My two year-old nephew has 6 inches and 10 lbs on this bodybuilder from India.
Showing posts with label world. Show all posts
Showing posts with label world. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Fresh Child Juice.
Look, if you can find a hole on the boy that you want to put your lips on, be my guest.
Got this one from Dee's RSS feed (yeah, I talked him into it)
Its a Swedish invention to aid in removing whatever liquid -or near liquid- may be in or coming out of your child at a rate no sufficient to satisfy a parent. That's right folks, line up to get your snot straws. Just the thought of sucking some phlegm into my soft palate is enough to make me want to ralph.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
How Do You Tell When An Italian Is On Strike?
He doesn't got to work some days! Yeah I know that joke needs a little work. But its true. Workers at Ferrari have been on strike since March, protesting the number of super cars the company is making them churn out with their sunsoaked, olive oiled hands. Calm down, that doesn't mean that Ferrari's haven't been getting made. It just means that some of the workers don't go to work on Saturdays as a protest. Shit, I've been on Italian strike my whole life and I didn't even know it.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Gimme Your Wallet And Your Thong.
Yes, crime is a scourge and it would be terrifying to be mugged by a South American gang while waiting for a bus. But I'm willing to bet that you crack a smile when I say that authorities in Colombia are hunting for the "Knicker Robbers." They normally don't hurt their victims, but demand valuables and yes - underwear - at early morning bus stops. This sounds like a group of young men who have their priorities in line.
I can just imagine the group sitting around whatever shit-hole hideout they could find brainstorming 'hooks' they could use to help identify their gang. One member pipes up "We could steal their underwear" just as a joke cause they're running out of steam. They all chuckle for a little and it dies down. Someone else quietly says "I like underwear" Another, gazing off into the distance, barely audible "yeah..." And so the Underwear Bandits are born.
I can just imagine the group sitting around whatever shit-hole hideout they could find brainstorming 'hooks' they could use to help identify their gang. One member pipes up "We could steal their underwear" just as a joke cause they're running out of steam. They all chuckle for a little and it dies down. Someone else quietly says "I like underwear" Another, gazing off into the distance, barely audible "yeah..." And so the Underwear Bandits are born.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Too Bad We Didn't Have Assigned Seating When I Was In School.
Take your top off for a good seat in the dining hall? Brilliant! A school in Denmark is coming under fire for an annual competition where the girls strip it off for the teachers and students. Not because of the event itself, but apparently this year a couple of girls got carried away with baby oil and each other's chests. That's still not the trouble. 4 students filmed it on their cell phones and posted it on youtube. Uh-oh. Sorta, maybe, busted. The school administrator seems real cool about the whole thing. Basically he had a talk with everyone involved and its no big deal. They're still gonna do the event in the future, they just don't want it on the Internet. And as for the Oilers, they didn't even win cause no one wants to see a couple of 18-year-old Danish girls strip off their clothes and oil each other up.
Do you SEE how much cooler Europeans are than Americans? Imagine this happened at any school in the US and think of the onslaught from countless groups that take heinous and irreparable offense.
Do you SEE how much cooler Europeans are than Americans? Imagine this happened at any school in the US and think of the onslaught from countless groups that take heinous and irreparable offense.
- Students' stage strip for teachers |Metro.co.uk (NSFYourMom)
Thursday, April 12, 2007
I Can't Park In The Lobby?
Was this the plan? "I'm upset that my phone doesn't work so I drive my car into your building"? A man in South Korea drove a Mercedes with "Delinquent SK" written on it through the front door. (Well, as far through a revolving door as a car will fit.) Somehow I don't think this resolved his troubles, even though it was a very effective attention getting device.Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Wash Label Cipher.
My dad sent me this one. There's a small clothing company in Washington state that produces apparel that's sold in France. As a result the care instructions appear in English and French. But the French readers out there get a little bonus, the last two lines aren't included in the English section:Nous sommes desoles que notre president soit un idiot.
Nous n'avons pas vote pour lui.
Translates to:
We are sorry that our president is an idiot.
We didn't vote for him.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Volley For Prize Money.
The Wimbledon Championships will now offer equal prize money to its male and female competitors. That's no good. Next they're gonna start thinking they can play on smaller courts and not wear those little skirts. I know, I know. I'm working on getting smacked here, but in all seriousness its about equal pay for equal work. I'm glad I've never had to deal with any glass ceiling and think its a shame that it holds some people back.
I hate to say it, but I side with the French on this one. They award more money to the guys based on the fact that they do more work, just like Wimbledon used to before they lost their stones. Guys play best of 5 set matches, while the women only duel to 3. I'm not even going to bring quality of play into this, but its a more demanding version of the sport based on format alone. Why then shouldn't it be compensated justly? Women are actually getting paid more per set here. You don't usually hear women complaining about benefiting from sexism, but this is a fairly tangible example. If there was another mens' league that was paid less than the standard men because the rules were easier, do you think anyone would change the pay scales?
But I don't want to discount the rise in popularity of women's tennis. Sure, more people want to see women play tennis, so its more valuable because its more marketable. But is it the same as a 5 set women's format would be? And if there is demand for a 3 set match, maybe the men should be playing less tennis too.
Its only an opinion, and its in the minority; don't get so worked up.
I hate to say it, but I side with the French on this one. They award more money to the guys based on the fact that they do more work, just like Wimbledon used to before they lost their stones. Guys play best of 5 set matches, while the women only duel to 3. I'm not even going to bring quality of play into this, but its a more demanding version of the sport based on format alone. Why then shouldn't it be compensated justly? Women are actually getting paid more per set here. You don't usually hear women complaining about benefiting from sexism, but this is a fairly tangible example. If there was another mens' league that was paid less than the standard men because the rules were easier, do you think anyone would change the pay scales?
But I don't want to discount the rise in popularity of women's tennis. Sure, more people want to see women play tennis, so its more valuable because its more marketable. But is it the same as a 5 set women's format would be? And if there is demand for a 3 set match, maybe the men should be playing less tennis too.
Its only an opinion, and its in the minority; don't get so worked up.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Nothing Beats A Good Kite Festival.
Oh yeah, the tranquil beauty of a kite soaring above. The loops the twists, the oohs, the ahhs, the screams, the gunfire, the wail of ambulances. Sounds great.
You may be saying, 'Wait, haven't I already heard about this? Wasn't there already a kite festival with a tragically high number of deaths?' Yeah, but that was a couple years ago when nine people died in 2004. The government in Pakistan banned in it in 2005, but finally lifted the ban for a few days in 2007. I guess they figured people learned their lesson and would stop using "sharpened kite twine". Well they figured wrong, with 10 (some reports say 11) dead in two days, the government's warning about using razor and glass shards to better your kite's odds were obviously unheeded. But lets not blame this all on the kites, some people got so pumped up about the kites that they couldn't help but fire off a couple shots of celebratory gun fire. But that's not the kite's fault.
You may be saying, 'Wait, haven't I already heard about this? Wasn't there already a kite festival with a tragically high number of deaths?' Yeah, but that was a couple years ago when nine people died in 2004. The government in Pakistan banned in it in 2005, but finally lifted the ban for a few days in 2007. I guess they figured people learned their lesson and would stop using "sharpened kite twine". Well they figured wrong, with 10 (some reports say 11) dead in two days, the government's warning about using razor and glass shards to better your kite's odds were obviously unheeded. But lets not blame this all on the kites, some people got so pumped up about the kites that they couldn't help but fire off a couple shots of celebratory gun fire. But that's not the kite's fault.Saturday, February 24, 2007
Don't Nag Me About Putting Beer On My Cereal.
I keep telling you, the Japanese are ten years ahead of us. They've got solutions for problems that we haven't even heard of yet. Like, what do you do when people stop drinking milk? Make beer out of it. Brilliant! A crafty brewer came up with this solution after last years massive milk surplus. I guess its better than pouring it down the drain. And people say we're the land of excess. Oh wait, we burn food, which making alcohol out of it seems pretty reasonable. Back on top, baby!
Anyway, you're probably not going to see this too soon, right now sales are restricted to six liquor stores in Nakashibetsu, Japan. So unless you've got a serious jonesin for a fruity low-malt milk derivative, you're stuck just dreaming about calcium bed-spins.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Don't Eff With Old People
Sure they may look homely with their sky-blue Sansabelts and hairnets, but those octogenarians can get rough. On a side trip in Puerto Rico, a group of senior citizens from a cruise ship were held up by three assailants. An ex-military passenger got a gunman in a headlock and snapped his neck while the others beat the two remaining criminals off the bus. No charges are being pressed in the incident, authorities say the tourists were in the right. All the passengers intend to continue with the cruise. I guess that's why the phrase isn't "like taking candy from a senior citizen."
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Ocean Motion
Wave power is something that I don't really think about all that much when I consider clean alternative power sources. Normally my thoughts drift straight to solar and wind and then on to the dreamy hunk that is fusion. But that may be off base. Here's a presentation by Max Carcas of Ocean Power Delivery at a Google Tech Talk.
The presentation is about an hour long but it gives great details about the actual device as well as energy potential, market and economics of wave power. Watch the video if you have the time he's much better at explaining it than I am, but I'll put some of my notes below. Skip to about 26:00 for video of the wave tank simulation.
Solar currently generates 100 watts per square meter, wind 1000 watts per square meter while wave power houses the potential for 20,000- 70,000 watts per square meter depending on teh region. Wave energy can be thought of as compressed stored wind energy.
Waves are a highly forecastable energy source, which is a major concern with wind and solar generation. Output, even without forecasting, can be held constant within a 5 and 10% threshold.
The device is called "Pelamis" (a type of sea snake) for its vertical and horizontal motion as waves pass under it. It resides in an optimal depth of 80m which is 2-10km from shore depending on the region. At this depth the waves are not compressed by the shore and retain more energy while remaining in a non-volatile state (not breaking).
A single unit is 140m long and 3.5m wide with 4 rigid sections and 3 joints that contain pneumatic actuators. The joints move up and down as well as side to side at non uniform angles to induce a kind of harmonic tuning that is used to maximize the power output depending on the type of wave. That single unit will average around 750 KW output which is enough for about 500 homes.
The device is designed to be survivable with "load shedding" as an innate feature of the design. If a large wave is encountered it will simply pass through the wave rather than rising too high on a crest and breaking apart. This is much the same as the way that wind turbines can feather in excess wind or a hydro-electric plant can discharge excess water.
The technology was designed using existing technology as a guide. Natural gas, Oil and various other marine industries have developed standards couplings and materials that are well suited to this type of environment. The device itself employs very few revolutionary, and untested, modules which makes it very reliable.
The current cost of deployment per kwh is above wind but below solar. There is a distinct trend in applications of new technologies that cost drops fairly dramatically as process is streamlined and technologies refined. Wind turbine prices have dropped 80% since the first wind turbine project; so one might make an educated guess that a similar trend will follow for wave power. Government subsidies generally provide incentive to new projects during the first few years to help with this innovation cost hurdle, as we've done for solar and wind.
The presentation is about an hour long but it gives great details about the actual device as well as energy potential, market and economics of wave power. Watch the video if you have the time he's much better at explaining it than I am, but I'll put some of my notes below. Skip to about 26:00 for video of the wave tank simulation.
Solar currently generates 100 watts per square meter, wind 1000 watts per square meter while wave power houses the potential for 20,000- 70,000 watts per square meter depending on teh region. Wave energy can be thought of as compressed stored wind energy.
Waves are a highly forecastable energy source, which is a major concern with wind and solar generation. Output, even without forecasting, can be held constant within a 5 and 10% threshold.
The device is called "Pelamis" (a type of sea snake) for its vertical and horizontal motion as waves pass under it. It resides in an optimal depth of 80m which is 2-10km from shore depending on the region. At this depth the waves are not compressed by the shore and retain more energy while remaining in a non-volatile state (not breaking).
A single unit is 140m long and 3.5m wide with 4 rigid sections and 3 joints that contain pneumatic actuators. The joints move up and down as well as side to side at non uniform angles to induce a kind of harmonic tuning that is used to maximize the power output depending on the type of wave. That single unit will average around 750 KW output which is enough for about 500 homes.
The device is designed to be survivable with "load shedding" as an innate feature of the design. If a large wave is encountered it will simply pass through the wave rather than rising too high on a crest and breaking apart. This is much the same as the way that wind turbines can feather in excess wind or a hydro-electric plant can discharge excess water.
The technology was designed using existing technology as a guide. Natural gas, Oil and various other marine industries have developed standards couplings and materials that are well suited to this type of environment. The device itself employs very few revolutionary, and untested, modules which makes it very reliable.
The current cost of deployment per kwh is above wind but below solar. There is a distinct trend in applications of new technologies that cost drops fairly dramatically as process is streamlined and technologies refined. Wind turbine prices have dropped 80% since the first wind turbine project; so one might make an educated guess that a similar trend will follow for wave power. Government subsidies generally provide incentive to new projects during the first few years to help with this innovation cost hurdle, as we've done for solar and wind.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
But We Already Have a Logo.
Poor Google, those Europeans just don't understand that its best for us all to just shut-up and do what Google says. First all those news websites suing for infringing content cause Google News linked to their articles. And now they've lost the broad European trademark for GMail to a letter delivery service in Germany. Like actual letters, not e-letters or anything. They tried to buy the name off Daniel Giersch for 250,000 but it was no deal. GMail is apparently too well established in Germany for him to give it up. Google also lost out in the UK where GMail is an analytical software package.
I think they should take the high road and name their service "GermanyMail". Or if that's already taken, how about "GierschMail"?
I think they should take the high road and name their service "GermanyMail". Or if that's already taken, how about "GierschMail"?
Monday, January 29, 2007
Just Making Shtuff Up.
I read about the South Sandwich Islands in my National Geographic recently. They made for some very dramatic images with all the birds and blue ice. There's basically nothing there and it was only valuable as a whaling base. Now there's just a few scientists and a crap load of birds. Its an interesting place, if only because its to remote, so read up on it if you'd like.But what I'd like to focus on is the naming. The island chain was (re)discovered by James Cook in 1775 and named Sandwich Land. (I know it sounds like the country that Mayor McCheese would constantly defend McDonaldLand from.) Anyway, as most of us know this moniker was intended to honor the 4th Earl of Sandwich, major sponsor of Cook and proponent of sandwiches. However it was not the last time that Cook would use it. Three years later in 1778 he would discover Hawaii and name it the Sandwich Islands, prompting "South" to be appended to the original Sandwich Islands' name.
Sounds kinda like the Earl didn't really appreciate having an island chain that, ask Cook said, was "not worth the discovery" as his only namesake. So when Cook found a more appealing locale he took the name and dedicated that parcel to his benefactor. As a result the Sandwich Islands and the South Sandwich Islands are nowhere near each other. They don't even share the same ocean.
No iPod Till You Clean Your Room.
I don't want to get into a big debate about the state of North Korea, or how the world community should be handling it. Whether Kim is a big boy and should be allowed to make his own decisions; but I have to tell you I'm feeling more and more like he's being treated like a middle schooler. The latest development is that he's not allowed to have an iPod. That'll probably make him see things our way. After all, who can resist the allure of Apple's shiny magic style.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Go Get Your Thinkin Cap.
Wow, I thought I was up to date with all the cool Google Betas out there. But check out GapMinder, its a nice flash implementation of various world statistics by country over time. There's both chart and map views along with temporal animations. You can highlight nations to track over time, select color and size symbology and zoom in on interesting trends. Lots of options make for lots of interesting results. Go play.Tuesday, January 23, 2007
What Is Going On Here?
Check out this aerial imagery of a Nimitz class Aircraft Carrier located west of Shanghai, China.
Notice anything? Zoom out a little. Yeah, its in a pond. Now, I know there are various floating casinos that basically have motes around them. But that's to avoid local gambling laws. What could be the point of having an aircraft carrier on a duck pond?
Well, it turns out that's a kickass "military education center" at an after school camp. Its a building in the shape of a 7/8 scale Nimitz Nuclear Carrier. "Think of it as a cross between summer camp, a school field trip, and a communist EPCOT Center." Wow, that place sounds great. And at 6 bucks to get in, I'm definitely going next time I'm in Shanghai.
Notice anything? Zoom out a little. Yeah, its in a pond. Now, I know there are various floating casinos that basically have motes around them. But that's to avoid local gambling laws. What could be the point of having an aircraft carrier on a duck pond?
Well, it turns out that's a kickass "military education center" at an after school camp. Its a building in the shape of a 7/8 scale Nimitz Nuclear Carrier. "Think of it as a cross between summer camp, a school field trip, and a communist EPCOT Center." Wow, that place sounds great. And at 6 bucks to get in, I'm definitely going next time I'm in Shanghai.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
I Just Saw This Movie.
We had big plans for Saturday. We decided to watch Mission Impossible. And Mission Impossible 2. Then I bought Mission Impossible 3 and we watched it. Then we watched Anchorman. And then Aurthur. It was a rough day.
Anyway, that whole preface was just to credential myself when I give you a summary of MI:2 because you probably remember very little of the plot. Tom Cruise almost dies while free climbing in Arizona (damn.) and then crashes a Carrera in South America. They use the girl for bait to figure out what they're trying to do. Turns out that there is a super cure drug called Balerafont but the scientists created a super virus, Chimera, when they spliced some viruses together. The bad guys want to infect everyone and then sell the cure. A bunch of things blow up. You get pissed off when it turns out that everyone was wearing a mask and they destroy the virus in the end.
So now switch to the real world. Two Biotech companies are working on super vaccines that will combat any type of flu. They'll be ready for testing in 2007 (wait, that's this year) and can readily stockpile massive amounts. Anyone else feel like we're being set up?
Anyway, that whole preface was just to credential myself when I give you a summary of MI:2 because you probably remember very little of the plot. Tom Cruise almost dies while free climbing in Arizona (damn.) and then crashes a Carrera in South America. They use the girl for bait to figure out what they're trying to do. Turns out that there is a super cure drug called Balerafont but the scientists created a super virus, Chimera, when they spliced some viruses together. The bad guys want to infect everyone and then sell the cure. A bunch of things blow up. You get pissed off when it turns out that everyone was wearing a mask and they destroy the virus in the end.
So now switch to the real world. Two Biotech companies are working on super vaccines that will combat any type of flu. They'll be ready for testing in 2007 (wait, that's this year) and can readily stockpile massive amounts. Anyone else feel like we're being set up?
Friday, December 29, 2006
Double Check For Typos.
I know, I'm a deadbeat. I won't try to make any excuses, but this article is gold.
A German tourist was trying to visit his girlfriend in Sydney, Australia but accidentally got a ticket to Sidney, Montana. In the United States.
A German tourist was trying to visit his girlfriend in Sydney, Australia but accidentally got a ticket to Sidney, Montana. In the United States.
Gutt's airline ticket routed him via the U.S. city of Portland, Oregon, to Billings, Montana. Only as he was about to board a commuter flight to Sidney -- an oil town of about 5,000 people -- did he realize his mistake.That's all. I'm not even going to say anything.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Bacon Wrapped In Tiger.
So who wants to guess what's going on here? No, that tiger isn't saving the piggies till snack time, they actually live together at a kind of freak-show zoo in Thailand. Incongruous species are kept in the same enclosure and, as in this case, sometimes raised by foster parents of another species. So don't think you can rummage through your closet to find those tiger print hotpants and jump into the tiger pit at your local zoo. You'd get taken down faster than a three legged zebra on the savanna.
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