So, you want to be a franchisor? You have a proud history. A reputation for extensive community involvement. And all it takes is one boneheaded decision by one franchisee to blow it all up, and create one massive controversy.

The Chaitén volcano in Chile Forces of Nature at their photographic best! (via the blue)

'NASA has scheduled a media teleconference Wednesday, May 14, at 1 p.m. EDT, to announce the discovery of an object in our Galaxy astronomers have been hunting for more than 50 years.' more inside

Fat Monkeys.

"Ask Genghis was first published in January of 2008 as a legal means of paying off the large gambling debts incured by the Khan due to his love of "betting the ponys."" It has potential, especially if we send Genghis requests for relationship advice.

Two Lawyers - the Yale Commencement Speech (pdf) - via "This was my last chance to teach you some law, Yale style. These were my final two slides: one bad lawyer, one good. What made the bad one bad wasn’t that he knew “less law.” It was that he, unlike the good lawyer, refused to take moral responsibility when he found himself in a position where his individual actions as a lawyer were likely to have a decisive role in shaping our profession’s situation sense, and thus in shaping the law itself." more inside

Zeppelin imagery more inside

Curious Tax Man: Very exciting tax question more inside

It's pudding. Shaped like breasts. Only in Japan would you be able to buy milk-flavored pudding in the shape of a jiggly breast, topped with a cherry or vanilla "nipple". Oh, and did I mention the packaging is designed to look like a topless woman?

A model for self-denial built in mid 18th century Pennsylvania, the upper stories of the Ephrata Cloister were so rife with mold that my sinusitis has flared up again, but it was worth seeing how The White Brotherhood and The Sisters of the Wilderness subsisted under austere conditions that would blanch a modern hedonist. more inside

Brother, can you spare me a dime nickel? . How about a nickel for your thoughts? Betcha a nickel you haven't seen these. This link's only worth five cents This makes five

The Great Pavement of Westminster Abbey, one of the Abbey's two Cosmati pavements, is to be restored to public gaze after being under carpet (except for one day a year) since the nineteenth century. more inside

Phallic bomb shelters of Nazi Germany. First appearing in 1936, they were quickly dubbed "cigarette stubbs" or "sugar beet heads". Officially they were called Winkeltürme (Winkel Towers)- after their architect Leo Winkel of Duisburg. Winkel patented his design in 1934, and in the following years Germany built 98 Winkeltürme of five different types.

When I Was 17, It Was a Very Good Toon Webcomickers draw themselves, as they are today, and when they were 17... contributing so far: Meredith Gran of Octopus Pie, Paul Southworth of Ugly Hill, Jeph Jacques of Questionable Content, Rene Engstrom of Anders Loves Maria and Jeff Zugale of some webcomic I'd never heard of before*. If you have a favorite webcomic, go bug the artist to draw "Me At 17/Me Today". more inside

The Personal Journal of Doogie Howser more inside

Incredibly cool house ...that cost less than $1,000 to build, will last 500+ years, and even before you click, I'm telling you this: more inside

Bento lunch albums

Happy Thirtieth, Spam! 30 years ago today, someone at DEC (the now defunct Digital Equipment Corp.) sent out an unsolicited email to everyone on the Arpanet, advertising their new machine, and everyone's least favorite in box clogger was born. Any particular favorites you've gotten (recently or not) that you'd like to share?

A Scottish ensemble more inside

Why Things Cost $19.95.* Think you're immune to that kind of pricing manipulation? Maybe not. more inside