Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Taking a Quick Time Out



Hey all,

Sorry about this week's blogs.  Everything is crazy right now with work and work and playing and a few other things going on.  I'm taking this week off, but I'll be back next Monday with something new and exciting!  So stay tuned!!!


Hugs,

CJ England  
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g53/cjengland/Blog%20Pics/HereComesPeter100x154.jpg
Follow Your Dreams

Friday, April 20, 2012

The Lighter Side is the Cat's Meow!!!

Hey all,

I've got a fun blog today.  My daughter sent a link to a new cartoon she's found, and I had to give it a looksie.  It's called  Two Lumps: The Adventures of Eben and Snooch.  If you like cats, you'll love this one, but give it a shot even if you're not a feline fan!  Here's a few to get you going, but start at the beginning and don't give up.  It gets better the more of it you read.  Click on pics to make them bigger.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


http://twolumps.net/comics/20040423.jpg

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http://twolumps.net/comics/20040426.jpg

These are some from the first few months and the archives go back to 2004.  So enjoy and try not to hurt yourself laughing!  

Until Monday!

Hugs,

CJ England  
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g53/cjengland/Blog%20Pics/HereComesPeter100x154.jpg
Follow Your Dreams

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Foodie Heaven Thy Name is Amsterdam

Hey all,

Jonathon and I had a great couple of days off.  The weather wasn't too good, but we learned a long time ago not to let that stop us.  We went about town, sightseeing and playing, then did what we enjoy most of all.

Eat.

You'd think I'd weigh 900 pounds the way I like to put it away, but with all the walking I do, I manage to stay in shape.  But here in Amsterdam, it's not easy.  I could spend 24 hours a day eating and never even scratch the surface of what is offered.  And the thing is...with just a few exceptions...it's all DELICIOUS!!!

I mean it.  Jonathon and I are really good at searching out different restaurants, and when you eat out as much as we do, we're prepared to hit some and miss some.  Yet so far, in the six weeks we've been here, we've only had one miss.  And even that one wasn't too bad.  We ate and it was okay.  We just wouldn't go back a second time.

Overall, Amsterdam is an awesome place for foodies.  Everything is available.  All kinds of foods from all kinds of nations.  You can walk down a single street and find dozens of different ethnic choices. It's amazing.

The Dutch don't really have a special food--at least not one that is so well known you see it on every corner in the USA.  Not like Thai or Chinese, Italian or Mexican. 

If I had to pick a food I'd consider Dutch in the short time I've lived here, I'd have to say their pancakes are what make me think Dutch.

And the pancakes are yummy.  Crepe-like, but with a slightly different taste than what we ate in France.  They will give you just about any kind you want--from ham and onion to banana and strawberry.   Whatever you're in the mood for.

But other foods?  Not so much.  There are a few restaurants we've seen that tote Dutch cuisine, but I haven't seen one yet that pulls me in and says "EAT HERE".  So we've tried many others.  Mexican, Italian, Argentinian, Chinese and of course, the fast food restaurants-when you just need a quick fix, McDonalds, Burger King and Subway.

I also enjoy going into the brasseries for a quick meal.  You can get meat pies, slices of pizza, sandwiches and things I have no idea what they are, but look delicious.  Every once in a while, I'll stop in and try something new.

The best food we've had here was in a place called In de Waag.  It serves Mediterranean cuisine with a Dutch twist and was honestly the best food I've had in a very long time.  The restaurant sits in one of the old city gates where the weigh house (waag) used to be.  This is what the website says about it...

The original small gate with crenels probably dates from as early as 1425, and in 1488 a major extension was made to the gate during the construction of Amsterdam's stone city walls. This magnificent historic building with its constrained yet informal interior design is lit by 300 candles. A combination that ensures a unique atmosphere.

And it does.  As you can see by the picture, it's quite beautiful, and the food, service and atmosphere is beyond fantastic.  The dinner menu is a little bit spendy, but worth every penny.  I'd go back again in a heartbeat!

On the other end of the scale is a place called Tony's NY City Bagels. 

It's right near our apartment and serves New York style bagels and coffees.  Inexpensive, fast and easy, it's perfect for a quick bite in the morning or afternoon tea.  The bagels are excellent--very similar to New York style--and they actually serve coffee that ISN'T in a thimble size cup!  And it's good.  We love sitting in the window and watching people as we nibble on our breakfast.

I could go on and on, but there are so many places we've enjoyed here, I'd run out of room before I'd run out of restaurants.  If you're ever in this part of the world, you won't regret trying some of these out.  You can be an Amsterdam foodie too!!!

Until Friday!

Monday, April 16, 2012

Sexual Openess is A Wonderful Thing

Hey all,

I've got an interesting blog today.  One I think you'll all enjoy.  I know when I first discovered this, I was surprised, unsure, and then impressed.  What I found was something very different then we have in USA and after seeing it, I actually got angry we don't do something like this.  What am I talking about?

Sex Education.

But not like what you and I were taught.  Remember the stupid text books and pulling a condom (gasp) over a banana?  I'm sure things are a little different these days, but the fact of the matter is in the USA (not sure about other countries) sex is still a taboo subject, one teens are embarrassed to talk about.  And in a classroom setting?  It's either boring or snicker worthy.  No one really learns anything.

Not so here.  While I've blogged before about the openness of the Netherlands people, I'm used to seeing the dildos on display, prostitutes in windows or even penis keychains at the cash registers.  That is actually a daily occurrence here.  But what I saw when I was at the Nemo Science Museum was beyond any sex education display I'd ever imagined.

It's a whole floor given over to one thing.  Sex.  And it targets the pre-teen and teenager in a way that allows them to ask their questions, get their answers and not feel stupid about doing it.  Displays are set up showing what happens to your body as it changes. 

There is even a movie about it.  It was great!  Listen to the words.  They're a hoot.  It basically is showing the kids their bodies are going to change...and it's OKAY.  You aren't the only one it's happening to.


Isn't that cool?  I mean, I wish I'd had that type of information when I was going through puberty.  My mom tried, but her generation wasn't comfortable with sex, so what I really learned was through reading and whispering with my girlfriends.

When I had kids of my own, I was bound and determined to help them understand sex isn't a nasty bad thing.  Not only is it natural and good, it's a lot of fun.  With the right person. 

The rest of the floor has some really cool interactive stuff.  Check out this fun display.  It's a french kissing booth.
One person puts their arm in one side, another opposite.  And they move the tongues!  Giggle worthy?  You bet!  But fun and informative.  These kids won't freak when a date puts their tongue in their mouth!  LOL

This part of the museum was one I had to think through as I experienced it.  It's only open to kids over 12, but it's pretty wide open so you can see in if you want.  It talks frankly about sex.  Positions, hormones, pheromones, erections and orgasms.  They even...as you can see in the pic below, have dolls demonstrating positions of the Kama Sutra.


There was some snickering going on, but the kids were interested.  Not just because, OMG, it's sex, but I could sense a genuine yearning to understand...to know.  And taking the mystery out of sex is an important first step.

Then there was this.  We couldn't do it because we were too old.  LOL  Only kids between 12-18 could watch these.  They called them peepshows and you had to get a token from the desk to watch them.  They covered several different aspects of sex, but the one I found online shows kids what it looks like to have an orgasm.  See it below...



These are just a few of the educational and interactive displays available.  And at first I didn't know what to think.  As you can all tell from my writing, I believe sex is good, but not something to be done indiscriminately.  Lovemaking in my worlds are always consensual and done between two committed partners.

But after walking through, I had to agree this method of bringing the subject out in the open was a good thing.  They never once that I saw told the kids it was all right to go out and screw the first available person.  Rather, they gave the correct information so the kids could make good decisions when the time came for that intimacy.

Does it work?  Well, I did some research and here's what I found.  

In 2009/2010, statistics say in the USA there were 34.3 births per 1000 teenagers.  And they are all excited because that's an all time low.  The highest was in 1957 with a whopping 96.3 per 1000.  (Sweet Jesus, what the hell were you all doing in the 50's????)

But in the Netherlands, the 2011 rate was only 10.23 births per 1000.  That's 2/3rds less that the USA.  So what does that say about what we're teaching our children?

Now I know this is a VERY personal choice for a lot of people.  Religion, upbringing and comfort zones have a lot to do with it.  But here in Amsterdam, it seems to be working.  And if bringing sex out into the open helps teens make better choices, then I'm all for it.

So maybe the PTBs in the USA should visit NEMO and see how it's done.  All those acronyms can get together and fight teen pregnancy together!

Until Wednesday,

CJ England  









Follow Your Dreams

Friday, April 13, 2012

The Lighter Side Goes to the Bathroom

Hey all,

It's another Friday so that means a trip to the Lighter Side of the news.  And since I just arrived in yet ANOTHER city, I thought we'd visit one of my favorite subjects...

Toilets.
I thought Paris was weird, but I've got to say...Amsterdam takes a huge step forward in the weirdness factor.  LOL

After living in the USA for most of my life, I was used to the normal bathroom.  Nice, clean bathrooms in malls, less clean bathrooms at truck stops or gas stations.  But they all had one thing in common...

PRIVACY.

And for me, that's a huge factor in a potty.  LOL

But here in Amsterdam, things are a tad different.  As you may already know the locals are pretty open about their sexuality and opinions.  The belief in a free thinking society is one of their most important core ideas.  And I guess that passes over to their toilets as well.

Now, they have regular bathrooms in malls, hotels and theaters.  And in restaurants they are pretty normal, except for the fact they are most always located at the very top or bottom of a tiny winding circular staircase.  Not for the disabled, I've got to say.  

But the stairs and the bathrooms are usually beautiful, either decorated with great ambiance or architecturally unique.  Take a look at this one...

But sometimes a bathroom isn't easy to find.  The McDonalds and Burger Kings are all in the more touristy areas so there aren't a lot of other easily found places to pee.

Or are there...

Get a load of these interesting bathrooms.  

Honestly, after I saw a guy go into this one, I thought he went into a phone booth.  It was only when I saw the way he was standing that I got a clue to what he was doing.  Then I just couldn't believe it.  Right out there in the open.  I had to take a picture.

I thought that was bad until we went by the arena one day when a soccer game was going on and they had another type of toilet set up.  At least the green mesh one was kinda private.  But this one...

And there was another one set up during Easter weekend in the Red Light District.  And because there was a lot of dudes and drinking out and about they were used a lot.  It wasn't uncommon to see four men--one on each side--doing their thing and talking a mile a minute.

So would you use one?  I mean, obviously they are only for guys.  ( I guess woman don't have to pee in Amsterdam)  But where is the privacy?  Can you actually pee knowing everyone is staring at you?

Amsterdam has been a real eye-opener for me.  (see next week's blogs)  But I never expected to see this type of thing.  I guess I'm still an innocent in a lot of ways.  Yet that's what makes traveling fun.  Finding out new things...

Even if it's about toilets.

See you on Monday!

Hugs,

CJ England  








 
Follow Your Dreams

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Wet...Yet Still Fun

Hey all,

We had a great weekend!  Even though it was wet and miserable, we've traveled enough to know you have to deal with the weather when it doesn't fit your expectations.  You just put on a condom (rain poncho) or use an umbrella and adapt your plans accordingly.

Because it rained, we decided to do some museums.  We'd already started on some of them, so we just kept on going.  On Monday we hit the rest of the Maritime Museum.  We'd already done one wing the week before, so we finished it off.  It's a brand new and beautiful museum with some great art and some of the most intricate ship models I've ever seen.  I could spend hours just going through the historical photo albums they have available.

We'd gotten a late start that day--slept in after a VERY nice Sunday night.  *smile*  Actually, I've got some news.  I'm working part time now with Cirque du Soleil as a Backstage Manager.  I'm only doing fill ins, which is fine.  That's all I wanted.  My writing comes first.  But I started learning the job on Sunday.  So, we celebrated with a little wine and little music and a little of each other.

So, because it was such a late start, once we were done with the Maritime Museum, it was around 2:30.  We grabbed a lunch at a wonderful Chinese Restaurant called the Sea Palace.  It sits in the harbor on stilts and have a delicious Dim Sum menu.  We picked four treats and every one of them was beyond awesome.  I'm recommending this place.  Probably the best Asian restaurant we've been to out of Asia proper.

Most all the museums close early here--at 5:00.  So we were running out of time.  Had enough time to run to the Bijbels Museum which was small enough to pretty much finish.  It was in the home of a local minister who built these amazing models of tabernacles and Jonathon was curious about them.  We plan to go back when it's warmer and have a cuppa in the cute little garden they have there.

And yesterday, we hit two museums.  After a great English breakfast (why do you people eat baked beans with breakfast?  Seriously, what's that about?  *grin*)  The first was the Nemo Science Museum, and it was a lot of fun.  I'll be doing a blog on a specific part of this museum next week, but know I was VERY impressed with it.  

Then we visited the Dutch Resistance Museum.  As you may remember, Jonathon is very interested in WWI and WWII, so he was really looking forward to this.  And it was quite interesting.  I learned a lot  about not just the resistance, but life in general during the 1940s.  And when they showed the insidious ways Hitler slowly made the Jews disappear, I was in tears.  It broke my heart.  I can't imagine what I'm going to do once we go to Anne Frank's house or later, Auschwitz.  That's going to be disturbing in ways I can't imagine.  But I have to go.  It's important.

We topped off our weekend by a great meal at a place called The Waang.  It's a restaurant located in what used to be the city gate.  Then later it was a guild hall for several different organizations.  It's very old... and the food was outstanding.  A bit spendy, but worth it.

Anyway, there's a little about Amsterdam and it's museums.  We've got a bunch more to see and who knows how many other things will pop up as the weeks go by.  We won't run out of things to do, that's for sure!!!

Hugs and see you on Friday with another look at the Lighter Side of Life.

CJ England  













Follow Your Dreams

Monday, April 9, 2012

Easter Bonnets and Egg Hunts

Hey all,

So, how was your Easter weekend?  Family, friends, church, hunting eggs?  I loved Easter when I was growing up.  We always made a big deal of it.  Easter morning breakfast of special pastries, then off to church in our Easter outfits--and yes, I DID wear an Easter bonnet.  I can remember wearing my bonnet and even white gloves when I was very small.

We'd spend time with family and friends and hear the Easter story.  Then head on home for the best part of the day...The Egg Hunt.

Bumpa--my grandfather--was a master egg hider.  In fact, he was so good, every year there were eggs we couldn't find.  (Until three months later when they got stinky and the dog dug them up .  Bleah!!!  But we would try.  We all were given a certain number of eggs we could pick up and at the count of three, we were off and hunting!  We learned very quickly that if it was easy to find, we should leave it for the younger kids.  The big kids were after more difficult prey.

So we would look and look, and since we lived on the top of a mountain, the places to hide the eggs were endless.  Under rocks, in trees, hidden under leaves and even in slow moving streams.  We'd giggle and search, and if we were really lucky, we'd find our very special Easter gift.  Our Easter basket.

It always had cool things in it.  Candy, toys, games and one special item.  A toothbrush.  We got them in our Easter baskets and our Christmas stocking.  We'd get them other times, of course, but these were special ones.  Glow in the dark or personalized.  We looked forward to the treat every holiday.

Then we'd all sit down and eat our Easter dinner.  Ham and all the fixings.  Yum!  My mouth waters just thinking about it.  All the family would be there and sometimes we'd have friends over as well.  And as the years passed and my brothers and I had families of our own, we continued the tradition.

But every Easter, I still think of Bumpa hiding eggs and looking so smug when we couldn't find them all.  Once, he hid an egg under our dog's collar.  We couldn't figure out why Brutus was acting so weird!  LOL  Jonathon's gotten pretty good himself, but my grandfather will always be the Master of the Egg!

Anyway, that's a trip down memory lane.  But I don't want to be tripping alone.  Share one of your most favorite Easter memories in the comments below.  We'd all love to hear it!!!

Until Wednesday...

Hugs,

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

Friday, April 6, 2012

La Vie Bohemia - On the Lighter Side

Hey all,

I saw this on Yahoo News and couldn't help taking a look.  I'm not sure why it caught my attention, but I guess because I love this song, I had to see what it was all about.

The news in part, says this...

Robert Wilkinson is experiencing a few minutes of fame — 6:10 to be exact — after a video of him drunkenly singing the Queen song “Bohemian Rhapsody” in its entirety while sitting in the back of an RCMP squad car has gone viral online.  

You can read more HERE.

But, if you like Queen or are in the mood for a good chuckle, take a quick listen to the "inspirational video" below.  Stay through til the end.  It's the best part of all.



Now, you have to admit, he's pretty good--for a drunk.  But the ending is what tickles me.  The guy's totally creative.  LOL  Just jumps right in there with the perfect comeback when the cop tells him to settle down.  Maybe he should write musicals.

But even though he does a damn fine job, I have to say the following version is my very favorite.  I'll watch it again and again.  Let's see if you enjoy it as much as I do.



The chickens in this version just crack me up.  And of course Animal.  Grrr... I adore Animal.  But really, the whole things is a hoot.  I think it's so creative.  They do such a good job choosing the right Muppet for each part of the music.  That's what I really think is awesome.

But is anything as good as the original?  I guess that's up to you.  I've put it below for comparison purposes.


This is one of the most popular songs ever sung.  Statistics show that it has been covered more than any other song--or at least parts of it has.  I remember seeing it in Wayne's World and laughing like a crazy woman.  It's one of the most requested songs on the radio, and it's the perfect song to sing in the shower.  So I guess making videos of it is the next logical step.

All I know is that as long as they keep making them, I probably will keep watching them.  Especially if they're as fun as the ones I've put here. 

I'll see you on Monday.  Have a great weekend!

Hugs,


CJ England  
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g53/cjengland/Blog%20Pics/HereComesPeter100x154.jpg
Follow Your Dreams


Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Isn't it Romantic

Hey all,

You know I'm a romantic.  I admit it freely.  In fact, I revel in it.  LOL  And when I saw this, I had to share the article with all the other romantics out there.  This is one of my favorite couples.  Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams.  They're so cute together and the first video I saw of them, I remember thinking, "wow...I wonder if they've got someone going."

I guess my instincts were right.  They DID have something going.  But it's how  it got going that's so romantic.  Read the article.  It's wonderful.


Now I ask you, isn't that awesomely romantic?  He saw her in a movie and couldn't forget her.  He even titled an album after the movie.

But here is where it gets real interesting.  Wanting to get to know, her he asks her to be in one of his videos.  They meet...there is an instant connection.  And the rest, as they say, is history.  They now have been married for almost ten years and are the parents of two darling little boys.

When I read the article I realized it was exactly what one of my heroes would do.  See a woman and move heaven and earth to get her.  Make up any excuse necessary to bring her into his world.  Just like Brad did.  So does that make him hero material?

I bet Kimberly would think so!!!

Here is the video that first brought them together.  Check out the way they interact.  You can't tell me there isn't something there.



Doesn't it just make you want to just snicker?  The look on her face when he glances at the TV is perfect.  I've seen it on my own face a few times.  LOL  Not about fishing.  Jonathon wouldn't know a sardine from a big mouthed bass, but all of us have that one thing that puts it over the edge.

I guess for Kimberly it was losing out to a trout!

Hugs to all,

CJ England  
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g53/cjengland/Blog%20Pics/HereComesPeter100x154.jpg
Follow Your Dreams

Monday, April 2, 2012

April Fools, One Day Late

Hey all,

I can't believe it's April already.  Spring has sprung, but as I look outside my door, it's rainy and gloomy.  Three months of 2012 are already over.  Nine months still to do.  I'm always surprised when time goes by so fast.

April is one of my favorite months.  I love the spring.  The earth coming back to life after the long winter.  And as a kid, I loved April Fools Day.  We always played jokes on my Bumpa (grandfather) and each year it was our goal to surprise him completely.

I didn't do much this year.  Jonathon was at work and it's not a good idea to April Fool on a live production *grin*, so instead I went online to see what other people might have done.  I found some really great pranks and some not so smart ones.  So I thought I'd share some of what I found.  Check these out!! 

The Good

This one I loved.  Creative, well constructed and perfectly played.  This joke was played on a large radiology practice in Mesa, Ariz.:  

"We were going through some technology upgrades, so users in the company were expecting to see some changes. On April 1, I arrived at the office very early, and I printed up memos and placed them on the chairs of about 15 employees. I made sure to choose people who would handle it well.  

"The memo said: 'Congratulations! You've been chosen to pilot our new automated computer login tool. Your computer has been fitted with a microphone and speech-recognition software. You'll never have to remember your password again. To use the system, simply turn on your computer, press Control+Alt+Delete to get to your login screen, and then say your username slowly and clearly. Do not say your password! If for some reason you are not automatically logged in, try saying your name a bit louder. If this still doesn't work, say your username three times quickly to restart the system; you'll be logged on right away.'  

"As users trickled into the building around 8 a.m., the chorus of spoken (and soon shouted) usernames swelled. People finally figured out it was a prank about 40 minutes later. It was a masterpiece, if I do say so myself. I thought the office administrator was going to bust a gut from laughter." 

Another Good 

Some people will believe anything.  (I would have.)  

Burger King published a full page advertisement in the April 1st edition of USA Today announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu: a "Left-Handed Whopper" specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, the new whopper included the same ingredients as the original Whopper (lettuce, tomato, hamburger patty, etc.), but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers. The following day Burger King issued a follow-up release revealing that although the Left-Handed Whopper was a hoax, thousands of customers had gone into restaurants to request the new sandwich. Simultaneously, according to the press release, "many others requested their own 'right handed' version."

Good #3
 
This one was amazing.  I missed it the first time around, but after watching the video I can see why some people might have bought the hoax.  

On 1 April 2008, the BBC announced that camera crews filming near the Antarctic for its natural history series Miracles of Evolution had captured footage of Adélie penguins taking to the air. It even offered a video clip of these flying penguins, which became one of the most viewed videos on the internet. Presenter Terry Jones explained that, instead of huddling together to endure the Antarctic winter, these penguins took to the air and flew thousands of miles to the rainforests of South America where they "spend the winter basking in the tropical sun." A follow-up video explained how the BBC created the special effects of the flying penguins. 

The Bad

This one was just wrong.  I'd have sued too!

A manager at a Hooters restaurant in Panama City, Florida, celebrated April Fools’ Day by offering a new “Toyota” to the server who sold the most beer. Jodee Berry, the winning waitress, was blindfolded, led to the parking lot and presented with a “toy Yoda”—a plastic Yoda doll from the Star Wars movie. After the stunt, Berry sued Hooters’ parent company, Gulf Coast Wings, alleging breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation. The case settled for an undisclosed amount, but Berry’s lawyer reported it was more than enough for her to walk into any car dealership and “pick out whatever type of Toyota she wants.”
 
Another Bad

I wanted to smack the PTBs when I heard about this one.  Some people are just so stupid...

A manager at financial firm that was planning to trim staff late in the first quarter of the year shared this tale of woe: 

"Things kept delaying the layoff process and the exits were finally planned for March 31. Then, one more problem arose and we needed to move the releases to -- you guessed it -- April 1. I begged the senior managers to push it to April 2, but they would not relent. 

"I wound up doing an exit interview on April 1 with a good friend, someone I ate lunch with two or three times a week. He was convinced it was a joke even after I took his keys and employee ID. As he left my office he kept stopping, looking back, waiting for me to say 'April Fools!' But I never did. I can still see his face as he stood in the doorway to my office. It was one of the most difficult exit interviews I ever had to conduct." 

The Final Bad

Did I say the last people were stupid?  I was wrong...they were insensitive.  THIS guy was stupid...

Randy Wood pranked his ex-wife in 2004 by asking her to come over so he could show her something.
When she arrived at his house, Woods appeared to be hanging from a tree in his front yard (he was actually being held by a safety harness).

His unknowing ex-wife dialed 911 before he could reveal the gag. Wood was fined $1,000 and jailed for a year.

 The  Funny

I laughed when I read this one.  I thought it was great!  Smart thinking all around!!!

Each year around this time, workers at the Como Zoo in St. Paul, Minn., endure a flood of calls from pranksters looking to speak with Al E. Gator, Billy Goat and other assorted fictitious folks who just happen to have animal-themed names.  Last year, the park handled 300 such calls in one day, so this year zoo officials decided to add four phone lines to handle the increased call volume it's anticipating this April Fools' Day.

Rather than scolding pranksters for tying up phone lines (and employees' precious time), this April Fools' the zoo staff will play along. For example, anyone calling to speak with "Mr. Lion" will be transferred to the animal's own line, answered with a lively roar followed by some promotional info about the zoo.

"We get inundated every April Fools' Day," zoo spokesman Matt Reinartz said . "But if you can't beat 'em, join 'em."


The Funnier

This one just cracked me up.  Picture it as you read.  It's hysterical...

In 1962, Swedish TV, the state-run television station, was still broadcasting only in black and white. Then, on April 1, the station brought in a "technical expert" to describe a fascinating way to make television suddenly appear in color — no hardware upgrade needed. The expert told viewers to take an old nylon stocking and put it over the TV set, although they might have to move their heads very carefully back and forth in order to align the color spectrum. Needless to say, the technical technique didn't work too well, and lots of families looked pretty darn silly giving it a try. Swedish TV began actually broadcasting in color four years later.

 The Funniest

This one made me snicker.  It was on several of the BEST of the BEST sites about April Fool Jokes and I had to include it here.

If the idea of a reputable newspaper like the The Guardian pulling their legs was too much for people in 1977, twenty years earlier the thought that the BBC – in the authoritative persona of Panorama presenter Richard Dimbleby – would tell people fibs must have seemed like communist crazy talk. Which probably explains why, when Panorama ran a short segment about how Swiss people harvested spaghetti from trees in 1957, hundreds of people wrote back asking how they could grow their own spaghetti trees. In their defense, it's worth bearing in mind that a) spaghetti was comparatively alien to most British kitchens in 1957, and b) people are incredibly stupid. 


Well, there you have it.  Some of the best and the worst.  I hope your April's Fool Day was a good one.  I'll be back on Wednesday with something romantic!

Hugs,

CJ England  
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g53/cjengland/Blog%20Pics/HereComesPeter100x154.jpg
Follow Your Dreams