Friday, January 27, 2006

HAL? Is that you singing?

Folks, you simply can't make up this kind of stuff. Got this from my father in law's IBM songbook, circa 1967. Lots more (and even more bizarre) songs where this one came from.

Hail to the IBM
Words by Fred W. Tappe
Music by Vittorio Giannini


Lift up our proud and loyal voices,
Sing out in accents strong and true,
With hearts and hands to you devoted,
And inspiration ever new;
Your ties of friendship cannot sever,
Your glory time will never stem.
We will toast a name that lives forever,
Hail to the IBM.

Our voices swell in admiration;
Of T.J. Watson proudly sing;
He'll ever be our inspiration,
To him our voices loudly ring;
The IBM will sing the praises,
Of him who brought us world acclaim,
As the volume of our chorus raises,
Hail to his honored name.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Whale blows chunks, the people rejoice

From the BBC...
An Australian couple who picked up an odd-looking fatty lump from a quiet beach are in line for a cash windfall.

Leon Wright and his wife took home a 14.75kg lump of ambergris, found in the innards of sperm whales and used in perfumes after it has been vomited up.

Sought after because of its rarity, ambergris can float on the ocean for years before washing ashore.

Worth up to $20 a gram, Mr Wright's find on a South Australian beach could net his family US$295,000 (£165,300).

Link
via Mirabilis