How much mediocre music can you stand to listen to? Researchers at Columbia University's Music Lab are doing a study to find out. more inside

"Take me, Judas" Sure, I could have followed up my deleted porn post with a well-thought out post on something important or something neat. But instead, here's something that will make roll over in his grave.

Rubber Johnny >> 'Johnny is a hyperactive, shape-shifting mutant child, kept locked away in a basement. With only his feverish imagination and his terrified dog for company, he finds ways to amuse himself in the dark.' more inside

Real-Money Pope Pools Get in before the conclave begins. more inside

Everyday Tips Curious and Helpful Monkey: Here's my theory: We all have things that we think we do better, easier, cheaper. We should share them. I'll share a few: more inside

Free Trade Killed Off the Neanderthals! Or maybe it was just bad weather . Neanderthals were as nimble-fingered and intelligent as homo sapiens. Ya know what I think? I think one of you monkeys rubbed him out! He'd still be around if ya hadn't killed him and set Cro-Magnon up with the rap. I'd send the likes of ya up the river but the past's the past. Just tell us why ya done it. (Bonus points for reasons expressed in verse.)

The International Institute of Social History "is one of the world's largest documentary and research institutions in the field of social history in general and the history of the labour movement in particular". Online exhibitions include a collection of early Japanese print depictions of foreigners, facsimiles of some works of William Morris, photographs by Ravi Agarwal and Art to the People. more inside

Fully Grown Black Panther photographed eating a pigeon in Wales, UK. Also, Bigfoot in California, not photographed eating anything.

Novelty Wines. Tired of the same old red or white wines? While a fine chianti may go well with your next dinner guest, chicken wine probably wouldn't.

The 5th Avocado. Goofy Friday Flash fun. more inside

Wither Are Thou, Wigger? NSFKJ (Use of a racially offensive (?) term in context) If Black/"Urban"/Hip Hop Culture is the dominant touchpoint for kids across the racial and economic board in North America, is the concept of 'wigger' dead? If not, should it be? When does cultural appropriation just turn into your environment? more inside

Spell with flickr! Just a silly way to wittle away a Frday afternoon. Type in whatever and get a little photo montage spelling your word. F'rinstance: Monkeyfilter.

Mom's Cancer. This comic tells the story of the author/artist and his family as they face his mother's illness. The comic had been taken offline at the request of the publisher who'll be printing it. It's back online for a limited time as it's been nominated for an Eisner award. (Sorry, couldn't find a page listing the 2005 nominees.)

Somebody thought of the children The World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child is awarded to people or organisations that have made positive contributions to the lives of children. This year, the Global Friends Award is shared between Graca Machel, for her work with street kids in Mozambique and her fight for the right of girls to go to school, and Nelson Mandela for his work for equal rights for children in South Africa. The thing that sets the WCPRC apart from other major prizes is that the winner is chosen by children themselves - over 6 million kids in 9000 schools in 73 countries are involved with the awards. more inside

Kintana: an aye-aye [world's largest nocturnal primate] born/bred in captivity in February. He's so ugly , he's darn cute! more inside

Our Blood Lodges today are not usually a particular physical place but more an attitude of community that occurs whenever women come together in any Sacred Space to honor and celebrate our bleeding cycle. So, we make our womb-space wherever we meet -- a spare room in someone's house, in the basement of a local church or YWCA, or any private outdoor place where women can be safe and uninterrupted.

Ah, the Simurgh! who is this wondrous being? more inside

Nintendogs! [Website with video] Have a whole bunch o' puppies in the palm of your hand. Without the worry of pee. Japanese site with nice pics but slow video here.

A cycling tour of the Americas in search of strange food. Starting in May, Tom Kevill Davies will cycle around North and South America. His website asks people along the route to invite him on detours to sample whatever weird local food they can come up with. I do wonder what he's got planned for the Darien Gap? Some parts of the site require Flash. Link pinched from today's London Metro newspaper.

When did Australia become a police state?