Bud – the African Grey Parrot. (image courtesy woodtv.com)
An African Grey parrot helped convict a Michigan woman of killing her husband.
It almost sounds like “fake news,” or an April Fool’s joke, but it isn’t.
Forty-nine year old Glenna Duram was charged with the shooting death of her forty-six year old husband, Martin Duram.
Glenna Duram was alleged to have shot her husband five times before trying to turn the weapon on herself.
Other than Glenna and Martin Duram, the only witness to the shooting was an African Grey parrot by the name of “Bud.”
Bud is a fast learner and says a lot of things – including what prosecutors say were Martin Duram’s last words:
Mr Duram’s ex-wife Christina Keller, who now looks after Bud, previously said the parrot had been repeating a conversation from the night of the murder – ending with “don’t shoot!”
His mother, Lilian Duram, agreed that the parrot would have been repeating Mr Duram’s last words.
She said: “That bird picks up everything and anything, and it’s got the filthiest mouth around.”
Another news outlet says Bud was even repeating the words “don’t (expletive) shoot” in Martin Duram’s voice.
It took eight hours of deliberation for the jury to convict Glenna Duram of first degree murder. She is scheduled to be sentenced next month. (more…)
May 14, 2017
Posted by AAfterwit on May 14, 2017 | Comments Off on Happy Mother’s Day!
For all the moms out there, thanks for all you do. Too often under-appreciated and often taken for granted, this is the day we remind you and ourselves what we should act on every day.
You’re awesome.
May 9, 2017
Posted by AAfterwit on May 9, 2017 | Comments Off on Rejoice!
Okay, that’s a bit harsh, but we are chest deep in a professional project as well as making changes to the official Raised on Hoecakes computer. We are backing up everything and that takes time to not only back the files up, but to verify them when placed into their new home. There are a lot of files and a lot of work spread out amongst a lot of people. Because of that, posting will probably be light this week.
While we do what we have to do, enjoy this incredible piece of art:
This is a chess board that I made with my father. It is made out of Walnut, Soft Maple and Jatoba wood. It took several weeks to create and is 100% playable! Each ‘square’ has a magnet embedded in it, as does each chess piece for easy movement of the pieces.
We have no idea how old the son or the father is, but it warms our heart to see generations spending time together to create, bond, and share. We doubt if while cutting the wood, anyone was looking at a cell phone.
Well done.
Apr 9, 2017
Posted by AAfterwit on Apr 9, 2017 | Comments Off on The Barkley Marathons.
Frankly, they had us at “race that eats their young.”
What the heck is the “Barkley Marathons?” Basically it is an ultra-marathon in the hills of Tennessee. The organizer claims that the race is 100 miles, but contestants say the race is closer to 130 miles – that’s five normal marathons. Throw in elevation changes of 65,000 feet, and you are going up and down Mount Everest. Twice. All of which must be completed within 60 hours.
The race course is not marked. Racers are given time to look at a “master map,” then mark their own maps and using only the maps and a compass, find their way to each waypoint. Each waypoint has a book and to show the runner has been there, the runner removes the page of the book which corresponds to their race number and brings that back with them to the start / finish line. The race is five laps and is so difficult that in the 25 years of it being run, only 17 people have completed the race in the required time.
Cut out the lights, go full screen and prepared to be awed.
Created entirely with infrared converted cameras, Invisible Oregon is a study of light across time and space. As the sun rises over the State of Oregon infrared light travels across the earth revealing the subtleties of new growth and the dramatic intersection of sky and earth. Witness for the first time this diverse and interconnected landscape rendered from light we can’t see with our own eyes.
It’s the weekend and after a busy week, we are going to sit back, relax, read a book or two and pop some popcorn.
Popping Popcorn at 30,000 Frames Per Second Filmed in Ultra Slow Motion Macro with the Phantom v2512 Ultra High Speed Camera.
The slowest slow motion clip of popcorn being popped that I know of on Youtube slow mo vids, this is a simply beautiful clip and it shows us just how fast this process actually happens.
Jan 1, 2017
Posted by AAfterwit on Jan 1, 2017 | Comments Off on One More Song.
Livgren was one of the founding members of the musical group Kansas and is responsible for what is arguably their to biggest and most memorable songs, Dust in the Wind and Carry On Wayward Son.
Livgren left Kansas and went on to make several contemporary Christian albums including one called “Prime Mover” in 1988.
For some reason a song from that album has been stuck in our heads as we end one year and start another. Its a song called “One More Song.”
Perhaps as we and the staff here get older, we come to realize that each day – each moment – is precious in and of itself. This sentiment is echoed in the chorus:
One more song, ’cause I’ve got so much I still need to say
One more song, a melody that won’t fade away
One more song, each day I live is one more song
We’d thought we’d share it with you because to be honest, Prime Mover didn’t get much play on the mainstream radio or even CCM radio. You probably haven’t heard of it until now and we understand why that would be the case.
Go out and make your own song and live life to the fullest this year.
Lyrics:
KERRY LIVGREN
“One More Song”
I remember long ago, how the time just seems to fly
The days are passing by so fast that it makes you want to cry
And the old bad times are good times now
When you’re lookin’ back to see, but the times,
They change so elusively, and it’s (more…)
Jan 1, 2017
Posted by AAfterwit on Jan 1, 2017 | Comments Off on Happy New Year!
