Laugh or vomit - you're taking a risk when you read this

Always on the look-out for interesting stuff (real or created), here's a heartwarming story of a grandmother who makes a real connection with her grandson of the daughter that she had given up for adoption. When they met, they fell in love and now their having a baby. 

You must build the bust

All this talk about mammary glands these past few days got me thinking back to my teenage years when having a large chest seemed one of the most important things in the world.

I didn't mature (physically that is; there is still a question of social maturity) until my late teens and neither did my best friend, so we decided to order a Mark Eden Bust Developer from an ad in the back of one of our teen magazines.

The device turned out to be two plastic forms connected by a leather strap and a very strong spring in the center.  You cupped it in your hands and pushed in and out in various positions - in front of your chest, over your head, below your waist, etc., building up to 100 times or more for each position.  Essentially it was isometric exercises to build your pectoral muscles.

We knew it wasn't going to increase the size of our breasts, but we tried it anyway for the fun of it, exercising to the rhythm of

"You must, You must, You must build the bust."

 What it did do was give us better posture,  increase our chests circumferences, and firmed our upper arms.  Of course we could have gotten the same result pressing our hands together without the device.

So the Mark Eden Bust Developer was a bust.  It took the birth of two children to do the real enlargement.

Happy Boobquake Day

Mark your calendar for "Boobquake" April 26, 2010

April 26 has been declared Boobquake day - a time for women to show their cleavage. A Purdue University student created the event in response to an Islamic cleric who declared that immodestly dressed women cause earthquakes.

But who really needs a special day or an excuse to show off the puppies?

Policing for Profit

The Institute for Justice's latest cause is detailed in this just released report on civil forfeiture, which includes a state by state grading system.  Asset forfeiture laws have been and are being used to beef-up police department budgets.  In case you didn't already know, the laws make it easy to confiscate private property without a guilty conviction.

 

The Institute for Justice was responsible for bringing to the national spotlight the issue of the misuse of eminent domain for economic development. If you believe in freedom, please donate to this worthwhile organization.

Why not to rely on spellcheck

Reported by FoxNews:

It is a tiny misprint, but an Australian publisher had to pulp a cookbook after one recipe called for "salt and freshly ground black people" to be added to the dish, AFP reported Saturday.


We had recently had a conversation in our household about the overuse of spellcheck by editors and professionals (bank executives and attorneys) and the resulting poorly written documents that have come across our desks lately.

It is easier to forgive when the mistakes are in a blog, tweet, or other casual writing, but when it comes to printed publications and professional documents, please proof-read (note: "READ") and correct before the final print; otherwise your going to be sorry.

(Yes, I know there is a misprint, and it was intentional)

Animal farm

There's a great movement these days about supporting local farms. 

This is probably not what those promoters have in mind. 

Memories of proms and newspapers

The regional newspaper asked readers to share stories of their prom memories.  They often ask for reader submissions, I suppose, to help fill empty space or provide content for lazy reporters.

My mother submitted this (edited):

It was 1943 and World War II was raging, but I was looking forward to my high school prom at the beautiful Hotel Middlecoff. Especially joyous was the fact that my hometown boyfriend of one year could escort me there.



He was in the U.S. Coast Guard, stationed in Chicago at the time. Soon to be drafted, he had enlisted in the Coast Guard and could come home on a weekend pass. I was so proud to have the only escort at my prom in military uniform.


I wore my light blue rayon gown interspersed with white velvet circles. No matter I had worn that same gown as a junior the year before, I accessorized it with a gardenia corsage from my boyfriend.


National gas rationing was declared, and I lived 8 miles in the country, but my friends' parents lent him their car for the 16-mile round trip, twice.


The dining room of the hotel was awesome; the dinner and program were great. It was a most happy evening for a country girl like me.


My friend and I were married after the war in 1946. We have been married for 63 years.

There were five other submissions that were published featuring memories from 1940 (2), 1957,1969, and 1972.  Those stories also reinforced my opinion that there really is no one under 50 who still reads a printed newspaper.
 
Where is the regional paper getting revenue now that readers and advertisers are jumping ship to other media?  The newspaper has now become an event planner.  Over the past year they have organized and sponsored health fairs, women's expositions, Greener Living Expo, wedding expositions, garage sales, Tweet-ups and more.  Business participants are sold booth space and ad space in the newspaper's printed promotions.
 
Recently I've given several educational seminars about how businesses can/should adapt to the new economy, and I always use print media as an example of how quickly a business model needs to change if that organization wants to survive in today's fast-paced business environment. Apparently our local media has seen the light.

Me me meme

From Sunday Stealing

1. Never in my life have I been: to Spain, but I kinda like the music

2. The one person who can drive me nuts is:  the old guy who comes into my office and talks for an hour and says absolutely nothing and doesn't get the hint when I tell him I have work to do

3. High school was: long ago and mostly forgotten

4. When I’m nervous I:  shake my foot

5. The last song I listened to was: see #1

6. If I were to get married right now my best man/maid of honor: would be no one; just like last time.

7. My hair is: long, grey and thick

8. When I was 5: I had curls.

9. Last Christmas: I gave you my heart

10. I should be..:  at the office working on tax returns

11. When I look down I see:  little happy feet in black Bjorns

12. The happiest recent event was:  Dad's recovery from the emergency room trip 

13. If I were a character on 'Friend' I would be:  Never watched it so I don't know the names of any of the characters, but wasn't the series called "Friends"?

14. By this time next year:  I'll probably be doing exactly the same thing as I am this year

15. My current gripe is:  people who don't use their turning signals as I waste my time waiting for them to pass through an intersection

16. I have a hard time understanding: why people don't RSVP

17. There’s this girl I know that: didn't know she was pregnant until two weeks before the birth

18. If I won an award, the first person I would tell would be: probably no one; I don't like attention.

19. Take my advice:  Always buy cereal when it is on sale and only if you have a coupon.

20. The thing I want to buy: a huge tv theater system

21. If you visited the place I was born:  you'd realize I haven't gone very far

22. I plan to visit: the bathroom

23. If you spent the night at my house: you'd have to climb stairs to the third story to get to the guest room

24. I’d stop my wedding if: my current husband showed up

25. The world could do without: politicians

26. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than:  chew and swallow one

27. Most recent thing I’ve bought myself: Dairy Queen Blizzard

28. Most recent thing someone else bought me: dinner last night

29. My favorite blonde is: formerly William Hurt, now Aaron Eckhart

30. My favorite brunette is:  hubby

31. My favorite red head is:

32. My middle name is: a last name of some people

33. In the morning I:  drink a large glass of water, feed the cats, clean the litter box and then skip breakfast

34. The animals I would like to see flying besides birds are: elephants, just not directly overhead

35. Once, at a bar:  I fell off a bar stool and hadn't even had a drink.  I was too short and my feet had been dangling above the foot rests.

36. Last night I was:  watching Season Two of "Breaking Bad"

37. There’s this guy I know who: makes a beautiful, delicious croquembouche.

38. If I was an animal I’d be: a Cheshire cat

" Most everyone's mad here. You may have noticed that I'm not all there myself. "

39. A better name for me would be: Suzie.  Many times people have called me that.

40. Tomorrow I am:  preparing tax returns

41. Tonight I am:  watching more of Season Two of "Breaking Bad"

42. My birthday is: over and done this year

Easter greetings