When you glance out the window and see a piece of heavy equipment perched at such an odd angle, of course you're going to whip out your phone and record what might happen. This took place in Stockholm, Sweden. In case you don't want to wait, the operator was seen moving toward the end, so he must be okay. -via Daily PIcks and Flicks
Miss Cellania's Blog Posts
You knew it was coming. The inmates at Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines dance to PSY's "Gangnam Style." In the rain, no less. -via Blame It On The Voices
Previously: More from the Cebu inmates.
Two baby gorillas were rescued from poachers in separate incidents in September in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and are being cared for at a shelter in Virunga National Park. Isangi is about nine months old, and Baraka is around five months old. The gorillas are being fed human formula, and steps are taken to ensure they don't catch any human diseases.
"Gorilla mothers are very attentive toward their babies," Eddy Kambale said. "The mothers feed them, sleep with them, carry them on their chest or back, groom and clean them, watch them, and protect them against predators, and even rain, at all times."
In the sanctuary, the orphans spend time outside in the forest yard, but mostly their caretakers carry them, as their mothers would. The caretakers use gorilla vocalizations to calm the infants.
"If no one will try to imitate their mothers' behaviors, the infant gorillas can shortly die from stress, as they are very fragile," Kambale said.
When they are deemed healthy enough, the gorillas will be taken to the sanctuary GRACE (Gorilla Conservation and Rehabilitation Education Center), which is operated by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. There, they will be integrated into a gorilla family in preparation for eventual release. See lots more pictures at National Geographic News. Link -Thanks, Marilyn Terrell!
(Image credit: LuAnne Cadd, Virunga National Park)
W00t! It's time for another collaboration with the always-excellent What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what this strange object is used for?
Place your guess in the comment section. One guess per comment, though you can enter as many guesses as you'd like. Please do not post any web link or URL - doing so will void your entry. You have until the answer is revealed on the What Is It? Blog tomorrow.
Two prizes: the first correct guess and the funniest yet wrong one will win a T-Shirt from the NeatoShop.
IMPORTANT: Please write your prize selection alongside your guess, so visit the NeatoShop and take a look around. If you don't write your prize selection, then you don't get the prize. I think you'll like the selection of funny t-shirts and science t-shirts -or even t-shirts of your favorite blogs and websites.
For more clues, go to What Is It? Blog. Good luck!
Update: the pictured object is an exact replica demonstration model of the original Telstar satellite, launched in 1962. The real satellite was only about twice as big. Craig Clayton knew that, and wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop! The funniest answer came from The Professor, who won a t-shirt when he said, "This is the Death Star's lesser known cousin, the Mildly-Irritating Toothache Star." There were a lot of other great guesses; you should read them all. See the answers to all this week's mystery items at the What Is It? blog. And thanks for playing along!
The first presidential debate is tonight at 9PM Eastern (6PM Pacific). If you'll be watching for fun, you might want to keep an eye out for cues to take another drink. Watch out if you're playing for real, because the items on the list might make you totally unable to work tomorrow!
6. A Candidate Thanks Someone Not in the Studio
7. This Moment Will Be a Meme Tomorrow
9. Inappropriate or Politically Incorrect Cutaway to Audience Member
13. A Candidate Cites a Statistic That Sounds Made-Up
20. Wardrobe Malfunction
I propose a bonus for anyone who actually spots (and writes down) the moment that will be a meme tomorrow. See all 20 rules at Ranker. Link
A scene that didn't make it into the finished film Lilo and Stitch confronts racism among tourists, but Disney dropped it late in the production. -via Buzzfeed
They Might Be Giants collected photographs from fans to illustrate their video for "The Alphabet of Nations." The band is partnering with the Global Fund For Children, and poster and t-shirt sales will benefit the organization. Personally, I'm looking forward to a vacation in West Xylophone. -via Laughing Squid
Ian Williams of the Rhode Island School of Design, has been named Hasbro's “Official Play-Doh Artist of the Year.” Williams won the competition by sculpting likenesses of President Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney completely of Play-Doh!
He wins a $5,000 tuition prize for his efforts, and will provide more artwork to be showcased by the Play-Doh folks. You'll be able to see William's future creations at the company's Facebook page.
On a list of the 15 heaviest coffee-drinking professions, mine only came in fourth. Scientists and lab technicians are at the top, drinking more coffee than writers, doctors, teachers, and everyone else.
Among those polled, scientists and lab techs were found to be the heaviest coffee drinkers in the country. Anyone who works, or has worked, in science will likely find this result unsurprising. Science, after all, is a 24-hour job. Experiments often run on timelines that are in every way at odds with the circadian rhythms of a normal human being — or any other creature, for that matter. Many scientists work under crushing pressure to publish results before competing labs or research groups. Limited funding requires researchers to put in countless hours writing grant proposals when they could be doing science. (It's not that they're writing grants instead of doing science, by the way. They're writing grants and doing science.)
Not only do scientists do research, but they also research how much research is being done, how much coffee they drink doing it, and how to drink coffee more efficiency. See the rest of the list at io9. Link
(Image credit: The NeatoShop)
There's something about typing your thoughts on the internet that makes some perfectly nice people act like jerks. It's not just the anonymity, because even on social networking sites where our identities are displayed to our contacts, arguments often devolve into name calling and bullying.
According to soon-to-be-published research from professors at Columbia University and the University of Pittsburgh, browsing Facebook lowers our self control. The effect is most pronounced with people whose Facebook networks were made up of close friends, the researchers say.
Most of us present an enhanced image of ourselves on Facebook. This positive image—and the encouragement we get, in the form of "likes"—boosts our self-esteem. And when we have an inflated sense of self, we tend to exhibit poor self-control.
"Think of it as a licensing effect: You feel good about yourself so you feel a sense of entitlement," says Keith Wilcox, assistant professor of marketing at Columbia Business School and co-author of the study. "And you want to protect that enhanced view, which might be why people are lashing out so strongly at others who don't share their opinions." These types of behavior—poor self control, inflated sense of self—"are often displayed by people impaired by alcohol," he adds.
MIT professor Sherry Turkle says we often forget that when we comment online we don't feel as if we are talking to real people, but when we receive such thoughtless comments, we take it doubly hard.
And for Facebook, its very name is part of the problem. "It promises us a face and a place where we are going to have friends," says Dr. Turkle, author of the book "Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other." "If you get something hurtful there, you're not prepared. You feel doubly affronted, so you strike back."
Read more about research into online behavior at the Wall Street Journal. Link -via The Week
Why should hurricanes get all the love? The Weather Channel has decided that notable winter storms will be named, and they've already posted a list of those names. This will at least make t-shirt vendors happy, as they will be able to come up with unique designs for "I survived Draco 2012" or "Minnesota Gandolf Survivor." Link
(Isn't Gandalf spelled with an 'a'?)
High school freshman Daniel Cui was labeled "worst goalie in the world" on Facebook, after his team lost their first few games of the season. But his friends and teammates didn't take it lying down. Sometimes a little support goes a long way. -via The Daily What
Miss Insomnia Tulip made cake pops that look like the female lead characters from Carrie, Misery, The Exorcist, and The Blair Witch Project. Awesome! This one is, of course, Carrie. See the rest at Eat Your Heart Out 2012. Link -via Boing Boing
(YouTube)
A music video from the group Walter and the Wizards. Yes, it's an ad, for Litter Genie. A cosmic, cat-filled, psychedelic, musical ad. Remember, kitties, just say no to nip. -via Daily of the Day
Email This Post to a Friend