Visit Siani's Other Blogs

Visit Gower Strange Days
Showing posts with label Thursday Thirteen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thursday Thirteen. Show all posts

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Thursday Thirteen - Cavalier King Charles



Thirteen reasons to own a Cavalier King Charles.

It's been ever such a long time since I participated in the Thursday Thirteen meme. Too long. But it's been quite hard to find the time. I've also had difficulty thinking of topics to write about. Today, I thought I'd write about Cavalier King Charles spaniels. I recently got over a longstanding phobia of dogs, and can now happily play fetch with humongous Rottweilers. But my favourite breed of dog is the Cavalier King Charles spaniel. I hope to own one of these little dogs soon. So here are thirteen good reasons why I would like to own a Cavalier King Charles.

1... They look cute. Don't you agree? The coat colouring of this one is known as Blenheim.


2... They're very affectionate little dogs. In fact, they're known as 'the love-sponge of dogs'.

3... They're very gentle, and are generally very safe with children. Although I don't have kids, I know plenty of people that do, and would hate to own a dog I didn't trust around kids.

4... They get on with other pets, including cats. I have cats, so I can't risk introducing a dog into my home that might attack my cats.

5... I live in a flat, so I need quite a small dog. That said, I don't want a tiny little lapdog. I want one that I can take on long walks. Although the Cavalier King Charles is classed as a toy breed, it's probably the biggest of the toy breeds, and not much smaller than a cocker spaniel.

6... They're very easy dogs to train, because they're intelligent, and love to please their owners.

7... They're very sociable little dogs, so they make ideal pets.

8... They apparently have a lot of traits in common with cats, including a tendency to perch in high places, and chase butterflies. As a life-long cat lover, having one of these little dogs around the house won't be too much of a culture shock for me.

9... Because of their easy-going nature, they're considered one of the best dogs for first time owners - which is what I would be.

10... The Cavalier King Charles is considered to be equally suitable for able-bodied or disabled people alike. I have a mild disability, in the form of arthritis, so I really couldn't cope with a big, heavy dog that tried to drag me everywhere.

12. In addition to the Blenheim-coated dog above, there are three other Cavalier King Charles coat colourings. This one is a Ruby King Charles.


This little cutie is a Black and Tan.


Last, but not least, especially as it's my personal favorite of all the colourings, is the Tricolor. Awwww!


13... My final reason for wanting to own a Cavalier King Charles is - well, I simply do.

Now, all I need is about £500 - around $1000 - which is what I need to pay to get a puppy from a reputable dealer. Never, ever buy a Cavalier King Charles puppy without first asking the seller about the medical history of its parents and grandparents. Sadly, these lovely little dogs are prone to many genetic disorders, so it's better to be safe than sorry. Happy Thursday!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!



Thursday, March 06, 2008

Thursday Thirteen


I have two Thursday Thirteen lists for you this week, to make up for missing last week. Here we go!


Thirteen Signs of Alien Abduction


1…. Missing time - a period of time, which can be just minutes, several hours or a number of days. You have no recollection of where you were or what you did at the time.

2.... You find unusual and inexplicable scars, marks or wounds on your body. You have no idea how they got there.

3.... Sleepwalking - you wake up somewhere other than where you went to sleep.

4.... A strange compulsion to walk or drive to another location, which you cannot explain.

5.... Sudden illness, e.g. fatigue, severe headache, extreme thirst.

6.... You believe you have had intercourse in the night or have had semen extracted from your body.

7.... You see flashes of light, even with your eyes closed.

8.... You find blood on your pillow with no explanation of how it got there.

9.... You wake up feeling soreness in your genitals, which you cannot explain.

10... Your back aches without cause or you awaken with unusual stiffness in any part of your body.

11... You suddenly feel as though you have obtained some degree of psychic ability without any explanation for it.

12... You develop an aversion to, or fear of, bright lights.

13... You experience weird flashbacks of being hauled into a vehicle of some kind by uniformed abductors, kicking and screaming, whilst seeing bright, flashing lights.



Thirteen signs of Excessive Alcohol Consumption

1…. Missing time - a period of time, which can be just minutes, several hours or a number of days. You have no recollection of where you were or what you did at the time.

2.... You find unusual and inexplicable scars, marks or wounds on your body. You have no idea how they got there.

3.... Sleepwalking - you wake up somewhere other than where you went to sleep.

4.... A strange compulsion to walk or drive to another location, which you cannot explain.

5.... Sudden illness, e.g. fatigue, severe headache, extreme thirst.

6.... You believe you have had intercourse in the night or have had semen extracted from your body.

7.... You see flashes of light, even with your eyes closed.

8.... You find blood on your pillow with no explanation of how it got there.

9.... You wake up feeling soreness in your genitals, which you cannot explain.

10... Your back aches without cause or you awaken with unusual stiffness in any part of your body.

11... You suddenly feel as though you have obtained some degree of psychic ability without any explanation for it.

12... You develop an aversion to, or fear of, bright lights.

13... You experience weird flashbacks of being hauled into a vehicle of some kind by uniformed abductors, kicking and screaming, whilst seeing bright, flashing lights.


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!



Thursday, February 14, 2008

Thursday Thirteen

I haven't done this meme for a few weeks, so I thought I'd better show my face again. Horror of all horrors - it's a Valentine's Day theme. Yeuch! Never mind. All is not lost. Here's my alternative Valentine's Day Thursday Thirteen.




Thirteen Ways to Let Everyone Know You Hate Valentine's Day


1…. Get 'Valentine's Day Sucks' tattooed across your forehead.

2.... Hire a plane to fly over your neighbourhood, trailing a banner that says '**Your Name** hates Valentine's Day'.

3.... Take out an ad in your local paper that says 'I hate Valentine's Day'. Heck, why not take out an ad in one of the nationals?

4.... Pay for a TV commercial, to be aired on February 14th, in which you star. Your only line will be: 'Hi, I'm ****** *******, and I hate Valentine's Day'.

5.... Organize a 'Valentine's Day Sucks' parade, and get all fellow haters to join you in a march to your government's headquarters on February 14th. Note: do not try this if you live in Iran, Burma or anywhere else ruled by an oppressive regime.

6.... If you have a dog, when you both go out for a walk on February 14th, make him or her wear a coat embroidered with 'Valentine's Day Sucks'. If your dog protests, saying they like Valentine's Day, take him or her to the nearest animal shelter and exchange them for a pet whose sentiments are more in line with your own. Maybe try a pitbull or a komodo dragon.

7.... Plant your flower borders with blooms that spell out 'Valentine's Day Sucks'.

8.... On Valentine's Day, hang a sign on your front door that says 'donations in lieu of flowers and cards, please'. Don't forget to stick a sign with an arrow next to your letter-box, that says: 'please post your donations (cash only) here'.

9.... Rig up a tannoy system to the roof of your car, and cruise around the neighborhood yelling through a loud hailer: 'I HATE Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day sucks'. Don't forget to call your local police station first, from an unlisted, untraceable cell phone, and tell them that a major crime is taking place far away from where you intend cruising. That way, they'll be too busy to come after you for disturbing the neighborhood.

10... Walk into your nearest supermarket or chocolate retailer, and smash every heart-shaped piece of confectionery you see with a claw hammer. This works best if you've followed the suggestion in #1. And don't forget to get that cell phone out as per #9, or you will BE that major crime.

11... Buy up all the Valentine's cards in your local shops and have a ceremonial burning of them in a public place, whilst dressed in some freaky, outlandish, witch-like get-up, embroidered with 'Valentine's Day Sucks'.

12... Scream 'get thee behind me, Satan' at anyone you see on February 14th, who is wearing clothing or jewellery with heart shapes on them. Best done whilst wearing a T-shirt with 'I forgot my pills today' written on the front, and 'Valentine's Day Sucks' on the back.

13... Set up a website called Valentine's Day Sucks. But be prepared for emails from semi-literates asking 'where? I no see the dirty pics'.


Anyway, that's my Thursday Thirteen for today. BTW, in case you haven't already guessed - I HATE Valentine's Day even more than I hate Christmas! Happy Thursday :).


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


Friday, January 25, 2008

Answers to Thursday Thirteen poser

The answer is:

6.... A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.


Although the website I got this from claimed this as a true fact, it's in fact false. There is no such thing as a pregnant goldfish. The common goldfish lays eggs. It doesn't give birth to live young.

I've also since discovered, thanks to a comment left by Dragonheart and Merlin, that this one is only partially true:

11.... Crocodiles and alligators move very quickly on land. But only when moving in a straight line, as they lack the agility they have in water. So if one of them chases you - just zigzag like crazy as you run away. You should be able to shake them off.

As far as I was able to check, the rest are true.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #12



Thirteen Funny Signs


I feel really crabby and miserable today. I'm prone to bouts of depression anyway, but I think I may now also be suffering from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, thanks to the weeks upon weeks of miserable, cold, grey and wet weather we've been having. So for today's Thursday Thirteen, instead of spreading my misery to all and sundry, I've come up with some pics I hope will spread a little cheer. Here's my selection of thirteen funny signs. Some of them are a little bit naughty, so look away if you don't like naughty. Don't worry, there's no nudity, nasty words, etc - the rudest word is 'fart'. Now where did I leave my Prozac?


1.... Is this legal to advertize on a road sign?



2.... And the British government denies it has a security leak!



3.... Since when did anyone mention George W. Bush and brain in the same sentence?



4.... Kind of makes me want to stick with home-cooked chili.



5.... Do they do coats as well?



6.... I prefer chucken to dick.



7.... Is Sherrill's a vegetarian place by any chance?



8.... Surely this punishment is more appropriate for the kind of offence mentioned in the next sign?



9.... I always said he had a shifty look about him!



10... Don't forget the Derbac!



11... I always thought it was wrong to speak ill of the deceased.



12... I'm glad I attended a more traditional school!



13... I hope Skip has a good therapist.



Oh well, that's my Thursday Thirteen for this week. Happy Thursday!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #11



Thirteen Crazy World Laws


1.... It's illegal for a taxi cab in the City of London to carry a rabid dog or a dead body. So if you're a London cabbie, the next time a rabid dog or a corpse tries to flag you down, keep driving.

2.... It's illegal to die in the UK's Houses of Parliament. I'm not sure whether you get time in jail, a fine, or simply let off with a caution, if you break this law.

3.... It's an act of treason to position a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside down. And treason is, in theory, still punishable by hanging in the UK. That means at least three people who sent me Christmas cards must now be in jail, awaiting execution.

4.... In France, it's forbidden to call a pig Napoleon. But what about calling Napoleon a pig?

5.... In Alabama, it's illegal for a driver to wear a blindfold whilst driving a vehicle. So presumably, it's okay to merely close one's eyes whilst driving?

6.... In Ohio, it's against state law to get a fish drunk. Share your beer with your dog instead.

7.... In the UK, a pregnant woman can legally pee anywhere she wants –including in a policeman’s helmet. I think I might shove a beach ball up my sweater, and go find me an unsuspecting policeman.

8.... In Indonesia, the penalty for masturbation is decapitation. That's not so harsh really, is it? I mean, if they really wanted to be mean, they'd chop the offender's hands off.

9.... In England, all men over the age of 14 must carry out two hours of longbow practice a day. Thank goodness I'm a woman living in Wales!

10... In San Salvador, drunk drivers can be punished by death before a firing squad. Um, what's so crazy about that law?

11... In Kentucky, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon more than six-feet long. My 5ft 11 inch saber hidden in my sock should be okay, then.

12... In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on Sundays can be jailed. Too damn right. How dare some unwed floozy fly through the air, possibly flashing her knickers in front of the vicar!

13... In the UK, a man who gets taken short and needs to pee in public, can do so only if he aims for his rear wheel and keeps his right hand on his vehicle. Unicyclists please note: there is ambiguity surrounding what constitutes a rear wheel, on a one-wheeled vehicle.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


Thursday, December 13, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #8

After having a break from Thursday Thirteen for a couple of weeks, I thought I'd return with a list of famous people from my home city of Swansea, in Wales, UK. Some of these people may not be well-known outside the UK/Europe, so I'll explain who they are and why they're famous.


Thirteen Famous people connected to Swansea


1…. Dylan Thomas, the famous Welsh poet and playwright.

2.... Russell T. Davies, an award-winning TV writer and producer. He wrote the original UK series of Queer as Folk. He is currently in the spotlight as the creative force behind the revision of cult sci-fi series, Doctor Who. He has also created a spin-off show from Doctor Who, called Torchwood.

3.... Catherine Zeta Jones, Oscar-winning actress, and wife of Michael Douglas.

4.... Martin Amis, author of both fiction and non-fiction, spent his childhood in Swansea. His father, Kingsley Amis, held a teaching post in the English department at University College Swansea, at the time.

5.... Paul Durden, a well-known local character, co-wrote the cult black comedy film, Twin Twin.

6.... Sir Harry Secombe (deceased), comedian and singer. He co-wrote and starred in the popular radio comedy, The Goon Show, in the 1950's and early 1960's, and went on to enjoy a successful singing and TV career.

7.... Peter Ham, rock musician and founder member of 60's and 70's Swansea band, Badfinger. He was also the co-writer of Without You, which was a massive hit for both Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey. Peter Ham sadly committed suicide in 1975, aged just 27.

8.... Cerys Matthews, former lead vocalist of indie band, Catatonia. She has been back in the public eye recently, when she appeared on a reality TV show, in which she and one of her co-stars fell in love, despite him having a long term partner, who dumped him as a result.

9.... Terry Williams, who was the drummer of rock band, Dire Straits, for a number of years. I used to serve him with drinks at a bar where I worked, when his band were top of the charts. Embarassingly, I had no idea who he was, until someone told me.

10... There is a local rumour that Hillary Clinton's father had some kind of family ties in Swansea. I've no idea if this is true or not.

11... Mary Quant, the pioneering fashion designer, famous for hot-pants and mini-skirts, was born to parents who hailed from the Swansea area.

12... The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams is from the Mumbles area of Swansea. His role means he is the spiritual head of the Church of England (Anglican Church) in the UK.

13... The Scottish aviator, Sir Arthur Whitten Brown, the first man to fly across the Atlantic, was a resident of Langland, a coastal village on the western edge of Swansea. He lived in Swansea until his death in 1948.

That's my Thursday Thirteen for this week. Happy Thursday!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


Thursday, November 29, 2007

Thursday Thirteen # 9



Thirteen Bizarre Phobias


I guess most of us have some kind of phobia or other. Sometimes, the phobias are mild, other times, they can seriously interfere with a person's life. Here are a few of the most peculiar phobias.


1.... Arachibutyrophobia - people suffering from this, fear peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouth. Don't we all?

2.... Defecaloesiophobia - this is a fear of painful bowel movements. I'll resist the urge to say anyone suffering from this is just full of sh*t, as that would be such a feeble pun.

3.... Ephebiphobia - the fear of teenagers. I suffer from this. I think every resident of my neighbourhood aged 25 and over, has this phobia.

4.... Geniophobia - the fear of chins. It's a good job this phobia doesn't affect Jimmy Hill or Bruce Forsyth.

5.... Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia - fear of the number 666. No, I don't know how you pronounce that!

6.... Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia - the fear of long words. Looking at that word - I think I may develop that phobia soon.

7.... Pentheraphobia - the fear of one's mother-in-law. I should imagine this is a very common one.

8.... Proctophobia - fear of rectums. Exactly how does one develop this? I mean, it's not like most people have everyday encounters with rectums, is it?

9.... Peladophobia - fear of bald people. Alien abductees, LOL?

10... Ithyphallophobia - fear of seeing, thinking about, or having an erect penis. Hmm. If I insert a 'c' between the 't' and first 'h', it would become itchyphallophobia, which could even be a whole new phobia. I'll let you work out what it would be a phobia of...

11... Alektorophobia - fear of chickens. Too damn right! Chickens are scary. Those beady little eyes are very creepy!

12... Bogyphobia - fear of bogeys or the bogeyman. He's behind you!

13... Consecotaleophobia - fear of chopsticks. The kind you get at a Chinese restaurant, or the piano-playing exercise? I dunno!


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Thursday Thirteen # 8



Thirteen Reasons why I hate Christmas


Yes, (shock! horror!) I can't stand all that Jingle Bells nonsense. Bah! Humbug! I thought I'd get this list done now, as I'll be too rabid with rage, in a couple of weeks' time, to see my laptop screen.

1…. The stores stock up on Christmas merchandise at the start of September, and for the next three months or so, seem to re-arrange their Christmas displays at least once a week, which means the rest of the store gets re-arranged, and I can never find what I'm looking for without battling forests of fibre-optic Christmas trees.

2.... Christmas music in stores and shopping malls for months beforehand. It's either dreary Christmas carols sung (if you can call it singing) by suicidal-sounding choirs, or the played-to-death Merry Christmas Everybody by Slade, or I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizzard. Enough!

3.... Overcrowded stores filled with vile-tempered old bats, who insist on trying to run me over with their trolleys (or carts, if you're in the US).

4.... People who take impossible numbers of bags filled with Christmas shopping onto buses. Why does this annoy me? Because many of them use the seats as a bag store, and won't move them, forcing pregnant women, the disabled and the elderly to stand in the aisles, as the bus hurtles along.

5.... Family members who insist on buying me perfume and toiletries. I'm very fussy about what smellies I use, as I have a discerning nose and sensitive skin. I hate to smell like someone just doused me in insecticide, furniture polish, tom cat pee or toilet cleaner, yet relatives have given me gifts that stink of all of these. A couple of Christmases ago, I was given some Avon bath products, and as soon as I sat in the bath, unmentionable parts of my body felt like they'd been rubbed in habanero chili juice.

6.... My neighbourhood becomes a magnet for burglars in the run-up to Christmas. I guess most neighbourhoods do.

7.... Hideous, tacky Christmas decorations and ornaments looming at me in shops. Some of the baubles and tinsel can be pretty, but I hate the vile, all-singing, all-dancing Santas, penguins, reindeer and angels. AAAAAAARRRRGGGHHH!

8.... The incessant Christmas TV commercials. I feel sorry for parents at this time of the year, especially those who don't have much money. They get mithered to death by kids wanting expensive gifts, directly as a result of aggressive advertising.

9.... There's a huge upsurge in street crime in the run-up to Christmas, either muggings or drunken brawls. I understand that Black Friday in the US has something to do with pre-Christmas sales or something like that. In the UK, Black Friday is a term used by the emergency services to describe the last Friday before Christmas, when most Christmas parties and booze-ups occur. The city centre becomes like a war zone from late afternoon onwards, as police and paramedics take up their positions, ready to break up battles and attend to the casualties.

10... Diabolical TV shows. Why is there so much crap on TV at Christmas? I'm sick of The Sound of Music, ET, The Wizard of Oz and Only Fools And Horses. Yuck! Thank goodness for cable TV and channels like Discovery, which generally ignore Christmas.

11... Christmas shopping. I'm not a tightass - I just hate all the shoving and jostling. Plus I never know what to buy.

12... Christmas parties. I refuse to wear a pair of reindeer antlers or a Santa hat. I look silly enough naturally, without dressing like a five-year-old.

13... Christmas food. Yuck. Apart from chocolate and a nice bit of Christmas cake, I hate it all. Christmas pudding - what's that all about? It's vile. Mince pies? No thank you.

Anyway, these are my reasons for despising Christmas. I bet you all think I'm the reincarnation of Ebenezer Scrooge now!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #7


Thirteen Dumb Celebrity Quotes



1…. "What's Walmart, do they sell like wall stuff?" - Paris Hilton

2.... "I think that the film "Clueless" was very deep. I think it was deep in the way that it was very light. I think lightness has to come from a very deep place if it's true lightness" - Alicia Silverstone.

3.... "Too many obgyn's aren't able to practice their love with women across this country" - George W. Bush.

4.... "I think that gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman" - Arnold Schwarzenegger

5.... "I get to go overseas places, like Canada" - Britney Spears.

6.... "So, where's the Cannes Film Festival being held this year?" - Christine Aguilera.

7.... Dan Quayle - "I love California. I grew up in Phoenix" - Dan Quayle.

8.... "Smoking kills, and if you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life" - Brooke Shields.

9.... “The most loving thing to do is to share your bed with someone” - Michael Jackson

10... “I don’t think anybody should write his autobiography until after he’s dead” - Samuel Goldwyn.

11... “I’ve never really wanted to go to Japan. Simply because I don’t like eating fish. And I know that’s very popular out there in Africa” - Britney Spears (again!)

12... “Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?” - George W. Bush (another repeat offender)

13... “When you say I committed adultery, are you stating before the marriage of 1996 or prior to?” - Dallas Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!



Thursday, November 01, 2007

Thursday Thirteen


Thirteen Quotes about Ageing


I went out to do some shopping today. Alas, everywhere I went, I suffered severe delays caused by gangs of elderly folk getting in my way. There's nothing to do in such situations other than smile and be patient, because old age is an inescapable fact of life, and it's not their fault they can't move out of the way as fast as they once could. The frustration also had a positive side. It planted the seeds of an idea for my Thursday Thirteen theme today, so here are thirteen quotes by famous people, about the process of ageing.

1.... It is sad to grow old but nice to ripen ~ Brigitte Bardot.

2.... You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old ~ George Burns.

3.... Youth is wasted on the young ~ George Bernard Shaw.

4.... Old age is no place for sissies ~ Bette Davis.

5.... An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have. The older she gets the more interested he is in her ~ Agatha Christie.

6.... The really frightening thing about middle age is the knowledge that you'll grow out of it ~ Doris Day.

7.... Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young ~ Henry Ford.

8.... Old age is a shipwreck ~ Charles de Gaulle.

9.... Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle ~ Bob Hope.

10... Forty is the old age of youth; fifty the youth of old age ~ Victor Hugo.

11... Old age is like a plane flying through a storm. Once you're aboard, there's nothing you can do ~ Golda Meir.

12... There is still no cure for the common birthday ~ John Glenn.

13... Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been ~ Mark Twain.



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!




Thursday, October 25, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #6 - Dylan Thomas




Thirteen Things about Dylan Thomas


I live just a short walk from the birthplace of famous Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas. So I thought I'd make this week's Thursday Thirteen all about him.

1…. Dylan Marlais Thomas was born at around 11pm on 27 October 1914, at 5, Cwmdonkin Drive, in the Uplands area of Swansea.

2.... He attended the old Swansea Grammar school, which now houses student accommodation and an administrative centre at my old college.

3.... The young Dylan wasn't above a spot of plagiarism. In the January of 1927 he sold a poem called His Requiem, to the Western Mail newspaper in Cardiff. The poem has since been identified as the work of another writer.

4.... He met his fiery wife, Caitlin, early in 1936. Their relationship was tempestuous, their infamous brawls often fuelled by alcohol and money worries.

5.... Dylan and Caitlin first moved to Laugharne, a Carmarthenshire village with which Dylan will eternally be associated, in 1936. They lived at a large, draughty old house called Sea View, close to Laugharne Castle. Their first child, Llewelyn, was born in January 1939.

Sea View and Laugharne Castle

6.... The Thomases left Sea View, and Laugharne, within months of the baby's birth, but returned a few years later. In early 1949, the now world-famous boathouse at Laugharne, came on the market. The Thomases, as ever, were penniless. But Margaret Taylor, wife of the renowned English historian, AJP Taylor, a long-standing patron of Dylan, purchased the home for them, at the then handsome price of £3,000.

The Dylan Thomas Boathouse at Laugharne

7.... Dylan embarked on a lengthy tour of the United States in 1950, further boosting his already large fan base.

8.... Dylan was relieved when he was deemed too fragile to fight during WWII.

9.... One of his most celebrated poems, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, was written in a little wooden shed, above the boathouse at Laugharne. Apologies for the quality of the image - it was shot through glass, as the shed itself isn't open to the public.

Dylan's writing shed

10.... Despite his reputation for alcoholism, many who knew him said he often drank in moderation, something which an alcoholic would have difficulty doing. His daughter, Aeronwy, has also stated that she rarely saw him drunk, and that he would often be happy with a single beer.

11.... Dylan 's drinking escalated during his famous American tours. Although he was paid handsomely, he managed to squander most of the money, enraging Caitlin, as they had numerous bills to pay. She resented his American tours, as they seemed to drive him further and further into excess, putting their already troubled marriage under horrific strain. There were rumours of infidelity by both parties.

12.... Nevertheless, Dylan returned to America for his third and final visit, arriving in New York on October 19th, 1953. By early November, Dylan's already failing health became critical. Suffering agonising gastritis and gout, as well as breathing difficulties caused by long term asthma, the heavy smoker and drinker sought medical assistance on November 4th. He was given a number of shots, including steroids and morphine, which left him delirious. He lapsed into a coma shortly after the last shot. Five days later, at midday on November 9th, Dylan died, aged just 39. His body was returned to Wales for his funeral at St. Martin's church in Laugharne. He was buried in the church's graveyard.

The post mortem listed pneumonia as the primary cause of death, with alcohol-induced pressure on the brain and a fatty liver cited as contributory factors. But in recent years, evidence has emerged to suggest that Dylan Thomas died as a result of medical negligence, rather than alcohol consumption. He was given an abnormally large dose of morphine, which suppresses respiration. An asthmatic and a heavy smoker, he was already suffering from breathing difficulties when injected with the morphine. Given the circumstances, it is questionable as to whether he should have been given morphine at all. Dylan is also believed to have been an undiagnosed diabetic.

13. I have a very tenuous link to Dylan Thomas. If you look at images of him, you will notice he had a somewhat squashed-looking nose. He got that injury as a small child, when he fell off a stair banister during a childhood game, The accident happened at the home of the famous Welsh language poet, Crwys Williams. Young Dylan was playing with the poet's son at the time. Crwys Williams was a relative of mine. I forget the exact relationship - he was either my grandfather's uncle, or his cousin.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


Thursday, October 18, 2007

Thursday Thirteen # 5 - Wales




Thirteen Things about Wales


I thought I'd make this week's list thirteen things about my homeland, Wales.


1…. Wales is NOT in England!!! A surprising number of non-Britons think it is, possibly because a lot of them think that 'England' and 'UK' are interchangeable. They're not. Both Wales and England are constituent countries of the UK.

2.... It is now believed that Welshmen may have reached America before Columbus. Madog ab Owain Gwynedd is believed to have arrived in America with a group of followers, during the twelfth century. It is believed their descendants can be found amongst the Mandan Indian tribe.

3.... Wales's national emblem is the leek, and the daffodil is its national flower.

4.... Lawn tennis was invented in Wales. The modern game is derived from a traditional game called Cerrig y Drudion

5.... Welsh immigrants began the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Utah, giving their first public recital on Sunday, August 22, 1847.

6.... The railway station with the longest name in the whole world, is in Wales. It can be found on the island of Anglesey in North Wales. It's called Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantisiliogogogoch, which translates as "the Church of Mary in a white hollow by a hazel tree near a rapid whirlpool by the church of St. Tisilio by a red cave". Most people refer to it as Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, or Llanfair P.G - which is a relief to anyone who has to send regular mail to the place.

Llanfair P.G. station sign © clspeace - Creative Commons

7.... Wales is home to the world's largest second-hand book store. It is owned by Richard Booth, in the sleepy little town of Hay-On-Wye, on the Wales-England border.

8.... The New York Times was established by George Jones, who was of Welsh origin. The first edition was printed on September 18, 1851.

9.... Despite being little more than 8,000 sq. miles in size (barely bigger than the state of New Jersey), Wales raises more sheep than any European country. It has 11,000,000 sheep, compared to a human population of just under 3,000,000. Wales is home to an estimated 15 percent of the sheep in the European Community.

Some genuine Welsh sheep. Baaaa!

10.... The Mumbles Railway, in my home town of Swansea (Wales' second city), was the first railway in the world to accept paying passengers. Sadly, despite also being the world's longest serving railway line, the Mumbles Railway ceased to operate on Jan 5, 1960. A footpath now lies along the seafront, where the railway used to be.

11.... Cardiff, Wales's capital, is home to the world's largest retractable-roof arena. The Millennium Stadium hosts major rugby and football matches, as well as rock concerts and other entertainment.

12.... A Welshman named David Edward Hughes was the first person in the world to transmit and receive radio waves. He did so a good eight years before Heinrich Hertz, who was to lend his name to radio waves. Yet popular history insists that Guglielmo Marconi was the inventor of radio.

13.... "Murray the Hump", Al Capone's chief lieutenant, was born in Chicago, to Welsh parents, who originated from Llanidloes, in mid-Wales. He was one of the US's most successful and notorious criminals. Not exactly one to boast about, I know, but there you go.

So there endeth this week's list! Happy Thursday ...


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


Thursday, October 11, 2007

Thursday Thirteen # 4


Thirteen Things about Chocolate

I absolutely adore chocolate, so here are thirteen interesting facts about this lovely food.


1…. The word 'Chocolate' is derived from the Aztec word, 'cacahuatl' or ‘xocolatl’, which means 'bitter water'.

2.... Chocolate is derived from cocoa beans. Cocoa was originally called cacao, but became misspelt as cocoa, and the name stuck.

3.... Cocoa trees can only grow in warm, moist climates, and most cocoa comes from Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Nigeria, all in West Africa. The botanical name for the cocoa tree is theobroma cacao - which roughly equates to the Greek term for 'food of the gods'.

4.... The Mayans and Aztecs believed that cocoa beans came from Paradise and would bestow the gifts of wisdom and power upon anyone who ate them.

5.... Cocoa beans were so precious to the Mayans and Aztecs, they used them as both a currency and a unit of calculation.

6.... There is some evidence to suggest that chocolate has aphrodisiac qualities. It is believed Emperor Montezuma of Mexico drank a chocolate drink before visiting his harem. Casanova also believed in the aphrodisiac properties of chocolate. Scientists say that chocolate contains stimulants such as caffeine, theobromine, and phenyethylamine, all of which produce a feeling of slight euphoria, which may account for the aphrodisiac effect.

7.... Chocolate is not as unhealthy as some may think. It contains theobromine and chromium, both of which help to control blood sugar.

8.... Although chocolate contains significant levels of fat, it is not believed to raise blood cholesterol.

9.... No matter how good it makes you feel, you should never feed chocolate to your cat or dog. The theobromine in it is incredibly toxic to dogs, cats, and many other household pets. By overstimulating their cardiac and nervous systems, it can kill them instantly.

10.... Cocoa beans were introduced into Europe by the Spanish Conquistadors in 1528.

11.... Despite commonly held beliefs, chocolate does not cause or exacerbate acne. Research carried out by the University of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Naval Academy found that even daily consumption of chocolate had no effect on the incidence and severity of acne.

12.... Cocoa powder is a good dietary source of iron.

13.... Chocolate syrup was used instead of blood in the famous shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho".


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



Thursday, October 04, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #3


Thirteen Famous UFO Cases



I recently started writing a paranormal blog, which covers subjects such as UFOs, hauntings and cryptozoology. For today's Thursday Thirteen, I thought it might be fun to list thirteen famous, unsolved UFO cases, and leave it up to you to decide what you think happened.


1... The 1989-90 Belgian Triangular UFO flap. Two Belgian police officers spotted a dark, triangular craft, which beamed powerful searchlights onto the ground. The Belgian Air Force tracked the object on radar, and dispatched an AWACS aircraft to investigate.

Weeks later, there were more reports of a triangular craft. Radar confirmed the craft, and the Belgian Air Force scrambled two F-16 jets, which detected an oval-shaped object via their on-board radar. As the F-16 pilots gave chase, it sped away and suddenly disappeared.

2... Radar operators at two military bases in the east of England (RAF Bentwaters and RAF Lakenheath) tracked numerous objects in August 1956. They moved at much higher speed than any known aircraft, and performed manoeuvres that no human pilot could withstand. Jets were sent to intercept them. The pilots had both radar and visual contact. USAF records emphasised there were no radar malfunctions or freak weather conditions. A pilot described the UFOs as "the damnedest thing I've ever seen".

3... RAF Bentwaters was also the scene of the Rendlesham Forest UFO incident. On the night of December 26-27, 1980, radar detected an unknown target. Officers from Bentwaters, a NATO base, and the nearby RAF Woodbridge, also a NATO base, saw an illuminated object descend into Rendlesham Forest, which encircled both bases. USAF personnel found a large triangular craft in a forest clearing, which sported multi-coloured lights, and some kind of landing gear. One patrolman said he saw humanoid figures within the craft. It shot off through the forest when approached, and animals at a nearby farm went into a frenzy. A second object was later seen, which glowed and broke into five separate parts. Subsequent investigation of the site showed depressions in the ground, and higher than average radiation levels.

4... October 1965 saw a full-scale military alert at Edwards Air Force Base in California, following visual and radar detection of twelve UFOs. F-106 jets were mobilized to intercept the objects, said to be solid craft, under intelligent control. The UFOs easily outpaced the F-106s. None of the highly trained military personnel at Edwards were able to identify the objects.

5... Stephen Michalak, a prospector, was at Falcon Lake, Manitoba, in May 1967. As he ate his lunch, a flock of geese began to act strangely. Directly ahead, Michalak saw two UFOs. One landed about 100 feet away. The other hovered ten feet above the ground. When a hatch opened, he heard voices. Approaching, he called out in several languages. No-one replied, and the hatch closed. Michalak touched the craft as it lifted off the ground. He was hurled back by a blast of hot air, which burned his clothing and left marks on his chest. Tearing off his burning clothing, he felt really ill. He headed for the highway, where he flagged down a passing RCMP patrol car, and later received medical treatment for his injuries.

6... The Hudson Valley UFO sightings, which occurred in New York state and Connecticut, between 1982-86, had an estimated 5,000 witnesses. The objects seen were V-shaped, boomerang-shaped or triangular, and at least 300 metres in size. The slow-moving UFOs were silent, except for an occasional low hum. The lights on the craft were powerful enough to illuminate the ground below.

7... The Knowles family travelled across the Nullarbor Plain, in Australia, during the January of 1988, and claimed they were pursued by a UFO. They said it picked their car up near Mundrabilla, before dropping it back onto the highway. Some two hours earlier, another driver, some 400 km away, also claimed his car was picked up and then dropped by an unseen object. Half an hour after the Knowles' encounter, some tuna fishermen in the Great Australian Bight claimed they were buzzed by a UFO. They were just 50 km from Mundrabilla.

8... In April 1977, police officers in Ohio spotted a structured UFO at low altitude, and gave chase. They pursued it for eighty-five miles, into Pennsylvania. They said it played a cat-and-mouse game with them. Several officers from other jurisdictions saw the object and joined the pursuit. Fighter planes arrived and gave chase to the object, which suddenly shot up and disappeared. The incident inspired the famous UFO chase scene in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

9... In Socorro, New Mexico, in 1964, patrolman Lonnie Zamora abandoned a vehicle pursuit, when he saw flames in the sky, and heard an explosion. Upon investigating, he saw an oval object on the ground, on legs or landing gear. He saw a red symbol on the craft, and two humanoid figures near it. When he approached, the humanoids and their craft promptly departed, with a roar and a flash of fire. Nearby brush caught fire, and four indentations were left by the object's landing gear. Scientific examination of the site found some unusual substances, and an area of fused sand. Officer Zamora was well-respected and known for his truthfulness and sobriety.

10... An English policeman encountered a strange craft in November 1980, at Todmorden in West Yorkshire. PC Alan Godfrey hoped to locate some cows seen running amok, before clocking off his night shift. He was about to turn off onto another road, when he thought he saw a bus slewed on its side. He drove towards it, for a better look. He was shocked to see a diamond-shaped craft hovering less than two metres above the road. Alarmed, he tried to call for back-up, but neither his handheld radio, nor his car's radio, would work.

He suddenly found himself some distance along the road, with no sign of the object. He realised there was a period of missing time - approximately 15-20 minutes - which he was unable to account for. The sole of one his boots had a mysterious split, and he had a red mark on his foot, which developed into an inflamed rash, needing medical treatment. Under hypnosis, the officer recounted being taken aboard the craft and examined by aliens, although he admitted the hypnosis itself could have suggested an abduction scenario. Several other police officers in the area at the time, also saw a UFO.

11... North Wales, January 1974. Numerous witnesses heard a very loud explosion, which rocked their houses. They thought a plane had crashed, and rushed outside. They were stunned to see blue and orange lights on the mountain. Local press were quickly on the scene, but the area was cordoned off, first by local police, and later, by Royal Air Force personnel. None of the officials would divulge any information.

A local nurse asked to attend the scene, was told a plane had crashed. She drove there with her two children in the car, as she was unable to find a babysitter. They were shocked to see a downed UFO. Just 200m from the craft, they were ordered to leave. All roads leading to the scene were closed off for several days. Farmers were forbidden to tend their sheep on the mountainside. Locals believed the crashed object was removed at night by the military, and the whole event hushed up.

12... Near Livingston, Scotland, November 1979. Forestry worker, Bob Taylor, arrived at Dechmont Forest with his dog, to begin work. When he stepped into a clearing, he saw a large, dark, metallic sphere. As he approached, two smaller, spiked spheres emerged from the object, resembling old naval mines. They had a similar, metallic appearance to the larger object. They sped towards him, flanking him. The dog barked furiously, as the spikes attached themselves to Bob's trousers and pulled him towards the larger sphere. Bob heard a loud hissing, as an acrid smell caused him to choke.

His next memory was waking up face down on the ground. His dog was nearby, but there was no sign of the strange objects. Aching, dishevelled and unable to speak, he crawled to his truck, but couldn't start it, so he walked home. Mrs. Taylor sent for a doctor and the police, who took the incident seriously. Bob returned to the site with them. They saw ladder-shaped imprints in the soil, and track-like impressions which traced the path taken by the spheres.

13... Last but not least - and thank you for sticking with me thus far - is the Roswell, New Mexico incident of 1947. The story, in brief, is that a rancher discovered some strange debris on his land, and informed authorities. The debris included some thin, foil-like metal strips, which could be bent into any shaping without breaking, and would immediately spring back into shape, if twisted and then set down. There was also a wood-like substance that refused to burn. US government sources insisted that the Roswell incident was nothing more than a crashed neoprene balloon, which was part of a secret operation called Moghul. But rumours persist that the military recovered a crashed disk, some dead aliens, and maybe even a live alien. Several deathbed confessions have been made by military personnel, which appear to confirm the crashed UFO/alien rumours.

Anyway, that's my TT for this week. Sorry for such a long post. I hope you enjoyed it and that I've given you something to think about.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

(Leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

1. Ann Aguirre

2. missmeliss

3. Nicholas

4. Frigga



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



Thursday, September 27, 2007

Thursday Thirteen # 2


Thirteen Things about the Number Thirteen



1…. The number thirteen is considered unlucky in many Western, Christian cultures, whereas as Sikhs from the Punjab region of India consider it a lucky number.

2.... Fear of the number thirteen is known as triskaidekaphobia. Please don't ask me how you pronounce that!

3.... An excessive love of the number thirteen is called triskaidekamania. I can't pronounce that, either - at least not without breaking a tooth or two.

4.... You will never find a terminal thirteen at any Scottish airport, due to the number's association with bad luck. A thirteenth terminal at a Scottish airport will always be called terminal 12B.

5.... Many commercial aircraft have no row thirteen in their seating plans. It's not unusual to see row twelve immediately followed by row fourteen.

6.... Some streets do not have a building numbered thirteen.

7.... Many high rise buildings do not have a floor labeled thirteen. Thirteenth floors are often officially named floor 12 A or floor 14.

8.... Microsoft will never release an Office 13. They have already decided to skip directly from Office 12 to Office 14, as they consider thirteen too unlucky a number.

9.... The motor racing industry is wary of the number thirteen. Drivers refuse to drive a car numbered thirteen, as cars with this number have rarely won a race. Many tracks also refuse to have a pitstop numbered thirteen.

10.... Universal Studios has no sound stage numbered thirteen.

11.... In tarot card decks, the thirteenth card of the Major Arcana, is Death.

12.... Many people in Western countries believe bad luck increases if the thirteenth day of the month falls on a Friday. Many people will avoid travelling on Friday 13th, whilst others refuse to sign contracts on that date.

13.... It is considered especially unlucky to have thirteen people around a dinner table. This fear (as well as the fear of Friday 13th), has its roots in Biblical times, as there were thirteen people at the dinner table at the Last Supper. Some Christian faiths believe that the traitor, Judas Iscariot was the thirteenth person to sit at the table.

So there you have it - a brief history of the number thirteen.


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

1. Dane Bramage

2. Crazy Working Mom

3. Secret Agent Mama

4. Nicholas

5. Grace

6. DD



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!



Thursday, September 20, 2007

Thursday Thirteen



Thirteen Things about Siâni

Here are thirteen things I would ban from the world, and my reasons why.


1…. Weapons. If there were no weapons, no-one would be able to use them against each other.

2.... Bad manners. Can't abide them. There's just no excuse.

3.... Car stereos. I'm sick of fools driving past my house, blasting out dance music at 4 am, waking me up and scaring the cats.

4.... Tobacco. It kills people and smells horrid.

5.... Street drugs. They wreck lives and kill people, whilst making some bad people very rich.

6.... Wasps. They're the al-Qaeda of the insect world, always looking for innocent victims. Plus I'm allergic to wasp stings.

7.... Houseflies. They're horrid, filthy things. Have you seen how they feed? They project saliva onto their food first, so it partly digests, then they eat it. So if a fly lands on your food, it spits on it before taking off again. Yeuch.

8.... Parsnips. They taste vile and come from the devil's own garden!

9.... Garlic. I'm a vampire! Just kidding - it upsets my tummy, and smells awful.

10... Rats. Horrid, verminous beasts - they spread disease.

11... Tripe and onions. Have you ever tasted it? Yeuch!

12... People who don't bathe regularly and have no good excuse for not doing so. I understand sick, elderly or infirm people may have difficulties with bathing, so have no issue with that. But I despise fit, healthy people who are born stinkers. There's no excuse, when living in a modern country, in full health, for anyone to go out in public, stinking to high heaven.

13...Hypocrites. Be who and what you are, no matter what. I've more respect for an honest but vile person, than someone who exudes false nicety.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

 
ss_blog_claim=80361ebb90d0aa68f7212d099b7ed341