Last Man Standing

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A wrench is beautifully repurposed

More unease in Ferguson as troop of white patriot 'Oath Keepers' patrol its streets armed with assault rifles as police chief says their presence is 'inflammatory'

Armed patriots have been seen patrolling the streets of Ferguson with assault rifles in a move described by police chiefs as 'inflammatory'.

The four men identified themselves as 'Oath Keepers' as they arrived in the riot-torn Missouri city early on Tuesday morning.

But the presence of the group, which describes itself as an association of current and former U.S. soldiers and police who aim to protect the U.S. Constitution, was described as 'unnecessary' amid high tensions.

Story here

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I love how non-gunners see a rifle and not a single detail on the selector switch, then call them automatic assault rifles. They don't even know what they are looking at, but hey, lets just go ahead and say they're automatic because that's what the puppet masters told us to say...

Out with the old

I was in a labor camp over the weekend, I swear...

We had a 10 year old Frigidaire Gallery front loader set that was top o' the line when they came out back in 05'. Them days are long gone and I'd say we got our money's worth out of them. We beat em' to hell. The washer died two weeks ago and needs a new $200 control board, and that's about a 3rd of the price of the new one. It would have been a waste of money to fix. The SHLBGS has been schlepping the wash back and forth from the laundromat and has not been very happy about it with bulged discs disagreeing with her fortitude. So, to remedy that, we upgraded. High capacity is the way to go. Yeah, it takes an hour per load, but it does twice as much. It spins out at 1100 rpm on the highest setting, so the dryer doesn't have to work very hard at all. I was unaware that our old Frigidaire machines were that outdated and behind the curve. I'm a dude. I don't pay attention to shit like that as long as it works, but the SHLBGS loves the new ones, so that means I do too. Whatever makes her happy, I'm all for it. These machines have some very neat energy saving sensors on them. LG for the win.

Next up was the dishwasher. The downfall of that thing was my fault. A few months ago, I had the delightful experience of ruining it. I stepped over and across the open door as I was loading it and hit a spot of water on my heel, which caused my entire body to come crashing down on the rack that was full of dishes. It was funny to those who saw it, but not so much to me. Imagine that. Seriously, the shit was brutal. It cracked tile. That sudden and massive crash of 245lbs caused the mounting brackets to rip out from under the counter top and I broke the door catches that keep it from over extending. In fact, it broke so bad we had to put a small kid chair under the corner of the door to keep it from tipping over and the rack from rolling out onto the floor. I mean I absolutely creamed that thing. LG won the replacement debate as well. It's a fine machine.

So after all of the discussion about the washer, dryer, and dishwasher, I hear the SHLBGS say she wants a Dyson. My lady, ask and you shall receive. I'll admit, I've been very skeptical about high priced vacuums and have wondered if they really are worth their salt. I'm sure you've all had those Kirby or Electrolux dudes show up at your spot to try and give their demos. I've seen those demos too and those high priced kits do it all with extreme vigilance. Those machines are ridiculously strong and would pull the magma out of the earth if you left them on long enough. The Dyson DC40 Animal is what we went with. It is unreal what you see is left behind from the cheaper $100 range vacuums. The old Shark vacuum has been passed on to mawmaw n'em. With 4 dogs and a certified death dealing Maine Coon cat hanging around, we needed a little help. This thing gets it done. 

I'm happy. She's happy. So happy together.

Walking Dead: How Wasp Overlords Control Spider Zombies

Like a mindless zombie controlled by a menacing overlord, the spider scampers back and forth, reinforcing its silky web. Not long from now, the subservient arachnid will be dead, its web transformed into a shelter for the spawn of the creature that once controlled it, according to a new study.

No, this isn't science fiction; it's the somewhat terrifying (but very real) tale of the orb-weaving spider Cyclosa argenteoalba and the parasitic wasp Reclinervellus nielseni, two species that carry out a strange relationship in Hyogo prefecture, Japan.

Together, the wasp and the spider provide a perfect example of host manipulation — an ecological process in which one species (the parasite) and its young (the parasitoids) manipulate the behaviors of another species (the host) to their advantage. [Zombie Animals: 5 Real-Life Cases of Body-Snatching] 

Just how a parasite turns its host into a zombielike slave varies from species to species, and sometimes, researchers aren't sure what the mechanism is that makes a host do its parasite's bidding. That's the case for the orb-weaving spider and parasitic wasp of Japan. Researchers in that country want to find out how R. nielseni controls C. argenteoalba. Does it use a neurotoxin, or perhaps some kind of hormone?

But to solve that mystery, scientists first need to answer another question: What, exactly, does the wasp make the spider do?

Find out here

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I see parasite infected mindless zombies that are manipulated daily. How about you?

How to Grow Blueberries at Home

Do you love the taste and health benefits of blueberries?  Would you like a fruit crop that will produce well in a short amount of time and doesn’t require a lot of space (and can even be grown in a container)?  Have you tried growing blueberries and had poor results?  This post is for you!  Learn how to grow blueberries at home in your own backyard.

 

Why Should I Grow Blueberries?

I would grow blueberries at home just for the taste alone.  A perfectly ripened blueberry warm off the bush is a lovely thing, and some home varieties (such as Rubel) pack an extra flavor punch.  Blueberries are a super fruit, packed with health benefits.  The World’s Best Foods states that blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients that benefit nearly every system in the body.

Blueberries –

• Help improve memory and may help prevent age-related memory loss
• Have a low glycemic index and may also aid in regulating blood sugar levels
• Improve cardiovascular health
• Protect the retina from oxygen damage
• May help prevent cancer

 

 

 

Read the rest here