Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday the 13th Informational Links
Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky? Because people will believe anything.The Top 18 Most Addictive Drugs On Earth. Number one was easy to guess, but some of the others were surprises. (via Interesting Pile)
NASA procedures for cleaning the bathroom on the International Space Station include taking tricorder readings to find fungus and bacteria. Except they call the device LOCAD-PTS.
Executives at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley say they want to repay bailout money quickly. Suddenly, it appears that business is easier without government restrictions.
The science of shark repellants. A lot of different ideas have been tried, but they're really difficult to test. Any volunteers?
Cracking the case of the poison processed peanuts. The process reads like a mystery novel, with more at stake than in any fictional whodunnit.
25 People to Blame for the Financial Crisis. It took so many failing so spectacularly to get us into this mess.
The weirdest news stories of the week.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Fun and Funny Links
Devolve Me is a generator that turns you into one or more of our prehistoric ancestors. See what it did to me!Boys will be boys.
The 6 Most Insane Moral Panics in American History. As if we didn't have enough real problems to worry about.
Rob from Improv Everywhere gets on an escalator and gives out high fives to 2,000 people. He got lots of smiles in return!
Silicone Breast Implants: How Big Is Too Big?
The Sad Man's Kama Sutra. (via Neatorama)
Sweet Treats for Valentines Day. You don't need a sweetheart to indulge yourself in sugary snacks for the holiday.
8 TV Ads That Hate Women. We need no more evidence of a lack of women as advertising executives.
Red Jellyfish
(Live Leak link) http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=338_1233923564
Amazing effects occur when the camera light pierces the deep sea darkness. This clip is from The Blue Planet series from the BBC. (via Unique Daily)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Information and Good Reads
20 "Trials of the Century" of the 20th Century. Because "Trial of the Decade" probably wouldn't sell as many newspapers. (via Neatorama)Oliver Sacks talks about losing his sight and the hallucinations left behind. If I ever go blind, I hope I get the kind in which people wear funny hats.
The 15 Coolest Cases of Biomimicry, or human technologies inspired by nature. After all, there is no better designer than Mother Nature.
1966 GE College Bowl: Agnes Scott vs. Princeton. How a crew of mere girls knocked off the Ivy League boys, and what happened to the team members since.
If you have any plans to go to Iraq and see the sights, keep in mind they won't be expecting you. Maybe you should read about this Italian tourist's experience.
The Ten Most Interesting Jack The Ripper Suspects. It reads like a list of the most eccentric people of the era. (via Gorilla Mask)
Scientists think they have found the birthplace of Zeus. Or, at least, the place where mythology says Zeus was born.
Why you never sign an arbitration agreement. At least if you read enough fine print to know what you are signing. (via Metafilter)
Kostnice Ossuary: Chapel of Bone. This video takes you inside the church where the furniture and decor are made of human remains.
Late last month, the Army announced data showing the highest suicide rate among soldiers in three decades. Here's one soldier's story.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Fun Links
The internet is made of kittens.Kelburn Castle in Scotland got a makeover from two Brazilian street artists. An 800-year-old fortress is not where you'd normally expect to find graffiti!
Is it a sex toy? Is it a computer peripheral? It's both! It's a Joydick!
The 5 Most Ridiculous Lies Ever Published as Nonfiction. Or at least, the ones that were eventually exposed.
10 Things Science Fiction Got Wrong. Why let science get in the way of a good story?
A classic money scam. Watch closely and see if you can keep up.
Animals that Only Bite Tourists. When you are traveling, be aware that there may be a bit of poking fun going on …especially if you’re told of a scary local animal to beware.
The Circle of Life: Jocks vs.Nerds.
Traffic Crossing Leeds Bridge, 1888
I earlier posted what was labeled as the earliest motion-picture in existence. This is earlier!
Filmed on paper filmstrips, this is Louis Aime Augustin Le Prince's second known film, produced in October 1888. Only photographic copies of it survive today.
(Thanks, Sobriquet!)
Monday, February 09, 2009
Good Reads
President Obama wants to limit executives from companies that accept bailout money to a salary of half a million dollars a year (more than he makes as president). The New York Times explains how difficult that will be for Wall Street employees.Hugh Rienhoff's daughter has a rare genetic defect that doctors can't identify or treat, so he took it upon himself to sequence her DNA. It's not an easy task if you don't have a business, or university, or laboratory of your own.
You might think taking pictures of dead babies is morbid. Those who have lost a child are grateful for the memories preservd by a group of photographers who provide this service.
Fossils of a pregnant four-legged semi-aquatic ancestor of the whale lead scientists to believe they gave birth on land. It was probably a requirement from their HMOs.
Taking Traffic Control Lessons — From Ants. And why not? Ants are efficient, cooperative, and determined to reach their destination.
Some say it's time to put sex back in sex education. In other words, maybe we should teach kids more than how to avoid pregnancy and STDs. (via Metafilter)
Built in 1844, the Atlantic Avenue tunnel was New York's first subway tunnel. Forgotten, then rediscovered in 1981, the tunnel is now open for tours.
Titanoboa cerrejonensis was a prehistoric snake that grew up to 15 meters long and could swallow crocodiles whole! Luckily, it would never be able to hide on a plane. Bonus: here are some other prehistoric giants.
Academic Earth has thousands of video lectures from the world's top scholars. This is like attending Ivy League classes without that annoying tuition. (via Metafilter)
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Links to Learn Something From
5 Horrific Serial Killers (Who Are Free Right Now). You gotta wonder what these parole boards are thinking ...or smoking. (via Gorilla Mask)The secret formula of embalming chemicals that keep Rosalia Lombardo looking so lifelike for 89 years has been found and revealed.
Fast Lane to the Future. India's new national superhighway has the potential to link different cultures, languages, and classes. With accompanying videos.
The history of the desk that sits in the Oval Office. The story is much more than you ever imagined.
The Top Ten Dirtiest Hotels. Reading the details made my skin crawl. And itch.
"A most decided humbug." George Hull raked in the money exhibiting the Cardiff Giant. His followup, The Ape-Man from Colorado, didn't go over quite as well.
A Visual Guide to the Financial Crisis: Unemployment Rates. (via Dark Roasted Blend)
Six types of geniuses, based on Dave's observations at Caltech. Recognize anyone you know in these?
Cat on the Head
This cat insists on the best seat in the house, especially when he's not in the house! (via Arbroath)
Friday, February 06, 2009
Fun Friday Links
"Is this real life? Is this going to be forever?" A young boy's first experience with anesthesia becomes a flashback for adults who watch him on video.In interactive graphic of Twitter chatter during the Super Bowl. Move the slider to see what people were Tweeting during each minute of the game.
Cute cat enjoys a graham cracker. He'd really go crazy for a s'more!
10 Surefire Ways to Score Oscar Recognition. The same type roles keep winning, so there is no question why we see the same types of movies every year.
How much energy did it take to blow up the planet Alderaan? No wonder the Death Star cost so much to build!
A Brief History of Stop-Motion Animation. Oh yeah, lots of examples are embedded with this article. (via Neatorama)
Top 10 Moments Caught on Google Maps Street View. The ridiculous little slices of life that will go down in infamy. (via Gorilla Mask)
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Playtime!
Charles-Edward is nine months old. Here's a time-lapse of his activities, with adult interaction mostly edited out.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Fun Links
Sitcom Aliens. The "fish out of water" character was always the funniest on the show.Travis Pastrana accomplishes an amazing tricycle jump. This would be an amazing jump no matter what kind of child's toy he used.
Ten YouTube Comments Translated into Standard English. I'm glad someone did it; YouTube is a language I have trouble learning.
What every reality show contestant needs to know. These ten tips will help you advance, or at least help you not make a fool of yourself.
Some particularly unusual units of measurement. If you have trouble converting miles to kilometers, wait until you try converting Smoots to Portzebies.
Cat gets run over by a car. Don't be afraid to look. (via YesButNoButYes)
A hippo runs over Rudy, because he didn't listen to the advice of those who had gone before. Another delightful story in the series called Congo Memoirs.
The Bizarre World of Ferrofluid. Watch liquid that not only dances, but can form a chorus line better than the Rockettes.
The Day the Music Died
Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper all died in a plane crash on February 3rd, 1959. Hard to believe that's 50 years ago.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Odd and Extraordinary Beauty Pageants
You know about the Miss America and Miss Universe beauty pageants. You are probably also aware of child beauty pageants, bodybuilding contests, transsexual pageants, and pageants for married women. Then there are these odd beauty pageants.
read more | digg story
Good Reads
Long-exposure photography makes for some cool effects. Just don't jiggle the camera!The Stories Behind 10 Famous Food Logos. The oldest ones seem like friends in our cupboards, even if they are fictional characters.
The clash between Chinese and Swedish table manners highlights how different cultures define manners and intimacy. Commenters add how other cultures would react.
Boulder City, Nevada is the home of the newest and largest solar plant in America. 167,000 solar panels are ready to provide juice to homes in California.
The Proliferation of Kingdoms. What were once just plants and animals are now divided into six kingdoms under three domains.
Change is happening already. Starting this summer, the biotech firm Geron will treat a small group of spinal-cord injury patients using neurons derived from stem cells, marking the first time embryonic stem cells will be tested in humans.
Why some people can't put two and two together. Dyscalculia is the numerical equivalent of dyslexia.
Slice has a descriptive List of Regional Pizza Styles. In some places they consider it normal to put the sauce on last! (via Metafilter)
Photo editors from major news services look back at the Bush presidency through the images they published.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
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