Links posted in November 2006
November 30, 2006
Musicovery - a fun radio thingy that lets you explore related songs by genre, year, mood, tempo, etc. Free in Lo-Fi version. Good-gawd - hunh! Via.
Yukon meteorite contains conditions for supporting life. Unlike the rest of the Yukon. [Original finding-story here, with itsy-bitsy video.]
Yellow skivvy passes on Yellow Wiggle Greg Page quits due to orthostatic intolerance. The new yellow Wiggle is Sam Moran.
The Primate Freedom Project
scored a big surprise win the other day in their efforts to build the National Primate Research Exhibition Hall in Madison, Winconsin.
Sandwiched tightly between the historic and infamous Harry F. Harlow Primate Psychology building and the National Institutes of Health's flagship vivisection lab, the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, the Exhibition Hall's permanent presence and clear voice will be impossible to ignore.
How to Calculate Pi by Throwing Frozen Hot Dogs Sadly, bananas do not work (see last note).
Enter Stevie. The robber was holding a gun to 5-year-old Mary Long's head when a 3-foot-tall Mighty Morphin Power Ranger leapt into the room...
She's mad as hell, and she's not going to take it any more! One of the orcas (killer whales) at Sea World attacked a trainer during a show today. [more inside]
Animal Terrorism Act Signed Into Law.
Yes, the US Senate bill 3880 makes it illegal to commit "animal enterprise terror." Consistent with some interpretation, Animal Activist groups are now terrorist organizations.
Demonstrations which cause animal-based businesses to lose profits are now terrorist acts. By the by, this bill passed with six votes, total.
A tip o' the banana peel to the illustrious H-dogg for many of these a-hear links
[more inside]
Colour Pictures of the American Depression [Flash required]. Article. From an exhibition at the Photographers' Gallery in London.
Do
not try this at home.
A small collection of DIY projects for future Darwin award nominees.
[more inside]
It's a nice day for a...White Christmas!
Billy Idol's long-awaited Christmas album.
Visit his MySpace page for vids.
Pneumatic tubes: 200 years of moving stuff around. [more inside]
Senior Citizen: Social Security Scammer?
Estranged from his father, a gay Brooklyn man came home yesterday to make peace, only to make a horrifying discovery: His mother had been hiding his dad's corpse in the family's apartment for three years [...]
Sad testimonial of either greed, or how so many seniors are living below the poverty level.
Tony vs Paul A stop motion battle between two friends (youtube)
The Venus Project presents a bold, new direction for humanity that entails nothing less than the total redesign of our culture. [more inside]
Computers - 2000 "It dates back to before the birth of Christ and shows that the Ancient Greeks were 1,000 years ahead of their time."
The kind of indulgence which triggers all the soft spots of delicious wrongness in a way Reality just doesn't appreciate. Could it be Pirate Baby's Cabana Battle Street Fight 2006?
Wordie "Like Flickr, but without the photos."
Pencil collectors society (One of, American)
The pencil pages include fascinating articles and an amazing gallery of pencil pictures (including the world's largest. See also Leadholder for a fine collection of vintage ads and other drafting pencil stuff.
Microsoft Firefox
It's better now....
like seriously...
The Good News:
Jones Sodas will no longer contain high-fructose corn syrup.
The Bad News: Jones Sodas will continue to contain turkey and gravy.
Thank you, I'm here all week, tip your waitress and try the veal favored soda...
Pencils carved by Mizuta Tasogare and Kato Jado. And for something even tinier, toothpick carving.
November 29, 2006
A Turkey Trot to the Sound of Tuna
Big Black final tour diary, by Steve Albini
[more inside]
Listen! The FreeSoundProject is an amazing bounty of sound. Stressed out? Spend a moment in an evening forest. Bored? Run for shelter from a thunderstorm. Tired? Meditate to the sound of the awesome Tibetan throat chant. Each sound comes with a cool graph of the waveform. I'd post some more but i have to go answer the phone .
How's Your Boy?
(NewsFilter) Virginia Senator-elect Jim Webb recently declined to stand in a receiving line to meet President Bush. But President Bush sought him out. A testy exchange followed.
A sign of things to come?
[more inside]
Knowing me, knowing you... After years with only these guys to keep the faith, ABBA is set to open a museum in Stockholm. Australians -- book your flights now! [Flash-type links.][Keep exhibits away from open flame.]
Kofi Annan at Princeton. "Almost everyone in today’s world feels insecure, but not everyone feels insecure about the same thing... Probably the largest number would give priority to economic and social threats, including poverty, environmental degradation and infectious disease. Others might stress inter-State conflict; yet others internal conflict, including civil war. Many people – especially but not only in the developed world –- would now put terrorism at the top of their list... We need common global strategies to deal with all of them... The one area where there is a total lack of any common strategy is the one that may well present the greatest danger of all: the area of nuclear weapons."
AM FM not OK in UK Video may have killed the radio star, but the British communications regulators are considering killing AM and FM Radio. Somebody contact Elvis C. and Thomas D.
Vladimir Kramnik World Chess Champion releases enormous brain fart. (Ah, chess... The Immortal Game. Did you know that [t]here are some cultures, like the Taliban and when Khomeni ruled Iran, where chess in all its nuances is just too much for them, and they literally ban it. I think they understand intuitively that it's a sign of this complex, nuanced way of thinking.
November 28, 2006
Civil war declared in Iraq By NBC
The Queen Just saw Helen Mirren's superb turn as The Queen in the film of that name. I'm curious: how do those of you in the UK feel about this film, and its portrayal of the royals? [more inside]
International Breast Milk Project
From their site: We are a non-profit organization which supports promotion of nursing, distribution of banked milk, and creation of breast milk banks in Africa.
I stumbled upon the International Breast Milk Project this morning, as I was reading Putting Breast Milk to Good Use
Cigarettes: they're always a temptation, they're healthy, but they may cause deformity. [more inside]
Monkey Festival
A banquet has been held for monkeys in the small Thai town of Lopburi.
Hindu legend suggests that King Rama gave a monkey king ally fiefdom of the local area
Warning: Media Player required....
Rumpology, also known as butt reading, [more inside]
Ancient Chinese sex advice What to do if your "jade stalk" won't rise? The White Girl has the answers. [more inside]
November 27, 2006
Curious Annual Gift George It's that time of year again, and I'm feeling particularly lazy and want to try to do all of my shopping for far-away relatives online. Gimme your favorite online shopping links! NOW! [more inside]
Landings photographed as long exposure shots by Branislav Kropilak. Highways to heaven, anyone? [more inside]
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence "Sixteen days may, in the near-manic world of politics and media, seem a long time to expect people’s attention to one topic, but given the scale of the issue in hand, it is a relatively small demand – one we wish to make." [links preserved from original text] [more inside]
Maud Fontenoy, tough cookie. After rowing across the Atlantic solo, and then the Pacific last year, Maud is now doing something a little more 'sensible', by by putting down the oars and sailing around the world solo, southern hemisphere, against the prevailing winds. She's having regular contact every day with visitors to the Musee de la Marine in Paris, if you feel like having a chat before she rounds the Horn.
Making a Saint out of Peter - "In reaction to the runaway success of Marcion's Pauline Christianity, scribes in Rome concocted a sacred history to bolster their own claim to singular authority. Their chosen hero figure was Peter, 'first of the apostles.' Why did Rome need to make a saint out of Peter?"
What's hairy, hops, and is fun to say?
potoroos and bettongs and bilbies and numbats and quolls
Expact
"is an electronic catalogue of medieval and renaissance scientific instruments from four European museums."
[more inside]
Light To Unite
click on the link - light a virtual candle - donate a dollar to AIDS research (courtesy of Bristol-Myers Squibb)...
November 26, 2006
Chimpy has Checked Out - again. Dumbya, the idiot son of an asshole, has had a long history of failure & boneheaded mistakes - & his characteristic action after each is to simply.. walk away. Josh Marshall opines that Clusterfuck McAwol has "checked out of the stumbling national crisis we know as 'Iraq'". [more inside]
2000-2004: The Ten Largest Food Poisoning Outbreaks
Here are the 10 largest food-poisoning outbreaks reported to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from Jan. 1, 2000, to Dec. 31, 2004, according to a Scripps Howard News Service study of federal outbreak records. A total of 7,840 adults and children got sick or died. And of course the CDC link devoted to food poisoning.
The Top 20; a celebration of the first five years of the Very Large Telescope. [more inside]
Do it yourself cartoon kit (a short cartoon from 1961) - youtube
November 25, 2006
Sumo movies (Windows Media, though the older ones are in Real) [more inside]
Art Face Off A grassroots project bringing democracy to the world of art. [more inside]
The Mt Wilson 100 inch primary stripped of its reflective coating. Poured in sections, bubbles of air were trapped in swirls and waves, many very close to the polished surface. Edwin Hubble used this telescope to show that our galaxy was not the whole universe.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade circa 1932 (approximately).
1,000 Picture links to places that figure in the lives and writings of famous authors
It either bites, stings, hops, or baaas
Australia has some wicked strange animals. They can be divided into three categories: poisonous, odd, and sheep.
Whether it's under water or in your boot, slithering, flightless, or swimming, Australia has some nastys.
And then there's the plant life.
[more inside]
Homosexuality and the right.
One Republican's take on the advocation of And Tango Makes Three in Shiloh Elementary School, Shiloh, Illinois.
[more inside]
Silverfish! Adults can hang around for 2 or 3 years, EATING UR BOOKS. [more inside]
November 24, 2006
Had any lately ? There should be a few freaky ones around MoFi, or are there?
The worst-designed webpage. ever. And I dare you challenge my claim.
And I dare you disprove my claim.
Ten outsider artists (Flash)
Falling down Remember that busload of kids that pitched off an overpass in Huntsville, Alabama? Four of them died, and now the Westboro Baptist Church is picketing their funerals today (Friday). Although Phelps' minions will be kept two blocks from the services, the local Unitarian Universalist church will try to deal with them peacefully by accepting pledges for every hour that Phelps is out there. [more inside]
November 23, 2006
The police appear to have trouble finding recruits who have interests other than beating the shit out of anything that moves. [more inside]
New technology catches Hitler off guard "I understand you didn't like the movie last night," he says. "I know what you want. You want Gone with the Wind." [more inside]
November 22, 2006
Big Stranger Rodeo
For those of us who weren't exposed to this UK telly show, here's a (YouTube, yep) look at the fine art of leaping onto the backs of humans and hanging on for dear life.
Don't click, GramMa!
[more inside]
I'll wash your mouth out with "Stephanie"... Say "hand me the screwdriver" to a lexical-gustatory synesthete, and his mouth may be filled with the taste of strawberry ice cream. Lucky bastards. [more inside]
What's your favorite watering hole? Link to a real watering hole. In Africa. Live. With video and sound. And real animals. Best viewing times are dusk and dawn, Africa time (I think it's +7 hours from CST). via
Visionary Film Maker Robert Altman Dead at 81 [more inside]
Curious, George: Writing shower invites: I need help with "touchy" bridal shower invitation wording. [more inside]
"One" a la Bank of America. [YouTube] Recorded live at a Bank of America seminar: Two guys in ties turn U2's song into an homage to a corporate merger. [more inside]
Corset of steel Talented man makes metal corset for elegant friend. She includes pictures of antique steel corsets on here. [more inside]
The Uncoscious Art of Demolition showcases the best in the architecture of absence, ghost buildings and demolition patchwork. Originally inspired by the work of Jose Antonio Millan.
Most requested songs at funerals. What would you want played at your funeral?
SkyMaul: Happy Crap You Can Buy From a Plane
Enjoy Your Thanksgiving Travails Travels.
[more inside]
What if Stan Lee worked for Jack Chick? Excelsior!!!
Jonathon Rowe muses on the Romantic naivety of Milton Friedman. Amidst a plethora of discussion of the intellectual legacy of Milton Friedman, Rowe throws a light upon what is perceived as realistic and hardheaded amongst economists by taking a look at his encounters with the person of Milton Friedman.
November 21, 2006
Ads with comments. For those that mute/fast forward ads and wonder if they missed something. [more inside]
The Cat Came Back (excellent short cartoon) [more inside]
My favorite photoblog. Curious George: Do you have a favorite photoblog, too? [more inside]
East Village style in the 80's: interview and photo gallery. "On The Street" was a photo-column by Amy Arbus that ran in the Village Voice during the 80's. Here is a brief interview with her and a sample of some of her photographs. Journey back to the time when leggings, asymmetrical haircuts and skinny pants were new and exciting. [more inside]
Curious George: Birthday Gift for a 12 year-old What to get a horse-loving 12-year-old skater girl who's been through a trainwreck? [more inside]
John Pilger "There is no War on Terrorism; it is the great game speeded up. The difference is the rampant nature of the superpower, ensuring infinite dangers for us all." [more inside]
someone is trying to tell you something.
they don't know you, and it doesn't matter. they say it anyway, writing on the city itself, because the message is important.
and so we're listening.
what's your city saying?
Curious George: What should I do in life? I have a bachelor's in industrial design, which seemed like a good choice since I love creative thinking. Surprise! Design involves very little creative thinking in practice (or in theory). I have no idea what I should pursue in terms of self-education or graduate programs or work. [more inside]
No hobbitses for you says New Line to Peter Jackson. [more inside]
Tacky beach towns
I’ve always loved them, and regret that they’re being up-scaled, at least in California. In the 1940s and 50s, Santa Monica had its Muscle Beach and a small pier,, with it’s merrygoround, separated by a boardwalk with hot dog stands, curio shops and small wood frame beach houses. Now, it’s prime real estate.
[more inside]
Curious George: Automatons? Is it possible there are automatons among us? (Grab a Sam Adams and click "[more inside]")... [more inside]
Comedian Michael Richards loses it. I hesitated posting this here, because by now you've probably all heard about it and can get your fill of it elsewhere, plus the ensuing discussion is bound to get contentious, but I would like to see how Monkeys weigh in on this. [more inside]
November 20, 2006
Bloggers can't be sued The California Supreme Court ruled Monday that bloggers and participants in Internet bulletin board groups cannot be sued for posting defamatory statements made by others.
How to eat a banana. Mindful eating in the CAMP system aims to restore balance and harmony with what you eat. [more inside]
An Audi S4, some blue painters tape, mix in some Americana...what could happen? (last link photo heavy)
Moon Bear rescue.
Moon bears, aka Asiatic Black Bears, are held in truly appalling conditions in 'farms' in China for their bile, used in traditional medicine.
[more inside]
What were the Americas like before Columbus arrived? According to 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, a recent book (itself an expanded version of the Atlantic article in the first link), they had a much bigger Native American population than the standard story tells us, they had been populated for way longer than the 12,000 years the standard story holds is the case, and those people had developed cultures that were way more advanced than the standard story says. Here is an interview with the author, Charles C. Mann. Here is a review of the book.
Curious George: Articles on Widescreen Vs Fullscreen I need to write a speech on why widescreen is better than fullscreen and need help! [more inside]
November 19, 2006
The First Annual Solstice Synchronized Global Orgasm for Peace Hey, you never know. I certainly plan to do my part.
Monkey Goodness from Adobe Creative Suite (Warning: Flash, broadband, trying to get you to buy their stuff). Not sure if it does a very good job of describing their products, but a dang cute monkey...
“V” Makes A Mark In DC. As promised a week earlier, on Tuesday, November 14, 2006, nearly 100 men and women in “V” masks and clothing arrived at the White House and other government buildings to receive a response to the People’s Petitions for Redress of Grievances. There was no response from the powers that be, but there are some great photos. [Via.]
Central Asia travelogues. Forget about the fictional home of Borat (no links, find your own), this is about the real countries of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as seen through the eyes of random web people. [more inside]
Explore of the Forum Antiquum of the University of Pennsylvania. "a 'gateway' site providing easy access to hundreds of internet resources related to the study of the ancient Mediterranean world (between ca. 5,000 B.C.E. to ca. 1500 C.E.)." [more inside]
Where are my BIG TITS? - I used to have, it seems only a short while ago, a pair of huge big tits. I look in my collection of big tits right now and find one old flappy bap and a flaccid, dry, crinkly nipple that I certainly never downloaded. And I still can't think of something to post, yet I desire attention, immediately. Only Monkeyfucktitpussy can help. [more inside]
Fisting and God's Will Plunging into sex-positive Christianity: "My love thrust his hand through the opening, and my feelings were stirred for him. (Song of Solomon 5:2-4)" [more inside]
Henry Darger He's been mentioned in comments, but we have never really talked about this sad proponent of outsider art. [more inside]
Mortality and epidemiological methodology
-- Most of us have heard of the 2004 Lancet study which had estimated mortality in Iraq following the start of the war; this has recently been updated with a new study (Full article in PDF). Following on the criticism and defence of the original study, This American Life dedicated most of a program, What's in a number? 2006 edition to talking about the study and the methodology (including an interview with one of the authors).
(via homunculus, Wolof and the Monkeyfilter comment archives)
[more inside]
Confessions of a Bookplate Junkie
Subtle Crocheted Crafts (NSFW) I'm not sure which I found more amusing, the birth control cozy or the least subtle tampon case...
Bush a Grauniad reader although, sadly, not a regular.
November 18, 2006
Foley: 'It's Just Been a Real Hard Time'
when talking to reporters goes horribly wrong.
Curious George: Fake Blogs
I use Google Alerts to be on the lookout for a variety of terms that help me track public mention of certain topics that are of interest to a couple of my clients. Recently I have been getting hits on spam blogs; blogs that are filled with random phrases that apparently are just out there to snare traffic. I'd link to a few here, but then the terrorists would win.
[more inside]
Advice for the aspiring corporate wife.
If only Kevin Federline had seen this article, maybe the marriage would have lasted.
[more inside]
Fecal Breach in Hot Tub
So we were sitting there, chatting it up in the hot tub, when suddenly...
Oh, and not to be confused with the uber-famous and so TOTALLY NSFW Tub Girl. I'm sure not even a TicTac will get the taste out of her mouth...
Life's Rocky with Raccoons ... trying to eat your best friend.
Space Patrol Official Handbook
Long Horses Hardy Burmeier has extensively documented the now extinct long horses, capable of carrying up to four men on their backs and of spectacular acrobatic feats.
The power of the sun in our hands Could it be that we are on to an endless source of cheap electrical power? Should Google invest? Will the US government take it's collective dick out of the oil industry's arse? [more inside]
Boys beware! No matter where you meet a stranger, be careful they are not too friendly. You never know when the homosexual is about.
November 17, 2006
Bush Goes to Vietnam
The president said there was much to be learned from the Vietnam War -- the longest conflict in U.S. history -- as his administration contemplates new strategies for the war in Iraq, now in its fourth year.
"My first reaction is history has a long march to it" Bush said.
Bush, Vietnam, Iraq, Vietnam, Bush, Quagmire, Bush
[more inside]
World Monuments Fund is accepting nominations for its List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. Know of an endangered cultural heritage site anywhere in the world? Nominate it! (.doc)
Late Night Leonids May Disappoint
This years Leonid meteor shower may not be all that great, science tells us. And it peaks at 5am.
[more inside]
Ferenc Puskas, The Galloping Major, has died at 79. He was one of the greatest footballers (youtube) of all time. Here's another obituary, with an audio link to Tom Finney paying tribute.
The reactable is a state-of-the-art multi-user electro-acoustic music instrument with a tabletop tangible user interface. Read: the coolest thing ever and I want one. (youtube vid)
Cats that bark; Dogs that meow?
Brazilian student Cassia Aparecida de Souza, 18, claims her cat's offspring has been born with dog traits last Friday, three months after mating with a neighbour's dog in the Brazilian city of Passo Fundo. [...] And on a trans-species procreation note: Mythology expert, Candidate of historical sciences Alexander Guryev says that animal men were the result of buggery, sex contacts between men and animals, which were quite typical of the ancient epochs. The expert adds that many people believed that they descended from animals: Tibetans believed they descended from monkeys, Hindu believed that horses were their ancestors and people in Thailand thought they descended from the dog.
Why Thinking Matters
Does thinking still make a difference to Americans? Don’t say "Yes" automatically. There are some very powerful indications that thinking has not only been devalued but is actually seen as a kind of nuisance....
From Robert Grudin's new book "American Vulgar."
November 16, 2006
White New Zealanders, have you ever stopped to ask yourself "Who am I?", "What is my identity?", "What defines who I am?", "What words and symbols do I feel comfortable associating with myself?". For White New Zealanders, those can be hard questions to answer sometimes. What is the basis of our identity? What does "Pakeha" mean? Does it just mean "White person living in New Zealand"? Anything else? Anything special about that anyway? What symbols do we have? What do we call ourselves?
Friedman Is Dead @ 94 Both a Revolutionary Economist and a Libertarian Campaginer, he advocated the decriminalzation of prostituion and drugs. He also worked towards the cessation of the draft in the 1970's [more inside]
Comics I Don't Understand - a site trying to figure out the funny. Look here for responses to strips people didn't "get".
Curious George: Why is my energy so fickle? My gas tank is empty, and I don't know why. [more inside]
Necro-Beastiality in the News A man is accused of having sex with the carcass of a deer that he found lying beside the road – but his lawyer denies that he committed bestiality, on the grounds that a dead deer isn't an animal any more. And while on the topic of neco-beastiality: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=22746&in_page_id=2
Girls read comics (and they're pissed). Someone's working on improving female depictions in comic books. Hoo-bloody-ray!
It’s all one big happy circle of misogyny! Feminist criticism and activism seeks to break the cycle, raise awareness, and promote the idea that human females are real people, not f**kholes and baby machines. This extends to their fictional representation in anything, including comics.Karen Healey is the "shrill harpy" who is working to change the industry.
Curious George: The Dish that Passeth Understanding What does everybody know you're bringing this year? [more inside]
November 15, 2006
Aging: These days, we're bigger, smarter, and living longer. Aging isn't just about your genes. It's also about things like diet. And as the cliche goes, You're only as old as you think you are. Take a quiz to determine your life expectancy. If you're unhappy with the result, get some tips from 100-year-olds on how to live longer.
Conservation: Technology would heat mansion using energy from waste pipes How many toilet flushes does it take to power a light bulb? Salt Lake City is embarking on a pilot project that would heat and cool a private business by using water warmed and chilled by a sewer line.
My Half-Year of Hell With Christian Fundamentalists. So, you're a Polish exchange student. Here's what greets you when you step off the plane: 'Child, our Lord sent you half-way around the world to bring you to us.'
RIP ODB Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004). It would be his Birthday today. [more inside]
New Island in Tonga as seen by satellite. Also seen at sea level by a passing yacht. [more inside]
UC Berkeley Study Finds Web only 1% Pronography [more inside]
If I did it, here's how it happened Look who can't stop himself bragging.
Real life sentry gun robot. (With video). Just like in Aliens! (YouTube). [more inside]
Combat colouring book for Chinese kids. Lots of young'uns still like to play war, but do they really need to learn how to draw a silenced handgun or a mobile rocket array? Full Flickr set
Wha... Hippies asking interesting questions?
I googled "nunc fluens" (which is not yet on Dictionary.com or Wiktionary.com because it is from... some... old... language... French?), and this led me to weirdness galore.
[more inside]
Curi-ouch! George Previously Experienced Wrecked Monkeys Wanted [more inside]
Spread the Net A Canadian comedian/actor and a Canadian politician went to Africa with Dr. Jeffrey Sachs. They discovered that 3,000 children a day die of malaria, and a $10 mosquito net can protect 2-3 kids for up to 5 years. As Rick says, we can all get behind the war on mosquitos, and Spread the Net aims to do just that.
Some people look clapped out at 25... A "guess the age" quiz from the BBC Channel Four show, 10 Years Younger. Tougher than you'd think.
Vintage lesbian paperback artwork from the '50s and '60s. (NSFW.)
November 14, 2006
Battery-Powered Jesus Rejected! . . as an appropriate toy by the excellent Toys for Tots organization. [more inside]
Is there a secret meaning to your name? Surnames (last name) can be found there as well. Apparently, my ancestors were not born serfs or slaves. So, what's the secret meaning of your name? [more inside]
World Usability Day - - That's right monkeys, its time to make use of yourself. . .
New York City has plans to allow people to choose their gender. [more inside]
OMENTUM URL is to page on Oprah's site which is devoted to the show wherein Dr. Oz says there's an organ inside all of us that plays a key role in making us fat—the omentum. "This organ literally pumps chemicals into your body and it holds the secrets … to los[ing] weight."
Thanks For the Mammaries We all know how scatterbrained breast-feeding mothers can be. Now they don't have to remember which breast their infant suckled at last! [more inside]
Driver distraction. With a tiger, no less. Tiger pelt rugs! (Not really, but quite lovely.) [more inside]
Can you teach a gorilla to be a gorilla? This woman is a gorilla mentor in a zoo. But, she doesn't bite toenails.
Visual Recipes - recipes with step-by-step photos, contributed by the site members. (They take requests for specific recipes in their forum, too.)
Pictures from Reuters, some of five hundred on the 'state of the world'. Here's Reuters' 2006 award winners (some overlap).
Christiania
, Denmark is an "unparalleled example of human entrepreneurship and innovative spirit." Since it was founded in 1971 it has had controversies, usually involving its liberal attitude to soft drugs, leading to opposition and ultimately, regulation.
I saw this on BBC news and wondered if Monkeys had ever heard of it.
An old favorite - mostly because I don't want to work hard to post today.
On terrorism. New York Review of Books piece on teh terra. Good reading. One of the books cited in the piece, on the response of Iraqis to the war in Iraq: "They find the claims that the United States is occupying Iraq to defend New York and deploying an army to import democracy to be so implausible that they do not believe them. Instead, they believe the claims of those who say the US Army is a self-interested army of occupation interested only in dominating the region and exploiting its oil wealth... In effect, they find al-Qaeda's propaganda more credible than ours." [more inside]
What? No Mongolian Milk Vodka!?
22 things you can't get in the U.S.
Thank God.
BARFWorld. Actually, it probably is what you think. And it includes the BARF Diet!
Hi tech T-shirt really rocks It's called the WIS - the Wearable Instrument Shirt - and it is tipped to make the air guitar as obsolete as the horse and cart.
China sub stalked U.S. fleet - A Chinese submarine stalked a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in the Pacific last month and surfaced within firing range of its torpedoes and missiles before being detected.
November 13, 2006
Astroturfing Health Budgets Russell Brown's piece tying together how drug companies prey on cancer patients with fake grassroots campaigns to peddle low-effect, high-price treatments.
Good day, Mr. Kubrick... Meet Brian Atene, a remarkably self-assured young man auditioning for Full Metal Jacket. Fast forward a couple decades, and meet him again, if it is indeed him. [YouTubey, Wiki goodness] [more inside]
Games 4 Girls - "...show the boys what the girls can do!" (via girl_gamers)
Sock-sorting It's been too long since we've had any sock-related posts. Sort 'em here. Sort of via Mefi.
"Where is your personal radiation detector when you really need it? On your wrist!" "We live in a world where radiation is a reality. People want to have the ability to measure it for themselves and they want to be notified when the radiation levels increase." From the FAQ, there's this wise advice about dose rates. "Dose Rate: 1000 uSv/h. Possible Cause: Near high-grade uranium ore. Action: Members of the public should not be here". [more inside]
Bawdy and entertaining, popular among Ozzies and Kiwis, not as many members as MetaFilter -- it's La Clique! Yo, Math Owie, I got yer clique right here, pal.
The lost sheep Baa! Baa! [more inside]
A question about MoFi bookmark icon [more inside]
"In other news: you can expect to see a few pictures leaked if you film your TV show right outside a newspaper office." [more inside]
November 12, 2006
Kiwi (lovely short cartoon - youtube)
Heart patients assigned to a waltz regimen do better than those doing other forms of exercise. [more inside]
Curious George: the future of Iraq. Inspired by this FPP about what's happened to Vietnam since the war there ended in the 1970s, I'm wondering what people think is going to happen in Iraq and more broadly in the Middle East in coming months and years. Go ahead. Make a prediction. Then we'll have record of just how prescient or not we really are.
Mesostomatic Generator
Christmas has come early again. A mesotic is a form of poetry introduced by John Cage. A mesostic is a poem or other text written such that a vertical phrase intersects lines of horizontal text. Similar to an acrostic, but with the vertical phrase intersecting the middle of the line, as opposed to beginning each new line.
With this generator, enter the Mesotic text and the site on which you want the generator to gather words.
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Whatever happened to Monkey Coconut Pickers?
Also: pigeons are teh smRt, say eggheads
Was departure the secret weapon that guaranteed victory?
WTO admission. Market Economy. Intel places its largest facility here. World's second largest coffee exporter. Tourism destination. French/Asian cuisine. CIA Overview.
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Evolution of a Magazine Masthead: From 1930 to the present day, the changing face of Analog: Science Fiction/Science Fact. [more inside]
Speak 10 languages instantly Remember Leia's "translator device" in Jabba's palace? This was to become a reality in the near future thanks to advances in machine translation and voice recognition technology. Well, looks like Skype beat them to it (well, sort of). [more inside]
Whatever happened to Coffee Filter and Coffee Talk? These are so beautiful. I am all verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves. [more inside]
Missile Game 3D. Clean design, nice idea. A bit frustrating, but fun for a while. Via ABS.
The Prajna Paramita Hrydaya Sutra One of the shortest, simplest and yet most profound of the Buddhist Sutras. I know several Buddhists who claim that chanting this Sutra has helped them in tangible ways. [more inside]
Whatever happened to Metafilter? [more inside]
Soldat, La Patrie compte sur toi
Soldier, the fatherland is counting on you, keep all your strength for it ... Resist the seductions of the street, where this disease which is as dangerous as the war lies in wait for you ... it leads its victims into decadence and useless death without happiness ...
Public health posters
Fear and Loathing in Mos Eisley [more inside]
What's a vote worth? Extremely rare "Inverted Jenny" stamp used to mail absentee ballot in Fla. Only 100 exist, and the one used could be sold for $500K. I wonder if it was someone who really valued being part of the electoral process, or someone who had no idea what they had done...
Whatever happened to monkeyfilter? asks mathowie on MetaTalk.
November 11, 2006
In 1895 in Co.Tipperary Michael Cleary began to believe that his wife was in fact a changeling.
This is sorta cool. though isn't it? I don't know how you feel about digg, or if this is stale. Forgive thee please the noob if that I transgress.
Short youtube video in response to that whole Michael J Fox/Rush Limbaugh thing. It is basically just a two minute video of people with Parkinson's Disease showing the way the disease and its treatment affect movement/appearance differently. It's a pretty simple video, but I found it quite powerful.
Rude, Rude, Wherever I Go [more inside]
The Illustrated History of Folding Chairs (via)
November 10, 2006
PC World's 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time [more inside]
"Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock?" That's what Teri Horton said in response to an art teacher who had just seen the painting she purchased for $5 at a thrift shop.
Library and Archival Exhibits on the Web
"Explore the rich variety of topics, images, and materials featured in online exhibitions from libraries, archives, historical societies, and museums around the world."
Browse by country, institution or alphabetically.
Some recent additions.
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This is rubbish. Wikipedia rejects.
Hijras,
or eunuchs are to be used by Indian tax authorities to collect debts.
The hiras can be pretty scary, and claim the power to curse or bless. Pictures.
Bus Stop Shelters in Ukraine
"Some are frescoed, some are etched, some are tiled mosaics -- all are beautiful. Most have fallen into a state of disrepair because the local governments can no longer afford to maintain them." via
This is what the Internets were invented for.
Brian Wilson 1966 Limited Edition Action Figure (Svengali Shrink Action Figure sold separately)
Curious George: unscrupulous online seller. Have you been stung by an internet purchase? Is there any hope of chasing this cyberwretch? [more inside]
November 09, 2006
Dr. Crippen is angry. This British doctor chronicles how he feels the Labour government is destroying the National Heath Service, through mismanagement, incompentence, and short-sighted stupidity. [more inside]
A Cold Night In Workington.
A man seeks solace in the local bar. But No! A Pubwatch scheme has identified the man as a troublemaker. A lout! A common drunk-and-disorderly. What does one man have to do to get a beer in this lousy town?? That's right . . .
Fart Spray.
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The Secret of Bread Making. Yes, indeed, here it is. Great bread without needing to knead. Or kneading to need. Whatever. Go nuts, you bread-baking monkeys. Or if you don't like nuts put some raisins in there. There is no rhyme or raisin when it comes to bread loooooooove. For those in a rush: the recipe.
Joseph "Le Petomane" Pujol, the Fartiste. A 19th century Frenchman with "a gift that...[made] him the toast of Paris and one of the most popular and successful performers of his generation." View a clip from a recent film about him here, and a short film about him from 1979 (starring Leonard Rossiter) here. [more inside]
Dennis the Menace meets Fight Club.
Text-speak on exams. Scottish authorities OK answers written in text, 'as long as the basic idea is expressed.' Examiners in New Zealand may or may not, depending. Researchers at Coventry University say texting actually improves spelling skills. [more inside]
How to unblock a toilet with Winona Ryder's plainer and less successful sister. Video thingy plays straight away. via
Gertie the Dinosaur.
{warning: long Google video}. An animated movie by Winsor Mccay, creator of Little Nemo.
More Mccay animations.
It's been a long time since I posted a FPP. Sorry if this is a repeat, or just not up to snuff.
Rumsfeld's Rules (.pdf) In 1974, then-White House Chief of Staff Donald Rumsfeld compiled a handbook with advice for incoming White House staffers, which is still passed on to Washington newcomers of both parties. HTML link
November 08, 2006
Soup Heaven. For lunch today, I had Pho the Vietnamese beef noodle soup that costs so little but is so, so good. Ask for the extra large, and you'll have a bathtub of soup. Ask for rare beef, well cooked beef, tripe, shank, beef balls (don't ask) or whatever variant suits you. The best!
Tonight on "The Decider": Rumsfeld Out! Yes senseless war fans, the latest episode of "The Decider" has our fearless POTUS announcing the resignation of Donny Rumsfeld, as Secretary of The Worst Managed War Ever, despite saying the opposite last week. [more inside]
Rumsfeld Resigning! No more words are needed...
Guess the logo (flaaaaash)
Microsoft offers free domain names and web hosting.
Microsoft ups the web-hosting ante by throwing free domain names into the mix. From the website: "features include - personalized business domain name, easy-to-use design tools, 5 business e-mail accounts, Web site traffic reports". 30Mb storage, 10Gb bandwidth. Check out the FAQ
Intellectual Property and the Ultimate One Hit Wonder
Dukakis In A Tank As the votes are counted from todays USA mid-term elections, and inspired by this Simpsons episode, why not take a moment to remember how a single photo-op can affect a campaign. [more inside]
November 07, 2006
The site Quick Muse done lit the fuse. It's flexy, it's crammin', it's elision, it's punctuation and hoo diggity. That's fleet erudition to me. Via. (Also, no apologies to Steven Tyler.)
Jim Kalb's Palindrome Connection
Palindromes
a little linguistic limberness, you monkeys may be able to get your simian brain around, and distract you from the election. Here is some previous monkey chatter on the subject.
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Variations on the Baritone Horn and the Euphonium
Walken to play Ozzy!!! W. T. F
Gods of Japan A photo library and dictionary with emphasis on Japanese Buddhism and Shintoism. [more inside]
Okay, so first of all, the Duchess of York has a weblog. Yes. She really, really does. And if that isn't amusing (it isn't, it's mostly a little disturbing), then be amused by the brilliant use of tags on the Amazon page for Kevin Federline's new album. I hear the reviews are also amusing, in an igry sort of way.
Pronto Condoms When you absolutely, positively must have safe sex immediately.
US Monkeys: Don't Forget to Vote! Here are 5 things you need to know on voting day (.pdf link). Here's information about how or where to vote, what to do if you have trouble voting, and information about your local candidates. [more inside]
November 06, 2006
Crissy Moran [NSFW] after losing her boyfriend and suffering a "mini stroke" turns her life back to God. Succinct and provocative, the story of her life [SFW] is written as explanation to her fans. [more inside]
WWII Focke-Wulf Fw 190 wreck discovered off Norway - colour pictures of the recovery. This kite hit the drink off Bergen in Norway on 15 December 1943, only to return to the surface on November 2nd 2006. The pilot apparently survived the crash. Verblüffen! [more inside]
Curious, George: Birthday Theme Help me pick a theme for my 25th Birthday [more inside]
Historical Fiction: How do medieval-themed restaurants get it [so] wrong? via Steve.
About Those Dimples ... Helpful measures for wine-bibbers. [more inside]
Radio Expedition Into Ancient Egyptian Garbage What would you expect to find among the papyrii that were discovered in an ancient Egyptian landfill? Can you say Porn? What about alternative interpretations of the Bible (The number of the beast isn't 666, btw, ymmv). This downloadable radio show (available in whole or in part) is an entertaining listen, and you just might learn something. Like what ancient porn sounds like.
The Cat's House. And you thought your cat ruled the roost...
Octopus: Genius of the deep - New research has shown that octopuses and their relatives, the goat, are far more intelligent than previously thought. Proposals are being drawn up in the EU to offer octopuses and their kind the same protection in laboratories as monkeys. [more inside]
Abu Kahleel is an Iraqi blogger that I've linked to before. He has another blog which is more political: called Iraqi Letters. [more inside]
Sushi, a japanese tradition.
Japanese Culture Lab documents the rich traditions of Japan.
[VIA transbuddha.com]
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The Most Dangerous Game -- It was banned before the turn of the century, but the devotion of a rebellious people continue to carry on its deadly traditions. Will the practice ever be banished completely, or will some rogue nation be bold enough to bring it back? [more inside]
Curious George: The Dwindling... Comparison of the number of threads posted on MoFi in the past week with those posted on the same dates back in 2004: [more inside]
November 05, 2006
radio free #mofirc - celebrating one month on the air! We're playing 24 hours of '80s fantabulousness tomorrow - all day Monday starting at midnight EST. Tune in, enjoy, and perhaps stop by to say hi!
Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead ....Saddama nd Half Brother sentenced to death by hanging. [more inside]
Catholics attempt pagan purge in Glastonbury, armed with condiments and foul language. [more inside]
November 04, 2006
God is among the missing. Mary, with the help of demons, cast him out of heaven. "If you wake at night and see her," a ten-year-old says softly, "her clothes be blowing back, even in a room where there is no wind. And you know she's marked you for killing." [more inside]
The Devil is calling the heater repairman. When the military is losing confidence in your ability to lead, when the neocons basically call you incompetent, your allies are losing faith and the polls seem to show people believe the war was a mistake, do you think your kung-fu will save you? [more inside]
Jump n Run game like Sonic This is a perfect Sonic the Hedgehog clone! But don't collect snacks because then you'll get fat...
Jump n Run game like Sonic This is a perfect Sonic the Hedgehog clone! But don't collect snacks because then you'll get fat...
Did Neanderthals and Early Modern humans get it together?
"Hybrid" fossils in Romania add to story of ancient human pairings. Previous possible hybrids have been found Portugal and the Czech Republic.
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Office Goldberg. Elaborate contraption in the workplace. Beats filling in TPS reports. Via ABS.
November 03, 2006
GoodNewsFilter: Rescued Horses.
100 Dutch horses trapped by flooding outside the dikes around Marrum in Friesland have been rescued by GranMa-type heroes.
Horsies happy now.
'Only 50 Years Left' for Sea Fish
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Curious George: Earmarking Savings? Do monkeys know of any way to reserve or 'earmark' a portion of a savings or current/checking account for a particular purpose? Apart from setting up multiple accounts, of course. [more inside]
Forty years ago today, the rains which flooded the city of Florence began. The Angeli del Fango came to save the city. Some say it's still not safe.
The Kissing Prank SFW if you don't laugh too loud.
November 02, 2006
Knots. So do you know how to tie a Bowline? How about the 14-step Munter Mule? Or bunny ears?. Over 75 knots and how to tie them. Knots for climbing, boating, search and rescue. With cool animations you can actually follow. But before you get carried away, remember the nasty truth about knots.
Army Spc kills herself rather than torture. An Army investigation has determined that Army Spc. Alyssa Peterson committed suicide after refusing to participate in torture. [more inside]
Where'd go my Lego?
I don't want to alarm anyone, nor start off some kind of panic -- but -- perhaps you should be sitting down. OK. Breathe deeply. You good? Allright, then.
There may not be enough Lego for Christmas this year...
Curious George: Cryptic Crosswords? British Riddles? I'm looking for some active online discussion boards focusing on cryptic crosswords or otherwise arcane riddles. [more inside]
Duck and Cover, Comrade: 1950's-era Polish Civil Defense film strip. [more inside]
Curious George: Why is Human Cloning a Bad Thing?
A new ocean is forming in the Afar region of Ethiopia, thanks to a veritable earthquake swarm.
Tal Cohen's Bookshelf: A Collection of Personal Opinions About Books. [more inside]
Confused George: Probability Problem
Let's say you see a taxi sideswipe a car late at night. It's a hit and run. The taxi was blue. At least you're pretty sure it was blue...
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November 01, 2006
Desert Eagle on Ebay "Bidding starts at 11,000,000 or roughly the hourly cost of the Iraq war according to the Congressional Budget Office report of July 13, 2006."
The US obeyed an order from the Iraqi PM to withdraw from checkpoints around Sadr City in Iraq yesterday. Sadr City is controlled by the Mahdi Army militia run by radical anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The checkpoints were established last week as part of a search for a missing soldier, kidnapped by the militia and held in the city. The Iraqi PM told the US to scram, and our bold leaders acquiesced without a fight, abandoning one of our own. [more inside]
Vernon Robinson for Congress The most over the top ad ever. Anti-Gay? Check. Anti-Immigrant? Check. Anti-Black single parents? Check. Anti-Separation of Church and State? Check. Anti-Flag Burning (a pointless act, if ever there was one). Yes, American, Vernon Robinson has it all!
Curious George: There are those who say there is no God
I ask you. As one human to another.
Convince me there is a God.
PW Botha Gets the Gas Face.*
*In this case, "gets the gas face" is code for "has died".
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