Blog about things I find interesting, or incredibly stupid.
Mostly its to make fun of other people, post links I find funny and lower the amount of crap I post elsewhere - email me, feel free to comment and please click an ad from time to time!
So in a city where a disproportionate amount of the people walk, take cabs or public transportation (and therefore aren't paying as much attention to street signs), they're spending millions of dollars to fix a problem that doesn't exist?
screenshot source -> Dailymail.co.uk
This is absolutely ridiculous. Why can they do this, but entire intersections that you can't find a street sign (I'm looking at you 14th and 10th) are ok?
Here's an idea, stop wasting money on PUBLIC useless sh*t? There are plenty of causes that are both necessary and specific to NYC *cough* 2nd ave subway *cough*. Yes I know that the article technically is talking about the nationwide issue, but there are a lot more signs in NYC that most areas of comparable size and that seems to be where all the photos came from...
This is why Conan is funny as hell...
A Taiwanese news (?) broadcast created a creepy animation video about Conan's fight with Leno/NBC/Jeff Zucker/etc and the rights to what they called the "Self-pleasuring-bear" (because somehow that bit was the focus of the entire feud?)... Conan responds.
The title above are the words of a "friend" of a 19 year old Somalian that was part of a gov't sting involving a bomb plot in Portland, Oregon. Dear "20-year-old Muhahid El-Naser", STFU. You have got to be kidding me... "if you talk to somebody enough..." they'll be convinced to bomb innocent people, including kids? There has to be a seed of insanity there to begin with. I honestly don't think a rational person would want to bomb the country where they've emigrated to, started college (but didn't continue) and had been living in for a while. If you have a problem, get help, thats what this country is founded on. Stop whining that the world is against you and decide that killing innocent people is somehow a better choice, coward. Yeah yeah yeah, the FBI coercing part I'm not thrilled with. But clearly this D-bag had intent, and they had intelligence knowing that.
I've already posted about my love for Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, here's a list from Bullz-eye.com (that Z makes it EXTREME) showing a few more that are really great. Celebration Ale isn't for everybody and thats ok (its pretty hoppy). But Corsendonk Christmas Ale is wifey's favorite seasonal beer.
Taken from the intro to the site: Seinfeld ran for nine seasons on NBC and became famous as a “show about nothing.” Basically, the show allows viewers to follow the antics of Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer as they move through their daily lives, often encountering interesting people or dealing with special circumstances. It is the simplicity of Seinfeld that makes it so appropriate for use in economics courses. Using these clips (as well as clips from other television shows or movies) makes economic concepts come alive, making them more real for students. Ultimately, students will start seeing economics everywhere – in other TV shows, in popular music, and most importantly, in their own lives.
The site was started by professors at both Eastern Illinois and Baker University using the Seinfeld DVD box set as its base. Each economic concept is outlined with clips from the series, then it shows where to find it in the box set.
eg
The Barber
(Average rating: 1.0)
George thinks he has been offered a job, but the man offering it to him got interrupted in the middle of the offer, and will be on vacation for the next week. George, unsure whether an offer has actually been extended, decides that his best strategy is to show up. If the job was indeed his, this is the right move. But even if the job is not, he believes that the benefits outweigh the costs.
This is disgusting and ridiculous. I'll just give you an excerpt from the article and the link...
In short, she was asked to walk through a radiation firing naked body scanner and complied. The scanner produced a naked image of her, but because her sanitary towel was obscuring her most intimate parts from prying eyes, the TSA agents pulled her aside for a full groin search. Not something to be relished by any person, let alone someone who has previously suffered sexual assault.
A genetic study in Iceland is showing evidence that there might be some Native American blood in a select group of Icelanders.
accurate depiction of an average Viking man
The C1 lineage, only seen in Asians and Native Americans, appears in this small group (approx 350 people) of Icelanders. Upon further investigation it turns out that this group descends further from 1 of 4 women who were all descended from a single woman, who lived about 500 years before Columbus brought European blood to the Americas in 1492.
Over holiday weekends (if you didn't bring a lapitee-topatee-box) you might have to use a less than ideal computer to check stocks and ebay your princess unicorn dolls "my horn will pierce the sky!"
So the Chevy Volt's official EPA numbers have been released and they have far more asterisks than the 230mpg GM was touting only recently...
.
Image source -> http://www.thetorquereport.com
The biggest problem with these numbers for the EPA (and consumers for that matter) is categorizing it. The Volt is designed for frequent short trips (btw 25-50 miles) but CAN go for as long as there is fuel in the tank. Secondly, its designed to obtain the bulk of its charging from the grid in order to maintain as little liquid fuel consumption as possible. If an owner doesn't use the vehicle like this, Chevy will look like they lied (which they did initially with regard to the 230mpg... come on, thats a little ridiculous). Other issues like charging from 120V "regular" plugs vs 240V "Dryer" plugs might require more gasoline fueled charging, again lowering mpg. (hence all the asterisks). Based on the official sticker, 60mpg (full battery) or 37mpg (flat battery) seems to be a worse-ish case scenario, which is still very good in my opinion.
Image source -> wired.com
The next issue is categorizing what kind of car it actually is. Electric? Plug-in Hybrid? Traditional Hybrid? Gasoline fueled/electrically enhanced new category? Typically the consensus is that a true electric vehicle ONLY uses electric power for locomotion, not a gas engine, not rocket boosters, not a hamster wheel. It was recently revealed that the Volt (which graying the line having a combustion engine on board as it is) CAN be driven directly by the gasoline-fueled engine. Prompting people freaking out and giving it a new label of "Plug-in Hybrid"
The biggest problem I have with Hybrids as a whole, plug-in or otherwise is that they actually cause MORE environmental damage than an efficient traditional vehicle its intended to replace. Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear wrote a great article whilst (see what I did there?) reviewing the Honda Insight hybrid about exactly this.
Definitely worth the read
Here's an excerpt: The nickel for the battery has to come from somewhere. Canada, usually. It has to be shipped to Japan, not on a sailing boat, I presume. And then it must be converted, not in a tree house, into a battery, and then that battery must be transported, not on an ox cart, to the Insight production plant in Suzuka. And then the finished car has to be shipped, not by Thor Heyerdahl, to Britain, where it can be transported, not by wind, to the home of a man with a beard who thinks he’s doing the world a favour.
Lastly, WHY DIDN'T GM/CHEVROLET/OPEL/ETC FIT THE VOLT WITH A SMALL DIESEL ENGINE?! Constant RPM, high torque loads (Which charging a battery is) is FAR more efficient with a diesel cycled engine. f they really wanted to, they could have built it tolerant of biofuels and had another environmental angle to tout.
Overall this vehicle I think is a step in the right direction if they're ever going to have widespread adoption of electrically-powered vehicles, there just are far too many little issues with it that prove that GM has learned little from their recent troubles.
But I thought TSA agents were highly trained professionals?
If people are genuinely chosen at random, then those people have the right to see the RANDOM algorithm that chose them. Not something like every 15th person, or every woman above a B-cup -> http://www.clickorlando.com/news/25902334/detail.html
I (wifey) made 2 pies for Thanksgiving dinner. The first is a punkin (that's how I say it, get over yourself) cheese cake that I got from epicurious.com.
The second is the traditional punkin pie, recipe from Betty Crocker which I like to add some of my own favorite spices to-cardamon and nutmeg- to jazz it up.
And here is a shot of both pies with two protectors... the snowman candle and the nutcracker. Wish you could smell through the screen these pies are so delicious they need protection!
If anyone want the recipes please email the page! Happy Thanksgiving everyone and be safe!
The writers of South Park (one of the wittiest shows on TV) are putting on a Broadway play about Mormons... They did an episode of South Park about it a few seasons ago. I'd give a big description of it but wouldn't do it justice. Here's a link to the Wikipedia article about it.
While consistently stating that the only way to fly safely is to post naked pictures of law-abiding Americans on the internet and molest their children (I may be paraphrasing there...), it turns out that: [quote from the article below]
"former Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, now runs a security and risk management firm and one of his clients is Rapiscan, one of the biggest manufacturers of body scanning machines in the country"
You should never have to explain to your children, "Remember that no stranger can touch or see your private area, unless it's a government employee, then it's OK."
Before I get angry comments about the video, read the description, the TSA agent didn't take the kid's shirt off the father did.
My problem is, why have we gotten to the point that actions like this are necessary to prevent your kid being groped? The fact is, if it was anybody other than the "badge"-wearing TSA agent, it would be sexual assualt.
When a San Diego man opted out of security screening using the Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) at Lindbergh Field Friday, he stripped down to his underwear in an attempt to avoid the pat-down procedures.
Samuel Wolanyk took the protest started Nov. 13 by Oceanside's John Tyner to a whole new level.
While Tyner videotaped his refusal to be patted down, telling the agent "If you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested," Wolanyk decided to give TSA a look at his body down to his Calvin Klein's.
Through a statement released by his attorney Sunday night, Wolanyk said "TSA needs to see that I'm not carrying any weapons, explosives, or other prohibited substances, I refuse to have images of my naked body viewed by perfect strangers, and having been felt up for the first time by TSA the week prior (I travel frequently) I was not willing to be molested again."
Wolanyk's attorney said that TSA requested his client put his clothes on so he could be patted down properly but his client refused to put his clothes back on. He never refused a pat down, according to his attorney.
Wolanyk was arrested for refusing to complete the security process and for recording the incident on his iPhone, according to his attorney.
San Diego has played a central role in the debate over the need for AIT machines in our nation's airports. From Tyner's videotape and U.S. Rep. Bob Filner's call for a Congressional hearing, to the parody song penned by Poway musician and Grammy-winner Steve Vaus. This Wednesday, one group is asking Americans to opt out of the AIT machines.
Justified protest or taking this too far? Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @nbcsandiego or add your comment to our Facebook page. And of course, if you have pictures of Mr. Wolanyk in his underwear at Lindbergh, send them our way isee@nbcsandiego.com.
First Published: Nov 22, 2010 6:04 AM PST
As we recall the car started out as a tired BMW 318i from craigslist. Bill bought it, put a 1995 M3's drivetrain in it (along with safety cages, racing seats, etc) and rally raced it. Eventually this caught the attention of the internet, namely followers of Jalopnik (Gawker's car site). Myself included, Bill was followed over the course of his racing and car builds by thousands (millions?) of readers eagerly awaiting any update to the "any man can race" story.
His latest endeavor was to convert the Bimmer rally car to a desert racer in order to compete in the SCOREBaja 1000.
"Ripped steering rack off car. Swapped a new one in the middle of nowhere. We are cold and tired and barely going to make the next Checkpoint. We are done."
Then from Benson T Caswell:
"The steering rack broke. Bill changed it in the mountains. He smashed his finger hammering the rack on with a rock. He is tired, cold and bleeding. He checked into a hotel 45 minutes ago. Bill has had the adventure of a lifetime. I am very proud of him."
_______
It was great reading about this project Bill, keep us posted on your new ventures.
but are you f%$#ing kidding me? Its really not that hard to drive a stick every day, in traffic, in a suit. I've done all those things and the fun it is for the brief moments you're not wanting to kill yourself (is not having to clutch really that much better in traffic?!) EXPONENTIALLY offsets any annoyance. Its one thing to get an auto for day to day driving, but not even knowing how to drive a manual? honestly you shouldn't have a license.
If you disagree, tell me this honestly, please comment either way (even if you drive a beigeappliance). Does extreme consumer-driven practicality take precedent over having balls? (chicks who drive a manual are automatically hotter, Hi Erin!). I'm not saying "if you drive an auto you're a sissy" so before the comments give me crap for that, understand that I'm much more saying "if you don't see any merit for a manual transmission, you're a sissy".
Entire generations of kids don't have an appreciation for one of the greatest (and yes definitely with its flaws!) movie trilogies of all time (Yes I said TRILOGY).
I'm going to go with my instinct that these kids don't pose any threat to Disney-bound air traffic.
Here's to them flying there without psychological damage while going through security.
1) you always have the right to a witness, regardless of what the TSA agent says
2) be respectful yet stern, you don't want to get arrested but you also don't want an ex-con or pedophile to go to far...
3) If you have an actual problem with the machines, print this out and bring it with you
4) DOCUMENT agent names, etc if something happens and read this
There has GOT to be a better way that needlessly humiliating citizens, not really going a whole lot to find actual threats and waste 2 hours at the airport right?
"There is absolutely no intelligence and threat analysis done in Canada or the United States, Absolutely none." -Rafi Sela (The president of AR Challenges, a global transportation security consultancy, who has worked with the RCMP, the U.S. Navy Seals and airports around the world)
Anybody into puzzles, sculptures, the CIA, code-breaking and/or Dan Brown's newest book might be interested in this.
source -> wired.com
The artist who created the famous Kryptos installed at CIA headquarters is unveiling a clue to help code-breakers solver the elusive 4th side. The previous 3 sides have been concurrently solved by both the human brain and a Pentium II computer, but the 4th side remains unsolved...
From the article:
The new clue is to be revealed in a New York Times article this weekend, to mark the 20th anniversary of the sculpture, which was dedicated Nov. 3, 1990.
The most action she's getting this thanksgiving... hey-oh!
source -> time.com
This is my favorite part of the article:
How intimate does TSA get these days with the pat-downs?
Pretty intimate. With the new rules in effect, the TSA can now use a sliding motion to pat down travelers, which can include checking inner thighs and buttocks. That sliding technique prompted the viral “don't touch my junk” video. If a traveler is wearing baggy pants, inspectors may also slide their hands beneath the waist line to check for objects.
An NYU photography professor by the name of WafaaBilal is going to undergo surgery to install a camera in the back of his head... The camera will take a picture at 1 second intervals for 1 year, while feeding the images live to a museum in Qatar.
This sounds perfectly logical and isn't selfish towards anybody else's privacy whatsoever.
source-> WSJ
Apparently this isn't the first time he has caused some controversy desperatly trying to garner attention from the public.
From the article:
For a 2008 project, "Virtual Jihadi," Mr. Bilal hacked a video game to insert an avatar of himself as a suicide-bomber hunting President George W. Bush. The work incited a wave of protests, both for and against it, and eventually the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in Mr. Bilal's defense after the exhibition was shut down.
In his 2007 work, "Domestic Tension," Mr. Bilal confined himself to a gallery in Chicago for a month, inviting the public to visit a website where they could "shoot" the artist by remotely firing a paintball gun at him. And in June, Mr. Bilal tattooed on to his back a map of Iraqi cities for a work called "...and Counting." The names of the cities were spelled out in Arabic script, with dots added to mark the location of American and Iraqi casualties.
The pricing for the US flavor of the new (to us anyway) Fiat 500 has been revealed today starting at $15,500 - even cheaper than a Mini.
image source -> businessweek.com
This car is really cool. Light, quick, safe, good fuel economy and IMO great looking. We need more of these things over here! Stop buying beige appliances and calling them cars! Now that they're the same company as Chrysler its looking like more and more of their European product line will find its way over here (hopefully not with Chrysler badging though...). Yes the last time Fiats were sold stateside they did suffer from some quality issues, but that isn't the case across the pond anymore. Ditch your recall machine and buy something thats actually fun to drive!
At risk of further exposing one of the many problems with full body scanners (I'm aware of the irony), I'm posting a link to a gizmodo story that oops, 35,000 images were leaked. This is contrary to the official position of the TSA saying security agents "cannot store, print, transmit or save the image, and the image."
TSA, making you feel like a criminal 1 flight at a time.
If anyone want the recipes please email the page! Happy Thanksgiving everyone and be safe!
