I really, really do love terrible brand extensions, in much the same way that I love Family Feud, Charo, and Pringles Extreme Screamin' Dill Pickle. I am not ashamed to admit any of this.
Anyway, this was originally going to be a post that was strictly about my favorite terrible brand extensions, but then it somehow got away from me and turned into a post about various dumb products that I think are actually ingenious.
My Favorite Terrible Brand Extensions Which Are So Fabulously Horrible They Make Me Hurl
BIC Perfumes
According to this site, these are still available in Tehran.
Girls Gone Wild Apparel
What really clinches this for me as fantastically terrible is this quote from the creator, Joe Francis: "[T]here's a little Girls Gone Wild in every woman and our clothing line helps them to express that."
Play-Doh Perfume
::hurl::
Cheetos Lip Balm
For the oh-so-kissable gal.
Hello Kitty Beer
Hello Kitty Retainers
Helly Kitty Frozen Beef Patties
Hello Kitty Motor Oil
Hello Kitty Men's Briefs
Hello Kitty Vibrator
Hello Kitty Tooth Caps
Hello Kitty Burqa
I truly could not make any of this stuff up. I may be scarred for life.
From the Department of Surprisingly Useful Gag Gifts
White Castle Candles
This sounds truly delicious to me. If you've actually smelled this before, let me know how it compares to the real stuff.
Urine Sample Candy
A stupendous way to freak out people you don't want hanging around anyway.
Squeez Bacon
Now you can have the deliciousness of bacon without the smelliness of frying it up yourself. Anybody try this in a BBQ sauce recipe yet?
Baby Mops
If/when I have a child, I'm seriously putting them in this 24/7. Almost as brilliant as Swiffer Sleepers.
ESSLACK Spray-Can Metallic Food Coloring
The brilliance of this is self-evident. Bling up your salads, burritos, spaghetti, etc.
Emergency Yodel Button
I'm one of those non-Teutonic oddballs who genuinely enjoys yodeling. I'd actually use this rather often.
Freeloader Fork
There've been times I've been dining with folks who let me sample their food, but they were sitting rather far away and we all had to engage in some uncomfortable leaning, climbing on the table, passing a single fork along with a sample on it, and so forth. This device truly takes care of this issue once and for all.
Illuminated Jeweler's Loupe Eyeglasses
If I were a craftsperson who did detailed work, I'd probably use these every day.
Skin Art Bandages
For simultaneously protecting scrapes and trying out a tattoo you're too chicken to actually get.
U/V Spy Pen
It's an idea that's been around forever, and it's still brilliant.
Wall Street Guru Ball
I've taken an introductory finance course, and it turns out that finance is truly this arbitrary. The only thing better than this ball for deciding your stock portfolio is having a monkey throw darts at the Wall Street Journal every morning.
World's Largest Tweezers
For those who need idiot-proof chopsticks.
Rain Drum Umbrella
I'm truly curious to know what this sounds like, as well as how irritating it gets after a while. This could be amazing as portable performance art.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
candy cures your spine?
CNN: Same blue dye in M&Ms linked to reducing spine injury
No way. No way no way no WAY no way.
Awesome.
No way. No way no way no WAY no way.
Awesome.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
That Scott Adams is such a card
Did you see this Dilbert strip?
http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-05-10/
I laughed uproariously, then got seriously depressed. Then laughed again. Then moped again. Thanks, Dad, for sending this to me and ruining my day.
On the plus side: garden car!
http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-05-10/
I laughed uproariously, then got seriously depressed. Then laughed again. Then moped again. Thanks, Dad, for sending this to me and ruining my day.
On the plus side: garden car!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Join me at Mindshare, May 21!
So, here's the latest email I've received from the madcap folks behind Mindshare:
We're excited to announce the program for next Thursday at 1018 Gallery!I'll be there at 7 to help set up, who else is coming?
http://www.mindshare.la/events.html
William Pomerantz / Senior Director of Space Projects, The X PRIZE Foundation
Winning Our Way to the Moon
Heather Knight / Roboticist, MIT Media Lab
Social Robotics - Exploring the Human-Robot Relationships
David de Rothschild / Founder, Adventure Ecology
The Plastiki - Rethinking Plastic as a Resource!
Daniel Yoder / Hacker, Zeraweb Labs
Flash Fundraising for The Abruzzo Earthquake
Unnamed Military Source / US Air Force
Apocalypse Survival (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Breakdown of Society)
Evonne Heyning & Matt Davis / Lightning Temple Artists
INTERACTIVATION: Collaborative Visions of Human Evolution
And of course there will be and open bar, hors d'ouevres, music and a number of installations on display from the great brains from Mindshare Labs!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
keeping my dignity, and my Shirley Temple
Why Do Mocktails Fall Flat?, Eric Felten, Wall Street Journal, April 3 2009
I found this a pretty interesting article, and was totally along for the ride, until I read this sentence:
I am especially peeved because over the past few months I've discovered the joys of certain Belgian beers (Leffe Blonde, Bavik) and German ones (Erdinger Hefe-Weiss), as well as pinot noir (Castle Rock, pick a year and version), but for the longest time I was a borderline teetotaler. I was not a teetotaler because I thought Alcohol Is The Devil's Beverage, but simply because I couldn't find an alcoholic beverage which appealed to my taste buds. I was always very up front about this with people, and equally A-OK with being in otherwise liquor-soaked situations, and I thought all was fine. That is, until I spoke recently with friends of mine about my beer/pinot discoveries, and they all said the same thing:
"Nice to see you finally yanked that stick out of your ass."
Not that they necessarily used those words, but that's pretty much the sentiment I've heard, over and over again, throughout the past few weeks. My question is, what stick? I've never made withering comments to anyone imbibing, so where is this coming from? Does the simple act of not drinking make nearby drinkers feel guilty, and the resentment grows from there? Did all my friends insist upon interpreting my Shirley Temple-ish and seltzer-ish ways as a sign of my non-existent snobbishness and superiority?
Do I hang out with self-hating folks who enjoy misinterpreting me?
Am I over-analyzing this?
I'm hereby snatching back my Shirley Temple and enjoying the hell out of it. Screw you all, it matches my cell phone and makes me happy.
I found this a pretty interesting article, and was totally along for the ride, until I read this sentence:
The only faux-cocktail . . . that has survived into modern times is the grenadine-tinted ginger ale concoction, the Shirley Temple. But it survives only as a treat for the kiddies, not a drink that any self-respecting adult, no matter how abstemious, would think to order.Go play in traffic, Mr. Felten. I consider myself a dignified (if irreverent) person, and I enjoy a Shirley Temple every now and then. Granted, they are ridiculously sweet, even for me, which is why I often follow Felten's example and get seltzer instead (hooray, slice of lime!), but still. I am peeved, on principle.
I am especially peeved because over the past few months I've discovered the joys of certain Belgian beers (Leffe Blonde, Bavik) and German ones (Erdinger Hefe-Weiss), as well as pinot noir (Castle Rock, pick a year and version), but for the longest time I was a borderline teetotaler. I was not a teetotaler because I thought Alcohol Is The Devil's Beverage, but simply because I couldn't find an alcoholic beverage which appealed to my taste buds. I was always very up front about this with people, and equally A-OK with being in otherwise liquor-soaked situations, and I thought all was fine. That is, until I spoke recently with friends of mine about my beer/pinot discoveries, and they all said the same thing:
"Nice to see you finally yanked that stick out of your ass."
Not that they necessarily used those words, but that's pretty much the sentiment I've heard, over and over again, throughout the past few weeks. My question is, what stick? I've never made withering comments to anyone imbibing, so where is this coming from? Does the simple act of not drinking make nearby drinkers feel guilty, and the resentment grows from there? Did all my friends insist upon interpreting my Shirley Temple-ish and seltzer-ish ways as a sign of my non-existent snobbishness and superiority?
Do I hang out with self-hating folks who enjoy misinterpreting me?
Am I over-analyzing this?
I'm hereby snatching back my Shirley Temple and enjoying the hell out of it. Screw you all, it matches my cell phone and makes me happy.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
the truth about açaí
So, Jon got me into drinking a shot of açaí juice (mixed with pomegranate and other polyphenol-rich juices) every morning, and lately I haven't been sure that it's really worth it. I finally looked up "acai juice" on PubMed this morning, and here's what I found:
[from Comparison of antioxidant potency of commonly consumed polyphenol-rich beverages in the United States. Seeram NP, Aviram M, Zhang Y, Henning SM, Feng L, Dreher M, Heber D. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Feb 27;56(4):1415-22. Epub 2008 Jan 26.]Problem is, I hate the heavy, oozy muckiness of pomegranate juice, and red wine makes me a bit loopy for my taste, so I guess I'll stick to Concord grape juice. Good luck finding that stuff with zero added sugar or water, though.
"Antioxidant potency, ability to inhibit LDL oxidation, and total polyphenol content were consistent in classifying the antioxidant capacity of the polyphenol-rich beverages in the following order:
PJ [pomegranate juice] > red wine > Concord grape juice > blueberry juice > black cherry juice, açaí juice, cranberry juice > orange juice, iced tea beverages, apple juice.
Although in vitro antioxidant potency does not prove in vivo biological activity, there is also consistent clinical evidence of antioxidant potency for the most potent beverages including both PJ and red wine."
Trader Joe's / Quietube
Man, this ad-which-isn't-an-ad totally sums up the Trader Joe's experience for me, right down to the wonderful cheeses and hideous lack of parking. The parsnip chips are new to me, though.
Also: if you don't yet know about Quietube, try it now. Nownownow. It's so...restful.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
junk food junkie
"This is why you're fat." is the best. website. ever.
I love the Meta-Pizza ("Pizza topped with mini-pizzas"), the Bacon Cheese Pizza Burger ("Giant burger between two large meat pizzas, eggs, bacon, colby and pepper jack cheese"), the McNuggetini ("A McDonald’s chocolate milkshake with vanilla vodka, rimmed with BBQ sauce and garnished with a chicken McNugget"), the Sausage Egg And Cheese On A Chocolate Glazed Donut, and the Bacon Cheeseburger With Chocolate Covered Bacon.
drool drool drool oh I feel so dirty drool drool drool.
Hat tip to Iconoculture, and to the United States for having the most demented food culture I can possibly imagine -- although I guess France has much to be proud of, too (see the part about "Rôti Sans Pareil").
I love the Meta-Pizza ("Pizza topped with mini-pizzas"), the Bacon Cheese Pizza Burger ("Giant burger between two large meat pizzas, eggs, bacon, colby and pepper jack cheese"), the McNuggetini ("A McDonald’s chocolate milkshake with vanilla vodka, rimmed with BBQ sauce and garnished with a chicken McNugget"), the Sausage Egg And Cheese On A Chocolate Glazed Donut, and the Bacon Cheeseburger With Chocolate Covered Bacon.
drool drool drool oh I feel so dirty drool drool drool.
Hat tip to Iconoculture, and to the United States for having the most demented food culture I can possibly imagine -- although I guess France has much to be proud of, too (see the part about "Rôti Sans Pareil").
Sunday, February 15, 2009
cheese, cheese, that's what I love
Here we are, already into February, and this is my first blog entry for 2009. Why, you ask? Because I have been too busy having adventures to bother writing about them. Someday, I will write about those adventures. Right now, however, I need you to listen to this song about cheese.
(NB: I hate ReverbNation's blog widgets, since I can't figure out how to embed one song alone, but Jenn Beast is totally worth the agony.)
(NB: I hate ReverbNation's blog widgets, since I can't figure out how to embed one song alone, but Jenn Beast is totally worth the agony.)
Sunday, November 2, 2008
the psychology of the single-word restaurant
I was hanging out with Ashley today, and somehow we got onto the topic of restaurants with one name. "Ever notice," I said, "that restaurants with one name are really pretentious and expensive?" She countered by citing McDonald's, but then I countered her counterexample by saying that it has an apostrophe-S at the end; restaurants whose names have apostrophe-Ss at the end don't count as far as pretention and massive overpricing go, and that includes Applebee's, Bennigan's, and Houlihan's. Those last two especially are all about suggesting that they're run by cheery, ruddy-faced Irish bartenders who want to give you good onion-ring bang for your greasy buck.
"Think about it," I said. "Chili's isn't horrifically expensive, unless you go out on a ledge and get something like fajitas. But if you removed the apostrophe-S, it would become 'Chili,' and then you know it would be all stark and modern and have artisanal chili with pheasant in it in these asymmetrical, hand-made bowls, all very carefully presented." And they'd probably have John Cage on their sound system, or twangy country music if they're being ironic, or music by Mexican bands if they're being ultra-ironic. And the waiters would be wearing white on white, and they'd suggest certain (overpriced) beer pairings with your meal. It would be utterly ridiculous, and a single bowl of chili would cost about $38. Just sayin'.
Obviously, this doesn't apply to gas stations, or else nobody could afford gas. Oh, wait....
"Think about it," I said. "Chili's isn't horrifically expensive, unless you go out on a ledge and get something like fajitas. But if you removed the apostrophe-S, it would become 'Chili,' and then you know it would be all stark and modern and have artisanal chili with pheasant in it in these asymmetrical, hand-made bowls, all very carefully presented." And they'd probably have John Cage on their sound system, or twangy country music if they're being ironic, or music by Mexican bands if they're being ultra-ironic. And the waiters would be wearing white on white, and they'd suggest certain (overpriced) beer pairings with your meal. It would be utterly ridiculous, and a single bowl of chili would cost about $38. Just sayin'.
Obviously, this doesn't apply to gas stations, or else nobody could afford gas. Oh, wait....
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
29 + 1
A certain somebody has said that my blog would gain coolness points if I allowed anonymous comments. So, I am handing over the keys of the asylum to the inmates: you no longer have to be a registered Blogger user to comment on my inanities. Have at it.
Also, for those of you who like snooping into my blog-reading habits, I now keep an automatic, continuously updated list on this site of article links which I recommend. This will hopefully cut into my rather tedious linkyloos, which, let's face it, I only do in order to clear out my brain so that I don't go insane from all the unshared coolness I constantly find in this world. If I'm going to go insane, let's hope it's for a far more entertaining reason. Like, say, demonic possession. I've seen The Exorcist, and you know, I think my life could use a little excitement along those lines. "What's wrong with vomiting a little pea soup here and there?" is what I frequently say to people.
Moving right along, I am now thirty years old. I had hoped I'd magically wake up feeling like an adult, but that has yet to happen. I've started flossing again, actually, but that's more because I'm back in touch with my zany ol' college pal Jimmy, who has now become Dr. James Boynton, adjunct professor of pediatric dentistry at the University of Michigan, and even if a dentist makes a point of NOT telling me to floss, the unspoken guilt trip is still there and I start flossing again anyway. Regarding Jimmy: we're talking about a dentist who, in our freshman year at Michigan, told me that he wanted a dental drill which would hum the theme to "Love Boat," which would make folks that much happier about visiting their dentist (ideally Jimmy). So, if anybody out there has any leads regarding drills which can play "Love Boat," let me know. There's already a Japanese guy who figured out how to make road bumps play music, which might be a potential avenue (hee!) of inquiry.
Other than the flossing and lack of demonic possession, there's not much else to report on The Astrid Frontier currently. I threw a slow-motion party, which I call 'slow motion' because it was more of an open house stretched across a whole day, which was very chill and very cool. And I've had turkey with my mom's homemade stuffing, along with that excellent cranberry sauce which retains the ridges from the can it came in. And I got to see the inside of the Yale Club in Manhattan for the second time in my life, and you know, I still say they don't have nearly enough mounted elk heads on their walls yet. There are a few, but they still have a ways to go, those Yalies.
OH, WAIT A SEC: I made a new website! I've been stricken with the flu for the past few days, which is why I haven't been up to much, but just before the flu hit, and just before I got to see how few elk heads those silly Yale people have in their silly, not-nearly-elk-headed-enough club, I made a website! This is the website I made:
What the doctor saw
I am very proud of this site, but not because of my own work -- really, it's because I'm proud of my dad's work, since my dad is the doctor in question. The site is a showcase of his photography, and even if he weren't my dad, I'd still have to say: he gives a very convincing impression of knowing what he's doing. Go check it out, then e-mail him and tell him how awesome he is. Don't tell him I sent you, or he'll think I bribed you.
Here are some phrases I've been using entirely too often:
loose cannon
madness & mayhem
29 + 1
Here is a word I haven't used often enough:
blurgh
What I consider an elegant centerpiece idea:
A ring of blue Jell-O, with gummy fish suspended within it
Who else agrees with me about the Jell-O centerpiece idea:
Jimmy
My current favorite literary heroine, second only to Jane Eyre:
Dagny Taggart (from Atlas Shrugged, which I'm currently reading)
Here is what I don't get about Atlas Shrugged:
Why is everybody always kissing each other so violently? Once or twice, okay, but every time? Weirdos.
Something which just popped into my head:
What if you had a wall which was jammed full of mounted elk heads? I mean, to the point where you couldn't even see the wall any more, so it's just a solid mass of elk heads staring at you? And what if each of those heads suddenly burst into song, doing a full choir rendition of "I Feel Pretty" from the film West Side Story?
Welcome to my brain, everyone. The information desk is temporarily closed, the cafeteria downstairs is currently serving an excellent pea soup, and don't forget to visit the gift shop at the main entrance. Tipping the coat check guy is optional, but always appreciated.
Also, for those of you who like snooping into my blog-reading habits, I now keep an automatic, continuously updated list on this site of article links which I recommend. This will hopefully cut into my rather tedious linkyloos, which, let's face it, I only do in order to clear out my brain so that I don't go insane from all the unshared coolness I constantly find in this world. If I'm going to go insane, let's hope it's for a far more entertaining reason. Like, say, demonic possession. I've seen The Exorcist, and you know, I think my life could use a little excitement along those lines. "What's wrong with vomiting a little pea soup here and there?" is what I frequently say to people.
Moving right along, I am now thirty years old. I had hoped I'd magically wake up feeling like an adult, but that has yet to happen. I've started flossing again, actually, but that's more because I'm back in touch with my zany ol' college pal Jimmy, who has now become Dr. James Boynton, adjunct professor of pediatric dentistry at the University of Michigan, and even if a dentist makes a point of NOT telling me to floss, the unspoken guilt trip is still there and I start flossing again anyway. Regarding Jimmy: we're talking about a dentist who, in our freshman year at Michigan, told me that he wanted a dental drill which would hum the theme to "Love Boat," which would make folks that much happier about visiting their dentist (ideally Jimmy). So, if anybody out there has any leads regarding drills which can play "Love Boat," let me know. There's already a Japanese guy who figured out how to make road bumps play music, which might be a potential avenue (hee!) of inquiry.
Other than the flossing and lack of demonic possession, there's not much else to report on The Astrid Frontier currently. I threw a slow-motion party, which I call 'slow motion' because it was more of an open house stretched across a whole day, which was very chill and very cool. And I've had turkey with my mom's homemade stuffing, along with that excellent cranberry sauce which retains the ridges from the can it came in. And I got to see the inside of the Yale Club in Manhattan for the second time in my life, and you know, I still say they don't have nearly enough mounted elk heads on their walls yet. There are a few, but they still have a ways to go, those Yalies.
OH, WAIT A SEC: I made a new website! I've been stricken with the flu for the past few days, which is why I haven't been up to much, but just before the flu hit, and just before I got to see how few elk heads those silly Yale people have in their silly, not-nearly-elk-headed-enough club, I made a website! This is the website I made:
What the doctor saw
I am very proud of this site, but not because of my own work -- really, it's because I'm proud of my dad's work, since my dad is the doctor in question. The site is a showcase of his photography, and even if he weren't my dad, I'd still have to say: he gives a very convincing impression of knowing what he's doing. Go check it out, then e-mail him and tell him how awesome he is. Don't tell him I sent you, or he'll think I bribed you.
Here are some phrases I've been using entirely too often:
loose cannon
madness & mayhem
29 + 1
Here is a word I haven't used often enough:
blurgh
What I consider an elegant centerpiece idea:
A ring of blue Jell-O, with gummy fish suspended within it
Who else agrees with me about the Jell-O centerpiece idea:
Jimmy
My current favorite literary heroine, second only to Jane Eyre:
Dagny Taggart (from Atlas Shrugged, which I'm currently reading)
Here is what I don't get about Atlas Shrugged:
Why is everybody always kissing each other so violently? Once or twice, okay, but every time? Weirdos.
Something which just popped into my head:
What if you had a wall which was jammed full of mounted elk heads? I mean, to the point where you couldn't even see the wall any more, so it's just a solid mass of elk heads staring at you? And what if each of those heads suddenly burst into song, doing a full choir rendition of "I Feel Pretty" from the film West Side Story?
Welcome to my brain, everyone. The information desk is temporarily closed, the cafeteria downstairs is currently serving an excellent pea soup, and don't forget to visit the gift shop at the main entrance. Tipping the coat check guy is optional, but always appreciated.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
happenings
Wow, busy day -- saw several people, the movie "Elizabeth: the Golden Age" (worth seeing, but not worth going to see), the inside of an automatic car wash, and the inside of IKEA for exactly 18 minutes because of some emergency furniture shopping. Phew.
I also had my first-ever root beer float, and (random but true, I swear) I saw some pineapple upside-down cake today at a cafe I hadn't visited in months.
And very shortly, I'll be hanging out with my family, who's coming into town for the week. Should be groovy. Even if it means putting together two red Stefan chairs tomorrow afternoon, sigh.
Also: am I the only one who stupidly got my car washed earlier today, only to have the activity rendered pointless by the rain tonight? Grr, argh, gnashing of teeth, blah blah. Damn, I'm even too tired to properly gnash my teeth. Talk amongst yourselves, 'kay? 'Kay.
Good night. Smooches.
I also had my first-ever root beer float, and (random but true, I swear) I saw some pineapple upside-down cake today at a cafe I hadn't visited in months.
And very shortly, I'll be hanging out with my family, who's coming into town for the week. Should be groovy. Even if it means putting together two red Stefan chairs tomorrow afternoon, sigh.
Also: am I the only one who stupidly got my car washed earlier today, only to have the activity rendered pointless by the rain tonight? Grr, argh, gnashing of teeth, blah blah. Damn, I'm even too tired to properly gnash my teeth. Talk amongst yourselves, 'kay? 'Kay.
Good night. Smooches.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
belated Wednesday linkyloo - 10 Oct 2007
Glad I'm not this kid.
LOLCat Bible Translation Project Should I be ashamed that I love this? Nah.
ThinkGeek: Wi-Fi Detector Shirt You know I love textiles which light up, right? RIGHT? Yeah. And this one is INTERACTIVE, W00T YEAH. Pretty and practical, all sorts of neato.
Violent Acres: I'm Tired of Bulimia Being the New Black I agree completely.
Times Online: The day the music industry died None of this is a big surprise, although I find it interesting that CDs are now considered exclusively for free PR at this point, solely meant to promote a concert. Interesting business approach.
ebay.com: Feedback profile for tryork5ifp Who IS this guy, and why are people writing these sorts of comments? Very intriguing indeed.
Microsoft.com: The ten worst presentation moments Cringingly hilarious.
Fornasetti.com Piero Fornasetti created useful objets of staggering beauty. The guy oozed wit, whimsy, and beauty the way the rest of us breathe.
guy gets arrested for feeding the homeless What a crock. I can't believe Orlando, Florida is this...ecchh.
Mango Beta Learn a new language online! My friend Paul swears by this.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Monday linkyloo
sleepinginmyhead: tobler-oh-yeah! via Boing Boing Toblerone has a hidden bear in its logo? Rockin'!
Inventor Spot: 15 Absolutely Brilliant Billboad Ads...Really They're definitely not kidding, some of these are eye-poppingly wonderful.
Varieties of unreligious Experience: Humanism and the virtue of anxiety via the nonist Very thought-provoking essay on justifying your career in the humanities -- and the comments are just as intriguing/erudite.
Mother Jones -- Black Ops Jungle: The Academy of Military-Industrial-Complex Studies via Boing Boing Ender's Game is alive and well, they just need to throw in some video game sims and it'll be complete! ::shiver::
The Trade Card Place (Victorian trading cards) via Boing Boing via Little Hokum Rag I love these. Why can't we see such illustration gorgeosity in advertising today?
Inventor Spot: 15 Absolutely Brilliant Billboad Ads...Really They're definitely not kidding, some of these are eye-poppingly wonderful.
Varieties of unreligious Experience: Humanism and the virtue of anxiety via the nonist Very thought-provoking essay on justifying your career in the humanities -- and the comments are just as intriguing/erudite.
Mother Jones -- Black Ops Jungle: The Academy of Military-Industrial-Complex Studies via Boing Boing Ender's Game is alive and well, they just need to throw in some video game sims and it'll be complete! ::shiver::
The Trade Card Place (Victorian trading cards) via Boing Boing via Little Hokum Rag I love these. Why can't we see such illustration gorgeosity in advertising today?
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Hear ye, hear ye: the school of Astridica is now in session!
I've been casting about for things regarding which I'd love to learn more, and eureka! I have now found a splendid lesson plan:
Victorian House School
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be exploring each of these subsets of wacky Victorian architecture, and you are more than welcome to come along for the ride. Before diving in officially, here are some pics I found which incited my interest just now:
photo in Eureka, CA by Josh: A dream house of mine. No, seriously. Also, did I ever mention that the theme music to "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" is one of my favoritest themes of all time? Interesting how that immediately sprung to mind....
another photo in Eureka, CA by Josh: dream house of mine no. 2. I could really eat these up with a spoon. Just glorious.
a rainbow house, presumably in San Francisco, simply peachy.
I am so thrilled, you have no idea. So far, my idea of my dream house would be a Queen Anne, painted in colors bright enough to punch out your eyes, with about fifty bajillion weathervanes along the rooftop, and windchimes (and comfy reading benches) on the porch, and a haphazard mix of plastic flamingos and more weathervanes on the front lawn, and the inside of the house would have wide open spaces suitable for a)fine dining and b)roller skating, depending on my mood, and there would be sunlight everywhere, and Persian carpets, and mismatched Tiffany lamps, and at least one pennyfarthing bicycle just for kicks, and there would be an open-air cupola on the highest part of the roof, with a telescope, where I could stargaze or perhaps recite poetry to no one in particular. And I'd have endless tea and raspberry lemonade and chocolate chip cookies for everyone who dropped by. And I'd have a player piano with rainbow keys which would play the latest vaudeville dance tunes. And I'd wear a feather boa all the time, and eat bonbons while reading Maugham in the bath, and I'd have seances, and I'd even have a talking parrot named Reginald who would consistently beat me at Connect Four.
Oh boy oh boy oh BOY.
Victorian House School
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be exploring each of these subsets of wacky Victorian architecture, and you are more than welcome to come along for the ride. Before diving in officially, here are some pics I found which incited my interest just now:
photo in Eureka, CA by Josh: A dream house of mine. No, seriously. Also, did I ever mention that the theme music to "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" is one of my favoritest themes of all time? Interesting how that immediately sprung to mind....
another photo in Eureka, CA by Josh: dream house of mine no. 2. I could really eat these up with a spoon. Just glorious.
a rainbow house, presumably in San Francisco, simply peachy.
I am so thrilled, you have no idea. So far, my idea of my dream house would be a Queen Anne, painted in colors bright enough to punch out your eyes, with about fifty bajillion weathervanes along the rooftop, and windchimes (and comfy reading benches) on the porch, and a haphazard mix of plastic flamingos and more weathervanes on the front lawn, and the inside of the house would have wide open spaces suitable for a)fine dining and b)roller skating, depending on my mood, and there would be sunlight everywhere, and Persian carpets, and mismatched Tiffany lamps, and at least one pennyfarthing bicycle just for kicks, and there would be an open-air cupola on the highest part of the roof, with a telescope, where I could stargaze or perhaps recite poetry to no one in particular. And I'd have endless tea and raspberry lemonade and chocolate chip cookies for everyone who dropped by. And I'd have a player piano with rainbow keys which would play the latest vaudeville dance tunes. And I'd wear a feather boa all the time, and eat bonbons while reading Maugham in the bath, and I'd have seances, and I'd even have a talking parrot named Reginald who would consistently beat me at Connect Four.
Oh boy oh boy oh BOY.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
two weeks' worth of smorgasbording
Science & Technology for a Better Tomorrow
Stirling engines will save the world! And it only took a century to get around to this.
Building Stonehenge - This Man can Move Anything via William Gibson Books
360 degree Light Field Display via Boing Boing. It's so holographo-riffic, I can't stand it!
Science & Technology for a More Excitingly Disturbing Tomorrow
Laser Flashlight Hack! - video powered by Metacafe -- am I the only one who finds this simultaneously cool and frightening? What do you think the range is on this thing?
Yahoo! News: Spider web engulfs Texas park trail -- creepycool.
Heating With Radium: nicely creepy, ye olde view of the future
Profound Commentary on Western Civilization
Scott and Rory and the Baby Carrots at TechEd 2005 -- although it looks like it was shot with a cell phone, this made me laugh. And laugh and laugh and laugh. I may have a short circuit. That, plus I know too many programmers. And tiny carrots are always hilarious.
Village: The Game: it's a SimCity-esque game that teaches you how to be an ethical Third World entrepreneur. I'm not into gaming, and I haven't even tried this yet, but this seems to have its heart in the right place. Check it out and get back to me on this.
Should the Net forget? -- Rough Type is a wonderfully thoughtful blog about how ethics and the Internet intertwine. Good stuff.
Greg the Bunny -- Monster Puppets a Breed Apart: trippy, and very funny.
Bono and Steve Jobs: this is so on the money, I can't stand it.
Intermarriage, a short 'n' sweet love story via Yo Yenta!
Side show 'freak' wants to be a lawyer: am I the only one who doesn't see the big deal? Gooble gobble, we accept you, one of us etc.
Odd Mustache Competition: I love the phrase 'beard enthusiast.'
Judge strikes down part of Patriot Act: Hallelujah! Hell may have finally frozen over.
Violent Acres: The Pentecostal Church and The Holy Ghost Want You To Wear Big Panties -- hilarious as always. A great (if disturbing) slice o' Americana.
Midwest Teen Sex Show: BRILLIANCE. All episodes are nothing short of spectacular, but my current favorite is Episode #6 (Gym Class).
Mom via Planet Hiltron. Carole Morgan is sheer brilliance. My car is my freedom!
Mr. Bean: Invisible Drum Kit
Rowan Atkinson: Welcome to Hell
xkcd: Dating Polls: it staggers me, really, how much stupendousness there is in this world. So much creativity! So much hilarity! So much brilliance! Can I be this cool when I grow up?
Art & Design-y Things
daab creative: my friend Luke has his own agency, and oh my lordy is he awesomely talented. He makes me feel all sorts of glamorous just for knowing him.
What can be done from old books: the sacrilege of all this makes me cringe, but WOW these things are gorgeous. SO innventive, so beautiful...so wrong.
Art is Not a Scam: so dumb it's awesome. Makes me feel 11 again, and I mean that in the best possible way.
Henrik Halversson: NSFW, but still stellar photography. I'm a giant fan of the portraits.
Paleo-Future: GM's Three-Wheeled Runabout (1966): oh MAN I want this car. SO cool!
MareNostrum, Europe's No. 1 Supercomputer via Papelera 21: a supercomputer in a former church? How very Avengers. Beautiful.
Amazing things: The ghost of Chernobyl. Via Unscathed Corpse. I especially love the neato graffiti.
Tribbles, Gorey style! Oh boy, I love Gorey! Oh boy! Great homage.
B-Movie Retro Fonts
Science tattoos!
English Russia >> The Matrix Goggles via William Gibson Books
Decline and Fall of the Ligature because I really am that much of a typography geek. You'd never guess I have a degree in graphic design, would you?
Amazing things: 21 examples of dullness in construction LOVE this.
We Make Money Not Art: The unhappier you are, the more ice cream you get I'm trying to decide if this is a good thing or bad thing.
Screens, Big & Small
Haitian UFO Sighting: very graceful, and I'd love to know the story behind it.
Video compilation of TV logo signoffs via Boing Boing: ah, dated signage with synth music. How marvelously quaint.
YouTube: Technological Terror via Papelera 21. Truly a terrific way to get Star Wars geeks to turn off their cell-phone ringers.
Vertigo! -- OMG OMG OMG!
Vertigo, this time with cavemen!
(Sometimes Spooky) Kitsch-o-Rama
Do What Now?: Corn Is Not a Filling -- I am always a sucker for excellent kitsch, and Do What Now? never disappoints.
Do What Now?: It's a total blue-out -- I love AND hate this. Interesting.
Freaky Mermaid Guitar: this just seems wrong, somehow.
Which brings us to: Little Hokum Rag: Teenar, Girl Guitar -- wrong for so many reasons.
Dow What Now?: Whatever. It's still a hamburger meat bolus. Pretty much says it all.
Yurt Madness! Who isn't mad for yurts?
Music
YouTube: Polly Paulusma - Guitar Shop Tour - Track 1 - Day One: This wonderful singer/songwriter is touring different guitar shops, recording different tracks on proprietor-recommended guitars she's (presumably) never played before. SUCH a neat idea! This particular track, despite the poor sound quality, is still achingly sweet.
Kimya Dawson:"I Like Giants" via /Film. Long intro, and unnecessary non-singing stuff at the end, but the actual song is nothing short of magnificent, in a simple way. For fans of The Moldy Peaches.
Health
Tattoo bandage assortment: for the biker with a paper cut, here's your chance to have the most stylish adhesive bandage on your person ever.
Researchers discover correlation between birth month and short-sightedness via Phys Org. I was born in November, what's my excuse?
Stirling engines will save the world! And it only took a century to get around to this.
Building Stonehenge - This Man can Move Anything via William Gibson Books
360 degree Light Field Display via Boing Boing. It's so holographo-riffic, I can't stand it!
Science & Technology for a More Excitingly Disturbing Tomorrow
Laser Flashlight Hack! - video powered by Metacafe -- am I the only one who finds this simultaneously cool and frightening? What do you think the range is on this thing?
Yahoo! News: Spider web engulfs Texas park trail -- creepycool.
Heating With Radium: nicely creepy, ye olde view of the future
Profound Commentary on Western Civilization
Scott and Rory and the Baby Carrots at TechEd 2005 -- although it looks like it was shot with a cell phone, this made me laugh. And laugh and laugh and laugh. I may have a short circuit. That, plus I know too many programmers. And tiny carrots are always hilarious.
Village: The Game: it's a SimCity-esque game that teaches you how to be an ethical Third World entrepreneur. I'm not into gaming, and I haven't even tried this yet, but this seems to have its heart in the right place. Check it out and get back to me on this.
Should the Net forget? -- Rough Type is a wonderfully thoughtful blog about how ethics and the Internet intertwine. Good stuff.
Greg the Bunny -- Monster Puppets a Breed Apart: trippy, and very funny.
Bono and Steve Jobs: this is so on the money, I can't stand it.
Intermarriage, a short 'n' sweet love story via Yo Yenta!
Side show 'freak' wants to be a lawyer: am I the only one who doesn't see the big deal? Gooble gobble, we accept you, one of us etc.
Odd Mustache Competition: I love the phrase 'beard enthusiast.'
Judge strikes down part of Patriot Act: Hallelujah! Hell may have finally frozen over.
Violent Acres: The Pentecostal Church and The Holy Ghost Want You To Wear Big Panties -- hilarious as always. A great (if disturbing) slice o' Americana.
Midwest Teen Sex Show: BRILLIANCE. All episodes are nothing short of spectacular, but my current favorite is Episode #6 (Gym Class).
Mom via Planet Hiltron. Carole Morgan is sheer brilliance. My car is my freedom!
Mr. Bean: Invisible Drum Kit
Rowan Atkinson: Welcome to Hell
xkcd: Dating Polls: it staggers me, really, how much stupendousness there is in this world. So much creativity! So much hilarity! So much brilliance! Can I be this cool when I grow up?
Art & Design-y Things
daab creative: my friend Luke has his own agency, and oh my lordy is he awesomely talented. He makes me feel all sorts of glamorous just for knowing him.
What can be done from old books: the sacrilege of all this makes me cringe, but WOW these things are gorgeous. SO innventive, so beautiful...so wrong.
Art is Not a Scam: so dumb it's awesome. Makes me feel 11 again, and I mean that in the best possible way.
Henrik Halversson: NSFW, but still stellar photography. I'm a giant fan of the portraits.
Paleo-Future: GM's Three-Wheeled Runabout (1966): oh MAN I want this car. SO cool!
MareNostrum, Europe's No. 1 Supercomputer via Papelera 21: a supercomputer in a former church? How very Avengers. Beautiful.
Amazing things: The ghost of Chernobyl. Via Unscathed Corpse. I especially love the neato graffiti.
Tribbles, Gorey style! Oh boy, I love Gorey! Oh boy! Great homage.
B-Movie Retro Fonts
Science tattoos!
English Russia >> The Matrix Goggles via William Gibson Books
Decline and Fall of the Ligature because I really am that much of a typography geek. You'd never guess I have a degree in graphic design, would you?
Amazing things: 21 examples of dullness in construction LOVE this.
We Make Money Not Art: The unhappier you are, the more ice cream you get I'm trying to decide if this is a good thing or bad thing.
Screens, Big & Small
Haitian UFO Sighting: very graceful, and I'd love to know the story behind it.
Video compilation of TV logo signoffs via Boing Boing: ah, dated signage with synth music. How marvelously quaint.
YouTube: Technological Terror via Papelera 21. Truly a terrific way to get Star Wars geeks to turn off their cell-phone ringers.
Vertigo! -- OMG OMG OMG!
Vertigo, this time with cavemen!
(Sometimes Spooky) Kitsch-o-Rama
Do What Now?: Corn Is Not a Filling -- I am always a sucker for excellent kitsch, and Do What Now? never disappoints.
Do What Now?: It's a total blue-out -- I love AND hate this. Interesting.
Freaky Mermaid Guitar: this just seems wrong, somehow.
Which brings us to: Little Hokum Rag: Teenar, Girl Guitar -- wrong for so many reasons.
Dow What Now?: Whatever. It's still a hamburger meat bolus. Pretty much says it all.
Yurt Madness! Who isn't mad for yurts?
Music
YouTube: Polly Paulusma - Guitar Shop Tour - Track 1 - Day One: This wonderful singer/songwriter is touring different guitar shops, recording different tracks on proprietor-recommended guitars she's (presumably) never played before. SUCH a neat idea! This particular track, despite the poor sound quality, is still achingly sweet.
Kimya Dawson:"I Like Giants" via /Film. Long intro, and unnecessary non-singing stuff at the end, but the actual song is nothing short of magnificent, in a simple way. For fans of The Moldy Peaches.
Health
Tattoo bandage assortment: for the biker with a paper cut, here's your chance to have the most stylish adhesive bandage on your person ever.
Researchers discover correlation between birth month and short-sightedness via Phys Org. I was born in November, what's my excuse?
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Spetmeber Scent Xperiment, Day 2
SSXD2 lasted until about 2 this morning, which is why I haven't written about it until now. Here's how it went:
I chose the Body Shop Satsuma (the ESP award goes to Rebekah, rock on), because I needed to feel alert, and citrusy scents are handy for that. So far so good.
So, there I was, flipping around various TV channels yesterday morning, munching on my breakfast (strawberries, plain yogurt and oat sprinkles, yumz), when the words "Bill el Científico" flashed across the screen.
Huh, I thought. That kind of looks like 'Bill the Scientist.' As in "Bill Nye the Science Guy." Sure enough, the familiar chorus of "Bill! Bill! Bill!" popped out moments later, and I was then treated to an episode of Bill el Científico yammering away in dubbed Spanish about the science of breathing. Apparently, the Spanish term for thorax is 'thorax.' And mucus is 'mucosa.' There was also a mention of the Krebs Cycle, I believe.
All this science fabulosity was then followed by another excellent episode of "Bill el Científico," wherein he discussed friction ("Friccion!"), as evidenced by him sliding around a lot. Also, there was an excellent demonstration of ball bearings, using marbles and a jar lid, which spells doom for any household with an impressionable and overly curious 11-year-old.
Speaking of impressionable, did I mention that, back in high school, I wanted to marry Bill Nye? The man is total hotness in a blue lab coat. Granted, he does look a tad cadaverous, what with the deep-set eyes and high cheekbones, but I kinda go for that sort of thing. After all, I also like David Bowie, Daniel Day Lewis, and cadavers. Er, I mean....
Yeah.
So, after all this hilarity and swooning and Spanish-dubbed excitement ("Friccion!"), I decided to get down to business, trotting out to my local caffeineatorium with script in hand, but that all ended when I went outside. And slammed into an invisible wall o' heat, about 102 degrees Fahrenheit, which would have been enough to fry Bill Nye's bowtie right off his sexy geek neck. This was a killing heat -- I went back inside, and was already done for the day. It was sad, and no amount of Satsuma awesomeness was able to counteract it. I read a little, napped a little, read some more, napped some more, etc. I also dimly recall watching some "SpongeBob SquarePants" in there, which is always a fine idea. The script, thankfully, turned out to be pretty impressive, but it wove weirdly in my dreams with SpongeBob, which I'm not sure I'd recommend.
I awoke with a start around 8pm, feeling groggy, and then I was suddenly consumed with the need to salvage the day. Or night, whatever. And so, feeling a little woozy and disconnected, I headed out into the Pasadena evening, and I'm really glad I did. It was like the entirety of Pasadena, which had napped right along with me, had decided to stir along with me as well, and the sense of expectancy in the air was electric. Everybody was out, even in my part of the neighborhood, which is just houses and trees and crickets and dim streetlights and not much else. In the dark, people coasted past on bicycles, gears clicking as the riders quietly chatted and laughed. Children giggled, dogs bounded, trees glowed in the streetlights, guys shyly nodded their hellos, crickets chirped, and couples kissed. Actually, I think Pasadena may have broken some record for kissing couples, right around 8pm yesterday.
Like I said, it was that kind of evening. And the Body Shop Satsuma fit it perfectly: sweet, clear, yet serenely lush.
I grabbed an iced Japanese Cherry green tea and chocolate chunk muffin at the Coffee Bean, settled in with a second script (a vile paint-by-numbers gorefest, yawn), gave up on the script after twenty minutes, and people-watched. Folks were thronging to Pinkberry across the street, which still baffles me. As for the rest of the crowds, the night was too hot for people to be as jumpy or chatty as they normally would be on a Saturday night, so there was an almost liquid quality to people's movements, a lethargy which made everything seem even more serene and meaningful somehow.
Pasadena, last night, had presence. It was magical.
After I finished my tea and muffin, I decided to head home, but when I hit my street, I just kept going -- something deep within me couldn't give up this night just yet. I still have no idea how long I walked in the dark, twenty minutes? Two hours? It was quietly glorious, in that wistfully suburban, Ray Bradbury sort of way. Air conditioners hummed, sprinklers swished, houses creaked and settled. In the distance, through an open window, Mel Gibson yelled "Freedom!" as an orchestra swelled. I passed an older woman who was outside just to enjoy things like me -- she was gazing absently at her sprinkler when I walked by, and we quietly said hello to each other before we let our minds slide away again into the dark. It was nice. And my perfume lasted the whole time, adding that little something extra. Just beautiful.
I wasn't planning on wearing the same scent twice in a row, but it has been specially requested, plus it was undeniably part of yesterday's magic. I can't wait to see what happens tonight.
I chose the Body Shop Satsuma (the ESP award goes to Rebekah, rock on), because I needed to feel alert, and citrusy scents are handy for that. So far so good.
So, there I was, flipping around various TV channels yesterday morning, munching on my breakfast (strawberries, plain yogurt and oat sprinkles, yumz), when the words "Bill el Científico" flashed across the screen.
Huh, I thought. That kind of looks like 'Bill the Scientist.' As in "Bill Nye the Science Guy." Sure enough, the familiar chorus of "Bill! Bill! Bill!" popped out moments later, and I was then treated to an episode of Bill el Científico yammering away in dubbed Spanish about the science of breathing. Apparently, the Spanish term for thorax is 'thorax.' And mucus is 'mucosa.' There was also a mention of the Krebs Cycle, I believe.
All this science fabulosity was then followed by another excellent episode of "Bill el Científico," wherein he discussed friction ("Friccion!"), as evidenced by him sliding around a lot. Also, there was an excellent demonstration of ball bearings, using marbles and a jar lid, which spells doom for any household with an impressionable and overly curious 11-year-old.
Speaking of impressionable, did I mention that, back in high school, I wanted to marry Bill Nye? The man is total hotness in a blue lab coat. Granted, he does look a tad cadaverous, what with the deep-set eyes and high cheekbones, but I kinda go for that sort of thing. After all, I also like David Bowie, Daniel Day Lewis, and cadavers. Er, I mean....
Yeah.
So, after all this hilarity and swooning and Spanish-dubbed excitement ("Friccion!"), I decided to get down to business, trotting out to my local caffeineatorium with script in hand, but that all ended when I went outside. And slammed into an invisible wall o' heat, about 102 degrees Fahrenheit, which would have been enough to fry Bill Nye's bowtie right off his sexy geek neck. This was a killing heat -- I went back inside, and was already done for the day. It was sad, and no amount of Satsuma awesomeness was able to counteract it. I read a little, napped a little, read some more, napped some more, etc. I also dimly recall watching some "SpongeBob SquarePants" in there, which is always a fine idea. The script, thankfully, turned out to be pretty impressive, but it wove weirdly in my dreams with SpongeBob, which I'm not sure I'd recommend.
I awoke with a start around 8pm, feeling groggy, and then I was suddenly consumed with the need to salvage the day. Or night, whatever. And so, feeling a little woozy and disconnected, I headed out into the Pasadena evening, and I'm really glad I did. It was like the entirety of Pasadena, which had napped right along with me, had decided to stir along with me as well, and the sense of expectancy in the air was electric. Everybody was out, even in my part of the neighborhood, which is just houses and trees and crickets and dim streetlights and not much else. In the dark, people coasted past on bicycles, gears clicking as the riders quietly chatted and laughed. Children giggled, dogs bounded, trees glowed in the streetlights, guys shyly nodded their hellos, crickets chirped, and couples kissed. Actually, I think Pasadena may have broken some record for kissing couples, right around 8pm yesterday.
Like I said, it was that kind of evening. And the Body Shop Satsuma fit it perfectly: sweet, clear, yet serenely lush.
I grabbed an iced Japanese Cherry green tea and chocolate chunk muffin at the Coffee Bean, settled in with a second script (a vile paint-by-numbers gorefest, yawn), gave up on the script after twenty minutes, and people-watched. Folks were thronging to Pinkberry across the street, which still baffles me. As for the rest of the crowds, the night was too hot for people to be as jumpy or chatty as they normally would be on a Saturday night, so there was an almost liquid quality to people's movements, a lethargy which made everything seem even more serene and meaningful somehow.
Pasadena, last night, had presence. It was magical.
After I finished my tea and muffin, I decided to head home, but when I hit my street, I just kept going -- something deep within me couldn't give up this night just yet. I still have no idea how long I walked in the dark, twenty minutes? Two hours? It was quietly glorious, in that wistfully suburban, Ray Bradbury sort of way. Air conditioners hummed, sprinklers swished, houses creaked and settled. In the distance, through an open window, Mel Gibson yelled "Freedom!" as an orchestra swelled. I passed an older woman who was outside just to enjoy things like me -- she was gazing absently at her sprinkler when I walked by, and we quietly said hello to each other before we let our minds slide away again into the dark. It was nice. And my perfume lasted the whole time, adding that little something extra. Just beautiful.
I wasn't planning on wearing the same scent twice in a row, but it has been specially requested, plus it was undeniably part of yesterday's magic. I can't wait to see what happens tonight.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Sunday smorgasbord
Okay, now that I've cleaned out my months-collected links, I've now decided to do (kinda) weekly links. Here they are, in all their maddening and splendid glory:
No. 1 Link of the Week:
Hipster Olympics
tied with the other No. 1 link of the week:
Table 70, which is my pal Matt's bimonthly music 'podiocast'. I'm currently listening to the entry "1993 Was a Good Year," and indeed, by the sound of things, it really was. Hooray for TLC, is what I'm sayin'.
Unreal Pencil Carvings
Richard Sweeney has stupidcrazy art talents. He seems to be the M. C. Escher of our generation.
Cardboard Cop Slows Speedsters -- sneaky, but a great idea.
Angel Ceballos is so inspiring to me, it hurts. The following are some of my favorite works of hers, from her Flickr photoset:
Magdalene Veen
another Magdalene Veen
Samantha Klapp
Karen and Nate
Magdalene Veen once more
This is hilarious, and I'm also slightly embarrassed to admit this makes my mouth water:
Minnesota State Fair on a Stick
Such a nifty thing:
Book of Ingenious Devices, published 850 CE
The Automata of Rhodes
According to Pindar, one of the nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, the isle of Rhodes was known for its displays of mechanical engineering, particularly automata, which apparently were a specialty of the Rhodians. Pindar said this in his seventh Olympic Ode:
"The animated figures stand
Adorning every public street
And seem to breathe in stone, or
move their marble feet."
Trippy, huh?
Because I lovelovelove the site Do What Now?:
We are zee Five Kabobeteers, no?
and
Leave the grilling to the high-waisted men, Timmy
Via Indexed:
I hated gym.
Senju Kannon
From the site: "A once-in-a-year event in Japan. 24 hours of TV, a lot of artists, a lot of events, and the funds are all for charity and the disabled. This is the show of the 'Senju Kannon': The 1000-hands goddess of Mercy."
Newsweek: China Regulates Buddhist Reincarnation: um, what?
Great Shadow Puppetry via Metacafe
"Garbage Masters" Amazing Trick Shots -- very definitely amazing.
Garbage - Androgyny: such a fun video! I'm a big fan of the concept of androgyny myself -- I was sporting neckties WELL before Avril whatserface was doing her thing, that lousy poseur. Grr.
Mouse In My Pants! via LP Cover Lover
This is just so wrong for just so many reasons.
Disgustingly Rich! via LP Cover Lover
Gotta love the mink-lined bathtub.
And just when you thought the mink madness couldn't possibly get any worse:
de l'amour et de l'argent via LP Cover Lover
O dear god no, Uggs and Crocs have mated and spawned a hybrid! NOOOOOOOOO....
Cruggs? via Boing Boing
Tunnel via the random collections
tumbleweed -- wait a sec, tumbleweed ISN'T native to the U.S.? Huh.
Because I am a bit of a typography dork:
i love typography
And finally, because xkcd (Randall Munroe) is a mad genius:
Interesting Life
Whew. Back to unpacking.
No. 1 Link of the Week:
Hipster Olympics
tied with the other No. 1 link of the week:
Table 70, which is my pal Matt's bimonthly music 'podiocast'. I'm currently listening to the entry "1993 Was a Good Year," and indeed, by the sound of things, it really was. Hooray for TLC, is what I'm sayin'.
Unreal Pencil Carvings
Richard Sweeney has stupidcrazy art talents. He seems to be the M. C. Escher of our generation.
Cardboard Cop Slows Speedsters -- sneaky, but a great idea.
Angel Ceballos is so inspiring to me, it hurts. The following are some of my favorite works of hers, from her Flickr photoset:
Magdalene Veen
another Magdalene Veen
Samantha Klapp
Karen and Nate
Magdalene Veen once more
This is hilarious, and I'm also slightly embarrassed to admit this makes my mouth water:
Minnesota State Fair on a Stick
Such a nifty thing:
Book of Ingenious Devices, published 850 CE
The Automata of Rhodes
According to Pindar, one of the nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, the isle of Rhodes was known for its displays of mechanical engineering, particularly automata, which apparently were a specialty of the Rhodians. Pindar said this in his seventh Olympic Ode:
"The animated figures stand
Adorning every public street
And seem to breathe in stone, or
move their marble feet."
Trippy, huh?
Because I lovelovelove the site Do What Now?:
We are zee Five Kabobeteers, no?
and
Leave the grilling to the high-waisted men, Timmy
Via Indexed:
I hated gym.
Senju Kannon
From the site: "A once-in-a-year event in Japan. 24 hours of TV, a lot of artists, a lot of events, and the funds are all for charity and the disabled. This is the show of the 'Senju Kannon': The 1000-hands goddess of Mercy."
Newsweek: China Regulates Buddhist Reincarnation: um, what?
Great Shadow Puppetry via Metacafe
"Garbage Masters" Amazing Trick Shots -- very definitely amazing.
Garbage - Androgyny: such a fun video! I'm a big fan of the concept of androgyny myself -- I was sporting neckties WELL before Avril whatserface was doing her thing, that lousy poseur. Grr.
Mouse In My Pants! via LP Cover Lover
This is just so wrong for just so many reasons.
Disgustingly Rich! via LP Cover Lover
Gotta love the mink-lined bathtub.
And just when you thought the mink madness couldn't possibly get any worse:
de l'amour et de l'argent via LP Cover Lover
O dear god no, Uggs and Crocs have mated and spawned a hybrid! NOOOOOOOOO....
Cruggs? via Boing Boing
Tunnel via the random collections
tumbleweed -- wait a sec, tumbleweed ISN'T native to the U.S.? Huh.
Because I am a bit of a typography dork:
i love typography
And finally, because xkcd (Randall Munroe) is a mad genius:
Interesting Life
Whew. Back to unpacking.
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