A Little Friday File Fun (01/09)
Well, here’s a couple of thousand worth…
Time marches on – and takes its toll. Nowhere does that seem to be more evident than in the nation’s presidency. Well, the good folks at popphoto.com have taken a shot at showing us what the President-elect might look like in four years…but for my money, the scarier images are the ones for Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain. MORE at http://www.popphoto.com/popularphotographyfeatures/5253/the-candidates-how-will-they-look-in-four-years.html/
OK, mostly billboards are, at best, something of an eyesore along the highway. But here’s a collection of really creative designs on that most American of advertising mediums. MORE at http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2009/01/05/clever-and-creative-billboard-advertising/
Think you have a tough job? Check out the working conditions of this contractor for the Public Service of New Hampshire as they upgrade power lines. MORE at http://images.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=SO&Date=20090106&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=90106019&Ref=AR&maxH=230&maxW=370&border=0&Q=80
- - - In Vail, Colorado , at Blue Sky Basin, an unnamed skier, aged 48, and a child boarded a high-speed lift here - - - but then the chairlift's fold-down seat was apparently not in the lowered position - - - which caused the man to partially fall through the resulting gap - - - and then his right ski got jammed in the ascending chairlift - - - and that kept him upended, since his boot never dislodged from its binding - - - now, he wound up being stuck for only about 15 minutes - - - and upended for only half that time (easy for us to say "only") before Vail personnel backed the lift up and successfully dislodged the unidentified man from the four-seat chair - - - but, in the process of being stuck and upended, apparently the man was also - - - de-pantsed - - - you can see events unfold at http://i.cdn.turner.com/trutv/thesmokinggun.com/graphics/art4/0106091vail5.jpg
http://web1.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0106091vail1.html
And here's a thousand more...
- - - In Clermont, Florida , Jason Vibber, 25, was spotted behind some apartments here - - - wearing latex gloves and carrying a TV - - - police were called - - - and they caught him, they said he had managed to steal not only a TV, but also a computer monitor, hard drive and jewelry - - - he was charged with burglary, grand theft and resisting arrest with violence - - - and was, according to police, "visibly upset" when arrested - - - I think he's going to have a rough time in jail - - - you can perhaps see why at http://www.wftv.com/2009/0102/18399308_240X135.jpg
And here's one you won't believe...
- - - In Arad, Romania , Mirela Gradinaru, 37, had to undergo surgery for a truly unusual predicament - - - as a large can of hairspray somehow managed to get wedged in her - - - well, let's just say that the surgeons have yet to get to the "bottom" of it - - - the x-ray is online at http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2105253.ece
In 1979, the Y.M.C.A. filed a lawsuit against the Village People over their song, "Y.M.C.A."
The suit was later dropped (those of you so inclined can view the original Y.M.C.A. video below:
If you can't view the above video, try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2k
TRIVIAL PURSUITS: Basketball is a sport whose history is frequently associated with the Y.M.C.A., since it was at Springfield College (then the Y.M.C.A. training school) that James Naismith in 1891 invented the sport.
What other popular sport was "invented" at the Y.M.C.A.?
In February 1895, inHolyoke,Massachusetts, William G Morgan, a YMCA physical education director, created a new game called Mintonette. The game, which was developed just ten miles away and four years from basketball's creation, was designed to be "slower paced and easier for the more senior members of the Y than basketball.
Oh - and the name of that sport quickly was changed to Volleyball.