Monday, December 31, 2007
Angel on My Shoulder
From 1946. From IMDb: Gangster Eddie Kagel (Paul Muni) is killed by a trusted lieutenant and finds himself in Harry Redmond Jr's special-effects Hell, where Nick/The Devil (Claude Rains) sees that he is an-exact double for a judge who Nick doesn't approve of. Eddie is agreeable to having his soul transferred to the judge's body, as it will give him a chance to avenge himself on his killer. But every action taken by Eddie (as the judge) results in good rather than evil and, to Nick's dismay, the reputation and influence of the judge is enhanced, rather than impaired by Eddie. And Eddie also falls in love with the judge's fiancée, Barbara (Anne Baxter.)
New Year's Eve Links
Find out when the New Year starts in different places around the world.
6 New Year Traditions from Around the World.
2007: The Year in Cats.
The Ten Worst Movies of 2007.
Reuters’ Top Ten Weird Stories of 2007.
Celebrity Hotel Rooms is a collection of ten of the swankiest hotel suites ever.
Hotel Mauna Kea, a song about the observatory in Hawaii. It’s clever, and really draws my sympathy for the poor folks who must make their living stargazing in paradise.
The 10 Best Rollercoasters on Earth. Just imagine, someone had to ride all these and more in order to rank them.
Vote for the Sexiest Geeks of 2007.
Co-Ed Magazine posted their Top 25 Sexiest Female Athletes of 2007. You can vote on your favorite!
6 New Year Traditions from Around the World.
2007: The Year in Cats.
The Ten Worst Movies of 2007.
Reuters’ Top Ten Weird Stories of 2007.
Celebrity Hotel Rooms is a collection of ten of the swankiest hotel suites ever.
Hotel Mauna Kea, a song about the observatory in Hawaii. It’s clever, and really draws my sympathy for the poor folks who must make their living stargazing in paradise.
The 10 Best Rollercoasters on Earth. Just imagine, someone had to ride all these and more in order to rank them.
Vote for the Sexiest Geeks of 2007.
Co-Ed Magazine posted their Top 25 Sexiest Female Athletes of 2007. You can vote on your favorite!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
The Sunshine Makers
From 1935. Happy little elves use solar collectors to bottle up sunshine. (via Boing Boing)
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Links for Fun
Jon Swift has a roundup of The Best Blog Posts of 2007.
The first half of this video features a guy singing a song in reverse. The second half is where you find out what song he is singing, when the video goes backwards!
Take a look at Why So Serious? The Many Faces of Joker, with images spanning from the comic book to feature the character in 1940 to Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Bonus: Here’s an image of the even earlier character who inspired the creation of The Joker.
The Beast has ranked the 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2007. As I went through the list, I kept thinking, “How did he/she rank so far down?” Then I saw why, because there’s always more loathsome people who want to inflict their worldview on the rest of us. Bill O’Reilly came in a #23. You can probably guess who’s #1.
Have you ever wondered what will become of all these bloggers when the internet collapses? Here’s a short story glimpse into the future. (via Grow-A-Brain)
Take-A-Seat, the chair that follows you around in a library. Cool idea, once you get past the cuteness and the creepiness.
The Most Expensive Drink at Starbucks. Billy Chasen challenges you to come up with an order that beats his $13.76 venti.
11 "Don't-Tell-the-Wife" Secrets All Men Keep.
See the trailer and synopsis if the upcoming Pixar movie WALL-E. The title character looks like a cross between E.T. and Number Five!
Interactive Flash Physics. I know there’s an opportunity to learn things here, but I had so much fun slinging things around, the time just flew by!
How would you like a batcave in your basement, complete with a bat-theater? A retired naturalist has just that, a complete home theater in her cellar.
Advice on choosing your college major. This is attributed to Dave Barry, so it won’t be what your academic advisor will tell you.
10 Signs of Intelligent Life at YouTube. They’ve done some serious homework to put this list together.
Oliver Thompson made arrangements with the staff at the Blackpool Zoo to set the stage for his proposal. During a zoo visit, his girlfriend Emma Morgan was surprised when a six-ton Asian elephant named Marcella delivered a ribbon to her, with a ring attached! (via Unique Daily)
The first half of this video features a guy singing a song in reverse. The second half is where you find out what song he is singing, when the video goes backwards!
Take a look at Why So Serious? The Many Faces of Joker, with images spanning from the comic book to feature the character in 1940 to Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Bonus: Here’s an image of the even earlier character who inspired the creation of The Joker.
The Beast has ranked the 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2007. As I went through the list, I kept thinking, “How did he/she rank so far down?” Then I saw why, because there’s always more loathsome people who want to inflict their worldview on the rest of us. Bill O’Reilly came in a #23. You can probably guess who’s #1.
Have you ever wondered what will become of all these bloggers when the internet collapses? Here’s a short story glimpse into the future. (via Grow-A-Brain)
Take-A-Seat, the chair that follows you around in a library. Cool idea, once you get past the cuteness and the creepiness.
The Most Expensive Drink at Starbucks. Billy Chasen challenges you to come up with an order that beats his $13.76 venti.
11 "Don't-Tell-the-Wife" Secrets All Men Keep.
See the trailer and synopsis if the upcoming Pixar movie WALL-E. The title character looks like a cross between E.T. and Number Five!
Interactive Flash Physics. I know there’s an opportunity to learn things here, but I had so much fun slinging things around, the time just flew by!
How would you like a batcave in your basement, complete with a bat-theater? A retired naturalist has just that, a complete home theater in her cellar.
Advice on choosing your college major. This is attributed to Dave Barry, so it won’t be what your academic advisor will tell you.
10 Signs of Intelligent Life at YouTube. They’ve done some serious homework to put this list together.
Oliver Thompson made arrangements with the staff at the Blackpool Zoo to set the stage for his proposal. During a zoo visit, his girlfriend Emma Morgan was surprised when a six-ton Asian elephant named Marcella delivered a ribbon to her, with a ring attached! (via Unique Daily)
Friday, December 28, 2007
The Brain That Wouldn’t Die
From 1962. Wikipedia says: Dr. Bill Cortner is a successful scientist with a beautiful fiancée named Jan Compton. After a horrible car accident decapitates Jan, Dr. Cortner collects her severed head and rushes it to his laboratory, where he revives it and manages to keep it alive in a liquid-filled tray.
Dr. Cortner now decides to commit murder in order to obtain an attractive new body to attach to his fiancée's head. As he hunts for a suitable specimen, Jan begins to hatch some murder plans of her own. Filled with hatred for Cortner because he won't let her die, she communicates telepathically with a hideous mutant in the laboratory cell, telling it to kill the scientist.
Learn Something today!
The most spectacular places to ring in the New Year. Oh sure, Times Square is there, but it’s not the only party in the world.
A boy and his dog. If this story doesn’t make you cry, I don’t know what will.
Some advertisers consider women to be prostitutes, and I’m sick of it.
Curious Expeditions has a rundown of several of history’s more interesting duels.
Can Planes Get in Midair Traffic Jams? The answer is yes, and here’s why.
The Best Times to Shop for Bargains. You might figure that winter would be the time to get a good deal on a gas grill, but who knew that flooring was at its cheapest in winter?
Twas the Day After Christmas. If there were (or have ever been) any toys or gadgets under your tree, you can relate to this.
The Aptera Electric Typ-1e. 300 miles to the gallon, sticker price starts at $27,000 and looks like a car of the future. Set for release in 2008.
Archaeological evidence shows that ice skates are the oldest human powered means of transport, dating back to 3000 BC. We’ve been falling for them (and from them) ever since.
Why is that song stuck in your head? The short course on earworms, musical memory aids, and reprogramming your inner music.
A boy and his dog. If this story doesn’t make you cry, I don’t know what will.
Some advertisers consider women to be prostitutes, and I’m sick of it.
Curious Expeditions has a rundown of several of history’s more interesting duels.
Can Planes Get in Midair Traffic Jams? The answer is yes, and here’s why.
The Best Times to Shop for Bargains. You might figure that winter would be the time to get a good deal on a gas grill, but who knew that flooring was at its cheapest in winter?
Twas the Day After Christmas. If there were (or have ever been) any toys or gadgets under your tree, you can relate to this.
The Aptera Electric Typ-1e. 300 miles to the gallon, sticker price starts at $27,000 and looks like a car of the future. Set for release in 2008.
Archaeological evidence shows that ice skates are the oldest human powered means of transport, dating back to 3000 BC. We’ve been falling for them (and from them) ever since.
Why is that song stuck in your head? The short course on earworms, musical memory aids, and reprogramming your inner music.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Year End Polls and Lists
I have my annual post of year-end lists up at Miss Cellania today, with a selection ranging from serious news to science to stupid quotes to bizarre lists you’d never think of on your own.Over at YesButNoButYes, we are conducting polls to see what YOU think should be on those year-end lists. You can vote for your favorite viral videos, your favorite TV shows, and your favorite comic books. In the next day or so, there should be more polls up for sports and movies. There's also a poll for the "WTF Moment of 2007," which is being done in tournament-style brackets. So you can vote here and here and here (bracket four should go up soon), and the winners of each will advance to the next round. Or make it easy on your self by just visiting the site.
Also check out 10 Year-End Lists for Knowledge Junkies at mental_floss.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Informative Links
The plight of toothless Kentuckians made the New York Times. I’ve had dental insurance about two years in my whole life, through a job in Tennessee. But I have all my teeth!
Dave Munger at Cognitive Daily ran a little experiment to see how people reacted to the terms “stay at home father” (or mother) versus just plain father and mother. The results are discouraging.
Thomas Edison’s Top 5 Tips for Success. Great concepts of how to live your life, distilled into a quotes with a short explanation for each.
A modern-day Good Samaritan.
How wonderful that Santa left you a new computer for Christmas! Lifehacker has plenty of links to help you set it up properly.
Kids tipped over a portable toilet in a park while Pedro Toala was inside, leaving him permanently paralyzed. In response, area small businesses banded together to remodel Toala’s split-level home into an accessible dream house. See a slideshow of the finished project.
What Norway is like. To learn about it in video form, see this.
How to perform head tracking and create desktop virtual-reality displays using the Nintendo Wii. Watch the video and it will all make sense.
Which Do You Prefer? One Cat? Or A Thousand Rats?
How to prevent lost luggage. Useful tips from a former airline baggage agent.
Dave Munger at Cognitive Daily ran a little experiment to see how people reacted to the terms “stay at home father” (or mother) versus just plain father and mother. The results are discouraging.
Thomas Edison’s Top 5 Tips for Success. Great concepts of how to live your life, distilled into a quotes with a short explanation for each.
A modern-day Good Samaritan.
How wonderful that Santa left you a new computer for Christmas! Lifehacker has plenty of links to help you set it up properly.
Kids tipped over a portable toilet in a park while Pedro Toala was inside, leaving him permanently paralyzed. In response, area small businesses banded together to remodel Toala’s split-level home into an accessible dream house. See a slideshow of the finished project.
What Norway is like. To learn about it in video form, see this.
How to perform head tracking and create desktop virtual-reality displays using the Nintendo Wii. Watch the video and it will all make sense.
Which Do You Prefer? One Cat? Or A Thousand Rats?
How to prevent lost luggage. Useful tips from a former airline baggage agent.
Around the Blogosphere
Congratulations to Alex, webmaster at Neatorama, on the arrival of his new baby son, Zachary Graham! Yes, there’s a picture.
Bonanza Jellybean has emerged from her coma (not really, but it seemed that way) and revived the blog We Three Bitches. It’s an advice column with plenty of snark. So If you’ve got a question, or want some advice on relationships or family or work or whatever, they’d love to hear from you.
Peter Holt’s daughter fell into a pit and was rescued by her husband. She didn’t bother to tell her dad about it. When he found out, he asked if there were pictures he could use for his blog. No, but she wanted to help, so she went back into the pit for pictures!
Which Muppet does toothless Fuzzy Dave look like? Contrast the look with and without teeth at Fuzzytopia.
Carlos has a new Cool Corner.
Musikdude is convinced that Santa Claus is a dirty old man.
Bonanza Jellybean has emerged from her coma (not really, but it seemed that way) and revived the blog We Three Bitches. It’s an advice column with plenty of snark. So If you’ve got a question, or want some advice on relationships or family or work or whatever, they’d love to hear from you.
Peter Holt’s daughter fell into a pit and was rescued by her husband. She didn’t bother to tell her dad about it. When he found out, he asked if there were pictures he could use for his blog. No, but she wanted to help, so she went back into the pit for pictures!
Which Muppet does toothless Fuzzy Dave look like? Contrast the look with and without teeth at Fuzzytopia.
Carlos has a new Cool Corner.
Musikdude is convinced that Santa Claus is a dirty old man.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
It's A Wonderful Life
From Wikipedia:
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story, "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern.
The film takes place in the fictional town of Bedford Falls shortly after World War II and stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man whose attempted suicide on Christmas Eve gains the attention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers) who is sent to help him in his hour of need. Most of the film is told through flashbacks spanning George's entire life and narrated by Franklin and Joseph, unseen Angels who are preparing Clarence for his mission to save George. Through these flashbacks we see all the people whose lives have been touched by George and the difference he has made to the community in which he lives.
The parodies and jokes are over at Miss Cellania.Airport Horrors
According to an Associated Press poll, The Transportation Safety Adinistration ranks as low in popularity as the IRS, and its barely ahead of FEMA. No respect... because of the types of stories here.We bumped you from your prepaid flight. If you don’t like it, we’ll call the police.
They thought this guy might be a terrorist because he had £560 on him.
A popular Finnish band was detained and harassed at Minneapolis. One member said he had been treated better by the KGB.
Underwire bra sets off airport security alarms. “It's just another small example of the way our culture of fear has eroded common sense and civility.”
A woman from Iceland was going to spend a few days in New York enjoying the holiday season. Instead, she was jailed and deported.
Even outside Homeland Security horrors, the modern airline system makes no sense and has no relation to the real world.
Message from the Moon
On Christmas Eve, 1968, during the Apollo-8 mission, Astronauts Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, Jr., and William A. Anders, beamed home this holiday message as they orbited the moon (appoximately 240,000 miles above the earth).
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Christmas Fun
Stormtroopers Arrest Santa!Design Sponge has a video with instructions for making your own marshmallows. These, combined with homemade hot chocolate mix, make a thoughtful yet inexpensive Christmas gift for someone who doesn’t need any more doodads. (via Unique Daily)
The Five Best TV Commercials of the 2007 Christmas Season. The Oxfam Unwrapped spot is my favorite, for the aww factor.
Find out when your favorite Christmas movies are on TV at Christmas Crackers.
This kid had an unusual request for Santa, but he came through!
Gifts for the Breast Man.
Holiday Hacks: 12 Radical (and Slightly Naughty) Ways to Stay Productive. Who in their right mind would want to stay productive during the holiday season?
Handbell Hero challenges you to play holiday songs on your heyboard with your left hand. Since I’ve never played Guitar Hero, this reminds me of Dance Dance Revolution. If you play well, you get smiling faces. If you don’t, you get frowns, criticism, and your snowman keels over. Hint: start with Jingle Bells, it’s the easiest. (via Metafilter)
Pull the virtual lever at Holiday-O-Matic and generate a random but festive holiday message. My first one said “May your New Year be relaxing and filled with turducken.” Then you can send your greeting to friends via email. For each message sent, a donation is made to Rotary First Harvest, an organization that connects farmers and food banks. (via the Presurfer)
A roundup of the people who’ve been beating up Santa this year. Yeah, there’s that many.
The Tale of the Fourteen Christmas Ringers.
Top Ten Strange Santas from Japan.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Good Reads
10 Habits of Highly Effective Brains. If you don’t have a highly effective brain already, these tips may steer you in the right direction.
How far can you go after the gas light in your car comes on? At Tank on Empty you can check your car model’s performance, add information, or submit a story. (via the Presurfer)
Top 10 Animals You didn’t know were Venomous.
6 methods for perfectly focused self-portraits.
What they said, and what they MEANT to say.
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories has a tutorial (with video) on building your own little walking robot out of a toothbrush and a pager motor. The result is cute and will impress the kids.
Two videos of South America’s fascinating moonwalking bird, the manakin. They’re so fast, you can only see it by slowing down hi-speed video.
Why 2008 Will Be An Awesome Year For Movies, featuring previews for dozens of then. For me, it comes down to two words: Indiana Jones. And I can’t believe they’re remaking Scanners.
Most Expensive LEGAL Pets To Own. $138,000 for a cat? Oh, a white lion... those are legal?
16 secrets the restaurant industry doesn't want you to know. Ingredients and nutritional information are often considered to be trade secrets. But they will be found.
Sock Wars brings out bloodthirsty instincts in the knitting community. the portent of death is a gift of socks in the mail. Oh, the horror!
How far can you go after the gas light in your car comes on? At Tank on Empty you can check your car model’s performance, add information, or submit a story. (via the Presurfer)
Top 10 Animals You didn’t know were Venomous.
6 methods for perfectly focused self-portraits.
What they said, and what they MEANT to say.
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories has a tutorial (with video) on building your own little walking robot out of a toothbrush and a pager motor. The result is cute and will impress the kids.
Two videos of South America’s fascinating moonwalking bird, the manakin. They’re so fast, you can only see it by slowing down hi-speed video.
Why 2008 Will Be An Awesome Year For Movies, featuring previews for dozens of then. For me, it comes down to two words: Indiana Jones. And I can’t believe they’re remaking Scanners.
Most Expensive LEGAL Pets To Own. $138,000 for a cat? Oh, a white lion... those are legal?
16 secrets the restaurant industry doesn't want you to know. Ingredients and nutritional information are often considered to be trade secrets. But they will be found.
Sock Wars brings out bloodthirsty instincts in the knitting community. the portent of death is a gift of socks in the mail. Oh, the horror!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Top 5 Viral Videos of 2007
Yours Truly got to host the Top 5 Viral Videos of 2007 segment for the ABC World News Webcast. If that link doesn’t work for you, try going to the the entire webcast page (you can scroll down and select the video segment alone).
Beyond Tomorrow
From Google Video:
Melton, Chadwick and O'Brien, rich but lonely heads of an engineering firm, invite two young strangers to dinner on Christmas Eve. The two, James and Jean, fall in love and become friends with their three benefactors...until the latter are killed in a plane crash and come back to their old home as ghosts. In the coming months, true love encounters some rough spots; can ghostly O'Brien help the young folks?
Fun or Funny Links
The Top Ten Stupid Criminals of 2007. Those who do not think their plans all the way through can end up arrested, injured, and embarassed on a worldwide scale.
The best error page ever. It’s most likely more interesting that what you were looking for in the first place.
Amazing pool tricks. By the end of this video, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he levitated the table.
Bake for a Change is a design competition that asks you to apply sustainable building design practices to a gingerbread house. Submit your design and photos by December 31st.
Odd name of the week: The police officer’s name is Law Power. (via Fark)
Top Ten Awkward Moments of 2007. (via Fark)
The only thing cuter than a laughing baby is a baby who gives you the Evil Look.
Screamin’ Beans. (Thanks, Walter!)
Your daily does of cuteness: Baby Pandas Wrestling. They’re young, clumsy, and act just like brothers do.
Headline of the week: Bright Blue Tits Make Better Mothers.
5 Drinking Stories That Put Yours To Shame.
The best error page ever. It’s most likely more interesting that what you were looking for in the first place.
Amazing pool tricks. By the end of this video, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he levitated the table.
Bake for a Change is a design competition that asks you to apply sustainable building design practices to a gingerbread house. Submit your design and photos by December 31st.
Odd name of the week: The police officer’s name is Law Power. (via Fark)
Top Ten Awkward Moments of 2007. (via Fark)
The only thing cuter than a laughing baby is a baby who gives you the Evil Look.
Screamin’ Beans. (Thanks, Walter!)
Your daily does of cuteness: Baby Pandas Wrestling. They’re young, clumsy, and act just like brothers do.
Headline of the week: Bright Blue Tits Make Better Mothers.
5 Drinking Stories That Put Yours To Shame.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Christmas Links
Here’s a little Christmas greeting from me to you. You can make your own at Gnome Yourself, from the folks at The Office. (via YesButNoButYes)The 12 Days of Christmas, Found on the Net.
Watch the folks at Walt Disney World construct a giant gingerbread house! Three days of work are compressed into 30 seconds for this video.
The Miraculous Immaculate Crack-Head Christmas Tree.
Tacky Christmas Yards collects and critiques photographs of homes decorated with Christmas lights. “Violations” include mixing themes, lawn characters of different sizes, unharmonious arrangements, multiple Clauses, and overdone lighting. Several houses in my town would put these to shame, especially the few that put Santa on the roof of the nativity stable. (via the Presurfer)
2007 Holiday Ordering Deadlines for 120 Popular Stores. Customer service phone numbers are included in this handy chart.
Peter’s Holiday Poem for his Blogging Friends.
Enjoy a collection of mp3s of Christmas music recorded on wax in the early 20th century. This includes music from the Edison Concert Band and the Edison Mixed Quartet. (via Metafilter)
Make a Christmas ecard with a personalized animated message on your Christmas tree! (via Dump Trumpet)
Young children might enjoy decorating a gingerbread house online. (via Geek Like Me)
10 Alternative Electronic Gifts (for those who can’t find a Wii).
Also check out some of my posts at Miss Cellania that were very popular last year: Redneck Christmas, Sci-Fi Christmas, Letters to Santa, and It's A Wonderful Life.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
From Wikipedia:
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (also titled Santa Claus Defeats the Aliens) is a 1964 science fiction film that regularly appears on lists of the worst films ever made. It is regularly featured in the "bottom 100" list on the Internet Movie Database. It was directed by Nicholas Webster, and it stars John Call as Santa Claus. It also includes an 8-year-old Pia Zadora playing the role of one of the Martian children.
Jade Poeteray
You may or may not have heard about the Dutch couple who adopted a baby girl in Korea seven years ago, and have given her up to authorities in Hong Kong. Here is the original news story. Jade Poeteray is now eight years old.
There are lots more details on the story in this post.
It was discussed on Metafilter.
Figlet speaks of the effect this story may have on our kids.
More bloggers posted their opinions here and here and here.
Although this is an unusual case, adoption disruptions happen.
Korean adoptees weight in with more opinions.
Lots more links here.
There are lots more details on the story in this post.
It was discussed on Metafilter.
Figlet speaks of the effect this story may have on our kids.
More bloggers posted their opinions here and here and here.
Although this is an unusual case, adoption disruptions happen.
Korean adoptees weight in with more opinions.
Lots more links here.
RIP Dan Fogelberg
70s musical artist Dan Fogelberg died Sunday morning from prostate cancer. He was 56 years old. My favorite song from him is These Days, from the Captured Angel album, 1975. The New York Times has the story.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
The Night the Reindeer Run Her Over
She was drunk the night the reindeer run her over
Uncle Bob had brought the cold beer once again
She kept going to the cooler, over and over
That's how this Christmas Story does begin
Chorus
Oh! Grandma got run over by the reindeer
As she staggered out from her house last Christmas Eve
It didn't do much more than leave some hoof marks
But you can bet Grandma did get peeved
We'd gathered altogether at my Grand Ma's
Grandma had been drinking tubs of beer
It was when she went outside to look for Santa
The Old Fat man ran her over with his deer
Chorus
Oh! Grandma got run over by the reindeer
As she staggered out from her house last Christmas Eve
It didn't do much more than leave some hoof marks
But you can bet Grandma did get peeved
We heard her screaming and came a running
It really was a terrible sight to see
Grandma laying in the snow beneath the reindeer
Calling Santa Claus.. names you wouldn't believe
Oh! Grandma got run over by the reindeer
As she staggered out from her house last Christmas Eve
It didn't do much more than leave some hoof marks
But you can bet you're butt my Grandma did get peeved
You can bet Grandma did get peeved
Woody Woodruff
Visit cowboy poet Woody Woodruff at his new MySpace page!
Things to Come
From Google Video:
Also known as "The Hundred Years to Come" and "The Shape of Things to Come ". "Things to Come opens with a near-future forecast of Christmas 1940 in the metropolis of Everytown (obviously London), a city threatened by world war. Pacifist intellectuals, such as John Cabal (Massey), try to turn the tide. But Cabal's efforts go unheeded by the self-interested classes, and war arrives with tanks and aeroplanes and gas bombs." Based on H.G. Wells' novel" The Shape of Things to Come", this film was produced by Alexander Korda, directed by William Cameron Menzies and written by H.G. Wells, 1936.
Information Links
A Russian robot called Cyberlover flirts with men on the net and takes their personal information. They can’t tell its a robot!
Chris and Lori Coble lost their three young children, two daughters and a son in an horrific traffic accident last May. Knowing they wanted more children, the Cobles turned to in-vitro fertilization. Lori is now pregnant with triplets, two girls and a boy! The babies are due in the spring. (via Writing from the Inside Out)
Reuters Pictures of the Year 2007.
The Top Ten Astronomy Pictures of 2007. Each of these impressed us through the year, but together they are thoroughly humbling.
What jobs make us happy? TIME ranked occupations for happiness, priests at the top and gas station attendants at the bottom. (via J-Walk Blog)
How colorblind people see the world. The author has red-green colorblindeness and says the colorblind and non-colorblind images all look the same to him.
Wasps use venom to turn roaches into zombie slaves. Scientists can reverse the process, leading to a new defense tactic when the zombie invasion comes.
South Korean scientists have produced cloned cats that produce RFP (Red Fluorescent Protein). The two Turkish Angoras glow in the dark when exposed to ultraviolet rays. This should make walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night a bit easier. (via Metafilter)
Have you ever heard the full story of how Murphy’s Law originated? The story is more exciting than you would expect.
Chris and Lori Coble lost their three young children, two daughters and a son in an horrific traffic accident last May. Knowing they wanted more children, the Cobles turned to in-vitro fertilization. Lori is now pregnant with triplets, two girls and a boy! The babies are due in the spring. (via Writing from the Inside Out)
Reuters Pictures of the Year 2007.
The Top Ten Astronomy Pictures of 2007. Each of these impressed us through the year, but together they are thoroughly humbling.
What jobs make us happy? TIME ranked occupations for happiness, priests at the top and gas station attendants at the bottom. (via J-Walk Blog)
How colorblind people see the world. The author has red-green colorblindeness and says the colorblind and non-colorblind images all look the same to him.
Wasps use venom to turn roaches into zombie slaves. Scientists can reverse the process, leading to a new defense tactic when the zombie invasion comes.
South Korean scientists have produced cloned cats that produce RFP (Red Fluorescent Protein). The two Turkish Angoras glow in the dark when exposed to ultraviolet rays. This should make walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night a bit easier. (via Metafilter)
Have you ever heard the full story of how Murphy’s Law originated? The story is more exciting than you would expect.
How to Assemble a Gingerbread House
Every year around Christmas, Walt Disney World builds a super colossal holiday gingerbread house in the lobby of the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. It's sixteen feet high, uses real gingerbread made from a traditional Austrian recipe, and if the cottage had hot and cold cocoa pipes, you could probably live there. (via Cynical-C)
If you want to see how the home version is assembled, go to Omegamom.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
News and Information
What's it like to work an Ebola outbreak? Aetiology has an interview with both a doctor and a water and sanitation expert with Médecins Sans Frontières in Uganda.
The 10 Key Actions That Finally Got Me Out of Debt; or, Why Living Frugally is Only Part of the Solution. If a guy with six kids can turn his finances around, so can you!
Why you shouldn’t give out your Social Security number anytime someone asks for it. And a tale of how hard it can be to refuse.
The Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End DVD will have a “making of” segment on the “maelstrom” special effects for the final battle. Wired has a preview of how they created it.
I had always heard that you should never buy a home that costs more than two years of your salary. Here’s an example of the kind of mortgage that should never have been given.
Two Forks, One Cup. It took me a an hour of reading comments to figure this out.
You are Self-Employed, even if you work for a company. If you think of your boss as a client who uses your services, you can manage your career better.
Why did the salmon cross the road? To get to their spawning grounds during the flood season in Washington, of course! Watch them do it.
Sometimes you have to haggle to get the deal you are offered.
The Five Most Disturbing Public Service Announcements of All Time.
The 10 Key Actions That Finally Got Me Out of Debt; or, Why Living Frugally is Only Part of the Solution. If a guy with six kids can turn his finances around, so can you!
Why you shouldn’t give out your Social Security number anytime someone asks for it. And a tale of how hard it can be to refuse.
The Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End DVD will have a “making of” segment on the “maelstrom” special effects for the final battle. Wired has a preview of how they created it.
I had always heard that you should never buy a home that costs more than two years of your salary. Here’s an example of the kind of mortgage that should never have been given.
Two Forks, One Cup. It took me a an hour of reading comments to figure this out.
You are Self-Employed, even if you work for a company. If you think of your boss as a client who uses your services, you can manage your career better.
Why did the salmon cross the road? To get to their spawning grounds during the flood season in Washington, of course! Watch them do it.
Sometimes you have to haggle to get the deal you are offered.
The Five Most Disturbing Public Service Announcements of All Time.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Good Reads
The 6 Most Important Experiments in the World.
A High Price for Healthy Food. When cost-per-calorie is calculated, healthy food cost ten times as much as junk foods.
From 1923 to 1986, American automobiles ran on ethyl, a gasoline that prevented engine knock due to its lead content. Within days of its introduction, refinery workers began dying.
Child Labor in America 1908-1912: photographs of Lewis W. Hine. After this, walking six miles to school uphill both ways doesn’t seem so bad.
21 Things You Didn't Know You Can Recycle. A lot of your old items can hellp charities, or can be swapped for something you want.
Best 2007 video games for kids.
The worst videogames of 2007.
The long-eared jerboa has been caught on film in the Gobi desert for what scientists believe is the first time ever. It looks like an adorable mouse with rabbit ears!
Which is better, the black doll or the white doll? 50 years later, the experiment shows the same results.
Researchers at Shinshu University have succeeded in injecting spider genes into silkworms to create a thread that is stronger, softer and more durable than conventional silk. A Japanese manufacturer is already experimenting with the thread, and spider socks, stockings and even fishing lines are expected to appear on the market within a few years. (via Arbroath)
How a certain word (that I don’t use on this site) became so prevalent in Chinese signs in the English translations. Contains NSFW examples.
A High Price for Healthy Food. When cost-per-calorie is calculated, healthy food cost ten times as much as junk foods.
From 1923 to 1986, American automobiles ran on ethyl, a gasoline that prevented engine knock due to its lead content. Within days of its introduction, refinery workers began dying.
Child Labor in America 1908-1912: photographs of Lewis W. Hine. After this, walking six miles to school uphill both ways doesn’t seem so bad.
21 Things You Didn't Know You Can Recycle. A lot of your old items can hellp charities, or can be swapped for something you want.
Best 2007 video games for kids.
The worst videogames of 2007.
The long-eared jerboa has been caught on film in the Gobi desert for what scientists believe is the first time ever. It looks like an adorable mouse with rabbit ears!
Which is better, the black doll or the white doll? 50 years later, the experiment shows the same results.
Researchers at Shinshu University have succeeded in injecting spider genes into silkworms to create a thread that is stronger, softer and more durable than conventional silk. A Japanese manufacturer is already experimenting with the thread, and spider socks, stockings and even fishing lines are expected to appear on the market within a few years. (via Arbroath)
How a certain word (that I don’t use on this site) became so prevalent in Chinese signs in the English translations. Contains NSFW examples.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
From Wikipedia:
Rudolph the Red–Nosed Reindeer is a long-running Christmas television special produced in stop motion animation by Rankin/Bass. It first aired December 6, 1964 on the NBC television network in the USA and was sponsored by General Electric. It is based on the song by Johnny Marks, and in turn taken from the 1939 poem of the same title written by Marks' brother-in-law, Robert L. May. Since 1972, the special has aired over CBS, who unveiled a high-definition, digitally remastered version in 2005.
Some Fun Links
YesButNoButYes is asking readers to nominate your favorite stories from their archives as favorites for the Hall of Fame. Leave a comment if you remember one that deserves the honor.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year for 2007 is w00t. This recognition signifies the very end of any coolness for the term, and ensures that it will never again be used in internet forums.
Subway Pole Dancing. Four girls won $10,000 from Dare Junkies for this performance on the NYC subway.
The Programmer Dress Code. The world’s greatest ubergeeks all seem to share a sartorial deficit. And they can’t get their hair to behave.
8 Awesome Videogame Quilts.
Make your own Sierpinski triangles out of clay! You don’t have to be a mathematician to appreciate the beauty in this project. Instructions are at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories.
10 Ridiculously Unique Dining Experiences You Should Try Before You Die. Restaurants compete for your business by trying out the weirdest themes you can imagine, like the experience of dining in an operating room.
Walt Handelsman created this animation about Baby Boomers, to the tune of Born to be Wild. (via Bits and Pieces)
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year for 2007 is w00t. This recognition signifies the very end of any coolness for the term, and ensures that it will never again be used in internet forums.
Subway Pole Dancing. Four girls won $10,000 from Dare Junkies for this performance on the NYC subway.
The Programmer Dress Code. The world’s greatest ubergeeks all seem to share a sartorial deficit. And they can’t get their hair to behave.
8 Awesome Videogame Quilts.
Make your own Sierpinski triangles out of clay! You don’t have to be a mathematician to appreciate the beauty in this project. Instructions are at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories.
10 Ridiculously Unique Dining Experiences You Should Try Before You Die. Restaurants compete for your business by trying out the weirdest themes you can imagine, like the experience of dining in an operating room.
Walt Handelsman created this animation about Baby Boomers, to the tune of Born to be Wild. (via Bits and Pieces)
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Led Zeppelin
The song remains the same, even if they don't quite look like this 30 years later. Check out some footage from Led Zeppelin’s Reunion Concert last night in London!
Links for Fun
Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day. It’s OK that you missed it, since you can always go back.
Jason wanted to stage a memorable proposal to his girlfriend Maui. He pulled it off, with the help of their favorite author, Nail Gainman when he autographed one of his books for her. See the video here.
Movie Poster Preview 2008. Get a first look at posters from movies coming out next year.
Cello trio Melo-M and the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra (of Latvia) perform The Final Countdown. That’s some head-banging cello music there, boys!
Souvlaki Tetris is a game in Chinese, but man, once you figure out what they want, you can’t stop! (via b3ta)
Thin Ice. In this game, you try to skate loops around the monsters and make them fall into the water. It’s a lot harder than it looks! (via Dump Trumpet)
John answers questions in comic form. (via Metafilter)
Crazy Golf Balls. Play a prank on your golfer friends! One ball explodes, one won’t roll straight, one dissolves into water, and one shoots a stream of ribbons on impact. I wouldn’t recommend using more than one per golfer or outing. (via J-Walk Blog)
Jellio has a list of Dos and Don’ts for those of you attending Santacon. Find out when Santacon is happening in your area.
Jason wanted to stage a memorable proposal to his girlfriend Maui. He pulled it off, with the help of their favorite author, Nail Gainman when he autographed one of his books for her. See the video here.
Movie Poster Preview 2008. Get a first look at posters from movies coming out next year.
Cello trio Melo-M and the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra (of Latvia) perform The Final Countdown. That’s some head-banging cello music there, boys!
Souvlaki Tetris is a game in Chinese, but man, once you figure out what they want, you can’t stop! (via b3ta)
Thin Ice. In this game, you try to skate loops around the monsters and make them fall into the water. It’s a lot harder than it looks! (via Dump Trumpet)
John answers questions in comic form. (via Metafilter)
Crazy Golf Balls. Play a prank on your golfer friends! One ball explodes, one won’t roll straight, one dissolves into water, and one shoots a stream of ribbons on impact. I wouldn’t recommend using more than one per golfer or outing. (via J-Walk Blog)
Jellio has a list of Dos and Don’ts for those of you attending Santacon. Find out when Santacon is happening in your area.
Monday, December 10, 2007
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
From Wikipedia:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is an animated special directed by Chuck Jones. It is based on the popular children's book by Dr. Seuss, the story of The Grinch trying to take away Christmas from the townsfolk below. The short is now considered by most to be a timeless classic today.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Saturday, December 08, 2007
The 12 Days of Christmas
You might remember the Mathematical Long Song by the Klein Four Group. From the same performance, here’s their imaginative arrangement of The 12 Days of Christmas.
Friday, December 07, 2007
December 7th
From Google Video:
Aka "December 7, 1941". "The film begins with the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, nicknamed "the Navy's hundred million dollar fist." Authentic footage of the invasion is mixed with reenactments to provide a complete portrait of the events of that fateful day. An extended sequence pays tribute to the American soldiers killed in the attack, many of whom are individually profiled, complete with testimonials offered by surviving family members." Directed by John Ford, 1943. (34 minutes)
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Fun Links
Here Comes Another Bubble, a new video from The Richter Scales on the inflated value of Web 2.0. Its catchy, clever, and possibly a spot-on prediction for the internet.
Put a little twist in your Christmas music with remixes and mashups at Santastic III. It will take me a while to listen to all of the songs, but being an oldie myself, I’m partial to Yuletide Zeppelin. Previous year’s music available here and here.
The Legend of the Christmas Pickle. (via J-Walk Blog)
You owe me a cat!
The 12 Greatest Video Game Toilets of All Time. (Thanks, Bill!)
The 20 Ugliest College Campuses in the USA. It’s a followup to the 20 Most Beautiful Colleges.
A Guide to Evel Knievel’s Injuries.
Mass Attack! Use weights to balance the scales. Sounds really simple, but its not. This is an addictive game! (via GeekAlerts)
Put a little twist in your Christmas music with remixes and mashups at Santastic III. It will take me a while to listen to all of the songs, but being an oldie myself, I’m partial to Yuletide Zeppelin. Previous year’s music available here and here.
The Legend of the Christmas Pickle. (via J-Walk Blog)
You owe me a cat!
The 12 Greatest Video Game Toilets of All Time. (Thanks, Bill!)
The 20 Ugliest College Campuses in the USA. It’s a followup to the 20 Most Beautiful Colleges.
A Guide to Evel Knievel’s Injuries.
Mass Attack! Use weights to balance the scales. Sounds really simple, but its not. This is an addictive game! (via GeekAlerts)
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Secret Agent
Edgar Brodie, a novelist and soldier in WWI, is recruited by British Military Intelligence to kill a German spy in Switzerland in this adaptation of a W. Somerset Maugham novel. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1936. (via Metafilter)
Information Links
How to cat-proof your Christmas tree with jingle bells and Easter eggs. It looks nicely festive, too!
Mark your calendar for the Geminid Metor Shower! From Thursday evening December 13th at about 10PM to dawn Friday, the 14th, enjoy the best meteor shower of the year.
Consumerist has links to landlord-tenant laws in every state. This may be worth bookmarking in case you ever need it in the future.
Christmas Wasn't Always Like This: It Used to Be Much Worse.
The difference in New York City’s population during the day and night.
How to score a Wii this Christmas.
Bizarre items scanned from SkyMall’s Amercan Airlines Christmas catalog. (via Dark Roasted Blend)
Engadget’s Holiday Gift Guide for a Son.
Writer and photographer Shreve Stockton who took in a baby coyote when his parents were shot for killing sheep in Wyoming. She is documenting Charlie’s life with her and Eli the cat on the blog The Daily Coyote. (Thanks, Bill!)
How to track down anyone online. And conversely, why you should use a pseudonym if you don’t want to be found.
The latest scheme to save the planet: Baking Soda.
What’s the difference between Physics and Chemistry?
Mark your calendar for the Geminid Metor Shower! From Thursday evening December 13th at about 10PM to dawn Friday, the 14th, enjoy the best meteor shower of the year.
Consumerist has links to landlord-tenant laws in every state. This may be worth bookmarking in case you ever need it in the future.
Christmas Wasn't Always Like This: It Used to Be Much Worse.
The difference in New York City’s population during the day and night.
How to score a Wii this Christmas.
Bizarre items scanned from SkyMall’s Amercan Airlines Christmas catalog. (via Dark Roasted Blend)
Engadget’s Holiday Gift Guide for a Son.
Writer and photographer Shreve Stockton who took in a baby coyote when his parents were shot for killing sheep in Wyoming. She is documenting Charlie’s life with her and Eli the cat on the blog The Daily Coyote. (Thanks, Bill!)
How to track down anyone online. And conversely, why you should use a pseudonym if you don’t want to be found.
The latest scheme to save the planet: Baking Soda.
What’s the difference between Physics and Chemistry?
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Links for Your Amusement
Join Captain Jon-Luc Picard this week for his annual Christmas party aboard the Enterprise. Almost all his blogger friends will be there!
Seven Strange Lucky Charms.
I Think I Kinda Want It.
Optical Illusion: Pass the Lunch Box. Count how many times the lunch box is handed off. Yeah, I knew you weren’t really paying attention.
Ten Reasons to Marry a Robot. That “off” switch trumps all other advantages. And disadvantages.
The 20 Most Intriguing Billionaire Heiresses.
Journalism 101. Everything you need to know about the news business, from Jon Swift.
On the importance of boobs.
Rudolph, and Santa’s 27 Other Reindeer.
Countertenor Nick Patera sings just like The Little Mermaid.
Imagine going in a restroom surrounded by an aquarium. You might never want to leave!
Check out this Tesla Christmas tree!
The folks at Metafilter took the opportunity to caption a real cat. (via Grow-A-Brain)
Back in 2002, Rob Malda, editor and founder of Slashdot, posted a marriage proposal to Kathleen Fent, on the front page. (Thanks, Scott!)
Seven Strange Lucky Charms.
I Think I Kinda Want It.
Optical Illusion: Pass the Lunch Box. Count how many times the lunch box is handed off. Yeah, I knew you weren’t really paying attention.
Ten Reasons to Marry a Robot. That “off” switch trumps all other advantages. And disadvantages.
The 20 Most Intriguing Billionaire Heiresses.
Journalism 101. Everything you need to know about the news business, from Jon Swift.
On the importance of boobs.
Rudolph, and Santa’s 27 Other Reindeer.
Countertenor Nick Patera sings just like The Little Mermaid.
Imagine going in a restroom surrounded by an aquarium. You might never want to leave!
Check out this Tesla Christmas tree!
The folks at Metafilter took the opportunity to caption a real cat. (via Grow-A-Brain)
Back in 2002, Rob Malda, editor and founder of Slashdot, posted a marriage proposal to Kathleen Fent, on the front page. (Thanks, Scott!)
Miss Breed
Clara Estelle Breed, also known as "Miss Breed," was the children's librarian at the San Diego Public Library from 1929 to 1945. Miss Breed was fond of all children, including the many Japanese American children and teenagers who used to frequent the East San Diego branch library where she worked. Before World War II, Miss Breed was a mentor to many Nisei children who visited the library.As the United states entered the war, these young Nisei were removed from their homes and placed in concentration camps. Shocked and outraged, Miss Breed helped her young friends by becoming a lifeline to the outside world. She handed out stamped and addressed postcards at the railroad station on the day of their departure and encouraged them to write.
Miss Breed sent books, stationery, and gifts to her penpals in the internment camps. She also wrote professional articles questioning the policy of Japanese internment and racist politics. Miss Breed kept up her correspondence with her young readers after the war, and until her death in 1994. In 1992, she gave 300 letters from the camps to one of her correspondents, who donated then to the Japanese American National Museum. You can read the scanned letters online.
Joanne Oppenheim wrote a book entitled Dear Miss Breed.
As the child of a minister who had worked on Ellis Island at the turn of the century, Clara took to heart the struggles of immigrant Americans. Nor did she forget that during the Civil War her ancestors were abolitionists who fought the injustice of slavery. Clara Breed knew that she could not stop the incarceration, but that did not stop her from doing what she could do by speaking out on their behalf and sending them gifts of the heart that showed them they were not forgotten.
(via Metafilter)
Pretty Big Dig
Pretty Big Dig is an excavator ballet video by Anne Troake from 2002. This TV report is all that YouTube has. To watch the original video, go to Arts Alive. (via Metafilter)
Monday, December 03, 2007
Jamaica Inn
Alfred Hitchcock's 1939 movie about Cornwall smugglers, starring Charles Laughton. Based on a novel by Daphne du Maurier. (via Metafilter)
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Fun for the Weekend
Neatorama is in the process of determining the Top 5 Viral Videos of 2007. You can vote for up to five at the onsite poll, which has links to the 18 videos we thought were most popular. Just about all are family-friendly.
YouTube launched a Russian language edition just this month, and Peter Nalitch has become its first star. Funny, and the music is catchy.
Ted and Anna get engaged, on the Scrubs set. This is the kind of post that will make you go all verklempt.
In case you missed it, I built the kids a playhouse with my own two hands, some power tools, and a camera to record the process.
Is this a great name for a lawyer, or what?
After creating a comic on the concept, Randall Munroe of xkcd put a ball pit in his home. How cool is that? (via Grow-A-Brain)
There’s a new movie coming out about a woman with... I can’t even type it without giggling.
9 Telltale Signs You're Probably an Asshole.
Real-life Superheroes: 10 People with Incredible Abilities. The kind of abilities you once found in carnival sideshows.
Top Ten Useless Talents. Useless, maybe, but they still impress people, or at least make us laugh.
Feed this fish, and he will grow. How big, I do not know. I think I will name him Otto. (via Dump Trumpet)
YouTube launched a Russian language edition just this month, and Peter Nalitch has become its first star. Funny, and the music is catchy.
Ted and Anna get engaged, on the Scrubs set. This is the kind of post that will make you go all verklempt.
In case you missed it, I built the kids a playhouse with my own two hands, some power tools, and a camera to record the process.
Is this a great name for a lawyer, or what?
After creating a comic on the concept, Randall Munroe of xkcd put a ball pit in his home. How cool is that? (via Grow-A-Brain)
There’s a new movie coming out about a woman with... I can’t even type it without giggling.
9 Telltale Signs You're Probably an Asshole.
Real-life Superheroes: 10 People with Incredible Abilities. The kind of abilities you once found in carnival sideshows.
Top Ten Useless Talents. Useless, maybe, but they still impress people, or at least make us laugh.
Feed this fish, and he will grow. How big, I do not know. I think I will name him Otto. (via Dump Trumpet)
Friday, November 30, 2007
More Stuff You Might Enjoy Knowing
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.
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.
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.
