Stuff to keep you entertained while my brain organizes its thoughts...

An 18th-century German physician designs a cat-piano (katzenklavier). The possibilities for LOLCAT captions are endless.

I am frequently guilty of using Thought-terminating Cliches when I assume neutrality on bothersome issues. (No one needs to know what I really think until I know you well enough.) I am also guilty of using these phrases when I don't want to engage someone in a dialogue that might lead to an argument. (Thanks to Best of Wikipedia blog)

IKEA catalog from 1965. The Scandinavian gestalt or aesthetic is still there. What did living room items look like in 1639?

Facedown - Matt Redman

Welcomed in to the courts of the King
I've been ushered in to Your presence
Lord, I stand on Your merciful ground
Yet with every step tread with reverence

And I'll fall facedown
As Your glory shines around
Yes, I'll fall facedown
As Your glory shines around

Who is there in the heavens like You?
And upon the earth, who's Your equal?
You are far above, You're the highest of heights
We are bowing down to exalt You

So let Your glory shine around
Let Your glory shine around
King of glory, here be found
King of glory

Three Wise Monkeys

"See No Evil, Hear No evil, Speak No Evil"


17th-century carving at a shrine in Nara, Japan

The origin of this ditty is debated. It has been attributed to a phrase in Japanese, a play on words, "Mizaru, kikazaru, iwazaru" (don't see, don't hear, don't speak).

At the interface of Man and Machine

Gary Numan, cover by Nine Inch Nails

We're in the building where they make us grow
And I'm frightened by the liquid engineers
Like you

My Mallory heart is sure to fail
I could crawl around the floor just like I'm real
Like you

The sound of metal I want to be you
I could learn to be a man
Like you

Plug me in and turn me on
Oh everything is moving

Heinlein - Specialization is for Insects

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

-Robert A. Heinlein

Core Human skills

- post via Kottke.org

Children Full of Life

A must-watch documentary about the teaching of compassion, empathy, and team spirit in Japan.

Dumpster Dipping (NYT)

Dumpsters: 6-7 feet deep, and often hugely wide (have you seen the 30-footers?). Line with sandbags and waterproof material. Add water, and you get an instant swimming pool!

Check out the urban oasis below.

Things to Eat and Not To Eat

Some interesting and unfamiliar food items that I came across on Wikipedia.

The common ingredient: Egg!
Scotch Egg- hard-boiled egg wrapped in mincemeat and fried
Welsh Rarebit (Welsh Rabbit) - toasted bread covered in cheese sauce
Croque-Monsieur- grilled cheese and ham sandwich
Brain (as Food!) - GROSS, MAN...which brings us to the next article,
Transmissible Spongiform encephalopathy
Loco Moco - Hawaiian diner meal consisting of rice topped with burger patty, fried egg, and gravy

Others (mostly bacon dishes):
Angels on Horseback (UK) - oysters wrapped in bacon
Meze - Middle Eastern appetizers
Sfiha - Chaldean pizza
Baconnaise (I shudder to think...) and Bacon Lip Balm
Chivito - Uruguayan sandwich
Luther Burger - Burger with Glazed Donuts in place of bun

And now, I have the serious munchies for bacon & eggs.

Caught A Lite Sneeze (by Tori Amos) - Evans Blue Cover

A little less delicate, much more angry. How often do male bands do covers of female-sung songs, anyway?

Green Mobile Phone

Motorola recently released a new cell phone for T-Mobile that is made from recycled plastic water bottles.

The Moto Renew claims to have a carbon footprint of zero, based on the fact that Motorola will purchase carbon credits for every Renew consumers purchase. (Could it be any clearer that their target market is people like me?)

Checked it out in the retail store today since I'm shopping for a new phone (and possibly new carrier). I was kind of disappointed, since plastic isn't the best material for cell phones. It was very light and felt like a toy in my hand, almost like a Barbie play phone. I imagine it would get very hot after a few hours' use and that the plastic, however nicely recycled, wouldn't dissipate heat very well - not quite as well as the cold-to-the-touch sleek titanium gadgets that I've been spoiled by. It didn't help much that T-Mobile didn't have a live model available for me to play with. I was almost going to switch carriers for this phone!

Riff that gets stuck in my head and hits me when I'm least expecting it, like 2pm on a Tuesday at work.

In The News

"I Got the Sucker!" The White House Infested with Flies.

Cappadocia, Turkey

LA TIMES: Cappadocia's Fairy-tale-like landscape.

I WANT TO EAT EVERYTHING.

White Castle

Chicken Nuggets

Croissant Sandwich

Xiao Long Bao

Ravioli


Which of the above would actually taste good after going through a blender?

FOOD IS EVERYWHERE AND I AM NOT IMMUNE TO FOOD ADVERTISING. ARRGGHH. I HAVE TO EAT BABY FOOD FOR AWHILE WHILE MY MOUTH HEALS.

The Lamb, the Ram, the Heavenly Scales...

Go Dipsy! Go Dipsy! Go Dipsy!

More stuff I found interesting lately.

A pretty good article from the March 2009 issue of Fast Company titled, "What Should I Do With My Life Now?"

Earworm of the moment.
Beyonce-Halo.

Naturaleza

I realized why I prefer eco-vacations to culture-vacations: because God's glory will always be greater than anything ever made by man. The most marvelous architecture and art in the world, the world's splendid steel-and-glass cities, museums, streets lined with cafes and beautiful people - All pale in comparison to God's glory.

Some people like to go to Vegas, casinos, or take decadent cruises to tropical beaches. I like cold-weather winter vacations to see nature. It gives me great joy to see clear blue skies, endless dark seas, rocky mountain peaks, the northern lights in winter, constellations of stars in twinkling in the infinite night sky.

Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim, You Are Amazing, God.
Happy Easter!

0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13, 21...

Mandibles!

Huge Rabbit.



English Mastiff PUPPY.




Just Born, the place where Peeps are fabricated.