Name Was? I told him. it was Revere, he asked if it was Paul? I told him yes He asked me if I was an express? I answered in the afirmative. He demanded what time I left Boston? I told him; and aded, that their troops had catched aground in passing the River, and that There would be five hundred Americans there in a short time, for I had alarmed the Country all the way up. He imediately rode towards those who stoppd us, when all five of them came down upon a full gallop; one of them, whom I afterwards found to be Major Mitchel, of the 5th Regiment, Clapped his pistol to my head, called me by name, & told me he was going to ask me some questions, & if I did not give him true answers, he would blow my brains out. He then asked me similar questions to those above. He then orderd me to mount my Horse, after searching me for arms.”"

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

todaze Lympian dots the I – Knowledge Is Power

todaze Lympian dots the I – Knowledge Is Power: "I am very proud of the dignity our current president has shown concerning the death of Osama bin Laden. He could have celebrated by putting on a flight suit, getting in a Navy jet and having the TV camera film him landing on an aircraft carrier then standing in front of a banner saying something like, “Mission Accomplished.”

But he did not do that.

This president doesn’t need images to tell of his leadership. His leadership is on full display with the progress being made in ending our wars, rebuilding our broken economy, health insurance overhaul, and mending international relationships damaged over the last decade.

I am proud to have a president that fed the hungry every holiday, with his family at his side, sharing the chore. I admire him going to Ground Zero to lay a wreath without comment, fanfare, or political benefits.

I am proud of this leadership that took on the health needs of uninsured American citizens, over the needs of capital, interested in profit.

It is gratifying to see a more humble president, less hubris in foreign policy, more compassion for the less fortunate, and a country doing the right thing."

NST Neurostructural Integration Technique DVD | NST Therapy

NST Neurostructural Integration Technique DVD | NST Therapy massage therapy

How Prescription Drugs Ruined a Famous Rock Super Star

How Prescription Drugs Ruined a Famous Rock Super Star

Why Is Soros Spending Over $48 Million Funding Media Organizations? - FoxNews.com

Why Is Soros Spending Over $48 Million Funding Media Organizations? - FoxNews.com

Why Is Soros Spending Over $48 Million Funding Media Organizations? - FoxNews.com

Why Is Soros Spending Over $48 Million Funding Media Organizations? - FoxNews.com

Why Is Soros Spending Over $48 Million Funding Media Organizations? - FoxNews.com

Why Is Soros Spending Over $48 Million Funding Media Organizations? - FoxNews.com

Warrants Let Agents Enter Homes Without Owner Knowing - Albuquerque News Story - KOAT Albuquerque

Warrants Let Agents Enter Homes Without Owner Knowing - Albuquerque News Story - KOAT Albuquerque

Saturday, April 30, 2011

1916-1945 Mercury Silver Dime Melt Value - Coinflation.com

1916-1945 Mercury Silver Dime Melt Value - Coinflation.com

Curmudgeonly & Skeptical presents Boned Jello

Curmudgeonly & Skeptical presents Boned Jello: "TAXI DRIVER

Bob had just arrived in Chicago on a two day business trip. Not familiar with the city, he chose a cab outside his hotel to take him to his business meeting.

Sensing a sucker, the taxi driver took him on an expensive, several mile trip to get a few blocks away, which he only discovered after he reached his destination and was told that he had been ripped off.

He was angry enough to walk back to his hotel. But that night, he plotted his revenge.

The next day, he saw the same driver in the third cab in the line of cabs outside the hotel.

Taxi Rider
So he instead went to the first cab.

'Where d'ya wanna go, Mac?', asked the driver.

'I don't have any money, but you can (perform a sex act on me), if you take me there for free.'

'Get the HELL out of my cab, you (expletive) (expletive) (expletive)!,' yelled the driver.

Then Bob went to the second cab and said the same thing, to the same response.

Then Bob went to the third cab, with the dishonest driver, and asked to be taken to the same destination he had been taken the previous day, knowing full well that he would be ripped off again.

Bob then enjoyed the expressions on the faces of the other two taxi drivers as they drove away."

Home on the Range: Big Damn Heroes

Home on the Range: Big Damn Heroes
There was not an authentic Knights Code of Chivalry as a prescribed document - it was a moral system which went beyond rules of combat and introduced the concept of Chivalrous conduct - qualities such as bravery, courtesy, honor, and gallantry toward women. Documented in 'The Song of Roland' in the Middle Ages Knights period of William the Conqueror who ruled England from 1066, it consisted of these tenents -

To fear God and maintain His Church
To serve the liege lord in valour and faith
To protect the weak and defenceless
To give succour to widows and orphans
To refrain from the wanton giving of offence
To live by honour and for glory
To despise pecuniary reward
To fight for the welfare of all
To obey those placed in authority
To guard the honour of fellow knights
To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit
To keep faith
At all times to speak the truth
To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun
To respect the honour of women
Never to refuse a challenge from an equal
Never to turn the back upon a foe

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Aromatherapy - Essential Oils in your Air

Aromatherapy - Essential Oils in your Air

Olfactory Life Hacks: Scents That Increase Brain Power

Olfactory Life Hacks: Scents That Increase Brain Power: "Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular scents, along with their benefits:

Energizing/Invigorating: Orange, Rosemary, Lemon.

Stress Relief: Jasmine, Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Clary Sage.

Sleep Aids: Lavender, Chamomile, Sandalwood, Vetiver.

Mood Elevators: Mint, Basil Oil, Bergamot."

New Hacking Tools Pose Bigger Threats to Wi-Fi Users - NYTimes.com

New Hacking Tools Pose Bigger Threats to Wi-Fi Users - NYTimes.com: "Popular V.P.N. providers include VyperVPN, HotSpotVPN and LogMeIn Hamachi. Some are free; others are as much as $18 a month, depending on how much data is encrypted. Free versions tend to encrypt only Web activity and not e-mail exchanges."

A Dash of Insight: Everything You Need to Know about Inflation

A Dash of Insight: Everything You Need to Know about Inflation: "Understanding inflation is now the single biggest challenge for investors. There is a lot at stake."

The woman who peed on her husband. And other stories about stress. Altucher Confidential

The woman who peed on her husband. And other stories about stress. Altucher Confidential

STRESS
STRESS
Here’s what you do when you are experiencing stress. You must follow this advice. Or die:

* Pray. In 2003, if I was nervous about a trade I’d go at about 7 in the morning to the church across the street from where I lived. I’m Jewish and I’ve spent time meditating, but I had never prayed. But in 2003 I prayed. When you pray the key is to lean down, because then your body knows you are being humble. And then be thankful for what you have. Think of all the things you are grateful for. Just do this for five minutes. Its the easiest meditation. Then ask for anything you want.
* Write. This is not joke. if you don’t write every day your idea muscle atrophies very quickly. And it takes months to rebuild. Here is what I do: I go to webrestaurantsupplies.com. I buy 100 waiter paids for $10. 10 cents a pad. I then fill 3 pages of ideas a day. At least. This stretches your mind. Make lists of ideas. Lists of new potential clients. Lists of emails you have to send. List of articles you want to write. Businesses you want to start (with specifics how to start it), lists of reasons etcetc

What Is Wrong With The U.S. Economy? Here Are 10 Economic Charts That Will Blow Your Mind

What Is Wrong With The U.S. Economy? Here Are 10 Economic Charts That Will Blow Your Mind

Alarm, Inflation disaster

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Africa it could Break at any Time

Africa it could Break at any Time: "'Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.'
'So what do we do?'
'Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well.'
'How?'
'I don't know. It's a mystery.'
--- Quote from the Movie 'Shakespeare in Love"

Monday, January 31, 2011

Power Line - SOTU: A Coda

Power Line - SOTU: A Coda

the top 1% pay as much tac as the bottom 95%

Power Line

Power Line

The top 1% pay as much tax as the bottom 95%!!!!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Governor of Hawaii Can't Find Barack Obama's Birth Certificate?

Governor of Hawaii Can't Find Barack Obama's Birth Certificate?


Governor of Hawaii Can't Find Barack Obama's Birth Certificate?
January 21, 2011

Listen To It! WMP | RealPlayer
Audio clips available for Rush 24/7 members only -- Join Now!

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: I've been sitting on this story all week, purposely, just to see where it would go. And it has grown. This governor out in Hawaii, Neil Abercrombie, a well-known socialist, by the way, longtime member of Congress, now the governor of Hawaii, really stepped in it earlier, well, I think it was not even this week, it was last week. The governor, Neil Abercrombie, some time ago said, (paraphrasing) "Look, I was there when Obama was born in Hawaii. That birth certificate, it exists. Everybody knows it. I was there when that kid was born." Turns out he wasn't there, and he admitted he wasn't there. He was there in spirit. He was trying to say he's that certain. See, he thinks that Obama ought to just get this off the table. Abercrombie is worried that this birth certificate thing is going to be a lingering problem heading into 2012. So Abercrombie, big friend of Obama, tried to step in there and head this off at the pass. It turns out he can't find the birth certificate, the governor of Hawaii cannot find it. It's just a notation that somebody wrote down.

This has now made its way to the UK Daily Mail: "Hawaii Governor Claims Record of Obama's Birth 'Exists in Archives' but Can't Produce the Vital Document." That's the headline. The story originated at World Net Daily in this country earlier, and of course if it originates anywhere outside the mainstream press, the mainstream press will not acknowledge it. "Pressure was mounting on Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie today amid increasing confusion over whether President Obama was born there." This is the UK Daily Mail. "Abercrombie said on Tuesday that an investigation had unearthed papers proving Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961. He told Honolulu's Star-Advertiser: 'It actually exists in the archives, written down,' he said. But it became apparent that what had been discovered was an unspecified listing or notation of Obama's birth that someone had made in the state archives and not a birth certificate. And in the same interview Abercrombie suggested that a long-form, hospital-generated birth certificate for Barack Obama may not exist within the vital records maintained by the Hawaii Department of Health. He said efforts were still being made to track down definitive vital records that would prove Obama was born in Hawaii."

Remember, he started out, the whole reason for doing this was to firmly prove it and establish and get it off the table so it wasn't an election issue for 2012. And he's done the exact opposite now. I mean how many of us could get away with saying, "Yeah, there's a little notation somewhere there in the archives. We can't find the birth certificate. Oh, well, welcome to America, Mr. Limbaugh." Do you think if this was me and they were trying to prove that I wasn't an American and I insisted that I was, but I couldn't produce a birth certificate or wouldn't, and yet the governor of Missouri says, "Oh, yeah, there's a little notification, somebody wrote down Limbaugh was born here." Do you think that would fly? No, it wouldn't be, "Let him back in the country." It would be, "Get him out of the country. This guy's been an infiltrator since he was two," is what they would say about me, claiming that my original country of origin was China.

"Abercrombie was asked: 'You stirred up quite a controversy with your comments regarding birthers and your plan to release more information regarding President Barack Obama's birth certificate. How is that coming?'" Kind of like how is that hope and change working for you? "He acknowledged the birth certificate issue would have 'political implications' for the next presidential election 'that we simply cannot have.'" Now, what does this tell us? Neil Abercrombie is no fool. When it comes to electoral politics, Abercrombie knows the ins and outs, and if Abercrombie senses a problem here -- look, the big mistake was to announce in public what you were gonna do before you knew you had what you told everybody what you were gonna produce. This is kind of like a lawyer granting somebody immunity without knowing what the heck they're going to say. So Abercrombie's kinda caught now.

"He acknowledged the birth certificate issue would have 'political implications' for the next presidential election 'that we simply cannot have.' 'It's a matter of principle with me,' the 72-year-old said. 'I knew his mum and dad. I was here when he was born. Anybody who wants to ask a question honestly could have had their answer already.'" But nobody has come forward to definitively prove it. In fact, most government officials have apparently done their best to seal it all off, whatever there is, they've sealed it all off. And they've tried to pooh-pooh any interest in it. And they have attempted to impugn those who have interest in it. It's merely a presidential constitutional requirement. It's really no big deal as far as the libs are concerned, but the

Editorial Board — Emerging Corruption

Editorial Board — Emerging Corruption

Black Tea Party

A Primer on Oil Indicators - Seeking Alpha

A Primer on Oil Indicators - Seeking Alpha various oil indicators

Statins 'May Cause Loss of Memory and�Depression' by Sophie Borland

Statins 'May Cause Loss of Memory and�Depression' by Sophie Borland

Cholesterol-lowering pills taken by millions of Britons may cause memory loss and depression, researchers warn.

They say not enough is known about the level of harm posed by statins, prescribed to prevent heart disease and strokes.

Leading doctors say that the drugs should only be taken by patients for whom the benefits of the drug outweigh any potential risks.

The More Americans That Go On Food Stamps the More Money JP�Morgan Makes

The More Americans That Go On Food Stamps the More Money JP�Morgan Makes
JP Morgan is the largest processor of food stamp benefits in the United States. JP Morgan has contracted to provide food stamp debit cards in 26 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. JP Morgan is paid for each case that it handles, so that means that the more Americans that go on food stamps, the more profits JP Morgan makes. Yes, you read that correctly. When the number of Americans on food stamps goes up, JP Morgan makes more money. In the video posted below, JP Morgan executive Christopher Paton admits that this is "a very important business to JP Morgan" and that it is doing very well. Considering the fact that the number of Americans on food stamps has exploded from 26 million in 2007 to 43 million today, one can only imagine how much JP Morgan's profits in this area have soared. But doesn't this give JP Morgan an incentive to keep the number of Americans enrolled in the food stamp program as high as possible?

The Myth of Speculative Demand for Oil - Seeking Alpha

The Myth of Speculative Demand for Oil -
Seeking Alpha


Oil futures etfs