I honestly thought this Star Wars/Simpsons mashup was from the TV show, but it was done by animator Rich Cando (who also did Star Dudes). You get to hear Darth Vader say "D'oh!" Link -via YesButNoButYes

Some adventuresome surfers are taking advantage of glaciers that are breaking up by surfing in the waves caused by falling chunks of ice! The surfers must be towed out close to the glacier, but not too close, or they risk death by falling ice. Then they must guess where and when a wall of ice will fall. Glacial surfers wear helmets and specially-padded wetsuits to guard against injury. Glacial waves can be as high as 30 feet, and provide a ride that can last several minutes. Link

A Chinese woman named Cheng I Sao (also referred to as Cheng Shih) controlled a fleet of more than 1,500 ships and upwards of 80,000 sailors in the early 19th century. She ruled with an iron hand, became extremely wealthy, and managed to talk her way out of legal troubles and retire peacefully. Link -via Reddit

The story goes that in ‘78, Mark Gubin was having lunch with his assistant, who remarked upon all the low-flying planes - saying how nice it would be to make a sign welcoming everyone to Milwaukee. Apparently Gubin simply said, “You know what would be even better...?”

This is just one of the many strange points of interest you’ll find at Map of Strange, a website dedicated to to strange things in Google Maps. Link -via the Presurfer

Sampson the Golden Eagle was stolen from a British zoo, and kept locked in a cupboard for six months. He broke the feathers off his seven-foot wingspan trying to escape. After officials rescued the bird, they sent him to falconer Jonathan Marshall for rehabilitation. After the feathers grew back, Marshall trained Sampson to fly high alongside his microlight aircraft!

"When we are up there in the clouds I talk to him and he calls back and circles around me, it is an awesome and exhilarating experience.

"Flying with birds puts you right into their world, we have formed a very close bond."

Link -via Arbroath

You’ve seen stories about restaurants that create outlandishly expensive dishes; it’s mainly for the publicity. But what if you were to plan your day around such food items? This menu starts off with a thousand-dollar caviar breakfast and escalated from there. Link -via Reddit

Miss Teen South Carolina, Lauren Caitlin Upton became an internet sensation after her mangled answer to an interview question at the Miss Teen USA pageant Friday. This morning, she gave a better answer on NBC’s Today Show.

Personally, my friends and I, we know exactly where the United States is on our map. I don't know anyone else who doesn't. And if the statistics are correct, I believe there should be more emphasis on geography in our education so people will learn how to read maps better.

Link (with video) -via a comment on Boing Boing (believe it or not)

High school students in Austin, Minnesota pulled this prank via an underground tunnel connecting the two school buildings. Keep your eye out for the chicken and the cow! Push play or go to YouTube. -via Cynical-C

The Muppet Show Cake decorated by Heather Haynes of Clarksville, Indiana won a blue ribbon at the Kentucky State Fair in the Special Techniques category. Flickr user Adam Newbold posted a set of photographs of it from all angles. http://www.flickr.com/photos/withoutform/sets/72157601654815836/detail/ -via Grow-A-Brain

Four baby hedgehogs are being raised by the staff at New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Park in England. Mary, Mungo, Midge and Slappy take comfort by snuggling up with a cleaning brush. The brush has been used to sweep a yard, so it smells like the great outdoors, and the bristly texture may be reminiscent of their mothers. Link -via Reddit

The iPood baby creeper is a perfect gift for your favorite geek baby! Link

Pink for girls, blue for boys? It wasn’t always so! Bad Science takes a look at the recent news that scientists found a preference for pink in females. The actual experiment involved adults, so it does not solve the genetics-vs-culture question. More surprisingly, according to early 20th century literature, pink should be designated for boys, and blue for girls! Link -via Reddit

Set your alarm clocks for early Tuesday morning (or some other time, depending on where you are) and check your weather forecast for clouds.

A total eclipse of the Moon occurs during the early morning of Tuesday, August 28, 2007. The event is widely visible from the United States and Canada as well as South America, the Pacific Ocean, western Asia and Australia. During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon's disk can take on a dramatically colorful appearance from bright orange to blood red to dark brown and (rarely) very dark gray.

NASA has published a series of handy charts so you can find out when the lunar eclipse will be visible in your time zone. http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2007Aug28/TLE2007Aug28.html -via Fark

Designer Roger Arquer has an art project called Fish Bowls, in which each bowl makes a statement. This one, named “Don’t Piss Me Off”, is about the the power of life and death. Fourteen bowls are pictured at dezeen. Link -via J-Walk Blog

The story of the Bobby, the tailless raccoon reminds me of the old song The Cat Came Back {wiki}. Push play or go to Live Leak. -via Arbroath