I drew up some plans for some large excavation screens I made. I went uber-low tech and drew them in Paint too (it's easier than you'd think once you figure out your scale lines). The plans are also in the latest issue of the SAS Newsletter so they're even published (kind of). The reason I put these up here is because my first instinct when I was going to build new screens was to look for wood working plans on the interwebs. But to no avail because the best I could do was a plan for a tank-like shaker screen (but I wanted ones to be hung from from a tripod, hammock style from two trees, or what have you). So I thought I would do my social duty and post my plans here for other archaeology types to try (click to embiggen). They also work for geology soil sifters or compost sifters. Hey and if anyone out there downloads/uses the plans please leave a comment, I'd be interested to know if my social work was useful.
p.s. I put metric measurements because I don't care what the lumber industry says dang it (What are we? In the time of Charlemagne!?). But, since board types are named for their imperial height and width measurements (and S4S boards are subsequently finished to slightly less than that), you can check the "Did You Know?" box for S4S board dimension conversions.
Go figure! Apparently I'm harder core than I thought. The rating works by searching for random key words like "dead", "sex", etc. and must compare it to total word count or something. I assume it's something like this because if I just rate the recent posts, the blog is rated R (the Evil Dead post puts me over the edge there I think) and flags "sexy" as a bad word and if I rate the entire blog it doesn't. Anyway, click the image to rate your own blog (just change the address in the box). It's set to my blog now and will update every time you click it (because I used the method below) so my bad word counts are only going to go up. Woohoo!
Here's a compiled bad word list (from the few searches I did to see if the results would differ). Ironically this post upped my bad word counts so this list is invalid now (there's at least 4 bad words in the first paragraph alone!). In my defense all of those cocks were referring to roosters (oh wait there's another one):
Like I said, I set it up so it would rate the entire blog including archives (not just the recent displayed posts). To display all of your posts (for Blogger) just type in your http address followed by: /search?max-results=N where "N" is the number of posts you want displayed. So mine might look like: http://chickensinsaskatoon.blogspot.com/search?max-results=1000 This works for backing up your blog too, just type that in and save the webpage (this might take a while if your blog is big). You can find out how many posts you have from the Dashboard (F.Y.I. I have 339 as of today).
Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson
Review: My Dad foisted this book on me so that someone would be able to argue about it with him. I must say, best psychobabble book ever! Highly readable and highly interesting! It discusses cognitive dissonance from the viewpoints of various historical events and example cases. It changed the way I look at things, which is high praise to give any book (especially one that is meant to do just that). I definitely recommend the read, even if it is only to get why I keep saying that stuff is because of cognitive dissonance.
As we all know I am all about the safety so I thought I would take the time to explain the do's and do not do's of approaching the wily and elusive helicopter.
One must be sure not to make any sudden movements as this might startle the creature. Be sure to approach from a safe distance and make sure that you have made eye contact and wait for a sign of recognition before getting closer. When you do approach always be aware of the ferocious tail and steer clear.
Most domesticated helicopters that you will meet have been equipped with saddlebags or some similar apparatus or compartment to pack extra gear but these must be utilized with caution as approaching the beast from the side or the rear leaves you open to attacks and, once again, will invariably make the animal nervous and aggravated.
Next time: killing and field dressing the wild helicopter! Stay tuned! Also, helicopters are better with the Simpsons (sorry it's in English).
The first thing you need to learn about bettin' on the ponies is how to read the racing form. Racing forms are sort of like the periodic tables of horse racing. There is a whole bunch of information crammed into a small space but it is only useful if you already know what numbers are where and what they mean.
Yes you can just go and randomly pick a number (which I have done), or colour (which I have also done). FYI the same numbers are always the same colours. Or, if you are a little more advanced, on the coolness of the horse name. But I feel it is important not be ignorant (or at least attempt to be conversant with basics of anything you are going to spend money on) so here is an interactive tutorial on racing form literacy.
At the top of the page for a given race will have the number of the race (say 2 if it is the second race), the type of race it is (say 6 furlongs), what sorts of horses are competing, what the purse is, weights, and any other general info about the race itself, as well as any allowed combination or multiple bets. See the tutorial for the rest.
Now that you know all the info you need to pick your winners (like if it has a cool name), here's how to bet.
Straight or Single bets:
This is the simplest and most common bet placed on a single horse. Obviously the more complex (and unlikely) the bet, the higher the payoff (that's why they call it gambling boys and girls). But this isn't always the case because the payoff is based on the odds given, but also on how many people make the same bet as you do. So, for example, sometimes the payoff on a bet to show on a favorite horse to win is higher than the to place payoff. Straight bets include:
Win bet. Simple, you bet on which you think will win. If they do, you collect. Usually the posted odds are based on returns on a win bet. Place bet. A wager for place means you collect if your selected horse finishes either first or second. Show bet. A wager to show means you collect if your selected horse finishes either first, second or third.
Combination Bets:
Combinations cover from two to four horses to win in chosen order. Any given race will always allow all straight bets, but will only allow certain combination bets (these will be listed on the racing form next to the number of the race). Combination bets include: Quiniela. A bet placed on two horses to finish first and second in either order. Perfecta or Exacta. A bet placed on two horses but they must cross the finish line in exact chosen order. Trifecta. A bet placed on three horses to cross the finish line in exact chosen order. Superfecta. A bet placed on four horses to cross the finish line in exact chosen order.
Multiple bets: Bets across multiple races different races. Low odds, high pay outs. You won't win these unless you drugged the horses. Some common multiple bets include:
Daily Double: Similar to an accumulator you select the winners of the first and second races on that day. You must place your bet before the start of the first race.
Pick 3. This wager requires the player to pick the winners of three consecutive races. Some race tracks have a rolling pick 3, which is when the player must pick three races in a row and it continues for the next three races. Also comes in pick 4 or even 6. Parlay or Accumulator. A kind of 'let-it-ride' bet. Making simultaneous selections on two or more races with the intent of pressing the winnings of the first win on the bet of the following race selected, and so on. All the selections made must win for you to win the parlay. If a race is a tie, postponed or cancelled, your parlay is automatically reduced by one selection; a double parlay becomes a straight bet, a triple parlay becomes a double. A parlay bet can yield huge dividends if won, but good luck with it.
OK so you know what race you are betting on, what horse(s) you want, and what kind of bet you want to make. So now what? Well, the minimum bet is usually $2, you go up to the nice people behind the counters who want to take your money and say, "number 3 to win in the 5th" and give them your toonie. Well, don't say that EVERY time unless you only ever go to race number five and only like to bet on 3. Anyway, you get the idea. For a quiniela you might say "$2 quiniela, numbers 5 and 6". If the results of the first two horses are either 5-6 or 6-5, you win.
There are also special sorts of bets in which you box out multiple horses for a bet. These cost more, but you are slightly more likely to win. For example in a Quiniela Box you pick three or more horses. You win if any two of your selections finish first and second. To bet you say "$2 quiniela box on 4,5 and 6". You are making three separate bets so your minimum bet is $6. If they finish 4-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-5, 5-4 or 5-6, you win. You can box as few as three or as many as the field (all the horses in the race) but this costs more.
With a Trifecta it is much the same. For a straight Trifecta you say "$2 trifecta numbers 7,4 and 5" and you win if they finish in that order, but with a Trifecta Box you pick three horses to finish first, second and third, in any order. To bet you say "trifecta box 2,3 and 5." You are actually making six $2 bets, so your total bet is $12. If they finish 2-3-5, 2-5-3, 3-2-5, 3-5-2, 5-2-3 or 5-3-2, you win. More commonly there is a Trifecta Key in which you pick your favorite horse to win, then two or more others to place and show in any order. To bet you say "trifecta key on 1 with 2 and 3." You are actually making two $2 bets so your total bet is $4. To win your Key horse must win and the other two must finish either 1-2-3 or 1-3-2.
Anyway, I've never made one of these kind of crazy bets myself. I like to stick to my little $2 bets and hope to break even and maybe make a few pennies to pay for a snack. This isn't too hard to do making easy bets and, even if you do lose all night, if you stick to your little bets you won't be out more than the price of a movie and popcorn (as D would say). Well that's it for this installment of how to do fun stuff. I couldn't find a horse racing clip but at least I can say that gambling is better with the Simpsons:
The basic principle is for you and your opponent to alternate hitting the ball against the front wall until one of you misses.
RULES
Serving: Players must keep one foot in the service box as they serve. The ball must hit the front wall between the service line and the out line, and land in the area behind the short line on the opposite side of the court.
Rallying: For the remainder of the rally, players must hit the wall above the board and below the out line. The ball is only allowed to hit the floor once before each shot, but it can hit as many walls as the player wants. If a player fails to hit the ball before it bounces twice, hits the ball into the floor before it hits the front wall, hits it outside the out line, or hits the ball out of turn (ie.when it is their opponents turn to return the ball) then they lose the rally. A player can also lose a rally if the ball hits them or their clothing before they strike the ball.
SCORING
In the traditional, British system you can only score points when you are serving. When the player receiving serve wins a rally, the score does not change, but he or she becomes the server. So if you are facing serve, you need to win two rallies to register a point. A match is usually the best of five games to nine points. If the score reaches eight-all, however, the player who is not serving at the time can choose whether to play to nine points or to 10 points. During points, a player can be impeded or unsighted as they try to play their next shot, and can ask for a let. If the referee decides this is deserved, he or she can order the point to be replayed, or award the rally to the player who has been affected depending on the situation.
TACTICS
The first rule of squash is: DON'T HIT THE WALL WITH YOUR FACE! This is the first rule of squash for a reason. After that, the best strategy is to make your opponent do the running (this means you have control of the game). Try to return to the "T" at the centre at the court. Remember it is easier to run forward than backward. Switching from short to long or long to short game is a good trick but try to make sure it doesn't backfire on you if your opponent does manage to return the shot. Keeping the ball low lessens the chance of your opponent reaching it before it bounces twice. Corners and edges are good to shoot for too (especially the two back corners) because the ball does not bounce well and your opponent's racquet works against them there. Also, remember you don't have to wallop the ball every time, especially if it is near the wall sometimes the better choice is a lighter tap.
EQUIPMENT
Players use a different ball depending on ability and preference. Squash balls will have a coloured dot which indicates speed and bounce.
The recognised colours are:
Double Yellow - extra super slow (the type used in competition) Yellow - super slow Green or white - slow Red - medium Blue - fast
Tip: Be sure to warm up the ball before play as there can be up to a 40% difference in speed and bounce depending on the type of ball you are using. Also, WEAR GOGGLES!
Modern racquets are usually made of composite materials such as kevlar and graphite (retro ones were made of wood). They are 70 cm (27 inches) long, with a maximum strung area of 500 square centimetres (approximately 80 square inches) and a weight between 110 and 200 grams (4-7 ounces).
These are not to be confused with racquetball racquets (or badminton racquets):
Because no one got that the first video I posted was the original version of " Tequila " from 1958 (a "surf instrumental" by the band The Champs) I decided to repost with an educational document on how to properly read tequila labels. Also, here is a more recognizable version of "Tequila" from the 90's with creepy animation.
HOW TO READ A TEQUILA LABEL
1. The word "tequila" written somewhere on the bottle. 2. NOM Number... this is the distillery's identification number. Sometimes you find this number on the front of the label, sometimes on the back. It's your assurance that the tequila was made in Mexico under Mexican standards. 3. This tequila is aged. The label might also identify it as silver, gold, or reposado. 4. The brand. You will find, on occasion, that a distillery will make several different tequilas. Sometimes the tequilas are not different, they just have different labels. Check the NOM numbers to see if it is truly different or just in a different bottle. 5. Bottle size. In this case it's a litre. It could be 750ml, and you can even get it in "mickey" size. 6. Distiller's name and location. There are only five regions in Mexico that are allowed to produce tequila. 7. This tequila is made from 100% agave hearts. If the label says anything else, it ain't agave and the product is most likely a blend. Some poor-quality fake tequilas claim to be 100% agave, so it helps to know your brand names. 8. The picture... with tequila bottles, it can be anything but usually reflects something about the tequila (brand/type/name/etc.) 9. Proof... usually twice the percentage of alcohol.
1. MIX together: 1 cup peanut butter (smooth or cunchy), 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg
2. ROLL into balls and flatten with fork on ungreased baking sheet.
3. BAKE at 325°F for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before placing in large "Pollio" tupperware container.
Alternate Recipe: 1. Get peanut butter 2. Make peanut butter cookies
DISCLAIMER (From Denise): These are the best cookies ever, and very addictive, and sometimes if you are like me they make you very hyper (I cleaned my desk today after just 4 cookies!!)
I drew up some plans for some large excavation screens I made. I went uber-low tech and drew them in Paint too (it's easier than you'd think once you figure out your scale lines). The plans are also in the latest issue of the SAS Newsletter so they're even published (kind of). The reason I put these up here is because my first instinct when I was going to build new screens was to look for wood working plans on the interwebs. But to no avail because the best I could do was a plan for a tank-like shaker screen (but I wanted ones to be hung from from a tripod, hammock style from two trees, or what have you). So I thought I would do my social duty and post my plans here for other archaeology types to try (click to embiggen). They also work for geology soil sifters or compost sifters. Hey and if anyone out there downloads/uses the plans please leave a comment, I'd be interested to know if my social work was useful.
Tip: Be sure to warm up the ball before play as there can be up to a 40% difference in speed and bounce depending on the type of ball you are using. Also, WEAR GOGGLES!
