tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591Sat, 04 Jul 2026 21:03:31 +0000historysciencecelebritymysterypeopledeathNaturefoodanimalsfamehumormoviesnewscrimereligiondisasterlessons learnedoddcreepymusicPoliticsRIPaccidentchurchdangerinspirationwoodland creaturesbusinesschangecreativityend-of-the-worldholidaysprogressTVfuturehealthsecretspace explorationlawmoneyreputationsafetytechTexasawarenessblogcourageobscurityoceantourismDreamsartcomebackinternetmeatmonsterswomenChinaEnglandHollywoodfashiongravelifemiraclesno dumb questionsplanesscandalspacespytelevisionweatherAngerEarthJapanMarsRussiaabusebookbraincomfortdiseasedogsdrinkingold agepolicepoopprivacysatireshoppingtheorieswritingBigfootChristianityFloridaGoogleMass Transitchaosclownscorruptiondeitiesdespairennuigigantic stuffhelpherohousekindnessmassive cover-upphotospithy quotesprophesiesscience fictionskinsnoopingworkyouthIrelandPOTUSPsychSleestaksSt. PatrickTwittercatcreditdancedecadenceeconomicsepiphanyfightinggiftshomelyidiocylawsuitmagicmeteorsmythpollutionprotestsrelaxationsecret codesleepsmall dogsspidersstale writingterroriststoiletwarwormholeBio-DuckCIADoppler effectFreeGodLentLincolnLitterMississippiMoonMotherNew York TimesPresidentsRomeSNLStar TrekUFOballetbannedbigotryblack holesbrawlingcardiac arrestcavemendemonsdespotismdoctorsencouragementfortunehippieshorselibertarianmegalomaniamindnewpoetryrecallscamseasonsspiritualsportsstresssuicidethanksgivingtorturetreesvideoweaponsAndroidAppleAvatarBonoCNNCanadaCandyChestertonCubsEasterFacebookFranceHarvardHitlerHootersISISIndiaIrishJupiter.LatinMaury PovichMothmanNebraskaNew AgeNexusPOWPeepsPlutoProduction noteProgramerSimpsonsSwedenTechnoratiTex-MexVietnamWikipediaaliensantarcticappsbaconbankruptcybowlingcarscelebrationchocolatecold warcongressdebtdinosaursdrugseBayeclipseeggflatulenceforgivenessfruitgaminggaygunsinitiationjurykidnappinglightsmermaidspandemicparentsphilosophyphobiasplutocratsporcupineracismredemptionreviewsexsocialismspringstockssugarsurveytaxes"Fresh drivel daily!"http://www.afewparagraphs.com/noreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)Blogger450125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-2619555110498341941Sat, 04 Jul 2026 21:03:31 +00002026-07-04T16:03:31.590-05:00Breakfast was so wonderous when I was a kid -- not nutritionally, of course. But it did what it was supposed to do: jazz up our little-kid bodies with plenty of good, organic sugar, fresh from the ground, so we'd have the "Go Power" to charge through school or -- more importantly -- summer vacation. We all knew that sugar was rocket fuel that had but one downside (i.e., cavities, which we could http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2026/07/when-breakfast-was-good-and-junkie.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-1259398672807809531Sat, 07 Mar 2026 21:20:00 +00002026-03-07T15:20:04.690-06:00Hi! I'm back after a long, long, LONG lacuna. , ready to write more of my babbling just like before. Except with about five years more under my belt. And that ought to count for something, since I can still find my belts (tho I hardly wear them anymore). http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2026/03/belts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-5544873848330405095Thu, 16 Apr 2020 21:28:00 +00002020-04-16T16:28:38.160-05:00abusedebtlawmoneyTexasSome folks are scared that debt collectors will try to get their stimulus payments. This is a legitimate fear since collectors are generally scum. Back when I was a debt counselor I once spoke to a sick, widow in her 70s who was told by a collector that she should die so her debts could be paid by her executor.But some state and local governments issued emergency orders at the end of last month http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2020/04/where-they-cant-take-your-stimulis-check.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-8878557475838749256Thu, 26 Mar 2020 21:36:00 +00002020-03-26T16:36:08.011-05:00disasterdiseasepandemicHi, I'm back. Yeah, I know. It's been a while, but I figured what better time to restart my blog than during a worldwide pandemic. Plus at that time we had a relatively normal person leading the free world, but now we have a low-IQ nattering blowhard who makes up his own reality moment by moment. What a time to be alive! The main thing to remember right now tho is that the apocalypse hasn't hit http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2020/03/not-quite-apocalypse.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-3979444846183540773Tue, 26 Dec 2017 01:53:00 +00002017-12-25T19:53:33.141-06:00humoridiocynewsPoliticswormhole http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/12/fresh-from-department-of-redundancy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-7783362633961706085Thu, 23 Nov 2017 18:07:00 +00002017-11-23T12:07:08.168-06:00foodhistoryholidaysthanksgiving "Welcome, welcome Englishmen! Do you have any beer?" Sub-Chief Samoset of the Abenaki tribe is supposed to have happily exclaimed when he first met the Pilgrim Fathers. Of course, that was in March, not November, but the same sentiment has endured down to this very day. May you and yours enjoy each others company in a similar spirit on this Thanksgiving Day. http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/11/talking-turkey-well-really-beer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-7706625231826648749Wed, 08 Nov 2017 18:42:00 +00002017-11-08T12:43:41.760-06:00dangerfoodhelpIrelandoddtreesMeanwhile, at the Honorable Society of King’s Inns in Dublin, Ireland... Nom nom nom... Image courtesy of Noel Donnellon But this sort of thing happened much more frequently in the middle ages, so don't fret too much about it. http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/11/really-hungry-plants.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-1408242581004041953Tue, 07 Nov 2017 21:28:00 +00002017-11-08T11:57:28.371-06:00AngercelebritydangerdespotismEnglandhorselessons learnedMass TransitmiraclesSweden Trainy has a tense conversation with "The Man" Image: Sony Pictures Television By now the whole world knows the misbegotten saga of the HMS Boaty McBoatface*. The state-of-the-art British scientific research ship was given that name in a cheerful public referendum only to have the will of the people cruelly stomped in the dust by "The Man" and replaced by the staid and stoggy HMS http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/11/theres-battle-outside-and-it-is-ragin.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-1358467694657286121Mon, 06 Nov 2017 18:55:00 +00002017-11-06T12:55:04.769-06:00clownscreepydrinkingmonsterssleep Back in 2014, you may recall,  I told you of the dreadful Clown Epidemic that afflicted the world at that time. If that was an incredibly proactive advertising campaign for that freaky "It" movie that opened in September, it seems to have worked, since it's grossed $305 million at the box office. Of course, it's hard to balance that against the cost of three years worth of clowns but New http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/11/more-about-clowns.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-1882715808484029334Fri, 13 Oct 2017 20:38:00 +00002017-10-31T22:04:56.901-05:00changecongresscouragelawlessons learnedPoliticsPOTUSPresidents Voting Booth Public domain image What if they gave an election and nobody came? That's what happened in McIntire, Iowa the other day (well, really back in August but "the other day" sounds more folksy). It was a special election, too! They were asking the 70 registered voters of McIntire if it was ok for the Mayor and city council to stay in office twice as long as they have been. "Don't http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/10/i-vote-for-mcintire.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-634674131227153633Mon, 09 Oct 2017 20:19:00 +00002017-10-09T15:38:07.607-05:00animalscreepyFloridameatNatureocean Florida sea pork Image by Andrea Westmoreland Continuing on, however tenuously, with our "pork" theme from yesterday's church sign featuring the apparently quite delectable pastor Ressler of Saint Louis, I present you with "Sea Pork," the plague of South Carolina beaches. In fact, they invade beaches all up and down the eastern seaboard and into the Gulf, surprising hapless http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/10/fancy-piece-of-sea-pork.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-8157439545247775754Sun, 08 Oct 2017 19:04:00 +00002017-10-08T14:08:27.915-05:00churchfoodhumorreligion Cannibalism in the pews! http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/10/weekly-dose-of-religiosity.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-7171923275165318480Sat, 07 Oct 2017 19:12:00 +00002017-10-07T14:12:46.035-05:00crimedogsdrugsscandalsmall dogstourism A very mellow (but guilty) puppy Public Domain Just so you know, if you use medical marijuana -- or whatever other kind you might possibly have -- you might want to stay out of Illinois. Studies show they have the third highest incidence of your dog eating your stash (Colorado's number 1, like you couldn't guess)! http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/10/puppies-in-trouble.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-5399137354603427543Sat, 26 Aug 2017 00:53:00 +00002017-10-08T14:09:40.548-05:00chaosdangerdisasterend-of-the-worldgigantic stuffweather Harvey coming for a visit So as it happens, the mighty city of Conglomeration is right in the middle of all the hurricane Harvey action -- on "the dirty side," as we like to say. Follow me on Twitter at @Pleonic for all the mayhem until our electricity goes out or our house flies away. ----------------------------- UPDATE: All this post did in the event was to point you guys to my http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/08/harvey-and-me.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-3014515860136685204Tue, 04 Jul 2017 18:25:00 +00002017-07-04T20:41:28.136-05:00celebrationholidaysinternetrelaxationskinTexasweather Photo courtesy of Disney Here in the ever propagating city of Conglomeration, Texas the "feels like" temperature is 257 ° F and the humidity is approximately what it will be here when climate change makes the Gulf of Mexico deluge the state. As a result only the most hard bitten patriots will dare to venture out to the fireworks tonight. Many will sacrifice their lives to do so, bursting http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/07/comfortably-celebrating-independence.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-4460406071013640805Sun, 18 Jun 2017 08:00:00 +00002017-06-18T03:00:16.064-05:00churchhumorreligion http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/06/weekly-dose-of-religiosity_18.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-8447209516823428206Sat, 17 Jun 2017 19:32:00 +00002021-06-10T13:16:29.138-05:00awarenessdeathholidayslessons learnedold ageparents The Chair Last year my father passed away and so this Father's Day will be the first one where he isn't sitting in The Chair. Actually, last year he probably sat mostly in his wheel chair since The Chair was somewhat difficult to get in and out of by then. But he was still with us and could have occupied The Chair if he so chose. But this year it's an Empty Chair. And that feels a bit weird. http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/06/fathers-day-empty-chair.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-2586405635142432465Wed, 14 Jun 2017 08:00:00 +00002017-10-09T18:12:35.352-05:00celebrityfameHollywoodMarsmoviespeoplescience fictionspace Adam West tries to coax Mona the astro-monkey into eating The late Adam West (Batman, that is) didn't just sear his portrayal of the Caped Crusader indelibly into the public psyche. He was in a lot of other movies and TV shows, including one of my all-time favorites Robinson Crusoe on Mars. Unfortunately for culture, many people react to that title in much the same way as they do to Santa http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/06/batman-on-mars.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-6600879130801103389Sun, 11 Jun 2017 08:00:00 +00002017-06-11T03:00:22.777-05:00churchhumorreligion http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/06/weekly-dose-of-religiosity.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-8181200208263864816Sat, 10 Jun 2017 19:51:00 +00002017-06-11T03:03:40.950-05:00celebritycomebackdeathfameheroobscurityRIPTV RIP Adam West This is the end of an era for me. This is the day that Batman died. And by Batman I mean Adam West, who just passed away at the age of 88. During the psychedelic 60s when I was a 2nd grader in a flyspeck of a town in New Jersey, one of my favorite comic books suddenly came to life in brilliant color on television. Batman back then wasn't a dark and foreboding fellow riven with http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/06/rip-batman.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-3221493714903345465Sun, 23 Apr 2017 12:00:00 +00002017-04-23T11:56:30.300-05:00churchhumorreligion Next week's sign: "Go to church or I'll use the force to crush your throat!!" http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/04/weekly-dose-of-religiosity_23.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-8649897400219789820Sat, 15 Apr 2017 17:59:00 +00002017-04-15T13:17:26.339-05:00historyRIP Emma Morano -- last of her kind I haven't been posting recently due to over-busyness (see my previous post),  but this is just too epic to miss: the last surviving human from the 19th century has passed. Requiescat In Pace Emma Morano, and farewell 1800s. http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/04/emma-morano-last-of-her-kind-i-havent.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-6027611982906891273Thu, 06 Apr 2017 14:58:00 +00002017-04-06T09:58:37.942-05:00Production note Stuff I gotta do Image by Tom Ventura Due to being deluged with various financial things (like doing a couple of income taxes, etc), I'm going to have to suspend my usual daily stream of drivel for a little. I'll be back as soon as I can. In the meantime there is plenty of older blather you can shake your head at if you take a mind to. Pleonichttp://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/04/production-note.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-7839533544760976286Wed, 05 Apr 2017 16:08:00 +00002017-04-05T13:50:41.681-05:00animalsBigfootNatureTexaswoodland creatures Native Texan? As we all know, Bigfoot is a cosmopolitan citizen of the world. But for some reason very few people can imagine him living in Texas. This, however, is a major misconception. According to the Texas Bigfoot Research Conservancy he (or she) sometimes hangs out close to where I live. Their files hold the report of a September 2006 encounter between Sasquatch and one of my fellow http://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/04/my-neighbor-sasquatch.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30572591.post-7430543946135335072Tue, 04 Apr 2017 16:31:00 +00002017-04-04T16:59:04.703-05:00healthmysteryNatureno dumb questionspeoplescience Your navel hard at work Now for a cultural reference that Star Wars nerds like me will recognize: Remember the Sarlacc from Episode VI -- the ravenous creature in a huge desert pit lined with inward-facing spines that swallowed hapless victims (like Billy Dee Williams) alive? Well, that's how your navel gathers lint. An Austrian researcher named Georg Steinhauser devoted 3 years of hishttp://www.afewparagraphs.com/2017/04/the-ins-and-outs-of-belly-button-lint.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pleonic)0