Grandpa's playing with the AI image generator again. And a lot of people are okay with this. (via Fark)Dr Evil.
— Mark Chadbourn (@chadbourn.bsky.social) May 17, 2026 at 5:07 PM
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Monday, May 18, 2026
Threats of Grandeur
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Star Wars Secrets
I don't know about younger viewers, but those of us who watched all the Star Wars movies in order of their release have always been baffled by the implications of retconning. It was bad enough that the secrets kept in the first movie, then revealed in the second and third, made it clear that Lucas was making it up as he went along.
Every time a new prequel came out, the effort to bring classic characters back only screwed with the timeline and ruined the logic of the first movie that captured our imaginations. "New" characters turned out to have been there all along. More implausible connections between them were revealed. Sure, Lucas explained that the droids had their memories wiped between the prequels and the original trilogy, but that doesn't work for a Wookiee. Or for Obi-Wan Kenobi, who knew everything all along, but refused to reveal anything actually useful. Matthew McCleskey gives us the spoiler version that might have been. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Denali's Puppy Cam
Motor vehicles are prohibited in Denali National Park in Alaska, except for buses that shuttle visitors through a limited area. Rangers patrol on foot, horseback, in helicopters, or with dogsleds. For more than 100 years, Denali has raised sled dog puppies in their own breeding program in conjunction with reputable Alaskan breeders. On March 30, sled dog Spark gave birth to six puppies in the park. Some of these will be swapped with other litters from breeders, and four that show the best qualities of a sled dog will grow up to be official Denali canine rangers. The puppies are named after national parks: Sequoia, Mammoth, Rainier, Teton, Mesa, and Acadia. They are now six weeks old, and you can peek in on them anytime with the Denali Puppy Cam! Keep in mind that Denali is four hours behind the Eastern Time Zone. If the puppies are asleep, scroll down to read about Denali's puppy program. (via Metafilter)
A Graduation Classic
This cake introduces a new graduate to the realities of life. You want, but you can't have. From Cake Wrecks.
Jeffrey Epstein's Ghost
Saturday Night Live wrapped up season 51 last night with Will Ferrell and Paul McCartney. The guest host never appears in the cold open, but Ferrell stepped in to portray Jeffrey Epstein, who haunts Trump's dreams.
All Star on Organ
A hundred-year-old Marenghi Organ can still play contemporary tunes. See this same organ play a disco hit and another old favorite. (via Digg)
Taxing the Rich
— Patsy “Resistance Kitty” Evans Ph.D. (@drharmony.net) May 16, 2026 at 1:13 AMOh, the humanity!
Saturday, May 16, 2026
The Seven Landlocked Countries That Have Navies
We tend to think of navies as a military force that deploys on the high seas. The US not only uses its navy for ocean battles, but traditionally for troop transport to faraway wars before air travel. But how would a country house and train a navy without seaports? There are seven landlocked countries in the world that maintain navies as a separate branch of their military forces. The "how" behind those forces comes down to the fact that oceans aren't the only bodies of water in the world. But the "why" is way more interesting, and each country has their own story. Some are responding to real threats, and some are legacies of a complicated history. In the case of Laos, we don't know much about it at all, but I'm sure they have their reasons in their own cultural context.
Relocating Bighorn Sheep
I watched this video and thought about the people who say they've been abducted by aliens. You know these sheep are going to tell tales like that the rest of their lives, and none of the other sheep will believe them. This relocation project brought the population of North American bighorn sheep from 100 to 600 in recent years. It's one of 5 Heartwarming Stories That Are Also Totally Hilarious at Cracked. In fact, the bighorn sheep were just a small part of the story about how helicopters are the funniest way to transport animals.
Friday, May 15, 2026
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Chicago, recorded at Tanglewood in 1970. Robert Lamm on vocals. The futzing with the drums at the end signals they are going into "25 or 6 to 4."
Blind Dog Fetches The Newspaper
Mason fetches the newspaper for his family every day despite the fact that he has no eyes. He learned to fetch as a puppy, but later on developed glaucoma that was so painful a vet recommended his eyes be removed. As soon as he recovered from the eye removal, he went right back to fetching the paper every day! It makes him proud to be helping out.
What's more surprising is that there are newspapers still being printed and delivered every day at the end of someone's driveway. You can see more of Mason at Instagram.
Nursery Rhymes are Horrible
So many Mother Goose rhymes are meant to traumatize children. People did that for fun, back before we had movies.
Miss Cellania's Links
In nine experiments involving 1,800 participants, researchers found that people consistently underestimated how interesting and enjoyable conversations about boring topics would be. (via kottke)
As a Ukrainian journalist, I’ve covered the US for 20 years. I find it increasingly shocking. (via Metafilter)
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson disagreed about the American Revolution’s meaning even as they lay dying.
Cats with toys.
My Mother Died Hiding An Enormous Secret. Years Later, A DNA Test Exposed The Truth. (via Fark)
Customer Loyalty Was Once Measured in Green Stamps. And the More You Shopped, the Bigger the Rewards.
13 Non-Actors Who Walked Onto a Set and Cooked.
A Blast from the Past (2016): The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster.
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Two Ships
In this beautiful animation, a couple works opposite shifts, so the only time they get to spend together is on the weekend. That's a treat, but it's sad they can't connect every day. (via Nag on the Lake)
The Ingenious Design of the Screwdriver Handle
The most mundane things can have a way more interesting history than you know. Consider the lowly screwdriver. They come in all shapes and sizes, but the one you grab the most has a handle that comfortable and just plain works. And that's no accident. Its design has more features than you've ever considered, and its development goes back over a hundred years. Every part of it has a purpose. Along the way, fancier ideas have been proposed as improvements, but they've never really been able to beat the shape you've come to know.
Woodworker Rex Krueger knows tools. In this video, you'll learn about not only screwdrivers, but other tools that factor into the story, plus you'll learn how to use the features of a screwdriver to get tasks done more efficiently. (via kottke)
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Simon's Cat in Double Trouble
Simon's Cat and the Kitten are at odds over... everything. I had to laugh at one point., maybe you'll laugh, too.
Cookie Loaf
Have you ever bought a roll of cookie dough and wondered what would happen if you just baked the whole thing at once? Casual Cooking tried it out so you don't have to. The YouTube page specified that this dough is safe to eat raw. The takeaway if that you need to cook it for much longer than sliced cookies. But if you are told to limit yoursself only one cookie, this is the way to do it.
How the Nuclear Football Works
The "nuclear football" is a nickname for a briefcase that enables to US president to destroy the world. It contains instructions for destroying the world and the nuclear codes. It goes everywhere the president goes. Supposedly, once the codes are sent to the Pentagon and are confirmed and authorized, no one can rescind the orders to destroy the world. Yet in the real world, any link along the chain of command can decide maybe to not destroy the world. At least we can hope. This video is shorter than it look because the last 90 seconds is an ad.
Hollywood LOLcats
Here's another collection of cat images that take us to the movies. Continue reading for eight of them. The movies should be obvious, but in case one stumps you, I'll have the titles in the comments.
Mating Rituals of Humans in Their Natural Habitat
The format of a nature documentary works pretty well with the wildest creature in the world -the human. In a video from Viva Dirt League, the goal is made perfectly clear with narration by a David Attenborough soundalike. However, not all mating rituals are successful, especially when the participants are inexperienced and awkward. The survival of the species depends on whether they learn from their mistakes. (via Laughing Squid)
The Contiguous 41 States
Randall Munroe posted this map at xkcd a few years ago, but this is the first time I've seen it. Alaska and Hawaii are missing, but there are seven other states missing, too! Can you identify them? I could, but it took a while. Once you give up, the answer key is here. (via kottke)
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Farewell
Two brothers play guitar while they pass the time watching their flock of sheep. The sheep appreciate the music. The older brother, Joseph, attributes his talent to his father's guitar instead of his years of practice. The younger brother, Isaac, is appalled to learn that Joseph is planning to leave home for a career in music. Is he upset at losing his best friend, or is he worried that he won't be able to step into his brother's shoes?
This sweet story is Luke Lee's final film as a student a Calarts before he graduates. You can see more of his work at YouTube or Instagram. (via Kuriositas)
Esmerelda
A Canadian couple living in Mexico bought a puppy that seemed to be on her last legs. Esmerelda had birth defects, plus she was sick and full of parasites. They just wanted to save her life, but also ended up adopting her. You can see more of Esmerelda at Instagram.
Why Kentucky is the Opposite of Every U.S. State
Kentucky is not just a state, but a region carved out from the edges of other regions. There are four very different cultures, but even within those geographic cultures, there is rarely agreement. I am a product of the Appalachian coalfield area. "The state that refuses to choose" doesn't tell the whole story. Everyone chooses, but none of them agree completely with the next person.
Right now, in the next county over, there is quite a fierce battle raging over local offices in the primary election. The primary matters more than the general election, because it is assumed that a Republican will win each office. Yes, there are plenty of Democrats, but never a majority, so it's hard to get anyone to run at all. The exception is the office of governor. Most of them have been from the Democratic party, and Democrats are more likely to be re-elected. Because we know what's good for us. But if any Democratic Kentucky governor would ever run for president (hint: Andy), the one state he would be guaranteed to lose is his own.
You Bet Your Life Outtakes 1960-61
The most innocent chitchat took on a salacious tone when Groucho Marx was around. These two compilations are from only one season of the show You Bet Your Life.
Monday, May 11, 2026
¡BASTA YA!
"Basta Ya!"means "That's enough!" The song by Cain Culto and Xiuhtezcatl was originally written about the slaughter in Gaza, but was reworked this year as a protest against the atrocities of ICE. You can read more about it at the L.A. Times. (via Everlasting Blort) https://www.everlastingblort.com/
A Frozen Kitten Changed His Life
A couple of months ago, I linked to the story of a guy who worked all day to save a kitten that was frozen to metal. He took her home and named her Chilly. But what happened afterward? Brian investigated where she may have come from, and discovered a cat colony. Now he's involved with a trap-neuter-release program that serves the colony and finds homes for the cats who are able to be adopted. Despite the fact that he's allergic to cats. There's always Claritin.
Free Time in the Prehistoric World
Specialized employment, or working a job for money, has existed for only a few thousand years of human history. Before that, people were pretty much all farmers, and before that, we were hunter-gatherers. We think of that as a hard life, but studies show that procuring enough food to eat didn't take up nearly as much time as you might think. YouTuber Axen illustrates how ancient people really spent their time, and you might end up being jealous. Just remember, today we have ice cream.
But there are a couple of caveats here. This was from a time when there were fewer people and plenty of resources. Living in a warm climate meant you didn't have to spend time storing up firewood, building warm homes, and making warm clothes. That changed when humans used their free time to wander into new territory for new resources when the world grew more crowded. As that happened, they eventually had to spend more time defending the community from enemies as well. And no matter what time period you target, women had the added burden of reproduction and child care.
Miss Cellania's Links
24 Movies That Critics and Audiences Can't Seem To Agree On.
The Dark Real-Life Inspirations Behind Lord of the Flies.
An Ancient Roman Artifact’s Weird Properties Point to Evidence of 1600-Year-Old Nanotechnology, Scientists Say. (via Strange Company)
It's been 20 years since Guy Goma was mistakenly interviewed live on air because he has the same first name as the expert they booked. He became an internet legend for faking his way through it. (via Boing Boing)
Babies imitating their parents, or grandparents.
People who are blind from birth never develop schizophrenia – what this tells us about the psychiatric condition. (via Damn Interesting)
Hundreds of teachers weigh in on how to raise a literate child.
A Blast from the Past (2008): The Coldest Places on Earth.
Simon's Cat Meets a Crow
In one of the goofiest Simon's Cat videos yet, the cat encounters a crow. Crows are smart, and this one gets a real kick out of tormenting the cat for laughs. The cat isn't going to take that lying down. There's a bit of back and forth to determine who will have the last laugh. (via Tastefully Offensive)
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Controlling a Volcano's Lava Flow
Trying to contain or control the flow of lava from an erupting volcano seems like a fool's errand. It would be much better to avoid building communities anywhere near a volcano. But volcanos can go millions of years between eruptions, and people don't mind living near what they figure is an extinct volcano. They often have rich soil for crops. So we are occasionally surprised by an eruption, which can be devastating.
Despite what you've seen in the movies, defending against an erupting volcano is difficult. People have attempted several different methods for controlling lava flow, including bombs, water, and dikes (although I'm not sure that would be the right term, since it's lava instead of water), with varying results. Oh yeah, and sacrifices, which isn't addressed in this video at all. It turns out that one method seems to work best, but only when the community is prepared way ahead of time. That's not much help when an "extinct" volcano decides to resurrect itself, but it's better than nothing.
A Letter from King Charles
Sir David Attenborough celebrated his 100th birthday on Friday. King Charles wrote him a nice greeting, but he needed some help getting it delivered. By the time this video ends, you'll be all verklempt.
A Few Drinks After Work
Matt Damon hosted Saturday Night Live last night, and they couldn't resist bringing back his portrayal of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Having him meet SecDef Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost) and FBI Director Kash Patel (Aziz Ansari) in a Washington bar was just too easy.
An Honest Mother's Day Message from Twentysomethings
Well they were twentysomethings when this video was made. Yes, we understand completely. More than you know.
Saturday, May 09, 2026
Journey to the Center of the Earth
The 1959 movie Journey to the Center of the Earth is one of the first films I recall watching, on TV when I was a kid. I didn't know it was in color, because we didn't have a color TV. The scene when they return to the surface stayed with me. The movie was well-received and was nominated for three Oscars. Some other tidbits from Wikipedia: Arlene Dahl passed out doing the whirlpool scene, and it took a half-hour to wake her up, and Pat Boone didn't want to do the movie until they put in some songs for him to sing. (Thanks, WTM!)
100-Pound Deaf Dog Becomes The Perfect Nanny
Jasmyne is a big dog, and a permanent resident at Elli's foster home. Butter the beagle was rescued from a breeding facility with seven puppies. Jasmyne took them all in, mother and pups, and showed them what a normal dog's life is about.
How to Ruin Mother's Day
Motherhood is hard, and it's nice to be appreciated. Mother's Day is an official attempt to ritualize that appreciation, and some mothers have learned to weaponize it. Well, to be honest, these are the mothers who have mastered the guilt trip and use it all the time. Guilt trips may be successful on the surface, but they do nothing to build real relationships within the family.
In this situation illustrated by Kristen Marie (she plays all the parts), grandma is used to being large and in charge, while her daughter-in-law was looking forward to quietly celebrating her first Mother's Day after giving birth, and her daughter is struggling with becoming a mother. No good can come of her complete obliviousness.
How the US Government Kept Oak Ridge Secret
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was founded as a secret nuclear research facility for the Manhattan Project. My mother's family lived in East Tennessee already, and my grandfather got a job as a day laborer in Oak Ridge. He didn't ask questions, because people who asked a lot of questions didn't last long there. (via Digg)
If you're interested in the history of Oak Ridge, you might want to read the story of John Hendrix, a mystic from East Tennessee who died in 1915. The story is not quite as believable as the video above, but it is interesting.
Gemini
This is Gemini. She's at the vet because she keeps flying away. Luckily it's just a harmless case of airplane ears. 12/10 (IG: apolloandgem)
— WeRateDogs (@weratedogs.com) May 5, 2026 at 3:46 PM
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Friday, May 08, 2026
Gandalf, the Chaos Goblin
Surely you recall Dave, the cat who suffers so. His sister Gandalf is one of the reasons, and now she gets her own Dodo profile. Still, they never explain how a girl kitten got the name Gandalf. Here is the family's Instagram gallery.
100 Years of David Attenborough
In honor of Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday, 60 Minutes Australia brings us an overview of his amazing broadcast career, including an interview from about ten years ago.
Miss Cellania's Links
Happy Birthday! Sir David Attenborough Turns 100 Years Old.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatens to flood New York City with ICE agents. How do you think they'll be received? (via Fark)
The man who blew up a nuclear power station and disappeared. (via Metafilter)
One-A-Day Banana Packs. Solving a problem you didn't even know existed.
Stephen Colbert Floats His Presidential Campaign To Barack Obama.
Mittens in Space! (via Memo of the Air)
The Iranian Embassy Siege: Six Days That Shocked the World and Changed Britain Forever. The 1980 incident If you're an American under 50, you've probably never heard of it.
A Blast from the Past (2012): The Ultimate Gift, Saving Mom's Life.
Thursday, May 07, 2026
The Eerie Story That Inspired a Horror Show
Derek and Maria Broaddus bought a house in Westfield, New Jersey, in 2014. They immediately started renovations to get the house ready for they and their three children to move into, They also started getting eerie letters from an anonymous writer. The letters revealed that someone had them under surveillance, and intended to keep watching them. The letters continued and became more threatening, and the Broaddus family delayed moving in.
Their story was published on an internet blog in 2018, and was eventually made into a TV show, The Watcher, which ran for seven episodes in 2022. Weird History gives us the rundown on what happened and some speculation about why it happened. No perpetrator has ever been identified. But you might want to watch something a little more benign to clear your head after hearing what the Broaddus family went through.
The Edge of Destiny
Last week, Saturday Night Live had a skit that was supposedly a riff on 1980s nighttime soap operas. But it was really about the joy of seeing someone awkwardly being thrown down the stairs. It was just plain goofy. But even funnier is how they did it.
I''m glad they decided to share that with us.
Tech Woes
I ran across this old Bitstrips comic from back in the day. It's at least 15 years old, because that's when PAgent abandoned his blog. Bitstrips started in 2007. I can't recall what was wrong with my computer, but I had obviously written about it somewhere. It was probably obsolete. I can rarely get a computer to last more than five years, which is a darn shame. I have a vacuum cleaner that is 75 years old and works fine.
A Dog's Purpose
Dogs are bred for different jobs, and it shows.
— George (@retiredsurgassist.bsky.social) May 5, 2026 at 3:22 PM
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Wednesday, May 06, 2026
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