» On 4/29/2010 07:00:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Historic footage of the Spirit of St. Louis.

The Orteig Prize was a $25,000 reward offered on May 19, 1919 by a New York hotel owner to the first Allied aviator(s) to fly non-stop from New York City to Paris or vice-versa. On May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh (a 25-year old U.S. Air Mail pilot at the time), earned almost instantaneous world fame by flying from Roosevelt Field on Long Island to Le Bourget Field in Paris in the single-seat monoplane "Spirit of St. Louis."

Win Perkins, a real estate appraiser specializing in airport properties, has created a 4-part video of Lindbergh's preparation and flight. The video also contains footage of the other two aviators who were simultaneously preparing attempts to win the Orteig Prize at the same airport.

Perkins says he assembled footage from the five newsreel cameras that filmed Lindbergh's activities at Roosevelt Field, and mixed it with enhanced audio from the same sources. When you click on the links below, you will see a photo of the cockpit gauges in the Spirit of St. Louis. Then click the triangle icon to play the video and click the square in the lower right corner to enlarge the screen (press your "Esc" key to exit full-screen mode).

Menu; Episodes: 1 (6:53), 2 (7:06), 3 (2:13), 4 (9:31).

 
» On 4/25/2010 06:00:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
What fresh hell is this?

American humorist/writer/critic Dorothy Parker (1893-1967, founding member of the Algonquin Round Table) once exclaimed "What fresh hell is this?" when her train of thought was interrupted by a telephone. She then started using the phrase in place of "hello" when answering the phone or a knock at her door.

"Résumé," by Dorothy Parker:

Razors pain you; Rivers are damp;
Acids stain you; And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren't lawful; Nooses give;
Gas smells awful; You might as well live.

 
» On 4/23/2010 04:25:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
New Arizona law, making it illegal to be in this country illegally, is probably illegal.

MSNBC: Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law the nation's toughest legislation against illegal immigration Friday, a sweeping measure which President Barack Obama said could violate people's civil rights. [...]

You often think, "Arizona lawmakers are joking, right?" But then you come to the sinking realization that these morons are deadly serious.

 
» On 4/20/2010 05:20:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Movies by the month.

 
» On 4/17/2010 09:30:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Draw, pardner.

Arizona to allow concealed weapons without permit (Arizona Republic):

[...] Arizona joins Vermont and Alaska in not requiring such permits. [...] [Former Democratic Governor Janet] Napolitano vetoed at least a dozen weapons bills that crossed her desk during her seven years in office, all of which would have loosened gun restrictions. In 2005, Napolitano rejected a bill that would have allowed patrons to carry loaded guns into bars and restaurants. In 2008, she also vetoed a bill that would have allowed people to have a hidden gun in vehicles without a concealed-carry permit. In January 2009, Napolitano resigned to become U.S. Homeland Security secretary and Republican Secretary of State Brewer became governor. During her first year in office, Brewer signed a bill allowing loaded guns in bars and restaurants, as well as another that prohibits property owners from banning guns from parking areas, so long as the weapons are kept locked in vehicles.

Related: Wyatt? Doc??

 
» On 4/16/2010 09:40:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Everybody's got something to say about the Census... including Hungarians, gays, and even SNL (10April2010):

 
» On 4/16/2010 09:25:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Library of Congress Will Save Tweets.

According to The New York Times, the Library of Congress will archive Twitter postings for posterity.

 
» On 4/05/2010 04:25:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Two-step, Quickstep and a Bossa Nova.

Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)
Writers: Leo Sayer & David Courtney (1974)
Performer: Leo Sayer

Re: Dance Week; video

I was travellin' down the road feelin' hungry and cold
I saw a sign sayin': "Food and drinks for everyone"
So naturally I thought I would take me a look inside
I saw so much food there was water comin' from my eyes

Yeah, there was ham and there was turkey, there was caviar
And long tall glasses with wine up to he'yare
And then somebody grabbed me, threw me out of my chair
Said: "Before you can eat, you gotta dance like Fred Astaire"

You know I can't dance
You know I can't dance
You know I can't dance
You know I can't dance
I can't dance

I am a man of the road, a hobo by name
I don't seek entertainment, just poultry and game
But if it's all the same to you, then yes, I will try my hand
If you were as hungry as me then I'm sure you will understand

Hm, now wait a minute
Of course I can dance
Of course I can dance
I'm sure I can dance
I'm sure I can dance
I can dance

I can dance
I really hit the floor
Ah, feels good
Look at me dancin'

I did a Two-step, Quickstep and a Bossa Nova
A little Victor Sylvester and a Rudy Valentino
You should have seen me movin' right across the floor
Hand me down my tuxedo, next week I'm comin' back for more

I can dance
Oh yes, I can dance
Look at me dance on the floor, movin'
I feel good
I can dance (repeat)

 
» On 4/03/2010 10:15:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
The Unkindest Cuts.

Shave=daily.
Mustache=semiweekly.
Nostrils=weekly.
Ears=biweekly.
Pubes=fortnightly.
Manicure=triweekly.
Pedicure=semiquarterly.
Eyelashes=periodically.
Eyebrows=bimonthly.
Haircut=bimestrial.
Warts=semiannually.
Moles=biennially.
Foreskin=once.

 
» On 4/01/2010 05:00:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Today is Census Day!

During the last census, the mail participation rate was 72%.

For every 1% increase in mail participation, US taxpayers save approximately $85 million.

See the current participation rate for Census 2010.