They're too classy
It's not that they can't. They just don't need to, says Mike Murray, a veterinarian at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. Birds have the anatomical and physical ability to pass gas, he explains, "but if I saw gas in a bird's gastrointestinal tract on an X-ray, I'd suspect that something abnormal was going on in there."
Birds don't typically carry the same kinds of gas-forming bacteria in their gut as humans and other mammals to help digest food, so there's nothing to let loose. Parrots sometimes emit fartlike sounds, but it's not what you might think. "They like to make playful sounds like they're giving you a raspberry, but it's coming from the north end, not the south, "Murray says.
But can they burp the alphabet?
Scientists are a little less certain about whether birds can release gassy buidup from the mouth, though. There's no official documentation of a bird burp (it's not a common field of research), but most ornithologists suspect that if a bird needed to burp, it would have no trouble doing so. "Birds are able to excrete lots of things through their mouths," says Todd Katzner, the director of conservation and field research at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh. "The fact that birds can regurgitate food for their young suggests that they can also reverse the direction of other things down there. I'd be pretty surprised if birds didn't burp."
Monday, March 30, 2015
Friday, March 27, 2015
SIX FAMOUS EX-CABBIES
Larry David
After watching a zillion episodes of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, one can imagine Larry as the rudest, most opinionated New York cabbie ever. But in a good way.
David Mamet
The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright says his stint as a Chicago cabdriver was on-the-job training for his career as a writer.
Jimmy Smits
In the early 1980s, Jimmy acted in off-Broadway plays and drove a cab on the overnight shift. That lasted until he received the pilot script for a new show producer Steven Bochco was developing called L.A. Law, and went on to star in N.Y.P.D. Blue.
Danny Glover
In 1999, Danny used his leverage as a former San Francisco cabdriver to raise awareness about cabbies sometimes not picking up African-American passengers.
Philip Glass
Philip was just another Juilliard-trained composer struggling to make a living in New York City when he drove a taxi. He said he loved the job because he was free to let his mind wander. It was behind the wheel of a cab that Philip worked on Einstein on the Beach, his most famous opera.
After watching a zillion episodes of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, one can imagine Larry as the rudest, most opinionated New York cabbie ever. But in a good way.
David Mamet
The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright says his stint as a Chicago cabdriver was on-the-job training for his career as a writer.
Jimmy Smits
In the early 1980s, Jimmy acted in off-Broadway plays and drove a cab on the overnight shift. That lasted until he received the pilot script for a new show producer Steven Bochco was developing called L.A. Law, and went on to star in N.Y.P.D. Blue.
Danny Glover
In 1999, Danny used his leverage as a former San Francisco cabdriver to raise awareness about cabbies sometimes not picking up African-American passengers.
Philip Glass
Philip was just another Juilliard-trained composer struggling to make a living in New York City when he drove a taxi. He said he loved the job because he was free to let his mind wander. It was behind the wheel of a cab that Philip worked on Einstein on the Beach, his most famous opera.
The East River Bridges (no tolls)
You do not have to pay coming or going from Manhattan on the East River Bridge crossings---the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, and the 59th Street Bridge. There are always plans on the table to put toll plazas on those bridges, and they somehow always get defeated.
If you have a hard time remembering the order of the bridges that connect lower Manhattan with Brooklyn, just imagine you're a German tourist; working your way uptown, it's BMW---Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg.
If you have a hard time remembering the order of the bridges that connect lower Manhattan with Brooklyn, just imagine you're a German tourist; working your way uptown, it's BMW---Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
WORD POWER: The Word
Ventriloquism n. --- A: repetition of words. B: method of recording. C: "throwing" one's voice. D:
speech impairment.
Loquacious adj. --- A: evasive. B: multilingual. C: unctuous. D: talkative.
Monologue n. --- A: long speech. B: scholarly work. C: editorial. D: hum.
Terminology n. --- A: nomenclature. B: extremity. C: mannerism. D: grammar.
Elocution n. --- A: deprecation. B: oratory. C: appeal. C: legalese.
Interlocutor n. --- go-between. B: researcher. C: dialogist. D: translator.
Tautology (taw TAHL uh jee) n. A: consistency in reasoning. B: careful instruction. C: nervousness.
D: unnecessary repetition.
Eulogy (YOO luh jee) n. --- A: formal praise. B: commencement address. C: promise. D: sorrowful
poem.
Apologist n. --- someone who A: broods in the past. B: makes no excuses. C: is fearful. D: defends
an idea.
Prologue n. --- A: introduction. B: explication. C. game plan. D. precis.
speech impairment.
Loquacious adj. --- A: evasive. B: multilingual. C: unctuous. D: talkative.
Monologue n. --- A: long speech. B: scholarly work. C: editorial. D: hum.
Terminology n. --- A: nomenclature. B: extremity. C: mannerism. D: grammar.
Elocution n. --- A: deprecation. B: oratory. C: appeal. C: legalese.
Interlocutor n. --- go-between. B: researcher. C: dialogist. D: translator.
Tautology (taw TAHL uh jee) n. A: consistency in reasoning. B: careful instruction. C: nervousness.
D: unnecessary repetition.
Eulogy (YOO luh jee) n. --- A: formal praise. B: commencement address. C: promise. D: sorrowful
poem.
Apologist n. --- someone who A: broods in the past. B: makes no excuses. C: is fearful. D: defends
an idea.
Prologue n. --- A: introduction. B: explication. C. game plan. D. precis.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Rock N Roll Trivia From the 50's, 60's & 70's, (1)
1. The Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan show on February 9, 1964. On what date was their second appearance?
(a) February 16, 1964
(b) May 24, 1964
(c) July 12, 1964
2. It's still 1964. Which song won a Grammy?
(a) "I want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles.
(b) "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals.
(c) "Downtown" by Petula Clark
3. The Drew Carey Show (2nd Season) used "Five O' Clock World" as their theme song. Which of the following groups was this a hit for in 1966?
(a) The Vogues
(b) The Ventures
(c) The Virtues
4. In the lyrics to "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, what is their girlfriend giving them?
(a) Palpitations
(b) Coll Sensations
(c) Excitations
5. The song "Little Honda" was sung by:
(a) The Hondells
(b) The Beach Boys
(c) Both
6. In 1967, Janis Ian had a hit song called "Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)" regarding inter-racial dating. How old was she when she wrote this?
(a) 14
(b) 16
(c) 18
7. In the group known as "The Village People", which one of the following was not one of their characters?
(a) Biker
(b) Fire Fighter
(c) Cowboy
8. Which girl group was the very first to have a #1 pop hit?
(a) The Chiffons
(b) The Marvelettes
(c) The Shirelles
9. In which U.S. city did the Beatles play their last concert?
(a) New York
(b) San Francisco
(c) Los Angeles
10. In the lyrics, "To Know Him Is To Love Him" by the Teddy Bears, what do their friends say will happen?
(a) He'll leave them one day alone and broken-hearted.
(b) There will come a day when they'll walk along side of him.
(c) They'll wise up and they'll leave him.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
NBA, NFL, or Congress-Who Has More Convictions? Posted 2009
With the many recent convictions, crimes, and charges, consider these facts and try to identify the organization they represent:
36 have been accused of spousal abuse.
7 have been arrested for fraud.
19 have been accused of writing bad checks.
117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses.
3 have done time for assault.
71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit.
14 have been arrested on drug-related charges.
8 have been arrested for shoplifting.
21 currently are defendants in lawsuits.
84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year.
Can you guess which organization this is?
NBA, NFL, or.........?
It's neither . It's the 435 members of the United States Congress. The same people we trust to make laws every year have problems abiding by the ones already in place.
36 have been accused of spousal abuse.
7 have been arrested for fraud.
19 have been accused of writing bad checks.
117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses.
3 have done time for assault.
71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit.
14 have been arrested on drug-related charges.
8 have been arrested for shoplifting.
21 currently are defendants in lawsuits.
84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year.
Can you guess which organization this is?
NBA, NFL, or.........?
It's neither . It's the 435 members of the United States Congress. The same people we trust to make laws every year have problems abiding by the ones already in place.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Famous Words and Phrases
136. "Seek and ye shall find." These oft-quoted words of Jesus come from his Sermon on the Mount in Mathew 7:7. It is still generally used as advice or encouragement to those who need to be seeking.
137. "A wolf in sheep's clothing." Jesus created this phrase in Mathew 7:15 to describe religious leaders who appear righteous on the outside but are actually evil on the inside. We still use it to describe hypocrites or those who portray goodness while intending evil.
138. "The faith to move mountains." Although not currently used quite as often as it was in the Twentieth century, the phrase refers to the power of belief. The words were first said by the Lord Jesus in Mathew 17:20 when He was talking to his disciples about healing the sick and the demon possessed.
139. "The blind leading the blind." Jesus coined this phrase in Mathew 15:14 when describing false teachers who insist they know the truth but do not, therefore leading innocent people astray. In our culture we generally use it as a negative descriptor for the self-important and self-deluded.
140. "Do not throw pearls before swine." Jesus' words in Mathew 7:6 urge believers to take care with their message: it is not necessary to teach to those who are openly hostile to the Gospel. A person wouldn't throw precious pearls to pigs, and Christians shouldn't throw the gift of salvation to those who will only turn around and attack them.
141. "Eat, drink, and be merry." was a phrase created by Jesus in Luke 12 while telling a cautionary tale about a rich fool who thought the rest of his life was set. The fool died that very night. The words are still generally used in the sarcastic or perjorative sense.
142. "The straight and narrow." Following the small, less traveled path leads to the narrow gate of life. In Mathew 7:14, Jesus cautioned his followers against following the more glamorous, broad, and well-traveled path that led to a wide gate full of destruction.
143. "A good Samaritan." Someone who goes out of the way to help another can be likened to the famed character of Jesus' parable in Luke 10:30-37. The hero acts for the good of another with no thought to his own situation.
144. "Sweating blood" is a phrase used to describe someone going through a very difficult time. The etymology of the word relates back to Luke 22:44, Christ's anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane caused Him to sweat blood-something physicians say is, in fact, possible for those enduring great duress.
145: "The forbidden fruit" is one of many Old Testament phrases still used regularly in the English language. The original "forbidden fruit" was the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were instructed to stay away from it in
137. "A wolf in sheep's clothing." Jesus created this phrase in Mathew 7:15 to describe religious leaders who appear righteous on the outside but are actually evil on the inside. We still use it to describe hypocrites or those who portray goodness while intending evil.
138. "The faith to move mountains." Although not currently used quite as often as it was in the Twentieth century, the phrase refers to the power of belief. The words were first said by the Lord Jesus in Mathew 17:20 when He was talking to his disciples about healing the sick and the demon possessed.
139. "The blind leading the blind." Jesus coined this phrase in Mathew 15:14 when describing false teachers who insist they know the truth but do not, therefore leading innocent people astray. In our culture we generally use it as a negative descriptor for the self-important and self-deluded.
140. "Do not throw pearls before swine." Jesus' words in Mathew 7:6 urge believers to take care with their message: it is not necessary to teach to those who are openly hostile to the Gospel. A person wouldn't throw precious pearls to pigs, and Christians shouldn't throw the gift of salvation to those who will only turn around and attack them.
141. "Eat, drink, and be merry." was a phrase created by Jesus in Luke 12 while telling a cautionary tale about a rich fool who thought the rest of his life was set. The fool died that very night. The words are still generally used in the sarcastic or perjorative sense.
142. "The straight and narrow." Following the small, less traveled path leads to the narrow gate of life. In Mathew 7:14, Jesus cautioned his followers against following the more glamorous, broad, and well-traveled path that led to a wide gate full of destruction.
143. "A good Samaritan." Someone who goes out of the way to help another can be likened to the famed character of Jesus' parable in Luke 10:30-37. The hero acts for the good of another with no thought to his own situation.
144. "Sweating blood" is a phrase used to describe someone going through a very difficult time. The etymology of the word relates back to Luke 22:44, Christ's anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane caused Him to sweat blood-something physicians say is, in fact, possible for those enduring great duress.
145: "The forbidden fruit" is one of many Old Testament phrases still used regularly in the English language. The original "forbidden fruit" was the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were instructed to stay away from it in
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