Here Kitty Kitty...

Here's a freebie. I'm officialy on holiday, but I thought you could use a mid-week goodie.

http://www.eatliver.com/img/2006/1639.jpg

If you're easily offended, don't look. But if you like girls and kitties... click away. (EatLiver.com doesn't allow hotlinking or I'd just post it here.)

On Vacation

Howdy!

I'll be on vacation until January 2nd. See you soon!

The Virgin Mary was a Komodo Dragon

Think the Immaculate Conception was just for mortal women who want to bear the son of a deity? Think again. Parthenogenesis is the production of offspring by a female with no genetic contribution from a male. It's something that happens fairly commonly in plants and lower animals. Apparently it happens in Komodo dragons too!

Read about the Virgin Flora >>

Another Brick in the Wall

Mmmmm... I love LEGOs. I guess I never grew up all the way. My friend's 4 yr old gets excited when he comes to my house because he gets to play with all my toys. The LEGOs are his favorite, of course. I briefly flirted with the idea of becoming a professional LEGO artist, but then I realized I'd have to sell my creations and part with them. Yeah, not so great. Anyway, I keep busy looking for LEGO stashes people sell at yard sales and thrift stores while looking at websites like these:

Nathan Sawaya's Art of the Brick
Eric Harshbarger's LEGO® Website
Sun Yu's FoundryDX
and
Brick Labs

Mix and Cut

Have you ever received spam in your inbox? OK. Dumb question. But have you ever wondered where that weird filler text (sometimes called Spamoetry) comes from? It's basically created by a hi-tech version of a poetry technique popularized by William S Burroughs called cut-up poetry. Basically what happens is lines of text are cut apart and re-assembled in chunks of usually about 7 words or so. People used to do this with paper and scissors, but nowadays most folks use technology. You can give it a try at the Lazarus Corporation's text mixing desk.

Here's an example of text mixing that I did with a fragment of the Gettysburg Address:

Original

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

Mixed

Fathers brought forth on this are met on a great battle-field of civil war, testing whether that proper that we should do this.
live. it is altogether fitting and continent a new nation, conceived in equal.
now we are engaged in a great nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. we their lives that that nation might resting place for those who here gave four score and seven years ago our proposition that all men are created that war. we have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final liberty, and dedicated to the

I want to try!



PS - Look for my post on FREE WORDS for an excellent example of cut-up poetry.

My Favorite WebToon

Um... so if you haven't ever been to Homestarrunner.com, you've really been missing out. This has to be one of the best-loved websites of all time. I've been watching the antics of Strong Bad, Strong Sad, Strong Mad, Coach Z, the Poopsmith and of course (my favorite) Homestar for years now. If you've never seen it, drop what your doing and watch some SB Emails. Now.



And yeah... I'm not usually into merchandising and stuff... but I not only do I have a Homestar keychain, but also a rad stuffed The Cheat that makes noises when you punch him. That's right. Drool.

Cute. Cuter. Super-cute!

Amigurumi is Japanese for 'crochet doll'. Making these little friends is a big craze in Japan and it's spilling over into the US too. People are making amugurumi everything... including the special treat shown below - curly poo - made by none other than Punchitomato.

Why didn't *I* think of this?

One very creative man, a lot of time to think. He shoulda been an architect. Oh the things he'd build! Japan would be a much better place, methinks. Check out David's idea for a Tokyo building at Ironic Sans.

I found it on eBay

Jihad Prayer Rug.

Look while you can, this post will expire!

Free Your Mind? Free Words!

SUMMER HEAT DISTRACTIONS PINE-NEEDLES NEEDLES SLEEP IN THE AFTERNOON NEEDLESS WANDERINGS OF PIGSTIES I DON’T KNOW YOU KNOW WHY OH YEAH OY DON’T THINK TOO MUCH LOOSEN THE MIND WITH DISTRACTIONS A BLUE DRESS A GREEN DOOR GREEDY AND INSUBSTANTIAL INFINITE AND STARRY BLACK HOLES OF ASTRONOMICAL INTENTION FINE-GRADE SAND PAPER SHOOT SWIM CARRY HOLD SEARCH UNSHACKLED CANARY BRAID PORTRAIT VIRGIN GIRL YOU ARE WERE WILL BE WADING ON THE RIVER BANK PLYING PLAITING WHERE DO WE FIND LANGUAGE WHERE DO WE FIND LOVE SILVER OAK LEAVES COMPOST GARDEN SQUASH BLOSSOMS SINGULARITY FISSION A VOCABULARY OF FRUIT AND STARS...

Free Words Project

Cutest. Packaging. Ever.

Visit Off the Shelf for a look at some of the best and most fun packaging design in Japan. Compiled by an American designer living in Japan.

Rubber Ducky, You're the One!

One in ten-thousand, I mean.

Each year 10,000 shipping containers fall off cargo ships into the ocean. Here's the very interesting tale of one container gone overboard and the scientific study it spawned.

Rubber Duck News
Beachcombing Science

Quote of the Day

A good friend will come and bail you out of jail… but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, “Damn… that was fun!”

All About Klaus

Hallo, das ist Klaus! Are you ready to start working as a forklift operator? Yes? Well let's get started. This way to the orientation room where you'll watch "Stapler Fahrer Klaus" - our forklift safety training video*.



(*not for those with weak stomachs)

Can't you point that thing someplace else?

Yes, that's right. Now you no longer have to worry about your husband shooting you in the face while you sleep. All you need is the Pillow Pal!

Amazing Lace

Does just looking at your shoes laces make you feel lame? Does your daughter make you feel so utterly-unhip because you can't lace up her sneakers in a cool way? Do your laces come untied every time you turn around?

If you answered 'yes' to any of the above, just wander on over to Ian's Shoelace Site.

If you love sneakers and boots, this is the place for you! (Larger images available on Ian's site.)

Suggestion for Gift-Giving

Don't get dumped, get the Wheel of Responsibility!

DIY - Tyvek Wallet

I keep losing my current 'wallet' which is really just a rubber band twisted around my bank card, credit cards, business cards and coffee cards. It's about time I made one of these DIY Tyvek wallets.



If Tyvek isn't your thing, maybe this Duct Tape Wallet is. Or maybe this advanced version.