Solving Riddles Can Be Fun and Excruciating All At The Same Time

Have you ever tried to sit down and figure something out, but could never quite come up with the correct answer? You knew that you were close, after all, it was right on the tip of your tongue, but you just could never get it out. If you can relate to that, then you should be able to fully understand what it is like trying to solve tricky riddles.These brain teasers can have you totally baffled one minute thinking about starting to pull your hair out. Then just a few moments later, you finally come up with the answer, and you are jumping for joy with excitement. When this happens, all you can think about doing is trying some of the more harder riddles, which will twist your mind all over the place.
If you have never worked on them before, but you would like to start, it might be a good idea to begin by working on easy riddles. They are much simpler than the hard ones, but for a novice in this highly competitive field, you will find them more than challenging enough.
The key to solving them, and coming up with the right riddle answers all of the time, is slowing down. You did read that correctly, you need to slow down everything that you do. The first thing you need to slow down is your reading. To solve riddles you need to read each and every word in them extremely carefully.
Then, you need to ask yourself the following question, "Why did the writer use each word in the riddle". After all, there are more than likely many other words that they could of used in each word's place, but they chose not to. Only when you can totally understand this concept at the highest level, will you truly become a first class riddle solver.
When you first start out, more than likely you will never be able to come up with even one correct answer. This is exactly the point where most people just give up and quit. However, to the millions of people that participate in this activity each and every day, they just knew that they could not stop, and had to figure out a way to start getting the correct answers very quickly.
Solving riddles is an excellent activity for almost any age group. For children, it helps to teach them problem solving skills, and the ability to do deductive reasoning. For the elderly, it makes them think about things very deeply, and keeps their minds sharp. For the rest of us, it is just fun to do, and it never gets any better than when you come up with an answer to a really, but really difficult riddle faster than you ever have before in your life.
If you have never tried solving riddles, but enjoy other activities like this, such as doing crossword puzzles, you should really get pleasure from it. There are many websites that you can use to help perfect your skills, while having the time of your life simultaneously.
Are the Riddles you're used to solving a little too easy for you? If so, I suggest you check out our newer and harder Riddle List online at iRiddles.org, where they are much harder.

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Norwich's Favorite Comedy DJ Brings Hollywood to Local Doors

When asked what's on in Norwich, not many people would think of celeb spotting around a Hollywood film set.That's exactly what Local's can expect next year when one of the greatest comedy creations of the modern age Alan Partridge, is set is to make a storming return with a feature length film set in Norwich!
The much loved, fictional radio DJ was thought to of had his last AHA! when the second series of "I'm Alan Partridge" ended over 7 years ago.
To the delight of Partridge fans he made a triumphant return earlier this year with a series of short internet episodes. Mid Morning Matters (sponsored by fosters) put the iconic DJ in a new hot seat, broadcasting from North Norfolk Digital, alongside sidekick DJ Simon played by comedian Tim Key.
When asked about the film while promoting The Trip, Coogan told press "We're writing it right now, going to shoot it next year...We don't know who will direct it, but Pete Baynham (Borat) and Armando Ianucci (In the loop) are writing it with me. We've already started it."
Websites reported the film sounded "a done deal" when it emerged an un-named US studio was prepared to bankroll "Patridge, the movie".
When asked about a possible plot Coogan claimed "It's always been my plan to make Alan go global. "It's what he lives for really, not just doing the show on Radio Norwich."Although later Tweeting "The Partridge news is that we've now agreed a story for the film. It's NOT Alan goes to America... We don't see Alan, for example getting Simon Cowell's spot on American Idol and going over there. That's too good for Alan,' he said. "Alan's future is always brighter in his head than it is in the real world."
Coogan admitted that the idea had been on the back burner but couldn't resist returning to his best loved creation. "We left it behind for a while, but we came back to it because we got a few ideas," Coogan told The Playlist.
Partridge first appeared on Coogan's early radio show and landed on TV with his first appearance coming on The Day Today. Then came Knowing Me, Knowing You which was the characters first solo series, its premise, a faux chat show. It was "I'm Alan Partridge" where Alan really found his feet and was forever placed as a national treasure.
Read more: Steve Coogan confirms Alan Partridge movie shoots next year | http://www.totalfilm.com/

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Misunderstood Monsters of Halloweens Past

I was reflecting just the other day about the scary movies I use to watch as a kid. The movies that made all the girls scream and snuggle up a little closer.Those movies, those monsters could never exist today due to all the education we now have, the acceptance we now have and the wonder drugs that are out there. Even the government has regulations and agencies that would not allow monsters.!
Let's review some of the fallacies:
1) Frankenstein--a monster? Heck no! Frank was just a guy who was 'olive" in complexion, badly in need of orthodics and opted for "low" ear piercing on the side of his neck. No big deal!
2) The Mummy-a monster? No way! Now mind you he wasn't wound to tight but 2-3 sessions with Dr. Phil and all his problems would be gone and he would normal as the rest of us!
3) Dracula-a monster? Wrong again. Dracula was an early day alternative phlebotomist who was not understood or accepted by the medical community.
4) Hunch Back of Notre Dame- a monster? Nope! Laura Gowen or Joe O'Brien at the National Scoliosis Foundation would have found the right doctors, the right resources for the "Hunch Back" and perhaps a proper brace to be a big help to him right away.
5) Wolfman- a monster? Not according to the National Wildlife Foundation! Just a specie of wolf with a split personality indigenous to the Saturday afternoon matinee big screen that should not be mistaken for it's basketball playing related specie.
6) Swamp Thing AKA Wild Thing You Make My Heart Sing-a monster? Anything that makes you "heart sing' can't be a monster. Can it? The EPA has investigators trying to explain this "thing" and has assured America the oil spill has nothing to do with this creature. The EPA goes on to remind us if we had been and will be "more green" people like "Swampy" would never be singled out.
7)Elvira, Mistress of the Dark- a monster? Teen age boys of years gone by men and many men could only wish! Hubba, hubba is all we need to say. Many believe Elvira was the first sex therapist on TV opening the doors for Dr. Drew and Dr. Ruth.
Well after all that analyzing, the monsters may all be gone but Halloween is still here enjoyed by children and adults each and every year.
Be politically correct but still enjoy the monsters of Halloween past!
Doug Evans is a business/life coach who has helped many people locate where they are "stuck" and move in the direction of their dreams. Doug is available to work with individuals, small groups or corporate staff. Watch for his speaking schedule in your area. Reestablishing dreaming, goal setting, goal accomplishment, master minding, marketing and embracing change all are favorite topics to speak on or help with.
For more information, please visit our website http://discoveryourmissingpower.com/

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Tricky Riddles Can Be A Blast Trying To Answer

Are you one of those who loves working on crossword puzzles? If so, more than likely you would get just as much satisfaction out of trying to figure out the answers to tricky riddles. Before you rush off and start tying though, let me warn you that they are not easy, especially if it is your first time trying to solve one.Just because you happen to be great at getting every answer correct in the crossword puzzles you do every day, does not mean that you will experience the same success when it comes to hard riddles. After all, you have been working on them forever, and you have come to understand what the writers of these highly engaging pieces are looking for.
It would probably be best if you started with the easy riddles, and then gradually tried to work your way up to the real brain teasers. Each riddle, just like each crossword puzzle, presents its own set of difficulties. So, it will take you some time to figure out all the little secretes that there are to solving them.
To be able to consistently get riddle answers correct, you are going to have to learn how to think like the people that write them. In other words, you are going to have to get inside of their brains, and figure out what makes them tick. Once you do that, you will next have to learn how to read a riddle properly.
When you first start trying to come up with the right answer, you will more than likely not be reading the riddles correctly. Each and every word that is in a riddle is there for a reason, and it is your job to figure what that reason is.
So, when you first start working on them, you have to slow down and read every word very carefully. Next, you then have to come to understand why each word is in the riddle. Finally, you must think about how each word relates to all the other words in it. Only when you are able to accomplish everything mentioned above, will you ever have even the smallest chance of being able to come up with the correct answer for the easiest riddles.
After you are able to overcome most of the simple ones rather quickly, only then will it be time for you move up to the big time and start working on the really difficult ones. The people that write these riddles are smart, some people might even think of them as geniuses, because they are so devious, while at the same time being so straightforward.
If it sounds like trying to solve riddles is a great deal of fun, it is, and there are millions upon millions of people that get their kicks doing it every day. If you have a little free time in the future, why not try your hand at coming up with the answers for these brain teasers. Who knows, you just might be the next one that falls in love with these little beauties from another planet.
Are the Riddles you're used to solving a little too easy for you? If so, I suggest you check out our newer and harder Riddle List online at iRiddles.org, where they are much harder.

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The Trouble With "Capitalism"

Sooner Or Later, You Run Out Of Other Peoples' RepublicsSo I'm sitting down to dinner in Austria one evening (this was a few months back), and my business colleagues are all at the same table, and this one guy I worked with (I'll call him "Chris," since that's his name) starts going off about Taiwan. He's Australian, but a big fan of China, since he's an avid socialist and what-have-ya. And he's all, China has every right to be hacked off about Taiwan, because how would we feel if the Japanese had taken over Hawaii in World War II, and never given it back?
Interesting question. I know, right? I mean, first off, we'd be back to the whole "birther" thing with President Obama, who, thanks to Donald Trump having the temerity to ask for it, has provided a birth certificate showing he was born in Hawaii. (Now, that birth certificate does raise some other interesting questions, like how come it lists him as born in a hospital that didn't change its name to the one listed until after his birth, and all, but only a radical capitalist, business owner, Republican, one-percenter, regular-bather, bitter clinger, or Tea Partier would even THINK about that, let alone mention it, let alone in print.)
So if the Japanese had Hawaii, why, we'd have a foreign-born president, and some narrow-minded people (like the framers of the Constitution) would be all up in his face about it. So, good thing that never happened, right?
But then I hear on the radio contraption, a few days ago, President Obama making a speech IN Hawaii, where he was definitely born, and where we all saw him go for vacation, and which is definitely one of these-here fifty-seven (according to him) United States of America. And reports indicate he knew he was in Hawaii. But in the speech, he goes, "Here in Asia...". And I'm like, why would he say that?
Finally, it dawned on me that the president does, indeed, have a grand plan for fixing the mess we're in, and you Obama-fans are to be heartily congratulated for knowing this erudite leader would be smart enough to solve it all. He isn't borrowing mountains of cash from China... no! He's selling off unneeded portions of the U.S. to the Peoples' Republic! Starting with Hawaii. Which is why Hawaii is now part of Asia, which is why the president said that, probably!
If anyone would know whether or not we really needed Hawaii, it'd be the president, who is documented officially to have been absolutely born there. And probably, that wasn't an expensive taxpayer-funded vacation he took, but a fact-finding mission, or perhaps even an international real estate showing. Anyway, if he knows we don't really need it, why NOT sell it to China (or, at the very least, sell them a huge national time share), and use the proceeds to get everybody here onto government entitlement programs? Huh? Beats workin'!
Once you understand the grand plan, you can see it at work wherever there are unneeded portions of America being offered in the president's global rummage sale. We give a big chunk of southern Arizona to the Mexican drug cartels, and maybe we get our guns back, fast-and-furious. We give Brazil good deep-water drilling rights off our southern coasts (we no longer need it for drilling ourselves - meaning, drilling for oil ourselves), and maybe they sell us some gas. And we give the downtown part of each big city to kids who don't want to pay back the student loans they asked for, and maybe they agree to shower.
The point is, we have a lot of debt, so the president knows we're going to have to sell off a lot of unneeded portions of America. But that's a risk he's willing to take. In fact, in a few months, when he's overseas on his post-presidency speaking tour, he'll still be working for an ungrateful America that, outside the mainstream media, never understood what we needed HIM for.
By Michael D. Hume
Michael Hume is a speaker, writer, and consultant specializing in helping people maximize their potential and enjoy inspiring lives. As part of his inspirational leadership mission, he coaches executives and leaders in growing their personal sense of well-being through wealth creation and management, along with personal vitality.
Michael and his wife, Kathryn, divide their time between homes in California and Colorado. They are very proud of their offspring, who grew up to include a homemaker, a rock star, a service talent, and a television expert. Two grandchildren also warm their hearts! Visit Michael's web site at http://michaelhume.net/

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Snakes and Celebrity marriages

I read the football player, whose celebrity on top of him, leaving his wife was standing infidelity difficult marriage recently. It was quite a celebrity marriage as necessarily brouhaha problems. I believe that we can rely on the people in the public eye is the perfect way, they are idolised marriages. Because of this, their marriage should fare better than mere mortals such as me. Later it was found that the wife did not want to leave her husband but felt pressured if instructed to do so by the force of public opinion. His only wish was to be the perfect wife and mother. He was clearly drunk public opinion in the Kool-Aid and assume that a complete "no" it is also possible.
Marriage is hard or so I hear, never having personally experienced the blissful state of ... It also requires two things; secure a woman, and having grown up man. I think many of the marriage fails, because it does not have two factors. Lack of a woman, even though they are also the most unattractive, on the contrary, never listen to others, leads tend to when she really should be following its own Council and listen to my heart. The heart never lies. It knows every time, if you need to go. But insecurity leads to distrust; Similarly, other than itself-and so you can listen to when the ' advice ' you to do so, regardless of what their family relations, as could be. According to marry the son, which will aggravate that does not fully any interest maturing man and what you have to contribute to a recipe.
Have you heard the man, who was found frozen snake, and brought the story of his home at OPD fireplace? When the snake had all toasty and warm it turned round and bit the man. And he, very hurt and puzzled asked the snake, why he made it when the man was actually saved his life! And the snake finds him and tells him of his eyes direct dying, "You knew was a snake when you brought me home".
No, this's wife knows who her husband is and wants to continue to him. His eyes wide shut down. If he wants to bring home, snake, which is the whole of his business, it is called free will. At least his dialog reported that is really all you can ask for. The rest of us should just butt out.

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Shrimp: A Different Take On An Old Word

ShrimpLet us take a long hard look at the word 'shrimp'. Where does it come from? Where is it used? What does it mean? For most of us, the term shrimp is synonymous with shrimp cocktail or shrimp scampi, and now with the glorified fishing shows on television, maybe even commercial shrimp. It is a term generally applied to cooking and recipes - a food that now feeds millions of people around the world thanks to new technologies in farming. Searches through the internet show much more interest in the term when it comes to recipes and cooking than anything else.
As a term, through history, shrimp has meant many different things. It can describe an animal in the marine and aquaculture environments, even though it is referred to as prawn in many European regions and other areas outside the United States. Shrimp can also define the size or significance of someone or something, like a disparaging reference to someone's size as "little." Another example would be how the word is used to describe an action, like; "to shrimp," as in meaning "to fish." As a verb, the term shrimping is used to describe the act of catching shrimp, which is accomplished using nets from boats or while wading. Much to my dismay, there is even another meaning for the term shrimping used in the adult pornography industry, but I'll steer clear of that one. In this article, I will examine the different meanings of the term shrimp, some history to describe where it came from, and some examples of how shrimp has been used in popular culture.
History
The word shrimp came from England somewhere between the 11th and 15th centuries. Derived from the word shrimpe, it meant pygmy. Dating as far back as the 14th century, Marco Polo spoke of shrimp as being a primary source of food in China. As an animal, shrimp fossils have been found in areas once known as Gondwana, a super-continent that was comprised of Antarctica, Australia, South America, and Madagascar, that existed 300 million years ago. The shrimp has always been a major food source for birds, fish, and whales for millions of years, and more recently for humans. The consumption of shrimp picked up dramatically in the 1970's with the help of shrimp farming which was designed to help sustain both the wild stock, and food supplies around the world to help fight global hunger. Although some would argue that the real reason for shrimp farming was supply and demand in the U.S., the fact remains it has helped to alleviate the effects of famine in some parts of the world. Shrimp, as food, has had a major impact on global economies for at least the last 30 years.
Shut Up! You're a shrimp!
How many times have you heard this? As the eldest of three Mom-terrorizing brothers, I remember calling my younger siblings shrimps because they were considerably smaller than me. By the time I reached my early 20's however, they somehow outpaced my physical stature during their high school years and shortly thereafter the name calling stopped abruptly. I always felt lucky they did not reciprocate those early sentiments from our youths.
Tracing back the term shrimp as a way to insult someone, I have found few references as to where this actually started. This surprised me because of how often it was used during my childhood, and is still used, although sparingly, today. There are a few good sources though, that help shed some light on the subject. One of which is related to modern-day bullying. According to the Pacer Center's Kids Against Bullying, ways for children to combat bullying would include responses to "You're a shrimp!" and "You're still a shrimp!" with humor or honesty to give the bully nowhere else to go, essentially stopping the bully in his or her tracks. I'm not sure how well this works, but with children of my own, it might be worth spending some quality time on the subject just in case.
Thinking back to the mid 1970's, I can vaguely recall my father referring to someone as a shrimp. Maybe it was me, or one of my brothers, but I remember the insult more as a "poke fun of" type of name calling, than a serious insult based on real anger. I was never very tall in high school. At 5'-10" I was about average height and build, but I had a lot of friends that were considerably shorter than I was. One in particular, Steve, was one of my best friends through elementary and middle school. He stood around 5'-4" in high school but was never known as someone that carried a Napoleon Complex. I cannot recall calling him a shrimp, but I wonder now what he would have done if I had.
Full Metal Alchemist is a Japanese manga (comic/cartoon) with very good reference to being a shrimp, and another good example of why insults don't work. The story takes place in a fictional universe where alchemy is the most advanced form of science known to man, and focuses on the plight of two brothers trying to restore their bodies after failing to bring their mother back to life. One of the brothers lost one of his legs, and is then often referred to as "little," "shorty," "midget," or "shrimp." The brother's angry response is then usually "I'm the younger brother." The story has become so popular around the world, there are fan-based websites dedicated to it, and sales of the publication exceeded 50 million USD in 2010. Yes - I'm talking about a comic book.
With a little research, it's fairly easy to see how the term shrimp was defined by the peoples of Europe. It's much harder however, to determine at which point in history the word shrimp became synonymous with short people.
Shrimp Fun
Cafepress.com, a website dedicated to finding and making unique t-shirts and gifts has a line of products imprinted with the term "Please don't call me a shrimp." Assuming this is meant in gist, and not some sort of political agenda, I believe they are related to the subject content I'm writing here. If you look hard enough, it's not hard to still find references to shrimp as a form of insult, even in 2011.
Out of all this, I've even found some funny shrimp jokes:
Why wouldn't the shrimp share his treasure? Ans: Because he was a little shellfish.
Did you hear about the shrimp that went to the prawn's cocktail party? Ans: He pulled a mussel.
A shrimp walks into a bar, and the bartender says, "I'm sorry, but we don't serve food here..."
Hollywood Shrimp
"Throw another shrimp on the barbie." In popular culture in the mid 1980's, this was the saying the Australian Tourism Commission started in a series of advertisements featuring the actor, Paul Hogan. In his 1986 hit, Crocodile Dundee, the story took place in both Australia and New York City, and was based on the actual true life of Rodney Ansell. With a budget under $10 million USD, it went on to make more than $328 million USD and become the second-highest grossing film that year.
In the Muppets, Peppy the King Prawn, whose full name is actually, Pepino Rodrigo Serrano Gonzales, started out as a chef before moving to Hollywood. He is a heavily Spanish-accented character who is very proud of his prawn ancestry and takes offense to anyone calling him a shrimp, okay?
Forrest Gump, another famous character from Hollywood, wowed millions with his lack of wit and good intentions. In the movie, Forrest makes true to his commitment to a friend (Bubba) killed in Vietnam to become a shrimp boat Captain. With the help of a freak storm that put all of his competition out of business, Forrest became the proud owner of Bubba Gump Shrimp and made millions. Forrest Gump was played by Tom Hanks.
Michael "Boogalo Shrimp" Chambers is another actor from Hollywood known as "Turbo" from the 1984 film Breakin'. His nickname came from the popular art of break and robot dancing in the early and mid 1980's. Yeah, I can't really promote it any more than this.
In the Nickelodeon hit, Drake & Josh: Really Big Shrimp, two brothers are on the verge of signing a major record deal, but because of Josh's inability to stay focused on the content of the contract, due to being distracted by very large shrimp, he signs away the rights to Drake's song.
Obviously, I have not included everything related to shrimp in this article. For one, I purposely discounted anything to do with recipes. There are millions of shrimp recipes floating around the internet (I counted them) and I wouldn't dare venture to list my favorites because I've yet to try one I didn't like. I also stayed away from fishing and shrimping as much as I could, but the problem with both of these, recipes and commercial shrimping, is that 99 percent of the information on the internet is based on these two topics. I guess the main reason I wrote this article is to bring some attention to the other types of shrimp out there, and how the word itself is used.
To see the pictures associated with this article, and all references, visit: http://www.ShrimpHQ.com
David Lasher has fished freshwater and saltwater points throughout the East Coast of the U.S. from the St. Lawrence River in New York State to many points in Florida for over 30 years. He has been a recreational shrimper on Florida's East coast for nearly ten years. David invites you to join him at http://www.shrimphq.com/ to talk about anything related to shrimp and prawn.

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Make Halloween A Monthly Event With A Murder Mystery Dinner Party

Pirates are lucky, they get to play dress-up all yearlong. For the rest of us, Halloween is our only chance to experience what it feels like to be something or someone we're not. To make your life a little more exciting the rest of the year, use a murder mystery party as an excuse to invite your friends over for a memorable evening. It may be the only time when John Smith the accountant can become Jack Hammer the cottage builder.In order to make a seamless image transition, you and your guests will need a great costume. Finding a costume will allow you and your guests to use a skill rarely employed: creativity. After finding out your character, your guests often rediscover that closet in the basement, combine ideas at a local second-hand clothing store, or dig up that neglected old wedding dress.
While reluctant to admit it, most adults like to get dressed up in to unfamiliar clothing. They like it even more when you combine this with dinner and meeting new people. So it's time for you to get out your address book and plan your next (or first) murder mystery party. But when can you host this dinner party?
Typically, we see sales of our murder mystery games spike before Halloween and then before and after Christmas. This is confirmed by Google Insight if you were to search for the term "Murder Mystery". The connection between Halloween, costumes and a murder mystery party is easy to understand. But what about X-Mas? Is there something about Christmas, Boxing Day or perhaps New Year's that encourages people to get dressed up into unusual costumes? The appeal of a good old-fashioned role-playing game seems to be the right recipe when you get a group of people together over the holidays. But do you really need to wait for the holidays or Halloween to invite your friends over? People can get together every weekend and unwind and rediscover the actor/actress within.
Excuses to play a Halloween Murder Mystery party do not need to be substantial or groundbreaking. You do not need to have a baby, reach the age 50 or meet the President of the United States. Instead you could celebrate a birthday, have a fun house-warming party or try out your mother's famous stew recipe. In fact, one of the best ways to make your co-workers jealous in March is to let them know that this weekend you're hosting a murder mystery party.
So take action and become the hero of the next dinner party. Show them how well you can cook and remind them that getting together with friends doesn't require a special spot on the calendar.
Gavin writes murder mystery games for 6-10 players that are inexpensive to buy hilarious to play. For free information on hosting as well as the best deals on murder mystery games that you can download, please visit http://www.murdermysteryhut.com/.
(c) Murder Mystery Hut. All rights reserved.
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The Turkeys We Send To DC

This Guy's The Worst... But They're All KnuckleheadsYou've heard the old joke, the one they tell every year at this time: "Know why they aren't having Thanksgiving in (Chicago)? They sent the turkey to Washington!" Usually, the quip refers to the president - any president - but lately, all the elected federal officials from both parties have been particularly turkey-like.
If you follow the arguments they're all having these days (and why in the world would you do that?), you know the key point being made by both sides seems to boil down to "I know you are, but what am I?" This is a time-honored argument, of course, and it still works as well today as it did when these turkeys undoubtedly rolled it out on playgrounds nationwide (and in Indonesia) when they were, like, eight.
Meanwhile, the nation's having a new-and-different kind of fun, what with no one being able to run a successful business, or hire anybody, or get a job, or make money, or even protest everything in a manner consistent with decent personal hygiene.
But despite all this, and despite the fact that all of us seem to have sent our turkeys to Washington, we did have Thanksgiving in America recently. And, as all presidents before him, President Obama ceremoniously pardoned two symbolic turkeys. But his heart didn't seem to be in it. That's probably because all presidents have to do this goofy turkey-pardon thing, and they aren't allowed to put their own personality into it.
If the president had been allowed to do it his way, he'd have organized those turkeys into a community. Then, upon hearing their names were "Liberty" and "Peace," he'd-a probably butchered them himself, with a lusty cry of "All the turkeys are mine! Mine!"
Makes me wonder how previous presidents would've done the turkey thing if they could've done it "their way." George W. Bush probably would've thought Karl Rove said "make sure you get your axe cuts," and therefore his turkeys wouldn't have been safe, either. His dad would have said "Read my lips, no new axes," and then axed the birds anyway.
Clinton? "I experimented with turkey once, but I didn't swallow." Reagan would've saved Liberty and Peace, but would not have remembered doing so. Carter would've cited the birds' "misery index" as he severed their heads. Ford would've tripped over them. Nixon would've gotten the turkeys to pardon HIM. Johnson would've sent the birds to 'Nam - twice. And Jack Kennedy would've been thankful (as would've the rest of us) if he'd just been around to do anything at all with the '63 birds.
Happy Holidays, and I hope you have much to be thankful for this season. Me? I'm grateful for many things, including the right to dismiss these turkeys next November - even if only to send in a fresh crop of gobblers.
by Michael D. Hume, M.S.
Michael Hume is a speaker, writer, and consultant specializing in helping people maximize their potential and enjoy inspiring lives. As part of his inspirational leadership mission, he coaches executives and leaders in growing their personal sense of well-being through wealth creation and management, along with personal vitality.
Michael and his wife, Kathryn, divide their time between homes in California and Colorado. They are very proud of their offspring, who grew up to include a homemaker, a rock star, a service talent, and a television expert. Two grandchildren also warm their hearts! Visit Michael's web site at http://michaelhume.net/

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Trying To Solve Tricky Riddles Is A Great Activity For The Elderly

It is a proven medical fact that as we get older, our brains begin to slow down and not function as well as they once did. It is also a proven medical fact that if you keep your brain engaged working on difficult projects; you can maintain a high level of thinking capacity for much longer period of time. For that very reason, it is recommended that the elderly work daily on trying to solve tricky riddles.Regardless of a person's age, when you first start trying to solve riddles, you want to begin with easy riddles. If you start with the real brain teasers, it will be almost impossible for you to come up with even one correct answer.
Most of the experts that practice this activity have developed their own techniques for solving hard riddles. While each and everyone are a little different, they do have certain principles that they utilize which are very similar.
Most great riddle solvers will tell you that the most important thing that they do when they first sit down and try to come up with an answer is to read the riddle extremely carefully. They also tend to read a riddle many times, before they even start trying to think about an answer for it.
They do this for many reasons, one of which is that they try and get into the writers head and figure out where the riddle is heading. These professionals already fully realize that the obvious response is always going to be wrong. They know that the author is trying to push you in one direction, but you really need to be heading down a much different path.
They will ask themselves many questions, such as "Why did the writer use this word, instead of that one"? Or, "What are all of the possible not so obvious alternatives that I should to consider"?
Being able to consistently come up with correct riddle answers is not easy, but it can be done. The longer you practice at it, the better you get. It is kind of like sitting down and doing a crossword puzzle for the first time. Very few, if any people ever succeed at getting all of the words correct, until they have been doing them for a while.
Solving riddles for people that are in their twilight years is a fantastic way for them to have some fun, while at the same time forcing them to use their brains in an intense fashion. Some of them will get frustrated when they first start because they cannot come up with the answers, but if they stick at it for a while, most of them will eventually get the hang of it.
If you have a friend, loved one, or an associate that needs something to do with their spare time, learning how to solve riddles is a great way to occupy it. Please remember to start with the easy ones, and then gradually work your way up to tricky riddles.
Are the Riddles you're used to solving a little too easy for you? If so, I suggest you check out our newer and harder Riddle List online at iRiddles.org, where they are much harder.

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Primaries, Presidential Politics and a Few Good Shrinks: A Stress Analysis for the Candidates

The chronic stress of present-day presidential politics must lead all rational Americans to an incontrovertible conclusion: the time has come to assign a few good shrinks to the candidates.Imagine how bored their Docs must get waiting for plaque to build up in coronary arteries or watching for a polyp to crop up on intestinal walls. On the other hand, psychological experts would have their hands full immediately.
The candidates need real pros to provide feedback when their verbal habits veer off track, help them unload repressed feelings when the media frustrates them, and provide emotional support after the 'accusation of the day' from their own and the opposing party.
The presidential aspirants might require a team of specialists: a marriage counselor when things get tough with the prospective First Partner, a Psychologist to help with the self-esteem issues that stem from striving to be adored by several hundred million people, and when all else fails, a Psychiatrist to give their brain cells a boost of serotonin.
We Americans suffer from the illusion that our chosen leaders must have their collective heads on pretty straight. Not necessarily true! When you're at the top, people get squeamish about pointing out your idiosyncrasies. Would you tell the prospective President of the most powerful country in the world that his temper tantrums with the media represent unresolved rage towards his/her mother? Of course not, but a good Shrink would!
We need a permanent policy mandating a few good shrinks to follow each potential leader. Wouldn't it inspire confidence in our candidates - and set a great example for our kids - if the networks ended their news programs with this important message:
"And finally, ladies and gentlemen, we come to our Presidential candidate Smith, who consulted a counselor today because
.....the pressure of running for the most powerful position in the world was stressing him/her out.
.....he/she had a nightmare last night that revealed deep-seated feelings of inadequacy.
.....and, worst of all, the prospective First Partner was peeved at him/her during dinner.
The presidential aspirants exhibit these natural human reactions whether we want to believe it or not. Do you want someone running your country that is not in touch with his/her deep-seated feelings of inadequacy?
We should require each candidate running for the highest office in the land to submit to a complete psychological evaluation. Our team of shrinks could be summoned to the primaries to pinpoint potential problems. Family members would be interviewed to evaluate the level of dysfunction in the prospective First Family. This way, we could tell if a future "Prez" was about to experience a midlife crisis. A candidate with sociopathic tendencies could be eliminated before he/she got into serious trouble.
Think about it! Can we afford to take a chance with the future Big Guy/Gal's psyche? That's pretty risky! Remember, our lives will ultimately be dependent on the ongoing health of his/her brain cells.
Dr. John J. Parrino is a Psychologist and author in Atlanta, Georgia. His website is http://www.drparrino.com/.

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Miksi rakastan minun iPod

My History
When I was a kid, a revolutionary way to listen to music was born in the Sony Walkman but prior to the advent of this personal music player, grooves had only been available in limited format.
The home stereo complete with record player and speakers the size of a small coffee table was prevalent in just about every household including ours. As a lover of music, my mom had one of the top of the line systems made in the 1970's. We listened to AM and FM stations, spun vinyl discs on the record player, and with the included cassette receptacle our world of harmonious variety opened up even wider.
My sister and I had separate equipment in our room including a stand alone record player and the ever popular boom box. Our boom box stereo was rad as it included two cassette docks so we could record from either the radio or tape to tape. We spent hours creating the perfect mix tapes but sadly had nowhere to play them except on the home stereo.
Other than transistor radios, complete with 9Volt batteries that ran out after about an hour and antennae that either did nothing to help tune the station or outright broke off, availability of portable music was fairly limited until the introduction of the Walkman.
There Is Only One Walkman
In roughly 1979 Sony unveiled its portable cassette player known to all as the Walkman. The device was a small box with a door that opened to reveal components for insertion of a cassette tape and a small hole for the headphones. The earliest models were equip with buttons for volume, play, stop, rewind, fast forward and an on/off switch. The addition of the pause feature came later and was quite an advance.
Since Sony's introduction, many brands flooded the market and although Sony held the naming rights, universally these little devices of musical magic were referred to as Walkman.
As I was only six years old when the first Walkman was introduced it took a few years before I was given one of my own. If I remember correctly my sister and I both received one for Christmas sometime around 1984. We were not given the cheap, knock off either, our players had the word Walkman emblazoned right across the gray face.
After the first genuine model I had about three more personal cassette players which I purchased with my own money. Considering the number of times I dropped the player or got sand in the gears while using it at the beach, my own purchases were typically of the lesser priced models.
The base was quite a bit heavier than the headphones so there were countless times when it was lifted by the cord by mistake, only to have the headphones pull right out of their hole and I would watch as the base unit went crashing to the floor. A couple of my players were used for months with no door.
CD's Were Much Easier to Carry
In the early 1980's, just as I was buying a larger purse so I could enjoy the freedom of taking many of my cassettes with me, the compact disc (CD) was unleashed on the world. This twelve centimeter wide disc was an immediate success and even today holds as one of the top selling forms of music and media.
Suddenly instead of carrying around a bulky boom box, Walkman or enormous bag full of cassette tapes, music portability was streamlined. Once again Sony was on the cutting edge of the technology as they introduced the Discman in 1984.
Books with open top sleeves to hold CD's were marketed and people could now carry countless additional music selections with them everywhere. I enjoyed using my Discman on long car trips, when flying or anytime I felt like getting away from the world and since it was so much less bulky to carry a plethora of discs, I took much of my growing collection with me at all times.
The Discman became a rousing success once an anti-skip feature was developed in the mid 1990's. This allowed for the unit to be placed in a bag, backpack or purse without fear of the CD jarring continuously. Additionally the unit was a sleeker, thinner profile than Walkman so it was lighter and less cumbersome to carry around.
How It Evolved
When an adapter was introduced which turned the cassette deck in a car into a CD player, it quickly became clear that people would rather transport the less bulky items. It was so much more convenient to change out a disc and they were a smaller profile to store in the car as the personal sized books would fit in most glove boxes or under the seat.
After a few years it became evident that I was spending more money replacing compact discs than was smart as carrying these thin plastic spherical shaped items around caused an increase in the number of scratches and finally led to the demise of many discs in my collection.
I finally sold or gave to charity my Discman as well as the car adapter and went back to reliance on cassette tapes or the FM radio in the car. Eventually cassettes were also primarily phased out as many had snapped over time and again, the financial outgo to replace them became far too costly.
On a trip with friends in roughly 2001, one of my best began explaining this new device she had just acquired which played music digitally. By this point I had acquired a digital camera but had not heard of digital music and immediately became intrigued.
The early, and viable, models of digital audio players held upwards of 16MB of music which meant each unit was able to store and play anywhere from 100 - 150 songs. The flexibility of the portable music device took such major leaps forward that technologies began being developed at an alarmingly rapid pace.
Apple Has a Leg up but They are Not the Only Ones
After years of lying almost dormant under the technological blanket created by Microsoft, Apple reemerged as the predominant leader of technology with the introduction of the first generation iPod in 2001. Despite an ability to hold upwards of 1500 songs in its 5GB memory capacity, people did not exactly scramble to acquire one as the price tag was close to $500.
But just like any and all technologies not only will a conceptual idea be improved upon, the cost to create and procure will begin to plummet as more people take interest and purchase said item. There was no exception with the iPod.
Although approximately 125,000 units were all that could be sold of the first generation in 2001, the introduction of additional models, larger capacities and lower prices eventually had former Walkman owners scrambling to get their very own, myself included.
By the time I got my iPod I was able to acquire the 30GB model for only $249. This model is now known as the Classic and sadly has been retired. Or rather perhaps I should say it was traded up for either a 40GB or an 80GB Classic, not to mention the iTouch or iPhone.
Once Apple released their iPod many other companies began throwing their own ideas into the ring. Most notably would be the Microsoft Zune which has similar functionality and storage capacity, but there are a multitude of additional players out there to make use of our digital music collections today.
This Torrid Affair Will Continue On Forever
Since the dawn of time, it seems, people have been interested in music. Now that we are able to surround ourselves so completely with our own personal selections it seems there will be no stopping us. I am on my second iPod and fully intend to surround myself with my own music for years to come by continuing to love my amazing piece of technology as long as it holds out.
With the introduction of countless accessories, a rainbow of colors, sizes and storage capacity to fit every connoisseur, and adapters that allow for playing our very own music library in the car it seems that as a society we have reached the pinnacle of technological advances as related to music, its storage and portability. Then again, it is possible that the inventor of the first instrument may have just felt the same way.
Proofreading services are offered at http://writesy.blogspot.com/
My inner ramblings can be read at http://randomnessandlunacy.blogspot.com/

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Tricky Riddles Are Sometimes Called Brain Teasers

If you like to do things that test your deductive reasoning skills in order to keep your mind sharp and your time occupied, then you need to get into trying to solving tricky riddles. Before you start though, let us warn you, it is certainly not going to be the easiest thing that you have ever tried to do in your life.Riddles come in different grades of difficulty, starting with the obvious, easy ones, then hard ones, next tricky ones, and the godfather of them all, the evil and sometimes impossible to solve, the brain teasers.
It is recommended that if you do decide to start this exceptional hobby, that you begin with easy riddles. After all, if you start with the hard ones, more than likely you will quit the very first day.
Trying to quickly guess riddle answers is never going to allow you to actually learn how to solve them on a regular and sustainable basis. In order to do that, you are going to have to perfect your skills by working at it, like millions of other people do.
The first thing you are going to need to do is to understand the concept behind riddles. Essentially, they are a play on words that is designed to force you to look in the opposite direction from where the riddle is initially pointing you. If you always think the answer is the one staring you directly in the face, you will never be able to solve one.
Next, you need to read the riddles very slowly and repeatedly before you try to start solving one. This is not the typical type of reading you are used to doing. It involves trying to figure out why the writer put each and every word in the riddle, because they are all there for a reason. As most of you already know, it is very easy to substitute one word for another in a sentence. That is the dilemma when it comes to riddles, trying to figure out why the authors choose to use the exact words that they used?
Then over time, as you begin to practice more and more, you will start to develop your own riddle solving style and techniques. You really should start with the easy riddles first and later when you get good at coming up with the correct answer quickly, move up to the hard riddles.
This will give you an opportunity to feel success, and it will boost your confidence. Then someday, when you solve one of the hardest riddles you ever tired; you will simply feel great about yourself, and know that all of your hard work and dedication finally paid off big time.
Always coming up with riddle answers that are correct is virtually impossible, even for the pros, which have been working on them for years. But, if you stick with it and persevere though the tough times, sooner or later you will get the hang of it and you will be able to solve most riddles that you are confronted with.
Are the Riddles you're used to solving a little too easy for you? If so, I suggest you check out our newer and harder Riddle List online at iRiddles.org, where they are much harder.

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Just About Everybody In the Entire World Has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

I attended a presentation on an emerging new diagnosis: VICARIOUS PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The speaker discussed her research on this diagnosis being considered for the DSM IV. The DSM stands for The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. The DSM is the "Bible" for determining medical diagnoses for mental illness, and the "IV" is the Roman Numeral for the 4th edition, because the medical establishment requires more than lowly numbers, like 1,2,3,4, etc., for there to be status associated with their work, oops "profession".If the new diagnosis of Vicarious PTSD were to be put into effect, then all doctors, and anyone having anything to do with LISTENING, or even READING, etc., about the trauma of others could be emotionally damaged so much that they, themselves, could be considered having had the experiences VICARIOUSLY and, as a result, they too would qualify for disability, the same as their patient! Naturally, if this new diagnosis is put into effect, there may be an increase in disability claims by the medical profession. So I say in order to "beat them to it" submit claims now!
Even better than to qualify for VICARIOUS PTSD, though, is to become aware that instead of having secondary Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, we all, or mostly all, have PRIMARY PTSD because our parents spanked us! This spanking caused us all such trauma terror that we are ALL (or almost all of us) are without responsibility for our future actions and/or conduct! Come to think of it, perhaps the spanking all started with the doctor who spanked us when we were born and it is this that begins our life trauma. Perhaps we all need to file a class action suit against all doctors, or use that as a back-up in case there are zero disability funds left when everyone files for disability, when unemployment finally runs out, and there are zero jobs to be had, zero funds, left and/or we are turned down for loans to attend university, college, etc., and when or if, our credit runs out.
Another alternative might be for us all to attempt to return to our infancy as adults, and "re-do" it, sort of like the movie "Ground-Hog Day". We could in our imaginations go back to that very first spanking incident. We could "re-create it until we "get it right". For instance we could imagine ourselves with infant voices saying, as soon as we are picked up and about to be spanked: "Dr., if you spank me, I will sue you!
B. Todish can be reached at btodish@verizon.net. Consider visiting http://www.powerplayradiorantz.com/, scroll down to "Listen to Barbara Todish here" especially Humanity 102, Humanity 103 for additional information on Vicarious PTSD, etc.
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Riding Horses With Kids

Yes, you heard me correct. I have ridden, now, for the past fourteen years with a little passenger in the saddle. And no this riding with kids, has not been an involuntary occurrence. I ride with them until they are able to ride by themselves, voluntarily.Just as most mothers of small children would agree, riding with the kids, beats the only other alternative; not riding at all.
A couple of minor adjustments over the years have prolonged my riding enthusiasm. The primary adjustment of riding tandem in the saddle is to have given birth to a smaller kid. And second, I scored a larger and slick-forked (a.k.a roping) saddle.
The challenges of riding with kids are nothing in comparison to the bounty of rewards and freedom to explore while riding horseback with kids.
The greatest concern for me, over these years riding with kids is keeping their eyes open. The consistent slow rocking and steady clip-clop of hoof beats, the warm sun shining down and fresh air; all work cohesive to knock the rowdiest of kids out.
The trick here is nothing more than preplanning a timely and coordinated dismount. Praying and hoping for no shut gates along the way are also beneficial.
I battle the sleepy tendencies, every ride, with my three-year-old. Fortunately, she loves chasing the cows and yelling, whooping, hollering. This activity is a sure way to keep her conscious. And she is the first to volunteer to move the cows to fresh pasture.
The primary concern when riding horses with kids is safety. A mom could go on all day about safety, kids and horses. For wordiness sake, I shall only highlight the basics here that I categorize under 'Riding with common Sense'.
First- it behooves to realize that there never has been, nor never will be a bomb-proof horse. Horses are animals. They spook. They flee. And they fall.
*Put a helmet on your kid. Keep in mind that it's cool that Mom and Dad wear helmets too.
When my kids where, all, small and still taking naps, riding with them was a breeze. There was nothing handier than breastfeeding back then. Although, I'm sure I more than made a fashionable statement riding the hills through the sage in hot pursuit of stray bovine while clutching a suckling infant. Hey, where there is a will, there is a way!
Looking back, now, carrying extra snacks and water bottles on the saddle is a drag; especially when dropped and then retrieved again and again.
The commitment to the cattle drive is also a nagging proposition for me, the mother. Because, once we're out in the saddle, we are out there in the saddle for the duration. And there is no going back, no turning around until the cows are moved to fresh pasture.
With any chore needing done; three-year-olds run out of steam. When punching cows, three-year-olds get hot, they get tried, they get bored, they get cranky.
My three-year-old devised her own unique entertainment once the saddle strings ran out. She had to, "PEE-PEE, PEE-PEE, PEE-Pee!" every hundred yards.
I can't say that I blame her, because there where bugs, rocks and soft sand beneath our feet. Her old Paint-horse didn't seem to mind the pit stops for fresh nibbles of grass either.
For fifteen years, I have been less than efficient riding heard. I often am dubbed for retrieving the truck and the horse-trailer, on account that all gates en route remain opened.
Perhaps next spring my littlest will be ready to ride her horse, alone. I will still be near to rescue and retrieve, as I did for her older sister when her old "Doc" would straddle and scratch his privates on every large brush he passed. Poor old, "Doc!" I would have let him get his thrills where he could, if my daughter hadn't protested. She reminisces now, much matured, flabbergasted that I, her mother, laughed and didn't come to her rescue quicker. "How could I have let her ride such a grodie old horse?"
"He was just itching!"
There will soon be rides when I am all alone in the saddle with no warm trickle oozing down my leg, no sleeping body in my arms, no stops to catch horny-toads and no whooping at imaginary cattle.
I do know that I'd best enjoy the solitary rides, if they ever manifest from my imagination, because one day soon I'll be riding with a grand baby in my saddle.
Ondi Laure Shepp, writes short stories and western novels from her family's ranch in Wyoming. Read more of her stories on her blog http://olshepp.wordpress.com/, and sign up for the latest of O.L. Shepp's comic relief.

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La Bella Figura

As an Italian I have been plagued by something I could not name for most of my young life. But finally in 1986 while visiting Joe's cousins in San Francisco I was enlightened. So at age 34 I discovered the affliction I was challenged by was known as "La Bella Figura". Although the explanations to its' meaning might vary, loosely translated it is "the good impression"... in other words be your 'best' at all times, in all places and with all people.Conversely 'La Brutta Figura' envelops all of your wrongdoings. That's a lot of polite-ical pressure, particularly for a young person.
I can't place all the blame on my Mother. She merely inherited it from her Mother. It's a traditional set of values passed down from generation to generation without anyone realizing it. I swear there exists a 'Book of Proper' that never got translated. And I believe the essence of it is not about 'standing out' but rather 'not standing out'. In sharing this with friends, apparently it's not just the Italian culture that is ruled by such constraints.
Although I choose to live my life by the philosophy "I can do, say or wear anything I want as long as I am prepared to deal with the consequences" it has been an ongoing challenge. Here are just a few examples of the shackles I have struggled to free myself from since childhood...
"But I don't want to wear a dress. I'm not comfortable."
"You have to. Every other girl at the party will be wearing a dress and no daughter of mine will stick out by wearing slacks. Now just be a good girl and put the dress on."
"Did you get the invitation to the shower?"
"No and I hope I don't because I don't want to waste a perfectly good Sunday afternoon."
"Oh Carole don't talk like that. What if someone heard you?"
"You're going to the wedding aren't you?"
"No, I sent the reply back."
"But you'll send a gift right?"
"I wasn't going to. Why should I? I won't be there."
"It's only right. You don't want them to think you're cheap."
"Ah figlia, you better 'make a visit'. You don't want people to talk."
"Nona, who are these people you talk about? You never speak to anyone other than family. You rarely leave your apartment."
"Ah figlia... people, attsa it."
"Now why would you wear pink to the funeral home?"
"Ma, she was 95, it's a celebration."
"Oh I don't know. How's it going to look?"
"Tch, Carole did you have to say that?'
"Oh Ma relax I was just kidding."
"Well that wasn't nice. What if they thought you were serious? What will they think of you?"
"You're not going out wearing THAT are you?"
"Why? I like it."
"Well do what you want, I don't care. But I certainly wouldn't want to be seen looking like that."
And the finale of them all...
"Carole, can't you just try to be normal?"
"But Ma, it's just not as much fun."
I continue to deal with the fallout of my miscues.
In defense of my Mother and the fore mothers before her I admit I have been heard to say to my own children "can you please not draw negative attention to yourself?" Albeit, slightly abbreviated, the message rings of familiarity.
PS C'mon please admit it that you too contend with similar passages from the imaginary 'Book of Proper'. You do don't you? Please tell me. It will make me feel so much better ~!!~
Carole Bertuzzi Luciani
*speaker*author*blogger... to tickle your funny bone ~!!~
Her blogs 'Musings of the Moodivator' can be found at http://www.moodivator.ca/blog
For more info visit http://www.moodivator.ca/

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The Tingler Incident: A Boy's First Movie Adventure

I guess I was about 9 when "The Tingler" was showing on the big screen in my hometown. I have an aunt about six years older. She decided to take me to see this movie. Why she thought this was a good idea is beyond me. I had never been to a movie theatre or seen a scary movie and had no idea what to expect or how to act. I guess this was just another one of those learn as you go experiences.Two things happened, I did learn and I did go.
At the time "The Tingler" was made, there were not a whole lot of special effects so to make things more interesting, the managers of theaters had to be creative to make these low-budget movies scarier and attract more customers. I do not believe I was their target audience, quite the opposite, I believe my aunt, a teenager of about 15 at the time thought of me as her target to scare the daylights out of, and give her something to laugh about with her friends.
She was the aunt that had such a significant impact on my life as a babysitter. The one who punished us for misbehaving by making us stand with our nose in the corner as punishment. The only accomplishment of this punishment was to establish our growth rate by measuring the height of where the paint was worn away in the crack of the corner of the wall. I spent so much time with my nose in the corner I had to start wearing glasses when I was 8 years old.
Being so young, I was not expected to know better and looked forward to experiencing my first movie, but with this aunt's track record, I should have known better.
My aunt was not a malicious person, only inexperienced in learning my ways, and I do not believe she intended to cause me irreparable harm by simply taking me to a movie. Quite the contrary, today, scary movies are my favorite.
We arrived at the theater and took our seats on the end of the aisle. Or should I say, I took the aisle seat at my aunt's insistence. I should have suspected something was not right, but being the trusting soul that I am, I did not give it a second thought...at least that is until "The Tingler" appeared for the first time.
For you who have no clue what "The Tingler" was and to demonstrate the imaginative genius of film producers in the 50's, 'The Tingler' was a creature that feeds on fear, lives inside the human body and looks like a disgusting centipede. Really no imagination involved other than trying to devise a creature that was scary and believable. Did I say believable? I meant credible. The early movie creatures had to have a gimmick to make them seem real and a story line that movie goers could understand. This movie did not meet the basic qualification of a scary movie other than it was not meant for an impressionable 9-year old to see. I probably could have been alright with the movie if I had known what to expect. Of course, for my aunt to tell me what to expect would have ruined all her fun.
The movie was full of eerie music that built to a crescendo just as "The Tingler" appeared. At the same time, a totally unexpected event happened. My seat began to vibrate and move back and forth. The mind of a 9-year old already frightened by the music and "The Tingler," itself had reached its limit when the seat was set in motion. The theater management thought rigging the aisle seats to move at a specific time in the movie would heighten the effect of "The Tingler." They exceeded their greatest expectation when this little 9 year old jumped up and yelled as loud as he could, "I am out of here," and on that note, disrupted the entire theater trying to escape as fast as possible. There was just no way "The Tingler" was going to get this kid.
I was well on my way to escaping the theater when my aunt finally caught up to me. I think she was a little embarrassed and mad, because my reaction was not what she expected. As a stark raving lunatic, I was more believable than the actors and even "The Tingler" on the screen. You might say I succeeded where the movie failed. Yep, to this day, I think I stole the show and was the real star. My aunt would never recover and would eventually escape her embarrassment by joining the Air Force.
I would get to the point where I love horror movies and to this day, the only thing I look forward to is having her take me to another movie. I guess I will keep looking.
No matter what you write, someone will love it.
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The Happy Bus

When I was a young professional in Chicago, I worked in a small advertising agency. One day a secretary (who was usually grumpy in the morning) came to work smiling and humming. I looked quizically at her and she laughed, "I caught the Happy Bus this morning." I inquired as to what that was. "You don't know the Happy Bus?" she exclaimed, her eyes flying wide open. "Oh my gosh, it's legendary." She then explained, "One of the bus drivers who drives the 151 bus during morning rush hour calls his bus the Happy Bus, and he gets everybody in a good mood on their way to work...he is so cute and funny...today we had a group sing!" She went on to explain all the different narratives and tactics he used during his 5 AM to noon shift up and down Michigan Avenue, dealing with crabby, hungover and just plain unhappy commuters; and because there were dozens of number 151 buses, it was just good fortune if you happened to get on the Happy Bus on your way to work.Several years later, I was running very late for work one morning (I then worked up at the Hancock Building at the "top" of Michigan Avenue). It was starting to drizzle, and I still had five more blocks to walk, so when I saw a 151 bus heading my way, I flagged it down and hopped on board. Because it was almost empty, I sat in the front across from the driver, who was humming quietly. Pretty soon he heard me humming along with him, and he turned and exclaimed, "Let's sing a duet!" I laughed and agreed, so we sang a duet (complete with harmony) the last few blocks to the Hancock.
As he dropped me off, I thanked him for the music and started to step down, when I turned around and said, "Wait a minute...is this the Happy Bus?" He leaned his head back, gave a huge laugh and said, "One and Only, Young Lady...you come back when we're full and you'll have a real good time...I'm kind of plum tuckered out after six hours of driving my shift."
As I scurried through the drizzling rain and glided quickly through the revolving doors at the Hancock, I heard him honk the bus for me and he took off up the Mag Mile. I punched my floor in the elevator, smiling to myself, just knowing I was going to have a good day...and I of course was humming.
Author Dale Phillip enjoys living in a friendly universe. You can visit her at her website http://www.ourfriendlyuniverse.com/.

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The importance of the problems and the use of Chutzpah-my search for a Word

One of my many people with disabilities has been orally. The importance of the right to receive, often require, and the Word spelling dictionary assistance. I did not know, the search for a word in the dictionary would be a big deal.
Recently heard using the Word chutzpah speaker and wanted to check spelling and meaning. Pronouncing it guy is remembered clearly "hutspa and wanted to be, go to the page marked H. (I) my finger is placed in the Center, open the verification methods and stared a question mark regarding the page.
Now the first to the methods of analysis of doubt go up, to the left or right. If the h stand for (Q), in relation to the before or after? I chanted I learned the rote, nursery days alphabets. Learning, one forgets his ABCs page XYZs of note. Is unlikely to be learned, certainly, but forgot my ABCs XYZs. As a deleted dictionary pages for reasons beyond the control of and, I have never understood, thin back and forth, then considerable difficulties, for the purpose of the page up. Unfortunately, the ship was the h section H of the number of pages and had to recite the alphabet letters to come again, starting at page. INFINITIVES Scan these pages after I was convinced I had the wrong words, or the speaker had not been spelled the word correctly.
Thinking, it could be kutspa, I am searching for pages under but became a cropper, KU. When the word the way, I started scratching my head, again one of my many childhood habits, which continues to date and changed my search for the Word cutspa. Learned a lot of things about cats and spas but failed to make any progress my quest.
Unfortunately, my own "know all ' acclaimed lanko entered the scene. I like his cavalier intrusion when I had stress and suffering. Now in India, is a strange picture of lanko. He is the highest order, view the disdain and contempt for the late and allow a wide berth, when his sister was not around, but treated more than a normal courtesy. This courtesy is essential to maintain peace and tranquility of the surroundings in front of the home. Otherwise, the abbreviation for the brother-in-BILs, laws, is a loud mouth and without exception, in India. I have a sister, and I am sure that her husband would have a similar opinion of me.
Watching my travails, my BIL asked me, "you can find a little wound. Do you need help? " Although he requested that the reporting system, have Brushed him, but my wife came in with the coffee pot.
He was my problem after what appeared to the eternity, and came to the DRIFT of his counsel.
"You have the following options," he said, speaking as if he would advise the Prime Minister the Cabinet Secretary.
(a) you can do in order to facilitate the taper and thin fingers, turns to the pages easily
(b) to bring water to moisten with fingers often sponge
(c) to attach the tags entered in the dictionary pages of alphabet
(d) the Management Board, acting on the alphabet, uppercase, alphabetical order, in my workstation's on the front.
(e) you can change the dictionary and to one thick with pages
(f) to give up writing to avoid problems.
Closed my fingers with the bloodshed and the appeal does not to me. Buying a new dictionary with additional costs. I did not receive any fee, regardless of whether wrote. Instead, write the paying an annual subscription to this site, and your readers to read, and endure to the write stuff to pay dollars. May provide additional funds to my wife only as at the date of the trade from for cutting down-elixir.
I had some doubt, light sliver doubt my BIL was a minute speck tucked somewhere in his mysterious brain labyrinths wisdom. But shall cease to be a he had options for preventive my undoubtedly forever. I looked at my wife was not at the hearing and told him what to do in order to ensure his wisdom. He got the drift and retreated, but not before saying, "I thought wow to get you." What a nerve!
(I) the exemption huokaisivat and continued my quest and tried only to find myself in the online dictionary in a catch 22. Intended for the failed to correct spelling of the it is written. The spelling was known, I Wouldn't have gone to an online dictionary. I have to try to correct the spelling and Word for chutzpah, referred to in two weeks, there are significant.
My problems with the OED does not have the same type. I wanted to time to check the words "in order to be able to take heavy toll" means. I thought the word was heavy and moved my way on h.-page When the capitalized phrase stared me, I huokaisivat relief. Unfortunately, my relief was short lived, I found the introduction of me to go to the Word toll arrow.
Check the spelling of the pronunciation of English words thingamajig and baffles many people, in particular types of ESL.
To check the grammar of, there is no less important issue. Triani Wren and Martin grammar school, I was going to Simon and Schuster, after joining this site. Because this book layout differs from the fully use I had, I can see, first of all, the index and search for the word, that is to say, clear. Search for a word against the marked 10-15 pages and all pages refer. When you have read all of the pages, the more confused than when I started. Fortunately for me, the grammar book is thick and does not require the fingers closed. This is a plus point in American grammar, but why can't all the rules for the preposition use only in one place?
Is a different Cup of tea, style and syntax. Manual of style is a presentation of the heavy Tome Chicago baffling way. It is marked with the 7.6.144 and 8.7.62 as part of the law of the cross-reference. Index to four or five pages to find out how to write a Word, and nearly an hour, say, compulsive disorder is terminology.
I have yet to find out how to check the spelling of chutzpah and what it means. Any help is very appreciated.

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Laughing Is Good For Your Overall Health

Daily stresses in life cannot be avoided as we are surrounded by pressures everywhere like in school and the workplace. In order to unload some burdens and stresses, we can give ourselves a good laugh sometimes or more frequently. We usually hear the words that laughter is the best medicine. Well, this is true since laughter can ease the heavy emotions we are feeling. And one way for us to make ourselves feel better is to watch comedy films. A comedy film can truly entertain us. Humor is very critical in order to make us smile. Comedy is a very old genre of movie but this is still well-loved today.Comedy films come with lighthearted script and are made to entertain other people, thus they are successful at making people happy. People can watch different genres of comedy films including horror comedy, fantasy comedy, action comedy, romantic comedy and various others. All these fall in the same category and with the sole purpose of making people enjoy the movie, have a good laugh, and simply be entertained. However, in order to find out the best comedy movies, it is usually required that you step of the frequently traveled road and explore the unknown. There are various facets of humor besides the typical fun fare and slapstick.
Those who make funny movies are aware that they are in for a really challenging task to constantly create better quality of movie entertainment; otherwise, this demanding industry will not give acknowledge your efforts. One has to look at the many angles of the story and the slapstick part in order to outdo other films and ensure that viewers are left with a grin and find some of the parts, if not the whole movie, memorable. Tickling the funny bone can be done in many ways and because actions are easier to catch, this why the action comedy films are a favorite of the crowds.
Because people are taking life too seriously, there is a necessity to release the pressure and tension from daily doings. The better way to do so is to see life's funny side. Hence, it is a good thing to watch funny movies in order to make you feel good at life and at yourself. As you can observe, when you view films or hear stories with some humor, you get to forget your problems and when you are down, your spirit's lifted. That's what comedy films offer in our lives. And when we find a good comedy film that's great for the family, then this can be a good way to spend quality family time.
Comedy films allow the mind and body to relax. These are made to make us laugh and are often packed with action and excitement. Moreover, there are many health benefits offered by comedy films especially for those who are experiencing pain and depression. Other than that, there are those who believe that people who watch humorous films are less likely to develop any illness which is related to stress other than the control of conditions like blood pressure, cholesterol issues and stroke. People with health problems can somehow feel good through the comedy movies as they can get a good laugh and enjoy what they feel.

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They Sure Make Oakland Look Like Paradise!

Don't Visit The East Bay; It's OccupiedA few years ago my company sponsored a sales contest (back when companies were allowed to do business by selling things). It was a big deal. First prize was a week-long vacation in Hawaii. Second prize was a week in San Diego. Third prize was a week in Palm Springs. There was also a consolation prize for next-to-last place: a week in Oakland.
Last place got two weeks in Oakland.
Needless to say, I sat on my hands for the duration of the contest, because I wanted that fortnight in paradise! I really wished I could live in Oakland. Besides the obvious attractions of the crime rate and poverty level, Oakland was known to me and all students of public administration as one of the holy shrines of the "progressive" socialist movement.
Tell you what, Oakland, you're awesome. You got Jack London Square, down at the wharf, named after the seminal socialist writer and agitator from a century ago. You got the prominent grand experiments in social policy that made you such a pastoral wonderland in the 1960s. Of course, you got Jerry Brown, your far-left former mayor who's now the governor of your smooth-running state. And right next door? The People's Republic of Berkeley!
Of course, Oakland's a big city, so you're gonna see reports and news footage of the sort of occasional violence that's unavoidable in such places. Recent video has shown police in riot gear, Oakland citizens throwing rocks and bottles at cops and at each other, businesses being vandalized, property being damaged, and out-of-town visitors being savagely beaten by hordes of black-clad thugs.
But lately it's spread beyond the typical Raiders game. Protestors are actually perpetrating this sort of violence in the streets of Oakland, right downtown!
The purpose is obvious, of course. Oakland, like all cities in these tough economic times, is in heavy competition with other cities (not least among them their neighbors across the bay) for tourism dollars. They also want to attract new businesses to their city. They need that expanded tax base to fund things like football and protesting. So when the cameras are rolling, Oaklanders are out there showing off!
If you own a business, you definitely want to move it to Oakland. Or maybe you should just move there and start one! Risk your capital, build some wealth, get some folks off the unemployment rolls. Do all that in Oakland, and see what a warm welcome you'll get!
Sure, they have a little violence out there, but Oakland is still a socialist utopia in America. What you won't find there are any objective journalists, Tea Partiers, or humor writers ragging on the noble protestors or wagging their critical little fingers. After all, while conservatives are accustomed to sarcasm from everyone from Jon Stewart to "The Onion," leftists definitely cannot take a joke.
Sticks and stones? Never hurt anybody. But words? Those might just break your bones!
by Michael D. Hume, M.S.
Michael Hume is a speaker, writer, and consultant specializing in helping people maximize their potential and enjoy inspiring lives. As part of his inspirational leadership mission, he coaches executives and leaders in growing their personal sense of well-being through wealth creation and management, along with personal vitality.
Michael and his wife, Kathryn, divide their time between homes in California and Colorado. They are very proud of their offspring, who grew up to include a homemaker, a rock star, a service talent, and a television expert. Two grandchildren also warm their hearts! Visit Michael's web site at http://michaelhume.net/

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Reasons Why Laughter Is the Best Medicine

You must have heard since your childhood that "Laughter is the best medicine". But in the modern competitive world, man people hardly care about the saying and believe that laughter has no major role in their health. But such people do not realize that they are making a grave mistake until simple moments of life make them realize the same. Laughter has got a major role in maintaining good health including a healthy mind. Many believe that laughter only acts as a temporary source of happiness. But laughter not only provides us with a source of happiness but also keeps away many diseases. There are many diseases and adverse conditions such as stress, fatigue etc. where laughter works better than any actual medicine. Here are a few points to show how laughter is the best medicine:1. A recent study by cardiologists proved that a person who has a habit of laughing frequently has a lesser chance of facing a heart attack. Laughter might not be directly related to prevention of heart attack but it reduces mental stress. And mental stress results in impairment of the endothelium, the protective barrier lining our blood vessels. This in turn results in a series of reactions that result in building of fat and cholesterol in the arteries leading to heart attack. So, laughter indirectly also prevents heart attack.
2. Laughter decreases the chances of a stroke. This is because of the blood vessel expansion during laughing keeps away the possibility of stroke.
3. Laughing is believed to be a good cardio workout which increases flow of blood by about 22%. Watching a comedy movie resulting in a good dose of laughter is believed to give body the same effect provided during a 15-30 minutes workout.
4. The respiratory system acquires more air during laughter which is good for the body. This is due to the expansion of respiratory valves during laughter. It also helps our respiratory tract clean. Thus, laughter is a very good medicine for our breathing mechanism.
5. It is proved that laughing helps to control sugar level in the blood. So, if you have diabetes then try to enjoy life and laugh everyday. Because only medicines cannot control these sugar levels at times. Laughter and happiness have also been proven to helpful for diabetes patients.
6. It is believed that a stress free body will have less diseases. Laughing helps to create a stress free mind. It is said that there is no tension during laughter. And a relieved and stress free body results in a healthy body more often than not. So, it is not easy for diseases to affect a person who is happy and laughs everyday. So, laughter tends to be a cost free medicine for all kinds of ailments.
7. Laughter has no side effects for sure whereas all modern-day medicines have got some side effects. So, we can laugh without worrying about any harm caused to us. Laughter can never harm us but only help us all the time.
8. Laughter is also proven to enhance the facial beauty of a person. Laughter results in movements of the lips and the facial muscles. It has been observed that people who have a good sense of humor and who laugh everyday also have a beautiful face. Due to the amount of facial exercise in laughter there is good amount of blood circulation in the face resulting in a glowing face.
A happy mind leads to a happy body and soul. And there are hardly many things that can result in more happiness than a genuine dose of laughter. So, try to be happy and laugh every day of your life. It will release all the pressure and make this world a lot better place to live in for you as well as for others.
The author is a webmaster who loves fun and funny websites. He also owns ohmagif.com where he updated animated gif including but not limited to funny gif.

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Oxymoron: Politically Correct Sense of Humor

A certain politically incorrect comedian begins getting a lot of attention, because this comedian starts sharing funny, politically incorrect opinions. This comedian begins the process of getting everyone to be aware that EVERYONE was fair game to be made fun of regardless of their "protected" class, power, fame, or money! Starting slowly, the trend began to develop. Everyone began to want to enjoy having opinions and laughing at everyone else like the politically incorrect comedian did.Everyone began to see that having politically incorrect opinions and laughing at how seriously everyone took everything, was worth more than all the money, fame, and power in the entire world. Having opinions that involved laughing at everything that was politically incorrect could make you so healthy, too! Politically incorrect comedy and having your own politically incorrect opinions could even make you enjoy your food and beverages so much that the need for drugs, sleep and even sex was reduced because people could now have QUALITY food, sleep, and sex experiences instead of QUANTITY food, sleep, and sex experiences!
In the fall of 2011, the world's pharmaceutical companies, the medical establishment and the military industrial complexes and the corporations, etc., saw the risk that this new trend had for the status quo and they all got together with their powerful lobbyists to influence politicians and so the WORLD HUMOR OPINION ADMINISTRATION (WHOA) was secretly formed. WHOA would determine strategies to use to prevent that comedian and others that were politically incorrect from remaining free to do politically incorrect humor. WHOA had a mission to prevent that comedy from influencing others. WHOA wanted to prevent people from becoming inconveniently funny and thus intractable, otherwise people might opt out of "getting with the program", they might also opt out of "getting in line," consuming, etc., and "horrors of horrors", they might even become free!
WHOA began investigating all politically incorrect comedians. WHOA learned comedians really "took off" being politically incorrect as a result of hearing about a certain teacher who was about to be fired because she had used Facebook to state an OPINION!. It became clear to these comedians when anyone could be demonized for their opinion, then there was little, if anything to lose, so the comedians started doing politically incorrect comedy.
Due to this politically incorrect comedy, it became clear to the WORLD HUMOR OPINION ADMINISTRATION that just squelching opinions was insufficient, because opinions, if they were allowed to emerge, might be a source for HUMOR. For, it was discovered, that just with an opinion, anyone's opinion, a comedian could turn the opinion around, therefore UPSETTING THE ENTIRE WORLD! So naturally, to save the world from this new CURSE, namely politically incorrect comedy, all opinions AND all comedy had to be squelched, and the HUMOR OPINION POLICE, under the direction of the 2012 WORLD HUMOR OPINION ADMINISTRATION, had to shut down ALL comedy and all opinion EVERYWHERE.
Just before midnight on December 31, 2011, suspecting what might occur coinciding with the APOCAPLYTIC Mayan 2012 date, alternative comics and the few who still had their opinions instead of their opinions having them, and those few who still had their sense of humor intact were gathered by the ghost of Groucho Marx. They were somewhere in Alabama, near (where the) Tusksaloosa; they huddled deciding their strategy to re-introduce comedy and opinion back to the world.
They decided to begin with determining that humor and owning ones opinion is relative instead of absolute, and thus can only be relatively, instead of absolutely, "owned". Similarly, they considered that even owning ones own personality is also a relative idea, because hardly anyone "has" their own personality, because most of us are illusions to ourselves, and so personality "owns" us. They determined that the idea of "owning" anything is an illusion, ("the owning illusion") and that owning anything is the funniest subject of all humor everywhere, and for all time and in all space, too!. They determined that even humor and opinion are illusions and that humor and opinion, as illusions, must be relative, and merely relatively funny! ABSOLUTE HUMOR, they determined, can exist only if and when the humor makes you laugh and cry simultaneously. They decided that is EXACTLY what the world needs, as they all proceeded to laugh and cry hysterically!
B. Todish can be reached at btodish@verizon.net

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Ugly Christmas Sweater Shopping - On the Hunt

If you are wondering how to, "Dress like it's 1994 AND party in THE PRESENT" then you have come to the right place. More specifically, we will show you how to dress like a present, or at least how to pull off an Ugly Christmas Sweater while remaining that suave guy/girl that you act like at parties. As with any daring fashion decision, confidence is key! But first, you must find that fantastic sweater!To secure the perfect party sweater is no small feat. Where are the gems hiding you ask? In closets, in thrift stores, online and, possibly, in your own closet...
Guide to Snagging
Well, mom or grandma's closet is one place to look. The trick here is to flatter and not offend. If your mother and/or grandmother is not particularly fashion-forward, be sure not to ask for an "ugly sweater" to borrow. Ask for something cute and Christmasy and you will likely find exactly what you need!
Guide to Online Shopping
Sometimes the easiest, quickest, most fun way to shop is online in the comfort of your own home! You can surf in your snuggie and find some of the MOST HILARIOUS sweaters in the whole wide world right on the worldwide web.
Guide to Secondhand Shopping
If you are not a seasoned professional bargin-hunter, prepare for an adventure into a whole new realm of retail. A crazy concoction of the good, the bad, the ugly and a whole lotta WTF? Thrift stores are notoriously riddled with old junk, but amid the jam-packed junk racks you might just find a diamond in the rough. The thrill of the chase is exciting for seasoned professionals, but can be overwhelming for newbies.
Helpful Hints: Go to the Christmas/Seasonal/Holiday Section. Every thrift store will have one at least a month prior to Xmas. This is where everything festive they've saved up for the past 12 months is proudly displayed. It often saves you a lot of digging around!
If you are concerned about money, honey, just go where the deals are! Often, thrift stores have sales, coups to clip, dealios, half-price days, and, on occasion, "all the crap you can stuff in a paper bag" sales. So be on the lookout for the supa-sales.
Sometimes these shops can get picked over. So go early, go often and try to hit up a few dingier hole-in-the-wall shops. That's where the treasure hides! Trust me, I'm a seasoned professional.
Martha McCarthy is an entrepreneur and digital marketing expert. She is the founder and president of The Social Lights, a digital marketing agency based in Minneapolis, MN. She is also the co-founder and CEO of http://www.uglyxmasparty.com/ a site she founded with her brother in 2008.
Martha enjoys bringing brands to life online through storytelling. She uses multimedia platforms and infuses audio, video, graphics and highly compelling content. To see her work visit: http://about.me/MarthaMcCarthy

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Top Ten Signs You're As Intelligent As David Letterman

10 - S&P downgraded your IQ.9 - You just got a brain scan and the machine said, "Please deposit some sense for the next 55 years."
8 - You blame George W. Bush for everything from the U.S. economy to hurricane Irene to the Japanese Tsunami to your receding hair line.
7 - You developed a gap between your teeth by speaking from both sides of your mouth.
6 - When Barack Obama said he campaigned in 57 States, you said, "If he had started earlier, he could've covered all 60."
5 - You supported candidate Barack Obama for president because you figured a guy who has experience in absolutely nothing and is so clueless that he thinks Johnny Cash is a pay toilet -- hey, it's almost like you have a twin brother.
4 - You hate Sarah Palin because she's proven herself to be a smart women who can be governor of a State and write books. You, on the other hand, have proven that with nothing else but dumb luck, any monkey on a rock can run a dog and pony show.
3 - You supported presidential candidate Barack Obama because you figured he cannot possibly repeat all the mistakes the last president made in eight years. And you were right. He did it in one year.
2 - When Barack Obama said, "On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes -- and I see many of them in the audience here today... " you said, "What a president! Even our fallen heroes come to hear him speak!"
1 - S&P just downgraded your IQ again. It's now so low you're even starting to look like David Letterman.
In all seriousness, I tried to find something nice to say about tooth-gap Dave. But fiction was never my forte.
For sound advise on who is or is not a good political candidate, entertainers should be the last people to rely on. Barack Obama is one excellent example of how misled the public can get by false impressions perpetuated by public figures who rely more on image than experience and accomplishments.
To now have little to say about the complete and utter failure of the Barack Obama presidency, yet still talk about the "failures" of George W. Bush, and the imagined "incompetence" of a brilliant and vibrant person like Sarah Palin, shows the great disconnect some entertainers have with honesty and reality.

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Movie Star Maps

Since movie stars have moved into the big mansions of Beverly Hills and Bel-Air, vendors have sold maps of their homes with varying accuracy. Although most stars resent unwanted intrusions of fans, many take it with good humor. Sitting in his swimming pool, Oliver Hardy would welcome fans who climbed over his fence. "Hey, how about a dip?" In the earliest days, Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks would drive up next to people with star maps and ask them for directions. And more recently, television producer Aaron Spelling would come out and pitch show ideas to tourists.Sometimes the famous have special relationships with their fans at their houses. Before he became an ultra recluse, Elvis Presley loved taking his Memphis relatives on tours of the star's homes. The singer who was in no way hypocritical, once shocked his date Natalie Wood by taking time to chat with fans who had blocked his driveway, after they moved out of the way to let him park. Jack Benny and George Burns, who like Ozzy Osbourne gave out their addresses on their TV shows, used to instruct their maids to give out autograph pictures to fans who knocked. If Benny and Burns answered the door themselves you might get invited in for lemonade. And Doris Day's love of homeless animals brought unexpected baggage after she sold her home. For several years after the new owners posted a sign that said, "Please do not leave your small dogs and cats, Miss Day has moved!"
Many celebrities simply tire of the fan attention. Paul Newman and Joann Woodward put their Beverly Hills house on sale after they found out it was on the star maps. Pop star Prince threw rocks at passing tour buses. Sara Michelle Gellar threatened to one up him and shoot their tires out. Ozzy Osbourne, famous for calling the police on to chase off lookyloos away from his Beverly Hills property, one day answered the door to greet some teenagers. "Come on in, Kelly's upstairs." "Great, he wants us to meet his daughter." The light bulb of recognition lit up in Ozzy's brain. "Wait a minute, who are you?" "We're just some kids who found your house on the star map." Ozzy swore, threatened to get the dogs and chased them off.
With all their complaints of loss of privacy the stars often use the maps themselves. Anthony Hopkins idolized the late Humphrey Bogart and had to see his house. The reclusive Woody Allen had to meet Jack Benny and parked in front of the comedian's house for hours to get a quick greeting. After creating headlines by making an obscene gesture to the paparazzi in Mexico, Britney Spears returned home and bought a map to the stars homes and went on a tour with her girlfriends. When they found Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's house in Beverly Hills the tiny Britney Spears stood on the car hood to peak over her hedges and almost fell off and hurt herself. And once, actor Lee Marvin was so drunk he couldn't find his house, so he pulled over and bought a star map to locate it. Unfortunately, it was newly built and not on the map yet!
Author Stephen Schochet is a professional tour guide in Hollywood who years ago began collecting little known, humorous anecdotes to tell to his customers. His new book Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! The book contains a timeless treasure trove of colorful vignettes featuring an amazing all-star cast of icons including John Wayne, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, Jack Nicholson, Johnny Depp, Shirley Temple, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Errol Flynn, and many others both past and contemporary. Tim Sika, host of the radio show Celluloid Dreams on KSJS in San Jose has called Stephen, "The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard." Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or wherever books are sold. For more information go to http://www.hollywoodstories.com/

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