Japanese Temple Geometry. During Japan's period of national seclusion (1639--1854), native mathematics thrived, as evidenced in sangaku--wooden tablets engraved with geometry problems hung under the roofs of shrines and temples. Also check out these sangaku problems.

"The Singing Nun" - her strange and sad end. "Dominique" made her a star, but after the music died it all went straight to hell. It looks a little sexier in the Italian version. What a drag...I just assumed she was happily belting away in a convent somewhere. Rock and roll really is a vicious game.

Closer To Truth.

Preparing for Ermergencies: What you need to know. From the good people at the HM Department of Vague Paranoia. via neilgaimen.com

Typical advertising is for jerks. Joey the Midwife isn't. Ho-hum... another ad campaign... call the ex-football star, the girls in bikinis, the rock band with the most tattoos... make your stupid commercial... then wonder why nobody's buying your stupid goddamn deoderant. Money well spent? Doubt it.

How fast can you read? more inside

The case that must not be named (via jwz)

Curious George: I have less than 72 hours to take a drug test that I may not pass - and let's just say the consequences will be dire if I don't. Help me, monkeys, in my time of need. more inside

This land is your land. . . When was the last time you saw John Kerry on his knees before world leaders, clad in S&M gear and with a ball gag in his mouth? Or eyed President Bush looking sheepish in a red dunce cap? more inside

The Corporation. One of the most important documentary films of the modern era. Starring 7 CEOs, 3 VPs, 2 Whistleblowers, 1 Broker, 1 Spy, and 1 Really Big Mess. Find out when it's coming to your town, and check out the trailer. more inside

Build-to-Suit: A Castle "This is a simple site for those interested in building, purchasing, or designing a solid stone castle ... While the old castles were cold, damp, and downright miserable, our castles are toasty warm, dry, and healthy to live in." (via coudal) more inside

An introduction to Leet. Something of a followup to this thread.

TROGDOR!!!! I have recently become hip to the glory that is Trogdor. It seems this (currently unfinished but promising) plush incarnation follows in a long line of t-shirts, computer games, die-cast models, lego creations, primitive drawings, and pop culture references.

Petrarch the father of Humanism, is 700. The Petrarchan Grotto is worth a look, or check out the story of Petrarch and Laura. The old chap is in reasonable condition , given that he's been dug up a few times. Except that his head has been replaced with a woman's.

Wanna be a Carny? Gotta learn the lingo. Also through this site: American circus lingo, Brit/Euro slang, Vaudville slang, and Audio Samples thereof. more inside

Kuma\War , an online game service "that allows players to experience re-creations of real world military events weeks after they occur," has just launched a "Stories From The Front" contest to find the most compelling real battle story from a U.S. soldier. The winner and three friends will appear in the playable episode as 3D game characters, and in a broadband video. Is this cool or sick?

This article claims that Bush in retreating into his own little world and that he is not handling his job well at all. This one claims that he's taking anti-depressants. We can hope that things will not turn out well for him. (Both articles Capital Blue)

V.S. Ramachandran's Illusions uncover how your brain makes sense of motion. more inside

A little something to help Tracicle fill up that 40gig iPod... the Red Ferret Journal's 1 Million Free and Legal Music Tracks Wiki.

Curious George: Kerry waffles? Does anyone know whether Kerry lives up to the allegations that he waffles on issues, or is this taken out of context? I manage a large, closed phpBB board, and Bush supporters, who have a 41% lead over Kerry supporters according to a poll I ran last week (90 votes), seem largely fixated on this one point.