Omnipelagos lets you find some KevinBaconesque connection between two different entitities, whereas Grokker presents search results graphically under topics, with mouseover descriptions and the ability (show tools, bottom left, on search result page) to define date and yahoo search ranking. I'm not sure of the utility value, but they are fun to play around with. via

100 pieces of art left on the beach in Nova Scotia. Anyone live out that way? Might be worth grabbing one if they haven't all gone.

Curious, George: How to convert VHS into DVD/MPEG?? I had a few seconds of lime light on ABC news last month. The news station gave me a copy on a VHS tape. I don't own a VHS player, but I can borrow one. My laptop has a DVD burner. I'd like to send a copy to my grandma. Can anyone help me??

The 'act making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief' includes the real-id. Monkeys, this is serious. The US senate passed what is basically a spending act for Iraq that included a rider for the new real-id, which is a national id card, which will be required to travel on an airplane, open a bank account, collect Social Security payments, or take advantage of nearly any government service. Use google news to understand what this means or get real paranoid. more inside

Worst Jobs in (British) History

Mind your manners! A (rather Pythonesque) game on Victorian etiquette. [flash] And other interesting games from the McCord Museum of Canadian History.

"Curious, George: Browser popups in dsl" I have had dsl for a week and I have this problem of a new brower window popping up pretty regularly with the Mozilla homepage on it. I use Firefox and just updated to the new version but it keeps happening. Qwest has never heard of this prob. Any ideas? Thanks.

Celebrity Blog "The Huffington Post", Day 2 After our step-sister site thoroughly trashed the "next big thing in blogging", there are signs that, less than 48 hours in, "The Huffy" (a nickname I take full credit for) is showing signs of either (A) getting a sense of humor or (B) jumping the shark. more inside

Kusturica in the NYT. "I remember he called me on the phone and told me the story of the guy in 'Life Is a Miracle' -- you know, it's a true story, it really happened, this man and woman together -- and we made it into a song. And I tell you, for us, this song, this movie, it felt like a window in this windowless room we had been stuck in, this bloody Balkan room without any exit, and we recognized a way out."

Sci Fi as it should be The months in advance sneak previews of Serenity have been selling out in a matter of hours Word of mouth reviews so far is that this is a very, very good movie indeed. Yay! Joss Whedon comes through! And if you try to tell me spoilers, I'll stick my fingers in my ears and go "lalalalalalalala" until September.

Kenneth Parker - photography.

Pavarotti loves elephants. Elephantssssssss YEAH. more inside

Kitty Claw$ :Dog mauls cat, owner gets $45K more inside

Sniffed it?!! Strange goings on on a New Zealand beach...

Beautiful Majorettes. "This site is dedicated to the majorettes and pom-pom girls who parade in Menton during 3 weeks for the yearly Lemon Feast (La Fête du Citron). Most of the photos are a selection of majorettes from Slavic countries. They march in the streets, the roads and the places of the city in the morning , afternoon and sometimes the night." Lots of cool pics!

Disabled Girls Are Easy
"I'm not saying all men are bastards but, from what I've seen, a disabled, 'vulnerable' woman brings out the misogynists in hordes."

Curious George: Help me name my band! more inside

Grocery Store Wars. From the makers of The Meatrix. [Via WorldChanging.]

The Fragile Circus (flash, sound, etc.) and more by Canadian artist Myron Campbell.

The American Toad (Bufo americanus). It has finally gotten warm enough here in Toronto that the frogs and toads have begun to call. On my run yesterday I noticed that an inordinate amount of unrestrained amphibian sex was taking place in the puddles near the path. Problem is, the racket (real audio link) is beginning to keep me up!