The Crusher

Autonomous machinery ready for war. Can handle small vertical obstacles, slopes of many heights, and knows when it needs to go around! One proposed usage is reconaissance because it's quiet (?) Perhaps compared to others of it's type! It really rips up the terrain as well, making it easy to follow.

Silence

Video of one of the jumpers from the documentary "The Bridge". Highly-recommended. Ord er the DVD here.

Dangerous Pathway

El Caminito del Rey (English: The King's pathway) is a walkway, now fallen into disrepair, pinned along the steep walls of a narrow gorge in El Chorro, near Álora in Málaga, Spain. The name is often shortened to El Camino del Rey. I would not go up there with my mother in-law.

Google domain names – the funny, strange and surprising

The not so nice ones:

• checkoutsucks.com
• dejastinks.com
• frooglesucks.com
• fuckengoogle.com
• gmailblows.com
• gmailsucks.com
• googlefools.com
• googlemotherfucker.com
• googlepoo.com
• googlesucks.com

(Google domain names – the funny, strange and surprising).

Genevieve Gallen

Eric Scerri vs. Preacher

Eric Scerri's Not a Makeover

Professor Scerri explains how science can be used to 'pull the birds.'

MGMT - "Electric Feel" Interactive Music Video Game

This is a screen capture of someone playing the interactive music video game for MGMT's new song "Electric Feel". There are 625 to the 229th power different ways the video can turn out. Download the interactive video at: whoismgmt.com/efvideo

MGMT's new album "Oracular Spectacular", produced by MGMT and Dave Fridmann, is now available for download on iTunes from Columbia Records.

Pareto principle

The Pareto principle (also known as the 80-20 rule, the law of the vital few and the principle of factor sparsity) states that, for many events, 80% of the effects comes from 20% of the causes. Business management thinker Joseph M. Juran suggested the principle and named it after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed that 80% of income in Italy went to 20% of the population. It is a common rule of thumb in business; e.g., "80% of your sales comes from 20% of your clients."

It is worthy of note that some applications of the Pareto principle appeal to a pseudo-scientific "law of nature" to bolster non-quantifiable or non-verifiable assertions that are "painted with a broad brush". The fact that hedges such as the 90/10, 70/30, and 95/5 "rules" exist is sufficient evidence of the non-exactness of the Pareto principle. On the other hand, there is adequate evidence that "clumping" of factors does occur in most phenomena.

The Pareto principle is only tangentially related to Pareto efficiency, which was also introduced by the same economist, Vilfredo Pareto. Pareto developed both concepts in the context of the distribution of income and wealth among the population.

(Pareto principle).

Free your mind

"There does exist a proposal that purports to be of type a). I’ll call it, for short, “the Slashdot argument”. It says that books, music, films, software and so on ought to be freely distributed to anyone who wants them, simply because they can be freely distributed. What is the writer or musician to do, though, if she can’t earn money from her art? Simple, says the Slashdotter: earn your money playing live (if you’re one of those musicians who plays live),⁴ or selling T-shirts or merchandise, or providing some other kind of “value-added” service. Many such arguments seem to me to be simple greed disguised in high-falutin’ idealism about how “information wants to be free”. Perhaps it’s not empty pedantry to point out that “information” doesn’t want anything in and for itself. The information in which humans traffic is created by humans. And most information-creating humans need to earn dollars or yuan to survive."

(Free your mind).

I must...

I'm EMO, so I MUST cut my wrists.

I'm BLACK, so I MUST carry a gun.

I'm HISPANIC, so I MUST be dirty.

I'm ASIAN, so I MUST be smart.

I'm NOT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, so I MUST be a loser.

I'm JEWISH, so I MUST be greedy.

I'm GAY, so I MUST have AIDS.

I'm a LESBIAN, so I MUST have a sex-tape.

I'm ARAB, so I MUST be a terrorist.

I SPEAK MY MIND, so I MUST be a bitch.

I'm OVERWEIGHT, so I MUST have a problem with self control.

I'm RELIGIOUS, so I MUST shove my beliefs down your throat.

I'm an ATHEIST, so I MUST hate the world.

I DON'T HAVE A RELIGION, so I MUST not have morals.

I'm REPUBLICAN, so I MUST not care about poor people.

I'm DEMOCRAT, so I MUST not believe in being responsible.

I'm JAMICAN so I must smoke weed.

I am LIBERAL, so I MUST be gay.

I'm SOUTHERN, so I MUST be white trash.

I TAKE ANTI-DEPRESSANTS, so I MUST be crazy.

I'm a GUY, so I MUST only want to get into your pants.

I'm IRISH, so I MUST have a bad drinking problem.

I'm INDIAN, so I MUST own a convenient store.

I'm NATIVE AMERICAN, so I MUST dance around a fire screaming like a savage.

I'm PREPPY, so I MUST shun those who don't wear Abercrombie & Hollister.

I'm a CHEERLEADER, so I MUST be a stuck up whore.

I'm on a DANCE team, so I must be stupid, stuck up, and a whore.

I wear skirts a lot, so I MUST be a slut.

I'm a PUNK, so I MUST do drugs.

I'm YOUNG, so I MUST be naive.

I'm RICH, so I MUST be a conceited snob.

I WEAR BLACK, so I MUST be a goth.

I'm BLONDE, so I MUST be a stupid ditz.

I'm a WHITE GIRL, so I MUST be a nagging, steal-your-money kind of girlfriend.

I'm CUBAN, so I MUST spend my spare time rolling cigars.

I'm MEXICAN, so I MUST have hopped the border.

I'm NOT A VIRGIN, so I MUST be easy.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH A MARRIED MAN, so I MUST be a home-wrecking whore.

I'm a TEENAGE MOM, so I MUST be an irresponsible slut.

I'm POLISH, so I MUST wear my socks with my sandals.

I'm ITALIAN, so I must have a big peter.

I GOT A CAR FOR MY BIRTHDAY, so I MUST be a spoiled brat.

I'm PRETTY, so I MUST not be a virgin.

I HAVE STRAIGHT A'S, so I MUST have no social life.

I DYE MY HAIR CRAZY COLORS, so I MUST be looking for attention.

I DRESS IN UNUSUAL WAYS so I MUST be looking for attention.

I'm INTO THEATER ART, so I MUST be a homosexual.

I'm a VEGETARIAN, so I MUST be a crazy political activist.

I HAVE A BUNCH OF GUY FRIENDS, so I MUST be fucking them all.

I HAVE A BUNCH OF GIRLS WHO ARE FRIENDS, so I MUST be gay.

I HAVE BIG BOOBS, so I MUST be a whore.

I'm COLOMBIAN, so I MUST be a drug dealer.

I WEAR WHAT I WANT, so I MUST be a poser.

I'm RUSSIAN, so I MUST be cool.

I'm GERMAN, so I MUST be a Nazi.

I hang out with GAYS, so I MUST be GAY TOO

I'm BRAZILIAN, so I MUST have a BIG BUTT.

I'm PUERTO RICAN, so I MUST look good and be conceited.

I'm SALVADORIAN, so I MUST be in MS 13.

I'm POLISH, so I MUST be greedy.

I'm HAWAIIAN, so I MUST be lazy.

I'm a STONER, so I MUST be going in the wrong direction.

I'm a VIRGIN, so I MUST be a prude.

I'm a FEMALE GAMER, so I MUST be ugly or crazy.

I'm BLACK, so I MUST love watermelon and fried chicken.

I'm BI, so I MUST think every person I see is hot.

I'm ASIAN, so I MUST have a small penis.

I'm a GUY CHEERLEADER, so I MUST be gay.

I'm SKINNY, so I MUST be anorexic.

I'm PREP, so I MUST be rich.

I don't like the SUN so I MUST be albino.

I have a lot of FRIENDS, so I MUST love to drink and party.

I wear tight PANTS and I'm a guy, so I MUST be emo.

I couldn't hurt a FLY, So I MUST be a wimp.

I support GAY RIGHTS, so I MUST fit in with everyone.

I hang out with teenaged drinkers and smokers, so I MUST smoke and drink too.

Im CHRISTIAN, so I MUST hate gay people.

I have ARTISTIC TALENT, so I MUST think little of those who don't.

I don't like to be in a BIG GROUP, so I MUST be anti-social.

I have a DIFFERENT sence of HUMOR, so I MUST be crazy.

I tell people OFF, so I MUST be an overcontrolling bitch.

My hair gets GREASY alot, so I MUST have no hygiene skills.

I'm DEFENSIVE, so I MUST be overcontrolling and a bitch.

I'm a NUDIST,so I MUST want everyone to see my boobs.

I read Comics, so I MUST be a loser.

I'm TEXAN so I MUST ride a horse

I’m a GOTH, so I MUST be a Satanist

I’m a CROSSDRESSER, so I Must be homosexual.

I draw ANIME so I MUST be a freak.

I am a FANGIRL so I MUST be a crazy, obsessed stalker.

I WATCH PORN so I MUST be perverted.

I'm an ONLY CHILD so I MUST be spoiled.

I'm INTELLIGENT so I MUST be weak.

I am AMERICAN so I MUST be an obese, loud-mouthed and arrogant.

I'm WELSH so I MUST love sheep

I’m a YOUNG WRITER, so I MUST be emo.

I’m CANADIAN, so I MUST talk with a funny accent.

I'm a GUY, so I MUST ditch my pregnant girlfriend.

I'm CANADIAN, so I MUST love hockey and beavers.

I'm DISABLED, so I MUST be on Welfare.

I'm a FEMINIST, so I MUST have a problem with sexuality and I want to castrate every man on the earth.

I'm a TEENAGER, so I MUST have a STEREOTYPE.

I WEAR A BIG SUNHAT when I go outside, so I MUST be stupid.

I like BLOOD, so I must be a VAMPIRE.

I'm ALBINO, so I MUST be an evil person with mental abilities and is A MURDERER!

I'm ENGLISH, so I MUST speak with either a cockney or a posh accent, love tea and cricket, and have bad teeth.

I’m WHITE, so I MUST be responsible for everything going wrong on the planet: past, present, and future.

I don't like YAOI or YURI, so I must be a HOMOPHOBE

I’m not the most POPULAR person in school, so I MUST be a loser

I care about the ENVIRONMENT...I MUST be a tree hugging hippy

I have a FAN CHARACTER, so I MUST be an annoying Mary-sue.

I CHAT, I MUST be having cyber sex.

I'm PAGAN so I MUST sacrifice babies and drink the blood of virgins

I'm PAGAN so I MUST worship Satan

I'm CONSERVATIVE, so I MUST be against Abortion

I'm SWEDISH so I MUST be a tall blonde blue-eyed lesbian.

I'm a LESBIAN so I MUST want to get with every single girl that I see.

I like CARTOONS, so I MUST be IRRESPONSIBLE.

I like READING, so I MUST be a LONER.

I have my OWN spiritual ideology; therefore I MUST be WRONG or MISGUIDED.

I am WICCAN, so I MUST be a SATANIST.

I DISAGREE with my government, so I MUST be a TERRORIST.

I am a WITCH, so I MUST be and OLD HAG and fly on a broomstick.

I love YAOI, so I MUST be GAY

I'm a PERSON, so I MUST be LABELED

I DON'T CURSE, so I MUST be an outcast

I like GAMES, ANIME and COMICS, so I MUST be childish

I'm SWEDISH, therefore I MUST be WHITE.

I SPOT GRAMMATICAL ERRORS, so I MUST be a pedantic bastard.

I'm GOTHIC, so I MUST be mean.

I’m STRONG so I MUST be stupid.

I'm Australian so I MUST hunt crocodiles and talk to kangaroo’s

I go to RENFAIRES, so I MUST talk weird, be a loser, and not be up with the times

I’m GAY so I’m after EVERY straight guy around.

I'm NOT CHRISTIAN so I MUST just need converting.

I love marching band, so I MUST be a friendless freak.

I DRINK and SMOKE, so I MUST have no life.

Seinfeld 901 Intro

Famous Carlton Dance (a compilation)

A compilation of Carlton's dances from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air TV series.

Elaine´s Dance

Watch the Elaine dance and have a laugh for the day!

Rotating outer wall

Not much point in it but that doesn't stop it looking amazing.

Ghost Car Vanishes During Police Chase

Retarded. In the first part when the car "disappeared" for the first time, you could still see its taillights!. Then when the narrator said "in the blink of an eye" and the car appeared much closer, the time in the police video skipped ahead by more than a minute! Unless you're a narcoleptic, 1 minute is not "the blink of an eye". And of course the fence was broken. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

How to make Hot Ice

I have to try that in a party where everybody is high or drunk!

Kids Cartoons - Dave Chappelle

Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc. (live)

I like Gorillaz and heard a bit about what their concerts were like but I imagined it looking cooler... I'm a bit disappointed that it isn't more energetic and interesting.

Fascinating chair

A wheelchair is a wheeled mobility device in which the user sits. The device is propelled either manually (by pushing the wheels with the hands) or via various automated systems. Wheelchairs are used by people for whom walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, or disability. People with both sitting and walking disability often need to use a wheelbench...

(Fascinating chair).

The yes men

Hoax interview by the yes men impersonating Dow Chemicals.

David Blaine - Heart Remove

Jiglu

Jiglu: "I was seriously considering signing up, until I read this in their terms of service: "Everyone is really concerned about privacy - We'll do our best to protect your personal details. Bear in mind, though, that we're in this to make money, so we may use your details to promote other services, or to send you newsletters, or other promotional material about our service(s). We could use them to better target you with adverts. We won't sell them to anyone else, though, at least not without telling you first... Bear in mind, if we can better target adverts to you, then we can show less of them (or show the same amount, and make more money, it is true, but we want to reduce the space used by ads so we can put other things there)".

Christmas Lights Gone Wild

Wow, this is an AWESOME video of one man's festive electronic extravaganza! This guy spent two whole months putting up all the Christmas lights, at a total cost of US$10,000 - then painstakingly choreographed all the lights to 'dance' to the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Wizards In Winter", creating a truly wonderful audio-visual experience. Sad or genius? You decide....

Endorphin Burrito

Grand Theft Auto IV

"Not realistic enough. I want to be able to give my last cent to a poor bum so he can buy a fifth of shitty gutter vodka. I want to be able to help an old lady across the street. I want to be able to volunteer with NGOs to help counteract the deadly consequences of a modern imperio-industrialist state. I want to be able to sit in the park on a beautiful day and watch the birds flutter about their business. I want to be able to eat at a shitty burger joint and end up in the bathroom for three hours. I want to be able to be able to cruise around the local high school when class lets out and offer 15 year old girls a ride in my stolen Mercedes. I want to be able to go swimming in a feces ridden public pool and get a sloppy blow job by some queer in the shower. I want to be able to bum a smoke off a hot chick before I talk her up and bend her over the nearest Miata. I want to be able to brutally rape said hot chick if she denies my advances. I want to be able to bash the skull of the crackhead who keeps bothering me. I want to be able to go on an all night coke binge and stab people in the eyes. I want to feel the smog in my lungs and the senseless noise in my ears. In other words, I want to be able to feel like it's the typical weekday for me in the big city."

(Grand Theft Auto IV: so good, it's criminal).

Party Monster

Party Monster (2003) is a drama/dark comedy that details the rise and fall of infamous bisexual New York party promoter Michael Alig. The movie stars former child star Macaulay Culkin as the drug addled "King of the Club Kids". Also in the film are Seth Green as the flamboyant and slightly smarter James St. James, Dylan McDermott as Alig's boss/father figure Peter Gatien, Chloë Sevigny as Alig's girlfriend/fag hag Gitsie, Wilmer Valderrama as his onetime boyfriend DJ Keoki, Wilson Cruz as drug dealer/Club Kid wannabe Angel Melendez, and Marilyn Manson as Christina, a transsexual member of Alig's entourage. A number of real life club kids appeared as extras, including fashion designer Richie Rich and David LaChapelle's transsexual muse Amanda Lepore.

The film is based on St. James' memoir Disco Bloodbath, and details his friendship with Alig, which fell apart as Alig's drug addiction worsened, and ended after he murdered Melendez and went to prison. A 1998 documentary on the murder, also called Party Monster, was used for certain elements of the film.

Party Monster made its world premiere at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival on January 15, 2003. Months later, it was put on limited release to different art-house theaters in major US cities.

The Dangers Of Being A TV News Reporter

The Caffeine Click Test

Created by OnePlusYou

Terrible songs from great albums

“The Long And Winding Road” by the Beatles (from “Let It Be”)
“My World” by Guns N’ Roses (from “Use Your Illusion II”)
“Endless, Nameless” by Nirvana (from “Nevermind”)
“Mother” by the Police (from “Synchronicity”)
“EXP” by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (from “Axis: Bold As Love”)

"The Beatles are generally regarded as rock 'n' roll's greatest band, and Phil Spector was arguably its greatest producer. So how did bringing them together result in one of the most cloying moments in either party's career? "

(Terrible songs from great albums).

"Bath Time" (3d animation short)

Cute animated short anyone who's had a pet they needed to wash can relate to.

Goodfellas - Billy Batts Scene

Now go home and get your fucking shinebox. This is the best scene from anything ever.

Bird Poops In Mouth

This one is a bit of a no-brainer: A bird takes a little doo-doo in a TV news reporter's mouth during a live broadcast, and it becomes a top search on Google and should pass 1 million views on YouTube by the end of the day.

Mediterranean Sundance by Paco de Lucia, Al DiMeola and John McLaughlin

One AWESOME piece of music played on guitars by guys who REALLY know what they are doing.

Calvin and Hobbes Snow Art Gallery

Calvin's "snow art" is the stuff of legend, and here's a full page of them. This one has always been one of my favorites. Plus, Calvin reminds me of my youngest son, who Windexes the TV with a mop, was once found curled in my top-loader washing machine in his underwear, dialed 911 just for "fun" and then told the police that there had been a tiger at the door, and to avoid going to school, he hid in someone's truck bed until the bus left without him. And this is just a tiny sampling, trust me. He'll be 14 very soon and I still never know what to expect. But he's very sweet-natured, which kind of made finding Legos in my shoes worthwhile. Mostly.

(Calvin and Hobbes Snow Art Gallery).

Hello Hitler

The Skeptic's Dictionary

"The Skeptic's Dictionary is a website and a book. Each features definitions, arguments, and essays on occult topics ranging from acupuncture to zombies, and provides a lively, commonsense trove of detailed information on things supernatural, paranormal, and pseudoscientific. Dozens of topics in logic, perception, science, and philosophy are also covered to help explain the appeal and popularity of occult beliefs and to provide a guide for critical thinking."

(The Skeptic's Dictionary).

Novel Writing Made Easy

An interesting video, but the brief description of her novel about a fat woman transported to an "alternative universe where fat is beautiful" sounds just dreadful.

Boom Goes the Dynamite

...and boom goes the dynamite.

Swiss Spaghetti Harvest

In this b&w clip, first broadcast on BBC Panorama on 01/04/1957, a very young Richard Dimbleby revealed the wonderful world of Swiss spaghetti production to millions of deprived and hungry post-war Brits. Republished as a tribute to great British broadcasting by trainee chef Trig. One of the perils of global warming that we've seen for over 50 years: rising temperatures brings earlier spaghetti harvests each year.

The Pillows - Hybrid Rainbow

David Hockney

David Hockney on his studio talking about photography and art.

Wonderfully Wacky Way With Words

his linguistic curiosity is an anonymous composition which was published in Everybody's Scrapbook of Curious Facts, compiled by Don Lemon, in the late 19th century. The unknown author achieves the astonishing feat of writing a 479 word story, using only words which begin with 'W', with only 17 hyphenated compounds.

The story was reprinted in 'The Guardian' newspaper in 1991, in an article written by Robert Richardson. It is followed here by a brief discussion on the history of 'w' as an initial letter. It would be appreciated if any citation would acknowledge the sources in the normal academic way.

---

Winnie and Walter

"Warm weather, Walter! Welcome warm weather! We were wishing winter would wane, weren't we?"

"We were well wearied with waiting," whispered Waiter wearily. Wan, white, woe-begone was Walter; wayward, wilful, worn with weakness, wasted, waxing weaker whenever winter's wild, withering winds were wailing. Wholly without waywardness was Winifred, Walter's wise, womanly watcher, who, with winsome, wooing way, was well-beloved.

"We won't wait, Walter; while weather's warm we'll wander where woodlands wave, won't we?"

Walter's wanton wretchedness wholly waned. "Why, Winnie, we'll walk where we went when we were with Willie; we'll weave wildflower wreaths, watch woodmen working; woodlice, worms wriggling; windmills whirling; watermills wheeling; we will win wild whortleberries, witness wheat winnowed."

Wisbeach woods were wild with wildflowers; warm, westerly winds whispered where willows were waving; wood-pigeons, wrens, woodpeckers were warbling wild woodnotes. Where Wisbeach water-mill's waters, which were wholly waveless, widened, were waterlilies, waxen white. Winifred wove wreaths with woodbine, whitehorn, wallflowers; whilst Walter whittled wooden wedges with willow wands.

Wholly without warning, wild wet winds woke within Wisbeach woods, whistling where Winifred wandered with Walter; weeping willows were wailing weirdly; waging war with wind-tossed waters. Winifred's wary watchfulness waked.

"Walter, we won't wait."
"Which way, Winnie?"

Winifred wavered. "Why, where were we wandering? Wisbeach woods widen whichever way we walk. Where's Wisbeach white wicket, where's Winston's water-mill?"

WistfuIly, Walter witnessed Winifred's wonder. "Winnie, Winnie, we were wrong, wholly wrong; wandering within wild ways. Wayfaring weather-beaten waifs, well-nigh worn-out."

Winifred waited where, within wattled woodwork walls, waggons, wheelbarrows, wains were waiting, weighty with withered wood. Walter, warmly wrapped with Winifred's well-worn wadded waterproof, was wailing woefully, wholly wearied. Winnie, who, worn with watching, well-nigh weeping, was wistfully, wakefully waiting Willie's well-known whistle, wholly wished Walter's well-being warranted.

With well-timed wisdom, Walter was wound with wide, worsted wrappers, which wonderfully well withstood winter's withering, whistling winds. Wholly without warm wrappers was Winifred, who, with womanly wisdom, was watching Walter's welfare, warding Walter's weakness.

"When will Willie wend where we wait?" wearily wondered Walter.
"Whist, Walter," whispered Winnie, "who was whooping?"
"Whereabouts?"

Welcome whistling was waking Wisbeach woods when winter's windy warfare waxed weaker.

"Winnie! Walter!"

Winifred's wakefulness was well-grounded. "We're well, Willie; we're where Winston's waggons wait."

Without waiting, Willie was within Winston's woodwork walls.

"Welcome, welcome, Willie." Winnie was weeping with weariness with watching Walter, weak with wayfaring.

"Why Winnie! Wise, watchful, warm-hearted Winnie," Willie whispered wheedlingly. "We won't weep; Walter's well. What were Walter without Winnie?"

Wholly wonderful was Winifred's well-timed womanly wisdom, which well warranted weakly Walter's welfare. Whenever wandering within Wisbeach woods with Winnie, Walter would whisper, "What were Walter without Winnie? Wise, watchful, warm-hearted Winnie!"

Dimensions of Dialogue 2

It's so metaphorical. It's the best representation of love fusion I ever seen.

Whos on Stage?

You just can't get enough of this video. Who's on stage again?

Hello America

Hello America


This guy has an awesome sense of humor. Be warned if you are a Christian or Patriot who is easily offended.

UFOPORNOO!

Zach Galifianakis interviews Michael Cera

Little People

(Little People).

International Flags Babes

Shah Guido G.

Shah Guido G. is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the November 1951 issue of Marvel and reprinted in the 1975 collection Buy Jupiter and Other Stories. It is an example of a shaggy dog story, as indicated by the title ("Shahgui Dog").

Shah Guido G. is the nickname of Guido Garshthavastra, the hereditary Secretary-General of the United Nations ("Sekjen"), a tyrant who rules the Earth from a levitating island called Atlantis. Philo Plat is an aristocrat who secretly plots Shah Guido G.'s downfall. When he learns that the stations that power the Sky-Island's anti-gravitational beams are close to critical, Plat convinces Shah Guido G. to order in a division of Waves (female shock-troops whose name derives from the WAVES of the United States Navy) to put down a supposed rebellion by the technicians. As Plat suspected, the weight of the Waves' cruisers is sufficient to overload the Sky-Island's power generators, causing it to plummet to the ground; once again, Atlantis sinks beneath the Waves.

(Shah Guido G.@wikipedia).

Azumanga Daioh

Azumanga Daioh (あずまんが大王, Azumanga Daiō) is a Japanese comedy manga written and illustrated by Kiyohiko Azuma. It was published by MediaWorks in the shōnen magazine Dengeki Daioh from 1999 to 2002 and collected in four tankobon volumes. It is drawn as a series of vertical four-panel comic strips called yonkoma and depicts the lives of a group of girls during their three years as high-school classmates.

It was adapted as an anime, Azumanga Daioh: the Animation, which was produced by J.C.Staff and aired from the week of April 8, 2002 until the week of September 30, 2002. It was broadcast on TV Tokyo, TV Aichi, TV Osaka, and AT-X^[4] in five-minute segments every weekday, then repeated as a 25-minute compilation that weekend, for a total of 130 five-minute segments collected in 26 episodes. The compilation episodes, which were the only versions to include the title and credits sequences, were released on VHS and DVD by Starchild Records; the five-minute segments can be distinguished by their individual titles.

Azumanga Daioh chronicles everyday life in an unnamed Japanese high school in Tokyo,^[10] following the trials and triumphs of six girls: reserved Sakaki's obsession with cute animals, Chiyo's struggle to fit in with girls five years older, Osaka's spacey nature and skewed perspective on the world, Yomi's aggravation at an annoying best friend, Tomo, whose energy is rivaled only by her lack of sense, and Kagura's efforts in sports and school. The story covers three years of tests, culture festivals, and athletic events at school, after-school life at the nearby shopping district, at Chiyo's large house, vacations spent at Chiyo's summer home on the beach and at Magical Land, a theme park. It is generally realistic in tone, marked by occasional bursts of surrealism and absurdity, such as Osaka's bizarre imaginings and an episode featuring the characters' New Year's dreams.

The manga and anime follow the same story line, though there are differences in small details. Some jokes could not be dramatized as written and were either changed or excised completely. In the first manga volume, Osaka's appearance is noticeably different from in the anime and succeeding manga volumes. In the same vein, Sakaki's initial unapproachable demeanor in the manga is downplayed in the anime.

(Azumanga Daioh@wikipedia).

Kongar-ol Ondar on David Lettermans Late Show

This is great stuff. Unique. First heard about this type music when Paul Pena went to Mongolia and some people made a documentary about it some years ago called "Ghengis Blues". I am ridiculously impressed.

Great flipbook

Flipbook animation involving the mona lisa and bar codes.

Evolving artificial creatures

Whats Your Favorite Curse Word?

I would have to say it looks like 'Fuck' won out, but Zach Braff's is my favorite.

Lost In Translation (Bill Murray's WHISPER revealed)

SPOILER ALERT. If you REALLY don't want to KNOW. PLEASE SKIP THIS VIDEO. The famous "whisper" secret revealed.

Panama Canal Miraflores locks time-lapse, 1 week compressed into 11 minutes

Time-lapse footage of the Panama Canal locks. Really cool to watch, and apparently it's one week's worth of footage presented in eleven minutes.

10 Things I Hate About Commandments

If the 10 Commandments were recast as a high school drama, very funny stuff. What if they threw in a few songs from Grease for good measure?

The muppets - manamana

The Laugh Song

some things are just too joyful to explain. these mocking little children are probably the coolest anywhere.

Sega Activator Ring Instructional Video

This is an instructional video for the Sega Activator ring. The Sega activator ring was used as a controller for the Sega Genesis.

Sarah Silverman - The Aristocrats

Sarah Silverman tells the Aristocrats joke. Kinda.

Sarah Silverman - I F***ing Love This Cheese

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Kate Silverman (born December 1, 1970) is an American comedian, writer, and actor. Although usually credited as Sarah Silverman, she is sometimes credited by her nickname Big S. Her satirical comedy addresses social taboos and controversial topics such as racism, sexism and religion.

She often performs her act as a caricature of a Jewish-American princess, mocking bigotry and stereotypes of ethnic groups and religious denominations, by endorsing them ironically. Silverman was first noticed as a writer and occasional performer on Saturday Night Live. She now stars in and produces The Sarah Silverman Program, which debuted February 1, 2007, on Comedy Central.

(Sarah Silverman@wikipedia).

Critical Thinking On The Web

"Critical thinking is the skillful application of a repertoire of validated general techniques for deciding the level of confidence you should have in a proposition in the light of the available evidence."

(Critical Thinking On The Web).

Are You Living In a Computer Simulation?

Nick Bostrom's homepage for the Simulation Argument, a philosophical theory of reality. There are two implications to this theory: a cosmological implication, as it does allow for a created universe which is, therefore, not completely naturally evolved; and a philosophical implication: what does this mean for us in terms of our understanding of the world, our control over and interaction with the world around us, and our moral or ethical obligations if the world, and those around us, as well as ourselves, are potentially simulated? Does being simulated absolve us of responsibility for our actions? Does our life have any purpose, if we can't tell if we are 'real' or not? What is 'real'?

This site is bare bones, but it is well organised. Basically it houses the original published theory, and then a stack of links to different content on other sites that supports or discusses the theory, including several videos that give presentations of some of the elements involved.

Utterly fascinating stuff, and ironically far more accessible to us now thanks to movies like the Matrix, which presented one version of a simulated reality and made the idea mainstream.

(Are You Living In a Computer Simulation?).

Friedrich Nietzsche

"Friedrich Nietzsche was a German philosopher of the late 19th century who challenged the foundations of Christianity and traditional morality. He believed in life, creativity, health, and the realities of the world we live in, rather than those situated in a world beyond. Central to his philosophy is the idea of “life-affirmation,” which involves an honest questioning of all doctrines that drain life's energies, however socially prevalent those views might be. Often referred to as one of the first existentialist philosophers, Nietzsche's revitalizing philosophy has inspired leading figures in all walks of cultural life, including dancers, poets, novelists, painters, psychologists, philosophers, sociologists and social revolutionaries."

(Friedrich Nietzsche@Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

Metaphysics

Metaphysics is defined as the study of ultimate reality. But what is the nature of that ultimate reality? Is it only material? Is it non-material? The word "metaphysics" comes from the root words "meta" meaning beyond and "physics" meaning the physical world. But is there a reality beyond the physical world? The various answers to this question have produced various metaphysical theories.

The conclusion of the Argument From Design doesn't logically follow from the predicates and requires a massive leap of faith. I think the reason for existence will always be a mystery, regardless of how long you debate it. Science will push back the boundaries of ignorance, but there will always be things that are essentially unknowable. The only evidence I have for existence is the existence of me. Subjective reality is the only reality that I know.

(Metaphysics...).

The World As I See It - An Essay by Einstein

"How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it. But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people -- first of all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent, and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy. A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving...

"I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves -- this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. Without the sense of kinship with men of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavors, life would have seemed empty to me. The trite objects of human efforts -- possessions, outward success, luxury -- have always seemed to me contemptible.

"My passionate sense of social justice and social responsibility has always contrasted oddly with my pronounced lack of need for direct contact with other human beings and human communities. I am truly a 'lone traveler' and have never belonged to my country, my home, my friends, or even my immediate family, with my whole heart; in the face of all these ties, I have never lost a sense of distance and a need for solitude..."

"My political ideal is democracy. Let every man be respected as an individual and no man idolized. It is an irony of fate that I myself have been the recipient of excessive admiration and reverence from my fellow-beings, through no fault, and no merit, of my own. The cause of this may well be the desire, unattainable for many, to understand the few ideas to which I have with my feeble powers attained through ceaseless struggle. I am quite aware that for any organization to reach its goals, one man must do the thinking and directing and generally bear the responsibility. But the led must not be coerced, they must be able to choose their leader. In my opinion, an autocratic system of coercion soon degenerates; force attracts men of low morality... The really valuable thing in the pageant of human life seems to me not the political state, but the creative, sentient individual, the personality; it alone creates the noble and the sublime, while the herd as such remains dull in thought and dull in feeling.

"This topic brings me to that worst outcrop of herd life, the military system, which I abhor... This plague-spot of civilization ought to be abolished with all possible speed. Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -- how passionately I hate them!

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. It was the experience of mystery -- even if mixed with fear -- that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds: it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity. In this sense, and only this sense, I am a deeply religious man... I am satisfied with the mystery of life's eternity and with a knowledge, a sense, of the marvelous structure of existence -- as well as the humble attempt to understand even a tiny portion of the Reason that manifests itself in nature."

Squashed Philosophers

A condensed (squashed), but comprehensive study guide covering all of philosophy. I wish I had found this site when I was taking my first philosophy class a couple of years ago! As an older student, it would have helped make ideas a little more succinct, and maybe lessened some of the confusion! I'm sure I'll be back there!

(Squashed Philosophers).

Chungking Express

Chungking Express is a 1994 Hong Kong film written and directed by Wong Kar-wai. The film consists of two stories told in sequence, each about a Hong Kong cop and his relationship with a woman. The first story stars Takeshi Kaneshiro and Brigitte Lin and the second stars Tony Leung, Faye Wong and Valerie Chow.

The Chinese title translates to "Chungking Jungle", referring to the metaphoric concrete jungle of the city, as well as to Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui, where much of the first part of the movie is set. The English title refers to Chungking Mansions and the Midnight Express food stall where Faye Wong works.

The movie comprises two different stories, told one after the other, each about a romance involving a policeman. Aside for a brief moment when the first story ends and the second begins, the two stories do not interconnect. However, the three main characters from the second story each momentarily appears during the first.

The first story concerns Taiwan-born cop He Qiwu, also known as Cop 223 (played by Kaneshiro). Qiwu's girlfriend May broke up with him on April 1st (April Fool's Day). His birthday is May 1 and he chooses to wait for May for a month before moving on. Every day he buys a tin of pineapple with an expiration date of May 1. By the end of this time, he feels that he will either be rejoined with his love or that it will have expired forever. Meanwhile, a woman in a blonde wig (played by Brigitte Lin) tries to survive in the drug underworld after a smuggling operation goes sour. On May 1, Qiwu, looking for romance, approaches the woman in the blonde wig at a bar (the Bottoms Up Club). However, she is exhausted and falls asleep in a hotel room, leaving him to watch movies alone. She leaves in the morning and shoots the drug baron (played by Thom Baker) who had set her up. Qiwu goes jogging and then visits his usual snack food store where he collides with a new staff member, Faye. At this point, a new story begins.

In the second story, the unnamed Cop 633 (played by Tony Leung) is similarly dealing with a breakup, this time from a flight attendant (Valerie Chow). He meets Faye, the new girl at the snack bar (played by Faye Wong). She falls for him in secret, and frequently breaks into his apartment during the day to redecorate and "improve" his living situation. Gradually, her ploys help Cop 633 to cheer up, and he eventually realises that Faye likes him and arranges a date at the restaurant 'California'. However, Faye stands him up after a last-minute decision to see the world before settling down; she leaves him a fake boarding pass with a date a year from now. In the last scene, Faye arrives back in Hong Kong, now a flight attendant; she finds that Cop 633 has bought the snack bar and is converting it into a restaurant. They seem to have a future together.

(Chucking Express@wikipedia).

Pure Pwnage

Pure Pwnage is an Internet-distributed mockumentary series from ROFLMAO Productions. The fictional series purports to chronicle the life and adventures of Jeremy (played by Jarett Cale), a Canadian self-proclaimed "pro gamer". Originating in 2004, sixteen episodes of the series have been released to date. The creators of the show recently estimated their current viewer base to be well over three million. The series is filmed primarily in Toronto but has also included scenes filmed in Calgary, Montreal, and the Netherlands.

(Pure Pwnage).

Unclaimed Baggage Center

"If you want to shop for something different, check out the Unclaimed baggage Center. They receive an average of 7,000 items per day, of Unclaimed baggage. I've been there. It's weird. Alot of the stuff still has nametags and addresses on it. I guess the airline reimburses the travlers for the lost stuff, so legally they can sell this stuff whenever the bag gets found. But you'd think for the really obvious stuff they should send it to its original owner instead of selling it."

(Unclaimed Baggage Center).

Talking Nesquik Vending Machine

People love NESTLE NESQUIK. They're crazy about it. Crazy enough to do the "Chicken Dance" just for a free one. All it took was a suggestion from our talking vending machine.* And the promise of a free NESTLE NESQUIK.

Roadie Hero

Dwight Schrute

I always thought Dwight was the best character on the office. He still is.

Freaks and Geeks - Carlos the Dwarf

From the episode Discos and Dragons, Daniel and the geeks playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Farador D&D

A short comedy about D&D players in french, with english subtitles. 44 points for stabbing a wounded guy :P

Maid in Akihabara

Maid in Akihabara (めいどinあきはばら, Meido in Akihabara) is a 6 episode series that was produced in Japan on 2005 and released on February 24, 2006. Each episode ran about 15 minutes, and took place in Akihabara, Tokyo - the cyber city of Japan. The story begins when a woman named Saki, an ex-bar girl, tries to find a job to hide from a group of yakuza. She ends up getting a job at a Maid cafe called Meido no miyage (Maid's gift). She is the third maid to be joining the cafe. She was homeless and starts living in a 24-hour internet cafe.

(Official website).

Mario and Luigi Costumes... for kids

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Spanish Dance Troupe

From the Spanish Dance Troupe album, 1999.

Good Morning Class!

Now a famous film-maker a while back said something about 'Everything you need to know about film you can learn in a week.' He was being generous. You can learn it in 10 minutes.

Set your watches we will be out of here in ten kids.

Okay, so you wanna be a film-maker?
(Class choruses 'YES')
Wrong! You ARE a film-maker. The moment you think about that you want to be a fillm-maker you're that. Make yourself a business card that says you're a film-maker, pass them out to your friends, soon as you get that over with and you've got it in your mind that you're one you'll be one, you'll start thinking like one. Don't dream about being a film-maker, you are a film-maker. Now let's get down to business.

Let's Play!!

What you need to learn is that being creative is not enough in this business. You have to become techinical. Creative people are born creative - you're lucky. Technical people however can never be creative. Its something they'll never get. You can't buy it, find it, study it - you're born with it. Too many creative people don't want to learn how to be technical, so what happens? they become dependent on technical people. Become technical, you can learn that. If you're creative and technical, you're unstoppable.

Experience - Do you have experience in movies? You do, right - you WATCH movies. Now you need to have movie experience - you're not going to learn from just watching movies, you're learn some things, you'll learn more picking up a camera, making your own films, your own mistakes - mistakes don't have to be mistakes, everything is subjective - a mistake to one person is actually a piece of art to someone else. Hide behind that, tell everyone its art, you can get away a lot.

Start with a screenplay. Does anybody here know how to write? No - good. Everyone else writes the same way. Start writing your way. That makes you unique. You can take writing classes, that's good, but don't bother to go to film school or you'll be making films like everybody else. We want to see your film.

How do you write a script? Well, you obviously don't have a lot of money or you wouldn't be in my class. So you wanna make a movie but you don't want to spend a lot. You're gonna come up with problems everyday on your set. You can get rid of the problem one of two ways - you can do it creatively or you can wash it away with the money hose. You got no money, you got no hose. So let's make a screenplay for a movie you can actually make without having to make your parents poor. Let's make a cheap movie.

How do you make a cheap movie? - Look around you, what do you have around you? Take stock in what you have. Your father owns a liquor store - make a movie about a liquor store. Do you have a dog? Make a movie about your dog. Your mom works in a nursing home, make a movie about a nursing home. When I did El Mariachi I had a turtle, I had a guitar case, I had a small town and I said I'll make a movie around that.

How do you visualise a movie? With storyboards, you can do that. You can previsualise your movie and draw them out, but what you should really do is make a blank screen for yourself and watch your movie. Close your eyes and stare at this. Imagine a screen, imagine your movie. Shot for shot, cut for cut. Sit there, close your eyes and get rid of everybody, get rid of all your thoughts in your head except your movie and watch your movie. Is it too slow? Is it too fast? Is it funny? Does it make sense? Watch it and then write down what you see. Write down the shots that you see. And then just go get those shots.

Equipment. OK let's go over the equipment. The worse the better. You don't want anything too fancy, remember this is your first movie - you're not Spielberg yet. I used this one for El Mariachi, almost the same one, I used a 16M this is a 16S, this is exactly what I had. It helped me move fast because it was light, it was very noisy so I could do the sound in a wacky way, but this thing here would cost you about $2000. Don't spend that kind of money, find some monkey that own's one. I found somone who had one of these sitting around, he wasn't using it. I borrowed it from him, I shot my movie.

(Points at what look's like a damn heavy tripod) Look at it, this is a nice stand, its a very solid stand, y'know what's gonna happen? The camera is gonna stay on the stand, you're just gonna keep it there, 'cos its so nice, meaning your movie's gonna look...stiff. Take it off of there, sit in a wheelchair, push yourself around, get some energy in your film. That's the great thing about first films is that they have so much life and so much energy. Big productions can't even duplicate that energy, because they've got too good a stand and too much crew and everything is really smooth and polished and its lifeless. Add life to your film by getting rid of the fancy stuff. (Points at the tripods) Too good, too heavy, too good - just use your hands.

Here's a lightmeter, this isn't the write one, I broke my other one. This is a spotmeter, that's OK but it's too fancy. You just need one with a little white dome on it, point it to your subject, read the light, look at the number on your lightmeter - remember your lightmeter is your friend - feed that into lens and the iris, and then you're set. Start shooting.

Don't overlight. On Mariachi I had two lights, regular lightbulbs, they were balanced for indoor film, so look fine. In fact everyone said the lighting looked moody because there was very little light . Your mistakes, your shortcomings suddenly becomes artistic expression.

Finally, postproduction. When you've finished shooting your movie what do you do? (Picks up video mixer) These are your friends my friends. Video editing systems, computer editing systems, anything like that, its immediate, its easy, its cheap. Do not cut on film. Film is your enemy. You may be shooting on film but don't cut on film. If any of you want to cut on film get out of my class right now. Go spend $20,000 on a real film school and do that. You'll never get a job though - believe me.

Everything is on computers or video these days. Film is slow, film is expensive, film is not creative - film take's too long. Cut on tape that's what I do. I shot Mariachi for nothing. I edited on video. I had a three-quarter inch master that looked beautiful because the negative was transferred right to tape. There was no middleman so it looked like 35mm - clean, pristine. I made VHS copies of this, sent them out all over Hollywood. I never made a film print. (Picks up film strip) Waste of money. You have to string them up, they get worn out. They're expensive. They're copies of your negative. You don't want that, you don't want copies of your negative, you want your negative...on tape. Where people can duplicate it and watch it and get you work.

OK so you've made your movie, you've cut it, you've got it out, people want you. What do you do? The first thing you want to do is get an agent - right away. Hollywood is full of sharks, you need a shark working for you. These guys go and get you the best deals, they get you the best prices, they get you the best movies.

What you've learnt is what no one else has. How to make a movie dirt cheap. No one else in Hollywwod knows how to do that. You guys can make them cheap, you guys can make them better, don't get swallowed in the system, take advantage of your position.

Now I make movies that are still low budget but they look like big budget movies because I learnt the techniques that I just showed you today.

All right I've got to go back and do my own films so I hope you guys learnt something today, I hope you grab some of these cameras and go shoot something of your own, I hope you write down the ideas that you have, the dreams that you have.

Stop aspiring, start doing.

See you in Hollywood - be scary!

Lemon Demon - Geeks in Love

The Wonderstrucks - "Geek Like Me"

There truly is someone for everyone. Geeks of the world, unite!

Ichi Rittoru no Namida

"15-year-old Ikeuchi Aya was an ordinary girl, the daughter of a family who works at a tofu shop, and a soon-to-be high schooler. However, odd things have been happening to Aya lately. She has been falling down often and walks strange. Her mother, Shioka, takes Aya to see the doctor, and he informs Shioka that Aya has spinocerebellar degeneration - a terrible disease where the cerebellum of the brain gradually deteriorates to the point where the victim cannot walk, speak, write, or eat. A cruel disease, as it does not affect the mind in the least. How will Aya react when told about her disease? And how will Aya live from now on?"

(Ichi Rittoru no Namida@DramaWiki).

Casette Tape Skull

Skull #11 ('80s Metal), 2006. by Brian Dettmer
Currently on display at the International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago.

"The Awakening"

(You can only really even tell what's going on when viewing this BIGGER)

"4 minute, 21 second exposure of THIS notable sculpture in Washington, D.C. Note the streak of lights from an airplane landing at Reagan National Airport on the other side of the Potomac River. Also, first posted photo with my new Tokina 12-24 mm."

Star Trek versus Star Wars

Star Trek versus Star Wars typically refers to an ongoing polemic between fans of the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises, considered "a rivalry more fevered than any other in the universe." Primarily an online phenomenon, the debate emerged from its roots in the Usenet culture to spawn numerous websites and online communities. A post on a newsgroup or Web board might pose a question such as:

"Which would win? The Enterprise-D or a Star Destroyer?"

In July 1997, the alt.startrek.vs.starwars newsgroup was created to try to shift these (often heated) debates off the more "mainstream" Star Trek and Star Wars groups.

Top 10 Bizarre Biblical Tales

The Bible is full of many fascinating tales - many good, and some bizarre - here are the top 10 bizarre tales from the Bible.

10. A lesson for those who dare mock male pattern baldness

Found in: 4 Kings 2:23-24

One of the more inspirational passages in the Bible tells the story of Elijah, a wise man, yet one cursed with male pattern baldness. One day he was minding his own business, making the long walk to Bethel, when he is attacked by a roving band of children who tease him with names like “bald head.” But Elijah was having none of this, he turns round and curses them in the name of the Lord, and instantly two female bears emerge from a nearby wood and maul all 42 children to death.

The moral of this story? Don’t make fun of bald people. Frankly, why this story isn’t included along with the Ten Commandments is anybody’s guess, but I think it would serve as an excellent lesson for children who think baldness is something to be made fun of.

9. Eglon’s ignoble death

Found in: Judges 3:21-25

Ehud is the Bible’s sneakiest assassin (and also the only left-handed person mentioned in the Holy Book). He is on a mission to deliver a “message from God” to smarmy King Eglon. Ehud waltzes in to meet the gluttonous king, pulls out a sword and stabs Eglon in the stomach. At first he can’t get it in, but he pushes harder and eventually reaches his intestine. Eglon is so overweight, we learn, that his fat actually covers the hilt of the sword, pushing it further into his stomach until it’s not even visible. It’s at this point that Eglon loses control of his bowels and begins to defecate mercilessly all over his chamber. The King’s attendants eventually come back, but do not enter Eglon’s bed chamber, assuming he is relieving himself. After waiting “to the point of embarrassment”, his attendants burst in to find their king dead on the floor, covered in his own faecal matter. Meanwhile, Ehud had escaped to the town of Seriah.

The moral of this story? Who cares, but it’s damn cool.

8. Onan – cautious, yet foolish

Found in: Genesis 38:8-10

A story so eponymous, it gave way to its own neologism – onanism, an archaic term for masturbation. Basically, God kills Er. Why? We don’t really find out. However, in a stroke of good luck, Er’s father, Judah, has given you the right, nay the duty, to have sex with your dead brother’s wife. Onan is a bit apprehensive at first, but agrees to go through with this bizarre scheme to create a ‘true heir’ to Er. He begins to have sex with the girl, but at the last minute decides to pull out and spill “his seed upon the ground.” God is so irked he decides to kill Onan too, and thus nobody gets an heir. This story is the basis for the Christian condemnation of masturbation and birth control.

The moral of this story? In the words of Monty Python, “Every sperm is sacred…”

7. A very disturbing tale

Found in: Judges 19:22-30

Within the Bible, one occasionally finds stories so horrible, one can wonder what their purpose is. Not only is this story utterly bizarre, but it is also absolutely disgusting. A man and his concubine are wandering the streets when they decide to seek shelter for the night, and find a man kind enough to let them stay. That night however, a group of men turn up at the door and demand to see the guest so that they may have sex with him. The owner is unwilling to let his male lodger be raped and so offers up his virgin daughter instead. However, this is still not good enough for the men, so the owner offers them his guest’s concubine and the men accept. The men brutally rape the woman and leave her on the doorstep where she bleeds to death. If that is not enough, when she is found by her husband, he chops her up into twelve pieces which he sends to each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

The moral of this story? I would hope none.

6. A novel way to show your love

Found in: 1 Kings 18:25-27

Before Byron, before Casanova, there was David. Young and in love, David desperately wants to marry Saul’s daughter Michal and offers Saul anything he wants to let him marry her. What could Saul possibly want? Money? A vow of love? No. Saul wants foreskins. 100 to be exact. Why? Who cares. If you want my daughter, you’re going to have to find 100 foreskins by tomorrow. David finds this odd, but then again this girl is hot, so he goes out and kills 200 men, and collects their foreskins. It’s only then he remembers that he only needs 100 foreskins. Oops. Oh well, maybe if he hands over twice as many foreskins, Saul will be doubly as impressed. Indeed he is and duly hands over his daughter to David.

The moral of this story? Never be ashamed to do crazy things for love.

5. Like slicing salami

Found in: Exodus 4:24-26

Continuing the Bible’s fascination with all things foreskin, we get the bizarre story of God trying to kill Moses because his son isn’t circumcised. God is about to obliterate Moses when his wife Zipporah takes out a flint and quickly cuts the foreskin of his son (ouch), throwing the bloody skin fragment at Moses’ feet. “You are a bloody husband to me!” squeals Zipporah, flint in one hand, child in other. God, clearly freaked out by this woman, backs off and Moses is saved.

The moral of this story? Never turn down a woman for being a psycho. Someday she may save your life.

4. Jesus and the fig tree

Found in: Matthew 21:19; Mark 11:13-14

So, Jesus is walking from Bethany and he’s feeling a bit peckish. He encounters a fig tree, but unfortunately it is barren as it’s the off season for figs. Annoyed, Jesus demands the fig tree bear him fruit, however the fig tree doesn’t respond (it’s a tree), so Jesus, in an act of uncharacteristic rashness, curses the fig tree to death. This story is bizarre for many reasons, but mainly for how little it means to the Jesus story and how Jesus seems to react so harshly. OK, so he’s hungry, and we all get a little cranky when hungry, but come on, the fig tree had done nothing wrong. This just seems like abuse of powers to me.

The moral of this story? I honestly can’t think of one. This story seems so unimportant and purposeless yet both Mark and Matthew mention it so it must have some importance. The best I can think of is: don’t disobey Jesus, even if you’re an inanimate tree.

3. Even God is proud of his backside

Found in: Exodus 33:23

It’s a big day for Moses. He’s finally going to meet God face to face and is giddy with anticipation. Soon the time comes and Moses positions himself on a rock ready to see the divine creator himself. But God backs out at the last minute claiming that no man can see his face and live. However, he has a solution. He will let Moses have a peek at his backside, “And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.” Moses must be heartbroken. He was hoping to see God’s face not his bottom! Imagine explaining that to the wife: “Oh honey, did you see God’s face?” “Umm not quite…I got a great look at his ass though!” Moses most likely slept alone that night.

The moral of this story? God works in mysterious (and slightly gay) ways.

2. Balaam and his talking donkey

Found in: Numbers 22:28-30

Balaam is just minding his own business, spanking his ass (donkey) when suddenly he hears a voice. It’s his donkey who is asking him why he is spanking him. Balaam doesn’t seem the least bit miffed that his donkey has starting talking in the same language as him and says, “Because thou hast mocked me.” The donkey then gets philosophical and explains the nature of their relationship and how his feelings have been hurt. Eventually they make peace. Oh yeah did I mention it was TALKING DONKEY?

The moral of this story? Don’t beat animals. If they could talk then they would probably tell you how upset they were.

1. Jacob and the case of the magical genetics

Found in: Genesis 30:37-39

And the most bizarre tale in the Bible goes too…this head-scratcher from Genesis, with its utterly bemusing explanation of the genetic code. Basically, Laban is taking all of Jacob’s beloved striped and spotted cattle. Jacob is left with boring old, plain-coloured cattle, which he doesn’t seem to like at all. So Jacob concocts a cunning plan: he gets some sticks and begins painting stripes on them. He then plants them next to his cattle. What Jacob thinks is that if he gets his cattle to look at the striped sticks while copulating, then they will give birth to striped young. Now, we’d all expect this idiotic plan to fail and Jacob to learn a lesson about something or other, but no it actually works. The cattle give birth to striped young, and Jacob is happy. What on earth is going on here? Anyone with the most basic understanding of genetics knows that this is bunk. The odd thing is that this story seems to have no purpose and moral – it’s just there. And I can’t help wondering how many scientists with painted sticks had attempted to repeat this process before Mendel came along and said, “I’m pretty sure that’s not how it’s supposed to happen fellas, why don’t we try this instead?”

The moral of this story? Your guess is as good as mine.

How to Write General Fiction

Getting Started: The Fundamentals of Fiction, by Marg Gilks

Part I: "I've Got an Idea!"

Part II: Read, Read, Read!

Part III: Critique Groups and Writers' Groups

Part IV: Writers Write!

Part V: Learning How: Courses, Workshops and Tutors

Part VI: Learning the Lingo

Part VII: Being Realistic About Your Work

Part VIII: Finding Markets for Your Fiction

Part IX: Writing Etiquette

Part X: Avoid Those Beginners' Blunders

Characters and Viewpoint

Creating Memorable Characters - Lee Masterson

Creating Villains People Love to Hate - Lee Masterson

Establishing the Right Point of View: How to Avoid "Stepping Out of Character" - Marg Gilks

Finding Your Characters - Mary Cook

Handling a Cast of Thousands I: Getting to Know Your Characters - Will Greenway

Handling a Cast of Thousands II: Your Story as Your Characters (and Readers) See It - Will Greenway

Handling a Cast of Thousands III: Developing the Five-Act Scene - Will Greenway

Headhopping, Authorial Intrusion, and Shocked Expressions - Anne Marble

The Mystery of Character - Robert Wilson

Plotting by Personality - Marg McAlister

Viewpoint, Perspective and Time - Will Greenway

Dialogue

Creating Dynamic Dialogue - Will Greenway

It's Not What They Say... - Mary Cook

Off with the Talking Heads! - Marg Gilks

Punctuating Dialogue - Marg Gilks

The Use and Abuse of Dialogue Tags - Anne Marble

Description and Setting

The Art of Description: Eight Tips to Help You Bring Your Settings to Life - Anne M. Marble

Four Ways to Bring Settings to Life - Moira Allen

Houses are People Too: The Structure of a Literary Device - Geoff Hart

Location, Location, Location! - Jim C. Hines

Story Structure

Choosing the Right Name for Your Story - John Floyd

Dynamic Beginnings: Getting Your Story Off to a Great Start - Will Greenway

Five Fiction Mistakes that Can Spell Rejection - Moira Allen

Plotting Your Novel - Lee Masterson

Plunge Right In... Into Your Story, That Is! - Rekha Ambardar

To Outline or Not to Outline - Tim Hallinan

Where to Begin? When, Where and How to Write a Prologue - Lital Talmor

Why Do I Need an Outline? - Cheryl Sloan Wray

Your Story Outline: What It's All About - Rekha Ambardar

Flash Fiction

Flash What? A Quick Look at Flash Fiction - Jason Gurley

Flashes of Brilliance: Writing Flash Fiction - Joan Popek

Flashes on the Meridian: Dazzled by Flash Fiction - Pamelyn Casto

General Tips

25 Unique Places to Find Story Ideas - Michelle Giles

Blueprints: Building a Home for Your Characters - Elizabeth Cheyne

Can I Make a Living as a Novelist? - Marilyn Henderson

The Ethics of Tragedy: Plot Victims are People Too! - Paula Fleming

A Field Guide to Genre Writers' Organizations - Catherine Lundoff

Historical Research for Fiction Writers - Catherine Lundoff

How Long Should Your Story Be? - Lee Masterson

Keeping Your Story On Track with Style Sheets - Marg Gilks

Look before You Write: Applying the Lessons of the Visual Arts - Paula Fleming

Partly Cloudy, Scattered Showers: Setting the Scene with Weather - Larissa Ione

"Prove" Your Story with Evidence - Sue Fagalde Lick

A Research Primer for Historical Fiction Writers - Erika Dreifus

Stuck in the Middle of Your Story? Try Prompts! - Alina Sandor

The Top Ten Mistakes New Fiction Authors Make - Sally Zigmond

Visualization Exercises for Writers - Holly Lisle

What, Where, When and Why - Marg Gilks

Write What You Know -- Because You Know More than You Think! - Marg Gilks

Writing Confessions: An Interview with Bea Sheftel - Moira Allen

Getting Published

How to Write a Novel Synopsis - Marg Gilks

Research, Track and Conquer: How to Research Short Fiction Markets, Track Submissions, and Ultimately Get Published - Joseph Thomas

Serial Writing: The Ongoing Paycheck - Alina Sandor

Small Press Magazines: Should You Bother? - Bruce Boston

For More Information, see also Writing-World.com's sections on:

Children's Writing

Mysteries

Romance

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror

Getting Published - Fiction queries and synopses

Contest Database and tips on entering contests

Related Links:

Character Naming Resources

Children's Writing

Horror

Mystery

Romance

SF/Fantasy

On Writing Science Fiction

If you are going to school anywhere in the United States (including a home-school), you have probably been writing stories since you began to read stories. And, if you are in high school, you have also probably talked about science fiction as a genre, and probably even read Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury.

Writing is writing: writing near-future fiction is much the same as writing any other kind of story; in some ways a little harder, and in some ways a little easier.

All stories are about conflict. There is the conflict of love (Romeo and Juliet, The Yearling). There are the conflicts of the hero/adventure/good versus evil/ old versus new (Lord of the Ring, Oedipus, Beowulf). There is the conflict of transformation: someone is challenged by circumstances and is transformed by it (MacBeth, To Kill a Mockingbird, Things Fall Apart). While novels can include many threads of these elements, short stories usually have to pick one.

Science fiction can also have another kind of conflict – a conflict that transforms the reader.

In this case, the conflict is between the world that the story presents and the world that the reader knows.

Science Fiction: The literary equivalent of (sur)realism.

More than other kinds of stories, a science fiction story can be a literary "still life". Painters in the second half of the 19th century scandalized the art world by taking regular life as their subject matter: a train station (Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare Saint-Lazare, Monet), an old woman in a rocking chair (Arrangement in Grey and Black, Whistler).

Stories in science fiction can also be portraits – of people in a particular circumstance leading a particular life that may be very different from our own. Like Manet’s Luncheon on the Grass, regular life — but maybe with a nude thrown into the mix.

This is where science fiction is both easier and trickier. Easier because the idea itself can be the dramatic element: a good story can be idea driven rather than character driven.

Trickier because you still have to include characters – and the better drawn they are, the more compelling the story — but you also have to find ways of introducing the idea, the new context, the changed circumstances, more or less smoothly into the story.

Getting Started

So how do you start? First of all, you have to have some ideas. Starting Points should give you some great ideas. Then, there is the story.

Cory Doctorow and Karl Schroeder in their book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Science Fiction say that the tasks in writing are daydreaming, outlining, writing a draft, editing and revising, and polishing.

1. The first of these is day-dreaming. You will be happy to know that, according to Doctorow and Schroeder, daydreaming is one of your most important activities as a writer.

   If x, y, or z happened, then how would an apple orchard stay in business? What would be different about going to school? Where would an adult find a job? If gasoline went to $10 a gallon, or was banned for all but strategic transportation, who would teenagers in rural towns date? If water levels rose by a meter, and lower Manhattan started to flood, what sorts of arguments would people have as they tried to decide what to do?

   What would have to happen to get to x, y, or z? A successful writer at the 2006 Boskone science fiction convention in Boston said that when he writes a short story, he creates so many back-stories to get to his story that he ends up with four or five submissions. You don’t need to write them all down, of course, but do let your mind wander down the path from here to there. And take notes when you start speculating.

2. Make an outline for your story. Knowing what happens next in advance bypasses a lot of writer’s block. Note that you can daydream and outline anywhere – on the bus, in front of the T.V., while eating ice cream.

3. Write. This is where you close the door and turn off the phone and just keep going.

4. Rewriting. This is where you (after at least one good night’s sleep) stop and critically read your draft. Tell the story through the character. Don’t write "the world had changed. It was x, y, z." Instead, write "The world had changed. Jamie remembered how it was when he was little, his house was x, y, z."

   Spell out the details. The details in your writing are important. And "details" doesn't just mean a lot of adjectives strung together, or exotic similes or metaphors, it means the little pieces of life that connect to the reader. They are a child complaining about losing a toy, someone stubbing their toe, someone always burning the toast. They may not be the story, but they bring the story to life. They are like the number of pixels on a screen or the high definition graphics that make the flags flutter in the background in a video game: the more details, the higher the resolution, the more definition, and the more realistic the action.

   Have a great beginning. This doesn’t mean a stupendously clever or brilliant beginning, but a beginning that plunks the reader right down in the middle of the story. When you revise, scratch out "It was a grey morning", and substitute "When Danny woke up, he was already afraid." Ironically, the great beginning can be one of the last elements that you achieve. The Idiot’s Guide says that for Cory Doctorow, the hook isn’t apparent until he is almost finished. "Often, Cory’s rewrites consist of nothing more than cutting the first two pages."

5. Revising and Polishing: Workshop your story. In schools this is called peer-review or peer-editing. It is called the same thing in the adult world, and most science fiction writers will tell you how important it is. See Clarion workshops

Read and compare it to other stories. Read science fiction/speculative fiction (see suggested reading list below) and see how the authors manage to make their stories interesting. What is their first sentence? When do you first realize that something is different? How is that difference introduced? How is the scientific or social science underpinning of the idea introduced or explained – by the characters? in dialogue? in reminiscence? How much of the story is spent on the idea? What is the mix of idea versus character? What details does the author use to create his/her particular reality?

There are a few books that have been written over the years about writing science fiction, but in the end the rules boil down to the following:

• Write.
• Finish what you write.
• Send it in.

That’s all you really need to do.

And remember, there is a lot of discussion about what is science fiction or speculative fiction, but one of the most characteristic consequences of the importance of the idea, is that science fiction is most usually written by amateurs – some probably just like you.

[According to Wikipedia, Ursula Le Guin submitted her first story to the magazine Astounding Science Fiction at the age of eleven (it was rejected).]

An acknowledgement: Much of the material for this section was adapted from The Idiot's Guide to Publishing Science Fiction, which is out of print, but available as an e-book, as well as the chapter by Robert A. Heinlein in Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy. The Idiot's Guide is indeed a guide; it is particularly straight-forward and useful (and interesting). Chapters 5 though 8 offer a clear and practical blueprint for the writing part of getting a short story published.

Reading: A Key to Good Writing

Science fiction covers a huge range of possibilities, and not all stories (e.g. cowboys in space, or end of the universe) may be useful for ideas or for examples for your near-future story for this contest.

One useful aspect of science fiction is that is gives a society a vehicle for introspection, for vision, and for examining issues that may be too controversial to handle directly. There is a bloom of science fiction when a society is being challenged by outside forces, including but not limited to new technologies. The website China.org reported in 2002 that China's Science Fiction World is one of China's most popular magazines, with a circulation exceeding 500,000, dwarfing all international counterparts. Moreover, this is with most of its readers sharing single copies between dozens of friends.

In the U.S., similar circumstances existed after World War II when we as a society were driven to try and understand the implications of all of the technical and social changes of the first half of the twentieth century. According to Isaac Asimov, this period was a golden age of "sociological" science fiction. As a result, many examples of these stories are still in print and are also readily available in libraries.

Suggested Science Fiction Reading

• Golden Age Classics

"The Place of the Gods", by Stephen Vincent Benét. Originally published as "By the Waters of Babylon" in 1937, it predates the atom bomb (but not World War I), but deals in the best SF tradition with a civilization that has come and gone. And yes, this is the same Stephen Vincent Benét who wrote "The Devil and Daniel Webster".

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, edited by Robert Silverberg, reissued by Tor Books in 2003. Half a dozen of these twenty-six stories take place in a near-future or current earth-based reality. Try "That Only a Mother", and "It’s a Good Life".

Selected Stories, by Philip K. Dick, a new (2002) collection, with an introduction by Jonathan Lethem. Various other collections of his short stories are also available under various titles.

Philip Dick was an incredibly prolific and incredibly brilliant writer (the two don’t always occur simultaneously), whose short stories include a substantial portion of near-future or parallel-universe earth-based settings.

Philip Dick covered a huge range of stories, some soft and instructional, some ironic, some funny, and some horrendously post-apocalyptic, on a huge range of subjects: conformity, man’s place in the universe, technology carried to extremes, war, and new cultural twists.

Try: "The Turning Wheel", "Exhibit Piece", "Foster, You’re Dead", "Second Variety", "The Days of Perky Pat","Orpheus with Clay Feet", "Captive Market", "The Mold of Yancy"

Welcome to the Monkey House, by Kurt Vonnegut. This collection is a mix of real world and projected world short stories. Vonnegut was adamant that his work was not classified as "science fiction", but some of these stories are great examples. Read "Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow".

More Current Examples

It is not so easy to find more recently written near-future stories, particularly ones that are good examples of both writing and ideas, so we have culled through collections to find some. The following suggestions are included because they illustrate the range of possibilities in ideas, in subject matter, in story line and in tone (and because in most cases, they were available as a link).

Thank you to the authors who generously provided PDFs, or who maintain online publications of their stories.

"Bread and Bombs", by M. Richert, available in The Years Best SF4. A post-war world where our modern-world affluence is only a bitter memory for the adults, and bitterness towards enemies is an ongoing obsession. There aren’t too many people writing dystopia near-future fiction, but here is one example.

"Dying in Hull", by David Alexander Smith, available at Infinity Plus. You can also download a PDF, courtesy of the author. This story is a beautiful portrait of loss and change. David was the leader of the Future Boston Project, and this story was one of his contributions.

"The Eckener Alternative" (PDF courtesy of the author), by James L. Cambias. Included in two books currently in print, The Best of Science Fiction 10, and All Star Zeppelin Adventure Stories. A good example of a time-travel/alternate history story, and also a good example of a fairly light-hearted approach to a fascinating question.

"Evolution Never Sleeps" (PDF courtesy of the author), by Elizabeth Malartre. Included in The Year's Best SF 5. This is unusual in that the setting is absolutely familiar, with believable characters only slowly accumulating the impression that something small -- but important -- has changed.

"Marketing Report", by Alexander Jablokov. Included inThe Years Best SF. Virtual networked communities transformed into real communities collide with market tracking, ratcheted up (only) a notch or two; embedded in an absolutely real portrait of realtionships among an adult child and his two parents.

"A Modest Proposal for the Perfection of Nature", by Vonda N. McIntyre. Originally published in Nature, it is included in The Years Best SF11, and is also available at the author's website. Anyone who doesn't find this spine-chilling should go immediately to their nearest science teacher, or failing that, should read something by E.O. Wilson.

"State of Nature", by Nancy Kress. Included in The Year's Best SF 4. A slice of a near-future life with a far different economic reality having replaced the one that we know.

"Visit the Sins", Cory Doctorow, available at Strange Horizons. Cory Doctorow is one of the best young writers in science fiction today, with an imagination and energy that leaves no idea behind. Much of Cory’s work is available online through Creative Commons; Cory is a co-editor of the blog Boing, Boing.

"The Year of the Mouse", Norman Spinrad, available at the Spinrad website. Included in The Year's Best SF 4. A satiric look at our cultural imperialism carried to an extreme and also an interesting idea on how it might backfire.

Two Non-fiction Stories:

A good story doesn't always have to be fiction. In The Best American Science Writing of 2006, there are two wonderful examples:

Earth Without People, by Alan Weisman, a journalist and a faculty member at the University of Arizona.

The Curse of Akkad, by Elizabeth Kolbert; this was included in Field Notes from a Catastrophe, a book about global warming, published in 2006.

Three (okay four) Books

Distraction, by Bruce Sterling, a novel. To quote the reviews "It is the year 2044, and American has gone to hell." Originally published in 1998, the most amazing thing about this particular hell is how far-away it must have seemed seven years ago, and how close it seems now (maybe 2024? -- if we're lucky?). Global warming and climate change have raised sea levels, with random, extreme "natural" disasters of floods and forest fires; the dollar is almost worthless; the U.S. government is totally out control, with networked "krewes" in the middle of political power-struggles. The story has too many elements to explain in a short paragraph, but there is humor, credibility, and even some (maybe even enough) hope in the mix of Sterling's brilliant imagination and writing.

Fisherman on an Inland Sea, by Ursula LeGuin. This is a collection of short stories. As a reviewer writes at Amazon, "the connecting theme of Fisherman is narrative--story as a way to organize reality, story as revelation, story as truth." Haunting is the best word to describe the best of LeGuin's writing, and "The Shobies' Story" and "Dancing to Ganam" tell you everything that you need in order to begin thinking about the power of story.

Snow Crash and The Diamond Age, by Neal Stephenson. Again, novels, not short stories (so save them for later), but they are brilliant and fascinating. Among the things that make them unusual are that the worlds that they portray, although close and familiar, are dramatically changed from the U.S. centric view that SF often carries into its future worlds. They were also successful enough that they might be in the regular fiction section of your library or bookstore.

General Science Fiction Sources

If you like science fiction in general, there are other sources that cover the entire range of science fiction, with the bulk of the stories in some far away or very far-future universe.

The Best of . . . collections are continuously published and in bookstores for a short while before they disappear. Every year, David Hartwell from Tor books edits The Year’s Best SF; he is now up to The Year’s Best SF 10 (his wife Kathryn Cramer is now a co-editor). Gardner Dozois, until recently the editor of Asimov's, also issues an annual collection, The Year's Best Science Fiction.

Strange Horizons is a weekly speculative fiction magazine, with online publication of stories.

Other websites that might be interesting are:

Analog Science Fiction and Fact is the longest running almost-continuously published science fiction magazine in the world.

Ansible has been published since 1979 (with one long gap) by Dave Langford. It first appeared at Seacon '79, the World SF Convention held in Brighton, England, in August 1979.

Asimov's Science Fiction includes excerpts from upcoming issues, book reviews, online interviews, Isaac Asimov's famous Editorials, Robert Silverberg's controversial Reflections column, reprints of classic Asimov's stories, puzzles, letters, and cartoons, "as well as special features available only online".

Interzone was founded in 1982, and "has maintained its position as one of the world's leading professional Science Fiction and Fantasy magazines".

Locus Magazine is "the newspaper of the science fiction field", with articles and reviews, and sometimes stories.

And for writers:

The Clarion Workshop was founded by Robin Scott Wilson in 1968 at Clarion State College, and now resides at Michigan State.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight, who also served as its first president. In 1992, the membership voted to officially change the name to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. (SFWA).

SFF NET "is designed to support fast-moving, intelligent conversation about genre literature of all kinds. It's the place for authors, editors, readers, and publishers to get together to discuss books, stories, the art and craft of popular fiction, and all aspects of the literary life."

Poor Man's Steady-Cam

(Purchasing a Poor Man's Steady-Cam).

Baise-moi (2000)

Based on the novel by Virginie Despentes of the same title. Manu and Nadine lose their last tenuous relationship with main-stream society when Manu gets raped and Nadine sees her only friend being shot. After a chance encounter, they embark on an explosive journey of sex and murder. Perhaps as a revenge against men, perhaps as a revolt against bourgeois society, but certainly in a negation - almost joyful in its senseless violence - of all the codes of a society which has excluded, raped and humiliated them. Controversial for its violence and real sex scenes: a vividly nihilist road movie set in France.

(Baise-moi@imdb).

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is a 2005 documentary directed by Sam Dunn with Scot McFadyen and Jessica Wise. The film follows 31-year-old Sam Dunn, a Canadian anthropologist, who has been a heavy metal fan since the age of 12. He sets out across the world to uncover the various opinions on heavy metal music, including its origins, culture, controversy, and reasons it is loved by so many people. The film made its debut at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released as a two-disc special edition DVD in the US on September 19, 2006.

A follow-up to the film currently titled Global Metal is in production.

The film discusses the traits and originators of some of metal's many subgenres, including the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, power metal, glam metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal. Dunn uses a family-tree-type flowchart to document some of the most popular metal subgenres. The film also explores various aspects of heavy metal culture. Notable segments include Dunn taking a trip to the Wacken Open Air festival, an interview with Dee Snider providing an analysis of the PMRC attack on heavy metal music, and an interview with several Norwegian black metal bands, many of which whom support Satanism and openly discuss the burning of Norwegian churches.

espite the film's credible citation, a misleading statement is made regarding the sentence of Varg Vikernes in 1994. Sam narrates that Varg is serving a "life sentence" for his murder and arson charges, when in reality, the so-called "life sentence" in Norway is just the term for the maximum possible punishment, equaling 21 years. His sentence was shortened then reinstated in 2003 after he attempted to escape his bounds in Tønsberg, Norway when granted a short leave. He was denied parole in 2006 and is awaiting another chance in April 2008^[2]. Additionally, in an interview with Randy Blythe, the guitar is falsely attributed as an "African instrument", as its origins truly lie within Europe.

(Metal: A Headbanger's Journey).

Stranger than fiction

For twelve years, the methodic IRF agent Harold Crick has had a routine lonely life guided by his wristwatch. However, one day he hears the narration of his life in off, telling that he is going to die pretty soon. Meanwhile, he audits Ana Pascal, the owner of a bakery that is in debt with the IRF, and falls in love for her. Harold is advised by Professor Jules Hilbert to change his monotonous lifestyle while he tries to find Karen Eiffel, the author of the story of his life, who is researching means of killing the character, and convince her to change the ending of the story.

(Stranger than fiction@IMDb)

100 Greatest Rock Bass Guitarists

1. James Jamerson (Funk Brothers, session man)
2. John Entwistle (The Who)
3. Larry Graham (Sly & The Family Stone)
4. Chris Squire (Yes)
5. Jack Bruce (Cream)
6. Tony Levin (King Crimson, session man)
7. Geddy Lee (Rush)
8. Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
9. Louis Johnson (Brothers Johnson, session man)
10. Anthony Jackson (session man)
11. Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
12. Marcus Miller (session man)
13. Les Claypool (Primus)
14. Chuck Rainey (session man)
15. Billy Sheehan (Niacin, Mr. Big, Steve Vai)
16. Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)
17. Will Lee (session man)
18. Michael Manring (Attention Deficit, session man)
19. Nathan East (Eric Clapton, session man)
20. Rocco Prestia (Tower Of Power)
21. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
22. Abe Laboriel (session man)
23. Stuart Hamm (Joe Satriani)
24. Donald "Duck" Dunn (The MGs)
25. Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs)
26. Bob Babbitt (Funk Brothers, session man)
27. Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead)
28. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
29. Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna)
30. Cliff Lee Burton (Metallica)
31. John Myung (Dream Theater)
32. John Deacon (Queen)
33. Willie Weeks (session man)
34. Carol Kaye (session woman)
35. Aston "Family Man" Barrett (Bob Marley & The Wailers)
36. Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire)
37. David Hungate (Toto, session man)
38. Robert "Kool" Bell (Kool & The Gang)
39. Joe Osborne (session man)
40. Phil Chen (Rod Stewart, session man)
41. Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers Band)
42. Freddie Washington (session man)
43. Nathan Watts (session man)
44. Louis Satterfield (Earth Wind & Fire, session man)
45. Andy West (Dixie Dregs)
46. Bootsy Collins (Funkadelic)
47. John Wetton (King Crimson)
48. Greg Lake (ELP)
49. Tim Bogert (Vanilla Fudge)
50. Mark King (Level 42)
51. Mike Watt (Minutemen)
52. Bernard Odum (James Brown, session man)
53. George Porter Jr. (Meters, session man)
54. Mike Gordon (Phish)
55. Bernard Edwards (Chic)
56. Ryan Martinie (Mudvayne)
57. Willie Dixon (session man)
58. Andy Fraser (Free)
59. Trey Gunn (King Crimson)
60. Dave Schools (Widespread Panic)
61. Berry Oakley (Allman Brothers Band)
62. Jerry Jemmott (session man)
63. Roger Glover (Deep Purple)
64. Bill Black (Elvis Presley)
65. "Sweet" Charles Sherrell (James Brown, session man)
66. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
67. Billy Cox (Band Of Gypsys)
68. Bruce Thomas (Elvis Costello & The Attractions)
69. Gary "Mani" Mounfield (Stone Roses)
70. Felix Pappalardi (Mountain)
71. Mike Rutherford (Genesis)
72. David Ellefson (Megadeth)
73. Matt Freeman (Rancid)
74. Ronnie Baker (MFSB)
75. John Alderete (Racer X, Mars Volta)
76. Robert Trujillo (Suicidal Tendencies)
77. Duff McKagen (Guns N Roses)
78. Marshall Lytle (Bill Haley & The Comets)
79. Bill Gould (Faith No More)
80. Ray Pohlman (session man)
81. Me'Shell NdegéOcello (session woman, solo)
82. Doug Pinnick (King's X)
83. Tommy Cogbill (session man)
84. Glen Cornick (Jethro Tull)
85. Pino Palladino (session man)
86. Randy Coven (Steve Vai)
87. Tim Commerford (Rage Against The Machine)
88. Doug Wimbish (Living Color)
89. Thomas Miller (Symphony X)
90. Mick Karn (session man)
91. Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam)
92. Ron Wood (Jeff Beck Group)
93. Michael Lepond (Symphony X)
94. Dave Hope (Kansas)
95. Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones)
96. Leo Lyons (Ten Years After)
97. Timothy B Schmit (Eagles)
98. Rex Brown (Pantera)
99. Bobby Sheehan (Blues Traveler)
100. Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith)

(100 Greatest Rock Bass Guitarists).

Jerome Abramovitch

Eccentric, exotic, fascinating and bizarre. The photography of Jerome Abromovitch is broken into various categories including altered bodies, fetish, fashion, self-portraits, commercial work, and the photo montage of the mannequin series. The artist himself borders on the truly bizarre as over the years of self portraits you witness him experiment with extreme body modifications, branding, amputation and injections of saline for his Inflatable Forehead performance piece. Jerome has photographed many of the world's most extreme individuals, has documented the radical body modification community and sexual underground from the inside out, and worked closely with some of the biggest names in freakdom ever to spend five minutes being exploited by obscure cable TV stations. The contrast of his stunning mannequin series, and beautiful portraits, fashion, and commercial work juxtaposed with the fetish, erotic and altered bodies photographs showcases the mind and vision of a truly passionate artist who takes his work very seriously - right on down to a full CV.

(chapter9photography)
(projectmessenger.com).

When Multimedia Was Black & White

"

When I mention that Dave & I have been making interactive media since ‘the days when it was black and white,’ some people laugh, assuming I’m just making a joke. Others nod, knowingly; they remember.

Photography and television began black and white and evolved into colour, but multimedia followed a different path. Videodiscs and computer games delivered colourful interactive experiences long before a black and white computer inspired a new generation of pioneers.

In the early eighties, the personal computer was an idea still taking form. A few million hobbyists were playing around with the command line interfaces and clunky hardware of the first consumer computers. Most of us had little sense of how much our world was about to change, no clue that the future was about to slip into our homes and offices disguised as beige plastic boxes.

Thinktanks and visionaries had been inventing the future for decades, and had been experimenting with graphic interfaces since the sixties. Apple successfully incorporated these ideas into a relatively affordable personal computer in 1984, the Macintosh. The development of the Macintosh is pretty well documented. (Folklore is an insanely great site that collects stories of the creation of the Mac, and the people who made it. Highly recommended.) While key ideas came from Xerox’s PARC thinktank, the Mac and its OS included many further innovations that came from the team at Apple. The black and white environment of the GUI may have originated with the Xerox Star, (Up to that point the default state of a display was dark, or black — unrendered — and text was typically rendered in a light colour like amber or white. While the development of black on white flows logically from PARC’s research it was a huge leap forward.) but it was designers at Apple, notably Susan Kare, (There are three pages of Susan Kare’s portfolio that are directly relevant, recommended. Her screen capture of MacPaint shows her graphic designs for the program’s tools, as well as a great example of art made with it. Her icons and pixel fonts (Cairo! San Francisco!) are primary building blocks of the original Macintosh look and feel.) who gave meaning and personality to every pixel.

Suddenly, a whole new group of creative people were using computers. The following year Apple, Adobe and Aldus (Although eventually swallowed by Adobe in 1994, in the 1980s Aldus Corporation and Pagemaker represented a third of the Desktop Publishing Trinity. The company’s name and logo referenced turn-of-the-fifteenth-century printing and publishing pioneer Aldus Manutius.) introduced PageMaker and the LaserWriter, the first PostScript laser printer. The graphic arts industries — already transformed by photography earlier in the century — were about to be transformed again and the computer would soon be ubiquitous in the graphics arts.

Within a few years there were a million (There were even more MS-DOS machines, but it was not until the 1990s and Windows that the platform became viable for many creative professionals.) Macintosh computers, and many of them were in the hands of creative, adventurous people. And then, Apple released HyperCard."

(When Multimedia Was Black & White).

Lobster knife fight

Whoever loses, we win.

Songs To Wear Pants To

SONGS TO WEAR PANTS TO: "I make songs in any genre, for free or for money, based on instructions people send me. You can scroll down to read what some people have requested, and listen to the songs by clicking on their titles."

Strange Bedfellows

"On February 20th, the infamously pro-intelligent design Discovery Institute released news that over 500 doctoral scientists had signed its statement "publicly expressing their skepticism about the contemporary theory of Darwinian evolution." A day earlier, a newly launched coalition of scientists, educators and clergy members called the Alliance for Science revealed a converse document at the annual meeting of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The Clergy Letter Project snagged the signatures of 10,000 clerics on a document that in part states, "We believe that the theory of evolution is a foundational scientific truth, one that has stood up to rigorous scrutiny and upon which much of human knowledge and achievement rests." A February 21st article in The New York Times outed most of the signers of the Discovery Institute statement as evangelical non-biologists, stripping the Institute's claims of whatever credibility the scientists had lent them."

(Strange Bedfellows).

'Gospel of Judas' Surfaces After 1,700 Years

"An early Christian manuscript, including the only known text of what is known as the Gospel of Judas, has surfaced after 1,700 years. The text gives new insights into the relationship of Jesus and the disciple who betrayed him, scholars reported today. In this version, Jesus asked Judas, as a close friend, to sell him out to the authorities, telling Judas he will 'exceed' the other disciples by doing so. This image, provided by the National Geographic Society, shows the last page of the codex. The final words read 'Gospel of Judas.' Though some theologians have hypothesized this, scholars who have studied the new-found text said, this is the first time an ancient document defends the idea. The discovery in the desert of Egypt of the leather-bound papyrus manuscript, and now its translation, was announced by the National Geographic Society at a news conference in Washington. The 26-page Judas text is said to be a copy in Coptic, made around A. D. 300, of the original Gospel of Judas, written in Greek the century before. Terry Garcia, an executive vice president of the geographic society, said the manuscript, or codex, is considered by scholars and scientists to be the most significant ancient, nonbiblical text to be found in the past 60 years. 'The codex has been authenticated as a genuine work of ancient Christian apocryphal literature,' Mr. Garcia said, citing extensive tests of radiocarbon dating, ink analysis and multispectral imaging and studies of the script and linguistic style. The ink, for example, was consistent with ink of that era, and there was no evidence of multiple rewriting."

('Gospel of Judas' Surfaces After 1,700 Years).

A large dungeon map, hand-drawn

(click to enlarge)

Teeter Totter Accident

Mr. Safety's little brother (JoCo) jumped off a the teeter totter to send his friend (D) crashing to the ground. They planned this stunt out on their own, but of course, it wasn't such a great idea.

Hope Is Emo: Chapter One "The Words Are Dying"

Hope Is Emo is from the guys at AskANinja.com and Crista Flanagan of MADtv. Hope gets advice from the net and tries to stop being so emo.

Nerdcore For Life

"After two years I'm happy announce that Nerdcore For Life is finally complete! Not only is the movie done out world premiere is set. Details about the first screening coming soon."

(Nerdcore For Life).

If I were an animal, I'd eat vegetarians

What does that Darwin know anyway?

If your picture of creationists is limited to barefoot hillbillies and Republican U.S. presidential candidates, it's time for your thinking to evolve.

New polls show that a larger share of Americans - 53 per cent - believe in evolution than do Ontario residents, only 51 per cent of whom believe that "human beings evolved from less advanced life forms over millions of years."

Over all, 59 per cent of Canadians said they believe in evolution, according to the Angus Reid poll of 1,088 adults conducted June 12-13. Twenty-two per cent agreed that "God created human beings in their present form within the last 10,000 years," and 19 per cent told pollsters they weren't sure.

Even those who say they believe in evolution may be confused about what that means exactly. The poll found 42 per cent of Canadians agree that dinosaurs and humans co-existed on earth - but evolutionary theory says non-avian dinosaurs died out about 60 million years before humans evolved in their current form.

"Wow. Oh boy," responded Pam Willoughby, an anthropology professor at the University of Alberta. "We're obviously not getting our message across."

While the evidence for evolution, such as fossil records dating back millions of years, is clear and persuasive, Prof. Willoughby acknowledged that creationism has one big advantage over evolutionary theory: certainty. Even though evolution is a strong theory with overwhelming scientific support, it doesn't offer the 100-per-cent certainty of religious doctrine.

"Religion gives people a way of explaining the world," Prof. Willoughby said. "We're not in the belief business, we're in the science business."

She was cheered to learn that roughly one in five Canadians aren't sure whether they believe in evolution or creationism.

"We might be able to convince a few more," she said.

Don't count on it, said Ian Juby, a Chalk River, Ont.-based consultant to creationist museums. He says evolution opponents are gaining steam.

"Part of it is the controversy, and people getting fed up with having their views stifled," Mr. Juby said. "There are lines being drawn in the sand."

People whose religious beliefs lead them to creationism have more resources than ever to back them up these days. Mr. Juby estimates a dozen new creationist museums have opened in North America in the past five years.

He consulted on the Big Valley Creation Science Museum, which opened earlier this month in Alberta. Thousands of people have visited the state-of-the-art Creation Museum in Kentucky since it opened last month, not long after three of 10 Republican U.S. presidential candidates declared they don't believe in evolution.

According to the Angus Reid poll, Canadians who are younger than 34, have an income of more than $50,000 a year or are university-educated are significantly more likely to believe in evolution.

Quebeckers embrace evolution more than other Canadians, with 71 per cent saying they believe humans evolved over millions of years and only 9 per cent reporting they believe in creationism.

The poll demonstrates how secularization during Quebec's Quiet Revolution in the 1960s still resonates today, said Craig Worden, vice-president of public affairs for Angus Reid.

The results of the evolution poll "may speak to a need in our education system to speak to history that predates the 20th century," Mr. Worden said.

"There is a large segment of the population that is confused."

REBECCA DUBE

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

Error Messages You Never Want to See

(30 Error Messages you never want to see@cracked.com)

Is Faith Good for Us?

Whether Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Sikh, there is one common belief that all religious fundamentalists share: worship of God and obedience to his laws are essential for a peaceful, healthy society. From Orthodox rabbis in the occupied West Bank to Wahhabi sheiks in Saudi Arabia, from the pope in Vatican City to Mormons in Salt Lake City, the lament is the same: God and his will must be at the center of everyone's lives in order to ensure a moral, prosperous, safe, collective existence.

Furthermore, fundamentalists agree that, when large numbers of people in a society reject God or fail to make him the center of their lives, societal disintegration is sure to follow. Every societal ill-whether crime, poverty, poor public education, or AIDS-is thus blamed on a lack of piety. A most disconcerting example of this worldview was expressed in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001, when Jerry Falwell blamed the terrorists attacks on America's "throwing God out of the public square," further adding that "when a nation deserts God and expels God from the culture . . . the result is not good."

If this often-touted religious theory were correct-that a turning away from God is at the root of all societal ills-then we would expect to find the least religious nations on earth to be bastions of crime, poverty, and disease and the most religious nations to be models of societal health. A comparison of highly irreligious countries with highly religious countries, however, reveals a very different state of affairs. In reality, the most secular countries-those with the highest proportion of atheists and agnostics-are among the most stable, peaceful, free, wealthy, and healthy societies. And the most religious nations-wherein worship of God is in abundance-are among the most unstable, violent, oppressive, poor, and destitute.

One must always be careful, of course, to distinguish between totalitarian nations where atheism is forced upon an unwilling population (such as in North Korea, China, Vietnam, and the former Soviet states) and open, democratic nations where atheism is freely chosen by a well-educated population (as in Sweden, the Netherlands, or Japan). The former nations' nonreligion, which can be described as "coercive atheism," is plagued by all that comes with totalitarianism: corruption, economic stagnation, censorship, depression, and the like. However, nearly every nation with high levels of "organic atheism" is a veritable model of societal health.

The twenty-five nations characterized by organic atheism with the highest proportion of nonbelievers are listed in Table 1. When looking at standard measures of societal health, we find that they fare remarkably well; highly religious nations fare rather poorly. The 2004 United Nations' Human Development Report, which ranks 177 countries on a "Human Development Index," measures such indicators of societal health as life expectancy, adult literacy, per-capita income, educational attainment, and so on. According to this report, the five top nations were Norway, Sweden, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands. All had notably high degrees of organic atheism. Furthermore, of the top twenty-five nations, all but Ireland and the United States were top-ranking nonbelieving nations with some of the highest percentages of organic atheism on earth. Conversely, the bottom fifty countries of the "Human Development Index" lacked statistically significant levels of organic atheism.

Irreligious countries had the lowest infant-mortality rate (number of deaths per 1,000 live births), and religious countries had the highest rates. According to the 2004 CIA World Factbook (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook), out of 225 nations, the twenty-five with the lowest infant-mortality rates had significantly high levels of organic atheism. Conversely, the seventy-five nations with the highest infant-mortality rates were all very religious and without statistically significant levels of organic atheism.

Concerning international poverty rates, the United Nations Report on the World Social Situation (2003) found that, of the forty poorest nations on earth (measured by the percentage of population that lives on less than one dollar a day), all but Vietnam were highly religious nations with statistically minimal or insignificant levels of atheism.

Regarding homicide rates, Oablo Fajnzylber et al., in a study reported in the Journal of Law and Economics (2002), looked at thirty-eight non-African nations and found that the ten with the highest homicide rates were highly religious, with minimal or statistically insignificant levels of organic atheism. Conversely, of the ten nations with the lowest homicide rates, all but Ireland were secular nations with high levels of atheism. James Fox and Jack Levin, in The Will to Kill, looked at thirty-seven non-African nations and found that, of the ten nations with the highest homicide rates, all but Estonia and Taiwan were highly religious, with statistically insignificant levels of organic atheism. Conversely, of the ten nations with the lowest homicide rates, all but Ireland and Kuwait were relatively secular nations, with high levels of organic atheism.

Concerning literacy rates, according to the United Nations Report on the World Social Situation (2003), of the thirty-five nations with the highest levels of youth-illiteracy rates (percentage of population ages fifteen to twenty-four who cannot read or write), all were highly religious, with statistically insignificant levels of organic atheism.

In regard to rates of AIDS and HIV infection, the most religious nations on earth-particularly those in Africa-fared the worst. (Botswana suffers from the highest rate of HIV infection in the world; see http://www.avert.org/aroundworld. htm.) Conversely, the highly irreligious nations of Western Europe, such as those of Scandinavia-where public sex education is supported and birth control is widely accessible-fared the best, experiencing among the lowest rates of AIDS and HIV infection in the world.

Concerning gender equality, nations marked by high degrees of organic atheism are among the most egalitarian in the world, while highly religious nations are among the most oppressive. According to the 2004 Human Development Report's "Gender Empowerment Measure," the ten nations with the highest degrees of gender equality were all strongly organic-atheistic nations with significantly high percentages of nonbelief. Conversely, the bottom ten were all highly religious nations without any statistically significant percentages of atheists. According to Ronald Inglehart and Pippa Norris's (2003) "Gender Equality Scale," of the ten nations most accepting of gender equality, all but the United States and Colombia were marked by high levels of organic atheism; of the ten least-accepting of gender equality, all were highly religious and had statistically insignificant levels of organic atheism. According to Inglehart et al. in Human Values and Social Change (2003), countries such as Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands, with the most female members of parliament, tended to be characterized by high degrees of organic atheism, and countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria, and Iran, with the fewest female members in parliament, tended to be highly religious.

The acceptance of gender equality among irreligious nations may be linked to the relative acceptance of homosexuality. Inglehart et al., in Human Beliefs and Values: A Cross-Cultural Sourcebook Based on the 1999-2002 Value Surveys (2004), found that, of the eighteen nations least likely to condemn homosexuality, all were highly ranked organic-atheistic nations. Conversely, of the eighteen nations most likely to condemn homosexuality, all but Hungary were highly religious, with statistically insignificant levels of organic atheism.

A country's suicide rate stands out as the one indicator of societal health in which religious nations fare much better than secular nations. According to the 2003 World Health Organization's report on international male suicide rates (http://www.who.int/en/), the nations with the lowest rates of suicide were all highly religious, characterized by extremely high levels of theism (usually of the Muslim and Catholic varieties). Of the ten nations with the highest male suicide rates, five were distinctly irreligious nations ranked among the top twenty-five nations listed earlier. These five are Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Russia, and Slovenia. It is interesting to note that of the nations currently experiencing the highest rates of suicide-including the five just mentioned-nearly all are former Soviet/communist-dominated societies. (The nations of Scandinavia, where organic atheism is strongest, do not have the highest suicide rates in the world, as is widely thought to be the case.)

In sum, countries with high rates of organic atheism are among the most societally healthy on earth, while societies with nonexistent rates of organic atheism are among the most destitute. The former nations have among the lowest homicide rates, infant mortality rates, poverty rates, and illiteracy rates and among the highest levels of wealth, life expectancy, educational attainment, and gender equality in the world. The sole indicator of societal health in which religious countries scored higher than irreligious countries is suicide.

Where does the United States fit in all this? Americans are very religious. Many studies have found that only between 3-7 percent of Americans do not believe in God. Rates of prayer, belief in the divinity of Jesus, belief in the divine origins of the Bible, and rates of church attendance are remarkably robust in the United States, making it the most religious of all Western industrialized nations, with the possible exception of Ireland. When it comes to societal health, the United States certainly fares far better than much of the rest of the world. According to the United Nations' 2004 "Human Development Index" discussed earlier, the United States ranked eighth. However, when we compare the United States to its peer nations-i.e., developed, industrialized, democratic nations such as Canada, Japan, and the nations of Europe-its standing in terms of societal health plummets. The United States has far higher homicide, poverty, obesity, and homelessness rates than any of its more secular peer nations. It is also the only Western industrialized democracy that is unwilling to provide universal health coverage to its citizens. The fact is that extremely secular nations such as Japan and Sweden are much safer, cleaner, healthier, better educated, and more humane when compared to the United States, despite the latter's exceptionally strong levels of theism.

The information presented in this discussion in no way proves that high levels of organic atheism cause societal health or that low levels of organic atheism cause societal ills such as poverty or illiteracy. The wealth, poverty, well-being, and suffering in various nations are caused by numerous political, historical, economic, and sociological factors that are far more determinant than people's personal belief systems. Rather, the conclusion to be drawn from the data provided above is simply that high levels of irreligion do not automatically result in a breakdown of civilization, a rise in immoral behavior, or in "sick societies." Quite the opposite seems to be the case. Furthermore, religion is clearly not the simple and single path to righteous societies that religious fundamentalists seem to think it is. This fact must be vigorously asserted in response to the proclamations of politically active theists. From small-town school boards to the floor of the Senate, conservative Christians are championing religion as the solution to America's societal problems. However, their pious "solution" is highly dubious and clearly not supported by the best available research of social science.

Belief in God may provide comfort to the individual believer, but, at the societal level, its results do not compare at all favorably with that of the more secular societies. When seeking a more civil, just, safe, humane, and healthy society, one is more likely to find it among those nations ranking low in religious faith-contrary to the preaching of religious folks.

Phil Zuckerman

Phil Zuckerman is an associate professor of sociology at Pitzer College in California. He is the author of Invitation to the Sociology of Religion (Routledge, 2003) and is currently writing a book on secularization in Scandinavia.

Ross Kemp on Gangs

(Ross Kemp on Gangs@wikipedia)
(Ross Kemp on Gangs@youtube)

Swank Signs

(swanksigns.com).

Inside Deep Throat (documentary)

Inside Deep Throat is a 2005 documentary about the 1972 pornographic film Deep Throat and its effects on American society.

The film is narrated by Dennis Hopper. The documentary was written, produced, and directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, and produced by Brian Grazer. It is a production of Imagine Entertainment, HBO Documentary Films, and World of Wonder, and distributed by Universal Studios.

It features scenes from the movie, news of the time and interviews, both from archive and purpose-made, with director Gerard Damiano, actor Harry Reems, actress Linda Lovelace, Gore Vidal, Larry Flynt, Hugh Hefner, John Waters, Erica Jong, a prosecutor, Reems's defence, Mafia money collectors, and other people involved or just commenting on the film.

It was rated NC-17 by the Motion Picture Association of America for explicit sexual content; specifically, explicit excerpts from the original film. It is the first film rated NC-17 to be released by Universal since Henry & June (1990), the first film to receive the NC-17 rating. An edited version received an R rating for strong sexuality including graphic images, nudity and dialogue. (@wikipedia).

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo

"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo." is a grammatically correct sentence used as an example of how homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated constructs. It has been discussed in literature since 1972 when the sentence was used by William J. Rapaport, currently an associate professor at the University at Buffalo. It was posted to Linguist List by Rapaport in 1992. It was also featured in Steven Pinker's 1994 book The Language Instinct. Sentences of this type, although not in such a refined form, have been known for a long time. A classic example is the proverb "Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you".

(@wikipedia).

"A great sentance in the english language hinging on the three uses of one word, it reads like this: "Bison from buffalo, New York, who are intimidated by other bison in their community also happen to intimidate other bison in their community." this is an example of one of my favorite parts of language that crosses linguistic boundrys you can find example's in almost every language."

Mortal Kombat in Central Park

UC Berkeley's DeCadence sings to two guys "sparring" in Central Park, New York City. It isn't the best we've ever done with this song, but it was spur of the moment and fun. These guys didn't know what we were doing when we walked up.

Hitler Gets Banned (His Ultimate Downfall)

This is the story of Hitlers Downfall, his final defeat against Microsoft has now pushed him over the edge.

The Shock Doctrine

A message everyone needs to understand. Such calculated control measures, hard to believe really. A few tips on how to get rid of democracy (often in the name of democracy and the sacred free commerce).

DIRECTED BY JONÁS CUARÓN. Alfonso Cuarón, director of "Children of Men", and Naomi Klein, author of "No Logo", present a short film from Klein's book "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism." (http://www.shockdoctrine.com).

Amazing things about everything

Now you never have to watch another movie on the web titled "awesome" or "crazy" or "mad skillz" for a few years and new content arrives.

How To Make Colored Smoke Bombs

Sex takes 3 to 13 minutes, study says

A survey of sex therapists concluded the optimal amount of time for sexual intercourse was 3 to 13 minutes. The findings, to be published in the May issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, strike at the notion that endurance is the key to a great sex life.

If that sounds like good news to you, don't cheer too loudly. The time does not count foreplay, and the therapists did rate sexual intercourse that lasts from 1 to 2 minutes as "too short."

Researcher Eric Corty said he hoped to ease the minds of those who believe "more of something good is better, and if you really want to satisfy your partner, you should last forever."

The questions were not gender-specific, said Corty. But he said prior research has shown men and women want foreplay and sexual intercourse to last longer.

Dr. Irwin Goldstein, editor of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, cited a four-week study of 1,500 couples in 2005 that found the median time for sexual intercourse was 7.3 minutes. (Women in the study were armed with stopwatches.)

It's difficult for both older men and young men to make sexual intercourse last much longer, said Marianne Brandon, a clinical psychologist and director of Wellminds Wellbodies in Annapolis, Maryland.

"There are so many myths in our culture of what other people are doing sexually," Brandon said. "Most people's sex lives are not as exciting as other people think they are."

Fifty members of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research in the U.S. and Canada were surveyed by Corty, an associate professor of psychology at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, and student Jenay Guardiani. Thirty-four members, or 68 percent, responded, although some said the optimal time depended on the couple.

Corty said he hoped to give an idea of what therapists find to be normal and satisfactory among the couples they see.

"People who read this will say, 'I last five minutes or my partner lasts eight minutes,' and say, 'That's OK,' " he said. "They will relax a little bit."

(Cnn.com).

Worst cover of "Final Countdown" EVER

An "amazing" performance of the Final Countdown caught on video. The best part is when the singer first comes in, it sounds as if you had used a winamp plugin to lower the pitch!

Bellydance for the Beautiful Freaks

Crazy toy from 1/4 of paper (A4)

Grazy Toy From 1/4 Piece Of Paper (A4)..... - Funny blooper videos are here

love letters

(love letters)

Evil Clown Generator

"Frantically mouseover the face to create an evil clown or use the game buttons to change the features one by one. Stop only when you are satisfied with the evilness of your clown face"

Let the scary fun begin. Don't worry you'll sleep soundly tonight...

Monica Bellucci (Malena)

"Excellent metaphor for the some of the emotional consequence of monogamy. Women become annoyed and men become sycophantic."

The Cinematic Geography of Los Angeles

Using real photographs from a few days of driving around the city, the movie takes a whirlwind tour around the various locations around the city of Los Angeles and examines how they appear today compared with how they appeared on the cinema scenes.

After driving all over Greater Los Angeles for many days taking photographs, and researching iconic cinema locations, this film is the end result.

Nardwuar

Nardwuar x Megadeth



Nardwuar x Ian MacKaye

(Nardwuar.com)

Knocking documentary (Jehovah's Witnesses)

"KNOCKING opens the door on Jehovah's Witnesses. They are moral conservatives who stay out of politics and the Culture War, but they won a record number of court cases expanding freedom for everyone. They refuse blood transfusions on religious grounds, but they embrace the science behind bloodless surgery. In Nazi Germany, they could fight for Hitler or go to the concentration camps. They chose the camps. Following two families who stand firm for their controversial and misunderstood Christian faith, KNOCKING reveals how one unlikely religion helped to shape history beyond the doorstep."

"Excellent documentary made by a non-Jehovah's Witness. Ever wondered what they believe...and why? Watch this and get a real look at several members as they serve their God as well as face some of life's challenges. A winner of several awards, this will be shown on public television."

(Knocking documentary).

The 5 Most Ridiculous Lies You Were Taught In History Class

Motivational speakers love to tell this tale, inspiring underachievers with the story of this German kid who was just like you! Despite his sincerest efforts he could never manage to do well in his math exams, and struggled desperately with physics while working as a lowly patent clerk.

That muddled kid grew up to be Albert Fucking Einstein! And if he can do it, then so can you!

The truth:
Well, no you can't. As it turns out, Einstein was a mathematical prodigy, and before he was 12, he was already better at arithmetic and calculus than you are now. Einstein was in fact so fucking smart that he believed school was holding him back, and his parents purchased advanced textbooks for him to study from. Not only did he pass math with flying colors, it's entirely possible that he was actually teaching the class by the end of semester.

The idea that Einstein did badly at school is thought to have originated with a a 1935 Ripley's Believe it or Not! trivia column.

Not the actual column

There's actually a good reason why it's a bad idea to include Robert Ripley among the references in your advanced university thesis. The famous bizarre trivia "expert" never cited his sources, and the various "facts" he presented throughout his career were an amalgamation of things he thought he read somewhere, heard from somebody, or pulled out of his ass. The feature's title probably should have been: Believe it or Not! I Get Paid Either Way, Assholes.

When he was first shown this supposed expose of his early life, Einstein allegedly just laughed, and probably went on to solve another 12 mysteries of quantum physics before dinner. By the time he finally kicked the bucket in 1955, it's entirely possible that "failure" was the one concept that Albert Einstein had never managed to master.

Of course, this just reaffirms what we have always suspected, deep down: success really is decided at birth, and your life will never be better than it is right now. Sorry about that.

(The 5 Most Ridiculous Lies You Were Taught In History Class).

THE DARK KNIGHT Viral Promotion - The Joker’s Bag is Found in Sao Paolo, Brazil

“The Dark Knight” movie has been one of the biggest users of online viral ads ever. While I can’t keep track of all of them, it seems like every week we get a few new sites to help keep awareness high for the new movie. For fans that want to invest time in the promotion, you’ve been getting rewarded with a great campaign.

Anyway, a new website (http://www.clowntravelagency.com) was recently launched and it went live today with a lot of new info. Since one of the cities listed for the promotion was Sao Paolo, it would make sense that our partners at Omelete (they're in Sao Paolo) would find the Joker’s Bag.

Star Wars according to a 3 year old

"I love Star Wars and I love children. This is a wonderful video. I can't wait to share Star Wars with my kids."

"But don't talk back to Darth Vader" "The shiny guy always worries." "They blowed up her planet."

Lost Muppets Bloopers!

Were you a Muppets fan?

Rick Rolled

I found this on http://groups.google.com/group/virgle/browse_thread/thread/7b4c9a00fec190d6?hl=en

Submitted by Bob Oliver Bigellow XLII

All credit goes to him.

Chris Rock - View on Love and Relationships

The Greatest Prank Call Made Ever

The Greatest Prank Call Made Ever - The funniest videos are a click away

The Simpsons Talking Behind The Cartoon

The Simpsons Talking Behind The Cartoon - The most amazing bloopers are here

Anti-Piracy Ad from The IT Crowd

Laura Marling - New Romantic

Orange Ball

From http://www.stippy.com/?r=10 this is the third video in the "Only in Japan" series. Have you ever wondered what those fluorescent orange balls found in nearly all convenience stores, banks, and post offices in Japan are for? Simon Adams takes us on a journey to find out!

The real Pikachu

Yoshida Brothers

YOSHIDA BROTHERS (YOSHIDA KYOUDAI) are Shamisen players in japan. Shamisen is japanese traditional instrument. "Tsugaru Jongara" is a very old japanese folk music.

Horrible mutant lovecraftian lemon

Lemon infected by Eryophyes sheldoni, the citrus bud mite. Oakland, CA, October 2003.

Willie the Groundskeeper

Wedding Thriller Dance

How to eat at a Sushi Bar

Spoof on sushi eating etiquette.

The Facts of Life

Newsmap

Newsmap: "For true news junkies. Displays news visually based on the Google news service - I'm going to follow it for a while to see how well it works for me."

Riding a bike in the US is one of the worst experiences you can have

For a few years now I have avoided using any sort of gas powered transportation. I'm an environmental biology/engineering double major so its always felt disturbingly hypocritical for me to roll around in a gas sucking metal box. In addition to eco reasons its saved me thousands of dollars worth of gas, insurance and the car itself. Other fringe benefits include boosted energy, a wonderful mental clarity bump before classes/work and a good way to keep in shape.

Despite all this I don't know if I can really take it anymore. Its impossible to find a place in the US that has not formed itself into an automobile centric hellscape. I currently go to school in Wilmington, NC and I don't have the words to describe how truly awful this place is for anyone not driving a car and the thousands of problems it creates. One of the most common and bizarre problems is that sidewalks randomly switch sides on the road. Most of the time riding in the actual road is a one way ticket for death so sometimes a sidewalk is your only option so having it jump to the other side of a 55mph road with no real crosswalks can be bone chilling . One of my favorites is that neighborhoods block off all short routes between destinations making all trips excruciatingly long and tortuous because neighborhood planners have a raging erection for cul-de-sacs . As an added bonus to neighborhood cockblocks people will scream and have on occasion thrown things like rocks at me when I tried to cut through their backyards to shave off a half hour ride. All roads eventually turn into impassable highways that are impossible to cross even at 4AM. This is the one true law of Wilmington in specific and North Carolina in general that can never be broken. No matter where you are trying to go you will run into some form of overcrowded highway where you will spend weeks camping out to try and find a time where there are not speeding cars ready to turn you into paste.

Its also worth noting that I have developed an absolute fear of female drivers. I am neither exaggerating or trying to make some stupid "lolz wimmin can't drive" joke. I'm literally terrified of seeing any woman driving in my general vicinity. It may be a completely illogical generalization to say that girls are dangerous on the road but every accident I have ever been in on the road and every injury I have ever received has been the result of some wonderful young lady not looking at anything but the car directly in front of her or for some reason known only to her. There are a thousand little examples of drivers being assholes to me but most of the highlights have been truly awful. The low point was screaming at the top of my lungs and waving my retina melting flashlight at a woman in a minivan who was slowly forcing me off the road at 11:00AM while talking on her cellphone. I eventually had to turn off the road to avoid getting run over and got dumped into the deep drainage trench next to the road where I wiped out from the steep incline and got much of the skin on my right leg shaved off. A less dramatic example was sitting on my bike talking to my friend on the main campus walkway and getting my back wheel hit by some administrator riding a golf cart which bowled me over broke a pair of my spokes. I don't think she even noticed that she did it. Just last week I was riding past the bio/chem building and some bitch yelled out the name of her friend as I was going by and jerked her hand out to wave. This resulted in slapping me in the side of the head and the shock making me fall over. While I was laying on the ground disoriented she just gasps, says "I'm so sorry" a few times and then runs away before I can stand up.

I could go on about this for ages but the TL/DR of this is that city planners in the US are the stupidest fucks imaginable and spatial awareness training should be part of drivers ed curriculum. Not even the piles of money and moral high ground that come from riding a bike are worth the injuries, inconvenience and outright hellishness of riding a bike in the US. Are there any cyclists around here who are not made horribly miserable by their choice of transport in the land of fat SUV drivers and concrete as far as the eye can see?