Most people become disgusted when they find a foreign object in their food, and even more so when that object is alive. Musician Simon Curtis, on the other hand, didn't lose it when he found a frog in his lettuce. Making a simple salad in the middle of the night turned out to be an adventure he never expected. He kept the frog in the lettuce container because it was too cold to put it outside. Well, Tony, as he named the frog, didn't want to stay in the plastic box. He didn't just get out of the box, he wandered from room to room exploring his new home, and getting pretty dirty in the process. You have to admire Tony's adventurous spirit, but you also don't want to step on a frog just walking through the house. Simon went from simply not wanting the frog to die to showering his new pet with everything a little frog could want in life. Tony lucked out!
Saturday, February 21, 2026
The Salad Frog
The Trailer for Toy Story 5
The original Toy Story hits theaters in 1995, so an entire generation has grown up and produced their own children since then. The toys have learned to deal with children growing up and leaving them behind, only to find new children to play with. But what happens when a child decides regular toys aren't fun anymore because they now have an iPad? Excuse me, this device is a "Lilypad" in the new movie Toy Story 5. Can the toys tear Bonnie away from her screen long enough to play with them anymore? You know Woody, Buzz, and the gang will come up with a scheme or two to make that happen. Toy Story 5 will open nationwide on June 19.
A Macaroni Recipe From 1784
Jon Townsend (previously) cooks up a little macaroni and cheese from a recipe published in 1784. Along the way, we get a bit of history about the term "macaroni" in the sense that it was used in the song "Yankee Doodle." But that has nothing to do with food. This dish is pretty basic, but sounds delicious. Several comments under the video asked where the nutmeg is. I had never heard of macaroni and cheese with nutmeg, but apparently there are a lot of recipes that call for it. Townsends has their own blog about historical recipes and food, aimed at use in reenactments, called Savoring the Past. (via reddit)
Friday, February 20, 2026
Myrt and Marge
Myrt and Marge is a 1933 showbiz film about vaudeville. A revue is facing closure, so the cast forms a co-op to keep it going- if they can find some new talent. It's the classic "let's put on a show to save the" ...show. What's notable is that we also see Ted Healy and his Stooges before they became The Three Stooges. Myrt and Marge was a cinematic flop and was rarely seen again, but it's quite funny in places. (Thanks, WTM!)
The Professor of Gilligan's Island
How could the professor, Dr. Roy Hinkley, build all those useful gadgets and not be able to repair the Minnow? There's a perfectly reasonable explanation, and it's not just plot armor.
A Dog Competes in Olympic Cross-country Skiing
The eyes of the world were drawn to an Olympic preliminary qualifying round in the women's cross-country skiing event in Tésero, Italy, on Wednesday. A large dog joined in the race and was even caught on Omega's official timekeeping camera as he crossed the finish line.
The dog was identified as a Czechoslovakian wolfdog named Nazgul, who belongs to a family who runs a local bed and breakfast. His owners speculated that Nazgul wanted to follow his family as they left for a different Olympic event, and broke out of the house. While the wolfdog surprised and unnerved some of the competitors, his presence did not affect the results of the heat, since the qualifying skiers had already crossed the finish line. That's a good dog.
Miss Cellania's Links
USA wins gold in women's figure skating. See Alysa Liu's free skate routine.
With an Experiment in Their Basement Photo Lab, Two Brothers Created a Paint That Outshines Them All. (via Damn Interesting)
In Defense of Bar Soap.
The Incredible Elephant Stables of Hampi.
Movie Heroes Who Are Actually Kind of Horrible If You Think About It. Movies count on you not thinking about it.
A Unique Property For Sale In Pennsylvania.
A powerful tribute dance performed in Washington, DC. (via Everlasting Blort)
"[W]hat if i told you, through the power of forensic analysis, we are closer than ever to knowing the exact Far Side cartoon that is making Sting smile in this iconic photo." I'm impressed with what people do in their too much free time. (via Metafilter)
Hitler’s Greenland Obsession. After creating an economic mess with ill-advised tariffs, Hitler looked north in pursuit of resources and national security. (via Damn Interesting)
Gâteau Gato, the Chocolate Cat Zoetrope
Gâteau Gato means "cat cake," but this is much more. Artist Alexandre Dubosc created a beautiful chocolate zoetrope that displays animated cats! Yeah, how could anyone combine chocolate cake, cats, and animation and not have a winner? You'll recognize Maneki Neko playing the piano, Felix, Nyan Cat, Yin-Yang Cat, and Grumpy Cat on this cake. There are other cats, plus mice, fish, and a big cat head on top with teeth! Notice the different language spellings of the word "meow" as well. (via Laughing Squid)
Microwave
Inventor of the microwave: This machine will cook dinner faster than a stove or oven. Consumer: How hot does the food get? I: Very hot, like the surface of the sun. C: Oh wow, that’s incre– I: But only some of it. C: Come again? I: The rest stays frozen.
— kottke.org (@kottke.org) February 17, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Thursday, February 19, 2026
The Cameraman on the Ice
Every time the Olympics roll around, there are new technologies to show us the action up close. You've seen camera drones following skiers and sledders down the course. In figure skating, we now have a camera man on the ice! Jordan Cowan is a former competitive ice dancer who now carries a steadicam onto the rink. No, he's not skating around during Olympic competition, but only approaches the competitor when their routine is through to see their reactions up close. However, Cowan is out on the ice during practice routines and exhibition performances. Check out some of his work at his YouTube channel.
Chain of Command
Owl in Trouble
Mike and Brian got close to take a picture of an owl, but the owl couldn't move because he was tangled in fishing line. That poor bird must have been so exhausted and frightened! This is why it's always a good idea to carry a knife out in the woods.
