… a popular theme park is taken over by cats every night? Disneyland, the huge theme park in Anaheim, California, is overrun by stray cats every night. The park embraces the cats, because they keep the mouse population in check. Disney even treats the cats like pets, including spaying and neutering and making sure they are up to date on their shots. (There’s something disquieting about Disneyland using cats to keep down … mice.)

… goats have been used as torture devices? The “tickle torture,” devised by the ancient Romans, involved dipping the victim’s feet in salt water, then bringing in a goat to lick the salt water off. It would begin as something ticklish, but would soon degenerate to real pain. (A baaa-a-a-d thing to do.)

… ancient Romans always entered the home of a friend with their right foot? The Romans believed the left side of the body was thought to portend evil. The Latin word for left, in fact, is sinister. Our English word “sinister” means anything malevolent or threatening, and it derives directly from that Roman belief. (A pretty sinister thought.)

… only six species of animal are known to be able to recognize themselves in a mirror? Humans, of course, but also apes, dolphins, orcas, elephants, and European magpies have shown the ability to recognize themselves in mirrors, and not think the image is a different animal. (Humans are, however, the only ones who don’t always like what they see.)

… the Earth’s ozone layer is vital to life? Sure, you don’t breathe it, but ozone – a molecule consisting of three atoms of oxygen bonded together – blocks much of the ultraviolet light that comes from the Sun. A 10% loss of the Earth’s ozone could result in 300,000 additional skin cancers and 1.75 million additional cases of cataracts world-wide each year. (Save the ozone!)

… the apple has been a symbol of love since the time of the ancient Greeks? The Celts believed that the apple represented love because it lasted so long after being picked. (I wish love lasted as long.)

… a fully-loaded supertanker needs 20 minutes to stop at normal speeds? The captain of the ship has to cut the tankers’ engines 15 miles away from the dock to be able to safely get into port. (That’s a long time to stand on the brakes!)

… some ancient customs were really extreme? Take, for example, the ancient customs observed by inhabitants of the island of Fiji. Back in the day, when a man on Fiji died, it was expected that his wives, his friends, and his slaves should all be strangled. (No comment.)

… the comprehension level of the American people has declined? Yeah, like you needed me to tell you that. But you can also prove it, at least with one indicator: according to studies, modern-day speeches by American presidents are geared to the comprehension level of a seventh grade student. By comparison, speeches by presidents in the late 1960s and early 1970s were geared to twelfth-grade comprehension. (I’ll let you select the president you want to pick on about this.)

Now … you know!

After the 1st round of fire extinguishers …
his ass flared up again.

Commence with the new nicknames…..

Go Leftists!

Is that Adolf Schickelgruber?

humm

I lucked out and found a Bostitch framing nailer on clearance at Lowe’s. Something like $220 marked down to $55; I thought the display was the last one, but an employee found one new in box in the overhead. They had a bunch of nails on clearance too, so I still have boxes of those.

That more or less completed my nailer assortment. I’ve got the DeWalt 20v Max finish nailer, Ryobi 18v brad and pin nailers, and pneumatic Makita and Hitachi roofing nailers.

As for DaBaby, funny how kids grow up, isn’t it? Innocent Austrian kid to failed artist to German Corporal to failed coup and prison time, all before rocketing to the top of the German government, seeing some of the country’s greatest victories, then [mis]leading the entire nation and its allies into abject and total defeat.