Neddy's Palaver

Actually, It was a “Miracle on Turf,” and perhaps a “Tide’s Up” for us all.

That is what Navy insiders are calling Navy football’s 46-44 triple-overtime victory over Notre Dame last Saturday. That is because Notre Dame has beaten Navy 43 straight times, dating back two generations to 1963, when players like Roger Staubach were willing to joing Navy’s team, knowing that in return they would be required to serve a five year military commitment. That was before the Vietnam War, which changed everything for America’s military. That was a very different world when Navy could win over Notre Dame. That was not today’s world. As NBC’s play-by-play announcer Pat Haden said on Saturday: “With all due respect, Navy doesn’t get to recruit blue-chip football players.” He should have added: “Just blue-chip people,” but he didn’t, and that is what is expected in today’s world.

What is it that today’s Navy offers it football team recruits?

The chance to play against Notre Dame. Or maybe it’s the chance to wake up at 6 o’clock every morning; the chance to be screamed at by upperclassmen; the chance to lose your weekend liberty for carrying a book-bag improperly or for being 30 seconds late to class. Not to mention the chance to get shot at when you graduate.

The best description I ever heard of what it is like to play football at Navy, Army and Air Force came from Fred Goldsmith, who coached at Air Force: “At a civilian school the hardest part of a football player’s day is football practice,” he said. “At an academy, the easiest part of a football player’s day is football practice.” (The Washington Post)

Navy’s football celebration should be a celebration by all who love and rely upon our military heroes. Perhaps the tide is up for us all.

If you hate pigeons and duct tape, WD-40 is your friend.

It keeps pigeons away so that they will leave no disgusting residue on your balcony, and it will remove the disgusting residue of duct tape that you used to hold your balcony together. However, is it really the 45 Wonder Miracle that a current email claims? It may be, yet the WD-40 company (formerly the Rocket Chemical Company of San Diego) gives its “multi-purpose problem solver” product credit for only the following number of miracles.

3. Protects silver from tarnishing.
4. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
10. Loosens stubborn zippers.
11. Untangles jewelry chains.
14. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
18. Keeps scissors working smoothly.
19. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
22. Rids kids’ rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
37. Florida’s favorite use is: “cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.”
43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
44. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tars and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn’t seem to harm the finish and you won’t have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks. Wash off after use.
45. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!

These remedies should be enough to keep the company in business at least until their patent expires, even if (#38 of 45) the state of New York doesn’t spray it on the Statue of Liberty. If you purchase a can of the lubricant thinking that it will (#7 of 45) keep flies off your cows; or (#36 of 45) that spraying it on your arms, hands, and knees will relieve arthritis; or (#39 of 45) that you can use WD-40 to attract fish or cats because it is made of fish oil; think again. The WD-40 Company does not make those claims. The WD-40 Company does claim that their product is NOT made of fish oil, so please, please, please do NOT add (#46) take a tablespoon of WD-40 instead of your daily fish oil tablet. It is made of the petroleum-based Stoddard Solvent, which is primarily solvent naphtha petroleum, medium aliphatic, so you don’t even have to warn your dinner guests who may be allergic to fish that you (#3) wiped all the silverware with WD-40.

If you are wondering how WD-40 got its unusual name, here is the explanation from the company:

WD-40 literally stands for Water Displacement, 40th attempt. That’s the name straight out of the lab book used by the chemist who developed WD-40 back in 1953. The chemist, Norm Larsen, was attempting to concoct a formula to prevent corrosion ; a task which is done by displacing water. Norm’s persistence paid off when he perfected the formula on his 40th try.

See Snopes.com for more information. (Thanks Martha.)

Jesus was a physician or doctor and referred to Himself as such. He set a powerful example for all Christians to follow. See Mark 2:17 and Luke 4:23.

Medical doctors whose faith teaches them to cure people and then kill them, such as the seven physicians of Britain’s National Health Service (NHS, July 2007), should read the teachings of Jesus who said “Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.” Those who follow in the footsteps of the Master Healer will lead happier lives on earth, and blessed rewards in Heaven — minus the 72 virgins.

The Healings of Jesus

All of Virginia is abuzz about the upcoming arrival of Queen Elizabeth II to Jamestown and points in between from there to Washington. It was 400 years ago this month that her royal relative, the first Queen Elizabeth, sent her British subjects to the Colony which was named “Virginia” in her honor for being a “Virgin Queen”. One has to wonder if at times the present Elizabeth doesn’t wish she had been a “Virgin Queen” too, considering the antics of her progeny these last few decades.

Some lucky Virginians are going to have the great privilege of coming face to face with the Queen, but few of them know what to say nor how to behave. “Give the Queen a Hand, but When It Comes to Bowing . . . ” don’t, advises WaPo, the local self-proclaimed authority for all things Virginian.

Virginia’s governor has inserted himself into the royal festivities by creating a new Web site illustrating how HE expects HIS subjects to behave when Her Royal Highness comes calling. First tip - she will be greatly insulted if you address her as “Her Royal Highness” , according to “Virginia’s Royal Welcome”. Furthermore, His Highness the Commonwealth’s Governor has created an entire page for Virginians to learn Queenly “Royal Etiquette.”

If you are a United States citizen you are not required to bow or curtsy to the Queen. Jolly good - as after all we fought a war over just that sort of silliness with the Queen’s Great-Great, George III, back in ‘76. For genuine Americans shaking hands is acceptable. If you are British or a citizen of one of the Commonwealth states, excepting Virginia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, you must bow or curtsy, depending upon whether you are a man or a woman. Be real careful about that last rule, as these days it is hard to tell one gender from another, and we don’t want anyone on Virginia soil to be suddenly banished to the Tower of London to lose his, her or its head. If you are an illegal immigrant - anything goes, as no one can lay a hand on you, Queens, Governors, Presidents notwithstanding.

Genealogists have to be especially cautious when talking with the Queen. Her Majesty absolutely does not want to hear that you too are descended from royalty. Even if you have the DNA evidence to back up your claim, keep your lips sealed, or you may be getting a non-tour of the Tower too, as no self-respecting Royal wants to be reminded of the scattering of the Royal seed amongst the hoi polloi.

After all these centuries of British settlement here in Virginia, it was not until the Queen’s own father, George VI, came to call in 1939, that the United States had ever been visited by a British monarch. Queen Elizabeth II is only the second Royal ruler to step upon this formerly British soil that is now the Commonwealth of Virginia. This will be Queen Elizabeth’s third visit to Virginia. It was during a presentation of Appalachian dance many years ago, that the then young Queen Elizabeth referred to it as “clogging”, which name has stuck ever since then. All Hail to the Queen.

By calling the toll free number (888) 567-8688, you can choose to stop receiving “prescreened” offers of credit from companies that subscribe to the four major credit reporting companies in the United States, like Equifax. You can do it for yourself and for other members of your household. It is good for five years.

The rewards are less junk mail to shred, less paper to the land fills, fewer trees felled and fewer opportunities for crooks to gain access to your good credit.

For What It’s Worth … On Your Cell Phone - 411 for Free!

Most cell phone providers charge $1.00 to $2.00 for dialing 411 directory assistance. Because most cell phone users do not heft a telephone directory around with them while using their mobile devise, there are times when dialing 411 becomes a necessity. Fortunately however, there is a FREE 411 information option: simply dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without charge - except for the air time charges that your cell phone provider may glean. This is really FREE for people like me, as I never, ever come close to using all of my air-time minutes.

Yes, there are pesky commercials that you as a captive audience are subjected to, so try it to determine whether you would rather listen to them or pay $1.00 or more not to have to listen. Program (800) 373-3411 into your cell phone now, and determine which is the better choice; your cell phone provider’s 411 directory assistance or 411 for FREE.

FAQs about 1-800-FREE-411
(Snopes.com)

You too can be an White House Intern.

An application and additional information about the program can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/wh-intern.html.

Barneykin's First Album

Aug 4, 2006 - 93 Photos

It seems to work. I just downloaded the new Picasa Upgrade which is Picasa Album 2.5. It is still in beta, it seems. However, I am not having any problems yet. I created an album with just one Picasa-edited photograph and then there was a way for me to copy HTML text to paste to a blog. This is the result. Not bad. I’ve not yet checked to see if the html validates. Is this like “Goodbye Flickr - Hello Picasa Albums”? Only time will tell. All I can say, is that I like the result.

The American people are still sacrificing their treasure to defend America. God bless them everyone. Early this morning California time, Wednesday, 4 January 2005, the USS Ronald Reagan Ships Out. The oil painting of the magnificent ship resides at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California.

Who knew that the tiny American pika is headed toward extinction? In fact, who knew that there was such a being? Reuters knew, that’s who. If no one else knew, does it matter? This little guy lives in British Columbia, so he may be safe from extinction. But then again, who knows?

Reuters reports that “Human activity and climate change may be pushing the tiny American pika toward extinction”, which probably excludes the Canadian pikas, who are still happily living and reproducing high atop the pristine peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Seems the American varmints have been moving higher and higher up the American Rockies to escape the progress of American civilization, and now that they are at the tops of the ziggurats, they find no place else to go. As Reuters explains: “They don’t have much up-slope habitat left.” Reuters does not explain why they cannot go “down-slope” on the other side. If it is something embedded into their DNA - such as the “never descend gene”, then perhaps these cute little rodents were doomed from the beginning of their existence.

And … speaking of their existence, Reuters claims they have been living in these same mountains for 40,000 years. That is quite a span of time! Perhaps now, the jig is up for these mousy Methuselahs. However, claims are being made that the pikas, are actually early detection systems for global warming, and that we need them to tell us what’s a-happening in that regard. But just how convenient a system are they for mankind, when they are camped out at the very tops of the highest mountain peaks? By the time we get up there to gather their latest message … it may be too late for us all!

pika-2, image originally uploaded by Scrambler27.
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