Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Alternative Fuel


I'm no Ed Beagly but I do think we should look at some alternative fuels in this time of crisis. Doing my part I just purchased this alternative fuel car from my local Caddy dealer. I discovered after it was to late that I was the alternative fuel! Not only that but the thing was not air-conditioned as promised and the power steering, again that was left to me... I was the power! Geez, snake oil never really goes out of fashion, it just changes clothes. Had I only knowed. Buyer beware. JW

Sunday, September 25, 2005

The Hell You Say!


I caught this thing trying to crawl out of my ear! I grabbed it and thought, "the hell you say" I'm collecting rent from you... you... little freak!

Post script: The little devil smooth talked me and now I'm left with half a brain and an empty wallet.

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Nosmo King


A friend of my used to be a school teacher, he shared with me many tales of his suffering some funny, some you realized why he got out of that line of work. Names are a funny thing, and many people feel compelled to condemn their children for the rest of their lives.One of the the students in his school was named Nosmo (first) King (last) No smoking. The parents did not want to promote cigarettes and tobacco for that matter, but to name their child nosmo?...Which brings me to the point of the photo. I visited a motel 6 not to long ago in the state of California, a stones throw away from John Wayne Airport. We requested a non-smoking room since we did not smoke so thought we would save ourselves the odor.As the photo shows a non-smoking room means you turn over the ash tray and display the symbol, thrifty but I am not sure affective.You may have noticed we did not request a non-beer drinking room. JW

Gary Nixon


Gary Nixon a flat tracker from the 60's and 70's who I found interesting. I heard many funny stories about the guy, which are and should remain private, he done me no wrong. During the Watergate scandel Cycle News printed a cover shot of him racing with the caption that went somthing like this " The Nixon we can't get rid of". I think his web site is ...I can't remember, just google Gary Nixon Flat Tracker and he should pop up, buy a shirt and shore up his retirement , if you feel so inspired. JW

Ferret Legging... The Sport...



The Man Who Invented Florida (A Doc Ford Novel) by Randy Wayne White
Edition: Paperback
Price: $6.29
Availability: This item is currently unavailable.


11 used from $12.00

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

Mr. White to you, January 7, 2005
Heres how its done (if memory serves) the participant is not allowed to be drunk or on drugs, he/she? is required to wear white baggy trousers with out underthings. They tie the pants at the cuffs and drop two ferrets down the front of sportsman's pants, he then cinch's his pants closed and then they time how long he can keep the ferrets in his trousers before giving into their clawing and biting, the white pants show blood well, a real crowd pleaser.
Well as I recall the record was below a minute for years until this old man came in and dropped the duo down his pants and stood there for over eight hours, the crowd grew bored and left otherwise he could have endured it longer. Apparently this gentleman would hunt with ferrets and this is how he transported them, he admitted that they really scratched and clawed him, why one time one latched onto one of his jewels and it swelled to the size of a coffee can!
I hope Randy wrote this story I lost the magazine years ago and quit subscribing when he and David Quamen dropped their columns.
As for the book anything he writes is worth the time ,buy it!">
Another Doc Ford Classic with Uncle Tucker to aggravate the good Dr. It reminds me of when I read an article in outside magazine around 20 years ago and I believe it was written by Randy I'm not sure, but it was about the obscure sport of "Ferret Legging" which is localized in small pubs in Northern England. Remember the Hemingway quote "There are only two sports, Bullfighting and Motor racing the rest are just games" I think Papa would agree that Ferret legging should be included in the Sport category.
Heres how its done (if memory serves) the participant is not allowed to be drunk or on drugs, he/she? is required to wear white baggy trousers with out underthings. They tie the pants at the cuffs and drop two ferrets down the front of sportsman's pants, he then cinch's his pants closed and then they time how long he can keep the ferrets in his trousers before giving into their clawing and biting, the white pants show blood well, a real crowd pleaser.
Well as I recall the record was below a minute for years until this old man came in and dropped the duo down his pants and stood there for over eight hours, the crowd grew bored and left otherwise he could have endured it longer. Apparently this gentleman would hunt with ferrets and this is how he transported them, he admitted that they really scratched and clawed him, why one time one latched onto one of his jewels and it swelled to the size of a coffee can!
I hope Randy wrote this story I lost the magazine years ago and quit subscribing when he and David Quamen dropped their columns.
As for the book anything he writes is worth the time ,buy it!

Sunday, September 18, 2005

This is Spinal Rap

Review first published 9/18/2005 I dig deep into the archives because I find it interesting to see how I saw things yesterday and how maybe a day later I look at things in a differant light. Whats your favorite movie? I hate this question because most of the ones I think are my favorites are dated and really dont stand up to the ole time test. To the review....



5 out of 5 stars This Movie will put your mind in a half nelson of hilarity, September 19, 2005


Reviewer: Jonathan W. Williams (usa) - See all my reviews


You have to see this movie , it really is like rock bands and the things they say and do , heart wrenching at times and heart warming at others. It reminds me of when I was a Freshman in High School and I signed on for the wrestling team. A few problems here, first of all the weight class's started at 98# I weighed 88# when the moon was not full.
Wrestling requires physical fitness that can not be faked. I was completely confused about the whole game. First of all I was a runt who spent his time goofing off, riding my mini bike, and shooting some hoops. I signed up for this God Awful sport/game/torture and the next thing I know I am running six miles with short little legs that would have equated (if my calculations are correct) to 35 miles.
I managed to compete in a number of meets and remember thinking during the various match's. How did he move that fast? Why do I feel all crunched up? How come he wont let go of me? What did I do to deserve this? I ended up with a perfect record, no wins all loss's... I retired after the first year and to this day am proud of my efforts.
If you dont buy this DVD then I challenge you to a wrestling match! I tell you boxers, martial artists whatever... if you let a wrestler get a hold of you its over, since most fights end up on the ground the wrestler has the advantage. So buy the DVD or suffer my skilled wrath.

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

You can take it with you


Conventional wisdom states that you can't take it with you. Visiting the Beaufort, North Carolina burial ground of "the really dead people place" proved this to be an old wives tale. The marker is the Old English symbol for the dollar. OK it looks like a dollar sign doesn't it? At any rate this is a real old grave marker with a symbol that looks like a early version of the dollar sign, what does it mean? I am to tired to google for the question, I axe you smart person scholar, what does it mean?

Sunday, September 11, 2005

BSE






This is a picture of the side of a life size replica of a bull with udders. The before metioned transgender bull had a bunch of pictures glued to it . I like the picture everytime I look at it I am reminded of the sea.

The Lost Generation





I stole this history from the absinthebuyersguide.com Me I bought the stuff cause I liked the bottle. I had a couple of drinks and decided bad hangover was one quality not mentioned in the below history. I took
the bottle to a Christmas party and they also had a jar of moonshine. ( I drank beer) I was appalled that they did not pay attention to the ritual in drinking this rare drink, they just passed it among one another with the shine. I left in a huff as you can well imagine. So I dont know if it has narcotic quality's but I have a buddy that had four stiff drinks of the stuff and he said he felt funny but remember its strong, almost as strong as moon shine.

Absinthe
was the drink of choice among artist and writers in the mid to late19th century. It inspired poets and appeared in works by Pablo Picasso (left) and Vincent Van Gogh (right). It was drank by the scandalous playwright Oscar Wilde, the eccentric Toulouse-Lautrec, the poets Charles Baudelaire and Edgar Allen Poe, and the famous 20th century author Ernest Hemingway, just to mention a few.

By the end of the 19th century, grape phylloxera had destroyed two-thirds of the vineyards on the continent of Europe. The price of wine skyrocketed and was soon in short supply. The Aristocrats bought and consumed what was available, leaving the middle-class "la bourgeoisie" of artisans and tradesmen searching for a cheaper alternative. Absinthe was already growing in popularity and was a perfect alternative, being a distilled spirit, it was much stronger than wine and had a mysterious effect that heightened the senses. It was perfect for the emerging Bohemian culture growing in Europe.

In the cafés of Paris, the cocktail hour bacame known as "L'Heure Verte", the Green Hour.

As its popularity grew, so did public hysteria over its mysterious effects. Absinthe was the subject of many studies into alcoholism, at the time it was referred to as Absinthism. Its use was even considered a ticket to the insane asylum. In August 1905, Jean Lanfray, a Swiss farmer and known absinthe drinker, shot his entire family. The story made headlines around Europe, proclaiming that he was under the influence of absinthe, and ignored the fact that he had consumed several bottles of wine and other spirits during the course of his day. Absinthe was eventually banned in many countries around the world. Commercial production in Switzerland ended around 1910, and in 1914 for France. The Pernod plant (pictured below) at Pontarlier in France was sold on December 31,1917 after 110 years of production. The Pernod plant served as a field hospital during World War I, and was sold by the Société Veil-Picard & Compagnie to Nestlé, the chocolate company.

According to history, or perhaps myth, the elixir of wormwood was orginally developed by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire in 1789. He was a French doctor who was living in the Suisse town of Couvet, in the Canton of Neuchâtel. The doctor was in self-exile due to political reasons from the Franche-Comté region. It was said that he discovered the plant wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium) while traveling in the Val-de-Travers. He mixed wormwood and other herbs with alcohol to create his 136 proof elixir, which he employed in his treatment of the sick and retched. After many claims of miraculous healing powers, it became a panacea or cure-all. It was eventually nicknamed, "la Fée Verte", which means the Green Fairy.

It was believed that Dr.Ordinaire bequeathed his recipe to Mademoiselle Grand-Pierre, who supposedly sold it to two sisters named Henroid in Couvet. However, historical information suggest that the Henroid sisters were making the distilled elixir before the Doctor arrived in the area. The doctor is credited with being one of the first to promote la Fée Verte.

The Henroid sisters exploited the elixir commercially. They offered samples of the elixir to be sold in nearby pharmacies. In 1797, they sold their recipe to a Frenchman named Major Dubied. In that same year, the Major's daughter "Emilie" married Henri-Louis Pernod. The Major, his son Marcellin, and Pernod built the first commercial absinthe distillery in Couvet under the name of "Dubied Père et Fils".

In 1805 Pernod opened a larger factory across the border on the main street in Pontarlier France under the corporate name of "Maison Pernod Fils". One of the reasons for the move was to avoid the high import taxes at the French border. The main street facility operated two stills producing approximately 16 liters of absinthe per day. As popularity grew, Pernods youngest son, "Louis" purchased 36,000 square meters of land on the banks of Doubs River to build a second factory. The second factory produced more than 400 liters of absinthe per day. By the mid 1850s, the plant had grown to produce 20,000 liters per day. At the height of production, they produced 30,000 liters per day and distributed absinthe to many ports around the world.

Quality of product contributed to the tremendous success of Pernod. Original Pernod Fils absinthe was distilled from wine, also known as the "proof-spirit". Even when the French vineyards suffered from Phylloxera, limiting the availability of wine, Pernod resisted the temptation of using alternative materials such as beets, grains, and potatoes to produce his proof-spirit. Pernod was also very active in monitoring all aspects of production, including the selection of raw materials such as grand wormwood, melissa, and fennel. The Pernod factory reputation for cleanliness was impeccable.

Absinthe is a drink that contains a high-level of alcohol, typically 68%. The most important ingredient of Absinthe is the herb wormwood (Artimisia Absinthium); it is what sets it apart from other drinks and is how it acquired its name. The essential oils in wormwood contains the chemical Thujone, which is a toxin when taken in large amounts. Thujone is said to be responsible for Absinthe's mysterious effects. Other ingredients include; roman wormwood, star anise, anise seed, hyssop, angelica root, calamis root, fennel, coriander, licorice root, lemon balm, dittany, and sweet flag. Absinthe is most often described as having the flavor of liquorice, with a bitter after taste.

Traditionally, Absinthe is prepared by pouring cold water over a cube of sugar resting on a slotted spoon (see photo below left). The cold water dissolves the sugar while diluting the green Absinthe. The sugar helped to mask the bitterness of the absinthium and other oils. As the cold water mixed with the absinthe, it clouds (see photo below right) to an opalescent white with a tint of green or yellow, this effect is called the, "louche", pronounced "loosh". The louche occures when the essential oils are not able to disperse in the water, therefore creating a clouding effect. The mix ratio is according to preference, usually 5 parts water to 1 part absinthe.



Friday, September 09, 2005

Hobos are an unfortunate lot

Not to many years ago there were train tracks with hobos
living next to them. In this not to distant past a number
of "episodes" transpired.These "episodes" are not pretty
but kinda funny cause it was in the kinda distant past
and most of the people involved are dead. In fact the
evil cousin died in a car accident caused by himself.
The family was shocked that he lived so long.
You could live forever but how many children ever
had the opportunity to feed a real life hobo a shit sandwich.

The Shit Sandwich Copyright 2005

I have a friend who watched his cousin shit on a piece
of sliced bread and put another slice on top. Cousin gave
it to a hobo who lived next to the train tracks.The hobo
was grateful until he bit into it and he became angry.
The kids ran with the hobo in hot pursuit
"that goddamn kid fed me a shit sandwich"!


The kids escaped the cousin eventually died by his own Darwin
induced instinct and of course life goes on...I love the story
and I believe. I have heard it so many times and it still
remains pretty consistent.Hoboing aint easy. JWW

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Boobs Sell


I had to post this photo because I was looking at my site and noticed I had not posted any hardcore porn. So I throw caution to the wind and risk having my site removed and myself incarcerated. Enjoy.

Monday, September 05, 2005

David Gray Music Review

Review First Published March 15 2005 (2 days before St.Patricks)

I was forced to write this one on the run and it shows but you know how demanding Amazon can be. They dont give a damn about the art of a review, they just want words and thats what I gave them and demanded my check!How does the saying go? You can give an infinite number of Sea monkeys an infinite number of word processors and eventually one of them will write a review of White Ladder. The spine is the white ladder by the way. 9/6/05 JW




White Ladder ~ David Gray
Price: $10.99
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours


48 used from $5.00

20 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

Wales in Eire, March 15, 2005
Buy the CD its first class and pays homage to Van Morrison so enough said and please stop reading if you dont trust my previous assessment. I visited Ireland in 1999 with my divorced buddies club and one not divorced nor married guy with his girlfriend. We rented two compact cars (six of us) and took off for hostels unknown. We ended up staying at a hostel near Mt. Erigal and climbed the mountain simply because it was there, plus it was not really technical so took little preparation other than finding a parking spot where we would not cause an accident. We left our one buddy back at base camp, he was to hung over to climb so he ended up renting a broken down horse and rode it around a lake infested with some sort of fly that bit first and asked questions later, the questions and answers were found in the pints of Bass or Guinness at the pub across from the hostel where we were staying. We made it up the mountain in a record time for us and took some photos, lounged around soaking up the view and then ambled back down to drive back to the hostel and sit on the back porch listing to the caretakers jam box, after several errands to the pub we had just enough pints to make ourselves artistically receptive. We noticed how cool the music was on the jam box and asked the caretaker who it was (the cassette was just a copy and bore no name) he said I think its David Gray he's from Wales, I wrote it down with the intent of finding a copy later. We had split up as a group and agreed to meet in a town whose name I cannot recall just south of Galway.On the way to our meeting our fly bitten buddy, lets call him Patrick grew bored since he was not allowed to drive, finished what beer was in the car and decided to climb out the rear window and into the sunroof. He did this a few times and the novelty wore off so he stripped naked and attempted it again, only this time he got his head stuck between the seat and the shifter, they were driving down the road with a nude man sticking out of the sunroof upside down. As fate would have it they drove through Galway and the Arts festival was going on and David Gray was playing that night, so they found us in the unknown town and we all went back to Galway and managed to find one room, no matter, we had beer. The concert was perfect and we all slept like the innocent children that we were. I woke up early and decided to find some food and a record store to buy a CD of his, my buddy lets call him Tom came along. We ate at a small restaurant across the street from a record store ate and then walked over and by gosh ole Mr. Gray and band were the in the "Flesh" to sigh CD's the line was to long with teeny boppers for a man of my dignity to stand so I just found a couple of CD's and was ready to leave and by this time the line had subsided , I had Dave and the band sign my CD's , nice guys great trip buy the CD we need more bands like this in the world, help feed them.

Sunday, September 04, 2005

Supermotard Vintage Mini


My buddy Len has this cool Rupp that he plans on putting Supermotard tires and rims on and touring the winding roads of the Smokey's brushing up on his skills before he commits himself to the race circuit. He has made many modifications already . The front suspension is all tricked, out and I know the gas cap is off an old Norton. He is waiting for the Supermotard tires and rims to arrive from the fabricator, he has a half helmet and bubble goggles that he cinch's to his head with an vintage elastic cord, I'll try to get more details... Any ideas and suggestions for his success are welcome. JW