Who likes Etch-A-Sketch?!

Here ya go Etch-A-Sketch fans... Now you can draw online!

300GB laptop hard drive!

Hallelujah!

Not only has Apple started making a stock 200GB drive available to configure in the MacBook Pro, but now Fujitsu is manufacturing a 300GB drive!

copied from site:

MHX2300BT SATA

2.5-Inch, SATA, 4200 RPM
MHX2250BT - MHX2300BT

PDF Datasheet

• Overview
• Features
• Specifications
• Warranty

Ultra-high capacity, 2.5” hard disk drive series features perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology.

• Unmatched capacity of up to 300GB⁽¹⁾ in a 2.5" form factor
• Features best in class read/write power consumption at 1.6W
• Mobile 2.5” series features high shock tolerance and low power consumption
• Delivers outstanding reliability and durability
• Engineered for audio/video computing applications as well as the high-end PC market

Oh how far we have come....

Here is a 5MB hard disc from 1956. It weighed over 2000 pounds!


In September 1956 IBM launched the 305 RAMAC, the first computer with a
hard disk drive (HDD). The HDD weighed over a ton and stored 5MB of
data.

By comparison... a CD can hold 700MB, or 140 times more space!

If we keep going at this rate, in another 50 or so years we will have hard drives the size of a mustard seed that hold more information than all the combined libraries of the world.

Laws still on the books

Indiana

"Spiteful Gossip" and "talking behind a person's back" are illegal. A three dollar fine per pack will be imposed on anyone playing cards in Indiana under the Act for the Prevention of Gaming. All males 18 to 50 years old must work six days a year on public roads. Anyone 14 or older who profanely curses, damns or swears by the name of God, Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, shall be fined one to three dollars for each offense, with a maximum fine of ten dollars per day. Auburn: It is illegal to bike, roller-skate, skateboard, or inline skate in a commercially zoned area. For these offenses, there is a fine of no more than $5 or the impounding of one's bicycle for a period not to exceed 30 days. Baths may not be taken between the months of October and March. Beech Grove: It is forbidden to eat watermelon in the park. Check forgery can be punished with public flogging up to 100 stripes. Citizens are not allowed to attend a cinema or theatre nor ride in a public streetcar within at least four hours after eating garlic. Drinking from your own bottle in a bar can lead to your arrest. Drinks on the house are illegal. Elkhart: It is illegal for barbers to threaten to cut off kid's ears. Evansville: While driving on Main Street you may not have your lights on. Fort Wayne: You may not sell or play on a radio broadcast, the record "It's In the Book". Grocery stores may not sell any type of cold liquor. Hotel sheets must be exactly 99 inches long and 81 inches wide. If any person has a puppet show, wire dancing or tumbling act in the state of Indiana and receives money for it, they will be fined $3 under the Act to Prevent Certain Immoral Practices. In Indiana it is illegal to sell laughing gas with the intent to induce laughter. In South Bend, Indiana, it is illegal to make a monkey smoke a cigarette. It is against the law to pass a horse on the street. Men are prohibited from standing in a bar. Mustaches are illegal if the bearer has a tendency to habitually kiss other humans. No one may catch a fish with his bare hands. One man may not back into a parking spot because it prevents police officers from seeing the license plate. Pedestrians crossing the highway at night are prohibited from wearing tail lights. Smoking in the state legislature building is banned, except when the legislature is in session. State government officials who engage in private duels can be dismissed from their post. Taxpayers of Bainbridge, Ind., used to have to swear a solemn oath that the values they placed on their taxable property were the fair market values. Terre Haute: No one may spit on the sidewalk. The value of Pi is 4, and not 3.1415 You are required to pour your drink into a glass. You can get out of paying for a dependent's medical care by praying for him/her.

Ohio

According to Ohio law, it's against the law to kill a housefly within 160 feet of a church without a license. A policeman may bite a dog to quiet him. However, the reverse is not true, even if it's a police dog. Bay Village: It is illegal to walk a cow down Lake Road. Bexley: The installation and usage of slot machines in outhouses is prohibited. Breast feeding is not allowed in public. Cars are not allowed to scare horses in Centerville, Ohio. Cleveland: It's illegal to catch mice without a hunting license! Cleveland law forbids you to operate a motor vehicle while sitting in another person's lap. In Cleveland, Ohio, women are forbidden from wearing patent leather shoes, lest men see reflections of their underwear. Clinton County: Any person who leans against a public building will be subject to fines. In Chillicothe, Ohio it is illegal to throw rice at weddings. Columbus: It is illegal for stores to sell corn flakes on Sunday. Fairview Park: It's against the law to honk your horn "excessively". A grandmother was fined for honking her horn twice at her neighbor. Items left on a tree lawn become city property. A young man was fined for removing an item from a tree lawn even though he had the owner's permission. Funeral jargon seems to have crept into the wording of a cemetery fee regulation in Norton, Ohio. There regular plots are $33, but "creamies" are $75. In Columbus, Ohio it is illegal to sell cornflakes on Sunday. In Marysville, Ohio it is illegal for a dog to urinate on a parking meter. In the hippy-dippy late '60s, Youngstown, Ohio, briefly had a law making it illegal to walk barefoot through town. In ohio it is illegal to ride on the roof of a taxi cab In ohio it is illegal to run out of gas In Ohio, if you ignore an orator on Decoration day to such an extent as to publicly play croquet or pitch horseshoes within one mile of the speaker's stand, you can be fined $25.00. In Oxford, Ohio, it's illegal for a woman to strip off her clothing while standing in front of a man's picture. In Oxford, Ohio, it is unlawful for a woman to appear in public while unshaven. This includes legs and face. In Xenia, Ohio, it's illegal to spit in a salad bar Ironton: Cross-dressing is against the law. It is against the law to roller skate without notifying the police. It is illegal for more than five women to live in a house. It is illegal to fish for whales on Sunday. It is illegal to get a fish drunk. It is illegal to mistreat anything of great importance. It is legal to throw a snake at someone but it is illegal to shake a snake at someone. Lima: Any map that does not have Lima clearly stated on the map cannot be sold. Lowell: It is unlawful to run a horse over five miles per hour. Marion: You cannot eat a doughnut and walk backwards on a city street. McDonald: Your goose may not paraded down Main Street. No one may be arrested on Sunday or on the Fourth of July. North Canton: It is against the law to roller skate without notifying the police. Owners of tigers must notify authorities within one hour if the tiger escapes. Participating or conducting a duel is prohibited. The Ohio driver's education manual states that you must honk the horn whenever you pass another car.

What color is your brain?

Your Brain is Green

Of all the brain types, yours has the most balance. You are able to see all sides to most problems and are a good problem solver. You need time to work out your thoughts, but you don't get stuck in bad thinking patterns. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking about the future, philosophy, and relationships (both personal and intellectual).

What Color Is Your Brain?

What if people bought cars like they buy computers?

Well, leave it to a blizzard to slow me down enough to post a blog. Apologies for my absence...

A friend sent me this in email and I could not stop laughing! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!


General Motors doesn't have a "help line" for people who don't know how to drive, because people don't buy cars like they buy computers - but imagine if they did...

Helpline:
"General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?"
Customer:
"I got in my car and closed the door, and nothing happened!"
Helpline:
"Did you put the key in the ignition and turn it?"
Customer:
"What's an ignition?"
Helpline:
"It's a starter motor that draws current from your battery and turns over the engine."
Customer:
"Ignition? Motor? Battery? Engine? How come I have to know all of these technical terms just to use my car?"
Helpline:
"General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?"
Customer:
"My car ran fine for a week, and now it won't go anywhere!"
Helpline:
"Is the gas tank empty?"
Customer:
"Huh? How do I know?"
Helpline:
"There's a little gauge on the front panel, with a needle, and markings from 'E' to 'F'. Where is the needle pointing?"
Customer:
"I see an 'E' but no 'F'."
Helpline:
"You see the 'E' and just to the right is the 'F'."
Customer:
"No, just to the right of the first 'E' is a 'V'."
Helpline:
"A 'V'?!?"
Customer:
"Yeah, there's a 'C', an 'H', the first 'E', then a 'V', followed by 'R', 'O', 'L' ..."
Helpline:
"No, no, no sir! That's the front of the car. When you sit behind the steering wheel, that's the panel I'm talking about."
Customer:
"That steering wheel thingy -- Is that the round thing that honks the horn?"
Helpline:
"Yes, among other things."
Customer:
"The needle's pointing to 'E'. What does that mean?"
Helpline:
"It means that you have to visit a gasoline vendor and purchase some more gasoline. You can install it yourself, or pay the vendor to install it for you."
Customer:
"What? I paid $12,000 for this car! Now you tell me that I have to keep buying more components? I want a car that comes with everything built in!"

Helpline:
"General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?"
Customer:
"Your cars suck!"
Helpline:
"What's wrong?"
Customer:
"It crashed, that's what went wrong!"
Helpline:
"What were you doing?"
Customer:
"I wanted to go faster, so I pushed the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor. It worked for a while, and then it crashed -- and now it won't even start up!"
Helpline:
"I'm sorry, sir, but it's your responsibility if you misuse the product."
Customer:
"Misuse it? I was just following this damned manual of yours. It said to make the car go to put the transmission in 'D' and press the accelerator pedal. That's exactly what I did -- now the damn thing's crashed."
Helpline:
"Did you read the entire operator's manual before operating the car sir?"
Customer:
"What? Of course I did! I told you I did EVERYTHING the manual said and it didn't work!"
Helpline:
"Didn't you attempt to slow down so you wouldn't crash?"
Customer:
"How do you do THAT?"
Helpline:
"You said you read the entire manual, sir. It's on page 14. The pedal next to the accelerator."
Customer:
"Well, I don't have all day to sit around and read this manual you know."
Helpline:
"Of course not. What do you expect us to do about it?"
Customer:
"I want you to send me one of the latest versions that goes fast and won't crash anymore!"

Helpline:
"General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?"
Customer:
"Hi! I just bought my first car, and I chose your car because it has automatic transmission, cruise control, power steering, power brakes, and power door locks."
Helpline:
"Thanks for buying our car. How can I help you?"
Customer:
"How do I work it?"
Helpline:
"Do you know how to drive?"
Customer:
"Do I know how to what?"
Helpline:
"Do you know how to DRIVE?"
Customer:
"I'm not a technical person! I just want to go places in my car!"

Gas Saving Driving Tips

We Test the Tips
What Really Saves Gas? And How Much?
By Edmunds.com Editors

With gas prices so high, the media is awash with lists of gas-saving tips. Well how's this for a tip? If you listen to us, you can see hybrid-type savings without having to buy a new car.

By changing your driving habits you can improve fuel economy up to 37 percent right away (depending on how you drive). Combine several tips and perform routine maintenance and you will save real dollars, not just pennies.

A miracle? All we did was take several of the most common tips out there and put them to the test over a remote 55-mile route in the high desert of California. Some of them worked like a charm. Some of them didn't work at all. We'll give you the breakdown.

These tests were done under real-world conditions — not in a government lab somewhere. Our results can be matched by anyone — even you.

The wonderful part about what we found is that improving your car's mileage is just a matter of changing your habits. Stack a few of these winners together and we'll bet that you'll see a substantial savings at the pump — without the need for a new car."

Care for Your Poinsettia

Did you buy or receive a Poinsettia for the Holiday season? Do you want to keep it alive and well? I did, and I do. Here is some of the information I have found on the topic:

Bract Color
* Choose plants with thoroughly colored and expanded bracts. (Bracts are the colored portions of the plant, while the actual flowers are the yellow centers). Avoid plants with too much green around the bract edges, as this is a sign of a plant shipped before it was sufficiently mature.

* Look for plants with dense, plentiful foliage all the way to the soil line. An abundance of rich green foliage is a vital sign of good plant health.

Shape and Proportion
* Proper proportion of plant height and shape relative to container size is the key to an aesthetically pleasing poinsettia.

* Plants should appear balanced, full and attactive from all angles.

* A generally accepted standard is that the plant should be 2 1/2 times taller than the diameter of the container.

Durability and Freshness
* Select plants with stiff stems, good bract retention and no signs of wilting, breaking or drooping.

* Be wary of plants displayed in paper, plastic or mesh sleeves, or plants that are too closely crowded in a sales display. A poinsettia needs its space, and the longer a plant remains sleeved, the more the plant quality will deteriorate. Crowding can reduce air flow around the plants and cause premature bract loss or other problems.

* Examine the plant's soil: it's best to avoid waterlogged soil, particularly if the plant appears wilted. Such a condition could signify irreversible root rot.

* When transporting the plant, protect it from chilling winds and temperatures below 50° F. Re-inserting the poinsettia into a sleeve or a large, roomy shopping bag will usually provide adequate protection for transporting the plant home when it is cold and windy.


The Do's and Don'ts of Poinsettia Care
* DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can't be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.

* DO provide room temperatures between 68 - 70° F. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia.

* DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

* DO use a large, roomy shopping bag to protect your plant when transporting it.

* DO fertilize your plant AFTER THE BLOOMING SEASON with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.

* DON'T place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts.

* DON'T expose plants to temperatures below 50° F. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so avoid placing them outside during the winter months.

* DON'T overwater your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to drain completely.

* DON'T expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.

* DON'T fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.

How to Re-Bloom Your Poinsettia
When the poinsettia's bracts age and lose their aesthetic appeal, there's no reason to throw it out. With proper care, dedication and a certain amount of luck, you too can re-bloom your poinsettia!

By late March or early April, cut your poinsettia back to about 8" in height. Continue a regular watering program, and fertilize your plant with a good, balanced all-purpose fertilizer. By the end of May, you should see vigorous new growth.

Place your plants outdoors, where they can bask in the warmth of spring and summer, after all chance of frost has passed and night temperatures average 55° F or above. Continue regular watering during the growth period, and fertilize every 2 to 3 weeks.

Pruning may be required during the summer to keep plants bushy and compact. Late June or early July is a good time for this step, but be sure not to prune your plant later than September 1. Keep the plants in indirect sun and water regularly.

Around June 1, you may transplant your poinsettia into a larger pot. Select a pot no more than 4 inches larger than the original pot. A soil mix with a considerable amount of organic matter, such as peat moss or leaf mold, is highly recommended. In milder climates, you may transplant the plant into a well-prepared garden bed. Be sure the planting bed is rich in organic material and has good drainage.

The poinsettia is a photoperiodic plant, meaning that it sets bud and produces flowers as the Autumn nights lengthen. Poinsettias will naturally come into bloom during November or December, depending on the flowering response time of the individual cultivar. Timing to produce blooms for the Christmas holiday can be difficult outside of the controlled environment of a greenhouse. Stray light of any kind, such as from a street light or household lamps, could delay or entirely halt the re-flowering process.

Starting October 1, the plants must be kept in complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night. Accomplish this by moving the plants to a totally dark room, or by covering them overnight with a large box. During October, November and early December, poinsettias require 6 - 8 hours of bright sunlight daily, with night temperatures between 60 - 70° F. Temperatures outside of this range could also delay flowering.

Continue the normal watering and fertilizer program. Carefully following this regime for 8 to 10 weeks should result in a colorful display of blooms for the holiday season!

The Poinsettia is NOT Poisonous
The widespread belief that poinsettias are poisonous is a misconception. The scientific evidence demonstrating the poinsettia's safety is ample and well documented.

Studies conducted by The Ohio State University in cooperation with the Society of American Florists concluded that no toxicity was evident at experimental ingestion levels far exceeding those likely to occur in a home environment. In fact, the POISINDEX Information Service, the primary information resource used by most poison control centers, states that a 50-pound child would have to ingest over 500 poinsettia bracts to surpass experimental doses. Yet even at this high level, no toxicity was demonstrated.

As with all ornamental plants, poinsettias are not intended for human or animal consumption, and certain individuals may experience an allergic reaction to poinsettias. However, the poinsettia has been demonstrated to be a safe plant. In fact, in 1992, the poinsettia was included on the list of houseplants most helpful in removing pollutants from indoor air. So, not only is the poinsettia a safe and beautiful addition to your holiday decor, it can even help keep your indoor air clean!

Negative Calorie Foods

First, I should point out negative calorie food is somewhat of an oxy-moron. The food does not really have negative calories. Actually, the human body burns more calories digesting it than the food contains.

Here is a list of some of those foods. Eating them, or more of them; with or without other foods will increase metabolism naturally. This will result in weight loss.

It can also help to eat protein with these foods. Good protein will help control your appetite and increase your metabolism.

Here is the list:

Vegetables

broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chicory, cress, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, gourd, leek, lettuce, marrow, peppers, radish, spinach, tomato, turnip.

Fruits

Apricot, blackberry, blackcurrant, cantaloupe, clementine, damson, grapefruit, guava, honeydew, lemon, mandarin, melon, orange, peach, plum, raspberry, rhubarb, strawberry, tangerine, watermelon.

I have no accent...

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The Inland North
The South
The West
The Northeast
Philadelphia
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz