Windows XP Pro
Sure is mighty slow
Drivers are a pain
What year is it again?
This client needs an upgrade foâ sho
6 Likes
There once was a man from Nantucket,
Who once told a guy to go suck it,
The guy went down fast,
The man felt aghast,
And took off to go puke in a bucket.
3 Likes
Good morning! 
It is Thursday, 13 May 2021
(W19 | D133 | 232 rem)
Today is: 
World Cocktail Dayđš
World Cocktail Dayđšis a global celebration of cocktails; it marks the publication date of the first definition of a cocktail on May 13 in 1806. The New York tabloid The Balance and Columbian Repository defined a cocktail as âa stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bittersâ.
The holiday itself is held annually by Drinkaware, a United Kingdom-based charity that brings awareness to the effects of drinking and aims to reduce the harm that drinking can have on people and families.
The website provides facts and information about drinking, alcohol poisoning, and alcohol abuse. The World Cocktail Day page that Drinkaware hosts have events all over the world that you can partake in, a blog you can follow about your favorite recipes, and how you can drink safely while also having fun.
The âBeeâs Kneesâ cocktail was actually created to mask and sweeten the taste of illegally brewed bathtub gin. The roaring twenties took the cocktail and shook it up into some of our most popular modern-day cocktails. Drinking didnât stop during the prohibition, people simply went underground. Many illegal speakeasies popped up, serving cocktails in jazz-style locales.
Post-prohibition saw the invention of drinks that still grace the pages of your favorite cocktail bar menus. 1954 saw the mixing of the Pina Colada in Puerto Rico when Ramon Marrero created the delicious pineapple treat at the Caribe Hilton hotel.
1988 saw the much-loved Cosmopolitan enter our lives, thanks to Toby Cecchini and his desire to share a drink with his fellow bartenders in San Francisco.
A constant throughout the cocktail era in America was the Rainbow Room. Opened after the prohibition in 1934, the Rainbow Room was a high-end club where New York A-listers could celebrate in style with post-prohibition cocktails. The Rainbow Room was revived and renovated in different forms over the years, being closed during WWII and for various restorations.
The 1987 reopening saw emerging mixologist Dale DeGroff create a pre-prohibition list of cocktails that revived some firm favorites and spearheaded the modern cocktail mixing revolution that made the cocktail bar increasingly popular.
Remember, itâs always the Cocktail Hour somewhere in the world! Drink responsibly, be safe, and have a top tier Thursday!
5 Likes
Blue is the best flavour, except of course brownish⌠A vodka paralyser would hit the spot later tonight.
3 Likes
Hmmmm, blue! Delicious!
3 Likes
I shall take a virgin cocktailâŚ
2 Likes
Because it is too early for a real one?
2 Likes
Because I havent had alcohol in almost 3 years
3 Likes
Iâll have a beer cocktail.
3 Likes
Iâll just go for some tail thanksâŚ
3 Likes
Thatâs fair. Keep it up then!
3 Likes
It is Friday, 14 May 2021
(W19 | D134 | 231 rem)
Today is: World Dance Like A Chicken Day (aka Chicken Dance Day) 
Weâve all seen it, itâs utterly ridiculous and usually performed in a bout of intoxicant-driven lunacy. You tuck your hands into your arm-pits to make âwings,â and then you flap like an idiot in time with some particularly unfortunate music. All that aside, you have complete giggle fits with a bunch of your friends while you behave in a fashion that has the local sanitarium eyeballing you for membership.
World Dance Like A Chicken Day (or just plain old âChicken Dance Dayâ) commemorates the tune, the dance and its origins and even gives you a chance to learn WHY anyone would do this terrible, terrible thing.
âDer Ententanzâ was the name of the song that inspired all of this, and while the dance has come to be called âThe Chicken Danceâ, the song itself is called The Duck Dance. At least that was its original name, and now it has spread all over the world, undergoing multiple name changes in the process. It has been known as everything from The Little Bird Dance to De Vogeltjesdans, or âThe dance of the little birds.â
That episode occurred in the 1950s, and few people outside of the band or Switzerland had any idea that such a strange song existed. Things came to a head, however, in the 1970s when a Dutch music producer called Louis Julien van Rijmenant overheard the creator of the song, Werner Thomas, performing it at a hotel in the 1970s. It was so unusual, and like nothing that he had ever heard before, he wanted to be a part of its story.
The music producer then went on to help Thomas get some recognition for his work. The Duck Dance rendition was actually the B-Side of a single released by a band called âDe Electronicaâsâ. The A-Side simply wasnât being well received by the radio station audiences, so they flipped it over. At that moment, history was made and it rocketed to the Dutch charts and stayed there for nearly a year. So much has its popularity exploded that it has been recorded in no less than 140 versions with over 40,000,000 records published over its lifetime.
In 1981 the dance brought to Oktoberfest in the United States, and due to a complete lack of duck costumes anywhere near the event, they had to settle for chicken costumes instead. The result of which is the name by which it is now known. The song responsible gets new covers done almost every year, with new lyrics added all the time. Thatâs right, thereâs lyrics. Youâre welcome.
Of course, the charm of the chicken dance didnât end there. Eventually, it made its way into plenty of pop culture references and then even the school playground, explaining its enduring appeal to this day.
Practically since its conception, people associated the chicken dance with funny music. But in 1982, a band out of Edmonton, Canada, called the Emeralds, created a song that perfectly married the funny dance with polka-style music (the one that goes âoom-pa-pa, oom-pa-paâ).
The rhythm just seemed to fit with the natural movements of the chicken and added a new layer of comedy to an already-hilarious sketch.
The tune was so successful that it eventually helped the Emeralds earn two gold-selling albums in 1983 and 1984. The actual song itself, called Bird Dance, went on to become double-platinum. Even the movie industry wanted to cash in on the tuneâs unique vibe, featuring it in both Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, and the John Paizsâs cult classic, Crime Wave.
Since these iconic cultural moments, the chicken dance has become something of a cult phenomenon of its own. Itâs hilarious and has inspired thousands of people to get in on the action and make it a part of their regular lives. In 1994, for instance, more than 48,000 people gathered together to celebrate the dance â the biggest known collection of people known to perform that dance to date.
The best way to celebrate Chicken Dance Day is by getting out there and doing the Chicken Dance! Itâs quite simple, and it all starts with making a beak with your hands, and âsquawkâ them four times in beat with the music, then you make wings as described earlier, and flap them four times in time with the music. Then⌠ya know what? Just watch this: How to Chicken Dance.
Have a clucking great Friday my disco dancing feathered friends!
Today is also Eid al-Fitr, also called the âFestival of Breaking the Fastâ or Lesser Eid, or simply Eid, is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan.
Eid Mubarak!
4 Likes
Where Iâm from in Canada, there are these things known as wedding socials. Basically a big party with a licensed bar at some venue like a gymnasium as a fund raiser for the big day. A social wasnât a social without the chicken dance.
What about us Disco Bears?
2 Likes
It is Saturday, 15 May 2021
(W19 | D135 | 230 rem)
Today is: International Astronomy Day 
International Astronomy Day is a biannual (our first?) day of observance intended to provide a means of interaction between the general public and astronomy enthusiasts, groups and professionals.
The mysteries of outer space and astronomy have fascinated the world for as long as we have recorded history. It is almost impossible to look up at the night sky on a clear evening and not be caught up in the sense of wonder and amazement at how big the universe truly is compared to us.
International Astronomy Day is a way for astronomy enthusiasts and professionals to share their knowledge and love of outer space with the general public. It is also a way for everyone interested in space to explore their passion and increase their knowledge.
The day is celebrated twice a year. There is one in spring and another in autumn to celebrate the changing constellations and various things to observe at different times of the year in space.
The Spring Astronomy Day (Autumn for us) takes place on a Saturday between mid-April and mid-May, and is scheduled to occur at or close to the first quarter Moon. In 2007, an autumn (our spring) rendition of Astronomy Day was added. It is scheduled to occur on a Saturday between mid-September and mid-October so as to be on or close to the first quarter Moon.
The lunar influence on the schedule means that the events happen on a different date each year, rather than set calendar dates. The second Astronomy Day this year falls on 9 October. (Save the date, come back and reread this post then 
)
The day was started in 1973 by Doug Berger, the then president of the Astronomical Association of Northern California. Originally, the day was celebrated by setting up telescopes in urban locations in order to make space more accessible to everyone. He wanted to increase interest in the field of astronomy and give the general public access to more ways to learn about it. Now, the day has expanded to include the entire world and many organizations and groups.
The possibilities for enjoying International Astronomy Day are endless. There are even many ways to tie learning about space into other areas of interest. Since we are always learning about space, there is a continual influx of new information and discoveries to feed our imaginations!
A quick list of things that could spark lively conversations with kids (and adults too!) keen to learn more about astronomy and our fascinating universe:
- The moon isnât round! Itâs actually lemon-shaped.
- Our days are getting longer. Very slowly though as the Earth slows down by 1/500th of a second every 100 years, which means that in a 1000 years one single day will be 200th of a second longer than it is now.
- There is less sand on Earth than there are stars in the universe.
- The moon does not have the same shape when you look at it from different places on earth. For example, it looks little like the mouth of a smiley face from countries close to the equator.
- Space is absolutely silent as sound has no way of travelling where there is no atmosphere.
- Do you like the colours of the sunshine? Well, you should see it on Mars where it appears blue!
- There is a planet called 55 Cancri e, and itâs possibly made of diamonds! It is visible to the naked eye in the constellation of Cancer, even though it is 40 lightyears away from us.
- Want to go to Pluto by plane? It would take you more than 800 years!
- If you set foot on the moon, your footprint will be there for the next 100 million years.
- Uranus rotates on its side.
- Your weight varies on different planets. If you could travel between the planets, for instance, and would go to Mercury you would be lighter, however, if you go to Jupiter you will weigh triple your Earth-weight!
- Weâve not ruled out life on other planets.
- The sun is so big that one million Earths could fit inside.
- There is no solid surface on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus or Neptune and therefore you wouldnât be able to take a walk on any of them.
- Mount Everest may be big, however, itâs not the biggest mountain in the world. There is knowledge of a mountain three times bigger situated on an asteroid called Vesta.
Have super space filled Saturday!
5 Likes
It is Sunday, 16 May 2021
(W19 | D136 | 229 rem)
Today is: Waiterâs Day
Anybody whoâs worked as a waiter for even a couple of days knows just how tough it can be.
Basically, your job is never, ever done. Have you brought that family their food? Great, now you can bring that booth full of noisy jocks their bill. Done that? Looks like that elderly couple would like a coffee refill, so donât keep them waiting.
Done that? Good, because that lady over there that ordered a salad with the dressing separately got her salad doused in dressing and is demanding another one. And while youâre in the kitchen, why donât you bring the aforementioned family their desserts, because their children are crying that they want ice cream, not a roast beef?
Waiters Day is a long-overdue day during which we should all take a moment to show our appreciation for those who work long hours on their feet, often for minimum wage.
Waiters Day was created by Fred Sirieix, the General Manager at Galvin at Windows, the Michelin-starred restaurant on the 28th floor of the London Hilton. Sirieix thought it was high time to celebrate all such staffâfrom maĂŽtre dâs in fine restaurants to Starbucks baristas, from diner waitresses to cocktail bar mixologists. Fred Sirieixâs goal is to stop people working as waiters etc. from being perceived as unskilled and instead as hardworking people doing jobs that require many skills and can lead to rewarding careers.
If youâre a waiter or waitress yourself, this is the perfect day for you to give yourself a break from work and just treat yourselfâyou deserve it! So think of something youâve been wanting to do for a while, and finally get around to doing it.
Or maybe you just want to see the roles reversed by going to a nice restaurant with your significant other, and spending an evening enjoying the food, the service, and the atmosphere? However, you decide to treat yourself, remember that being a happier person will make you even better at your job. All the more reason to go out and have some fun!
If, on the other hand, you are not a waiter or waitress or anything of the sort, today is a great time for you to be extra nice to the people who bring you your food. One of the most important things to consider is how to tip properly.
Few things are more frustrating for a waiter or waitress who has spent hours making sure you have everything you need and smiling despite aching feet than the client failing to leave even a tip, especially when the meal itself was quite expensive. The average tip is between 15% and 20%, with anything below that seeming rude towards your server.
Another way to celebrate this day would be to promise yourself to always be as nice as you can to your waiter or waitress â this may not seem like much, but after a long, busy day, a smile and a thank you can really go a long way.
Tip your servers properly, treat them with respect, and youâll have a super Sunday! 
6 Likes
Iâm choosing to wait on payday.
2 Likes
It is Monday, 17 May 2021
(W20 | D137 | 228 rem)
Today is: World Baking Day
Crunchy cookies, chewy brownies, decadent tortes, cute cupcakes, crusty baked breadâŚbaking is an art this world would just not be the same without. Do you even know anyone who could honestly say they donât have deep, unconditional love for at least one of the above? We thought not!
This World Baking Day, itâs time to dig out that rolling pin and prepare something delicious! Surprise a friend, coworker, neighbor or relative with a delicious sweet or savory treat to let them know how much you care, or just make something to enjoy in your own home.
World Baking Day was created by the folks over at worldbakingday.com, who decided it was high time to spread the joy of baking all around the world, especially to those who perhaps donât bake too often and are not particularly experienced at it.
This day is meant to show people just how much fun it can be to make a cake or some cookies, and baking can be a great way to spend time with family and friends. Not to mention how much fun it is to eat what youâve made once itâs done!
Itâs incredible that weâve managed to go so long without a World Baking Day. We discovered evidence that baking has existed for over 14,000 years, proving that we simply canât live without it! In fact, the first bakers in Jordan created flatbreads, which they then wrapped around meat â potentially the first-ever sandwich in existence. Roman times saw the birth of the artisan baker. Lovers of all things decadent, Romans prized the pastry chef, and those that brought new baked goods to the worlds were ever-popular at feasts and banquets.
In the United Kingdom, by the Middle Ages, baking went commercial, with many trading regulations and rules governing how to bake and sell bread. But everyoneâs got to eat, so anyone with an oven was baking bread to feed their families. The delicious, mouth-watering cakes we eat today started to emerge for the upper echelons of society from the middle ages onwards.
Technology also helped upgrade the ovens to help bring better-baked goods to the masses, especially in the nineteenth century. Food was easier to preserve, too, so many people could order in meats and milk from across the country rather than relying on their backyard cows or chickens. Cans also cultivated a new innovation for baking, as meats and veg could be canned and exported from places like Australia.
New baking innovations arrived during WWI and WWII. In America during the wars, baking thrived as people moved to the US, and rationing saw the need for increasingly crafty creations.
In America, different flavors from across the world arrived, from Italian cannolis to Mexican Tres Leches. When people couldnât find fat or eggs during the wars, Applesauce Cake was baked into existence, which is still made today and used as an alternative to eggs and fat in vegan baking.
The increase in prosperity after the war allowed baking to flourish into the foods we love today, all culminating in this event. Enjoy the chance to bake, eat, and be merry with friends and family during this day.
However you decide to celebrate this day, make it deliciously unforgettable!
If you have electricity - thanks Eskom - or a gas oven, get your bake on, and have a great Monday!
5 Likes
I told my sister(s) to put a bun in the oven 
4 Likes
Apparently people hate those for baking.
4 Likes
I can understand that. Gas on the top, electric in the box. Itâs like a bakerâs mullet!
2 Likes