Henry Darger He's been mentioned in comments, but we have never really talked about this sad proponent of outsider art. more inside

Mortality and epidemiological methodology -- Most of us have heard of the 2004 Lancet study which had estimated mortality in Iraq following the start of the war; this has recently been updated with a new study (Full article in PDF). Following on the criticism and defence of the original study, This American Life dedicated most of a program, What's in a number? 2006 edition to talking about the study and the methodology (including an interview with one of the authors). (via homunculus, Wolof and the Monkeyfilter comment archives) more inside

Confessions of a Bookplate Junkie

Bush a Grauniad reader although, sadly, not a regular.

Foley: 'It's Just Been a Real Hard Time'
when talking to reporters goes horribly wrong.

Curious George: Fake Blogs I use Google Alerts to be on the lookout for a variety of terms that help me track public mention of certain topics that are of interest to a couple of my clients. Recently I have been getting hits on spam blogs; blogs that are filled with random phrases that apparently are just out there to snare traffic. I'd link to a few here, but then the terrorists would win. more inside

Advice for the aspiring corporate wife. If only Kevin Federline had seen this article, maybe the marriage would have lasted. more inside

Fecal Breach in Hot Tub So we were sitting there, chatting it up in the hot tub, when suddenly... Oh, and not to be confused with the uber-famous and so TOTALLY NSFW Tub Girl. I'm sure not even a TicTac will get the taste out of her mouth...

Life's Rocky with Raccoons ... trying to eat your best friend.

Space Patrol Official Handbook

Long Horses Hardy Burmeier has extensively documented the now extinct long horses, capable of carrying up to four men on their backs and of spectacular acrobatic feats.

The power of the sun in our hands Could it be that we are on to an endless source of cheap electrical power? Should Google invest? Will the US government take it's collective dick out of the oil industry's arse? more inside

Boys beware! No matter where you meet a stranger, be careful they are not too friendly. You never know when the homosexual is about.

Bush Goes to Vietnam The president said there was much to be learned from the Vietnam War -- the longest conflict in U.S. history -- as his administration contemplates new strategies for the war in Iraq, now in its fourth year. "My first reaction is history has a long march to it" Bush said. Bush, Vietnam, Iraq, Vietnam, Bush, Quagmire, Bush more inside

World Monuments Fund is accepting nominations for its List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. Know of an endangered cultural heritage site anywhere in the world? Nominate it! (.doc)

Late Night Leonids May Disappoint This years Leonid meteor shower may not be all that great, science tells us. And it peaks at 5am. more inside

Ferenc Puskas, The Galloping Major, has died at 79. He was one of the greatest footballers (youtube) of all time. Here's another obituary, with an audio link to Tom Finney paying tribute.

The reactable is a state-of-the-art multi-user electro-acoustic music instrument with a tabletop tangible user interface. Read: the coolest thing ever and I want one. (youtube vid)

Cats that bark; Dogs that meow? Brazilian student Cassia Aparecida de Souza, 18, claims her cat's offspring has been born with dog traits last Friday, three months after mating with a neighbour's dog in the Brazilian city of Passo Fundo. [...] And on a trans-species procreation note: Mythology expert, Candidate of historical sciences Alexander Guryev says that animal men were the result of buggery, sex contacts between men and animals, which were quite typical of the ancient epochs. The expert adds that many people believed that they descended from animals: Tibetans believed they descended from monkeys, Hindu believed that horses were their ancestors and people in Thailand thought they descended from the dog.

Why Thinking Matters Does thinking still make a difference to Americans? Don’t say "Yes" automatically. There are some very powerful indications that thinking has not only been devalued but is actually seen as a kind of nuisance.... From Robert Grudin's new book "American Vulgar."