This week's video in the Friday night spotlight is that for the Blind Guardian rendition of "Mr. Sandman."
The video opens with the members of the band dressed as uniformed women, an obvious play off the Chordettes. This cover of the song, however, is markedly different in every other possible way, namely that it is headbang-able. Certainly, it starts off somewhat sweet, but once the clown comes in, the whole song takes a turn for the hard and rockin'.
Little Billy (we'll just call him Billy because I certainly don't know his actual name) is fast asleep, when a clown pops out of a giant Jack-in-the-box. Why a kid would have any toy that big is beyond me. Do kids that age even play with Jacks-in-boxes? At any rate, the Pandora box of evil clowns has been opened, and apparently, this somehow wakes up Little Billy. He quickly sits upright, just in time to see the Clown with a Billy Idol sneer use his evil powers to slam the windows and doors shut.
The Clown then climbs out of the box and heads for Billy, presumably to eat his soul and see if he "floats." Our hero seems to have defeated the Clown by simply throwing his blanket over the masked menace, but was instead lulled into a false sense of security: for, just moments later, three more clowns come out from a well-lit closet (or closets, there were three sets of doors). The coolest part, though, has to be the strobe lights flashing and confetti falling downwards (at least I think I'm seeing confetti, but correct me if I'm wrong). By far, this must be my favourite cover of this classic song.
Showing posts with label coffeemug. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coffeemug. Show all posts
Friday, August 15, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
August Animals!
So I put off any mug-related writings just so I could make the title with two words that began with the same letter. It's not quite assonance, since that's with the same vowel sound, and "au" sounds different from "an". But enough with the technical stuff, let's get on with the mugshots!
Our first mug of the day is a really groovy black-on-blue vessel. It is round at the top, yet tapers down the bottom into a rounded-square base. The "front" of the mug depicts a pair of blue-eyed, pink-nosed black cats; on the "back" are four black paw prints. I particluarly like the mug's handle, which isn't completely round, but instead bends as it goes down; it reminds me of the sort of lines in a piece of art nouveau (which is so much cooler than deco, but don't tell that to mi padre, who set the whole house to deco).
The material of the mug is a bit thin, so it's not good for coffee, unless you're one of those folks, like myself, who put a lot of milk/creamer in your (de)caffeinated beverages. I also use a ton of sugar, but that's another issue I'll tackle another day. I first got this spiffy mug as a birthday present from a family friend. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them for it, as I use it almost every morning.
The next mug should look very familiar for those of you who've read my previous posts. This is the very same mug that I saw in Tuesday Morning. This was a gift from the same person who gave me the above mug, only this time as a way to reward me for my hard work in my education. He was there when I took pictures at the store, and I'm pretty sure he reads this blog (but if he doesn't, he should). I'd like to thank him again, this time for getting me such a cool mug. I use this one pretty frequently, too (in fact, I'm drinking from it, right now). My previous assertions on how good the mug is against coffee scalds have proven to be correct, in that if there's not enough milk in the mug, someone's gonna get burned. Not too badly, though, but enough so that one would want to hold the handle in a manner that one's fingers are a good distance from the body of the cup.
This mug is another good mug of mine. It's dark-blue-on-white, with little cartoony kitties (who are apparently sleeping) all over the body of the mug. The material is very thin (even the handle is thin!), so it's not good against coffee burns. Its relatively small size makes it for a good mug when I just want a quick cup of coffee before hitting the road. I can't quite remember where or when I got this one, but I'm pretty sure it was another Tuesday Morning.
Our final mug of the weekend was found in a floor-based cabinet in the kitchen, right behind the coffee grinder and a bag of tea lights. It was given to me by my great-aunt, who knows I like cats. This white mug is simple in design, in that it has an image of the famous orange tabby Morris, as well as his name beneath his face in red text. Morris the cat, for those of you unfamiliar with cat food commercials, Morris is a finicky cat who will only eat Nine Lives cat food. Now, folks seem to think that all cats are as stuck-up and choosy as Morris; however, my cats are definitely not snooty and most certainly aren't picky. The Misha-cat will eat cantaloupe and will kill for peaches -- or at least he'll try to knock one out of my hand. They also must have their water in a glass, to be refreshed every three or four hours, most preferably with ice. They're not picky, at all.
So that's it for this weekend's Mugshots. If you have any comments/questions/random verbiage, feel free to comment, or e-mail me at metal_enthalpy@yahoo.com. Also, if you've got any mugshots you'd like to see here, just send 'em over, along with your name (or nombre-del-Internet), and you'll see them up here. In fact, the next post will be reader's mugs, since one regular reader and commenter (er, the only one with both those titles) sent hers in. I hope to see yours, too!
Our first mug of the day is a really groovy black-on-blue vessel. It is round at the top, yet tapers down the bottom into a rounded-square base. The "front" of the mug depicts a pair of blue-eyed, pink-nosed black cats; on the "back" are four black paw prints. I particluarly like the mug's handle, which isn't completely round, but instead bends as it goes down; it reminds me of the sort of lines in a piece of art nouveau (which is so much cooler than deco, but don't tell that to mi padre, who set the whole house to deco).
The material of the mug is a bit thin, so it's not good for coffee, unless you're one of those folks, like myself, who put a lot of milk/creamer in your (de)caffeinated beverages. I also use a ton of sugar, but that's another issue I'll tackle another day. I first got this spiffy mug as a birthday present from a family friend. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them for it, as I use it almost every morning.
The next mug should look very familiar for those of you who've read my previous posts. This is the very same mug that I saw in Tuesday Morning. This was a gift from the same person who gave me the above mug, only this time as a way to reward me for my hard work in my education. He was there when I took pictures at the store, and I'm pretty sure he reads this blog (but if he doesn't, he should). I'd like to thank him again, this time for getting me such a cool mug. I use this one pretty frequently, too (in fact, I'm drinking from it, right now). My previous assertions on how good the mug is against coffee scalds have proven to be correct, in that if there's not enough milk in the mug, someone's gonna get burned. Not too badly, though, but enough so that one would want to hold the handle in a manner that one's fingers are a good distance from the body of the cup.
This mug is another good mug of mine. It's dark-blue-on-white, with little cartoony kitties (who are apparently sleeping) all over the body of the mug. The material is very thin (even the handle is thin!), so it's not good against coffee burns. Its relatively small size makes it for a good mug when I just want a quick cup of coffee before hitting the road. I can't quite remember where or when I got this one, but I'm pretty sure it was another Tuesday Morning.
Our final mug of the weekend was found in a floor-based cabinet in the kitchen, right behind the coffee grinder and a bag of tea lights. It was given to me by my great-aunt, who knows I like cats. This white mug is simple in design, in that it has an image of the famous orange tabby Morris, as well as his name beneath his face in red text. Morris the cat, for those of you unfamiliar with cat food commercials, Morris is a finicky cat who will only eat Nine Lives cat food. Now, folks seem to think that all cats are as stuck-up and choosy as Morris; however, my cats are definitely not snooty and most certainly aren't picky. The Misha-cat will eat cantaloupe and will kill for peaches -- or at least he'll try to knock one out of my hand. They also must have their water in a glass, to be refreshed every three or four hours, most preferably with ice. They're not picky, at all.
So that's it for this weekend's Mugshots. If you have any comments/questions/random verbiage, feel free to comment, or e-mail me at metal_enthalpy@yahoo.com. Also, if you've got any mugshots you'd like to see here, just send 'em over, along with your name (or nombre-del-Internet), and you'll see them up here. In fact, the next post will be reader's mugs, since one regular reader and commenter (er, the only one with both those titles) sent hers in. I hope to see yours, too!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Desktop Backgrounds!
Yep, my last post was a bit different from the usual "lol coffee mugs" fare, but I'll have a special set of mugs in an upcoming post.
Now, sometimes I feel artistic, or just plain bored out of my socks, so I'll fiddle around with Jasc Paint Shop Pro 9 and come up with nifty little backgrounds for my desktop (I used PSP 9 to make my banner, too). I've got a bunch just sitting around, so I thought I'd share 'em with you.
To download a background, just click on one of the thumbnails below, which should take you to the full-size version. Then, right-click on the full-size image, and select "set as desktop background".
Again, the next post of Mugshots should be up, soon. If you have any mugshots of your own, please send them to me at metal_enthalpy@yahoo.com. It also might be a good idea to write "Mugshots" in the subject line, so that way I don't immediately consider it possible spam. Not that I'll delete it, I just won't touch it.
Now, sometimes I feel artistic, or just plain bored out of my socks, so I'll fiddle around with Jasc Paint Shop Pro 9 and come up with nifty little backgrounds for my desktop (I used PSP 9 to make my banner, too). I've got a bunch just sitting around, so I thought I'd share 'em with you.
To download a background, just click on one of the thumbnails below, which should take you to the full-size version. Then, right-click on the full-size image, and select "set as desktop background".
Again, the next post of Mugshots should be up, soon. If you have any mugshots of your own, please send them to me at metal_enthalpy@yahoo.com. It also might be a good idea to write "Mugshots" in the subject line, so that way I don't immediately consider it possible spam. Not that I'll delete it, I just won't touch it.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
(belated) May Mug Mania!
Hooray for alliteration! Yes, it's May Mug Mania for this post, and have I got a collection of mugshots for you tonight!
Our first four mugs were found in a Wal-Mart back in April. This particular mug is tan and rounded. The material is particularly thick, meaning that this mug would be great insulation-wise.
The next mugs were located right beside the tan mugs. These black mugs are different from other mugs I've reviewed, in that they abruptly taper at the bottom. I've seen this style done before, but this will be the first time I've reviewed a mug of this type. It's made of a thinner material, so it might not work as well against coffee scalding.
This blue mug is interesting in that it's clear. Not meant to hold coffee, I suppose, but interesting all the same. It should be a nice mug, however, for holding iced coffee, and, of course, summer is just about here.
Our final mug from Wal-mart is a pair of mugs, white with either a quartet of black or shades of blue stripes across the middle. Lined at the lip with black, these mugs are made of a thin material, but still possibly good for that first cup in the morning (or night, depending on your sleeping schedule).
And, finally, a bunch of mugs I saw at a used furniture store. They are lean like vases, with a
bell-like opening, and are of a brownish green colour. They are thin, so coffee burns might be a problem. The price tag might also be a problem: approximately seventeen dollars for one mug. Just one, not the whole set, or even a pair! They're nice mugs, but not that nice. All of the Wal-mart mugs, by the way, were of a reasonable price; however, I must note that the mugs at the Dollar Store are a steal.
Well, that's it for May Mug Mania! I can't wait for next year! And don't forget, you can still send me your mugshots (of the beverage- or pen-containing variety, please) to me at metal_enthalpy@yahoo.com. Come back next time for more mugshots (or filler)!
Our first four mugs were found in a Wal-Mart back in April. This particular mug is tan and rounded. The material is particularly thick, meaning that this mug would be great insulation-wise.
The next mugs were located right beside the tan mugs. These black mugs are different from other mugs I've reviewed, in that they abruptly taper at the bottom. I've seen this style done before, but this will be the first time I've reviewed a mug of this type. It's made of a thinner material, so it might not work as well against coffee scalding.
This blue mug is interesting in that it's clear. Not meant to hold coffee, I suppose, but interesting all the same. It should be a nice mug, however, for holding iced coffee, and, of course, summer is just about here.
Our final mug from Wal-mart is a pair of mugs, white with either a quartet of black or shades of blue stripes across the middle. Lined at the lip with black, these mugs are made of a thin material, but still possibly good for that first cup in the morning (or night, depending on your sleeping schedule).
And, finally, a bunch of mugs I saw at a used furniture store. They are lean like vases, with a
bell-like opening, and are of a brownish green colour. They are thin, so coffee burns might be a problem. The price tag might also be a problem: approximately seventeen dollars for one mug. Just one, not the whole set, or even a pair! They're nice mugs, but not that nice. All of the Wal-mart mugs, by the way, were of a reasonable price; however, I must note that the mugs at the Dollar Store are a steal.Well, that's it for May Mug Mania! I can't wait for next year! And don't forget, you can still send me your mugshots (of the beverage- or pen-containing variety, please) to me at metal_enthalpy@yahoo.com. Come back next time for more mugshots (or filler)!
Hey There, MacGyver
I know, I know: the May Mug Mania post is late. However, I'm working on that, now, so it should be up in a few minutes. However, in the meantime, please listen to my new favourite non-R.E.M. song, "Hey There MacGyver".
Only MacGyver could pull off a mullet.
UPDATE 8/10/08: Ever since I heard this song, I'll never be able to listen to "Hey There Delilah" the same way again.
Only MacGyver could pull off a mullet.
UPDATE 8/10/08: Ever since I heard this song, I'll never be able to listen to "Hey There Delilah" the same way again.
Friday, May 16, 2008
CBS Owns the Internet
After I had just put up my post on Cectic, I started up my linklist (which you should see to your right), looking for interesting links to add. Then I remembered something so awesome... you might want to sit down. Unless you already looked at the linklist, which then you might already be sitting down. Or laughing at me. Or confused.
What am I so hyped up about? What am I talking about in this post's title? I'm talking about FREE MACGYVER EPISODES. Yes, folks, now the adventures of everyone's favourite man of ingenuity, simplicity, and all-American goodness are available to anyone with an internet connection (that isn't dial-up) and a video player. We may all now enjoy the exploits of Mac and his friends, like Penny Parker and Jack Dalton, as well as Mac's fight against his arch-rival Murdoc (he comes in Season 2). Mac also fights against Communism (ants, Soviet arms dealers, etc.) and promotes the good ol' American values of simplicity, friendship, and loyalty. Although I have to say, Season 1 is pretty cheesey, considering he's pretty much kissing a new girl at the end of almost every episode. Really, Mac, chill. Otherwise, the series is fantastic and full of adventure!
Check out the FREE EPISODES here at CBS.com so then you'll understand any and all MacGyver references I may make here on out. Especially check out Season 1's episode "Trumbo's World", where Mac fights against the evil Communist ants threatening to destroy a good ol' American's crop that had been worked on by the hands of cheap labour; if this doesn't convince you of the evils of ant society and how they wish to dominate the world, then you're probably just an ant sympathizer. Comrade.
Anyway, I thought this would be a really cool thing to share with everyone. MacGyver is a television series that no one should miss, for even over ten years after its last episode aired, its values, tips, and cheesiness still resonate today.
What am I so hyped up about? What am I talking about in this post's title? I'm talking about FREE MACGYVER EPISODES. Yes, folks, now the adventures of everyone's favourite man of ingenuity, simplicity, and all-American goodness are available to anyone with an internet connection (that isn't dial-up) and a video player. We may all now enjoy the exploits of Mac and his friends, like Penny Parker and Jack Dalton, as well as Mac's fight against his arch-rival Murdoc (he comes in Season 2). Mac also fights against Communism (ants, Soviet arms dealers, etc.) and promotes the good ol' American values of simplicity, friendship, and loyalty. Although I have to say, Season 1 is pretty cheesey, considering he's pretty much kissing a new girl at the end of almost every episode. Really, Mac, chill. Otherwise, the series is fantastic and full of adventure!
Check out the FREE EPISODES here at CBS.com so then you'll understand any and all MacGyver references I may make here on out. Especially check out Season 1's episode "Trumbo's World", where Mac fights against the evil Communist ants threatening to destroy a good ol' American's crop that had been worked on by the hands of cheap labour; if this doesn't convince you of the evils of ant society and how they wish to dominate the world, then you're probably just an ant sympathizer. Comrade.
Anyway, I thought this would be a really cool thing to share with everyone. MacGyver is a television series that no one should miss, for even over ten years after its last episode aired, its values, tips, and cheesiness still resonate today.
Monday, March 24, 2008
New Mugs - At the Store
Okay, so about a month ago, or at least the beginning of this month, I was at a Tuesday Morning store. I normally don't like going there, but I decided to come along (read: was dragged) with a relative of mine. A good decision it was, too, for the store had a ginormous selection of mugs from which to choose! Unfortunately, my camera's batteries were near dead, so I only got a chance to take a few shots.
The first mug in this evening's showcase is a fairly large mug. The body of the mug is yellow, with a white, black-spotted handle. In the blue box, in large, what appears to be Papyrus font, reads megalomaniacally, "I am the Queen." While I'm not sure about how well it would be against coffee scalds, I'm certain one may drink like a queen with this large mug.
Our next m
ug was just beside the Queenly Mug. This mug is ribbed in shape, painted in what I think is an awesome shade of dark-leaf green. Certain to hold well to coffee scalds, though it may not hold as much caffeinated goodness as the preceding mug.
Now, almost all the mugs there were fairly priced, ranging from two to three dollars. However, some were ludicrously expensive. Case in point, this rather nice, royal blue mug. This particular mug is made of a sort of stoneware material. And yes, you read that price tag correctly: they wanted $16.99 for their mug. While it is a nice mug, it cannot hold as much coffee as can the Queenly Mug, and, though it should be good against coffee burns, I can't imagine anyone willing to pay so much for a single mug when they can buy five mugs the same size, or larger!, for the same price. And note the top price: $34.00. I'd hate to be the person who paid that much for that mug.
Another ite
m, or set of items, I found oddly expensive was set up on a shelf just a foot or so away. This creamer/sugar bowl set is finely decked in gold paint, with hand-painted cheetahs along the sides. The price for this set? $49.99. And that's with the prices "slashed." Their original price was, sit down for this, $150.00. I remember getting my own sugar bowl at a fraction of their "lowered" price. Certainly, they could have afforded to "hack and maim" the price further to at least meet that of two of my sugar bowls. Well, I will grant them that the bowl and creamer were rather large, but not by much.
Our next mug is sure to be a delight (or a disgust) to teachers! This mug is lean and tall, dressed in hand-painted apples. The leaves are peculiarly blue, but the depiction is otherwise elegant. The material itself is rather thin, and might not do well against conducting the heat of the coffee to one's hands, subsequently burning them. However, this mug might do well with apple cider, warmed or chilled (but not at the near-boiling temperatures of the high-octane).
Our final mug is a short, but rather cute mug. It is white, with mint-green handle and lip. In fact, all the colour added to the mug is exclusively mint-green, excepting for, of course, the outlining of the illustration: an adorable rooster (with red crest, waddle, and yellow beak, though mint-green through the rest), and some sort of plants. It seems to be somewhat thin, and may not be completely coffee-burn free, but it does seem to be a nice mug for an afternoon cup of coffee.
That concludes this set's worth of coffee mugs. Please return soon for either some filler material or more mugs! And please, don't forget to send me images and descriptions of your own mugs, along with your name (or nombre-del-Internet) to my e-mail at metal_enthalpy@yahoo.com. I'd love to post them!
Friends Don't Forward Friends Crappy E-mails
I know, I know: it's been almost a month since I last posted anything coffee mug related. Oh wait, it actually *has* been a month - more so! - since the last line of mugs. Don't worry, I've got a whole bunch lined up for you! Firstly, though, I've gotta get something off my chest.
Fortunately, I've only been a victim of this sort of tragedy only once or twice. However, I have seen many more lives harmed by the (preventable) hazard, that monstrosity known as...The Forwarded Message. I do not mean any forwards that have some sort of actual value to them, such as "customer A would like print X done in Y fashion..." No, for what I am about to discuss is much, much worse.
The Forward has no actual value to it, except to clutter many an inbox, and possibly even kill a brain cell or two. Just why it gets passed around is still unknown, though many hypotheses have been put forth by those studying the phenomena, though these estimations are as varied as the different avatars of The Forward that exist. Indeed, The Forward has several different incarnations, each to appeal to a different audience, but ultimately, all have the same goal: forward this message to as many people as you can so this damned chain won't stop growing.
The first type, and my personal disfavor, is what I like to call the "Amusing Anecdotes", though these are not simply limited to stories, but jokes in general. What should be noted is the ironical use of the word "amusing", as oftentimes the contents of these messages barely break chuckle-worthy. Either a list of jokes or just one long story, these net-letters meant to "brighten one's day" typically, but not always, contain cheap clip art associated with the story. As they are normally targeted towards or sent by housewives and older women who like "cutesy" things, they should be sure to contain at least one joke that is either: mildly sexist a la "Mars vs. Venus"; blonde vs. brunette vs. redhead; or something related to aging/menopause. Those of the first category may contain cheap clip art of an elderly man, or photos of "cute guys" in compromising postures. Many of the jokes are simply copied and pasted from joke websites, unoriginal and even tired.
Example:
Oh, and it gets worse - much worse. Just visit any pop-up ridden joke website that features "sexy" adverts, and you shall see what I mean.
The next sadly common forward is the "Sickeningly Syrupy Schmaltz". This forward contains what the folks behind Snopes.com call "glurge" - gushy, overly-sentimental stories involving puppies and kittens, or some woman (in most cases, the subject is a woman) who overcomes cancer, only to find a renewed faith in God (every case I've read, it's been the Christian God). These forwards are typically sent, again, to housewives and older women, sent either as an "inspirational message", or as one of those "send this to X many people and Y e-mail provider will donate 10 cents" chains. These also may contain low-quality clip art, possibly of angels and kittens.
Example:
In the same "we're outrightly telling you to forward this" family comes its black sheep - the "Forward This Message or X will Happen to You". This forward is particularly menacing, containing a story about some person who died in some tragic way, and now that you, the curious one, have read the message, you're doomed to die in some painful manner at the hands of that if you don't forward the message to X many people. Oftentimes, this description is accompanied with an eerie picture of said person. These eerie forwards tend to be sent by the younger scene, around 13-17, or by anyone who is particularly superstitious.
Example:
Example:
And finally comes the ultimate teen forward: the "quiz". Once you know that Oprah, Robin Williams, Will Smith, and Robert Joy took this "quiz", you know you'll definitely want to take it, too! Essentially, it's some sort of yes/no or 1/2/3 type of survey, and when you add up the yes/nos or numbers, you'll end up in some sort of arbitrary personality category. Oftentimes used in conjunction with the immediately preceding type of e-mail forward.
Example:
Next spleen vent: "Crappy Clip Art Does *not* Make Your Website/E-mail Look Cool"
UPDATE: Furthermore, don't open e-mail attachments that you aren't expecting! That's how people get viruses! Oi vey!
Fortunately, I've only been a victim of this sort of tragedy only once or twice. However, I have seen many more lives harmed by the (preventable) hazard, that monstrosity known as...The Forwarded Message. I do not mean any forwards that have some sort of actual value to them, such as "customer A would like print X done in Y fashion..." No, for what I am about to discuss is much, much worse.
The Forward has no actual value to it, except to clutter many an inbox, and possibly even kill a brain cell or two. Just why it gets passed around is still unknown, though many hypotheses have been put forth by those studying the phenomena, though these estimations are as varied as the different avatars of The Forward that exist. Indeed, The Forward has several different incarnations, each to appeal to a different audience, but ultimately, all have the same goal: forward this message to as many people as you can so this damned chain won't stop growing.
The first type, and my personal disfavor, is what I like to call the "Amusing Anecdotes", though these are not simply limited to stories, but jokes in general. What should be noted is the ironical use of the word "amusing", as oftentimes the contents of these messages barely break chuckle-worthy. Either a list of jokes or just one long story, these net-letters meant to "brighten one's day" typically, but not always, contain cheap clip art associated with the story. As they are normally targeted towards or sent by housewives and older women who like "cutesy" things, they should be sure to contain at least one joke that is either: mildly sexist a la "Mars vs. Venus"; blonde vs. brunette vs. redhead; or something related to aging/menopause. Those of the first category may contain cheap clip art of an elderly man, or photos of "cute guys" in compromising postures. Many of the jokes are simply copied and pasted from joke websites, unoriginal and even tired.
Example:
Hey! i just thought Id send you this message to brihgten up your day!!!! Thes e jokes are HILARIOUS!!!!!!
Once upon a time there was a female brain cell that by mistake happened to end up in a man's head.
She looked around nervously but it was all empty and quiet.
"Hello?" she cried, but no answer.
"Is there anyone here?" she cried a little louder, but still no answer.
Now the female brain cell started to feel alone and scared and again she yelled:
"HELLO, IS THERE ANYONE HERE!!?"
Then she heard a voice from far, far away:
"Hello! We're down here..."HAHAHAHA! Oh, but theres more!!
A woman gives birth to a baby and afterward the doctor comes into the room and says, "I have something to tell you about your child.."
The woman slowly sits up with a worried look on her face and says, "What's wrong with it?"
The doctor says, "There's nothing really wrong with it, it's just a little different! It's a hermaphrodite."
The woman looks confused. "A hermaphrodite, what's that?"
The doctor replies, "It has both features of a male and a female."
The woman looks relieved. "What? You mean it has a penis AND a brain?"
So true!!!! Some more thigns to lightne your mood!!!
A blonde goes into a shop and sees a television set. She asks the clerk if she could purchase it, and he says, "No, we don't sell to blondes." She returns the next day, after dying her hair red, and asks to purchase the tv again. "No," he says once more, "we don't sell to blondes." Confused, the woman asks, "How did you know I was blonde?" "Because," the man said, "that's not a television set. That's a microwave oven."
So 3 blonds get stuck on a island. They find a magic lamp, and, after one tripped and consequently rubbed it, a genie came out and said he'd grant them each one wish. The first one wished that she were able to swim. After being granted the ability to swim, she tried to make it to mainland, but drowned. Another wished she was brunette; she built a boat and made it halfway, but it sunk and she drowned. The third wished she were a redhead, and when that was so, she just walked across the bridge.
Oh, and it gets worse - much worse. Just visit any pop-up ridden joke website that features "sexy" adverts, and you shall see what I mean.
The next sadly common forward is the "Sickeningly Syrupy Schmaltz". This forward contains what the folks behind Snopes.com call "glurge" - gushy, overly-sentimental stories involving puppies and kittens, or some woman (in most cases, the subject is a woman) who overcomes cancer, only to find a renewed faith in God (every case I've read, it's been the Christian God). These forwards are typically sent, again, to housewives and older women, sent either as an "inspirational message", or as one of those "send this to X many people and Y e-mail provider will donate 10 cents" chains. These also may contain low-quality clip art, possibly of angels and kittens.
Example:
Hello friends! I am so glad to write this, as I sit with my three lovely children: my two-month-old, my four-year-old, my six-year-old, and my twelve-year-old. My world is now a brighter place after having spent the past few months in the greatest turmoils.
Back in February, my mother had been in ICU for kidney failure and a bladder infection. She didn't have any insurance, so it cost us an arm and a leg just to get her through the door. We were already having financial problems because I was also trying to overcome massive credit card debt, and faced foreclosure and homelessness. I was still pregnant with Chase, my two-month-old, at the time. I was going to the hospital one day to see my mother when I was hit by another car speeding a light. The first thing I thought of was my baby, but I remembered that Ashlay, my six-year-old, was also with me in the car, and I hurried to the backseat to see that she was unconscious.
Well, we were immediately rushed to the hospital. I was so scared for both my babies' lives! It turns out that I was okay, just brused, but it turned out that my darling daughter had not only a concussion, but also leukemia! This was devastating news to my family. Then, to top things off, my twelve-year-old son Matt fell off his bike into a sewer and fell on his head, and the doctors called him a vegetable!
At this point, I was beginning to break down. I had not been at work in awhile because of all these problems, and so then I lost my job. The bills piled high, and no end in sight. I was just about to commit suicide (my god!) when I started praying to God. I prayed to him every night and every dawn. And, soon enough, my prayers were answered. First, my mother died - a pain to me, but also a relief, for we no longer had to pay for her medical bills. Then, I got a new job - a better job! Then, my children all got better! Then, all the bills got paid off!
Yes, I thank God and Jesus that I'm here today! It's by the hands of angels that my family was saved from ruin! AND, every forward of this letter, AOL will contribute ten cents to the Grief Stricken Families of America.
In the same "we're outrightly telling you to forward this" family comes its black sheep - the "Forward This Message or X will Happen to You". This forward is particularly menacing, containing a story about some person who died in some tragic way, and now that you, the curious one, have read the message, you're doomed to die in some painful manner at the hands of that if you don't forward the message to X many people. Oftentimes, this description is accompanied with an eerie picture of said person. These eerie forwards tend to be sent by the younger scene, around 13-17, or by anyone who is particularly superstitious.
Example:
Many years ago, a girl named Polly Anna Windlebee lived in a suburb very much like your own. She dabbled into the black arts and witchcraft. Unfortunately, she attracted the attentions of a serial rapist, who kidnapped her and killed her. He died within moments of dropping her body into a sewer. Her body was never found, though.A similar e-mail in this family promises a reward for forwarding their message. It typically begins with some testimonial or happy story, maybe a "questionare", then followed by many, many series of ">>>>", possibly because of copy-pasta errors. Also, the different number of forwards you send grant you different rewards. These also tend to be spread amongst teens and those who believe that spamming their friends' inboxes will grant them their every desire.
Last known picture of her:
Now that you've read this, she'll appear and kill you, unless you forward this to 11 of your friends within the next ten minutes. Your time is running up.
Example:
>>>OMG!!!! This works!!!!
>>>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Try this!!!
>>>>>OMG I didnt believe it either until I sent it! Before this, I was jsut a loner, no life, no nothing.
>>>But now, I'm living with the love of my life! We live in a condo in Florida, and I've got a great job as a pediatrician!
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>>>Make a wish!!!!!
>>>
>>>>>
>>
>>>>
>>>
>>If you send this to 0 ppl: your life will suck, and you won't get any.
>>If you send this to 5 ppl: your life will be ok
>>>if u send this to 10 ppl: you will have a happy life
>>>> if you send this to 20 ppl: you will live your dreams!!!!!!!!
only in the first ten minutes, though!!!!! So hurry!!!!!!!!!!!
And finally comes the ultimate teen forward: the "quiz". Once you know that Oprah, Robin Williams, Will Smith, and Robert Joy took this "quiz", you know you'll definitely want to take it, too! Essentially, it's some sort of yes/no or 1/2/3 type of survey, and when you add up the yes/nos or numbers, you'll end up in some sort of arbitrary personality category. Oftentimes used in conjunction with the immediately preceding type of e-mail forward.
Example:
>>>Hey!! Take this!!!!Those are all the forwards I have come across in my adventures on the internet. If you have any edits you'd like made, don't be shy, and comment or e-mail me at metal_enthalpy@yahoo.com. Also, e-mail me with any of your mugshots!
>>
>>>Oprah took it! and she got a 32!!!!
>>>
>>>Robin Williams took it, and he got a 15!!!!
>>
>>>>>Will Smith took it, and he got a 242!!!!
>>>
>>>Robert Joy took it, and he got a 44!!!
>>
>>what is it?
>>>only the greatest personality finder ever!!!!
>>>grab a pen and pencil!
>>
>>>and put the number corresponding to your answer on paper! Then add em up and find your personality block!!!!
>>ready?
>>no peeking!!!!
>>GO!!!!!!!!!
1.) You're loaded with work, but you feel totally stressed. What do you do?: eat pudding (3); call your mom (17); chill with your pals at the bar (4); watch TV (2); work anyway (-4)
2.)You've been invited to your best friend's party and you agree to go, but your significant other's birthday celebration is at the same date and time! You: eat pudding (3); call off the engagement with significant other (5); call off engagement with friend (81); somehow squeeze in both (4)
3.) You're significant other has just proposed, even early in the relationship! You: eat pudding (3); reject the proposal (-8); accept the proposal (11); call your mom (52)
4.) You've won a trip to Jamaica! You: pack your bags (7); eat pudding (3); dance a jig (187); call your mom (15); hug your cat (4)
>>>If you got...
1-22: You're adventurous and spunky! You love thrills and excitement, and are a free spirit! You don't let anything get in your way, which sometimes becomes a problem when working with others, but you're still respected for your independence!
23-47: You're loyal and determined! You're a true friend, but don't go overboard. You hold your own opinions and ideas, but you can be a bit stubborn.
48-57: You are honest and creative! Though sometimes brutally honest, you are sure to let the truth shine! You also can come up with a creative solution to any problem! Art comes naturally to you!
Oh, and if you forward this message to your friends, youre dreams will come true and you'll have a boy/girlfriend!!!!!
Next spleen vent: "Crappy Clip Art Does *not* Make Your Website/E-mail Look Cool"
UPDATE: Furthermore, don't open e-mail attachments that you aren't expecting! That's how people get viruses! Oi vey!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Drug Mugs
This post shall be rather brief, considering I had less mugs on this topic than previously thought. Looks like yours truly shall need to make a little trip to the Goodwill...
Anyway, today's (or tonight's) post showcases coffee mugs obtained at drug rep conferences or wherever my social worker mother got them from. Let us begin!
Our first mug is a nice little (well, not exactly little) purple plastic vessel, labeled by the drug it's promoting, Z
yprexa. Zyprexa is a drug for treating schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder. It's an antipsychotic that works to balance chemicals in the brain, treating any symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions, and manic bipolar disorder, such as irritability and anxiety.
Moving onward, we come to our next "drug mug", this one for Risperdal. Risperdal is also used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar mania, as well as autistic disorder. It can be ingested in liquid, pill, or tablet form. The logo doesn't really make sense to me, but it does look pretty cool. I haven't really used the mug that often, but considering it's made of the standard coffee mug material, I'd assume it wouldn't be great for straight-from-the-pot coffee unless you use a lot of milk/cream. Really, though, nothing much noteworthy about this one. Oh, but it does have the size of the tablets mentioned. "1,2,3,4 mg tablets / oral solution 1mg/mL" reads the small font. Ah, but this is not the last of Risperdal, as we shall see!
For, my comrades, this delicate mug has a cousin who has a penchant for traveling, and typically wears a spiffy cap. In this photo, it isn't, but it is sporting its normal vivid red plastic jacket on its stainless steel frame. The particular type of Risperdal, Red M-Tab, is, according to the little fold-up pamphlet that came with it, for the elderly with dementia. This mug is a very good insulator, and keeps my paws protected from the pain of coffee burns. There's also a plastic handle to secure the hand onto the mug.
Our next and final mug is an even better insulator, and looks a lot cooler, too. To break away from the schizophrenia treatments, Lexapro is used to treat depression and anxiety. The logo, itself, makes it a point, with the image of a s
pirit finally freeing itself from the abysmal spirals of clinical sadness and fear (note: depression and anxiety are different from just feeling "down in the dumps" or "a little worried"). This stainless steel mug is covered with a thick plastic, just enough to keep the heat in, but not so much that my hands aren't nice and warm. The plastic even has a purple tinge to it, which is definitely a plus. The cap seals nice and tight, so the most that is ever spilled comes out of the slide-open spout at the top. This one is definitely my favourite travel mug, and more should be made just like it (after all, there are other mugs made of cheap plastic, and what good is a mug if you can't even carry it?).Well, that's all for this installation of Mugshots. At some point, I might actually begin posting regularly. Until then, you'll just have to wait 'til whenever, eh? If you have any mugshots you'd like posted (please limit those mugs to those of the coffee cup variety), just send them to me, at metal_enthalpy@yahoo.com, and I'll be sure to post them...at some point.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Flowers and Blue Diamonds
Hey, folks! I'm back with the first two coffee mugs! The first is this nice floral coffee mug. It's large (but never seems to hold enough coffee), and thick enough so that indirect coffee scalds may be averted. I honestly have no clue where this one came from, though; I opened my cabinet one day, and there it was.
This next coffee mug is a little thinner, but just as tall as the floral mug. Unfortunately, this blue, diamond-patterned mug is too thin to prevent burnt hands. However, it is visually appealing, and still serves its main purpose: containing coffee. This mug was either purchased at a Goodwill, or some large store like Target.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Mugshots
My friend and I were conversing about the rather large number of coffee mugs I have. "Yeah," I said. "I could take a series of photographs of them and call them 'mugshots'!" We had a good laugh, when she said that it would actually be a good idea. And thus, I give you this Blogger.
Mugshots is simply an entertaining site, where I, and hopefully any readers out there, may share their caffeinated (or decaffeinated) images. I may discuss about what's on the mug, the history of whatever that may be, or just history in general (because history and coffee go fantastically well together!).
Mugshots is simply an entertaining site, where I, and hopefully any readers out there, may share their caffeinated (or decaffeinated) images. I may discuss about what's on the mug, the history of whatever that may be, or just history in general (because history and coffee go fantastically well together!).
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