MonkeyView photo server. Just a bunch of other people's photos. Even more fun than random google images, if you're into that sort of thing.

iruses share a common ancestor that existed over 3 billion years ago and may even have even preceded cellular forms of life. Researchers at Montana State University have come to this conclusion after comparing the protein coating of an exotic virus strain, recently isolated from a hot spring at Yellowstone National Park, with a range of vastly different virus types. Unlike most viruses, this new virus doesn't reproduce by infecting living cells but through a chemical reaction and yet it has been found to share a common protein structure with the other viruses. Furthermore, these proteins have shown no significant similarities with the proteins of living cells and this suggests that viruses must have split of from other forms off life very early on. There are even wilder possibilities: that viruses may have preceded cellular life on Earth or even arrived here from outer space.

Murray the Kick Ass Monkey, A little Friday flash fun...monkeyfied! /via milkandcookies.com

Yippee! Through the miracle of the Internet, we can now download the unforgettable, Avant Guarde music of "The Monkees" more inside

How Will I Know Her?
"When we meet new girls we ask them if they would like to participate in this project. They are photographed holding photographs of the ones they miss..." Oddly effective.

Cats... who watch... cats Starbuck watching Jack watching Cinnamon watching Wrigley watching Annie watching Molly watching Torin watching Chloe watching Bebe watching Luna watching Frida watching Sammy watching Spot watching Brad Kitt & Cat Stevens watching Fumphy watching Ugly watching Clyde watching Cat1 watching Pixel ...

pr0n as propaganda: "Graphic photos appearing on Arabic websites of U.S. servicemen raping and sexually abusing Iraqi women were actually taken from American and Hungarian pornography sites."(NSFW) Old news, right? But what does it mean when American politicians hand out those photos at a press conference and they make it into a major U.S. newspaper? (possibly NSFW) more inside

La Fee Verte A compendium of absinthe information and ephemera including history, art, and a buyers guide of brands currently manufactured.

Tom's Temple of MST3K is a must-see for fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000 [official], the decade-long show that aired movies we love to hate. Includes a lavishly-illustrated history of the show, a studio tour, sound bites, and more. Other must-sees: Booyaka's MST3K site is a great launchpad, and thumbs up to MST3UK, probably the most content-packed episode guide I've seen but sadly limited to a third of the episodes. Do you have any favorite MST3K sites?

Curious George: Mofi Users Does mofi have a user list like this? I KNOW i registered waaay back when, and then promptly forgot all about it. Thing is i dont remember the user name i used off the top of my head. (ok...and i'll admit, i want to go blog hopping too...)

The Hospital Flash spookiness. oooooooOOOOOOOooooooo.

Online Worshipping You shop online, chat online, even have sex online. Now, you can worship online, thanks to The Church of Fools, "the UK's first web-based, 3D church". more inside

Way Cool Computer Animation - borderline Banana Blue post, but it made me say "wow" out loud here at work. [Quicktime] [via TheMorningNews]

Mexican Airforce plane films UFOs. Did a vehicle come from somewhere, out there? Just to land in the Andes? Was it round and did it have a motor, or was it something different? Video here in mpg format.

Curious, George: English/Writing Reference? I would like to improve my writing skills. Which books on grammar, style, vocabulary or writing would you recommend? more inside

Famous monkeys throughout history. "Monkeynauts are monkeys that were sent into space. The first monkey in sub-orbital space was a squirrel monkey called Gordo." more inside

No seriously, why didn't this happen sooner? "Ever since I came to Google, they've been talking about putting up an official Google blog. And now, less than 15 months later, voilà."

Bloggers Get Press Credentials? The Boston Globe reports that Jesse Taylor of Pandagon applied for press credentials for the Democratic National Convention. I like Jesse and his blog so I hopes gets his press pass. Jesse will not be welcomed with open arms by the mainstream press if he does.

But this new form of media is colliding with old-hand political structures, such as the House of Representatives Press Gallery, the initial gatekeeper for credential requests. Officials there decided that independent blogs do not fit their standards of "media," and passed their applications down the ladder a rung, to the convention staffs that handle credentials for student and weekly papers.

Bush's People So my question is where did Bush outline in his 2000 campaign that the Neocons would be running the show? Invade Iraq, The Create of American Satellite States in the Mideast, all done with on credit from the US Tresury.

For those times when you absolutely, positively have to have a lifesize, wax Minnie Pearl in your bathroom. The voiceover makes this even stranger than it already is. Sorry if I doublepost over the next month; I've been gone for awhile.