How Many Time Did You Take Your Driving Written Exam?

Well, this lady took it many times for four years and finally succeed at her 950th try!! I don't understand how anyone can fail to take a driving exam test after 950 tries?! You'd end up memorizing it. After 950 tries I wouldn't even need to read it. I'd do it with in my sleep.

This lady is sure a determined person. She said she needs the license for her vegetable business. She is a 68 years Korean old woman from Seoul, Korea. She spent $ 4,200 on the application fees. You could buy a big HD tv with that money here in the US. Wow! (that's more than 5 million won in Korean money)I wonder if it's harder to pass the test in Korea. It took me only one exam which I did when i was in high school many years ago here in California. Had only one mistake on the driving part. I can't imagine taking that test every day, for 4 and half years, and always failing it. Something ain't right here. Her first effort was in April 2005 and finally passed it now. She still has one more exam to pass though. There is no explanation as to why she has failed so many time. So that remains a mystery.

Now I am curious to see what kind of questions the Korean driving exams have.

Article: SKorean woman passes driver's exam on 950th try
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091106/ap_on_fe_st/as_odd_skorea_aspiring_driver

A Dental Visit To The Chair

It was hard to find a site that had a display of old and historical dental chairs. Most sites had maybe 1 or 2 photographs of dental chairs. This is the best site that I've seen regarding the history of the dental chair. There good pictures of old dental chairs and other notes. The dental history here is from Ritter Dental Company that was founded by Frank Ritter who was a cabinet maker from Germany who came to NY on August 1870. The link below starts with his life and his dental chair achievements.

The images above are the first 1888 Stuck Chair which was the first chair that had a disc base unlike the other chairs of those days which had four legs. The ad is for a Model F X-Ray from the 1950's.

Ritter Dental History
http://www.ritterdental.com/Story/TheEarlyYears.htm

The Kirkbride Plan

The Kirbride buildings founded by Dr Thomas Story Kirkbride from the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane (AMSAII). He wanted better methods and treatments for the mentally ill in the 19th century. He had a special construction designs for these asylums in mind. They were referred as the Kirkbride Plan. He believed that the mentally ill are human beings like everybody else who also have the ability to contribute to the world and integrate with the community..

An excerpt from the history section about Dr. Kirkbride's plans ( I hope I am not committing a plagiarism here): "Dr. Kirkbride envisioned an asylum with a central administration building flanked by two wings comprised of tiered wards. This "linear plan" facilitated a hierarchical segregation of residents according to sex and symptoms of illness. Male patients were housed in one wing, female patients in the other. Each wing was sub-divided by ward with the more "excited" patients placed on the lower floors, farthest from the central administrative structure, and the better-behaved, more rational patients situated in the upper floors and closer to the administrative center. Ideally, this arrangement would make patients' asylum experience more comfortable and productive by isolating them from other patients with illnesses antagonistic to their own while still allowing fresh air, natural light, and views of the asylum grounds from all sides of each ward."

The reading is great. There is more fascinating information to learn about. The text is easy read and fluid. The pictures are good too, but beware, it might be disturbing for some people. They pictures are basically of the exterior and interior of these buildings who are no longer in use. There were a few that were closed in early 21st century. The over population and lack of space, has contributed to the decline of these hospital. The original values and goals were no longer employed. They were no longer part of Dr. Kirkbride vision of the ideal asylum for the mentally ill. Some of these asylum no longer exist. They were either demolished or are neglected. These buildings are good looking. Some of them don't even look like hospitals.

Be sure to click on the small hospital photographs on the "Buildings" page to see more exterior and interior photographs of the hospital.

Kirkbride Buildings
http://www.kirkbridebuildings.com/index.html/

Ten Strange Facts About Albert Einstein

Nicely written article with facts about Albert Einstein's life. There were many things that I didn't know about him. A few examples, I didn't realized that he had a mean streak toward women in him. That had an Illegitimate daughter by his ex-wife a year before they got married. After divorcing his wife he married his cousin. At first he actually thought of marrying his cousin's daughter from the cousin's first marriage (think Woody Allen) but she demurred.

I am surprised that some facts weren't included. One fact that he (and Isaac Newton) had signs of autism and Asperger's Syndrome so he might have been autistic.

The photo above is of Albert Einstein and his second wife-cousin Elsa.

Ten Strange Facts About Albert Einstein
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977581069

What's Your Favorite Internet's Phenomena?

Do you remember some of those classic and strange internet "phenomena" from recent and past years? How about "All Your Base Belongs To Us? The Dancing Baby? The Caramelldansen? [The Prison] Thriller? Don't Taze Me, Bro! The Hampster Dance? and Bert is Evil? Badger Badger Badger? lonelygirl15? How about the Flying Spaghetti Monster website? If you are looking for a little internet nostalgia you may find a few memories here.

The author of this article describes his post: "This is a list of phenomena specific to the Internet, such as popular themes and catchphrases, viral videos, amateur celebrities and more. Such fads and sensations grow rapidly on the Internet because its instant communication facilitates word of mouth. The search and rating features of sites like YouTube and Google then amplify this interest."

One of my favorite phenomena here is the image of the Crasher Squirrel.

List Of Internet Phenomena
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Internet_phenomena

By the way, did you know that the "Dancing Baby" has it's own site after all these years?

Dancing Baby
http://www.dancing-baby.net/Baby/BabyMus1.htm

On top is a screen shot of the Hamster Dance.

A Jigsaw Puzzle From The Past

This is fascinating. I was not aware that there were jigsaw puzzles during the 19th century. I've always thought children didn't really have many games besides balls and things of that nature. I have been doing jig saw puzzles since Kindergarten and to see such old puzzles was amazing to me. An excerpt from the Bob Armstrong Old Jigsaw Puzzles site: "Puzzles made in the 19th century were cut by hand from solid wood or a thin veneer or press board, with coping saws, treadle scroll saws and, if the material was thin enough, by slicing with a very sharp knife. The limitations of materials and equipment kept the pieces large, the knobs (if any) large, and the cutting simple, usually straight or crooked lines."

The puzzles cut that were made for grown ups were greatly improved in 1907, when a young woman in Eastern Massachusetts started to cut colorful magazine covers into 100-200 pieces to sell them at a children 's hospital benefit fair. The puzzles became popular. This information is from the "19th century puzzles" and the "1900 to 1930 hand cut puzzles" at the Armstrong's site.

Both sites below are equally good. The images above are from both sites.

Bob Armstrong's Old Jigsaw Puzzles
http://www.oldpuzzles.com/Examples/collection.php?tag=8

icollectpuzzles
http://www.icollectpuzzles.com/Main/main.htm

Article: Pet crowned world's 'oldest dog'

I am so jealous! What a sweet dog! He is almost 21 years old and still plays.

BBC Article: Pet crowned world's 'oldest dog'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/8326977.stm

Bizarre Bus Stations!

Just a few pictures of strange bus stations.

Strange Bus Stations
http://www.slideshare.net/kingtoma/strange-bus-stations

Find Your Heraldry

You can find many countries heraldry's origins. Some countries like France have so many because they have both coat of arms of historical province and regions & coat of arms of counties. Speaking of France, the image of the medal is France's national logo. and the image with the ship is Paris - Armorial de France - French Civic Heraldry.

Heraldry Of The World
http://www.ngw.nl/

Disney Sticks To The Nose

A summary of how it all started. In 1942 A Lieutenant named E.S Caldwell from the Naval Operations office in Washington wrote Walt Disney a letter requesting an emblem design for his new fleet "mosquito boats". Days later a new emblem (see above) arrived from Walt Disney that pictured a little mosquito carrying a torpedo coasting over the water. Soon the Navy and the Army requested emblems from Walt Disney as well.Disney produced many more emblems since. See the rest of the story at the main page.

Skylighters - Disney Goes To War Aviation Nose Art
http://www.skylighters.org/disney/index.html