It never occurred to me to feel sorry for a guy fantasizing about catalog models. But the article Personal Inventory: The Erotic Appeal of the Lands’ End Catalog gave me some insight on how guys... OK, some guys feel about women.
You have some, but not complete, control over your own happiness. The secret is how you live your life day-to-day.
How’s the weather in McMurdo Station, Antarctica? If it’s Condition One, you’ve never seen anything like it before!
3 Happiness Enhancing Activities With Evidence They Work.
How Car Dealers and Other Businesses are Taking Away Your Right to Sue.
Enter a website at Lingro and make all the words clickable, going to a dictionary in your choice of language.
This is what homemade fireworks can do to you. It’s just an x-ray, but still may be disturbing.
Nine Famous Jewels from the Movies.
The science behind burping.
Why guys don’t want to be friends with a girl who breaks up with them. The McDonald’s Analogy makes a lot of sense.
The Secret to Raising Smart Kids. It’s like Mama told you: hard work will get you farther than born smarts.
Endangered Brazilian Ocelot Kitten Born at the Louisville Zoo. And there’s a delightful picture of the blue-eyed baby boy with this article.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Informative Links
Dear Rockers helps you pay musicians directly for music you’ve downloaded in the past. You can clear your conscience, showcase your creativity, and thank a musician all at once!
Top Ten Secrets of Air Travel Insiders.
Satelloons.
6 Incredible Ocean-Going Hotels from Around the World. These do not include cruise lines, they are much more adventurous.
250 Public Speaking Tips.
Freud Is Widely Taught at Universities, Except in the Psychology Department.
The Twenty Worst Foods in America. For your health.
Top Ten Terrible Tech Products.
Impress your friends with mental math tricks.
How to choose gifts for holiday office parties.
Peculiar Streets around the World.
How to achieve a more humane, culturally reflective and engaging office bathroom. This article includes the Hierarchy of Bathroom Needs.
Top Ten Secrets of Air Travel Insiders.
Satelloons.
6 Incredible Ocean-Going Hotels from Around the World. These do not include cruise lines, they are much more adventurous.
250 Public Speaking Tips.
Freud Is Widely Taught at Universities, Except in the Psychology Department.
The Twenty Worst Foods in America. For your health.
Top Ten Terrible Tech Products.
Impress your friends with mental math tricks.
How to choose gifts for holiday office parties.
Peculiar Streets around the World.
How to achieve a more humane, culturally reflective and engaging office bathroom. This article includes the Hierarchy of Bathroom Needs.
The Star Spangled Banner
It was Disability Awareness day and the folks at Fenway did a lot of great things for kids with challenges. Here is one who sang and when he got nervous the Fenway Faithful helped him out.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Santa Claus Championship
Dave Downey of Perth, Australia has been crowned Father Christmas at the Snoyran Santa Games in Sweden. 30 Santas went nose-to-nose in five categories: chimney climbing, reindeer racing, kick sled racing, porridge eating and Santa's Christmas Eve. Mr. Downey won a gold medal, a diploma and a hand-made sculpture of Santa, in addition to the title. (via Arbroath)
Good Reads
Find out which radio stations are already playing wall-to-wall Christmas music in your area, with this list from 100000watts.com.
The top 10 IT disasters of all time. Yes, I would agree that almost starting World War II deserves the top spot.
A parent’s guide to buying video games.
The germiest places in America. (via J-Walk Blog)
Amazing Linguistic Coincidences.
How to memorize anything.
A colony of fruit bats in northern Queensland was invaded and destroyed by poisonous ticks. Several baby bats were rescued and are being raised by staff at an animal rescue center. See a half-dozen adorable baby bats wrapped in bankets and enjoying their bottles. (via Unique Daily)
NASA has developed a new bargain-basement approach to satellite manufacture and delivery. Is it just me, or is there something frightening about NASA bragging on how cheap they are?
Fifteen castles, each built by a non-architect, without contractors or professional builders.
Holiday Shipping Deadlines from the US Postal Service.
One of the earliest references to a controlled experiment is from Daniel in the Old Testament of the Bible.
The top 10 IT disasters of all time. Yes, I would agree that almost starting World War II deserves the top spot.
A parent’s guide to buying video games.
The germiest places in America. (via J-Walk Blog)
Amazing Linguistic Coincidences.
How to memorize anything.
A colony of fruit bats in northern Queensland was invaded and destroyed by poisonous ticks. Several baby bats were rescued and are being raised by staff at an animal rescue center. See a half-dozen adorable baby bats wrapped in bankets and enjoying their bottles. (via Unique Daily)
NASA has developed a new bargain-basement approach to satellite manufacture and delivery. Is it just me, or is there something frightening about NASA bragging on how cheap they are?
Fifteen castles, each built by a non-architect, without contractors or professional builders.
Holiday Shipping Deadlines from the US Postal Service.
One of the earliest references to a controlled experiment is from Daniel in the Old Testament of the Bible.
Hand in Hand
He lost his leg when he was very young. She lost an arm in a car accident. But their ballet won a dance competition on a Chinese TV network, CCTV9. (via Phil’s Phun)
Monday, November 26, 2007
Young and Innocent
A man on the run from a murder charge enlists a beautiful stranger who must put herself at risk for his cause. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, written by Charles Bennett based on a novel by Josephine Tey. 1937. (via Metafilter)
Funny Links
How many days til Christmas?Sproutifarts. In this game, you have to feed Brussels sprouts to Mr. Sproutifart, or he will faint from hunger. Don’t forget to fart, or you’ll be sorry! (via b3ta)
The Ultimate Movie Montage. An impressive homemade compilation.
The shower scene from Psycho, recreated by a potato.
The customer is not always right. Tales of stupidity from the retail business. I hope you don’t recognize yourself in these stories. (via Metafilter)
Billionaires for Educational Reform.
It’s just a run-of-the-mill local story about a case that was dropped when the victim admitted she lied. BUT the defendant has the most unfortunate name in the history of the English-speaking world.
Crayon Physics, a freeware game that allows players to draw objects that immediately react to the environment.
How do you hide an elephant? With the help of Photoshop, of course!
Remember that old myth about elephants being afraid of mice? Mythbusters puts it to the test, with surprising results.
A collection of 38 pictures of cats caught in mid-pounce, just ripe for captioning. (via Cynical-C)
What would these celebrities look like if they had plastic surgery? (via My 2 Second Shelf Life)
The 50 greatest fictional weapons of all time. (via Metafilter)
Mr. T is back, in an ad for World of Warcraft.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Informative Links
A colony of fruit bats in northern Queensland was invaded and destroyed by poisonous ticks. Several baby bats were rescued and are being raised by staff at an animal rescue center. See a half-dozen adorable baby bats wrapped in bankets and enjoying their bottles. (via Unique Daily)
NASA has developed a new bargain-basement approach to satellite manufacture and delivery. Is it just me, or is there something frightening about NASA bragging on how cheap they are?
Fifteen castles, each built by a non-architect, without contractors or professional builders.
Holiday Shipping Deadlines from the US Postal Service.
One of the earliest references to a controlled experiment is from Daniel in the Old Testament of the Bible.
Peculiar Streets around the World.
How to achieve a more humane, culturally reflective and engaging office bathroom. This article includes the Hierarchy of Bathroom Needs.
You have some, but not complete, control over your own happiness. The secret is how you live your life day-to-day.
How’s the weather in McMurdo Station, Antarctica? If it’s Condition One, you’ve never seen anything like it before!
NASA has developed a new bargain-basement approach to satellite manufacture and delivery. Is it just me, or is there something frightening about NASA bragging on how cheap they are?
Fifteen castles, each built by a non-architect, without contractors or professional builders.
Holiday Shipping Deadlines from the US Postal Service.
One of the earliest references to a controlled experiment is from Daniel in the Old Testament of the Bible.
Peculiar Streets around the World.
How to achieve a more humane, culturally reflective and engaging office bathroom. This article includes the Hierarchy of Bathroom Needs.
You have some, but not complete, control over your own happiness. The secret is how you live your life day-to-day.
How’s the weather in McMurdo Station, Antarctica? If it’s Condition One, you’ve never seen anything like it before!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Family Conversation
Me: OK, kids, I'm going to take a nap, and you need to vacate this room.
Princess: C'mon, Sis, that means redecorate it!
Gothgrrl: No, that mean clean it up!
Princess: C'mon, Sis, that means redecorate it!
Gothgrrl: No, that mean clean it up!
The Last Time I Saw Paris
Thihs 1954 film stars Elizabeth Taylor, Van Johnson, Walter Pidgeon, Donna Reed, Eva Gabor, Kurt Kasznar, George Dolenz and Roger Moore. It is loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald 's short story Babylon Revisited.
Fun and Funny
Star Trek’s 10 Cheesiest Classic Creatures.
How well do you know your world? Try this global geography quiz, and remember, speed counts in this one!
Dickipedia, a wiki of dicks.
Invisible Musicians, from Worth 1000. (via Geek Like Me)
If Abraham Lincoln were a modern CEO, he would have given the Gettysburg Address as a Powerpoint presentation.
Get your hankies ready as you watch this story from YTMND about the game Animal Crossing. Then call your mother. (via Metafilter)
Why Guitars are Better than Women.
And in the interest of fairness, Why Guitars are Better than Men. (Thanks, Stratoblogster!)
Watch elephants who throw darts better than you do.
Mudd Math Fun Facts, a site of math puzzles and games.
Food that looks like what it isn’t. An entree of waffles, then spaghetti, meatloaf, and hot dogs for dessert! (via Grow-A-Brain)
Sex and the College Girl. (from 1957)
Toilet Tunes, your bathroom privacy insurance.
How well do you know your world? Try this global geography quiz, and remember, speed counts in this one!
Dickipedia, a wiki of dicks.
Invisible Musicians, from Worth 1000. (via Geek Like Me)
If Abraham Lincoln were a modern CEO, he would have given the Gettysburg Address as a Powerpoint presentation.
Get your hankies ready as you watch this story from YTMND about the game Animal Crossing. Then call your mother. (via Metafilter)
Why Guitars are Better than Women.
And in the interest of fairness, Why Guitars are Better than Men. (Thanks, Stratoblogster!)
Watch elephants who throw darts better than you do.
Mudd Math Fun Facts, a site of math puzzles and games.
Food that looks like what it isn’t. An entree of waffles, then spaghetti, meatloaf, and hot dogs for dessert! (via Grow-A-Brain)
Sex and the College Girl. (from 1957)
Toilet Tunes, your bathroom privacy insurance.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Thanksgiving Links
For a giggle, check out this ecard from Hoops and Yoyo. Marti send this one to me!Americans Enjoying Thanksgiving Tradition Of Sitting Around At Airport.
The Gobbler. (via Everlasting Blort)
Thanksgiving Quiz. (via Bits and Pieces)
What some of your favorite Supervillians are thankful for. (via Fark)
Roundup of Eats and Treats for Thrill-Seeking Thanks Givers. More ways to have a very different Thanksgiving, from Wired.
Five Tricks for Thanksgiving Leftovers.
Skunkfeathers tried to make a pumpkin pie once. ONCE.
Turkey Day chemistry in the kitchen. Understanding what makes a great turkey will help you cook one better.
Thanksgiving trivia from the US Census Bureau.
Thanksgiving, the way the Pilgrims did it.
Manly Ways to Prepare Turkey.
Thanksgiving links and jokes, and more links and jokes.
I hope the Thanksgiving feast doesn’t affect me like it did last year!
As we give thanks to God for making it through another year, I also want to thank YOU for stopping by here at Miss C Recommends, and at Miss Cellania, Neatorama, mental_floss, and YesButNoButYes. Hugs and kisses, and have a great holiday!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Adam's Rib
From 1949, a classic romantic comedy about two married lawyers, Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn.
Around the Blogosphere
NYC Educator is hosting the Carnival of Education with a ton of links, tasty-holiday-edition-style.
Gail at Scribal Terror likens the experience of observing politicians with various nightmare scenarios. Too funny! You’re invited to join in, too.
Peter at Holtie’s House has a picture and a story from Iraq that brought tears to my eyes.
Led Zeppelin will play one reunion show on December tenth. Stratoblogster says tickets are going for some high prices.
Se7en is shocked, SHOCKED I say, that two years later, FEMA is starting to repair his parent’s house in New Orleans.
Figlet is spending Thanksgiving in China, and finding the time to send us reports.
Actor212 has a guide for tourists going to New York City for the holidays.
Gail at Scribal Terror likens the experience of observing politicians with various nightmare scenarios. Too funny! You’re invited to join in, too.
Peter at Holtie’s House has a picture and a story from Iraq that brought tears to my eyes.
Led Zeppelin will play one reunion show on December tenth. Stratoblogster says tickets are going for some high prices.
Se7en is shocked, SHOCKED I say, that two years later, FEMA is starting to repair his parent’s house in New Orleans.
Figlet is spending Thanksgiving in China, and finding the time to send us reports.
Actor212 has a guide for tourists going to New York City for the holidays.
Kitty Conversation
These two cats seem to be having a very important conversation. Lucky for us, YouTube user klaat42 has provided the English version.
(via Viral Video Chart)
The True Origin of Hip-Hop Music
In the latest Chinese viral video advertising series from Nokia, the story goes that hip hop originated in the 60s in a farming village in Inner Mongolia. The master of the art is a 60-year-old who goes by the name MC Farmer. (via Metafilter)
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The Model of a Psychopharmacologist
Sung by Stephen M Stahl, MD, PhD, of the Neurosciences Education Institute, with apologies to Gilbert and Sulivan. (via OmniBrain)
Monday, November 19, 2007
Info Links
Walking the Walk for Breast Cancer.
Reflections on White Privilege.
Why Career Planning is Time Wasted.
Scientists infiltrate cockroach colonies with robots. Not only were the robots accepted, they became leaders!
The Miss Landmine Angola 2008 pageant is set for April 4. Vote for your favorite candidate online!
Fast Food Restaurants & Nutrition Facts Compared.
Wal*Mart’s latest ad campaign says that Wal*Mart saves the average family $2,400 a year. However, you don’t have to shop there to see the savings. They also don’t mention that the effect is halved if you factor in the wage depression the store’s presence brings to a community.
Spiderman Rescues Baby!
The world’s most unhealthy breakfast.
Francois Huber invented the modern beehive not for the honey, but to study bee behavior. But he still couldn’t observe them, because he was blind!
You’re Not Attractive (or else you’d be pickier about who you date). A study shows that people tend to know who is out of their league.
Bob Vila’s annual Home Maintenance Checklist.
Reflections on White Privilege.
Why Career Planning is Time Wasted.
Scientists infiltrate cockroach colonies with robots. Not only were the robots accepted, they became leaders!
The Miss Landmine Angola 2008 pageant is set for April 4. Vote for your favorite candidate online!
Fast Food Restaurants & Nutrition Facts Compared.
Wal*Mart’s latest ad campaign says that Wal*Mart saves the average family $2,400 a year. However, you don’t have to shop there to see the savings. They also don’t mention that the effect is halved if you factor in the wage depression the store’s presence brings to a community.
Spiderman Rescues Baby!
The world’s most unhealthy breakfast.
Francois Huber invented the modern beehive not for the honey, but to study bee behavior. But he still couldn’t observe them, because he was blind!
You’re Not Attractive (or else you’d be pickier about who you date). A study shows that people tend to know who is out of their league.
Bob Vila’s annual Home Maintenance Checklist.
The Man Who Knew Too Much
From 1934. This is NOT the 1956 Alfred Hitchcock version. While travelling in Switzerland, the child of a well-off couple is kidnapped. She is held to ensure that her father does not reveal what he knows about a planned assassination.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Fun stuff for the weekend
YesButNoButYes is giving away t-shirts in connection with the World’s Dirtiest Film contest. Winning is as simple as leaving a comment.
My ears are bleeding!
Shameful things I have eaten as a Mom.
Pacman plays Super Mario Brothers. These go together so well in our collective memories, it’s easy to forget they are two separate games.
A list of the 25 biggest internet viral videos ever.
Top Ten Extreme Cars from SEMA 2007. (via Dark Roasted Blend)
Darths and Droids. A new webcomic. (via Metafilter)
Space Playground, a music video showing the day to day activities of astronauts in space.
One-third of British adults so stupid when it comes to geography that they think Mount Everest is in Europe instead of Africa. Every geography joke you’ve ever heard is somewhere in this Fark thread.
Nascargot, the amazing snail race.
What’s the most annoying thing you could teach a toddler to say?
My ears are bleeding!
Shameful things I have eaten as a Mom.
Pacman plays Super Mario Brothers. These go together so well in our collective memories, it’s easy to forget they are two separate games.
A list of the 25 biggest internet viral videos ever.
Top Ten Extreme Cars from SEMA 2007. (via Dark Roasted Blend)
Darths and Droids. A new webcomic. (via Metafilter)
Space Playground, a music video showing the day to day activities of astronauts in space.
One-third of British adults so stupid when it comes to geography that they think Mount Everest is in Europe instead of Africa. Every geography joke you’ve ever heard is somewhere in this Fark thread.
Nascargot, the amazing snail race.
What’s the most annoying thing you could teach a toddler to say?
Friday, November 16, 2007
The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath (1940) is director John Ford's most famous black and white epic drama - the classic adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1940 Pulitzer Prize-winning, widely-read 1939 novel. This film was the most popular left-leaning, socialistic-themed film of pre-World War II Hollywood.
On the screen, the film honestly and realistically recreates the socio-economic impact of the Great Depression and a mid-30s drought upon one representative family - the Joads. Its theme of an oppressed people's epic move to a new home parallels the Biblical story of Exodus. Their family name, Joad, also evokes the Biblical character of Job.
(via Metafilter)
Good Reads
The Torn Identity: How an Earthquake Spawned One of the Greatest Immigration Fraud Schemes in History.
Why We do Dumb or Irrational Things: 10 Brilliant Social Psychology Studies. Collectively, we’ve got a lot of illogical habits to rise above.
How to go to college for free. My parents met each other at one of these tuition-free colleges.
New thin film solar material could make solar-powered homes practical, affordable.
The Predatory Lending Association (PLA) is dedicated to extracting maximum profit from the working poor by increasing payday loan fees and debt traps. Yes, it’s a fake organization, with facts about a very real industry.
Video report on the NBBA (National Beep Baseball Association), for visually impaired players.
Nine Words that Don’t Mean What You Think.
Video of Earthrise and Earthset over the moon, taken from Japan’s KAGUYA (SELENE) lunar obitor.
Did a Comet Cause the Great Flood?
Wired profiles Randall Munroe of xkcd.
Why We do Dumb or Irrational Things: 10 Brilliant Social Psychology Studies. Collectively, we’ve got a lot of illogical habits to rise above.
How to go to college for free. My parents met each other at one of these tuition-free colleges.
New thin film solar material could make solar-powered homes practical, affordable.
The Predatory Lending Association (PLA) is dedicated to extracting maximum profit from the working poor by increasing payday loan fees and debt traps. Yes, it’s a fake organization, with facts about a very real industry.
Video report on the NBBA (National Beep Baseball Association), for visually impaired players.
Nine Words that Don’t Mean What You Think.
Video of Earthrise and Earthset over the moon, taken from Japan’s KAGUYA (SELENE) lunar obitor.
Did a Comet Cause the Great Flood?
Wired profiles Randall Munroe of xkcd.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Old Joke
A study conducted by the Misscellanious Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of man a woman finds attractive can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle.
For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features.
However, if she is approaching menstruation, she tends to prefer a man with scissors lodged in his temple while his hair is on fire.
Further studies in this area have been cancelled.
Funny Links
Manly Ways to Prepare Turkey.
Christmas gifts that send a message.
Robot Chicken: Dinosaur Armageddon.
The Twenty (Intentionally) Funniest Web Videos of 2007. If you produce a funnier video in December, it won’t be on this list.
How many famous faces do you recognize in this picture?
Cyclops! A fun story in comic form.
Peter Pan finds his Tinkerbell!
David Bowie’s mug shot.
Famous Last Words: The Animated Musical.
RHex, the robot that doesn’t give up.
Christmas gifts that send a message.
Robot Chicken: Dinosaur Armageddon.
The Twenty (Intentionally) Funniest Web Videos of 2007. If you produce a funnier video in December, it won’t be on this list.
How many famous faces do you recognize in this picture?
Cyclops! A fun story in comic form.
Peter Pan finds his Tinkerbell!
David Bowie’s mug shot.
Famous Last Words: The Animated Musical.
RHex, the robot that doesn’t give up.
Sadako Sasaki
Sadako Sasaki was two years old when the atom bomb was dropped on her hometown of Hiroshima, Japan in 1945. Sadako’s home was about a mile from the epicenter, and her family survived. When she was an eleven-year-old school athlete, she began to experience weakness, lumps on her neck, and spots on her legs. Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia, with a life expectancy of a year. She spent the next eight months in a hospital.During that time, she heard about the Japanese legend that says if you fold a thousand paper cranes, your wish will come true. Sadako began folding cranes whenever she could get paper or other materials. Some versions of Sadako’s story say she failed in her attempt, and that her friends completed the thousand cranes, but most historical sources say she completed her mission, and made 1300 cranes. Sadako died on October 25, 1955.
Sadako’s story grew bigger and bigger after her death. Read about her legacy, including many videos, at mental_floss.
Gus Visser and his Singing Duck
The performer? Mr. Gus Visser, vaudevillian extraordinaire, and his incredible Singing Duck. While, at first glance, just a bizarre oddity of the early sound era, this film clip is of actual historical note. It was made by Theodore Case in 1925 as a proof-of-concept for the sound-on-film process he was shopping around an all silent Hollywood… a process that would eventually lead to the birth of the talkie in 1929’s The Jazz Singer.
(via Ectoplasmosis)
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
She Done Him Wrong
From Google Video: Aka "Diamond Lil", "Diamond Lil, Ruby Red" or "Ruby Red". "New York singer and nightclub owner Lady Lou has more men friends than you can imagine. Unfortunately one of them is a vicious criminal who's escaped and is on the way to see "his" girl, not realising she hasn't exactly been faithful in his absence. Help is at hand in the form of young Captain Cummings a local temperance league leader though." Directed by Lowell Sherman, written by Mae West and Harvey F. Thew, 1933.
Nellie Bly
On this date, November 14, 1889, Nellie Bly began her world record setting trip, traveling around the world in only 72 days. She was inspired by Jules Verne’s story Around the World in 80 Days, and proposed to her employer, Joseph Pulitzer, that she try duplicating the stunt for her newspaper, The New York World.Bly, born Elizabeth Jane Cochran, was the prototype of the independent woman: "one tough broad" in newspaper parlance.
After traveling to Mexico and attacking the Mexican government for corruption in a series of stories, she returned to the United States and moved to New York, where she eventually found a job with Joseph Pulitzer's World. She covered women's rights issues but also specialized in investigative stories. In fact, she's often credited with inventing the practice of investigative reporting.
Bly exposed horrific conditions at mental institutions by getting herself committed to the Women's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island.
Committed to the Blackwell's Island Insane Asylum, Bly experienced its conditions firsthand. The food—gruel broth, spoiled meat, bread that was little more than dried dough—she found inedible. The inmates were made to sit for much of each day on hard benches with scant protection from the cold. The bathwater was frigid, and buckets of it were poured over their heads. They were then told to stand in a line to drip-dry. The nurses were rude and abusive, telling the patients to shut up and beating them if they did not. Speaking with her fellow residents, Bly was convinced that some were as sane as she was.
Her employer petitioned for her release ten days later, and she wrote a scathing review which led to a grand jury investigation and changes in the asylum system. Read more on Bly’s amazing journalistic career at Wikipedia.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Political Links
American Tears. We’ve got to do something about our slide into fascism.Is Bush out of his mind? Some have always thought so. And not just recently, either. More think so every day.
The Economic Consequences of Mr. Bush. (via Cynical-C)
9/11 EMT to lose his home over unpaid medical bills.
Political Debate Bingo!
Americans spend double what people in other industrialized countries do on health care, but have more trouble seeing doctors, are the victims of more errors and go without treatment more often.
The new gay stereotype.
12 Reasons why gay people should not be allowed to marry.
Welcome to the United States!
Informative Links
What do you do when your Boeing 767 runs out of fuel in midair? This is not a hypothetical question; it happened in 1983.
What the Pilgrims ate at the first Thanksgiving.
Why bad employees don’t get fired. This should make you feel better about getting fired... NOT.
How the necktie came to be.
The Lassie Experiment: Will Fido Save You in an Emergency Or Just Let You Die?
A Short History of Women Inventors and Scientists.
Top 20 Logical Fallacies. You know these by common sense; now you‘ll be able to explain them.
How to conquer your fear of public speaking.
As gold prices reach near-record highs, South Africa’s mining companies are keeping up by drilling to record depths. But mines several miles deep have greater risks for miners as well as greater profits for owners.
The beauty of jellyfish.
A surefire strategy for winning at Monopoly.
Nine Creative Staircases. Any of these would make people consider climbing instead of taking the elevator.
Gesturing Helps Grade School Children Solve Math Problems. I’ve heard it also helps adults release tension while driving.
15 more uses for vodka. In case you need to rationalize buying so much of it.
The Cassini-Huygens space mission is sending back loads of great images. Gordan Ugarkovic has taken some of these images and made some cool animations of Saturn and its moons Pandora, Prometheus, Daphnis, Janus, Mimas, Epimethius, Pan, and Atlas. (via Bad Astronomy Blog)
What the Pilgrims ate at the first Thanksgiving.
Why bad employees don’t get fired. This should make you feel better about getting fired... NOT.
How the necktie came to be.
The Lassie Experiment: Will Fido Save You in an Emergency Or Just Let You Die?
A Short History of Women Inventors and Scientists.
Top 20 Logical Fallacies. You know these by common sense; now you‘ll be able to explain them.
How to conquer your fear of public speaking.
As gold prices reach near-record highs, South Africa’s mining companies are keeping up by drilling to record depths. But mines several miles deep have greater risks for miners as well as greater profits for owners.
The beauty of jellyfish.
A surefire strategy for winning at Monopoly.
Nine Creative Staircases. Any of these would make people consider climbing instead of taking the elevator.
Gesturing Helps Grade School Children Solve Math Problems. I’ve heard it also helps adults release tension while driving.
15 more uses for vodka. In case you need to rationalize buying so much of it.
The Cassini-Huygens space mission is sending back loads of great images. Gordan Ugarkovic has taken some of these images and made some cool animations of Saturn and its moons Pandora, Prometheus, Daphnis, Janus, Mimas, Epimethius, Pan, and Atlas. (via Bad Astronomy Blog)
Monday, November 12, 2007
Lumberjack in the Desert
J.R. Salzman was a world champion athlete in an obscure sport when he joined the National Guard in 2004.When he was wounded nine months ago, Darrell "J.R." Salzman, now 28-years-old, was among the preeminent outdoors athletes of the previous decade. In the six-year run of ESPN's Great Outdoors Games, he won a record 14 medals, in logrolling (a.k.a. "birling") and the boom run, in which competitors sprint along chains of logs. In 2005 he took home an ESPY as the Best Outdoor Sportsman, and between 1998 and 2005 he captured five logrolling titles at the Lumberjack World Championships in Hayward, Wis., his hometown.He married his girlfriend Josie in March of 2006, and was shipped to Iraq the next month. In December, an explosion in Baghdad took his right forearm off.
On one hand, the Salzmans have to be thankful he survived. But on the other hand — well, the other hand is gone. It was obliterated so completely and so violently, doctors later found fragments of Salzman's bones speared into his gunner's leg, as skeletal shrapnel.After spending eight months at Walter Reed Hospital, Salzman is now back in his hometown in Wisconsin. He is dealing with the effects of Traumatic Brain Injury in addition to the loss of his right arm and some fingers on his left hand. You can follow his continuing story at his blog, Lumberjack in a Desert.
(via Metafilter)
The Mouse and His Child
From Wikipedia: The Mouse and His Child is a novel by Russell Hoban first published in 1967. It has been described as "a classic of children's literature, and possibly the book for which Mr. Hoban is best known" [1]. It was adapted into an animated film in 1977.
It is about a pair of toy mice, joined by the hands and operated by clockwork. The story tells of their quest to become self-winding.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Veterans Day
Today is Veterans Day in the US and Remembrance Day in Canada and other countries. Find a vet today and give him a hug... or at least a thank you for his/her service to the nation.
In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
We could do more than just a "thank you", but we have to demand action from our government.
Military folks are coming home and finding no job waiting for them. And the government isn’t helping.
Military deployment might mean you lose your kids. Support the troops, indeed!
Did you know that one in every four homeless man is a veteran? Public housing for homeless alcoholics costs less than letting them live in the streets. (via Metafilter)
Links for Fun
Fun with Flowcharts.
The Missile Game is not as violent as it sounds, but it is addicting. Fly through a tunnel of rotating objects, completely mouse-controlled. (via Metafilter)
Poor Hamster. An animated song from ytmnd. A silly, sadistic, somewhat gory song. Poor hamster, poor hamster, why must your life be so tough? (via b3ta)
LOLsaur is just what it sounds like, image macros featuring dinosaurs. Rawr! (via Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories)
Why trampolines are dangerous. (Thanks, Jan!)
License to Rant is a blog of license plates, particularly vanity plates that cause you to scratch your head and wonder what they were thinking. Some are so hard to decipher that commenters leave theie best guess. (via Grow~A~Brain)
The new Guinness ad features a domino fall like you’ve never seen before.
The Missile Game is not as violent as it sounds, but it is addicting. Fly through a tunnel of rotating objects, completely mouse-controlled. (via Metafilter)
Poor Hamster. An animated song from ytmnd. A silly, sadistic, somewhat gory song. Poor hamster, poor hamster, why must your life be so tough? (via b3ta)
LOLsaur is just what it sounds like, image macros featuring dinosaurs. Rawr! (via Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories)
Why trampolines are dangerous. (Thanks, Jan!)
License to Rant is a blog of license plates, particularly vanity plates that cause you to scratch your head and wonder what they were thinking. Some are so hard to decipher that commenters leave theie best guess. (via Grow~A~Brain)
The new Guinness ad features a domino fall like you’ve never seen before.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Interesting Links
Josie’s Lalaland is a beautiful animation with an emotional touch, from animator Eb Hu. (via Transbuddha)
Surprise Ingredients In Fast Food.
People with High IQs. (via the Presurfer)
The Top Ten Disturbing Movies of All Time. I’ve seen four of these. I must be disturbed.
NyQuil, Fortified With Powerful Narcotics!
The Life and Death of Jesse James. A very weird tale of how bizarre love on the internet can turn out to be.
From cheese to cheese food: Kraft persuaded Americans to accept cheese by divorcing it from its microbe-laden origins.
Making streets safer, by getting rid of traffic lights, stop signs, and sidewalks. Huh?
What’s Up Down There. Tyra Banks’ vagina episode.
Surprise Ingredients In Fast Food.
People with High IQs. (via the Presurfer)
The Top Ten Disturbing Movies of All Time. I’ve seen four of these. I must be disturbed.
NyQuil, Fortified With Powerful Narcotics!
The Life and Death of Jesse James. A very weird tale of how bizarre love on the internet can turn out to be.
From cheese to cheese food: Kraft persuaded Americans to accept cheese by divorcing it from its microbe-laden origins.
Making streets safer, by getting rid of traffic lights, stop signs, and sidewalks. Huh?
What’s Up Down There. Tyra Banks’ vagina episode.
Friday, November 09, 2007
Fire
Things have been a little slow around Miss C Recommends, because of all the blogs I write for, this one pays the least. The truth is, there was a death in the family this week. My cousin’s 20 month old son died of smoke inhalation when their house burned.It make me rethink, as everyone should, about a plan for the family in case of fire. I had gone over this with my kids, but you need a refresher course at least once a year, with a drill or two. Here’s what I told my kids.
1. If the house is on fire, your only job is to get out. DO NOT look for mama. If your sister is in the SAME ROOM, help her out. If she isn’t, DO NOT look for her. She may be already outside. Same for the cats. If they are in the same room, put them outside. Don’t try to carry them around outside. DO NOT go looking for the cats.
2. Go directly to Sherry’s house. Stay on the porch. I can see you there from here. Tell Sherry to call 911, but if she is not home, don’t worry about it, just stay there. (Sherry’s house is in sight, but far enough away to be safe)
3. Let mama worry about the fire, the car, the cats, and your sister. All you need to do is get out.
My house burned down when I was a teenager. My mom grabbed her purse, which had carkeys in it. That was the easiest thing that paid off the most, as we could move the cars out of the way. That’s the only thing I would grab after my kids and maybe the cats.
Meanwhile, put your family photos on a CD and give them to a relative who lives elsewhere. It’s the most important backup you can have. If you don’t have digital photos, start the habit of printing two copies of each picture and giving the extyras away to family members. I would also recommend a safe deposit box for deeds, savings bonds, and very important documents.
My cousin suffered the greatest loss of all. Your kids need to know what to do in case of fire.
Around the Blogosphere
AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
The 2007 Weblog Award winners have been announced. Except for the categories of Science and Technology, which are both being audited. Congratulations to Simply Left Behind, which won in its Ecosphere category! Thanks to y’all who voted through this site.
There’s a serious lovefest going on between Phil Plait of Bad Astronomy Blog and Wil Wheaton.
Remember Jacek? He’s traveling solo around southern Africa while we are shivering here in the Northern Hemisphere.
Ed of The Tao of Health, The Tao of Love, and The Tao of Politics hasn’t been posting much lately. I found out that it’s because he has gone back to school! He’s getting a Master's degree in Creative Writing.
Lightning Bug’s Butt came up with a new word, “Gratifident” with some hilarious examples.
The 2007 Weblog Award winners have been announced. Except for the categories of Science and Technology, which are both being audited. Congratulations to Simply Left Behind, which won in its Ecosphere category! Thanks to y’all who voted through this site.
There’s a serious lovefest going on between Phil Plait of Bad Astronomy Blog and Wil Wheaton.
Remember Jacek? He’s traveling solo around southern Africa while we are shivering here in the Northern Hemisphere.
Ed of The Tao of Health, The Tao of Love, and The Tao of Politics hasn’t been posting much lately. I found out that it’s because he has gone back to school! He’s getting a Master's degree in Creative Writing.
Lightning Bug’s Butt came up with a new word, “Gratifident” with some hilarious examples.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Links for Fun
Hot candidate spouses. Which First Lady would you prefer?
The winners of the saddest cubicle contest. These make my bedroom office look like the Ritz.
The History of LOLcats in a two-minute video.
A fine collection of self-reference jokes.
Sex positions for the lonely and the loveless. NSFW.
A duet of singing Tesla coils.
This “under construction” page is worth all your attention. You’ll be rewarded with a Rube Goldberg quality catalog mockup.
Introducing the Chopsticks Bra!
Tyger, a video using puppetry and animation. Based on the poem “The Tyger” by William Blake.
The winners of the saddest cubicle contest. These make my bedroom office look like the Ritz.
The History of LOLcats in a two-minute video.
A fine collection of self-reference jokes.
Sex positions for the lonely and the loveless. NSFW.
A duet of singing Tesla coils.
This “under construction” page is worth all your attention. You’ll be rewarded with a Rube Goldberg quality catalog mockup.
Introducing the Chopsticks Bra!
Tyger, a video using puppetry and animation. Based on the poem “The Tyger” by William Blake.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Do me a favor?
My buddy Carl (Actor212) of Simply Left Behind is in second place in his category at the 2007 Weblog Awards. And what’s amazing is that he has the endorsement of the frontrunner! So please go vote for his blog Simply Left Behind. Click here.From Actor212:
THE POLLS CLOSE TOMORROW 5PM ET, so 2PM PT, if you're counting down.Thanks!
You still have time to vote, twice, if you get there in the next couple of hours. You can only vote once every 24 hours (some folks have figured a way around this, it seems, but the admins have figured out a way to catch that and are deleting extreme examples of it).
We can do this. I believe in this blog as an example of what's right about the Internet, a place to read and think and discuss, and take something away from that can make a difference.
And YOU guys make that difference! Me, I just write. It's you guys that are the inspiration for all this. A vote for Simply Left Behind is a vote for yourselves.
I want to thank you, all of you, who have helped me in this race. I've had a blast campaigning, and I've met many new friends, and reacquainted myself with some old ones that have fallen away. Even if by some miracle, the trolls beat my blog, I can take that away from this experience.
Thanks again, and one more time, please vote!
Kissing Pandas
Red pandas are awful cute anyway, but when they are in love, it's adorable! See the original news story at Neatorama.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Omegadom
Just a little insane. Guitar and trampoline.
Dominic Dagenais has been told that he is the only person in the world to play guitar and flip around on a trampoline simultaneously - in front of a paying crowd. And there's little reason to doubt that, since this is not one of those careers one can pick up at college - even circus school.There should be more at the website Omegadom, if you can read French. (via Metafilter)
Election Day 2007
Today is Election Day 2007! So much publicity has focused on the 2008 presidential race, you may think that today doesn’t matter. Of course it does! Here in Kentucky, we are choosing a governor. Mississippi is, too. Several big city mayors are on the line. But the local elections and ballot initiatives count, too. The smaller races decide who the state and national politicians of tomorrow will be. AND... if you go a few years without voting, your registration will lapse. You don’t want that to happen.
I voted already. And I volunteered to be a poll worker for the next cycle. Since I’m not punching a clock, I can do it. They always need more volunteers.
Monday, November 05, 2007
The Father of Plastic Surgery
Sir Harold Gillies (June 17, 1882 - September 10, 1960) earned his medical degree before World War I. During the war, struck by the devastating injuries suffered by soldiers in combat, he plunged into research on facial construction.Seeking to make the patient look better necessitated some major innovations; These were largely initiated by Gillies and which later became standard practice in plastic work. His most notable innovation, the pedicle tube, came about purely by chance. On October 3, 1917, an Able Seaman by the name of Vicarage was wheeled into the operating theatre at Queen Mary's Hospital. All the skin had been burnt off his face in a cordite explosion on H.M.S. "Malaya." The burns had left extensive scarring. The eyelids and lower lip were turned inside out, and all that remained was a twisted blob which had once been a nose. Gillies described the injuries as "appalling". Cutting the skin off the patient's chest, he made a scroll large enough to cover his face. Adequate blood supply was ensured by leaving the lower ends of the scroll attached to the chest. Apertures were then cut for the mouth and eyes and when it was stitched into position, it was given added blood supply from two thinner strips of skin raised from the shoulders with the free ends grafted on to the new face. While raising the skin from the patient's shoulders Gillies noticed its tendency to curl inwards. Then came a flash of inspiration:A photo gallery of some of Gillies’ work was published by the BBC. This gallery contains some disturbing images.
"If I stitched the edges of those flaps together, might I not create a tube of living tissue which would increase the blood supply to grafts, close them to infection, and be far less liable to contract or degenerate as the older methods were?" ... "another needle was threaded and, in an astonished silence, I began to stitch the flaps into tubes".
This innovation proved extremely successful and within a few weeks, tubes were seen sprouting from scores of his patients. The pedicle tube simplified grafting and made it more certain that a shattered face would be recognisable again.
During World War II Gillies acted as a consultant to the Ministry of Health, the RAF and the Admiralty, organizing plastic surgery units and training doctors in the techniques. He wrote several books on the subject of facial reconstruction.
In 1946, he and a colleague performed the world's first sex reassignment surgery from female to male. In 1951 he and colleagues performed the first sex reassignment surgery from male to female.
More cases from Gillies’ reconstructive work during World War I can be seen at Project Facade.
The Last Man on Earth
Based on the chilling Richard Matheson science fiction Classic "I am Legend" and later remade as The Omega Man starring Charlton Heston. This classic from 1964 features Vincent Price as scientist Robert Morgan in a post apocalyptic nightmare world. The world has been consumed by a ravenous plague that has transformed humanity into a race of bloodthirsty vampires. Only Morgan proves immune, and becomes the solitary vampire slayer. More here. The Will Smith version of the story, I Am Legend is scheduled to be released December 14, 2007.
Informative Links
11 phenomenal images of earth capture weather effects and geographical changes. There’s even a picture of the moon’s shadow on earth during an eclipse, taken from MIR.
King Corn is a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation.
Written apologies are worthless.
A List of Colleges and Universities that Offer Free Courses Online.
The Top Ten (fictional) Evil Computers. I’m not familiar with all these, but I remember nightmares about Nomad.
Ways to Minimize The Effects of a Hangover.
Global nuclear winter, the aftereffects of war.
How to tell if a webpage sucks.
Why octopus eyes are better than yours.
Strange anatomical charts from 14th century Persia.
The LOUIE LOUIE Advocacy and Music Appreciation Society (LLAMAS) has a blog about the song Louie Louie. It’s called The Louie Report. (via Metafilter)
Movember (the month formally known as November) is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year.
At the start of Movember guys register with a clean shaven face. The Movember participants known as Mo Bros then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache and along the way raise as much money and awareness about male health issues, in particular prostate cancer as possible. You can register or find out more at The Republic of Movember. (via the Presurfer)
Explore the Secrets of New York. (via YesButNoButYes)
King Corn is a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation.
Written apologies are worthless.
A List of Colleges and Universities that Offer Free Courses Online.
The Top Ten (fictional) Evil Computers. I’m not familiar with all these, but I remember nightmares about Nomad.
Ways to Minimize The Effects of a Hangover.
Global nuclear winter, the aftereffects of war.
How to tell if a webpage sucks.
Why octopus eyes are better than yours.
Strange anatomical charts from 14th century Persia.
The LOUIE LOUIE Advocacy and Music Appreciation Society (LLAMAS) has a blog about the song Louie Louie. It’s called The Louie Report. (via Metafilter)
Movember (the month formally known as November) is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year.
At the start of Movember guys register with a clean shaven face. The Movember participants known as Mo Bros then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache and along the way raise as much money and awareness about male health issues, in particular prostate cancer as possible. You can register or find out more at The Republic of Movember. (via the Presurfer)
Explore the Secrets of New York. (via YesButNoButYes)
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Funny Links
Herbal Elements. Not just for women anymore!
Night Of The Killer Lamp: 23 Ridiculous Horror-Movie Adversaries. A vending machine! A bed! Rabbits! The horror of it all!
A young girl does awesome things on rollerblades.
How to Make a Soda Bottle Bomb. A simple, but effective prank.
Tippi is a tiny blonde girl who lives in Africa and makes friends with wildlife creatures.
Please, Hammer, don’t hurt her! Olivia Munn, the host of G4s Attack of the Show, reads the teleprompter as she sees it.
Hazardous waste disposal in 1947. You can imagine what happens when 20,000 pounds of sodium hits a lake. Or watch the video.
Noodling means catching fish with your bare hands. Watch the experts.
Moo!
Night Of The Killer Lamp: 23 Ridiculous Horror-Movie Adversaries. A vending machine! A bed! Rabbits! The horror of it all!
A young girl does awesome things on rollerblades.
How to Make a Soda Bottle Bomb. A simple, but effective prank.
Tippi is a tiny blonde girl who lives in Africa and makes friends with wildlife creatures.
Please, Hammer, don’t hurt her! Olivia Munn, the host of G4s Attack of the Show, reads the teleprompter as she sees it.
Hazardous waste disposal in 1947. You can imagine what happens when 20,000 pounds of sodium hits a lake. Or watch the video.
Noodling means catching fish with your bare hands. Watch the experts.
Moo!
Friday, November 02, 2007
Where the Buffalo Roam
Where the Buffalo Roam was released in 1980, starring Bill Murray as Hunter S. Thompson.
Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr.
Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr. was a Squadron Commander in World War II. In 1943, he was a test pilot for the new B52 bomber. He put in 400 hours of test flights, and becam the most experienced B52 pilot at that time. In 1944 he was put in charge of designing and commanding a delivery system for an atomic bomb.August 6th, the Enola Gay lifted off North Field with Paul Tibbets and his crew en route to Hiroshima. At exactly 09:15 plus 15 seconds the world's first atomic bomb used in combat. The course of history and the nature of warfare was changed.140,000 people died immediately in Hiroshima, with more dying later of injuries and radiation-induced illness. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing 80,000 more. The Japanese announced their surrender to the Allies on August 15, ending World War II.
Tibbets retired after 29 years in the military in 1966 with the rank of Brigadier General. He went on to work with aviation companies in different capacities, including Chairman of the Board of Executive Jet Aviation. He retired for good in 1985. On the occassion of the 60th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, Tibbets said:
"In the past sixty years since Hiroshima I have received many letters from people all over the world. The vast majority have expressed gratitude that the509th Composite group consisting of 1700 men, 15 B-29s and 6 C-54s were able to deliver the bombs that ended the war."Paul Tibbets died yesterday at his home in Ohio. He was 92.
"Over the years, thousands of former soldiers and military family members have expressed a particularly touching and personal gratitude suggesting that they might not be alive today had it been necessary to resort to an invasion of the Japanese home islands to end the fighting.”
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Why nutritious food is more expensive.
Why does a salad cost more than a Big Mac? Click the graphic to enlarge it.
The Farm Bill is one reason why poor Americans are more liable to be obese.
...the current farm bill helps commodity farmers by cutting them a check based on how many bushels they can grow, rather than, say, by supporting prices and limiting production, as farm bills once did. The result? A food system awash in added sugars (derived from corn) and added fats (derived mainly from soy), as well as dirt-cheap meat and milk (derived from both). By comparison, the farm bill does almost nothing to support farmers growing fresh produce. A result of these policy choices is on stark display in your supermarket, where the real price of fruits and vegetables between 1985 and 2000 increased by nearly 40 percent while the real price of soft drinks (a k a liquid corn) declined by 23 percent. The reason the least healthful calories in the supermarket are the cheapest is that those are the ones the farm bill encourages farmers to grow.
And don’t be thinking these subsidies are mainly helping family farms. There are hardly any of those left. Subsidies go to giant conglomerates like Archer Daniels Midland and Con-Agra (also remember the names Tyson, Cargill, and Monsanto).
Perfect Post and Weblog Awards
The finalists in the 2007 Weblog Awards have been named. Quite a few of my friends and favorites made the cut! They are: The Presurfer for Best Blog, deputy dog for Best New Blog, Jon Swift and Boobs, Injuries, and Dr. Pepper for Funniest Blog, xkcd and Basic Instrucions for Best Comic, Fark for Best Online Community, Shakesville for Best Liberal Blog, NYC Educator for Best Education Blog, Bad Astronomy Blog for Best Science Blog, and Crooks and Liars for Best Video Blog. Congratulations to all! See the list of finalists here.
Update: Congratulations to Jesus’ General, Driftglass, Simply Left Behind, and Konagod, who are all finalists in the Ecosystem categories, which were announced after I posted this yesterday.
Darth Vader in Love
From the BBC2 series The Peter Serafinowicz Show. Serafinowicz has the background for such a role: he was the voice of Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, and the voice of Darth Chef on South Park.
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