(via Bad Newspaper)
Friday, May 31, 2019
The Human Foot Is a Design Disaster
Human feet don't work all that well compared to those of other animals, which came about because we decided to walk upright on two feet that were already perfectly good for climbing trees. We've had to live with the consequences ever since. (via Digg)
Lean Ong Mee
Forty-nine children from all over the world get together for the song "Lean On Me." The unique way they illustrate the lyrics is amazing. Zippy Portugal commissioned this video to celebrate International Children's Day (June 9). Yeah, it's an ad, but it doesn't seem like one. (via Metafilter)
How to Enjoy a TV Show
Not every TV series is a masterpiece. Sometimes we just have to let go of reality and accept the story for what it is. Otherwise, you may as well just stop paying for TV, because you're never going to find a story up to your standards. This comic is from David Malki at Wondermark.
Hot Wheels Xylophone
Here's an example of two toys together being more than the sum of their parts 5MadMovieMakers took a toy xylophone and mounted it over a set of Hot Wheels tracks. A group of Hot Wheels "65 Mustangs were aimed at the xylophone, timed to play 374 noted of an original song by EmCee. It sounds simple at the beginning, but escalates into something special quickly. You may marvel at the timing required for this stunt, but the filmmakers admit that it has been edited. (via Laughing Squid)
Tweet of the Day
Advanced German engineering gives us a new and improved sprinkler system. pic.twitter.com/2ia5jB8uoM— Good doggos (@DoggoDating) May 20, 2019
(via Everlasting Blort)
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Shark Checks Out Swimmer
Wednesday, Stan Battles caught this video from the 28th floor of a hotel in Panama City Beach. A woman is swimming in the ocean, and a shark is swimming along with her. You might not see it until about :45 or so. Eventually, people on the beach yelled for her to get out of the water. The shark, however, did not seem all that hungry, or she'd never have make it to shore. We don't know what kind of shark it was, but some are much less interested in eating people than others. (via Boing Boing)
Lottery
Marie Kondo said to rid your life of the things that either are not useful or do not bring you joy. I guess this woman took that to heart. This comic is from Zack Weinersmith at Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.
Miss Cellania's Links
Physician Burnout Costs the U.S. Billions of Dollars Each Year. (via reddit)
6 Poor Servants Who Wound Up Making History.
Randy Rainbow's latest song parody is "Just Impeach Him."
Charlie bit my finger (feline edition).
This 1950s Heart-Lung Machine Revolutionized Cardiac Surgery. And saved little boy who grow up to be a cardiologist.
Donald Trump’s Wikipedia Entry Is a War Zone. It’s one of the most popular pages on the internet. But behind the scenes, editors are fighting a brutal, petty battle over every word. (via Digg)
The Son Who Reinvented Sugar to Help His Diabetic Dad. (via Damn Interesting)
The Killer Queues of Ukraine. Eighteen civilians have died waiting in the lines the cross the border of the Russian-occupied regions since December. (via Digg)
A blast from the past (2008): A Tour of the Peabody Hotel.
Tweet of the Day
|￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣ |— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 29, 2019
| Senator McConnell. |
| is a |
| hypocrite. |
| ＿＿＿＿＿_＿＿＿_ |
(\__/) ||
(•ㅅ•) ||
/ づhttps://t.co/lIveqezK5A
(via The Daily Dot)
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Cat Knocks Guy On TV Off His Bike
Cats can be jerks, and they don't care. Knocking glasses off a table? That's amateur stuff. This cat proves his power against a motorbike racer on TV! He seems pretty proud of his accomplishment, too. (via Geekologie)
Elderly Porcupine Tests Fruits
Have you ever seen an elderly porcupine? Probably not. Their average lifespan is around eight years, but Kemosabe, who lives at Animal Wonders in Montana, is eleven. The porcupine has been battling serous dental problems that left him with only one tooth. As he fought an infection, Kemosabe was on a not-quite-natural soft diet. Now that he's been medically cleared, it's time to find out what fruits he can handle on his own, and which ones he likes best. Listen to his voice- it sounds like a human voice at double speed, like Dave Seville's Chipmunks. See another video of Kemosabe at Laughing Squid.
Cats Then and Now
Click to the right to advance this comic. It's fun to imagine early man trying to tame a saber-tooth tiger, but that's not what happened. The first domestic cats were African wild cats who were not much bigger than today's tabby cats. They got used to hanging around humans because we had grain silos full of mice, and we humans really like their pest control talents. This comic is from Pet Foolery.
First Shave
"Whenever, wherever, however it happens – your first shave is special." Gillette has a new ad that might get you right in the feels. When Toronto transgender artist Samson Bonkeabantu Brown reached the point of sprouting a beard, he did what any son would do- he turned to his father for help. He says,
I shot this ad for Gillette and wanted to include my father, who has been one of my greatest supporters throughout my transition, encouraging me to be confident and live authentically as my best self.(via The Daily Dot)
With the help of Gillette, I was able to share an important milestone in every man's life with my father.
This moment overwhelmed me during filming and again today seeing the ad since it's been launched. I'm keenly aware of how blessed I am to be able to exist in this world being supported by my family in ways that all too often many of my trans brothers, sisters, and siblings who exist outside the binary are not always as fortunate.
Hammer and Feather Experiment on the Moon
Galileo did experiments to prove that heavy objects and lighter objects will fall at the same rate. This meant that, taken to extremes, a hammer and a feather should fall at the same rate. However, a feather tends to float slowly because of air resistance. During the Apollo 15 moon mission in 1971, astronaut David Scott had the perfect opportunity to prove Gaileo's point, because there was no air to cause drag on the feather. And some falcon on earth never knew how far a part of him flew. How about that? (via reddit)
Tweet of the Day
VITAL UPDATE: my road runner porch-buddy used to run away if I wanted a pic but now when he catches a lizard he KNOCKS ON MY DOOR and then parades his catch around and poses, it’s amazing. Who’s a good boy! Mr Meepmeep! 😍 pic.twitter.com/388tpsFmVp— Havi Brooks (@havi) May 19, 2019
There are more pictures in the comments underneath this Tweet. A biologist told her this is courting behavior, and she must be irresistible. (via Nag on the Lake)
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Finger Kaleidoscope
How can three people be so coordinated? The Xtrap Dance Crew lets their fingers do the dancing! (via Neatorama)
An Honest Trailer for Men in Black
Men in Black International will be in theaters June 14th. Also, Screen Junkies is doing an Honest Trailer series on summer blockbusters, and the original Men in Black was just such a hit in 1997. So it stands to reason that they'd do an Honest Trailer for the Will Smith/Tommy Lee Jones buddy cop movie. What's strange is that that they hadn't done one already. To catch up, they cover Men in Black and its two sequels all in one Honest Trailer.
The Best Brother
You don't even have to be a web developer to encounter this behavior. All it takes is for you to know slightly more than your relatives about computing. But if you are an IT geek, kit never stops. This comic is from CommitStrip.
Making a Fall Look Beautiful
This guy is epic lol pic.twitter.com/kMLZJes2tj— Damascene Sage(@PsychologyDoc) May 16, 2019
This guy has some skills. Unfortunately, they are not the type of skills you could use to make a living. I came up with that line before I found out that indeed, he makes a living doing this sort of thing! This is Jiemba Sands, a member of the Sands Family Circus. He has been performing with his parents and siblings in Tasmania since he was three years old! See more of his stunts at Instagram and at YouTube. (via Nag on the Lake)
Miss Cellania's Links
Camera Captures First Known Albino Giant Panda.
Reliving Your Childhood at a Playground Can Be Disastrous.
Which Pride Month Merchandise Actually Helps LGBTQ Causes? Know before you spend.
The Lost Romance of the Transylvanian Spa Town. The town of Băile Herculane was a resort for the entire world, drawing the elite of the Austrian Empire to Romania for healing and renewal.
He Lived With a Bullet in His Heart for 13 Years. (via Strange Company)
Jibe-iT Goat Farm in Redding, Connecticut, is hosting the first Goat Live-Action Role-Playing event on June 15. No, participants are not going to take the roles of goats; rather, visitors will help to produce role-playing games for the goats! (via Metafilter)
Down with office dress codes!
The President Implied the Former Director of the FBI Should Be Executed for Treason and Everyone Was Like, “Ha Ha, Classic.”
A blast from the past (2008): 14 Crazy Chess Boards and Variations.
Tweet of the Day
I feel like a big brother watching my little sister go to the prom.— Mr. Weeks 🤴🏾 (@MrDane1982) May 25, 2019
Sasha Obama is such a beauty.
And shout out to the simplicity of her dress. pic.twitter.com/B5xrz6dFWl
Kids grow up so fast. And then they make us feel old.
Monday, May 27, 2019
Star Wars Scenes 3, 5, 16, 29, and 38 Reimagined
Auralnauts gets into the act of re-editing the original Star Wars film to bring it more in line with what we now know about the story. They convince us step-by-step of the utter futility of such projects. The weirdness builds up to a ludicrously overlong light saber battle as the climax, and then feeds us a couple of perfect punch lines. Auralnauts says,
The fix everything ship has sailed. We're on it and there are no lifeboats. It's a one way trip and we have the power of hindsight and a better understanding of the material than the original creators. Featuring the incredible Jesse Gomez as Vader!In addition to the surreal dialogue, you also have to admit that Jesse Gomez does a phenomenal James earl Jones impression. (via Digg)
Moon Shining
The subtitle of this video is How Stanley Kubrick shot the Apollo 11 Mission. It's a clever satirical documentary about the faked moon landing, directed by the master himself. Another masterpiece from Fabrice Mathieu. (Thanks, Fabrice!)
My Cup
Cats are like that. The leftover grilled salmon you gave them is nothing compared to the bowl of Cheerios that you are currently enjoying. This comic if from Sarah Andersen at Sarah's Scribbles.
Duck Crossing
On Monday, some duck herders in Sirajganj, Bangladesh, stopped traffic to get the flock across the road. How many ducks are there? All of them! After a while, I imagined them descending into a tunnel to get back to the original side of the road, just so they could mess with people. (via Digg)
Miss Cellania's Links
Slowly and Persistently, Elizabeth Warren Is on the Rise.
The Craziest Things That Happened On School Trips. Read all the responses (many are gross) at reddit.
Why Were Medieval Europeans So Obsessed With Long, Pointy Shoes?
The View Going Up Everest. It's not what you've always imagined. (via Digg)
An Alien Tribute in LEGO.
Agatha Christie published 65 murder mysteries in her lifetime, 30 of which featured poisons. Doctors and scientists were astonished at how accurate Christie's poisonings were, but she came by that honestly. (via Strange Company)
Trump Staff Dreads Traveling Overseas With Toddler President.
A blast from the past (2011): 10 Heroic Battlefield Medics.
Burt Lahr Sings
Silly, but I bet you'll laugh! I can imagine a young person trying to figure out why he seems so familiar...
Hockey
The aliens are trying out all the things humans do, but as of yet, none of them make any sense. This comic is from Nathan Pyle's Strange Planet.
Adult Things You Didn't Learn In College
At one time, the purpose of college was to develop one’s critical thinking skills. Nowadays, it’s more to make you employable. But your education isn’t complete even with a degree, because the school of hard knocks has even more for you. Sadly, these college seniors don’t know the IRS from the Irish Republican Army. The real world is full of lessons they should ask their parents about, like how to haggle over the price of a car or house, how to find a mechanic and a plumber you trust, and in the case of the psychology major, how to sign up for food stamps. (via Buzzfeed)
Tweet of the Day
Say what you will about the #GameOfThronesFinale, the John Hughes homage was a bold choice to end on. pic.twitter.com/kKJrJyV9d7— Dan Olson (@FoldableHuman) May 20, 2019
Warning: contains spoilers for Game of Thrones. (via Cracked)
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Robot Package Delivery
To replace the gig economy workers who are delivering everything from Amazon packages to dinner, we now have bipedal robots traveling in driverless vehicles. Digit is the name of the robot, a real product from Agility Robotics. Digit is astonishingly like a real delivery person in that it walks across the grass, leaves the package on the porch, and doesn't even ring the doorbell. But unlike humans, it does not require wages after the initial investment. Also its knees are backwards. Learn more about the robot in another video. (via Laughing Squid)
Mailboat Jumper Tryouts
In lake Geneva, Wisconsin, there are plenty of people living in houseboats, and they all have mailboxes. When the mailboat comes around, it doesn't stop at each one. Rather, a "mailboat jumper" jumps off the boat, delivers mail, picks up outgoing mail, and jumps back on the boat, which keeps moving. It takes rhythm, energy, and skills to keep up. I hope the pay is good. (via Neatorama)
Lemon
The internet has ruined us all. Think before you share, for you may be judged. This comic is from Chris Hallbeck at Maximumble.
A Fence Built Through a Pool
This happened in Orlando, Florida. See, someone a long time ago bought two lots with two houses side-by-side. They demolished one house and expanded the other with a garage and a pool, which extended over the property line. But it didn't matter, since he owned both, right? He eventually sold both lots to someone else, who got behind on their mortgage, and the property was foreclosed upon. The bank sold the two lots to two different people! The new owner of the mostly-vacant lot put up a fence on the property line, which bisects the pool of his neighbor. However, the most disturbing thing in this video is the way the news reporter pronounces the word realtor as "realitor." (via Boing Boing)
Tweet of the Day
Coatis in reverse look like herds of tiny brontosauruses— 41 Strange (@41Strange) May 20, 2019
(Via NormalPaladin) pic.twitter.com/Ow0Y8jf6yi
(via Nag on the Lake)
Friday, May 24, 2019
McDonald's Sweden is taking bees seriously. They have installed beehives on top of some of their outlets, and planted flowers to replace grass around the buildings. For World Bee Day (which was May 20), they commissioned a tiny McDonald's restaurant, which is just a fancy decor around a real beehive.
From the outside, the model is a replica of a McDonald's restaurant, with drive-thru windows, outdoor seating, and the golden arches presiding above it all. But instead of a counter and a tables, the interior is filled with frames where bees can build their wax. It's being billed as "the world's smallest McDonald's," but according to NORD DDB, it's still big enough to house thousands of bees.The McDonald's beehive was auctioned off after World Bee Day to benefit Ronald McDonald House. Let's hope the new owner uses it as intended, and reaps a sweet harvest.
Alternate Histories
Here's a good argument for why fictional world-building should not be too detailed. There's a good reason that the characters of The Walking Dead have never seen a zombie movie. This comic is from Randall Munroe at xkcd.
A Conversation Between a Crow and Cat
The crow is taunting the cat, and the cat does not appreciate it one bit. I would transcribe the dialogue, but I don't know Russian. (via reddit)
Miss Cellania's Links
What You Didn’t Know About the Apollo 11 Mission.
Fact-checking Trump's Rose Garden comments from Wednesday.
A Solution for Loneliness. (via Digg)
The 62 Very Isolated People of Palmerston Island. Palmerston is a nine-day boat ride from the nearest store, and is completely populated by William Marsters' descendants.
“Elizabeth Warren called me!” is turning into a meme. The senator is calling a lot of her supporters.
Some toilet humor, courtesy of Google Maps.
A blast from the past (2013): Mabel Stark: The Lady with the Tigers.
Dear Abby
I loved this John Prine song back in the '70s. My friends and I would sing it together. I hadn't heard it in decades, but Everlasting Blort has reminded me that YouTube has a vast archive of treasures.
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Best News Bloopers of the '80s and '90s
This is a long compilation of clips from old VHS tapes, so you don't have to watch it all at once. But once you start, you won't want to stop! Most of these bloopers and outtakes are from local news broadcasts. but every once in a while, you'll see a familiar face from national news, which is a real treat. And those hairstyles! Oh yes, there are some animals. (Thanks, CW!)
Terminator: Dark Fate Trailer
Linda Hamilton stars as Sarah Connor in the sixth Terminator film, called Terminator: Dark Fate. This story in this movie takes place after Terminator 2, and the other movies set afterward (3, 4, and Genisys) have been relegated to "alternative timelines." The first teaser trailer doesn't explain much of anything, but it gives us a taste of what the movie will be like. Terminator: Dark Fate will be in theaters November first. (via Boing Boing)
Kindness
You've known people like this, who demand more from others than they ever would from themselves. Some even go after it proactively. This comic is from Zack Weinersmith at Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.
What Contraption is This?
This picture was taken around 1922. My first guess was a loudspeaker of some kind, perhaps used to address large crowds. I was wrong.
The answer is in the full caption at Weird Universe. The gadget was found in a book called Illustrated World, published in 1922-1923. You don't see such machines much these days, because the whole idea seems futile.
The answer is in the full caption at Weird Universe. The gadget was found in a book called Illustrated World, published in 1922-1923. You don't see such machines much these days, because the whole idea seems futile.
Neural Network Racing Cars Around a Track
CodeBullet has been experimenting with artificial intelligence. Can he teach a neural network to race cars around a virtual track? There's honestly not a lot of "teaching" going on here, but some sort of natural selection. The cars that go the furthest before crashing get to reproduce, and what do you know, their progeny does even better! From the video description:
Teaching a neural network to drive a car. It's a simple network with a fixed number of hidden nodes (no NEAT), and no bias. Yet it manages to drive the cars fast and safe after just a few generations. Population is 650. The network evolves through random mutation (no cross-breeding). Fitness evaluation is currently done manually as explained in the video.
So, if you are set on getting a self-driving car, you might want to wait until version 4.0 comes out. (via reddit)
Miss Cellania's Links
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Ultimate Preview. Vanity Fair shares as much as possible without spoilers.
The New Secession. Residents of the majority-white southeast corner of Baton Rouge want to make their own city, complete with its own schools, breaking away from the majority-black parts of town.
How the ‘Monstrous’ Iguanas of the Bahamas Got So Darn Big. Read about the experiment that solved the puzzle, and the unintended consequences of the hypothesis itself.
Private Mohammed Kahn: Civil War Soldier. Separated from his unit, he was arrested by a Union soldier who didn't believe he was a member of the 43rd New York unit, because he wasn't white. (via Metafilter)
Trump gives up the game he’s playing with Congress during Fox News interview. Trump admits he’s relying on the courts — not Congress — to change policy.
Who Started the Moon Landing Hoax Conspiracy Theory?
How to get into management.
Jennifer Berney explores how queer families challenge traditional notions of heredity and paternity. Many of her thoughts apply to adoptive families, too.
Building the perfect candidate to beat Trump! The latest from Tom the Dancing Bug.
A blast from the past (2010): How the Indy 500 Came About.
Star Wars is Coming to America
James Earl Jones is larger than life in whatever role he plays. In this mashup, the audio from Coming to America is used for Darth Vader. Ahaa!
Tweets of the Day
DM me and let’s figure this out.— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 19, 2019
Guess who's crying and shaking and just talked to Elizabeth Warren on the phone?!?!? We have a plan to get my mom grandkids, it's very comprehensive, and it does involve raising taxes on billionaires.— Ashley Nicole Black (@ashleyn1cole) May 21, 2019
(via Metafilter)
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
A Dog's Wish
Language is one thing. Understanding is a completely different thing. He should have wished for those scraps instead. This comic is from Matthew Allred at Car & Friends. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
An Honest Trailer for Braveheart
Screen Junkies continues its series of Honest Trailers for past summer blockbusters with Braveheart, the 1995 hit starring Mel Gibson. The story was supposedly based on the life of the 13th-century Scottish warrior William Wallace, but any shred of historical accuracy was sacrificed for action, drama, and the elements of every other Mel Gibson movie. And in case you haven't seen Braveheart -or heard about it- this Honest Trailer contains spoilers.
