- October 19, 2012 -

I finally changed my facebook picture. I had to look around for a bit until I found a good one, but at least it's changed now so no one gets bored seeing the same ol' pic over & over for too long. After that I synch'd Quicken with my bank, made sure all was OK there & then I cleaned the bathroom sink, cleaned out & neatened up a drawer in the dresser, dusted the dining room walls & wall decor, mopped the living room, & dusted my office PC. After that I checked eBay, went through the week's mail, & then finished the

afghan I've been knitting. Next I start the red & white one that's going to look SO nice! I loaded up Sims & worked on heart of Texas, this time completing the dining area, foyer, & covered front & back porches. It's starting to look REAL nice. Then I loaded up one of the houses I built & designed called simply LizC864 4 (one of my houses without a formal name). I created Aaron, a workaholic who is charismatic, clumsy, a born salesman, & has a photographer's eye. He decided to become a CEO, so he joined the business career. He likes hot dogs, custom music, & the color Lilac (just like I do). He's a Leo. His furry companion is a German Shepherd called Wagger. He's hydrophobic, noisy, & hyper (thanks to Wagger, we have freezer bunnies ALL OVER the place!). At work, Aaron met & married Fatima Simovitch & they adopted Ancha dog. Aaron & Fatima had a little girl named Christine (2nd

generation). She's excitable & brave, a Pisces, likes Latin music, sushi, & the color grey. She's also mean spirited. Wagger & Ancha had puppies & the family kept 1 & named her Lizzy (2nd generation). She's noisy (more freezer bunnies!) & piggy. Christine has met Nicholas Blake at school. There's a good chance those 2 will marry someday. Yesterday morning I went on an EMS call, came back, drove Josh to work, came back again, & loaded up Sims again.

This time I play LizC864 9. This was a REALLY interesting game. Very unusual in so many ways. Nikki (2nd generation) is grumpy, disciplined, an Aquarius, likes Indie music, vegetarian grilled salmon, the color orange, loves the outdoors, & is a great kisser. Her mom cheated on her dad with a guy from work (they're both in the music industry). Dad caught her & now they fight every night at home. Dad has slapped the crap out of her on more than one

occasion, & right before I closed down the game for the night, they got divorced! I didn't tell them to, they just did! I had no idea they could do that without me telling them to. Huh! Nikki has 2 friends in school that look hopeful for marriage someday. Gene Stacy & Johnpaul Winslow. We'll see who she ends up choosing during prom. Anyway, both parents (now divorced ... WOW!) are 5 star celebrities & mom is a level 10 rock star. The amount of gifts

flowing into the home on a constant basis are amazing. Cars ... car after car! Grand pianos, a television that can't be bought, refrigerators, Sim goggles, a CAR that can't be bought, hot tubs, etc. We kept most of the stuff & are up to a total of 10 cars with more still coming in. I traded in all the duplicate cars for different ones, so we currently have 10 different cars. One of them is a motorcycle & I just found out that a teen can't drive a car until the "learn

to drive", but motorcycles don't count. They can hop on one of those & take off any time they want to. Hmmm. Interesting. Oh yeah, back in the LizC864 4 game from the previous day: Aaron runs around naked now! I don't get it! He dresses for the weekends & to go to bed, but when he goes to work he's NAKED. Completely! I've never seen that happen in the Sims. When a Sim gets naked to take a shower it pixelizes so you can't "see" them ... not this time

though, Aaron goes everywhere naked M-F. Anyway, back to LizC864 9 ... with all the gifts that keep flowing in, the total worth of the house & contents is almost $700k now. It's by far the most expensive house I've ever had in the Sims. The weekly bills total over $13k a week. Mom is retired now, & her weekly retirement comes to a total of $2,450. Not bad for retirement! Nikki's useful trait was "disciplined", so I went & bought her what she needed to

practice the martial arts skill. She's doing great with that, he athletic level is increasing as a result, & when she gets fatigued, she meditates. Meditation has some neat tricks with it. When she got better at it, she started levitating off the floor. When she got better still, she could suddenly zeneport to any location she desires. Pretty cool! That's a time-saver. :) Sometime in the middle of this game I went on a smoke investigation call & then came

back to pick up where I paused. Pete took off work today so we spent the day running errands. 1st we did LCFD banking stuff, then we went to dispatch to pick up some needed information, then went to my bank to do personal banking, then picked Josh up from work, then came back & I dropped Pete off at someone's house so he could chat with them about some pretty important stuff while I came here to the house & ran a bunch of numbers to prove

that someone's been lying about us. I just love when I have PROOF that someone is bullsh---ing! And now ... I'm here. Hi everyone! :) LCFD Fundraiser tomorrow at 4 at the Milligan Water building. Come on out & support your fire department! Say hi, have a dinner, enter our raffle ... we have great prizes!

1st thank-you comes at the end of the party. In some parts of the country, a 2nd

thank-you by phone is customary the next day, a gesture that's gracious anywhere. A written thank-you is in order if the party was formal. In fact, a written note is always appreciated, no matter how casual the get-together.

Carpool or take public transportation. Reduce car trips by bundling errands into 1

trip, making stops along the way. Your car will spew less pollution, consume less

gasoline, & you'll save time & money!

Census takers won't come to your __________ because they don't bother counting __________.

Control unruly cords around your desk with a cord organizer. A cord organizer is a blexible tube that allows you to contain a bundle of cords. The cord organizer keeps the cords neat & tangle-free.

Ed McMahon was the announcer on which show for many years?

A. The Late Show with David Letterman

B. Late Night with Conan O'Brien

C. Jimmy Kimmel Live!

D. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Answer: D. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Fire sweeps through Oakland hills (1991):

On this day in 1991, a fire begins in the

hills of Oakland, California. It went on to  burn thousands of homes and kill 25 people. Despite the fact that fires had ravaged the same area three times earlier in the century, people continued to build

homes there.

Fires had previously raged through the hills in 1923, 1970 and 1980. Each time, the fires occurred during autumn in a year with relatively little precipitation, and, each time, the residents rebuilt and moved back

in as soon as possible. The deadly 1991 fire can be traced to a small fire at 7151 Buckingham Boulevard on October 18. Firefighters responded quickly and thought they had brought the blaze under control. However, heat from the fire had caused pine needles to fall from the trees and cover the ground.

When highly flammable debris, also known as "duff," accumulates on the ground, fires can smolder unseen. At 10:45 a.m. on October 19, strong winds blew one of these unseen fires up a hillside; changing wind patterns then caused it to spread in different directions.

The winds were so intense and the area was so dry that within an hour close to 800 buildings were on fire. The wind then blew southwest, pushing the fire toward San Francisco Bay. In some places, the temperature reached 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, making it virtually impossible to fight the fire effectively. Homeowners attempted to hose down their roofs, but were often thwarted when water pipes burst from the fire. Also, many homes had wooden shingle roofs that were particularly susceptible to fire—it took only 10 minutes in some cases for a house to be brought down by the flames.

Firefighting efforts were constrained by the fact that the affected homes were located on steep hills with very narrow streets. This made it difficult to maintain radio communications and to move large fire engines close to the flames. The fire spread so rapidly that firefighters were unable to establish a perimeter. When the fire was finally contained the following day, 25 people had lost their lives, 150 people were injured and 3,000 homes and 1,500 acres had been consumed. The total tally of damages was $1.5 billion.

In the aftermath, authorities attempted to reduce the likelihood of a similar fire breaking out the in the future. Laws were changed regarding the maximum height of trees permitted and the type of vegetation that was allowable in the area. In addition, most homes that have been rebuilt do not have wooden roofs.

Have an inconsistent income? Set aside an amount that equals the # of months before you think you're going to get an income. Then multiply it by your monthly expenses. That's putting yourself on salary.

Pickwickian:

1: Marked by simplicity & generosity. 2: Intended or taken in a sense other than the obvious or literal one.

When they say the project is "finished," they mean that only in a Pickwickian sense.

The term "Pickwickian" comes from Samuel Pickwick, the name of a simple & benevolent character in Charles Dickens' novel The Pickwick Papers. Early in the novel, Mr. Pickwick accuses another character, Mr. Blotton, of behaving in "a vile & calumnious manner," & in return is called "a humbug." Only later is the reader made aware that all was said in jest, & that the 2 men are actually the best of friends.

Pipeline explosions kills 700 in Nigeria (1998):

On this day in 1998, a pipeline explosion in

Jesse, Nigeria, kills 700 people. The resulting fire burned for nearly a week.

Nigeria is an oil-rich country on the west coast of Africa. The oil fields are controlled by several multi-national corporations in cooperation with the Nigerian government. Very little of the proceeds from oil exports reaches the average citizen of the country and millions of people live in abject poverty. In fact, gas pipelines run right through impoverished villages.

One such pipeline ran through the town of Jesse, where it became commonplace for residents to steal oil from the pipeline to supplement their meager incomes. This was known as "bunkering" and was taking place on October 18, when a helicopter was dispatched to disperse the people assembled at the pipeline. Just after the helicopter arrived, a massive fireball shot up 100 feet into the sky. The exact cause of the explosion remains unknown.

The pipeline explosion incinerated hundreds of people instantly. Others died from agonizing burn injuries. The fire burned so hot that rescue workers could not approach the scene for six days. Meanwhile, survivors, some suffering from terrible burns, were afraid to go to the hospital for fear that they would be charged with theft or be blamed for causing the fire.

Finally, specialists from Houston, Texas, arrived with firefighting foam that helped the firefighters extinguish the blaze. Heavier security surrounding the pipelines was instituted in the wake of this disaster.

Public Radio Player:

*** FEATURES ***
* 500+ public radio News, Culture and Music (jazz, classical, indie, folk, etc.) streams from the U.S.
* 1000+ on demand programs
* News, Culture, and Music of all kinds (jazz, classical, indie, folk, etc.)
* Background audio (select iOS/devices only)
* iPod background controls
* Retinal display
* Alarm clock & sleep timer
The Public Radio Player offers streaming audio from public radio stations across the United States. The Player currently offers more than 500 station streams and 1,000 on-demand programs. The app has been downloaded millions of times and has ranked as one of the top free apps on iTunes since its debut in the fall of 2008.

Reduce the flow of incoming paper. Do this by signing up for e-mail notifications & online banking. This not only reduces the inflow of paper but also helps you find old bills or bank statements more quickly. Rather than sorting through the paper piles on yor desk you can log in & find any credit card statement in just seconds!

Roommate's Polite Adieu:

• Warn early & fairly; state a good reason.
• Give the person a chance to fix any problems.
• Be honest, benevolently.
• Be respectful & kind.
• Don't burn bridges. things change; you might reconnect & try again someday. 

Use your whole body as you yawn. The deep exhalation is relaxing & the stretch loosens your muscles.

Vogue:

1a: Popular acceptation of favor. b: A period of popularity. 2: 1 that is in fashion at a particular time.

Jack arrived at the wedding wearing a sports jacket that had been out of vogue for at least a couple of decades.

Call it a fashion, a mode, a craze, a rage, or a vogue - whichever word you choose, you're talking about being up-to-date & stylish. "Fashion" is the most general of those terms, & it applies to any kind of dress, behavior, or writing that is in favor at a given time. Use "mode" to describe the fashion of the moment among those who want to appear sophisticated & elegant. Save "craze" & "rage" for intense enthusiasm in adopting a fad. For something that's a widely accepted style, go with "vogue." Despite its modern association with fashion, the word "vogue" doesn't derive from the garment industry, but rather from the Old Italian verb vogare, which meant "to row."

What Hollywood couple posed as a 1960s-era husband and wife for a 60-page W magazine photo feature entitled “Domestic Bliss”?

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, with a passel of kids, in 2005 while Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston.

What is the three-word motto of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point?

Duty, Honor, Country.

What members of the Girl Scouts are known as Juliettes?

Wheel of Fortune Platinum:

-1800 new puzzles from the Wheel of Fortune show producers
-All-new turn-based multiplayer mode (NOTE: Requires iOS 5)
-Live game multiplayer stability fixes
-Facebook & Twitter sharing
Take the new Wheel of Fortune Platinum for a spin! With "true to the show" sound effects, music, and customizable contestants, you can have all of the sizzle of the popular game show in your hands.
Wheel of Fortune Platinum features over 1800 updated puzzles written by the producers of the show, global leaderboards, multi-player modes, theme weeks, and plenty of In-App purchases for more avatar choices and 1800 additional puzzles. Download Wheel of Fortune Platinum today and call out letters all day and night!
FEATURES:
-OPENING VIDEO, GRAPHICS, STUDIO, SOUND EFFECTS, AND MUSIC STRAIGHT FROM THE TV SHOW
-1800+ GAME PUZZLES WRITTEN BY THE PRODUCERS OF THE SHOW (IN THE *MAIN CONTENT* PACK)
-TV SHOW MODE FOR TRUE RULES AND GAMEPLAY
-TOSS-UP, AND SPEED-UP MODES FOR QUICK CASUAL PLAY
-PASS-N-PLAY MULTIPLAY FOR FAMILY FUN
-LOCAL WIFI MULTIPLAY
-LIVE AND TURN-BASED MULTIPLAY
-CAREER STATS
-GLOBAL LEADERBOARDS
-THEME WEEKS WITH CUSTOM WRITTEN PUZZLES AND WEDGES
-IN-APP PURCHASES FOR ADDITIONAL STYLISH CONTESTANT CLOTHING, HATS, BEARDS, AND HAIR STYLE CHOICES
-IN-APP PURCHASES FOR 1800 ADDITIONAL PUZZLES

Which country produces the most cork?

A. Spain

B. Algeria

C. Portugal

CAB. Although screw-top wine bottles seem to be taking over, Portugal still churns out corks by the multi-million.

Which creature has the most eyes?

A. Dragonfly

B. Caterpillar

C. Spider

ACB. The dragonfly has a compound eye, which means it has thousands of tiny little corneas, lenses, & photoreceptor cells. This gives them a large view angle & the ability to detect fast movement. Dragonflies are buzzing!

Which kind of whale is the largest?

A. Blue whale

B. Humpback whale

C. Sperm whale

Which of these are types of iPods?

Pearl, Shuffle, Jam, Rhapsody, Nano, Touch

Shuffle, Nano, & Touch

You get a "brain freeze" when something cold touches what?

A. Your tongue

B. The roof of your mouth

C. Your teeth

D. Your uvula

Your credit score isn't an indication that you're smart. It's not an indication that you're winning with money or that you have money. It's an indication that you borrowed money & paid it back a lot. It says you love to play kissy face with the bank. That's what your credit score is.