More Sticker Than Bumper

An unapologetic display of "territorial markers" spotted in Fremont.

Caption Contest

Fail! Both tried to dress as a "Hip Cat".

Inktastrophes

Tattoos are very popular these days, but as in many other vocations, tattoo artists span a range of talent. And some people getting tattoos just have questionable taste. When you put these two things together and stir in a big bowl called the internet, you have the perfect ingredients for a site that collects the Ugliest Tattoos.

Activity Corner

• How many apps are on your iPhone? Mine says 71.


• More Auto-Tune in action: MLK's speech and JFK's inauguration.


• What do you get when you cross a Ghostbuster with a Dustbuster? Why, a backpack vacuum, of course!


• And you don't have to go through all the hassle of squeezing your own toothpaste with the Touch N Brush.


• Summer's here, and that means cookouts. (Next weekend is July 4th!) But it can be tough to eat and hang out, unless you have a Go Plate.


• The Paket space-saving table and chairs. Although how many people living in that small of a place can afford the $1000 price tag?


• Continuing the theme of weird USB gadgets, here's a humidifier/aromatherapy device shaped like a motorcycle helmet.


• Is it tresspassing in someone's house when they're away, or is it urban exploration?


• Online journalism then and now.


• I don't go camping, so I can't imagine a scenario where'd it be a good idea to have the in-car Porta Pizza Oven. (Yes, I know some people living off the grid use 12V power systems.)


• It's black and white when it's dry, but a little rain reveals the magic of the color-changing umbrella.


• How do you make a skateboard more awesome? By making it self-propelled.


• Having just set up the network in my new house, I can appreciate the ease of ditching wireless networking and using your internal electrical wiring for the Gigabit Powerline network extender.


• What do you call a martini made out of a proper English breakfast? A meatini.


• John's ready for his morning wash/shave/toothbrushing. Watch as he gives the automated John Wash a try.


• Optical illusion: the blue and the green are the same color.


• Here's a guy with all sorts of ideas for things that don't yet exist, but probably should: Variations on Normal.


• The story is that this kid's mom canceled his World of Warcraft account, causing him to freak out.


• The world's biggest alarm clock.


• Do you play Halo? Then you'll probably appreciate the Master Chief high school senior pictures.


• Pizza with 2 inches of toppings.


• Wrinkles the hairless cat loves hair.


• Soviet Russian album covers.


• Spelling with Mac dock icons.


• Photoshop plus uniforms of World War II captains (or equivalent) equals Captains Courageous.


• The combination sofa/pool table.

Snackeriffic

Just part of the supply of snacks during a recent all-nighter at work (deploying a new release). Engineers can really put away the jerky, lemme tell ya.

Searching the Internet by Committee

When it comes to searching the internet, most people use Google. But there are other search engines out there, including Microsoft's new Bing. But pretty much everybody only uses a single search engine. What happens if you use more than one?

Thankfully, the internet has an answer. All of them! And not only the answers, it rates the answers in positive, negative, and don't care percentages. It also throws in Twitter, just to round out the mix.

Ask a question or enter a search term and find out, what does the internet think?

Stop Sticking on Signs

Back of a stop sign in Fremont, seen during the solstice parade.

Spelling Out Laughter

We all know that there are many ways to laugh, and that people usually have a pretty unique laugh of their own. One guy has taken the idea of a laugh machine, and all these laughs, and added a way for you to control them.

Press keys to laugh with your fingers at Hahahaha.

Caption Contest Winner

This week's winner is Andy.

See the original image here.

Activity Corner

• Here's the perfect gift for your parents: convert old cassette tapes into MP3s with the TapeWriter.


• High-speed videos of bullets and shotgun pellets. One's even in 3D!


• Major discoveries made in dreams.


• Are you having trouble sleeping? You might be get some help with the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach.


• Home/micro brewers may have an easier time "bottling" their beverages with beverage pouches (click on BeerPaQ).


• A pizza slicer that looks like a mini circular saw.


• New anti-stab kitchen knives.


• For the gun-toting Goth in your life, there are Tactical Corsets.


• Tetris pots.


• Words fail me: the largest truck nutz I've ever seen.


• The video speaks for itself: Comfort Wipe. You never have to touch yourself again!


• The top 100 funniest one-liners on the internet are all below the 140-character limit and suitable for Twitter.


• Programmed lights provide an awesome display, set to the "Knight Rider" theme, in a Polish dorm building.


• 12 terrifying pieces of furniture.


• Maybe not so "happily" and "ever", but the "after" of Disney fallen princesses.


• 5 classic cocktails every man should know.


• Leather bandages.


• A look at DIY Japanese sweets.


• Jia likes making costumes, and for one party she just had to have a meat dress. Don't miss the pictures.


• Classic 80s tunes played in ragtime piano style.


• The Moscow Cat Theater.


• Top 10 reasons why (the new) Star Trek is cool.


• Video of rare ice circle.


• How to quick-peel a hard-boiled egg.


• Ivars Gravlejs provides useful advices for photographers.
  
• Most people can swing a bat, but not many can swingtwirl a bat!

Friday Game

How well can you multitask? Find out in the aggravating and accurately-named Rather Difficult Game.

Pink Toilet!

Spotted in front of a house in West Seattle. I could barely make out "FREE" on the sunbleached sign.

How Real are Simulations?

Today's site ss a sad tale about a homeless dad and his teenage daughter. He's crazy, and she's depressed, and you follow them through their daily lives. The interesting twist is that they are characters created in the computer game Sims 3. It's surprising to see some of the choices the software makes in particular situations. It's a fascinating look into the artificial intelligence and human nature of Alice and Kev.

Bridge Up

If you have to get caught by the Ballard bridge, the best place to be is at the front of the line of traffic.

(Edith Macefield's "nail house" is visible from this bridge.)

Caption Contest

BRAAAAIIINS!!

Movie Microclips

I've seen a lot of movies, and although I can't always remember their title, I usually know the ones I've seen. Watching a clip can start a mental cascade of scenes. But what if the clip is shortened to a blink-like single-digit number of frames? That's what you'll see at this site. What started out as a subtle joke has become Three Frames.

Caption Contest Winner

This week's winner is Shannon. Even though there was only one entry, it was a good one.

See the original image here.

Compassion

Text from Raggs:

"I'd feel sorry for you except I don't."

Working From Home

Ah, the peaceful bliss of working from home. I'll be able to get so much done without the interruptions of co-workers. At least, that's what I told myself.

Oh, the cruel Fates.

Apparently, Friday is landscaping day. First comes the lawnmower. Pro: fresh-cut-grass smell. Cons: noise and stinky exhaust. Then the hedgetrimmers. Pro: fresh-cut-hedge smell. Cons: noise and stinky exhaust. Then the leafblowers. Pro: none. Cons: noise and really, seriously stinky exhaust.

Of course, I have my windows open and the fan on, which means my place is both cool and filled with mega-concentrated stinky exhaust.

On the plus side, I am so high right now...

Activity Corner

• Got a paper due that you haven't written yet? Don't use excuses, turn in a corrupted file.


• A bookstore manager describes the seven types of customers.


• Apparently, ants can survive in a running microwave because they avoid the standing waves' hotspots.


• When it comes to USB gadgets, they've outdone themselves with the USB microwave.


• World's smallest digital video camera.


• He's got skills, but the ninja nerd needs to practice them a bit more.


• The Web back in 1996-1997.


• Hospital food from 11 (or more) different countries.


• Weird, but cute: The Blue Balloon Cafe.


• The 15 most disturbing movies ever made. Read the list at your own peril.


• A senior project stop-motion film: Deadline.


• An a capella choir from Slovenia performs Toto's "Africa", but the intro to the song is almost the best part. Don't skip this one.


• Stormchaser video from inside a Wyoming tornado.


• 12 spectacular summer food festivals.


• 6 extraordinarily stubborn "nail houses".


• You'll be excused if you don't know the song "Nobody But You" by the Korean group The Wonder Girls. Here's a Korean soldier dancing to the song. Seriously, dude, white socks?


• A Flickr photo pool where people hold up old photographs, matching them up with the real-world view. Looking into the past.


• Australian rain forest sculptures.


• 12 of the worlds most fascinating tunnel networks.


• 10 unusual knives, swords, and blades.


• They're not aliens, they're astonishing insect eggs.


• Baby pandas playing.


• With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy, you might be a redneck if you have custom squirrels.


• How to fake an appreciation of art.


• New book smell in a can. My favorite on the aroma selections is "Eau, You Have Cats".


• Hammer Pants flash mob.


• The 10 coolest places to swim.


• People make some crazy crafts, such as this knitted lab rat dissection.

Friday Game

Here's a puzzle game in the standard "starts off easy but quickly gets harder" style. You have to move your block around a field of tiles in the correct order to end up back at your starting point. Bonus: it has an easy-listening soundtrack.

Test your pattern puzzle skills with Isora 3.

Beatlemania

Last Friday I linked to the cinematic for the upcoming Beatles Rock Band game. (I've watched it, and the trailer, dozens of times already.) I love to play Rock Band, and I more than love The Beatles, so seems like a perfect match, no?

One problem: I don't own an Xbox. I'm a PC gamer.

But... but... Beatles Rock Band is reproducing the Fab Four's instruments! I'm so smitten that I'm seriously considering selling off a kidney just to get this stuff.

• Xbox 360: $300


• Beatles Rock Band Limited Edition Bundle, with the game, Ringo's Ludwig Pearl drums, and Paul's Hofner bass: $250


• John's Rickenbacker 325 guitar: $100


• George's Gretsch Duo Jet guitar: $100

And while the game comes with one mic and a mic stand, it supports two mics so you can recreate The Beatles' well-known harmonies.

Somebody stop me before I start recreating their outfits.

Getting a Leg Up on Recycling

Downtown sidewalk. Seattleites take recycling seriously.

Kiltspotting

I should start a counter to keep track of how many utilikilts I see every day.

Today's count (so far): 2.

When Twits Tweet

Let's face it, some people are really obsessed with themselves. Now, thanks to Twitter, you can stay updated on their latest thoughts and pronouncements.

Unless you don't have the time to follow a lot of self-obsessed people. Because, let's face it, it's a lot of hard work to slog through tweet after tweet of self-important tripe. What you really need is someone to do the heavy lifting for you.

The internet comes through with Tweeting Too Hard.

Handwashing for Dummies

Swine flu hysteria has led to these signs being posted at work. I'm posting it here just in case you've never washed your hands before.

Caption Contest

Hair Metal Val Kilmer.

Verbum Obscura

The site's author says it's "an ongoing project to collect and distribute the most obscure and rare words in the English language." It's an interesting, and sometimes enlightening, collection at the Grandiloquent Dictionary.

Caption Contest Winner

This week's winner is DK.

See the original image here.

Activity Corner

• 10 strange species discovered last year.


• NASA maintains a list of the books, movies, TV shows, and music it has on the International Space Station.


• How to mix an exploding drink. (Hint: It has to do with Mentos and Coke.)


• Being of a nuclear bent, how could I not know about the Russian nuclear industry's Miss Atom 2009?


• Kitten plus couch equals how'd it do that?


• From the Things You May Not Know department: there really is a US Pole Dance Federation. And they have a yearly competition. Here's a recap video of the 2009 championship.


• If you loved Ghostbusters and their ectoplasmic trap, you'll probably want a ghost in a bottle.


• In case you haven't already seen it, the literal version of the Total Eclipse of the Heart video.


• Bacon shoes.


• The newest member of the one-button sound sites: the drama button.


• They may not look it, but you'll be laughing at the happiest people ever.


• 10 awesome mac-n-cheese creations.


• As if last week's long list wasn't enough, here is part 2 of popular and unique soft drinks from around the world.


• Some babies can talk, but this baby babbles like a pro.


• If you need the justification, here are 19 reasons to take a nap.


• Some you might have seen before, but they're all interesting and gross: canned meat, fish, and bugs from around the world. Maybe you could pair them with some of those soft drinks.


• Take the audio track from an old 60s film and use modern footage for a parody of The Astounding World of the Future!


• The world's 10 weirdest vending machines.


• 17 great historical events ruined by modern technology. (It's a Photoshop contest.)


• Boys and girls alike will love the Turbo Heather RC Southern Belle.


• A gallery of flying dogs.


• A serious book with an unfortunate title is starting to get some customer reviews on Amazon. A seminal work, indeed!


• I love the game Rock Band. I love The Beatles. Imagine my nerdcrush when I heard about The Beatles version of Rock Band coming this fall. How many times have I watched the opening cinematic? Don't ask.

Friday Game

Today I have not one game, but four. They're part of the Japanese brain training craze. At the end of each one, it does a scientific calculation to tell you how old your brain is at that task.

Part 1: Numbers. The numbers flash on the screen; quickly remember their positions and click the circles in order from lowest to highest.

Part 2: Math. Fill in the missing operator to finish the equation.

Part 3: Colors and words. Be sure to pick English first! Look at the color of the top word (ignore the word), and click the word of that color below (ignore the color).

Part 4: Pattern recognition. Four patterns of colored squares display; pick the one that doesn't match.

Re-run them to make your brain younger!

The Art Behind the Work

Whether it's a fancy dinner, an amazing software application, or a work of art, we often see the finished product without understanding (much less appreciating) some of the incredible work that went into it.

I've heard and sung along with "I'm Not In Love" by 10cc many times before. Then I read this long article (I know, right?) and was spellbound by the, at the time, amazing technology, ground-breaking effects, and plain hard work that went into the song. You might be too.

First read the article here.

Then, once you know the ingredients, listen to it all over again here.

Anagramism

Ok, so I found this anagram generator. It's pretty cool to mess around with, but trying using the advanced search to cut down the results. I shaved of nearly 5000 combinations that way! (I still ended up with 15,541.)

Some of the many funny anagrams of "Nuclear Toast" that cracked me up are:

Casual Rotten
Larcenous Tat
Reactant Soul
Tacos Neutral
Casual Net Rot
Anal Sect Tour
Cleans Tar Out
Ocean Art Slut
Also Truncate
Lot Rant Sauce
Cola Teat Runs

And, of course, Crustal Oaten.

Search? Bing! Found It!

I wonder what kind of search engine they have in that thing?

(If you don't know, Microsoft announced their new bing search.)

The Writing's on the Wall

Bathroom graffiti, Flowers restaurant, University District.

Caption Contest

Well-done, medium, medium-rare, rare, hairy.

Get Off My Lawn!

Wow, I think I've found someone even crankier than I am.

Donald Mills is an older gentleman that thinks today's youth need to straighten out and fly right. The self-proclaimed "crabby old fart" speaks his mind as he points out The Problem With Young People Today Is...