Category Archives: Photos

NASA gets photos of Pluto

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The Hubble Space Telescope took some fairly detailed photos of Pluto recently!

For the first time, everyone can get a decent view of what the dwarf-planet really looks like…

First Images of Pluto

First Images of Pluto

Wow. That’s not at all what I imagined it would look like.

NASA’s website says… “The images taken by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope show an icy and dark molasses-colored, mottled world that is undergoing seasonal changes in its surface color and brightness. Pluto has become significantly redder, while its illuminated northern hemisphere is getting brighter. These changes are most likely consequences of surface ices sublimating on the sunlit pole and then refreezing on the other pole as the dwarf planet heads into the next phase of its 248-year-long seasonal cycle. The dramatic change in color apparently took place in a two-year period, from 2000 to 2002.”

Here’s the link to the NASA site with the photos and article on how it was done.

WalMart Popcorn prices went up

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I was at the WalMart in Rio Grande City yesterday and saw this prominent setup on the main isle display.

WalMart Popcorn

WalMart Popcorn

$189 for popcorn?! What’s in there? Little gold flakes?

“KEEP OUT. THIS IS NOT A SALVAGE YARD. TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT.”

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As part of my job, I get to travel all across the Texas valley. From Rio Grande City to Brownsville and up to Alice and Kingsville. It’s a lot of fun to be able to see so much of the deep Texas country while I’m out and about.

But every so often, I run into something like this…

Keep Out 01

Keep Out 01

If I were to use the southern vernacular, I believe the appropriate reaction would be “hooooo whee!”

This charming locale is clearly visible as you are traveling on Texas highway 83 heading West right between the Airport Drive Exit and Pike Boulevard near the city of Weslaco.

Keep Out 02

Keep Out 02

This “home” is a tattered front for a bunch of seemingly rusted trailers and very old mobile homes parked behind it. The fence and heavy trees kept my camera from getting a good photo of them, but they were all there.

Just in case the words “compound” and “guns” had not entered your thoughts yet,  there is a big sign up in front that should make things perfectly clear.

Keep Out 03

Keep Out 03

“KEEP OUT. THIS IS NOT A SALVAGE YARD. TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT.”

You know, it might be time to re-evaluate your life’s direction when you have to mention the place you live is, in fact, not a salvage yard. And that anyone wanting to sell you some cookies will get a big, hot, heaping serving of lead for their trouble.

The next time I drive by, I’ll stop and get a GPS location so I can put it on a map.

That is, I’ll stop across the highway to get a GPS location so I can put it on a map.

Christmas Valentine’s?!

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So there I was at the local HEB (a major southern grocery store for those of ya’ll up North). Just getting some cereal and milk. When I saw this…

Christmas Valentines 1

Christmas Valentine's 1

The Christmas trees were not pulled down yet. Wreaths were still stacked high in the front of the store. The poinsettias were still bright red and fragrant. It wasn’t even New Years’ eve’s eve’s eve yet

And there’s Cupid, already being pimped out.

Christmas Valentines 2

Christmas Valentine's 2

That’s just slightly ridiculous.

And think about this… you know they already had the chocolate hearts in stock around mid December if they are able to put the display out now. So you know those chocolates are going to be nice and tasty-fresh by February 14th.

Price Check : Sams Coca Colas

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Here’s another example of some quick math saving a little money.

I was at Sam’s getting some tasty beverages for the weekend. I got to the Coca Cola section and was about to grab a tray of cokes. There was a “4/8 pack” and a “24” pack selection.

I have no idea why Sam’s has one set of coca colas listed as a “4/8” pack. 8*4=32. So really it’s a 32 pack or a 24 pack. They’re the same 12oz cans, just in different packaging and different quantities.

Sams Coca Colas A

Sams Coca Colas A

The 32 pack was for $9.84. That works out to about .31 cents each.

Sams Coca Colas B

Sams Coca Colas B

The 24 pack was for $5.98. That works out to about .25 cents each! A .06 cent difference per can!

Even though you get fewer 12oz colas in the 24 pack, you get a lot more for your money if you buy the 24 pack. Especially in multiples. If you needed 96 coca colas for a big birthday party, 3 of the 32 packs would cost you $29.52. While 4 of the 24 packs would cost $23.92. That would be a $5.60 difference for the same number of colas in different packaging.

Price Check : Razors

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It’s pretty easy sometimes to figure out what’s a better deal on some items. A simple price check often saves me a lot of money.

Take for example razors. It was time to get another set, so I went to the local Target to grab a few.

Now I have both Gillette and Schick razor handles, so the brand of razor doesn’t restrict me. It was just a matter of finding out which blade refills were going to be more affordable. First up, on the endcap of the isle, I found this…

Price Check - Razors 01

Price Check - Razors 01

For $8.99, I get 6 razor blades (counting the one on the razor blade handle), 4 AAA batteries, and a set of “portable speakers”. That works out to $1.50 a razor blade. ($8.99/6) Not bad! Plus it’s the multi-blade system I like. Plus I get free batteries!

But maybe this wasn’t the best deal. I took a walk down the “regular” isle of razor blades and was almost floored…

Price Check - Razors 02

Price Check - Razors 02

$15.09 for 4 razor blades?!? That’s $3.77 each! Even with a mini mini bottle of shaving cream/shampoo stuff, that’s still way too high. Maybe in a different quantity?

Price Check - Razors 03

Price Check - Razors 03

Nope. $24.99 for 8 razor blades works out to $3.12 each. $35.99 for 12 razor blades works out to $2.99 each. Still too high. And I don’t get anything “extra” either.

The gift set won, hands down.

This gift set was the only one left at this Target store, but I’m going to be on the lookout for more of these sets in the next few days and stock up.

Goofy as it sounds, a little math does go a long way.

WalMart laptop stickers

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You would think if you managed the computer department and/or the electronics display division of WalMart, you would spend a little more to invest in the cling-stick kind of labels to put on your showroom laptops. That way in case you ever decided to sell the floor models, the stickers wouldn’t actually STICK to the very expensive screens!

WalMart Laptop Sticker 1

WalMart Laptop Sticker 1

WalMart Laptop Sticker 2

WalMart Laptop Sticker 2

WalMart Laptop Sticker 3

WalMart Laptop Sticker 3

WalMart Laptop Sticker 4

WalMart Laptop Sticker 4

WalMart Laptop Sticker 5

WalMart Laptop Sticker 5

WalMart Laptop Sticker 6

WalMart Laptop Sticker 6

WalMart Laptop Sticker 7

WalMart Laptop Sticker 7

Great job WalMart!

Still, I bet writing off around $5k of laptops per store isn’t that big a deal to them. Even if they put it on “clearance” for 25% off, somebody will take them.

NOTE: I didn’t do any of the peeling. This is exactly how the electronics department looked when I walked through there.

Local Federal Building For Sale. Slightly Used.

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Saw this today on my drive to work. The local Federal Building is up for sale.

Federal Building For Sale

Federal Building For Sale

Um… guys? Where are you going?

Progresso now sells… menudo?

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Progresso now sells Menudo? In a can? In the soup isle? In a mainstream grocery store?

Progresso now sells Menudo

Progresso now sells Menudo

Does. Not. Compute.

I’m glad this is happening though. Someday soon I expect to see Chicken Mole in the frozen food isle too. I shudder in fear at this, but I know it’s going to happen.

And of course I bought a can. I’ll let you all know how it goes.

Tiger Woods is the only story on Fox (Mobile) News

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Seems like Fox News mobile thinks there’s only one story worth covering. The website has changed, but for a few hours, this is what you would see…

Tiger Woods on Fox Mobile

Tiger Woods on Fox Mobile

That’s pretty damn sad.