For your listening pleasure. Hopefully.
12.27.2008
Stephen
My friends and I heard that you were seriously tempted to come to the New Years Eve celebration in Austin. Make it happen.
12.19.2008
12.16.2008
Today I realized
Anytime I hear the phrase "who's house" I cannnot resist following it with "Run's house". It's seriously become some weird obsessive-compulsive tick. Thank you Run-DMC.
12.14.2008
for the inner-man in all of us
Who knew a couple teaspoons of cum could add a healthy dose to any old dish.
the semen cookbook
So when Dad asks what you want for Christmas, you know what to say.
the semen cookbook
So when Dad asks what you want for Christmas, you know what to say.
12.11.2008
Don't forget to adjust your clocks! Ha.
Leap second to be added to the official world time
Posted by David Pescovitz, December 10, 2008 12:14 PM |
On December 31, at 23:59:59 UTC, a leap second will be added to the official timekeeping clocks of the world. That's because the timescales of atomic clocks and the earth's rotation aren't perfectly in synch. The last leap second was added in 2005.
From Smithsonian:
Earth’s rotation is the traditional form of timekeeping. It is what defines a day. However, while we call a day 86,400 seconds, it is really 86,400.02 seconds. All those .02 seconds add up over time. In addition, the earth’s rotation is not constant (it has been slightly slowing, and 900 million years ago a day was only 18 of our hours). Time as we know it changes. Trippy.
Posted by David Pescovitz, December 10, 2008 12:14 PM |
On December 31, at 23:59:59 UTC, a leap second will be added to the official timekeeping clocks of the world. That's because the timescales of atomic clocks and the earth's rotation aren't perfectly in synch. The last leap second was added in 2005.
From Smithsonian:
Earth’s rotation is the traditional form of timekeeping. It is what defines a day. However, while we call a day 86,400 seconds, it is really 86,400.02 seconds. All those .02 seconds add up over time. In addition, the earth’s rotation is not constant (it has been slightly slowing, and 900 million years ago a day was only 18 of our hours). Time as we know it changes. Trippy.
12.10.2008
Speaking of walruses
The interview is so-so (the kid's only 14 afterall) but the animation is totally diggable.
I Met the Walrus
I Met the Walrus
Something to take your mind off the pain.
You are encouraged to watch this video while flossing so as to make the experience of flossing more pleasurable. Especially you Stephen.
12.09.2008
Where's the Inner Circle theme song?
Kopbusters -- reality show that busts cops for conducting illegal drug raids
Posted by Mark Frauenfelder, December 8, 2008 1:29 PM
Former drug office Barry Cooper has launched an online reality TV show that sets up corrupt cops who conduct illegal drug raids.
KopBusters rented a house in Odessa, Texas and began growing two small Christmas trees under a grow light similar to those used for growing marijuana. When faced with a suspected marijuana grow, the police usually use illegal FLIR cameras and/or lie on the search warrant affidavit claiming they have probable cause to raid the house. Instead of conducting a proper investigation which usually leads to no probable cause, the Kops lie on the affidavit claiming a confidential informant saw the plants and/or the police could smell marijuana coming from the suspected house.
The trap was set and less than 24 hours later, the Odessa narcotics unit raided the house only to find KopBuster’s attorney waiting under a system of complex gadgetry and spy cameras that streamed online to the KopBuster’s secret mobile office nearby.
On the Agitator blog, Radley Balko says:
To clarify just a bit, according to Cooper, there was nothing illegal going on the bait house, just two evergreen trees and some grow lamps. There was no probable cause. So a couple of questions come up. First, how did the cops get turned on to the house in the first place? Cooper suspects they were using thermal imaging equipment to detect the grow lamps, a practice the Supreme Court has said is illegal. The second question is, what probable cause did the police put on the affidavit to get a judge to sign off on a search warrant? If there was nothing illegal going on in the house, it’s difficult to conceive of a scenario where either the police or one of their informants didn’t lie to get a warrant.
Cooper chose to bait the Odessa police department because he believes police there instructed an informant to plant marijuana on a woman named Yolanda Madden. She’s currently serving an eight-year sentence for possession with intent to distribute. According to Cooper, the informant actually admitted in federal court that he planted the marijuana. Madden was convicted anyway.
Posted by Mark Frauenfelder, December 8, 2008 1:29 PM
Former drug office Barry Cooper has launched an online reality TV show that sets up corrupt cops who conduct illegal drug raids.
KopBusters rented a house in Odessa, Texas and began growing two small Christmas trees under a grow light similar to those used for growing marijuana. When faced with a suspected marijuana grow, the police usually use illegal FLIR cameras and/or lie on the search warrant affidavit claiming they have probable cause to raid the house. Instead of conducting a proper investigation which usually leads to no probable cause, the Kops lie on the affidavit claiming a confidential informant saw the plants and/or the police could smell marijuana coming from the suspected house.
The trap was set and less than 24 hours later, the Odessa narcotics unit raided the house only to find KopBuster’s attorney waiting under a system of complex gadgetry and spy cameras that streamed online to the KopBuster’s secret mobile office nearby.
On the Agitator blog, Radley Balko says:
To clarify just a bit, according to Cooper, there was nothing illegal going on the bait house, just two evergreen trees and some grow lamps. There was no probable cause. So a couple of questions come up. First, how did the cops get turned on to the house in the first place? Cooper suspects they were using thermal imaging equipment to detect the grow lamps, a practice the Supreme Court has said is illegal. The second question is, what probable cause did the police put on the affidavit to get a judge to sign off on a search warrant? If there was nothing illegal going on in the house, it’s difficult to conceive of a scenario where either the police or one of their informants didn’t lie to get a warrant.
Cooper chose to bait the Odessa police department because he believes police there instructed an informant to plant marijuana on a woman named Yolanda Madden. She’s currently serving an eight-year sentence for possession with intent to distribute. According to Cooper, the informant actually admitted in federal court that he planted the marijuana. Madden was convicted anyway.
Somebody, please!!
Christmas gift for real this time - an electric toy piano; I'll take care of the rest.
HOW TO turn a toy piano into a playable shirt
Posted by Cory Doctorow, December 8, 2008 10:18 PM
Here's an Instructable from Mikamika explaining how to rip apart an electric toy piano and wire it into a shirt, turning your chest into a playable instrument.
A Toy Piano embedded on a T-shirt. It has 8 keys from Do to Do (1 octave). You can play simple music by wearing the shirt and pushing the fabric button on the shirt. All the components from the toy piano (batteries, speaker, circuit board) are placed on the shirt and connected with poppers. All these hard components are detachable so that you can wash it if you wish.
Wearable Toy Piano (via Craft)
What are the odds you'll get electrocuted?
HOW TO turn a toy piano into a playable shirt
Posted by Cory Doctorow, December 8, 2008 10:18 PM
Here's an Instructable from Mikamika explaining how to rip apart an electric toy piano and wire it into a shirt, turning your chest into a playable instrument.
A Toy Piano embedded on a T-shirt. It has 8 keys from Do to Do (1 octave). You can play simple music by wearing the shirt and pushing the fabric button on the shirt. All the components from the toy piano (batteries, speaker, circuit board) are placed on the shirt and connected with poppers. All these hard components are detachable so that you can wash it if you wish.
Wearable Toy Piano (via Craft)
What are the odds you'll get electrocuted?
12.07.2008
Getting to know your local links.
I've added a few more links off to the left.
The first three links take you to the blogs of friends' (is that where the apostrophe goes?). Give these blogs a read every now and again. They are way above par.
The next four links focus on stories beautifully, eloquently, cleverly told. Please oh please listen to them!
Sunday Dinner Potluck is obvious. Feed me = Free Rice. And me talk pretty one day should be able to assist you with many of your spelling and grammar questions.
The first three links take you to the blogs of friends' (is that where the apostrophe goes?). Give these blogs a read every now and again. They are way above par.
The next four links focus on stories beautifully, eloquently, cleverly told. Please oh please listen to them!
Sunday Dinner Potluck is obvious. Feed me = Free Rice. And me talk pretty one day should be able to assist you with many of your spelling and grammar questions.
12.06.2008
I'm naming my next cat Creme Puff.
World's oldest cat celebrates 125th birthday
A feline believed to be the world's oldest cat has celebrated his 125th birthday.
Last Updated: 6:37PM GMT 03 Dec 2008 With musings by yours truly in bold.
Mischief, the world's oldest cat, is 100 Photo: SWNS.COM
And at 27 human years, (oh well that's just plain misleading! i knew a cat couldn't be 125 years old. and i was right.) Mischief is still living up to his name despite "slowing down a little", according to owners Chris and Donna Thorne.
The Guinness World Records has confirmed there is no record holder in the UK at the moment but the previous oldest cat was 29.
Mrs Thorne, 33, of St Austell, Cornwall, said: "It's amazing - he just keeps going on and on."
Mr Thorne, 51, (someone likes 'em young) got the black cat from a friend in nearby Launceston as a kitten in 1981. Yet another reason why '81 is a badass year.
He still has photographs of Mischief at just a few months old being cuddled at Christmas the same year.
Almost three decades later, he is still a vital part of the Thorne family, and is adored by the couple's 20-month-old baby Skye.
"She loves him to bits," said Mrs Thorne. "When he eventually goes we'll have to get another one because she'll be devastated."
She said that despite Mischief's advanced years, he still has a spring in his step.
"His name says it all," she said. "He may be 27 but he still manages to jump over the stair gate and he's round your ankles constantly for food.
"He's an indoor cat now, and he's losing big clumps of fur, but he's still going."
She added: "We'd love to know if there are any older cats in Cornwall. He's lost a couple of his nine lives over the years but it doesn't seem to have affected him."
A spokesman from Guinness World Records said a ginger cat called Spike was the last feline to hold the title of UK's oldest cat but since he died in 2001, there had been no further record holder. He encouraged Mr and Mrs Thorne to get in contact with Guinness World Records.
The oldest cat ever is Creme Puff, who was born on August 3, 1967 and lived until August 6, 2005 an amazing 38 years and three days.
Creme Puff lived with her owner, Jake Perry, in Austin, Texas. (What what!!)
What I want to know is, what are they feeding these cats and where can I buy it?
A feline believed to be the world's oldest cat has celebrated his 125th birthday.
Last Updated: 6:37PM GMT 03 Dec 2008 With musings by yours truly in bold.
Mischief, the world's oldest cat, is 100 Photo: SWNS.COM
And at 27 human years, (oh well that's just plain misleading! i knew a cat couldn't be 125 years old. and i was right.) Mischief is still living up to his name despite "slowing down a little", according to owners Chris and Donna Thorne.
The Guinness World Records has confirmed there is no record holder in the UK at the moment but the previous oldest cat was 29.
Mrs Thorne, 33, of St Austell, Cornwall, said: "It's amazing - he just keeps going on and on."
Mr Thorne, 51, (someone likes 'em young) got the black cat from a friend in nearby Launceston as a kitten in 1981. Yet another reason why '81 is a badass year.
He still has photographs of Mischief at just a few months old being cuddled at Christmas the same year.
Almost three decades later, he is still a vital part of the Thorne family, and is adored by the couple's 20-month-old baby Skye.
"She loves him to bits," said Mrs Thorne. "When he eventually goes we'll have to get another one because she'll be devastated."
She said that despite Mischief's advanced years, he still has a spring in his step.
"His name says it all," she said. "He may be 27 but he still manages to jump over the stair gate and he's round your ankles constantly for food.
"He's an indoor cat now, and he's losing big clumps of fur, but he's still going."
She added: "We'd love to know if there are any older cats in Cornwall. He's lost a couple of his nine lives over the years but it doesn't seem to have affected him."
A spokesman from Guinness World Records said a ginger cat called Spike was the last feline to hold the title of UK's oldest cat but since he died in 2001, there had been no further record holder. He encouraged Mr and Mrs Thorne to get in contact with Guinness World Records.
The oldest cat ever is Creme Puff, who was born on August 3, 1967 and lived until August 6, 2005 an amazing 38 years and three days.
Creme Puff lived with her owner, Jake Perry, in Austin, Texas. (What what!!)
What I want to know is, what are they feeding these cats and where can I buy it?
12.05.2008
Ahhoh!!!
Wilhelm makes me laugh. But I should warn you that it gets a little old after the first minute.
12.01.2008
Gay Feet!
Gay penguins steal eggs from straight couples
A couple of gay penguins are attempting to steal eggs from straight birds in an effort to become "fathers", it has been reported.
Last Updated: 2:06PM GMT 27 Nov 2008
There are known to be several gay penguin couples in zoos across the world Photo: GETTY
The two penguins have started placing stones at the feet of parents before waddling away with their eggs, in a bid to hide their theft.
But the deception has been noticed by other penguins at the zoo, who have ostracised the gay couple from their group. Now keepers have decided to segregate the pair of three-year-old male birds to avoid disrupting the rest of the community during the hatching season.
A keeper at Polar Land in Harbin, north east China explained that the gay couple had the natural urge to become fathers, despite their sexuality.
"One of the responsibilities of being a male adult is looking after the eggs. Despite this being a biological impossibility for this couple, the natural desire is still there," a keeper told the Austrian Times newspaper.
"It's not discrimination. We have to fence them separately, otherwise the whole group will be disturbed during hatching time," he added.
There are numerous examples of homosexuality in the animal kingdom, but gay penguins have captured the public's attention more than any other species.
A German zoo provoked outrage from gay lobby groups after attempting to mate a group of gay male penguins with Swedish female birds who were flown in especially to seduce them. But the project was abandoned after the males refused to be "turned", showing no interest in their would-be mates.
In 2002 a couple of penguins at a New York zoo who had been together for eight years were "outed" when keepers noticed that they were both males.
A couple of gay penguins are attempting to steal eggs from straight birds in an effort to become "fathers", it has been reported.
Last Updated: 2:06PM GMT 27 Nov 2008
There are known to be several gay penguin couples in zoos across the world Photo: GETTY
The two penguins have started placing stones at the feet of parents before waddling away with their eggs, in a bid to hide their theft.
But the deception has been noticed by other penguins at the zoo, who have ostracised the gay couple from their group. Now keepers have decided to segregate the pair of three-year-old male birds to avoid disrupting the rest of the community during the hatching season.
A keeper at Polar Land in Harbin, north east China explained that the gay couple had the natural urge to become fathers, despite their sexuality.
"One of the responsibilities of being a male adult is looking after the eggs. Despite this being a biological impossibility for this couple, the natural desire is still there," a keeper told the Austrian Times newspaper.
"It's not discrimination. We have to fence them separately, otherwise the whole group will be disturbed during hatching time," he added.
There are numerous examples of homosexuality in the animal kingdom, but gay penguins have captured the public's attention more than any other species.
A German zoo provoked outrage from gay lobby groups after attempting to mate a group of gay male penguins with Swedish female birds who were flown in especially to seduce them. But the project was abandoned after the males refused to be "turned", showing no interest in their would-be mates.
In 2002 a couple of penguins at a New York zoo who had been together for eight years were "outed" when keepers noticed that they were both males.
Damn.
The two villages where mothers killed EVERY baby born a boy for ten years
By RICHARD SHEARS
Last updated at 8:30 AM on 28th November 2008
Comments (22)
Add to My Stories
The Papua New Guinea jungle has given up one of its darkest secrets - the systematic slaughter of every male baby born in two villages to prevent future tribal clashes.
By virtually wiping out the 'male stock', tribal women hope they can avoid deadly bow-and-arrow wars between the villages in the future.
'Babies grow into men and men turn into warriors,' said Rona Luke, a village wife who is attending a special 'peace and reconciliation' meeting in the mountain village of Goroka.
Slaughter: The Papua New Guinea Eastern Highlands where it has been claimed women in two villages killed all their male children for a decade to prevent tribal warfare
'It's because of the terrible fights that have brought death and destruction to our villages for the past 20 years that all the womenfolk have agreed to have all new-born male babies killed,' said Mrs Luke.
'The women have had enough of men engaging in tribal conflicts and bringing misery to them.'
The sensational claims recall the Biblical story of the Old Testament pharaoh who ordered all midwives to kill Israelite baby boys because he wanted to ensure there were never enough young men to fight in an army against the Egyptians.
Mrs Luke said that the village women agreed that if they stopped producing males, allowing only female babies to survive, their tribe's stock of boys would go down and there would be no men in future to fight.
A resident of Agibu village, Mrs Luke said she did not know how many male babies were killed by being smothered, but it had happened to all males over a 10 year period - and she suggested it was still happening.
Choking back tears she added: 'It's a terrible, unbearable crime, but the women had to do it.
'The women have really being forced into it as it's the only means available to them as women to bring an end to tribal fights.'
Confirming the shocking infanticide claims, Mrs Kipiyona Belas from the rival Amosa village, told a newspaper that getting food for their families was difficult because husbands were fighting other tribes with bows-and- arrows and spears.
Often the men did not come back, having been killed on the 'battle field', usually a clearing in the jungle.
Now, with the help of the Salvation Army and the initiative of local Pastor Michael Hemuno, the tribal women hope the slaughter of babies can end and those men who are still warriors will lay down their weapons and talk peace.
'We are trying to get them to live peacefully and end all the deaths of young and old,' said Pastor Hemuno.
Tribal fighting in the region of Gimi, in the country's Eastern Highlands, has been going on since 1986, many of the clashes arising over claims of sorcery.
Papua New Guinea tribes, who dress up in warrior paint and feathered finery for special occasions, are strong believers in sorcery and often blame their enemies for bringing about deaths through witchcraft.
By RICHARD SHEARS
Last updated at 8:30 AM on 28th November 2008
Comments (22)
Add to My Stories
The Papua New Guinea jungle has given up one of its darkest secrets - the systematic slaughter of every male baby born in two villages to prevent future tribal clashes.
By virtually wiping out the 'male stock', tribal women hope they can avoid deadly bow-and-arrow wars between the villages in the future.
'Babies grow into men and men turn into warriors,' said Rona Luke, a village wife who is attending a special 'peace and reconciliation' meeting in the mountain village of Goroka.
Slaughter: The Papua New Guinea Eastern Highlands where it has been claimed women in two villages killed all their male children for a decade to prevent tribal warfare
'It's because of the terrible fights that have brought death and destruction to our villages for the past 20 years that all the womenfolk have agreed to have all new-born male babies killed,' said Mrs Luke.
'The women have had enough of men engaging in tribal conflicts and bringing misery to them.'
The sensational claims recall the Biblical story of the Old Testament pharaoh who ordered all midwives to kill Israelite baby boys because he wanted to ensure there were never enough young men to fight in an army against the Egyptians.
Mrs Luke said that the village women agreed that if they stopped producing males, allowing only female babies to survive, their tribe's stock of boys would go down and there would be no men in future to fight.
A resident of Agibu village, Mrs Luke said she did not know how many male babies were killed by being smothered, but it had happened to all males over a 10 year period - and she suggested it was still happening.
Choking back tears she added: 'It's a terrible, unbearable crime, but the women had to do it.
'The women have really being forced into it as it's the only means available to them as women to bring an end to tribal fights.'
Confirming the shocking infanticide claims, Mrs Kipiyona Belas from the rival Amosa village, told a newspaper that getting food for their families was difficult because husbands were fighting other tribes with bows-and- arrows and spears.
Often the men did not come back, having been killed on the 'battle field', usually a clearing in the jungle.
Now, with the help of the Salvation Army and the initiative of local Pastor Michael Hemuno, the tribal women hope the slaughter of babies can end and those men who are still warriors will lay down their weapons and talk peace.
'We are trying to get them to live peacefully and end all the deaths of young and old,' said Pastor Hemuno.
Tribal fighting in the region of Gimi, in the country's Eastern Highlands, has been going on since 1986, many of the clashes arising over claims of sorcery.
Papua New Guinea tribes, who dress up in warrior paint and feathered finery for special occasions, are strong believers in sorcery and often blame their enemies for bringing about deaths through witchcraft.
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