Potato Potentate Passes Peacefully May 26, 2008
Posted by skinbad in Economics, Food.Tags: Spudders
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Titan of Tubers
Monarch of Mashed
Sovereign of Starch
Ruler of Roots
The 99-year-old King of the Spudders passed away Sunday. Pretty much a self-made man, although he probably owes something to the wild horses he shot to feed his hogs at an early age:
In 1923, he left home at age 14 with four $20 gold coins given to him by his mother. He paid $1 a day for room and board at Declo’s only hotel.
As a shrewd young businessman, Simplot bought interest-bearing scrip paid to teachers who were also boarding there for 50 cents on the dollar. He used it for collateral on a bank loan to buy 600 hogs at $1 each.
He spent the winter shooting wild horses, selling the hides and boiling the meat with potato scraps to feed the hogs.
When pork prices jumped the next year, he brought some rare fat hogs to market for a whopping $7,500.
That was Simplot’s stake for the potato business.
He supplied dried potatoes and vegetables to U.S. troops during WWII and later cut a deal with Ray Kroc to supply McDonalds with potatoes for french fries and hash browns. His estimated worth was $3.2 billion. In his 70s, he added variety to his “chip” investments by staking Micron.
Late into his life, the former McDonald’s board member drove his white Lincoln Town Car with “Mr. Spud” vanity plates to the fast food chain [in Boise] for hash browns or french fries several times a week.
Sounds like a character. Raise a chip to the spudders today. Mine’s sour cream and cheddar.
Number 20 Takes a Hit September 21, 2007
Posted by daveintexas in Music, Sex, Sports.Tags: Spudders
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“We just got beat, got beat by a better team,” Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione said.
That won’t be a problem for you next week coach. I almost feel sorry for those Bears, the Aggies are gonna be in a bad mood.
Rice at Texas (7)? After TCU? Did somebody put the SWC back in place and forget to tell me?
Let’s see, Penn State (10) at Michigan.
No comment.
South Carolina (12) at LSU (2). Oughta be good.
And number 1 USC against unranked Wash. St. Eh. They already dropped one to Wisconsin, but they did beat the Spudders so maybe something there – but they’re at USC.
Yet another job my worthless guidance counselor never told me about September 17, 2007
Posted by skinbad in Economics.Tags: Spudders
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I’ve hated that guy ever since I became acquainted with the life and times of Retired Geezer. You can make a living shining a light on Mr. Paul Anka and/or naked leggy showgirls? Or knocking cats out of trees with a firehose? Life ain’t fair I tells ya. Just ask me or Yakov Bok.
Space Station Cuts Handle of Big Dipper August 19, 2007
Posted by Michael in Uncategorized.Tags: Spudders
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Cool picture by Retired Geezer.
If you’re in a hurry, just scroll down to the last picture in the post and click on it. It’s a high resolution shot, so it may take a few seconds to load, but it’s worth it.
See the Space Station August 18, 2007
Posted by Retired Geezer in Uncategorized.Tags: Spudders
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If you are smart enough to live in an area where you can actually see the sky, you might be able to see the ISS with the Nekkid Eye.
We did.
It was awesome.
Here’s the prediction for the next 5 days for Boise, Idaho:
18 Aug – NW – 21:49
19 Aug – WNW – 22:12
20 Aug – WSW – 22:34
21 Aug – WNW – 21:22
22 Aug – WSW – 21:44
You’ll have to go to the website and register if you want the data for your town.
It’s pretty simple and painless. There are many other satellites that can be seen without a telescope. The Iridium Flares are really cool, they flash on and off.
When you see it whizz by overhead, remember that one of Idaho’s Teachers is onboard. Her name is Darth Tater Barbara Morgan, she was the backup for Christa McAuliffe.
RC Dragonfly August 4, 2007
Posted by Pupster in Economics, Gardening, Women Ranting.Tags: Spudders
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Do you want to be a dragonfly whisperer like Retired Geezer…without the whole insect touching thing?
Available at Pretentious Crap Sharper Image.
Who is this man? June 21, 2007
Posted by daveintexas in Ducks, Travel.Tags: Spudders
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You all know him.
European politician? Captain of industry?
Who is this man?
Answer below the fold
Dave in Texas’ Memorial Day Activity Post May 28, 2007
Posted by daveintexas in Ducks, Gardening, Sex, Sports, Terrorist Hemorrhoids, Women Ranting.Tags: Spudders
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A video.
It’s got drama. Pathos. A vocal performance.
Everything you wanted.
Everything you need.
Bluffing April 29, 2007
Posted by Michael in Economics, Personal Experiences, Philosophy.Tags: Spudders
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I learned something interesting at my poker party last night. I learned how not to bluff.
It was a typical all-guy poker party. Pretty much looked like this:
A guy in the game got burned on a bluff. After the hand was over, another guy (who had dropped out of the hand early) commented that the bluff was obvious. It was something he learned on some TV show about poker.
According to him, when you are bluffing, you subconsciously need to over-project confidence. You do this physically, by moving your chips into the pot too rapidly, and smacking them down too aggressively.
After the hand was over and we were talking about it, we all recalled that this was exactly what the bluffer had done.
So here’s my free advice for today.
Bluff slowly.
This advice applies to more than card games. I have found an excellent music selection to make this point.
[sonific=ad663a81b823025792f92b5e0d5635dd5e5c5a28]
BTW, I actually came out ahead last night. That’s unusual for me. I made enough money to cover the huge annual fee that I pay to WordPress ($20) for extra storage to save all the graphics on this site.
Plus Ca Change, Plus le Meme Chose April 29, 2007
Posted by harrison in Crime, Heroes, History, Humor, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Science, Terrorist Hemorrhoids.Tags: Spudders
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Middle East Conflict Intensifies As Blah Blah Blah, Etc. Etc.
The U.N. has issued a strongly worded whatever denouncing someone or something presumably having to do with the vicious explosive things that raged across this, or shattered the predawn calm of that, or ripped suddenly through the other, killing umpteen innocent civilians in a Jerusalem bus or Beirut discotheque or Fallujah mosque or whatever it was this time.
Funny and sad, all at the same time.
Cows attack, injure elderly farmer March 21, 2007
Posted by skinbad in Food.Tags: Spudders
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Time to call Lyle. Like every other movie star, R. G. knows him.
Innocent Bystanders 
An Experimental Post in Which Sometime Commenter SobekPundit, Without Drafting Any Substantive Comment for the Main Body of the Post, Nevertheless Manages to Tag the Post with Every Category Tag, and Write a Ridiculously Long Headline in the Process; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Excessive Verbiage September 12, 2007
Posted by Sobek in AA - Uncategorized, Blogroll, Commenting Tips, Crime, Ducks, Economics, Food, Gardening, Heroes, History, Humor, Law, Literature, Lurkers, Man Laws, Movies, Music, Personal Experiences, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Science, Sex, Sitemeter, Sports, Terrorist Hemorrhoids, Travel, Websites, Women Ranting.Tags: Haiku, Handblogging, Spudders, Taking a joke waaay too far
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Ahem.