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The kid at the spelling bee had never heard of the word, but neither had I. It is pretty funny! Try to use sardoodledom in a sentence sometime this week. -via the Presurfer
Miss Cellania's Liked Blog Posts
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The kid at the spelling bee had never heard of the word, but neither had I. It is pretty funny! Try to use sardoodledom in a sentence sometime this week. -via the Presurfer
Genealogists Christopher Child and Gary Boyd Roberts have spent three years tracing th family trees of the US presidential candidates. The results are interesting. Barack Obama’s distant cousins include President George W. Bush and his father, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Lyndon Johnson, Harry S. Truman, James Madison, Vice President Dick Cheney, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, and Civil War General Robert E. Lee. Hillary Clinton is related to Madonna, Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette, Jack Kerouac, and Camilla Parker-Bowles. John McCain is a sixth cousin of first lady Laura Bush.
Obama is ninth cousin to Brad Pitt, and Hillary Clinton is ninth cousin to Angelina Jolie. Therefore, the couple’s daughter Shiloh is related to both candidates. Link
Obama is ninth cousin to Brad Pitt, and Hillary Clinton is ninth cousin to Angelina Jolie. Therefore, the couple’s daughter Shiloh is related to both candidates. Link
A group of college students who called themselves Fangs A Lot have opened a business in Britain named Animal Solutions. They sell false teeth for cats. And dogs and other animals, as needed.
Will the business take off? Only time will tell. Link -via Dump Trumpet
Cats have notoriously bad dental problems. Cat owners seldom brush their cats' teeth or scrape the surfaces of the teeth to remove plaque. By the time a cat is 3 or 4 years old, she may already have periodontal disease that can lead to tooth loss. Tooth loss may also come about as a result of tooth breakage, particularly in the canine teeth.
Will the business take off? Only time will tell. Link -via Dump Trumpet
ToyOtter recalls some Star Wars products that he and his partners pitched to manufacturers a decade ago.
All told, we cranked out well over 100 concepts that were taken to final art, and easily 300 that didn’t make it that far. No part of Star Wars was too small to think about, no character too minor. I’ve never had a situation before or since where someone said to take your favorite subject and do whatever you want with it. Nothing was too crazy or expensive to try.
Some of their ideas were accepted, adapted, and manufactured. But the ones that weren’t are even more interesting! I suspect Alex would go for this grill. Link -via Everlasting Blort
The Greek gods Hermes and Aphrodite had a child named Hermaphroditus. You can pretty much gather where the story leads from that alone. The legend of Hermaphroditus doesn’t quite explain why some people are born intersexual, but it’s an interesting tale. Link
Noel Cruz (Noeling) takes celebrity collector dolls and painstakingly repaints them to more resemble the person they portray.
I used a 16-inch Mary Poppins doll here produced by Robert Tonner Doll company - a very nicely made facial sculpt but the facial paint left much to be desired. So, I completely removed factory facial painting and hand painted it to more faithfully replicate Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins. The doll's hair has been extensively restyled to more accurately represent the character's hairstyle from the movie.
His Deviant Art page has many more repainted dolls, some of which are for sale. Link -via Dump Trumpet
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Phun is fun! Phun was created as a MSc project by Emil Ernerfeldt (who also created the music) for supervisor Kenneth Bodin, HPC2N/VRlab, Umeå University, Sweden. The program is free to download. http://www.acc.umu.se/~emilk/ -via Viral Video Chart
Cookie Monster recently paid a visit to NPR’s New York studios. In an interview, he answered questions from James Lipton’s version of the Proust questionnaire. The interview was captured on video, and accompanies a biography of Cookie Monster. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18659731 -via YesButNoButYes
David Prowse, who played Darth Vader’s body in three Star Wars movies, is a bodybuilder and fitness trainer. He auditioned for the first Superman movie, but was passed over in favor of Christopher Reeve. However, Prowse was hired as a personal trainer to get Reeve into shape for the part. Prowse was touched by Reeve’s 1995 riding accident and saddened by his death in 2004. Now, at age 72, Prowse is involved with Walk Once More, a charity dedicated to spinal cord injury research.
Link -via Digg
Also see Prowse’s website.
He says, “I suppose I’m carrying on Chris’s legacy. It’s a privilege to have known him, and to now be involved with Walk Once More. My friend never did walk again, but someday we’ll find a way to cure this terrible affliction.”
Link -via Digg
Also see Prowse’s website.
Ships were powered by the wind for centuries, and those days may be returning! The MS Beluga, a 462ft cargo vessel, will leave Germany on Tuesday for a voyage to Venezuela. During the trip, the crew will deploy a SkySail, a 160 square meter kite which will ride the wind 600 feet up. Its inventor, Stephan Wrage, believes the use of SkySail can cut diesel consumption by 20%, which will save £800 (about $1600) a day. Link -via reddit
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A group of 9 university students performed these “Olympic Highlights” on the Kasou Taishou(also known as Kinchan and Katori Shingo’s All Japan Costume Grand Prix) special that aired last night on NTV:
Even though we are used to amazing special effects, we can still be impressed with old-fashioned cleverness. From Japan Probe -via Random Good Stuff
100 years ago today, Harry Bensley set off on a strange journey, in order to fulfill the requirements of a wager between John Pierpont Morgan and Hugh Cecil Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale. The question was whether a man could walk around the world without being identified. The journey had 15 conditions, including that Bensley had to wear an iron mask from a suit of armor and push a baby carriage! Bensley spent the next six and a half years trying to fulfill the terms of the wager. Link
A policeman’s job is never easy, but dumb criminals make it somewhat easier. This list was whittled down from a much longer list of stories of the stupid things lawbreakers did this past year. These are in chronological order instead of rank. The dates are from the news stories; in some cases the crime itself happened earlier. Most of the links have accompanying video.
ROME, GA June 2
A convenience-store thief got away, but the video from the security camera told a strange, strange tale. A man broke into the store overnight, and tried to cover his tracks by burning the place down. He threw charcoal lighter fluid around, but by the time he ignited it, the fumes had permeated the store, and he set himself on fire. While in flames, he grabbed a roll of lottery tickets and fled. At the time of the story, police were looking for a man with facial, neck, and possibly wrist burns.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL June 8
An employee of the Lucky Buffet noticed a strange sight on arriving at the restaurant. There were legs hanging out of a vent over the grill! 45-year-old Billy Jordan had tried to enter the restaurant the night before by climbing through the ductwork, but became stuck and stayed there for ten hours. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue workers used a rope to pull Jordan back out through the roof, after which he was arrested for burglary.
MILWAUKEE, WI July 27
Three men backed a stolen vehicle through the glass front of a gas station. Their intent was to steal an ATM. But they didn’t realize that ATMs are bolted to the floor. After some thought, they tied a rope around the machine and attched it to the vehicle, but still could not dislodge it. They left empty-handed. The ATM was still in working order the next day.
ASHLAND, KY August 13
Police say Kasey Kazee entered Shamrock Liquors and attempted to rob the store. Employees were astonished that he had disguised his face by wrapping it in duct tape! The store manager chased him out with a baseball bat and an employee held him in the parking lot until police arrived. Police removed the duct tape after taking pictures, and arrested Kazee, who denied any memory of the incident.
See a video report here.
ADLINGTON, ENGLAND September 6
Peter Addison and his friend Mark Ridgeway vandalized the Toc H centre, a children’s campsite building. They smashed crockery, set off fire extinguishers, and drew grafitti on the walls. Part of the grafitti said “Peter Addison was here.” Police found Addison through a computer database. Both teenagers pled guilty and were ordered to pay for the damage.
LITTLE ROCK, AR September 7
21-year-old Langston Robins walked right past a uniformed police officer at the Metropolitan Bank and handed a robbery note to the teller. The unarmed would-be robber was arrested after a foot pursuit. Little Rock police spokesman Lt. Terry Hastings said:
GENEVA, NY September 13
29-year-old Vincent Estrada Junior was pulled over because the car he was driving had been stolen from a parking lot. Estrada explained that he had stolen the car in order to drive to the Geneva City Police Department and turn himself in on a family court warrant! He didn’t make his destination, as police took him to the Ontario County Jail instead, where he was held on car theft charges.
(image credit: Ontario County Sheriff's Office)
WHITLEY BAY, England September 17
Usually, the burglar robs the house while the victim is asleep, but in this story, the roles were reversed. 24-year-old Mark Smith sneaked into Heather Stephenson’s home, crept past her while she was ironing, and rifled through her belongings in the bedroom. Then he fell asleep under her bed. Mrs. Stephenson couldn’t wake him, and police officers had to drag him out from under the bed. Smith’s vodka and valium consumption were to blame. He received an 18-month sentence for burglary.
PITTSBURGH, PA November 9
A man flew into a rage at the Giant Eagle supermarket when employees refused to cash a million-dollar bill. 66-year-old Samuel Porter slammed an electronic machine on the counter and refused to give his name to authorities. He was then taken to the Allegheny County Jail. The largest bill currently in circulation is the $100 dollar bill.
Bonus: It happened again soon afterwards in Georgia!
(image credit: AP)
RALEIGH, NC December 11
There had been a stabbing, and police were on the scene talking to a woman who had been a witness to the crime. 38-year-old Anthony William jumped into the woman’s car and drove away! He was arrested the next day, easily identified by the cops who saw him steal the car.
1. Lottery Thief Sets Himself on Fire
ROME, GA June 2
A convenience-store thief got away, but the video from the security camera told a strange, strange tale. A man broke into the store overnight, and tried to cover his tracks by burning the place down. He threw charcoal lighter fluid around, but by the time he ignited it, the fumes had permeated the store, and he set himself on fire. While in flames, he grabbed a roll of lottery tickets and fled. At the time of the story, police were looking for a man with facial, neck, and possibly wrist burns.
2. Ten Hours Stuck in Restaurant Vent
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL June 8
An employee of the Lucky Buffet noticed a strange sight on arriving at the restaurant. There were legs hanging out of a vent over the grill! 45-year-old Billy Jordan had tried to enter the restaurant the night before by climbing through the ductwork, but became stuck and stayed there for ten hours. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue workers used a rope to pull Jordan back out through the roof, after which he was arrested for burglary.
3. Immovable ATM
MILWAUKEE, WI July 27
Three men backed a stolen vehicle through the glass front of a gas station. Their intent was to steal an ATM. But they didn’t realize that ATMs are bolted to the floor. After some thought, they tied a rope around the machine and attched it to the vehicle, but still could not dislodge it. They left empty-handed. The ATM was still in working order the next day.
4. The Famous Duct Tape Bandit
ASHLAND, KY August 13
Police say Kasey Kazee entered Shamrock Liquors and attempted to rob the store. Employees were astonished that he had disguised his face by wrapping it in duct tape! The store manager chased him out with a baseball bat and an employee held him in the parking lot until police arrived. Police removed the duct tape after taking pictures, and arrested Kazee, who denied any memory of the incident.
See a video report here.
5. The Sign of the Crime
ADLINGTON, ENGLAND September 6
Peter Addison and his friend Mark Ridgeway vandalized the Toc H centre, a children’s campsite building. They smashed crockery, set off fire extinguishers, and drew grafitti on the walls. Part of the grafitti said “Peter Addison was here.” Police found Addison through a computer database. Both teenagers pled guilty and were ordered to pay for the damage.
Inspector Gareth Woods, of Cheshire Police, said: "This crime is up there with the dumbest of all in the criminal league table.
"There are some pretty stupid criminals around, but to leave your own name at the scene of the crime takes the biscuit.”
6. He Didn’t See the Cop
LITTLE ROCK, AR September 7
21-year-old Langston Robins walked right past a uniformed police officer at the Metropolitan Bank and handed a robbery note to the teller. The unarmed would-be robber was arrested after a foot pursuit. Little Rock police spokesman Lt. Terry Hastings said:
"I just don't know why he didn't see a uniformed police officer standing basically right in front of him," Hastings tells the Associated Press. "My guess is he's just not the brightest of people."
7. He Stole a Car to Turn Himself In
GENEVA, NY September 13
29-year-old Vincent Estrada Junior was pulled over because the car he was driving had been stolen from a parking lot. Estrada explained that he had stolen the car in order to drive to the Geneva City Police Department and turn himself in on a family court warrant! He didn’t make his destination, as police took him to the Ontario County Jail instead, where he was held on car theft charges.
(image credit: Ontario County Sheriff's Office)
8. Burglar Falls Asleep Under Victim’s Bed
WHITLEY BAY, England September 17
Usually, the burglar robs the house while the victim is asleep, but in this story, the roles were reversed. 24-year-old Mark Smith sneaked into Heather Stephenson’s home, crept past her while she was ironing, and rifled through her belongings in the bedroom. Then he fell asleep under her bed. Mrs. Stephenson couldn’t wake him, and police officers had to drag him out from under the bed. Smith’s vodka and valium consumption were to blame. He received an 18-month sentence for burglary.
9. Cash My Million-Dollar Bill!
PITTSBURGH, PA November 9
A man flew into a rage at the Giant Eagle supermarket when employees refused to cash a million-dollar bill. 66-year-old Samuel Porter slammed an electronic machine on the counter and refused to give his name to authorities. He was then taken to the Allegheny County Jail. The largest bill currently in circulation is the $100 dollar bill.
Bonus: It happened again soon afterwards in Georgia!
(image credit: AP)
10. Carjacking at a Crime Scene
RALEIGH, NC December 11
There had been a stabbing, and police were on the scene talking to a woman who had been a witness to the crime. 38-year-old Anthony William jumped into the woman’s car and drove away! He was arrested the next day, easily identified by the cops who saw him steal the car.
Alexis Lemaire is a human calculator. He broke his own record for mental computing at the Science Museum in London by finding the 13th root of a 200-digit random number in 70.2 seconds.
Link -via J-Walk Blog
Jane Wess, curator of mathematics at the London Science Museum said: "He sat down and it was all very quiet - and all of a sudden he amazingly just cracked it.
"It's quite remarkable to see it happen. A very small number of people have this extraordinary ability.
"I believe that it is the highest sum calculated mentally."
Link -via J-Walk Blog
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