The M*A*S*H Quiz
It’s hard to believe 26 years have passed since the TV series M*A*S*H aired its final episode. Today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss will test how much you remember about the series. I was embarrassed to score only 80%. Some of the questions are hard! Link
Comment (3)
Permalink
Please share:  email
this 
|
| Neatorama Shop » Toy & Games » Science Toys | |
|
|
BuckyBalls Magnetic Toys are 216 rare earth magnet balls that can be shaped and molded into virtually any shape. Tear 'em apart and snap 'em back together in unlimited ways for hours of fun! Watch the video for a quick demo of what BuckyBalls can do. Remember to get two for twice the fun! Link |
See more Science
Toys »  |
|
7 Things You Might Not Know About The Twilight Zone
Mental_floss is celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Twilight Zone in their own way, by bringing trivia about the show. For example, great acting wasn’t exactly a priority during filming of the episodes.
Interestingly enough, many of the actors in these pieces, when interviewed decades after the fact, confessed that they weren’t particularly proud of their performances. The Twilight Zone had a budget, just like any other series, and often the bulk of the money per episode had to be spent on sets and special effects. There was no luxury of multiple retakes until the actor felt just right about a particular scene. A sub-par performance wasn’t a matter of concern in most episodic television of that era, but, as William Shatner later mentioned in an interview, at that time a Twilight Zone appearance was just another job – no one ever suspected that these episodes would be aired over and over (and over!) again for years to come.
There’s more about your favorite episodes and about host Rod Serling. Link
|
Comment (2)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
11 Famous Actors and the Big TV Roles They Turned Down
Sometimes the stories of what might have been are just as fascinating as what really happened. Kara Kovalchik of mental_floss dug up actors and actresses that turned down TV roles that may have turned out quite different. Michael Richards as Adrian Monk? Paul Shaffer as George Costanza? Or Jayne Mansfield as Ginger? That may have put a whole different face on the “Ginger or Mary Anne?” debate! Link
|
Comment (13)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
8 Iconic TV Show Buildings
Some of the buildings you know from your favorite TV shows are real brick-and-mortar places, although the signs are sometimes different. Super Tremendous has video of eight of them and addresses for those who want to go see for themselves.
Located at the Corner of Bedford and Grove in Manhattan, the Friends apartment building houses many New Yorkers who pay way too much money to brag about living in the Friends apartment building.
|
Comment (0)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
George Costanza’s Jobs
Today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss is for Seinfeld fans. The character of George Costanza held many different jobs during the run of the show. How well do you remember them? I scored abysmally by guessing, so you will of course do better. Link
|
Comment (2)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
| Neatorama Shop » Funny T-Shirts | ||
 |
 |
 |
See more Outrageously
Funny T-shirts »
|
||
The Muppet Show's 10 Weirdest Moments
From your experience of watching Sesame Street and the Muppet movies, it’s difficult to picture how surreal and edgy The Muppet Show was. Unless you remember watching it!
Imagine it from a TV executive’s point of view: a weekly variety show, in an old vaudeville theater, featuring puppets, and a mix of A, B and C-list celebrities that catered to both kids and adults. That’s not a pitch… it’s a just list of random words that don’t go together. Unfortunately, it’s that weirdness that’s been lost to the ages, as these days the Muppets are remembered more as a kids’ show instead of the more adult, primetime comedy it was.
The Muppet Show’s 10 Weirdest Moments has video clips of sexual innuendo, violence, and surreal guest stars that bring back fond memories. Link -via Look At This
|
Comment (6)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Saved from The Cutting Room Floor
Rambo, Mr. Spock, The Joker. One thing they all have in common is that the characters were almost discarded before they had a chance. Read the stories of 7 Iconic Characters They Saved from The Cutting Room Floor and the people who believed in them. This article from Cracked is worth a read just for the early concept drawing of Batman, but all the stories are interesting. Link -via Gorilla Mask
|
Comment (0)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Flintstones Wedding
Two couples from Norfolk, England got married in a double wedding dressed as characters from the TV show The Flintstones!
Andrea and Simon Bean, aka Fred and Wilma Flinstone, and Richard and Jill Noble, aka Barney and Betty Rubble, celebrated their double wedding at Weston Park Golf Club on Saturday by taking a quick trip to the next door dinosaur park for some spectacular wedding photographs sure to raise eyebrows on any mantelpiece.
With 165 guests dressed as cavemen and women, two best men dressed as dinosaurs, and a spectacular tiered wedding rock cake, both Wilma and Betty entered the ceremony to the traditional organ sound of Wagner’s Bridal March.
However, this was quickly replaced by an organ version of The Flintstones theme tune.
All of the participants had been married before and felt no need for a tradition wedding. In lieu of gifts, the couples received donations for the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation. Link -via Arbroath
(image credit: James Bass)
|
Comment (10)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
This American Life
In the world of radio journalism, there’s nothing better than “This American Life.” With their remarkable focus on everyday people and their indescribable story selection, the hipster-friendly show is a unique radio magazine.
Try your luck on ten questions about the PRI show and its television counterpart in this Lunchtime Quiz from mental_floss. Link
|
Comment (3)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
TV Sharks You Won't See on Shark Week
The Discovery Channel is full of shark attacks this week, but who knew there were so many other sharks on TV? From loan sharks to land shark, they’re in this chart from TV Tango. Does this mean they’ve jumped the shark? Link -via Interesting Pile
|
Comment (0)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
| Neatorama Shop » Home & Garden » Kitchen Gadgets | ||
 |
 |
 |
See more Kitchen
Gadgets » |
||
Million Dollar Questions
To celebrate the (temporary) return of the show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” mental_floss is featuring questions from the show in today’s Lunchtime Quiz. But these are not ordinary questions; they are questions for which people have actually won a million dollars! So even if you get just one right, you can pat yourself on the back. I scored 67%. Link
|
Comment (6)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Missing Cat Found on TV
A cat named Tango became the accidental star of the BBC TV show Question Time, hosted by David Dimbleby.
One-year-old Tango became the star of the discussion programme after finding his way into the school hall where it was being recorded.
He ducked under a desk and headed towards the panel. At first, Dimbleby and guests including employment minister Jim Knight and Tory security spokesman Dame Pauline Neville-Jones were oblivious to his presence.
But as he pawed under the table he caught the eye of LibDem MP Julia Goldsworthy, who in astonishment mouthed the word ‘cat’ at the production team.
Meanwhile, Jackie Ellery of Newquay, England hadn’t seen her cat Tango in hours. As she wondered about his whereabouts, she sat down to watch TV.
She said: ‘My friend phoned me to say, “Have you seen your cat on the telly?” And there he was.
‘It’s lovely – he’s a mischievous cat anyway and because we live so close to the school he’s often in the school grounds.’
Tango, who returned to his owner that night, has since become something of a celebrity. Mrs Ellery said: ‘I’ve even been asked for his paw-tograph.’
The video:
|
Comment (13)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
TV Homes
Today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental floss will test your memory of classic TV homes. Can you match the exterior shot of the characters’ home with the name of the show? I only scored 40%, so you will have to do better! Link
|
Comment (3)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
TGIF Quiz
In 1989, ABC’s block of Friday night programming became collectively known as TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Funny). Do you remember the shows that have aired under the TGIF slogan throughout the years? Today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss will refresh your memory! I didn’t know any of the answers, and still scored 58%. Link
|
Comment (3)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Greatest Moments in Pop Culture Fatherhood
Next week is Father’s Day, and in the spirit of celebrating dads, Asylum has put together the greatest moments in pop culture fatherhood:
Ah, the pop culture dad. Is anyone more bumbling? Film and TV have provided us with a bevy of memorable dads, all perpetuating the stereotype of the well-meaning, but dim-witted (or borderline psychotic) pop. (Actually, sometimes it isn’t borderline.) In honor of Father’s Day, we salute a few of the greatest moments in pop culture dad-itude. They all deserve a "Father of the Year" novelty award … and possibly psychiatric counseling.
From martini-mixing lessons to murdering mobsters, see some of the best moments [of pop culture fatherhood]
|
Comment (1)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
The Stories Behind 10 T.V. Theme Songs
You know them and love them (or maybe you hate them) – those T.V. theme songs that are so catchy they get in your head for days and refuse to leave. But how did they come to be in the first place? Here are the stories behind 10 of the most famous T.V. theme songs of all time. I could do 10 more pretty easily – if I missed your favorite, leave it in the comments and I’ll try to include it next time.
1. "Suicide is Painless" - M*A*S*H*
The
song was written by Robert Altman's son, Mike Altman, when he was only 14
years old. The tune was written by Johnny Mandel, a musician who worked
with Count Basie, Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee (among others). Mandel sings
the song as well. When Altman wrote the lyrics, he told producer Ingo Preminger
that he just wanted a guitar in return, but Preminger insisted that he be
paid the regular way and set up a contract that would give Altman royalties.
He ended up making more than a million dollars, at least according to his
dad, who directed the movie. Incidentally, Robert only received $75,000
for directing it.
2. "Those Were The Days" - All in the Family
According
to series producer Norman Lear, the reason Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton
sang the theme song themselves was simply to save costs. Although it was
the same thing at the beginning of every episode, there were a few different
versions. In one, Archie hugs Edith at the end. In another, Edith smiles
at Archie and he returns the look with one of irritation. And we shouldn't
be surprised that the lyrics and music were so memorable: songwriting
duo Charles Strouse and Lee Adams were very good at their jobs, having
already won a couple of Tony Awards (Bye Bye Birdie and Applause).
Another interesting tidbit: after the theme song aired for the first few
times, viewers wrote in and complained that they couldn't understand what
the actors were supposed to be saying, especially the line "Gee our old
LaSalle ran great." If you've ever wondered why that line is so clearly
enunciated in the theme song, that's why - Jean Stapleton recorded her
part again and made sure to speak ridiculously clearly during those words.
3. "The Addams Family Theme" - The Addams Family
Composer
Vic Mizzy wrote the theme song, which is pretty well known, but what isn't
as commonly known is that he wrote the theme song for another very popular
sitcom from the same era. "The Munsters?" you might be wondering.
Nope - the other theme song is a true testament to Mizzy's versatility
- it was Green Acres. Mizzy also contributed parts to the Mr.
Ed and Petticoat Junction theme songs. He still receives
royalties every time The Addams Family theme is played, even
when it's on an organ at a baseball game. (Photo from VicMizzy.com)
4. "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" - The Beverly Hillbillies
This
tune joins the elite group of T.V. theme songs that were so popular they
actually ended up on the mainstream music charts. The song was written
and composed by Paul Henning, who was also the series' creator. The man
who sang the song, Jerry Scoggins, was a stockbroker trying to break into
the music business when he landed "The Ballad of Jed Clampett." This luck
break paired him with the legendary Foggy Mountain Boys, who played the
music that backed him. The Foggy Mountain Boys, Lester Flatt and Earl
Scruggs, were already well established in the country and bluegrass world
and had been members of the Grand Ole Opry for years... which probably
helped the theme song reach #44 on the charts in 1962.
5. "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle" - Gilligan's Island
What
ended up being one of the most recognizable theme songs of all time started
out as a very amateur recording done in a noisy house. Sherwood Schwartz,
the show's creator, couldn't afford to rent a recording studio to get
the theme down, so he called in a favor from a friend with the necessary
equipment. The only day they could all do it in time for the pilot was
a day that his friends were preparing for a big charity event at their
house, so the song had to be recorded when waiters weren't clattering
silverware and plates and serving trays around. It took forever to adjust
the levels just right; they finally got a usable take just as guests were
arriving for the event. It's not exactly the one we know today - Sherwood
had injected a sort of calypso solo that didn't make the cut - but it's
the general theme. And for the first season, the portion of the lyrics
that served as a roll call completely neglected poor Mary Ann and the
professor, saying, "The movie star and the rest, here on Gilligan's Isle!"
Schwartz said he never had an inkling that the professor and Mary Ann
would become such popular characters and therefore didn't think to name
them in the theme song. Although this changed by the second season, Dawn
Wells and Russell Johnson liked to send each other birthday cards and
presents with the signature "The Rest" as a nod to the first theme song.
6. "Happy Days" - Happy Days
For the first two seasons of the show, the theme song was simply an oldie
but goodie - Bill Haley and the Comets' "Rock Around the Clock." And it
served the purpose just fine - it was so popular, in fact, that the song
recharted after nearly 20 years. After season two, though, they decided
to use an original song instead of Bill Haley's, and fans were already
familiar with it since it was being used as the closing theme music. "Happy
Days" got bumped up from the end of the show to the front, and the song
has been stuck in our heads ever since. It was written by Charles Fox
and Norman Gimbel, who gave us the lyrics and music to a ton of other
memorable theme songs: Laverne and Shirley, Lifestyles of the Rich
and Famous, Wonder Woman and the score for H.R. Pufnstuf.
"Happy Days" was performed by a roster of studio musicians, including
some of the same guys who sang The Partridge Family theme song.
As popular as the Happy Days theme song was, they decided to
record a new version of it for the show's final season. It didn't go over
as well, and I can see why... check it out for yourself:
7. "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" - Cheers
The
famous theme song was nearly just a recycled song from a Broadway musical
called Preppies. The producers of Cheers heard it and
thought it would be perfect for their new show if the lyrics were just changed
up a little. Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo, the songwriters, were understandably
thrilled - but the producers of Preppies weren't. They refused
to give up rights to the song. Portnoy and Angelo were devastated, but the
producers of Cheers told them not to worry - they should just take
a shot at writing something totally new. The first version, a pretty blatant
rip-off of their first song, was quickly rejected. After reading a script,
the duo took a third shot, which was closer - the producers loved some of
the lyrics - but still no cigar. Version #3 was rejected. Portnoy and Hart
were getting a little dejected and concerned that they were going to get
fired any second, and to make matters worse, Gary and his girlfriend had
just broken up. This set the mood for version #4, a melancholy little tune
about the Red Sox losing, being too poor to pay the electric bill and needy
girlfriends who wanted to get married. They almost decided it was too depressing
for a sitcom, when they came up with the line "Sometimes you wanna go where
everybody knows your name," and the whole song turned from depressing to
hopeful. The folks at Cheers loved it, but changed the opening
lines from "Singing the blues when the Red Sox lose, it's a crisis in your
life," to the now-famous, "Making your way in the world today takes everything
you've got." The rest is history.
8. "Jeannie" - I Dream of Jeannie
There were three theme
songs composed for the show about a blonde genie and her Master - the first
season featured an instrumental waltz over the opening credits. And no less
than Carole King wrote a theme song for the series, but Sidney Sheldon rejected
it. The winning song that we know as the I Dream of Jeannie theme
song today was composed by Hugo Montenegro. And, believe it or not, there
were lyrics to the song. Written by Buddy Kaye, this gem was never used
for the show:
Jeannie, fresh as a daisy. Just love how she obeys me, Does things that just amaze me so. She smiles, Presto the rain goes. She blinks, up come the rainbows. Cars stop, even the train goes slow. When she goes by, she paints sunshine on every rafter, sprinkles the air with laughter, we're close as a quarter after three. There's no one like Jeannie. I'll introduce her to you, but it's no use sir, cause my Jeannie's in love with me.
9. "Thank You For Being a Friend" - Golden Girls
Unbeknownst
to me, this song wasn't original to our four happening grannies. It was
first recorded in 1978 by Andrew Gold, who hit #25 on the Billboard charts
the same year. Cynthia Fee sang it for the show, though.
The song was later reworked a third time for the opening credits to The Golden Palace. I hate it. But check it out! Don Cheadle!
10. "The Facts of Life" - The Facts of Life
If you didn't already know this, prepared to be floored: Alan Thicke, better known as Jason Seaver to legions of kids who grew up in the late '80s and early '90s, co-wrote "The Facts of Life." He also co-wrote and sang the theme song to Diff'rent Strokes. At the time, Thicke was married to his co-writer Gloria Loring, who sang the "Facts" song you probably remember. There was also an earlier version that featured the cast of the show singing the wise lyrics, but it was only used for the first season.
|
Comment (19)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Han Solo, P.I.
(YouTube link)
Harrison Ford has it all over Tom Selleck, if you ask me. If you are too young to remember Magnum, P.I. then you may not realize how closely this mashup follows the original opening sequence. So watch this side-by-side comparison.
(YouTube link)
-via YesButNoButYes
|
Comment (16)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
The M.A.S.K. Quiz
Of course you are familiar with Transformers, He-Man, and G.I. Joe, but there was also M.A.S.K. If you remember this show, you’ll do well on Today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss. Link
|
Comment (8)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Spellbound #3
Today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss is another edition of Spellbound, where you are challenged to spell names that aren’t quite standard. This round is harder than it seems. You’ll be given a picture of a popular TV actor or actress, and you have to spell their stage name correctly. I had a harder time remembering the names than I did spelling them! Link
|
Comment (1)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Unusual TV Sets
I love this! The Wilkerson M21 Flat-Panel TV is a modern flat screen TV set with the look of a mid-20th century console. It’s just one of 16 unusual TV designs featured at Now That’s Nifty. Link -via the Presurfer
|
Comment (4)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
| Neatorama Shop » Food & Drink » Offbeat Mints & Candies | ||
 |
 |
 |
See more Offbeat
Mints & Candies » |
||
Doogie Howser’s Diary or Random Twitter Update?
The fictional TV doctor Doogie Howser Kept short entries in his journal that resemble Twitter updates. In today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss, can you identify which blurbs are from the show Doogie Howser, MD and which are actual Tweets? I couldn’t confidently peg any of them! Link
|
Comment (1)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
10 Most Celebrated TV Show Hangouts
We often forget about how iconic the "hangout" is to the TV sitcoms. In a lot of ways, the hangout becomes a character. Anyway, this list of 10 most celebrated TV show hangouts includes the Bluth’s Banana Stand. How awesome is that!? "The big yellow joint…"
We tend to get drawn into our favorite TV shows; we know what the characters do for a living and are privy to their groups of friends. But in order to really love a sitcom or dramatic series, it must be set to perfection—in other words, it’s all about the hangout spots. From the Three’s Company bar, Regal Beagle, to Beverly Hills, 90210’s diner, the Peach Pit, these renowned places—where our favorite small-screen characters gathered—ignite big memories for those of us who loyally tuned in. Reminisce with us as you check out these 10 famous spots where love, laughs and drama all unfolded—and where everyone definitely knew one another’s names.
From the Upcoming 
ueue, submitted by 
|
Comment (2)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Spellbound
Today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss challenges you to remember the unusual way some celebrities spell their names. It’s the first of a series of quizzes, today featuring female TV stars.
In this edition of Spellbound, you’ll have to key in the first names of each female TV star mentioned. Capital letters don’t matter, but spelling does – so be careful. And good luck!
I only scored 40% because I are a bad spellar. Link
|
Comment (5)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
99 Seinfeld References
Seinfeld was the ultimate show for water cooler conversations. With a countless number of inside jokes, nicknames, characters, and story lines, it didn’t take long for the show to develop it’s very own social language. Now, thanks to Kiersten Essenpreis, we have a beautiful painting depicting a massive, heaping pile of these references (99 to be exact). And she even included a reference key! An excellent tribute to one of the greatest shows of all time.
Link – via mikediluigi
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by 
|
Comment (17)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
USA Sitcom Map
Dan Meth produced a map of the United States featuring the places some of your favorite TV shows were set. It was inspired by his earlier map of sitcoms set in New York City. Link to US map. Link to New York map. -via YesButNoButYes
|
Comment (38)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
They Paid You For That? 7 Pointless and Crazy Science Experiments
Have you every read about some new science experiment or research study that just seems… well, stupid? If you’ve ever gotten to the point where you’ve wondered what other bogus things they’ll pay people to learn about, you’re in luck. Here’s 7 of the most ridiculous studies ever:
Sex, Drugs and Science
If this first group of studies show us anything, it’s that scientists are as drugged up and crazy as the junkies up the street from me.
Elephants on Acid:
If you were going to see the effects of LSD on an elephant, wouldn’t you start with smaller doses and progressively increase the dosage until there was a noticeable change in their behavior? I sure would. But the researchers on this one aren’t like you and me.
Instead the researchers working on this one started off by injecting the poor beast with 3000 times the dosage needed for an average human, despite the fact that elephants weigh around 50 times what the average human weighs. Within two hours, the animal died. The scientists defended their actions by saying they had used LSD plenty of times and were sure it was safe. They then concluded, “elephants are highly sensitive to LSD.”
Apparently another scientist found their results to be suspicious, so he gave elephants LSD in their water. In his study, the elephants acted a little funny, but were totally fine.
Turkey Arousal:
We’ve all heard stories detailing how stupid turkeys are -like the one that says they’ll drown if you leave them in the rain. Well, some of those turkey stories may be bogus, but two Penn State researchers discovered that turkeys are so stupid they can be trained to be aroused by little more than sticks.
Their experiment consisted of creating a model female turkey that could be progressively deconstructed. The scientists would then gauge the turkey’s interest in the “female” and then remove some parts of her body and try again. They were expecting the birds would lose interest after is was stripped down enough. Surprisingly, the turkeys were aroused even when the model became little more than a stick with a head. I guess this not only shows how stupid turkeys are, but how perverse they are too.
Source | Photo Via Vicki’s Nature [Flickr]
Semen As an Anti-depressant?
I always thought scientists were supposed to be unbiased. I mean, if you’re hoping for certain results, might that affect your research? Obviously these researchers bypassed that concept, by attempting to prove that semen works as an antidepressant. They decided to study this theory by interviewing college women who were sexually active. Their conclusions proved that women who had sex without condoms were less depressed than women who used them.
Of course, their research was extremely preliminary and they didn’t even bother to take into account additional factors, like the fact that women not using condoms are more likely to be in serious
relationships. It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out that this might play into someone’s relative level of happiness. But like I said, this study was about as unbiased as all those tobacco company ones that couldn’t connect smoking with cancer.
Source | Photo Via Zen [Flickr]
Paging Dr. Obvious
The rest of these studies are amazing -in that someone actually bothered to research things so obvious:
Head Banging is Bad For You:
Who would have ever thought that aggressively and repeatedly throwing your head up and down would be bad for you? Gee, I never would have imagined that spinal damage and brain trauma could have resulted from head banging. Obviously, I’m being sarcastic. After years of dating a metal head, I can assure you that head banging can certainly make you retarded…or at least, it doesn’t help your intelligence at all.
The only good thing researchers found was that head banging is unlikely to leave you unconscious. What is really funny is the researcher’s suggestions for the metal genre. They suggest metal bands play more
mellow tunes and less “beat oriented” music. They also urged label to place anti-head banging warnings on their cds. Oh, and listeners were advised to start listening to “adult-oriented rock” instead of heavy metal. Yeah, that’s gonna happen real soon.
Source | Photo Via Cayusa [Flickr]
Male science nerds likely to be virgins:
Hmmm, who is most likely to be a virgin, a party-girl, a jock, or a nerd? Think about it. No surprise here; male science nerds between 16 and 25 are the most likely to not have had sex.
At least the study provided some legitimate reasons for this statistic, rather than the typical “nerds are pimply and boring” theories of popular media. The study reasoned that these nerds were the population segment least likely to be in situations where they would meet potential lovers. Apparently, doing homework and going to the library doesn’t help you meet chicks. Hey, at least they’re being productive. Interestingly, female art students were the most sexually active.
Source | Photo Via Miss604 [Flickr]
Bullies Like Seeing Pain:
If bullies were compassionate they would sit around crying whenever they picked on people. The fact that they don’t do so might just indicate that they are mean. Why did anyone need to set up a study to confirm that bullies enjoy seeing other people in pain?
An interesting thing about this study is that it was the first time anyone used fMRI to evaluate how respondents reacted to different emotions. Instead of being empathetic like the brain of a normal person, bullies mind’s activate their reward centers when they see videos of other people being picked on.
Source | Photo Via ZZClef [Flickr]
Television Viewers Are Unhappy:
It’s common knowledge that television and other forms of entertainment are a way for people to escape their problems. If you run home to watch tv instead rather than hanging out with friends, you might be unhappy. Did we really need a scientist to tell us that people who socialize are generally more happy than people who sit at home watching tv all day? What’s more crazy is that they needed over 30 years of data to back up their claims. The only unique thing the study discovered was that many viewers are actually addicted. (Marx was right about television, is this evidence that the scientists are commies?):
“Addictive activities produce momentary pleasure and long-term misery and regret,” said Steven Martin, co-author of the study. “People most vulnerable to addiction tend to be socially or personally disadvantaged. For this kind of person, TV can become a kind of opiate in a way. It’s habitual, and tuning in can be an easy way of tuning out.”
Funny, I’ve was using the audio/visual equivalent of heroin the whole time I was researching this. I swear I could quit any time.
Now that I’ve written this, I think I’ve got a couple of ideas I could get funded. For example, are people happier when they’re warm at home or cold in the middle of nowhere? Or maybe I could find out if donkeys really die when they take a bunch of cocaine and other drugs at a bachelor party. Do you guys have any ideas for awesome studies?
|
Comment (30)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
How a TV Sound System Works
(YouTube link)
This ad from Loewe made me giggle! -via Geeks Are Sexy
|
Comment (7)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Polar Bears in London!
[YouTube - Link]
The folks at Eden TV, a new UK-based natural history television network, celebrated its launch by building a 16-foot-tall of a polar bear and cub stranded on an iceberg. The sculpture was then set free to float down the Thames in an attempt to bring attention to the new network and to raise awareness about the polar bear’s dwindling habitat.
– via inhabitat
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by 
|
Comment (4)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
The Oft Overlooked Art of Sound Design
The crack of Indy’s whip, the bleep-blips of R2-D2, and the asthmatic breathing of Darth Vader. These unique and memorable sound effects are all products of an often overlooked art form – the art of sound design. A Sound Designer’s duties include creating, editing and applying sound effects and all non-compositional elements of a film, video game, theater performance, recording or television program in what amounts to a very daunting job.
From the Upcoming Queue, submitted by
|
Comment (6)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Who says TV anchors have no moves?
Have you ever wondered what television news anchors do during commercial breaks?
Which local TV news anchors make the best team? Well, judging from a behind-the-scenes video clip that has popped up, it’s WGN’s Robert Jordan and Jackie Bange, hands down. The two are shown going through an elaborate routine—complete with coordinated paper-shuffling, precision gestures and various grunts and giggles—that they perform during the first commercial break of their weekend newscasts. They are awesome.
Head Candy has the video, and an interview with Robert Jordan about how the routine came about. Link -via I Am Bored
|
Comment (6)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
| Neatorama Shop » Shop by Character & Theme » Bacon Store | ||
 |
 |
 |
See more stuff from the Bacon
Store »
|
||
-
Your purchase helps support the blog - Thank you!
