Daily Inflammation

“St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17 across the globe to recognize Irish culture and history. The Irish first began observing St. Patrick’s Day around the 10th century, where a Roman Catholic feast was held in honor of Saint Patrick, who is believed to have died on March 17, 461, according to History.com”

In Oregon we go them one better.  Every year The Oregon State Lottery holds a drawing with the grand prize of $1,000,000.00.  And, as they shamelessly advertise, it is your best chance of winning a million dollars as they only sell 250,000 tickets at $10.00 each.  The odds of winning are 250,000 to 1; still impossible but better looking on paper that the 295,000,000 to 1 of the Mega Millions game.

I tossed away my usual ten this year with the same result: $0 in return.  I am a little down so if you have an extra million lying around I would appreciate you sending it to me.  Or better yet, send it to The Ukraine.  I doubt anyone there had time to buy a ticket.

Is that person really a friend?  And does she want you to like it because she likes it or is it some type of precognitive event that is designed to shock and amaze; a plea for support or an intuitive act of contrition because she posted it and you had to be prompted to like it?  And what is your definition of “Like?”

Facebook is so confusing!  I guess you have to be Russian to understand how to use it.

When William Shakespeare wrote this line in Act 1 Scene 2 of Julius Caesar it appeared to be a warning to Caesar of his impending surprise surgery in Act 3.  In reality was Shakespeare’s way of issuing a Public Service Announcement to the masses; radio and television were still a few years away.  March 15th is Lupercalia, an ancient Roman religious holiday.  But like many of the Jewish dietary laws, the reason for this warning was based on health and not religious doctrine.

Although they appear to be sweet and juicy in March, Ides do not fully ripen until May and if eaten early contain amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside composed of cyanide and sugar also found in apple, pear and cherry seeds. When metabolized in the digestive system, this chemical degrades into highly poisonous hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and can prove fatal.

So please beware and do not consume Ides in March, but feel free to enjoy this tasty treat in May and throughout the summer!

And they did, that is, until I went to visit congress in Washington, D.C.
Apparently both Goodness and Mercy have been banned from entering. Greed and Megalomania, however, have found a home!

Kindling!

The speed your brain processes information begins to decline around age 24, a study from Simon Fraser University found.  You can exercise your brain and counter the aging process. Keeping physically fit and a variety of mental activities are the key.
“One of the main benefits of aging is that we make more accurate decisions with less information,” says psychologist Cynthia Green.  “With age, we know more,” she notes. “And we have better emotional balance.”

So how do you know if your brain is in trouble?  See a medical professional immediately if you have any of these symptoms:

1. You get confused and lost in close proximity to your home.
2. You watch Fox News for any other reason than comedy relief.
3. You believe a massive fraud occurred in the presidential election.
4. You admire Vladimir Putin’s political savvy.
5. I, in my infinite wisdom, judge you to be an idiot. (Most Popular) Call me.

TYPE A                                                 TYPE B  
1. Speed Racer                                                      1. Snagglepuss: Exit, Stage Right!
2. Transformers                                                    2. The Jetsons
3.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles               3. Rocky and Bullwinkle
4. Tales from the Crypt                                     4. Casper the Friendly Ghost
5. Street Fighter                                                  5. Dudley Do-Right
6. Mortal Combat                                                6. SpongeBob SquarePants

I happily identify as Type B. (Pronouns nerd/uh you)

In a recent meeting of the Synod of Interfaith Elders and Bake Sale, research determined that this partial quote was ignored by an overwhelming majority of the world’s population.  The desire to condemn and then go out for a bit of sinning is just too powerful to ignore.

Losing by the smallest margin of one vote, the motion to toss the Book of John from the Bible was defeated.  Maybe next year.

In his column The Results Are In, Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports a study determined just one pint of beer or glass of wine a day, on average, may begin to shrink the overall volume of the brain and the damage worsens as the number of daily drinks rises.

That explains so much.  

Currently, if  customers of the Tesco Supermarket in Weston-super-Mare, England, park for longer than half an hour, they must spend at least £3 in the store for a three hour stay.  If they don’t, motorists could be slapped with a £70 fine. 

Kind of makes all your problems seem small, right?  Smile and count your blessings!