Another reason to move south (way south)

Purporting to be "New Zealand's hottest weather forecast", the Weather Angels is a heat-seeking media projectile targeted right at the lowest common denominator. (Though I don't believe anyone is claiming a meteorology degree.) I was righteously indignant, mind you, while watching the entire appalling segment.

New Zealand's Hottest Weather Broadcast
http://www.spareroom.co.nz/2007/10/16/new-zealands-hottest-weather-broadcast/

Hallowed-out log

Well it's Halloween and I am compelled to stay mostly on theme. Arifa sent me this first item -- a Halloween Guinea Pig -- saying that it's so cute she even relaxed her "no pet costumes" rule.

Halloween animated light display 2007
What's really scary is how much time and energy (human and electrical) went into festively lighting up this house.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkSIvirW-hc

Scare Tactic - Rat Monster
I felt compelled to reprise this classic prank involving a great script and an effective costume when an animal rights activist meets a genetically mutated rat monster.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FfXrzQepdY8

QotD
"Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's
self-conscious and anything self-conscious is lousy. You cannot
try to do things. You simply must do things."
-- Ray Bradbury

Everybody must get stoned
Check out the winners and runners-up in BBC History Magazine's search for Britain's "most surprising, enigmatic or bizarre" gravestone epitaphs.

Build a Pac-Man costume
This guy made a wearable arcade video machine for Halloween last year. Learn how to make your own...
http://content.techrepublic.com.com/2346-22_11-169336-1.html

NotLD
And courtesy of USC Free Culture SPEED Remix Competition...a bunch of "Night of The Living Dead" remixes.
http://imlportfolio.usc.edu/freeculture/?p=7

Cheney's dog goes hunting

Every once in a while you wonder whether maybe the accident wasn't an accident and that maybe the victim deserved it.

http://www.whbf.com/Global/story.asp?S=7285656

Better keep that liquor cabinet locked

My friend Mark wrote in with this news item and I just had to check it out. I can only imagine the media coverage in the US -- say, if it had happened at the San Diego Zoo. The local news outlets would be all over it, as would PETA, MADD, Representative Susan Davis (co-sponsor of the "No Pachyderm Left Behind" bill), and countless others.

Elephants electrocuted in drunken rampage
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21432722/

One night at the warehouse

Creepy animated graffiti
"John Carpenter meets Naked Lunch" would be one way to describe this stop-motion fruit of countless hours slapping paint around in an abandoned warehouse. It would, however, be rather accurate too. Much wall-scuttling and body-morphing ensues. Cool stuff. http://www.noob.us/entertainment/awesome-yet-creepy-stop-motion-wall-animation/

Mr. Potatohead obscura
A little bit of clay and some imagination go a long way in this gallery of custom Mr. Potatoheads from movies, TV and pop culture. MrTruffle has compiled a collection of less-popular themes like Clockwork Orange, Hellboy, and Scream, and rendered them as Mr. Potatoheads. And not in a half-assed way. "I actually wasted many hours and money doing this sh-t," he was quoted as saying.
http://mrpotatomash.com/

QotD
Don't do what you want. Do what you don't want. Do what you're trained not to want. Do the things that scare you the most.
--Chuck Palahniuk

Skull-a-Day
Check out this guy's skull-arts-and-crafts blog, wherein he's "making a skull image every day for a year." This pumpkin-based endeavor is right for the season.
http://skulladay.blogspot.com/

Game break: Portal
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/404612

Geeky Pumpkin Carving Designs
If you haven't started carving your pumpkin yet, better get started. Here are a bunch of geeky pumpkin designs to get your creative juices flowing . . . http://studenthacks.org/2007/10/28/pumpkin-carving-designs/

Dude...

Dude...
Beer companies must be stocking their ad departments with linguistics Ph.Ds these days. How else can one explain their mind-boggling analyses of male communication? This clip (a new Bud Light spot) is a good 'un: Dudes, don't even pretend that you don't make use of this versatile little word multiple times a day.
http://view.break.com/387006

Brilliant Advertising Ideas
Some pretty decent and creative print ads. And no, it's not an oxymoron.
http://hem.com.np/2007/09/09/brilliant-advertising-ideas/

Quotes of the Day: Advertising

Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it. -- Stephen Butler Leacock

Advertising is the 'wonder" in Wonder Bread. -- Jef I. Richards (advertising professor, Univeristy of Texas)

Advertising is legalized lying. -- H

Extremely fresh sushi
One of the worrying things about sushi is that you always wonder about how long it's been left sitting around, going manky. That's definitely not an issue here, as this meal shows that it is still clinging to life. A little gnarly, and the comments are extra-idiotic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTRpPba5qz0

Cooking with Pooh
And finally, also on the cookery front...wipe that sh*t-eating grin off your face -- it's an innocent cook book for kids.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1570822611

Love Southwest? Then you might Lovecheckin.com

A friend recently wrote in with word about a website called http://www.lovecheckin.org/that automatically checks you in for your Southwest flight as soon as possible 24 hours prior to departure. All you have to do is sign up for an account (for free or a voluntary donation) and then forward the Southwest itinerary emails to an account that gets generated when you sign up. Upon receipt, the website figures out your flights and automatically checks you in to get you an "A" boarding pass. <--! disclaimer: I only have second hand knowledge that it works. I have not used it myself. So no griping if you end up in boarding group "H". --> Wonder what will happen when everyone starts using this service? I see a premium paid service to get "priority status" on the horizon...

The Medium is the Message: "Idiocracy"

Idiocracy (2006) is a surprisingly decent enough movie, and one which I only recently caught wind of. Built on a structure of wrought irony, it combines effective stupid laughs with social commentary about the "dumbing down" of America. Broader and more impugning than Office Space, the telling message is delivered through a stack of Marshalls.

Another fine example of a Mike Judge production that on its face seems to be just a simplistic and juvenile A-to-B story -- which in many ways it is -- but once you get past the crispy coating, you find some incisive and even subtly creative food for thought. The doctor operates with a chainsaw rather than a scalpel, but the fact that Judge is almost completely off the H-wood radar -- blacklisted, it seems -- apparently hasn't stifled him in the least.

While maybe it wouldn't have been worth a theater ticket, it's a better waste of eighty-something minutes than pretty much any TV show. It may not be the most brilliant movie you've ever added to your Netflix queue, but that's only fitting.

ground Chuck

Chuck Norris Facts
Did you know that there is no chin under Chuck Norris' beard? There is only another fist. With that in mind, Dean pointed me to this web site http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/ that reveals much you may not have known, such as:
• Guns don't kill people. Chuck Norris kills People.
• Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.
• The chief export of Chuck Norris is Pain.
• Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order
are trademarked names for his left and right legs.

And to top it off, I found an excellent segment, featuring the man himself. Whether or not you're a fan, this is well worth the minute or so.

"Will It Blend?" - Chuck Norris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdD54rG9oQA

"Dog Video Dating" - The Meth Minute 39
Episode 4 of The Meth Minute 39 original cartoon series, which "hilariously illustrates how difficult it is to find love...even in the canine world." Video Dating -- where "dogs in heat go to meet and greet"
http://www.channelfrederator.com/methminute39/episode/TMM_20071018

Quote of the Day
"It is always the best policy to speak the truth--unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar."
--Jerome K. Jerome

Embarrassing Movie Posters
The movies more so than the posters. This would make a good collection to hang in your house.
http://peet.wordpress.com/category/poster-art/

Friday game: this one's entertaining and educational...Launchpad
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/launchpad/launchball/

Prison hooch
A while back I told you about an evil-yet-still-piss-weak prison brew known as pruno. This 'prison wine' is cut from much the same stinky cloth, but the pictures and commentary are great. This is looking like a good weekend project...
http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/000373.php

Drive-by projecting

Drive-by projecting
This dude scored himself a fancy newfangled projector and has been amusing himself by showing messages on the street, in a light graffiti style. Best bit...? Guy whizzing in the alley...or was it projecting rain and an umbrella onto some unsuspecting hoofer?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1jZ0HuNxnc


Dillon Aero SUV
Have you ever wondered about all those extra SUVs in a VIP motorcade? You know -- the ones with blacked-out windows that no one gets in or out of. Well wonder no more. Not just for show, they have six-barreled 7.62 mm mini guns that fire over 4,000 rounds per minute. (They need to run the wipers to remove spent casings.) Oh yeah, and the vehicle is also armor plated. (Thanks rasric)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOyt6imlgLo


Quote of the Day
"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death."
-- James F. Byrnes


The BackUp
In case anyone has started to think that America is sane, this product comes along to dispel that idea. Ideally-placed for bleary-eyed blasting of your toddler when he unexpectedly walks into the room during the night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsV50T5uEyw


Bash your computer
Staying with the theme, here's an oldie to relieve some frustration.
http://www.widro.com/computerbash.html


Odd Tools
And lastly, from the Odd-Info family of websites come some of the weirdest, most bizarre, strangest tools on earth. Can you figure out what these things are?
http://www.odd-tools.com/

Mirror, mirror on the wall

Hope you all are doing well. As you know San Diego county and other parts of California have been on fire the past few days. While I have been fortunate, many have not. Think good thoughts and pray good prayers for firefighters and evacuated residents. Hopefully Mother Nature will bring better weather/winds over the coming days. -- /vW

Excellent mirror prank
Leading off today is a novel concept -- put identical twins on either side of a sheet of glass made up to look like a mirror in a public restroom. Film people's reactions when they notice that their own reflection is missing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lv0-ftyMKE

Ten Epic Halloween Costumes
In the Halloween spirit...the use of the word "epic" in the title could mean any of its uses, possibly "awesome", could be "larger than life", or it could mean "it's a long story" as it pertains to these Halloween costumes. Whatever, it also means "dork".
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/8584

Quote of the Day
"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain--and most fools do."
-- Dale Carnegie

Star Wars Trumpet
This post bills this classic and cringeworthy pageant performance as "The Most Amazing Video Of A Girl Playing Star Wars On The Trumpet. EVER", and there are many things that make this video amazing. And if the title leads you to believe you're about to be "blown away" by her unbelievable horn skills, she proceeds to pump out the most cacophonous, ear-splitting rendition of the Star Wars theme imaginable.
http://www.bestweekever.tv/2007/10/11/the-most-amazing-video-of-a-girl-playing-star-wars-on-the-trumpet-ever/

Dial M for Moron
I can’t disagree that this is probably the worst iPhone accessory ever:
http://iphonemod.com/

Limited Edition Ferrari Segway PT i2
And what's this -- 200 mph on a pogo-wheelie?
http://www.sybarites.org/2007/10/22/limited-edition-ferrari-segway-pt-i2/

msm.news.com

"You don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows." - Bob Dylan

Holy crap. As fires rage through San Diego county, those who typically use the interweb sources for their news and current events might be re-asking themselves where they are going to turn for information...

Bloggers? News groups? Forums? Mega-portal news sites?

Well maybe, but maybe not. While they're fine for opinion and "softer" news stories -- and as much as you might not trust MSM to deliver you the truth -- you might likely be watching a local TV station and visiting the San Diego Union-Tribune website (SignOnSanDiego.com) to work through your evacuation plans.

Beware! The Blog

To blog or not to blog, that's the question I’ve recently posed to myself. Why? Why not? And probably because I’ve reached a nadir of self-boredom and creative neglect.

I’ve had this web site (http://www.ajwand.com/) for a couple-or-so years now, and pretty much have nothing to show for it other than a bunch of hard-fought writing battles. None of the easy lucre produced by a steady flow of traffic and largely irrelevant online ads. No reader legions anxiously waiting for me to post my next entry (though not that I’ve tried...).

Sure, I’ve told a few people about it -- never with pride and always with the warning that it is lame and ugly -- but I have not promoted it, dressed it up, or tried to make money with it. This might seem incongruous with the high-marginal-value hours I’ve logged -- forgoing sleep, sloth and excessive inebriation, and other good-for-you stuff -- to write all that crap. For whatever it's worth...

So what /is/ it worth? I have posed myself that question from time to time, and while the answer is most likely "very little", the potential potential is obvious enough. I work for a company that feeds its shareholders on the vig of online advertising technology. There are people out there making a zillion bucks a week courtesy of "Ads by Google" -- for the love Christ, I should be able to figure out some way to ride the system to wealth (if not taste).

99

99: Red Luft Balloons and Years of Cubs Losers
Well it's about time for the fall classic and once again the lovable loser Cubs are not to be found. If you've ever wondered how long a century is, sit back and let 99 years of misery for Cubs fans put it in full perspective for you. This compilation, appropriately set to "99 Red Luft Balloons", ties up all the hopeless moments of seasons fallen for the Cubs, and the deep depression of Chicago fans everywhere. (Sorry Ray)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJaAIdOFRj4


Sick Whiffle Ball Pitcher
Staying on topic, the spherical plastic hunk of Swiss cheese known as a whiffle ball can make you feel like big leaguer. This unidentified hurler has the gyroball that we've been waiting to see from Dice-K. If only the ALCS were being played in a backyard...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_rslXAXE6Y


Quote of the Day
"I've got a theory that if you give 100% all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end."
-- Larry Bird


Multi-tasking: Test both sides of your brain at once
Apparently, Twinoo is the First MoMPG (Mono MultiPlayer Game). Whatever, it's a challenge. May the best brain hemisphere win...
http://www.tetris1d.org/zigah/twinoo/twinoo.php


Friday game: Winterbells
In this creation of glowing beauty made from just a few clumps of Flash, you play a snowy bunny hopping along a trail of silver bells high into the crystal-clear winter sky.
http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/bells.htm


Tunnel of Death
And lastly, the 3,150m long Lefortovo Tunnel in Russia is the longest "in-city" tunnel in all of Europe. There is a river running over it and water leaks at some points. When the temperature reaches minus 38 degrees like it did last winter, the road freezes and the result is the attached video taken during a single day with the tunnel camera. And congratulations to the bus driver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fLW3OiH8OQ

Ready or not

Hayward Fault's 'tectonic time bomb'
Studying layers of soil in a trench they dug near the Fremont BART station, geologists recently made a startling discovery: The Hayward Fault has had a big earthquake roughly every 140 years, on average, since 1315. And this Sunday marks year 139.
http://www.siliconvalley.com/news/ci_7211083

F@#&% work

Vindication. Some random news from the University of East Anglia: the secret to success is swearing at work, which "boosts team spirit and morale". F@#&% yeah. (Thanks Paul)

Running with the pack

99 life-sized wolves on the wall
We humans are a social bunch. We have leaders, followers, and those with attention deficit. Sometimes however this does not serve us well. Behold some art that speaks to the dangers of running with the pack. Or as they say Nietzsche said it: "Insanity in individuals is something rare; but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule."
http://www.pantherhouse.com/newshelton/insanity/

"Pricasso"
Talented exhibitionist (named Willy?) paints portraits with his knob. They're not too bad, considering. Would you want one in your living room?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sLx1L0IsP0

Quote of the Day
"Some people like my advice so much that they frame it upon the wall instead of using it."
-- Gordon R. Dickson

Franks
And on a semi-related note, for those grown fat on the drippings of YouTube, there might be a hunger for the funny flash loops of yore. These aren't your father's ballpark dogs.
http://silentwulf.com/flash/700.swf

Cramped City Living
And finally, I'm sure it wouldn't surprise you to learn that a number of houses lay claim to being the narrowest in the world. Ambiguity aside (since it doesn't really matter), it's amazing to see the competitors. Seems like it would be a good stunt if Weight Watchers made one of these into its corporate headquarters.
http://weburbanist.com/2007/10/05/cramped-urban-living-9-of-the-narrowest-city-houses-in-the-world/

der grim Rapper

Hitler rapping
Here's a better-than-average Hitler mashup, wherein der Fuhrer lets loose some bellicose poetry atop Reifenstahl's "Triumph of the Will". This would be the original "white boy rap", no?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDwEnFhMVOU

The Right Brain vs. Left Brain test
As tests go this one's pretty simple -- just look at it and see if you can flip between right brain and left. (Thanks, Fred)
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22535838-5012895,00.html

Quote of the Day
"Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
-- Ronald Reagan

Human waves
I, like most Americans, enjoy my "personal space" and don’t like to impinge on the territorial waters of others. So have a gander at this pool in Japan that is so crowded it's unrecognizable as such. (I don’t read Japanese but I believe the sign reads, "no diving".) Unbelievable...
http://www.kilian-nakamura.com/blog-english/index.php/tokyo-summerland-wave-pool-manages-to-fit-in-some-water/

Once Bitten
You don't want to look at these photos of a "lucky" snakebite victim. Trust me. For once they are seen they can not be unseen. Proceed with caution.
http://www.rattlesnakebite.org/rattlesnakepics.htm