MonkeyFilter | Links posted in April 2009

Links posted in April 2009

April 30, 2009

seizure: the copper sulphate crystal flat. Silvery shards of cold light spangle and wink and beckon. Every surface is furred and infested; big blue crystals dangle like cubist bats from the light fittings. Little wonder the flat has been abandoned: you’d move out, too, if the crystals moved in.

The series "Little Adults" explores "the recently growing society of the "Nouveau-Riche" [in Russia], in which children have been raised to become the "Elite" and to behave like little adults."

April 29, 2009

Globe-trotting soft toys.

'Hidden photons' to send secret emails through Earth. [Via]

April 28, 2009

Curious George: Air Force One photo-flop? Normally, I just roll my eyes at this kind of media/public reaction to non-events, but in this case, I tend to agree with the "what the hell were they thinking" crowd. Comments?

April 24, 2009

Curious George: Lyme disease advice? It's that time of year again! I've heard that if you can pull the deer tick bastards off within 24 hours, you're safe. But is that really true, or not? Same thing with the old folk tale about taking two hits of doxycyclene and forgetting about consequences, other than, what? Sunburn? Is that really much true for most people? [more inside]

For those who found my last post too lowbrow. Okay, so alcohol-imbibing monkeys aren't for all tastes... here's something that's bar-related but a tad more refined. Another classic.

So, a chimp walks into a bar... Apologies to those whose delicate sensibilities I may have offended... I just figured we could all use a laugh, even if this is kind of an oldie.

April 23, 2009

Mythical end of rainbow captured by cellphone camera - commenters skewer "science writer-editor". Heh heh.
I see the UK's classy Telegraph also presented this modern-day miracle.

April 22, 2009

Become a work of Art. Applications are now open for a period standing on Trafalgar Square's Empty Plinth. Originally meant for an equestrian statue of George IV, the plinth has recently been used to exhibit a miscellaneous set of modern art works.

Anthony Gormley wants the plinth to be occupied by a succession of people - put your application in now (I have).

If you lived a quarter mile from school, this would have been the fastest way to get there. [more inside]

April 21, 2009

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, a reminder that those who died were people. Just like you and me. Read some survivor stories. See the faces of some who died. Read about the logistics of death. And listen to what survivors have to say. [more inside]

Amazing photos that are created without any digital manipulation. A little visual refreshment for the jaded... this guy works with large format cameras and creates his images without using any form of computer manipulation. [more inside]

April 19, 2009

Scrabble against the clock A Sunday time-waste game. [more inside]

April 17, 2009

Newly Discovered Iron-breathing Species Have Lived In Cold Isolation For Millions Of Years. "A reservoir of briny liquid buried deep beneath an Antarctic glacier supports hardy microbes that have lived in isolation for millions of years, researchers report April 17 in the journal Science." [Via]

One person's exhaustive attempt to gather into one website all the menstruation ads ever done. 1948: Are you in the know? 1990: Freedom! 1955: Help your daughter understand. 1970: Susan Dey says Tampax is "Just the ticket!" And there's Modess. . .because featuring gowns galore.

There's so much to marvel at the Museum of Menstruation and Women's Health. Marjorie May Learns about Life in 1936! And Kotex prepares us for life in the 1920s. We can understand how to fit pessaries here, too. [more inside]

April 16, 2009

Writer Clement Freud dies aged 84. Writer and broadcaster Stephen Fry has also paid tribute, remembering Sir Clement as an "immensely generous, benevolent and charming man".

"My favourite memory is of him in full flow on Just a Minute, still able to trip up people a quarter of his age," he told Radio 4's Today programme. [more inside]

April 15, 2009

In a series of photos from Life magazine, the owner of the famous Stork Club in Manhattan demonstrates some of the hand signals he used to communicate with his staff.

Almost Naked Animals .
Almost. Naked.
Except for their underpants.

April 14, 2009

The Scorpion King's ancient remedy: Bitter herbs and sweet wine. [Via]

April 13, 2009

Peeps of Wrath .
My favorite!
Ya gotta love this year's peep show.

View last years competition.
Can you get the pop culture references?

The very first peep diorama competition evar.

It is what it is. A swiss lady suffered a stroke with an unusual effect. She can see a translucent third arm, control it and experience its efficacy. Brain scans back up her experience.

So does the lady's arm exist, or doesn't it? [more inside]

April 11, 2009

Moscow's stray dogs live in the suburbs, commute to the city for food.
via

Kutiman mixes YouTube. YouTube videos of various musicians playing alone have been sampled and assembled into seven multi-part tracks. [more inside]

April 10, 2009

Curious Gimpy George: Doc says my knee is now bone-on-bone, and I'm going to need an artificial knee, if not now, within a year or so to be able to keep hiking and riding. Bionic Monkeys, what do you know about knee replacement? [more inside]

April 09, 2009

Interview Fail. [Via]

Tone Matrix - is difficult to stop playing with.

In the 1500s, vampires were easy to recognise. What did you do when you found a bloated corpse with a bloody mouth and a hole in its shroud? You didn't waste time with crosses or stakes; instead you stuck a brick in its mouth so it would starve to death.