NSFTS: Not Safe For The Squeamish. This totally creeped my out in a fascinating sort of way. I've reading about these buggers for hours, now. more inside

Curious PC Fixer - yeah, I'm having some PC issues. I know you guys, like, just answered one of these sorts of things, but any help you could give me as to why my CD/DVD drive just stopped working would be greatly appreciated. more inside

Via NYTimes, welcome to the first nationally noted Bark-Mitzvah. The Admiral, as pictured in this article, wore a bib featuring Stars of David, and atop the piano was a chopped liver sculptured appetizer platter, shaped to look like a bone. (NYT logon: mefi1; password: mefi1 ...save for later use!) more inside

Can you escape... THE DARK ROOM? Cos I certainly bloody can't. more inside

Frank Zappa references on Mystery Science Theater 3000 - definitive list of references to Uncle Frank on MST3K.

Instant nostalgia: This years Top 10 Urban Legends, Fakes and News... of particular interest is the skeleton of a GIANT man! ARGHHHHH.... GOZIRA take over the world! oh, and what is this jelly bracelet bizness? and where do I get one?

DiaryPhone "was inspired by years of misplaced sticky-notes of fleeting moments hastily scribbled down shortly after the moment occurred. ... Now there is a solution to capture a moment as it occurs. You already have your mobile phone with you, now all you have to do is call the toll-free number, speak your thoughts and the moment is captured. Your diary entry will be transcribed and waiting for you." Yes, dictate YOUR DIARY into your phone. Your fellow commuters will love you for it. Not.

Let's Face It, Blogs Are Better Michael Kinsley in today's LA Times: Better than I thought, and maybe even better than what I do for a living. Registration required.

MS Subbulakshmi the 'doyen of Carnatic music' died last week and was cremated with full state honours. Carnatic music is the classical music of southern India. Not always easy on Western ears, so why bother with it? Carnatic music archive. If you're willing to risk the 'Trident' player, you could also try the MS Subbulakshmi's stuff from Music India on-line.

Little Gems

The Army that marches in its stomach... needs to do some laundry once in awhile. The new Laundry Advanced System (LADS) is capable of washing and drying 400 pounds of laundry an hour, and only produces 40 gallons of wastewater a day. more inside

American Dinosaur Singing duo Hard 'n' Phirm present their moving, patriot tribute to the prehistoric beings who nobly layed down their lives, so that we might drive our cars. (Via Scott McCloud.)

Curious bore OK, I'm a dimwit. I've gotten hold of a G3 PowerBook running 10.3 (with absolutlely bags of RAM) and plugged it into a LiteOn CD-509-711 burner. I can import CDs into iTunes through the LiteOn with no trouble, but when I ask iTunes burn me a playlist, it tells me that it can't find a burner or burning software. What the snit am I missing here? Thanks in advance, o alps of computerabilityness. I await your golden weesdom!

One man's raunchy rant. I've been having an argument with a psychiatrist friend (male) about who DeBeers is trying to sell to. I claim it's men, since they're still the ones expected to spend two months' salary on ring for their fiances. He claims it's women, since there are no DeBeers ads in magazines for truckers. Check out this guy's take on the whole DeBeers thing. more inside

Curious George: My curious Geo. Tonight in a parking garage, my precious Geo at some point slipped out of the parking brake and reversed for nearly 200 feet... {MI} more inside

Curious George: What was your favorite job? I'm dropping out of college temporarily (hopefully) and I'm looking for something to do to support myself while I try to get more serious about life. Something that would help me prove to the next college I apply to that I can handle responsibility is good. Something non-soul-destroying is better. I also have a heart condition, so I can't do anything that would work me as much as really strenuous exercise.

Curious George: I have just read this NYTimes article (no registration needed) which discusses the confidentiality of bloggers. With blogging such a large phenomenom, the possibility of having something written about you and/or personal details revealed is high.
How would you feel if your details were revealed publicly, or has this ever happened to you? more inside

Who Owns What. Once upon a time, it was nearly impossible for one company to operate more than one media outlet in a city. more inside

Care to try your hand at a caption for this picture?