Links posted in September 2007
September 30, 2007
Building a Lionel Ritchie head
Flight of the Conchords,
an HBO sitcom (also playing on BBC4) staring the comedy band of the same name (the fourth fifth most popular folk parody duo in NZ) as struggling musicians in New York City. And for all those of us without HBO (or a tv) -
[NB: Most of the proceeding links are YouTube]
[more inside]
Six die from brain-eating amoeba in lakes
Sholbit. The end of another language is nigh; only one living Elem Pomo speaker remains. [more inside]
What is it in humans that rehabilitates us in the eyes of those that watch? You can go thru life as a cynic, & disparage the human race for our ceaseless slaughter, but then you hear about things like a bunch of bystanders getting together to save a bear from a deadly fall off a bridge, and it makes you wonder. [more inside]
September 29, 2007
The last Jew in Afghanistan. "Locals refer to Zebulon Simentov, 47, simply as 'the Jew.'" The BBC has profiled him; as has the the BBC. Onlineathens and the timesonline wrote about a feud with a co-religionist. Lastly, he's celebrated and congratulated at a blog. Wait! He's all over the place! He's the last Jew in Afghanistan for 771 google pages.
Cops Writing Cops
They say it the best:
This is a site for officers getting traffic tickets that ANY normal civilian could get a warning on, verbal or written. This is a site for cops, about cops, and designed by cops. Needless to say, we are fed up with hearing about this and think something should be done. There's always another ticket down the street. We are all family and maybe someday you may need one of us to get out of our car and save your sorry ass. But odds are you're the cop that doesn't do anything to begin with.
September 28, 2007
A Siberian gives birth to her 12th child— was stunned to find that little Nadia weighed in at a massive 17 pounds, 1 ounce. BARNAUL, Russia - A Siberian woman who gave birth to her 12th child — doing more than her fair share to stem Russia’s population decline — was stunned to find that little Nadia weighed in at a massive 17 pounds, 1 ounce. [more inside]
Just say no....to Canadian drugs.
The feds couldn't do it. The RCMP couldn't do it. And the BC Marijuana Party is concerned. But the rising loonie just might.
I could have put this in the other thread. I just thought it was amusing enough to stand alone. Tracicle, back me up on this.
September 27, 2007
Why you can't call your horse Nutzapper.
Trapped Part 1 - The White Rabbit Trapped is a locked room puzzle game, similar to Crimson Room, but with it's own unique style. via
The Young Man's Book of Amusement. [more inside]
Book Autopsies. These are stunning.
Man Finds Human Leg In Smoker - A man who bought a smoker at an auction of abandoned items opened it up and found a human leg, cut off 2 to 3 inches above the knee. [more inside]
The Spelling bee champ seems like a bit of a jerk. I don't really want to get too harsh on the kid, it might be an autism spectrum disorder, home schooling, or maybe his age, but this kid has some choice words with the reporter.
I'm going to bed. You can stay up with some popcorn. Evil, evil game. [more inside]
Chart toppers for your birth date.
everyhit.com has a search engine which tells you the number one song playing when you were born.
Maybe knowing "Dancing Queen" was one of the first things I heard will help to explain my misanthropy.
September 26, 2007
Bulletproof Halo Suit Troy Hurtubise has created a bullet-proof suit inspired by Star Wars and other video games and hopes to market it to the military.[Tiny URL]
You'd think the original designers would have caught this. The Navy facility at Coronado is in for some re-designing. via
Treehouses! Because your house isn't awesome enough. [more inside]
Trey Parker & Matt Stone animate the teaching of Alan Watts.
September 25, 2007
How to iron a shirt. That's it, really. It's taken me this long to learn how to do it. I've been called "master of the rumpled look," I've heard "Dave, meet an iron." Now, thanks to the internets I can finally fit in in cube land.
For Sale! Secret Underground Lair
- One careful owner, and one perhaps
slightly less careful one.
[more inside]
Glenn Gould 75/25. Happy Would-Be 75th Birthday to Glenn Gould, genius pianist, filosophe, and all-round nut. [more inside]
LOL MICROSOFT Serious bug found in Excel 2007. Try multiplying 850 by 77.1 - the answer should be 65535. Do it in Excel 2007 and it's 100000. D'OH! Holy Crap! & LULZ to follow.
Hillary Clinton's religion and politics. The Fellowship believes that the elite win power by the will of God, who uses them for his purposes. Its mission is to help the powerful understand their role in God's plan. [more inside]
September 24, 2007
O'Reilly surprised "there was no difference" between Harlem restaurant and other New York restaurants "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea.' "
Stupid Monsters 30 years of Dungeons and Dragons [more inside]
September 23, 2007
The practical nomad. Thoughts on and advice about travel, from Edward Hasbrouck, "The Practical Nomad." I particularly enjoy the "Human Rights, Civil Liberties, Privacy, and Travel" section.
Marcel Marceau dies at 84 A moment of raucous mourning, s'il vous plait.
Goats On A Roof - At Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant, the roof is covered with grass. All summer long the goats have a ball up there grazing away. This also occurs at the Old Country Market, Coombs, Vancouver Island. [more inside]
Create smaller CSS files This article will tell you how to make your CSS files a bit smaller.
'Treasure Trove' of Homo Erectus found. This is a mass of the oldest human skeletal bones found outside Africa, they will help improve understanding of the biology of the 1.8-million-year-old hominids. Described are three-dozen fossils from four individuals found at Dmanisi in Georgia, central Asia.
September 22, 2007
Mandela is (not really) dead (YouTube)
Rice to riches
"I don't sleep; I'm up all night." Peter Moceo was a culinary man of mystery.
He cared about rice pudding. Well, lots of people do! But Moceo had to fear being caught by this fella for sundry felonies.
Another reason why Cats are awesome: they kill and eat Scorpions. Yum Yum.
September 21, 2007
Avocado! Not until 1871...was the avocado definitely established [in California], through the introduction of three trees by Judge R. B. Ord of Santa Barbara. Two of these three trees bore fruit for many years in Santa Barbara, and served to create interest in further plantings. Avocado! In one year, a single California avocado tree can absorb as much carbon as is produced by a car driven 26,000 miles. Avocado! The avocado probably originated in southern Mexico but was cultivated from the Rio Grande to central Peru before the arrival of Europeans. [more inside]
Top Ten Laughably Bad Tech Ads Unfortunately, I am old enough to remember some of these when they were 'cool'.
Confirmed: Homo floresiensis was a distinct human species
- not a Microcephalic individual. So says a supposedly conclusive new study. Telegraph, UK.
Hobbit evidence will silence critics, scientist says - ABC Australia. Scientists: Hobbit Wasn't a Modern Human - AP. Hobbit Human Was Unique Species, Wrist Bones Suggest - National Geographic.
[more inside]
Passive-Aggressive Notes for Fun and Profit! "some of these notes are really more aggressive in tone, and some of them are more passive — polite, even — but they all share a common sense of frustration that’s been channeled into written form rather than a direct confrontation. it’s barbed criticism disguised as something else — helpful advice, a funny joke, simple forgetfulness" [more inside]
September 20, 2007
Canadian dollar reaches parity with staggering U.S. greenback
Drunk RCMP Officers' Rampage What the article doesn't mention is that the internal investigation resulted in the officers choosing their own punishment (acc. to CTV newsnet). That's a bit draconian, if you ask me.
Decent Guy. The mayor of San Diego takes the high road on gay marriage, and doesn't leave a dry eye in the house. Video, 5.5 minutes.
Dick Tricks
- otherwise known as genital origami - certainly NSFW
Why should something so enjoyable be such a taboo? How can man's best friend be associated with such shame? Penises should be fun, not just functional! With this online guide, you can ply your plonker and become the magnet of any mutual mustering.
[more inside]
September 19, 2007
Our long wait for a means to slap someone over the Internet is over. Thanks, Professor Marshall
Meteorite Crashes Near Remote Peruvian Village: Nearby Residents Suddenly Ill Due to Mystery Vapors. End of the World?
Classic video of split-brain patient. "To reduce the severity of his seizures, Joe had the bridge between his left and right cerebral hemisphers (the corpus callosum) severed. As a result, his left and right brains no longer communicate through that pathway. Here's what happens as a result." (Via)
It be International Talk Like a Pirate Day 2007, me' Buckos.
New York Times to Stop Charging
No more will we be faced with the wall of 'Subscription Required.'
via NYT
September 18, 2007
Music and amnesia. Oliver Sacks writes about Clive Wearing. [Via MindHacks.]
The McCollough Effect - seemingly a very long-lasting afterimage effect, although it appears to have a quite different mechanism. [more inside]
The role of genetic dialogs in The Sopranos. "There are twenty one explicit references to genetics and DNA in seasons one through six of HBO’s The Sopranos...All of them...remind us of...the dialectic of nature and nurture that animates Tony’s complex struggles, and the nucleus of Tony’s universe: the family."
13 Tricks to Motivate Yourself
Go for Five - Start working for five minutes. Often that little push will be enough to get you going.
Move Around - Get your body moving as you would if you were extremely motivated to do something. This ‘faking it’ approach to motivation may seem silly or crude, but it works.
What voo do you do to get things done so well?
via lifehacker
A Real Life Mermaid Double amputee Nadya Vessey is about to become New Zealand's first mermaid. Thanks to the awesome generosity of Weta Workshop. [more inside]
RIP Robert Jordan Best selling author, mostly known for his Wheel of Time fantasy series.
Blind guy takes out mugger. Trying to steal from geezers is dangerous these days (see here or here). So this guy thought he'd play it safe and assault a blind dude. Are things so vastly messed up in this day and age that a hard working criminal can't even find an easy mark?
New Pong! Control the paddle by tilting your laptop (sorry, mac only). [more inside]
Ernie Chambers is Suing God
The Nebraska Senator is looking for a permanent injunction against God and his followers for making terroristic threats.
God did not immediately respond to a non-denominational prayer for comment by [the] reporter.
September 17, 2007
Ned Kahn combines art and science to create sculptures that harness manifestations of turbulent natural phenomena.
What kids like to do online. [more inside]
What should be done with Barry's Ball? ... It turns out Mark Ecko bought #756 (for US$752K) and wants your help deciding what to do with it.
Too much internet will K-I-L-L you.
Bathing Beauties has run a design competition to re-imagine the beach hut. Nine winners will be available for hire. (Alas, I don't think the winners are necessarily the best designs, apart from 'Jabba'). [more inside]
How drug reps operate. "It's my job to figure out what a physician's price is. For some it's dinner at the finest restaurants, for others it's enough convincing data to let them prescribe confidently and for others it's my attention and friendship...but at the most basic level, everything is for sale and everything is an exchange."
September 16, 2007
Very significant or fishy hoax? Man burns sea water at temp of 3000 degrees by using simple radio waves. Humans rejoice at potential new fuel, Spongebob demands unilateral non proliferation agreement.
I own a piece of Uranus. Included in the deed are the full mining rights so I can penetrate deep inside a piece of Uranus.
September 15, 2007
It's a Shig. Or a Peep - anyway, it's a pig that has a fleece like a sheep. [more inside]
Bell Jar Bees
-
Step 1: stick foundation strips in bell jar on top of hive
Step 2: BZZZZZ
Step 3: Profit!
War songs. Folk songs brought us together in the 1960s in protest of the war in Viet Nam. "Big Muddy" seems especially relevant today. (via the Mofi thread about the Smothers Brothers.) [more inside]
September 14, 2007
Abandoned baby monkey now has a pigeon best-friend.
Oil or Fishing? Have both!!
We missed it this year, but howzabout the first ever World Monkey Jamboree is held as part of this? Seriously though, the title speaks for itself.
via
OK, it's a crap post. They can't all be gems. Just don't throw that skrik at me.
If the Crap is Mine, You Will Not Fine Not satisfied with just being a murderer, OJ's now apparently giving burglary a try.
Prince Sues the Internet The amazingly talented and accomplished musician and performer is launching lawsuits against YouTube and eBay among others in order to receive more money for his works. In a show of support, Lars Ulrich plans to get sh*tfaced and break things. [more inside]
Kilogram weighs less than a kilo. Causes panic among scientists, coke dealers.
Fried coke makes a real splash at the fair. I mean, it was only a matter of time before someone created this efficient manner of bringing your cardiovascular system to a screeching halt.
I want epaulettes on my liberal uniform!
Online worlds to be AI incubators - Wasn't that a Hawkwind album?
Fight for kisses may disturb you or make you chuckle. Either way it's a catchy advert that will get your attention. I'm rooting for the dad. Just sayin'
September 13, 2007
Led Zeppelin to Regroup; Play One Show
As a tribute to famed record executive Ahmet Ertegun, the legendary and infamous heavy rock band will play together for the first time in 19 years.
For US$300 per ticket.
via MedFizzlin
[more inside]
If Apes Ran Hollywood
From those wild and crazy blokes at B3ta, a movie
poster contest with apes. Some very, very good...some very, very bad...
Marry Our Daughter is a site for those who are dissatisfied with the outsourcing of the "Mail Order bride" industry. If you're willing to tender the "bride price," you too can join a precocious teenager in Bible-approved, marital bliss.
Tennis balls: Little. Yellow. Useful - the tennis ball might be one of the most versatile and useful tools ever invented by ape-like bipedal creatures. Here are 17 useful things they can be employed for. [more inside]
Joe Zawinul 1932-2007 [more inside]
September 12, 2007
Republican Senator Accused of Sex Offense. Again. Again.
With Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt at her side, the former prostitute Wendy Ellis told reporters that Vitter employed her services several times a week between July and November of 1999. At the time, Vitter was a new face Capitol Hill, having won a special election only months earlier.
Formerly linked to the DC Madam, Vitter denied any consorting with ladies of the night in his home state.
Sooner pulls testicles out of a Longhorn.
Giant Space Banana Over Texas
(flash): A giant banana is being launched into space with the goal of floating in the low-level atmosphere over Texas for a month. No word yet on the giant space gorilla.
via boingbanana
[more inside]
Kitten eating a Melon
- YouTube. Mr kitty likes cantaloupe - YouTube.
Kitten and Crow Pals - YouTube.
Signs of the End Times.
No, No
and Thice NO! Paddington Bear has been forced to give up his beloved marmalade sandwiches in favour of the Devil's own toe-jam Marmite.
WTF!
Curious George: TV miniseries? My wife and I finished off Deadwood. Now our TV is lonely and depression has set in. Any recommendations for a good TV or movie series that runs more than 5-10 hours? Can torrents be found for some of the more obscure stuff?
September 11, 2007
Why Harvard Wants You To Be Unhealthily Thin. A big problem with elite institutions is that, for years on end, people in such places can abuse their positions by saying things that aren't true, before anyone whose opinion counts notices. A particularly clear example of this is provided by the Harvard School of Public Health, which for many years has been pushing a phony claim with great success. The story is simple: That it's well-established scientific fact that being "overweight"--that is, having a body mass index figure of between 25 and 30--is, in the words of Harvard professors Walter Willett and Meir Stampfer, "a major contributor to morbidity and mortality."
Happy Conception Day! The Governor of Ulyanovsk, Russia has decreed Sept. 12 a Day of Conception and is giving couples time off from work to procreate.
French Prints from 1910 which depict life in the year 2000
The software awards scam
No one's posted anything today, so here's something new to read.
[more inside]
September 10, 2007
Phil Spector's Murder Trial Goes To the Jury. Spector, a famous American record producer, is no stranger to controversy. Will he be found innocent or guilty? [more inside]
The Secret of Invisibility Science may not have given us the flying car, but for a price, the secret of invisibility is within your grasp. [more inside]
Test the Nation: Watch Your Language. Last night, people across Canada did a test of the Queen's* English. I did well until I hit the last section on word origins (and suffice to say the good people of Coquitlam could stand to hire an image consultant). And I was miffed that on a test of Canadian English, the CBC misspelled tuque. For shame, CBC! (*Queen of Canada, obv.)
September 09, 2007
Mirin Dajo: Human Marvel
- (WARNING: contains photographs which show apparently unharmed man, shirtless, with a fencing rapier THRUST thru his body - no blood)
Dutch Fakir Mirin Dajo was a rather extraordinary gentleman. In 1947, at the Corso Theatre in Zurich, he allowed an assistant to plunge a fencing foil right through his body. The foil appeared to have pierced several vital organs and yet he remained relatively unharmed. He was able to repeat this feat multiple times, apparently at will.
[more inside]
Sunglasses with hidden camera make you the ultimate pervert! Just think of all the possibilities! I think the MPAA is going to hate these. A lot.
September 08, 2007
A one minute trip down memory lane Pepsi Blue? [more inside]
America’s Guardian Myths. [Via blueglow.]
September 07, 2007
Madeline L'Engle RIP Madeline L'Engle, one of the most amazing children's book writers of ours or any other time, died on Thursday. She wrote the incredible "A Wrinkle in Time" and subsequent associated books, featuring Meg, Calvin, Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit, and Charles Murray. My world is a smaller, sadder place today.
Your Swingin' Pad is a Flickr collection of interior design photos from various decades you won't want to miss. The thumbnail gallery itself looks like an oriental rug.
That's no moon! Long and detailed article on the pre-digital era effects used in Star Wars and Close Encounters. Geek out!
Cassette Tape Skeleton A skeleton made out of casette tapes
PinUpPost - Modern Pinups Daily
September 06, 2007
Sisters keep mother's body in fridge for ten years - and visit her every weekend.
Canada does its bit on the War on Terror: delivers Bin Laden to Bush.
September 05, 2007
Goats sacrificed to fix Nepal jet - Nepal Airlines sacrificed two goats to appease the deity Akash Bhairav and solve problems with an aircraft. "The snag in the plane has now been fixed and the aircraft has resumed its flights," senior airline official Raju K.C. said. Representatives from Goat on a Poleism could not be reached for comment. [more inside]
The harassments of Tony Rosato. The former actor on SCTV and Saturday Night Live, et al has been behind bars for two and a half years, now, and has finally taken the stand. It seems clear that he suffers from Capgras Syndrome, and that the harassment incidents stem from that condition, so why does it take so long to divert him from Court to Care?
Curious George: Musician's Deals Sites? I'm looking for a "deals" site strictly for music gear. Something like FatWallet or TechDeals but for guitars, bongos, . . those . . little shaky things . . y'know music stuff. Anyone know of any? [more inside]
September 04, 2007
Woman sees her own heart on display at a medical exhibition.
The Atlas of the Universe
- The visible universe. The Universe within 1 billion Light Years. The Virgo Supercluster. The Universe within 50,000 Light Years.
Nearest stars.
Heart warming romantic claptrap
.
I wish I could convey the sense of quiet confidence that settles over the man or woman who holds the reins of a good team as a storm moves in
I wish I could convey the sphincter-puckering panic that settles over a man or woman who realizes they're sitting on a metal buck rake as a storm moves in.
stolen frm the Blue--but added to inside.
[more inside]
Super friends let it all hang out. NSFW. Or your mental health. Never will you see ET through innocent eyes again.
Curious George: What to do with really old magazines? So I got word from the in-laws that they were thinking about chucking 30-40 old copies of National Geographic since they've been collecting dust for ages in the basement. The oldest issue is from 1913, which strikes me as interesting, simply because it's almost a century old! I don't have any personal need for 40 copies of old magazines, and I'm not sure who specifically would have such a need; but it strikes me as a waste that these relics of the past should simply be discarded. To what constructive use could these (or any older magazines) be put?
September 03, 2007
Gone to join circus
.
It starts like this.
Then you want to get tricky.
You might go to the dump. (2 part story)
Or buy one of these. You turn into this guy.
Then you make a movie.
Don't worry, you'll probably die in the bathtub.
[more inside]
Make your own Rheopectic slime in less than 15 minutes
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This, of course, does not apply to the quidnunc kid, who exudes the stuff naturally from his skin*, like a freakin' hagfish.
*He actually sells it on Ebay to pay for his tanning-booth addiction
[more inside]
England welcomes first female Beefeater Moira Cameron, a 38-year-old from Argyll, Scotland, will serve as one of the Yeoman Warders, the body that protects the crown jewels. [more inside]
The mother who suckles pet monkey. Lucky or unlucky monkey?
September 02, 2007
New evidence
TWA Flight 800 was shot down?
"On Tuesday, July 23, 1996, a representative from the Defense Intelligence Agency advised [the FBI] that after a visual analysis of both the videotape as well as a number of still photographs taken from various portions of the tape, the phenomenon captured by [name redacted] appeared to be consistent with the exhaust plume from a MANPAD [Man-portable air-defense] missile."
wikirage: lists the pages at wikipedia which are receiving the most edits per unique editor over various periods of time. Popular people in the news, goats, and the latest weirdness can be quickly found. [more inside]
September 01, 2007
The Way of All Flesh
"Yesterday at the flea market I picked up a small cosmetics case stuffed with photos almost all of which were of the same woman. The bulk of the photos were photobooths and portraits documenting her as she aged over the course of about 50 years or so."
Tarred and Feathered. The story behind the summary justice meted out to an alleged drug-dealer in Belfast.
Ghana's Kakum Park. I've been googling around about Kakum National Park. Here are some pretty pictures. Here are more pictures. And here are some facts about plants in the rainforest. [more inside]
