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4.30.2008
4.29.2008
4.28.2008
How the Black Death Changed the World
Seven thousand people died per day in Cairo. Three-quarters of Florence's residents were buried in makeshift graves in just one macabre year. One third of China evaporated before the rest of the world knew what was coming.
By the time the tornado-like destruction of the 14th-century bubonic plague finally dissipated, nearly half the people in each of the regions it touched had succumbed to a gruesome, painful death.
Seven Reasons Why I’m Becoming a Polygamist’s Wife
By: Shyla Batliwalla
I want to become the wife of a polygamist. After the high-profile raid in Texas cast a disapproving light on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), everybody’s got a bone to pick with the polygamists. I, on the other hand, am jealous of their rustic and charming lifestyle. I yearn to live au naturale clad in a strapping turquoise dress with a hand-braided up-do. It’s official—I’m going to join the commune and live a life that’s back to the basics.
Link"Note to the humourless - this article is written tongue-in-cheek."
How much your groceries will cost in 10 years
However much you hope that the food crisis will go away, it's difficult to ignore this week's headlines warning us that the era of cheap food is over. But which of the staples in our shopping basket will be worst hit?
The general picture is that most items will go up, some more significantly than others. With oil at $117 a barrel and rising, so are the costs rising of the three Fs of farming: feed, fuel and fertiliser. “We're in a unique situation in which numerous problems are coming together,” says Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy at City University. We're not just facing rising oil prices and water shortages, but the changing dietary habits of the developing world as it becomes richer, combined with land being used to provide crops for fuel rather than food, and climate change bringing drought to countries such as Australia.
There's no doubt that we're going to have to spend more on food. And yet, compared to other parts of the world, we're lucky.Link
"Sigh - higher gas prices, higher taxes, higher natural gas and electricity costs and now groeceries - one wonders how much you have to earn a year to be simply sufficient and not 'poor'?"
The Untold Story of How the Canadian Government Sabotaged Barack Obama
This is the largely untold story of how the Harper government, with the help of a television reporter, sought to sabotage the candidacy of Barack Obama. Many of the facts of this story are on the record, in pieces, from disparate sources. What is untold is how those pieces fit together into a coherent narrative. And it is only with this narrative that the severity, and maliciousness of this incident is revealed.
Ian Brodie was probably exhausted. "Budget day" was winding down and prime minister Stephen Harper's chief staffer had spent weeks negotiating a deal that would stave off an election challenge from the Liberal opposition. Now he was standing around chatting with reporters from CTV who were enjoying a rare bit of face time with the normally inaccessible Mr. Brodie. These were the circumstances in which an off the cuff remark would create an international crisis.
Link
"This doesn't look good..and the fact I've only read about it here lends some credence that the gov't may wish to hide it....or perhaps it's making a mountain out of a molehill? Still, we shouldn't interfere with American politics in the election year - not our business."
4.27.2008
The $300,000 Watch That Doesn't Tell Time
A $300,000 watch? Luxury. A $300,000 watch that doesn’t tell time — and that sells out? Pure genius. wiss watchmaker Romain Jerome just launched the “Day&Night” watch. The watch won’t tell you what time it is. That’s so yesterday. But it does tell you whether it’s day or night — helpful, I guess, for billionaire types who can’t afford windows.
As the company’s Web site boasts: “With no display for the hours, minutes or seconds, the Day&Night offers a new way of measuring time, splitting the universe of time into two fundamentally opposing sections: day versus night.”
Link
(And now, a new way to waste your money for those who got tired of $250 H2o Bling water)
4.25.2008
Why New York City's Iconic Pizza Is So Tough to Replicate
It costs $482.79 to get a decent pizza in San Francisco — $17 for the pie, $85 for cab fare, and $378.80 for the flight to New York. Throw in $1.99 for tinfoil.
Pizza may have been invented in Italy, but it was perfected in New York City.
"New York has a grand tradition of pizza making and holds it dear," Batali says. Which means institutions like Arturo's have been using the same equipment for decades. "An oven captures the gestalt of beautifully cooked pizza. And it imparts that."
Link
"I'd love to try an authentic NYC pizza - I think the closest in Edmonton would be Tony's Pizza - we need to go back there one of these days...."
4.24.2008
What’s So Wrong About Porn?
By: Kat Wilder
I will state this right from the start: I am a fan of porn.
I like watching it. I don’t think it’s degrading to women or men or animals or inanimate objects. I believe adults have the right to watch it or not, and I don’t want anyone telling me that I can’t or shouldn’t or that I’m sick or perverted for liking it or watching it. I don’t mind if my lover watches it; I’ll watch it with him.
I know I’m not alone in this—!—but I am getting the feeling (well, I’m reading lots of comments on blogs) that porn is the root of all that’s wrong in relationships. And they are getting validation from people like Dr. Phil, whose Web site states:
It is not OK behavior. It is a perverse and ridiculous intrusion into your relationship. It is an insult, it is disloyal and it is cheating.
Clearly something is ridiculous and perverse, but it’s not porn.
4.19.2008
Graffiti found in one of the nuclear bunkers
"I'm glad to see they're keeping their sense of humour."
4.18.2008
4.17.2008
The Ultimate Chick Repeller Tattoo
I love posting pictures of bad tattoos and I have found some real doozies in the past but this one might take the cake. It is wrong on so many levels. This person either really enjoys fisting or they really enjoy punching ladies in the va-jay-jay. I am guessing it is the first option due to what appears to be blood(?) around the fist. I just threw up a little bit in my mouth. Why are there two femurs in the tattoo? What the fuck do those signify? Did they cunt punch someone to death? The story is a little incomplete without seeing the person that is rocking this but I am going to go ahead and guess it is the butchest fucking chick you have ever seen.
Mom and Dad must just beam with pride when they see this thing.
4.16.2008
Zero Punctuation : Condemned 2 Bloodshot
"The all-time best game reviewer ever - I laugh until I get tears with just about every review."
4.14.2008
4.12.2008
Sweet hypocrisy
(Click to enlarge)"Isn't it ironic - we castigate them for human rights violations - yet continue to buy the cheap $30 DVD players from them.
4.11.2008
4.07.2008
Dangerous Pathway
El Caminito del Rey (The King's pathway) is a
ruined path along the walls of a gorge in
Spain. After four people died at the turn of
the millennium, the local government closed off
the entrances. However this intrepid filmmaker
and raving lunatic decided to walk on the wild
side.
"No bloody way would I do this!!"
ruined path along the walls of a gorge in
Spain. After four people died at the turn of
the millennium, the local government closed off
the entrances. However this intrepid filmmaker
and raving lunatic decided to walk on the wild
side.
"No bloody way would I do this!!"
4.06.2008
Stripper Air : Genius Business Plan
UK based Cheap Flights air has a brilliant new ad campaign Stripper Air! The concept is simple, your sitting down anyway so why not use that time to get lap dances? Its a genius business plan; You have a captive audience, they are bored and they can’t leave for several hours even if they wanted too! Check out the Cheap Flights commercial below.
"Bwhahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha....booking flight now!"
"Bwhahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha....booking flight now!"
The World According to Monsanto - A documentary that North America won't ever see
On March 11 a new documentary was aired on French television (ARTE – French-German cultural tv channel) by French journalist and film ... all » maker Marie-Monique Robin, The World According to Monsanto - A documentary that Americans won't ever see. The gigantic biotech corporation Monsanto is threatening to destroy the agricultural biodiversity which has served mankind for thousands of years.
"There's evil companies and then there is Monsanto - these guys make Darth Vader look like Strawberry Shortcake - type in "Monsanto falsified scientific results" on Google and you get thousands of hits - this corporation is making a new level of evil possible - watch the video."
4.04.2008
Martin Luther King "I have a dream"
Forty Years ago today, Martin Luther King was killed. A great man was lost.
RIP - Martin Luther King
RIP - Martin Luther King
Intelligent paint turns roads pink in icy conditions
When temperatures drop, it can be tricky to judge road conditions accurately. Soon, however, some roads could give drivers clear icy warnings by turning themselves pink.
A new temperature-sensitive varnish developed by researchers at French company Eurovia can be applied to road surfaces to warn drivers about dangerous conditions. The technique – still at the testing stage – might help prevent ice-related traffic accidents in future, the researchers say.
The varnish is made of a polymer containing a thermochromic pigment. The same type of coating is already used to make bath thermometers and frozen food packaging that responds to temperature change. However, it is the first time such a coating has been used to monitor road temperatures.
Link"So, instead of the yellow brick road, it'll be the pink asphalt road?"
3.30.2008
Fold-Ins, Past and Present
Al Jaffee's fold-ins for Mad magazine, from the 1960s to the present, in interactive form.
Link
"A great way to spend some time - still relevant after all these years on issues!"
Anime characters based on Afghanistan and neighbors
It's a series of manga style characters, portraying the various countries surrounding Afghanistan similarly cutely: meet Afuganisu-tan, Kyrgyz-tan, Pakisu-tan, Meriken, and more. Each strip offers a little adventure for the characters, whilst the accompanying text explains some more of the history of the region's countries, rulers, would-be conquerors, and myriad factions."
Link
3.28.2008
The Most Depressing Watch Ever: Prepare to Be Bummed
This watch has been dubbed the "Accurate" not so much for its abilities to keep accurate time, but for its reminder about our inevitable demise. Following in the tradition of memento mori, the Accurate watch continuously alerts us to the fact that life is short and that we should strive to seize the day. Damn...this thing would make me question everything I do. "I would like to grab a beer and relax guys but it is already 3:45! I should be climbing Mt. Everest right now!" Available for $145.
Link
"Every minute is one minute closer to death, then..."
Superman's creator's heirs awarded copyright in Action Comics #1
After seventy years, Jerome Siegel’s heirs regain what he granted so long ago -– the copyright in the Superman material that was published in Action Comics Vol. 1. What remains is an apportionment of profits, guided in some measure by the rulings contained in this Order, and a trial on whether to include the profits generated by DC Comics’ corporate sibling’s exploitation of the Superman copyright.
Link
"It's nice to see the little guy win, isn't it?"
3.27.2008
3.26.2008
The Web's best free stuff
There's a wealth of downloadable software and online services, but free doesn't necessarily mean good. Here's some of the best of the bunch.
Free: It's the magic word for an ever-expanding wealth of downloadable software and online services. Free doesn't necessarily mean good, however, and hunting for freebies can mean sifting through a lot of junk.
That's where this comes in. Here are some programs that were surfed, clicked, and installed to find sparkling free gems capable of planning your time, keeping you in touch, and tuning and securing your PC, not to mention glitzing up your desktop, helping you stay productive, and entertaining you with music, videos, photos, and games. There was special attention paid to programs and services you may not have heard of before.
Sir Ian McKellen Says He WILL Return as Gandalf in The Hobbit
Although most of us knew this had to be the case or else we would have protested the making of The Hobbit, profound British actor Sir Ian McKellen confirms that he most definitely will return as the wonderful wizard Gandalf! Earlier today on his official website, McKellen answered numerous fan questions in an E-Post, two of which pertained specifically to The Hobbit.
Link
The World’s First Ever Game of Tennis on Water (Pic)
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 24: The World’s first ever game of tennis on water involving two of the World’s highest profile tennis players, Rafael Nadal of Spain and Serena Williams of USA in action during a Sony Ericsson Open tennis preview event on the swimming pool of the Hotel Gansevoort on March 24, in Miami South Beach, Florida. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for Sony Ericsson)
The water-covered court was constructed in the 110-foot swimming pool set in the Gansevoort’s exclusive 22,000-square-foot rooftop retreat. A specialist underwater team took five days to construct two invisible platforms at either end of the pool using a combination of bespoke acrylic sheets and supporting acrylic tubes.
3.25.2008
Uncomfortable Questions: Was the Death Star Attack an Inside Job?
We’ve all heard the “official conspiracy theory” of the Death Star attack. We all know about Luke Skywalker and his ragtag bunch of rebels, how they mounted a foolhardy attack on the most powerful, well-defended battle station ever built. And we’ve all seen the video over, and over, and over, of the one-in-a-million shot that resulted in a massive chain reaction that not just damaged, but completely obliterated that massive technological wonder.
Like many citizens of the Empire, I was fed this story when I was growing up. But as I watched the video, I began to realize that all was not as it seemed. And the more I questioned the official story, the deeper into the rabbit hole I went.
Link
The Infestation of Wal-Mart
It starts very slowly with the first location in Arkansas in 1962 and then spreads into different regions over time.
Link
3.22.2008
3.19.2008
Ron Jeremy Takes on Porn Pirates
The legendary Ron Jeremy has had enough of video streaming sites such as YouPorn and PornTube, that host pirated versions of his epic movies for free. Jeremy says adult content deserves the same respect as Hollywood’s majors do, and is happy that Vivid Entertainment is going after these sites.
The public needs to understand that piracy is killing the adult industry, Jeremy said: “What harms the industry is the Internet. Before it was helpful. Every company had its own website. Now you have things like YouPorn and PornTube that show full-length features of Vivid’s movies. Who the f— do they think they are?”
Link
"It'll be interesting to see where this goes..."
The Science Of Sleep
Human beings spend on average one third of their lives asleep. We know we need to sleep but most of us have never really given a whole lot of thought to why.
Why do we spend seven or eight hours a night immobile and unconscious? What really happens inside our brains and bodies while we're sleeping?
We've known the purpose of our other biological drives for hundreds of years: we eat to give our bodies energy, we drink to keep hydrated, we procreate to perpetuate the species - among other things. But what is the biological purpose of sleep?
Link
"I don't know about all the science, but I know THIS - naps are awesome!"
The Global Integrity Report
The Global Integrity Report is a tool for understanding governance and anti-corruption mechanisms at the national level. Written by local researchers and journalists, the Report is characterized by an innovative, award-winning research methodology; a robust peer review process; and start-to-finish transparency.
An Integrity Indicators scorecard assesses the existence, effectiveness, and citizen access to key governance and anti-corruption mechanisms through more than 300 actionable indicators. It examines issues such as transparency of the public procurement process, media freedom, asset disclosure requirements, and conflicts of interest regulations. Scorecards take into account both existing legal measures on the books and de facto realities of practical implementation in each country.
Link
"Canada scores pretty decently, but there are definite areas where we need some work, mostly in accountability - what a surprise!"
3.18.2008
Sam Raimi Returns to Epic Fantasy TV with "Wizard's First Rule"
Variety reports that Sam Raimi is returning to the fantasy television genre with a new hourlong series, Wizard's First Rule, based on the Sword of Truth books by Terry Goodkind. The ABC/Disney production just received a full 22 episode order, and will be syndicated throughout the US. Production is set to begin in May.
According to Variety: "The weekly hourlong series follows Richard Cypher, a young man who makes his living leading people through dangerous forests, as he investigates the murder of his father and finds himself opposing Darken Rahl, the son of an evil wizard."
Link
"The man who brought us Xena and Hercules back with another fantasy series? Looks like it might be just as entertaining!"
3.17.2008
Edmonton Public Library 2008 Spring Book Sale
(Click on picture to enlarge)2008 Spring Sale - April 12 and 13
Link
"The best deal of the year for all you who love to read!"
St. Patricks Day - Muppet Style
In honor of St Paddy's day, here's a classic Muppet sketch -- a rendition of "Danny Boy," performed by Animal, the Swedish Chef, and Beaker on the high notes.
3.16.2008
When Fascism Comes To America
The Grand Lake Theater in Oakland, CA has gained fame for using half of it’s Marquee to display political messages. Following the 2000 election owner Allen Michaan displayed a message saying “This Is America — Every Vote Should Be Counted”. Since then Michaan has regularly displayed messages save for a brief lapse between the midterm elections of November 2006 and January 2007.
"Perhaps it's time for a new revolution."
Anonymous PRESS RELEASE
The "IDES OF MARCH" is almost upon us and tomorrow thousands of Anoymous Individuals will protest their disgust of the "Church" Scietology across the ENTIRE PLANET.
In this video, we, Anonymous, define our plans to DISMANTLE the Church of Scientology and outline the reasons WHY WE FIGHT.
"I had no idea the Church of Scientology had better tax-exempt status than any other religion in the United States!"
In this video, we, Anonymous, define our plans to DISMANTLE the Church of Scientology and outline the reasons WHY WE FIGHT.
"I had no idea the Church of Scientology had better tax-exempt status than any other religion in the United States!"
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