Swarming Starlings

Who wants some history?

OK, my co-worker with the bruised tail-bone, I know how you love my history lessons!

Do you know why we have starlings in the United States?

They occur naturally only in Europe, Africa, and Asia but were introduced here in the 1890's. A man named Eugene Schieffelin released 80 starlings in Central Park in 1890 and 40 more birds in 1891. He belonged to the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society and the New York Zoological Society.

Schieffelin also was part of a group called the Acclimation Society of North America. Their misguided goal was to share plants and animals with all parts of the world. From this idea, Sheiffelin set his own agenda: he was determined to introduce every bird mentioned in the plays of Shakespeare to the United States.

Because Shakespeare mentioned the starling in King Henry IV Part 1, he brought some of the birds over from England. From that small batch released in New York City, their numbers have grown to over 200 million. Their spread have come at the expense of native birds such as the bluebird and woodpeckers. Luckily, Schieffelin's attempts to bring bullfinches, chaffinches, nightingales, and skylarks to this country were not successful.

Starlings are strong fliers and are often seen in huge flocks. See the interesting videos below:





Finally, starlings are also known for the ability to mimic the sounds around them, from human voices to car alarms. If you can stick with the following video until the end, you'll be rewarded with a little bit of humor.

21st Birthday

Today is my sister's 21st birthday.

How did that happen? It seems like just yesterday she was a little munchkin! Now she is in college and 21.

I remember when she was born and her face was all blotchy and her hair was sticking up all over the place. I thought to myself, "Man, I'll be 32 when she learns how to drive!"

I don't remember thinking, "I'll be 37 when she can go to the bar with me!"

Actually, when I was in my early 20's I used to take her to bars with me. I would make plans with my friends and then remember that I had babysitting duty that night. So, she would accompany me. She would always protest going to bars; I had to tell her it was a restaurant we were going to. We would get in there, she would look around and say something like, "I know this is a bar. There are no little-people here," or, "B-A-R. That spells bar. This IS a bar!"

So, I'm picking her up in a little while and we are heading to my dad's for a little party. Then, against my better judgement, we're going to have to head out for a drink.

Now, remember Mary, know when to say when. Or you might end up like this:

or this:

Happy Birthday!

A Post For Jacob

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with cars and motorcycles.

It started before I was born. Really. While she was pregnant with me, my mom drove a '69 Nova SuperSport with a 350 CI engine. From what I've always heard, pregnancy caused her to become a much-more aggressive driver. She would get very upset if someone tried to get in front of her, and do whatever she could to be first through an intersection. Do you remember The French Connection car chase in New York City? Well, she drove those same streets.

Because I was riding "shotgun" during these drives, I totally believe that's where the obsession came from. You know how babies are comforted by the sound of their mothers' heartbeat? Well, I think the heartbeat I heard was the rumble of the engine. It's still my favorite sound!

When I was a few years old, my dad and I would ride his Triumph motorcycle every evening after work. I couldn't wait for him to come home so we could head out on the bike. We had matching Bell helmets and I would ride on the gas tank and be his official turn signal operator.

It only got worse when I was a teenager. All I read and talked about was cars. I subscribed to Car and Driver, MotorTrend and Road & Track. I memorized the specs for every car every year: horsepower, torque, 0 - 60 times, gas mileage, every little trim detail- I mean everything. I harassed my dad constantly about which car he should buy, which options, what color. I was relentless.

Anyway, as crazy as I was (am?) about cars, my nephew Jacob is just as obsessed with dinosaurs. He is five years old and is the world's foremost dinosaur expert. I know, a lot of kids know a lot about dinosaurs. I see them at the library all the time and some of them are pretty knowledgeable.

But they don't compare to Jacob. He knows the scientific name of every dinosaur, what they looked like, what they ate, how they protected themselves, where they lived, and on and on and on. If you have a dinosaur question, Jacob is the one to go to for the answer. His days are filled with dinosaurs. If there is something he doesn't know, he will ask and ask until he finds the information he is looking for.

Well, this post is for Jacob.

Currently in Australia, a $12 million show called Walking with Dinosaurs just opened, based on the BBC television series of the same name. There are 15 life-sized dinosaurs in the exhibit including a Tyrannosaurus-Rex. These aren't just stationary models, they move and sound just like the real thing. See the videos below. You'll be amazed.

Their website doesn't give any clue as to whether the exhibition will travel outside Australia or not (how do you pack up 15 life-sized dinosaurs?). If it ever comes to the United States, Jacob and I are going no matter where it is.

I'll drive!

To Watch or Not To Watch

I can't remember the last time I watched a speech by President Bush. Do I really want to? I guess it's not really nessessary as all of the media outlets have already summed up everything he is going to say.

How 'bout this: the UConn men play Marquette tonight at 7:00. If UConn wins, I might be able to stomach a half hour of the President. If they lose, forget it. I'll catch the highlights (lowlights) tomorrow.

Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report had some words of advice for Bush on last night's show. Have a look:



Sorry, nothing much else is going on here. I just need to make it through two more days at the library and then the 3-day weekend is here!

Here's some humor to pass the time:

Funny Bud Light commercial


Here's a radio station prank call (kinda mean, but . . ):


And, finally, have you seen any good windmill punches lately? They used to popular in grade school and it looks like they are making a come-back in professional soccer!

the windmill:

"Stupid Idiots!"

I used two words over and over today at work: "idiot" and "stupid."

My mom hated both of them. When I was a teenager, these were my two favorite words. I thought I knew everything, and everyone was either "stupid" or "an idiot" to me. It's been about 20 years, but I can still hear my mom telling me how having that kind of attitude is no way to go through life.

This morning, one of my co-workers and I had to let off some steam regarding the work ethic (or more correctly, the absence of work ethic) of some other employees at the library. It started off fairly innocently but I realized that, by the time 5:00 o'clock rolled around, I really was consumed with this negativity.

And my mom was right. Complaining that others are "stupid" doesn't solve anything. It not only brings me down, it also projects a negative aura that affects everyone in my department. I really need to try to have a more positive attitude.

Now, Mom, if you can read this, before you get too excited that I am admitting you were right, there are a lot of idiots in the world. Thanks to the internet, I have proof. Just watch the following:









Oh, and one more thing. I was ironing my shirt a little while ago while thinking about "stupid" people. I guess I wasn't paying attention because (and this is the truth!), instead of reaching for the handle, I actually grabbed the hot (um, burning hot) side of the iron.

There should really be some kind of guard on there or a maybe a warning label! Who makes these things so dangerous?

Idiots.

FOOTBALL!

Today is going to be a great football Sunday. Especially because I missed most of the football on Saturday and both UConn basketball teams lost, this better be a great day! The Jets play at the Patriots and then the Giants are at the Eagles.

Now, I know a Giant can rip an Eagle out of the sky and kill it, but I'm still confused when it comes to a Jet. Can a Jet kill a Patriot? I mean, is the Jet armed? Does it matter- what is a Patriot's musket going to do against a Jet?

Sorry, the above paragraph is an inside joke. But today's games do give me an excuse to post some football related stuff.

I'm a big fan of bad weather football and I hate the domed stadiums. I know some people think wet, muddy, or even snowy conditions reduce the excitement and cause the teams to throw the passing game out the window, but what other sport continues to play in such bad conditions? I'm a huge baseball fan but they cancel some games over the threat of rain. It's part of the allure of football- they play in the elements (except in Indianapolis, Detroit, Minnesota, Atlanta, New Orleans, St. Louis, Seattle, and kinda Dallas). In most of my memories of great games in the past, the weather was involved somehow.

Anyway, there's not much I can do about it. It's probably going to be in the 50's in both of today's games. And at least I'm not alone in wishing for a little bad weather. The sports blog 10 Cent Freeze Pops feels the same way I do.

Finally, here's my favorite football video of all time. It's a "greatest hits" video starring Jack Lambert of the Steelers. Yeah, I know, the Steelers aren't doing anything this post season except looking for a new head coach, but this video sums up a lot of why I like football.





Oh, and one last thing: GO JETS!

Rainy Day Steamed Cheeseburgers

Yesterday I worked. The weather was beautiful- clear skies, temperature in the 50's.

Tomorrow is my Saturday to work (the one out of six I work). The weather is supposed to be even nicer with highs in the lower 60's.

Today was my day off. It rained all day.

Granted it was in the 50's, which is pretty rare in Connecticut in January. I checked- the average high is in the 30's this time of year.

So, what to do with my day off? I didn't want to waste a warm winter's day inside. Outdoor activities were out (or is it in?) with the wet weather. No hiking. No picture taking. No kayaking with the kayak I still haven't bought.

A while back, I read a book I totally loved named Two for the Road by Jane and Michael Stern. They live in Connecticut but travelled throughout America discovering new eateries before finally exploring some of the restaurants in their home state. One of their discoveries was a little place called Ted's Restaurant in Meriden and their relatively famous steamed cheeseburgers.

The story goes that steamed food became popular in the 1920's because people believed steaming to be healthier than frying food. Apparently, the town of Meriden holds the claim to inventing the steamed cheeseburger around the same time. In a few places in and around Meriden, it's done the same way today as it was then. They put meat and cheddar cheese in separate little trays and place them inside a metal steam box. In a few minutes, the meat is done and the thick, syrupy cheese is poured over it.

So today I decided to take a ride up to Ted's. After a few side trips along the way, I arrived at Ted's about 1:00 o'clock.

When I pulled up to the place, it was tiny. The building is ridiculously small and there is no parking lot- you have to find a spot on the street. I opened the door and was shocked. With the name Ted's Restaurant, I assumed a place with tables and waitresses. Nope. There were a few booths and about seven counter stools where you sit elbow-to-elbow. This place makes a college dorm room look spacious. There was also a line of people getting to-go orders.

I grabbed the last seat at the counter (luckily right in front of the steam box!) and immediately was asked what I wanted. I looked around for menus but there's no such thing there. They have a sign over the counter listing what's available but it basically comes down to a cheeseburger or a hot dog. I ordered a cheeseburger with onions and lettuce and the homefries with a Pepsi.

One minute later it was all served, the huge burger (about 5" high) and homefries on small, matching paper plates and the can of Pepsi with no glass. It couldn't have looked any better!

The burger was, indeed, like no other. Between the meat and the cheese it was, um, I guess the word would be oozing. I definitely needed both hands. Both the burger and the home fries tasted great.

The best part, though, was watching the burgers get made. The cook was Ted's son, Paul and running the show was Ted's nephew. He takes the orders and calls them out to Paul. Paul puts big hunks of meat and thick sticks of cheddar cheese into the little pans and keeps the steam box loaded with them. The box probably holds over 30 burgers at a time. Every time he puts one in or takes one out, the steam billows around him. When they are done, he dumps them onto waiting buns already with the toppings and the nephew grabs them to serve or wrap up. Peak lunch crowd and nobody was waiting more than a couple of minutes for their take-out orders.

After watching the show for awhile, I paid the bill ($6.25- it seemed like a bargain) and headed home. It wasn't a bad way to spend a dreary, rainy day and I certainly will be back.

State of the Union

President Bush is set to give his annual State of the Union address on the 23rd of this month. A little history for you: the tradition started with George Washington's presidency but was discontinued in 1801 by Thomas Jefferson as too "monarchical." After that, the president sent a written address to Congress which was read by a clerk. In 1913, Woodrow Wilson re-instated the State of the Union address in its present form although some presidents have chosen to send a written address since then.

A website has compiled the text of all the State of the Union addresses since 1790. It really gives insight in to the history of our country and what was on the minds of the people. A lot can be learned from these speeches.

So, what should we look forward to in this year's address?

The news agencies are speculating that President Bush will address energy issues and, as last year, discuss steps that America needs to take to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Another announcement that seems to be forthcoming at the State of the Union address is a "surge" in troop levels in Iraq. The reports are that the President will send 20,000 more troops to Iraq. This is the complete opposite of the recommondations Iraq Study Group Report and not what the majority of Americans want.

In my opinion, very few can make a more compelling, factual, heart-felt argument than Keith Olberman does on his Countdown show. On January 2nd, he stated his thoughts on sending more troops to Iraq in no uncertain terms. It was one of the angriest I've ever seen him.

It's in two parts. Enjoy!

Part 1:

Part 2:

2007!

Happy New Year! OK, let's get the worst out of the way- I didn't even make it 'til midnight. I was awake but had already left the party. I was home before the ball dropped. The good news, however, is I ate enough at the party so that I do not need any food for the next three days! Really. It's 10:00 the next morning and I'm still full. And I never want to see another hunk of cheese again (at least until the football playoffs party next weekend).

Everyone who came brought way too much food and, as always, the hosts had more than enough to begin with. I was worried that the cops were going to pull me over on the way home for driving under the influence of lots and lots of food. I doubt I could have gotten out of the car to perform any field sobriety tests- that's how much I ate.

Did I mention there was a lot of food?

As always, we played the game "Ain't it a shame," a New Year's Eve tradition. There were a few surprise gifts rewrapped from last year. I was very, um, excited to see the Wyler's Light lemonade mix (1 packet) and the Jewish Book of Short Stories that I thought I unloaded during last year's game. All well. I'm sure I'll see some of the same gifts next year.

Here are some pictures from the night:

It really wasn't a redneck New Year's, even though I could see you thinking that after that last photo. Just because he was drinking beer and holding a rifle while playing "Ain't it a shame," that doesn't mean ANYTHING! Now, if he goes to work with that doo-rag on his head. . . well.

That last picture reminded me of a great gun video. Watch it below and listen for my favorite line: "I'm the only one in this room, that I know of, professional enough to carry the Glock 40." That's when the fun begins (or maybe it wasn't fun for the little kids in the classroom but I'm sure the nightmares have stopped by now!).

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve

I've come across a few interesting sites recently that I thought I would share. Sorry, nobody gets hurt in these links- in honor of it being New Year's Eve, there will be no violence today. The Southwestern Pork Stew is cooking in the crock pot (doubled the recipe and started exactly at 8:00 AM) for the party later so I decided to make a post.

I learned from the Wisconsin Historical Society website that at the begining of the 20th century, many rural towns realized that through post cards they could make their create a certain utopian myth about their area. Some photographers became well-known for their ability to phycially manipulate photos for so-called "tall-tale" postcards that, supposedly, encouraged settlement and growth of the area. Click on the picture for more.

Next, is a site of photographs by Shotaro Shimomura XXI (1883-1944). As you can read on the site, he was chairman of a huge department store chain (The Daimaru Inc.) who embarked on an around-the-world trip in 1934 - 1935. There are just two pages of photos, but they are incredible.

Finally, here are some pictures of Dubai, which, thanks to Wikipedia, I have learned is one of seven emerates that make up the United Arab Emerates on the Persian Gulf. After seeing this site, you would think that all this construction is being financed with oil money but, in reality, only 7% of their gross national product is from petroleum. You won't believe these pictures, but it's all true!

No More Death, Please!

I just watched a video someone took with his cell phone of this morning's Saddam Hussein execution. I know all the news outlets would like me to feel good about this- it was called a "milestone towards peace"- but I just don't see it.

I recently read a book titled It's the Crude, Dude: Greed, Gas, War, and the American Way by Linda McQuaid. Granted, she is a Canadian writing about American politics but she brought up many points that make me begin to wonder about the future of our country and government.

In the mid '80s, Ronald Reagan sent Donald Rumsfeld as a special envoy to Iraq to work an alliance with Hussein, after our government helped him defeat a largely democratic government that was already in place. This alliance led to our satellites being used to aim Iraqi chemical strikes against the Iranian troops.

Now, we wage a war again Iraq heading into its fifth year, costing $2 billion dollars per week, and almost 3000 American lives.

Added to that, today is exactly 10 years since my mom died AND the UConn men had their first loss of the season!

Maybe today will be "an important milestone" as President Bush says, but I just don't see it.

On a brighter note, but not too bright, this video cracked me up (see, I still love a good accident video!). A Subaru rally car is being towed by a Land Rover when the steering locks around a hairpin turn. I love the reaction of the two in the Subaru!

More Death, I'm Afraid

Jeez, this is turning into a blog of death instead of a blog of Smokeshow.

I'm sure everyone has heard that former president Gerald Ford has died. I'm a little too young to remember his presidency (and it didn't last very long) but I did hear an interesting fact about him. He is the only president never to be elected to a national office- he was appointed to the vice-presidency by Nixon after Spiro Agnew was forced to resign from office by scandal. Then, Ford became the 38th president when Richard Nixon resigned.

Of course, there is some humor in just about everything that happens in life and here is a little bit regarding the death of Ford. In 1996, Saturday Night Live ran a skit with Dana Carvey playing Tom Brokow and, well, here it is:

James Brown - Sex Machine

As someone wrote: "I guess heaven felt it was time they got FUNKY, get on up dancing with the angels in heaven, James."

This is a live performance of James Brown singing Sex Machine:

James Brown dies at 73

I was checking the obituaries this morning to see if any library patrons have died (no, I'm serious, I really do check, right after I check the police logs to see if anyone from my last job was arrested!), and I see James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul" has died from pneumonia.

That's too bad, he was a great talent who didn't take his act too seriously (and I think in his later years he was a little bit nuts). MSNBC wrote:

Along with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and a handful of others, Brown was one of the major musical influences of the past 50 years. At least one generation idolized him, and sometimes openly copied him. His rapid-footed dancing inspired Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson among others. Songs such as David Bowie’s “Fame,” Prince’s “Kiss,” George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog” and Sly and the Family Stone’s “Sing a Simple Song” were clearly based on Brown’s rhythms and vocal style.
'No one near as funky'If Brown’s claim to the invention of soul can be challenged by fans of Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, then his rights to the genres of rap, disco and funk are beyond question. He was to rhythm and dance music what Dylan was to lyrics: the unchallenged popular innovator.
“James presented obviously the best grooves,” rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy once told The Associated Press. “To this day, there has been no one near as funky. No one’s coming even close.”His hit singles include such classics as “Out of Sight,” “(Get Up I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine,” “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and “Say It Out Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud,” a landmark 1968 statement of racial pride.

Anyway, I was reminded of a movie he was in for an online BMW ad campaign a few years ago where, in one of the films, James Brown sells his soul to the devil to be young again. Gary Oldman plays the devil and there's even a Marilyn Manson cameo. What a great Christmas film.

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

I found this video tonight- I think it's the most elaborate Christmas light setup I've ever seen!



And just to add to everyone's Christmas spirit, here's a photo I took last night at the Essex Steam Train:

That's it from me. I'm off to bed and can't wait to see what Santa leaves under my tree.

Oh, wait. I didn't set up my tree.

Uh oh.

Now, I'm in trouble.

'Night.