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Storycorps listened to cousins James Ransom and Cherie Johnson as they remembered their childhood Sunday school teacher Miss Lizzie Devine, "the only woman who scared them more than their grandmother." Animated by The Rauch Brothers. Link -Thanks, Krisi!
Miss Cellania's Blog Posts
This unintentionally goofy mistranslation appears on a toy package in a Chinese dollar store. Unfortunately, the original photographer is unknown. -via Dangerous Minds
You know how microwave ovens heat or defrost your food unevenly? You must either rotate or stir your food between zaps to get it "done." Lenore at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories accidentally uncovered the pattern her microwave uses when she heated some Indian snack crackers called appalams.
And then, like any good scientist, she recreated the entire experiment in four other microwave ovens to see if the results could be duplicated. Link
Holy crap!
As an area of the cracker cooks, it bubbles up in just a few seconds, leaving clear marks as to where there is microwave power and where there isn't. For this particular microwave, Saturn-shaped objects will cook evenly.
Obviously what is happening is that there are two hotspots in this microwave: one in the center, and one offset from center which traces out a circle thanks to the rotating plate in the bottom.
And then, like any good scientist, she recreated the entire experiment in four other microwave ovens to see if the results could be duplicated. Link
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Jesef, in a motorized wheelchair, is chased by a desert tortoise named Cruiser. As exciting as this is, I can't help but think it needs more Yakety Sax. -via Buzzfeed
Police in Prague, Czech Republic, began receiving calls about thefts of women's underwear from clotheslines, at about the same time a man called to report his pet kangaroo, Benji, had escaped. It all made sense when one caller said she had witnessed a kangaroo hopping off with her underwear. The marsupial was picked up shortly afterward.
There is no mention of whether the unmentionables were returned to their rightful owners. http://austriantimes.at/image/24741/news/Around_the_World/2011-08-22/35683/Skippying_Bail_ -via Arbroath
Benji's owner Petr Hlabovic, 35, said: "I'm very relieved to have him back. I've got no idea what he thought he was up to - he certainly didn't pick up the habit from me."
There is no mention of whether the unmentionables were returned to their rightful owners. http://austriantimes.at/image/24741/news/Around_the_World/2011-08-22/35683/Skippying_Bail_ -via Arbroath
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Attention, Portal 2 fans! Gary Hudston commissioned a series of custom levels of the game.
The clever puzzles were put together by designers Doug “TopHATTWaffle” Hoogland and Rachel “Miss Stabby” van der Meer, who should probably be hired by Valve to work on Portal 3. And if you’re wondering how they did such an accurate GLaDOS impression, well, that’s Ellen McLain, the actual voice of GLaDOS.
If you don't care anything about the game, you should skip ahead about six minutes and watch the rest anyway. The Daily What Geek has this plus a second video, the “super-sexy cinematic version”. http://geeks.thedailywh.at/2011/08/23/portal-proposal-of-the-day/
In 1959, ten people went on a skiing expedition to a Russian mountain named Kholat Syakhl, camping along the way there. One turned back due to illness, and the other nine were later found dead.
When the bodies were finally recovered, some had unexplained wounds, and the tongue of one woman was missing. Read about the investigation and the various theories about what happened to the campers, at Environmental Graffiti. Link
Caught in a snowstorm, the trekkers veered off course and decided to set up camp on the slopes of Kholat Syakhl – at 5pm on February 2, judging from their photos and diary entries. They went to sleep. Then something horrific occurred, the nature of which we can but guess at. Some have suggested that it was an avalanche, but others aren’t satisfied with this explanation. Only one thing is known for sure. Whatever it was, it was serious enough to make the skiers leap up in the middle of the night and escape from their tent by cutting it open from the inside. Some didn’t even bother to put on clothes or boots as they ventured outside into the bitter cold.
When the bodies were finally recovered, some had unexplained wounds, and the tongue of one woman was missing. Read about the investigation and the various theories about what happened to the campers, at Environmental Graffiti. Link
NOTHING SAYS TECHNOLOGY LIKE FLOWERS
The flower business might seem old-fashioned, but 1-800-FLOWERS is anything but behind the times. In the 1980s, it was one of the first businesses to operate a 1-800 number, taking calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And in 1991, during the Gulf War, the company made the risky move of ramping up its television ads on CNN. At the time, other businesses were pulling their ads from the channel, not wanting to be associated with the station's non-stop war coverage. But Jim McCann, president of 1-800-FLOWERS, saw it as an opportunity. He bought 24 ads for the price of one. The Gulf War made CNN the biggest cable new network in the world, and 1-800-FLOWERS reaped the benefits.
Then came the emergence of the internet. McCann launched 1-800-FLOWERS.com in 1995, and the company became the first merchant to sign a contract with AOL. By 1995, well before Google was conceived, 1-800-FLOWERS.com had deals in place with at least 13 other online service providers. And the innovation hasn't stopped. In July 2009, 1-800-FLOWERS.com became the first company to complete an e-commerce transaction entirely on Facebook.
WISTERIA HYSTERIA
On October 3, 2004, Americans met the ladies of Wisteria Lane -the famously fictional street that's home to TV's Desperate Housewives. In a matter of months, the rest of the world had been introduced to them, too. According to a 2006 survey of 20 countries, the program was the third most-watched TV series in the world, with 120 million viewers. (That's one of out every 55 people on the planet!) But not everyone watches the same cast members. In Latin America alone, there are five separate adaptations; each is a scene-for-scene remake using local actors.
Yet, nothing compares to the impact the show has had in Saudi Arabia. In May 2009, Wikileaks unearthed a diplomatic cable about the program, which reported that it's helped dissuade Saudi youth from radical Islam by giving them a favorable impression of the United States. According to the cable, "Saudis are now very interested in the outside world and everyone wants to study in the U.S. if they can. They are fascinated by U.S. culture in a way they never were before."
In a country where women can't vote, drive, or walk outside without a male guardian, the ladies of Wisteria Lane are showing them that life has more to offer, particularly in the way of drama.
FLOWER GIRLS
There's a reason why so many grandmas are named Rose and Daisy. During the first half of the 20th century, women were basically expected to name their pink bundle of joy after a flower. But as the nation entered the 1960s, the hippie generation became more interested in planting on vans than using them for baby names. Recently, however, floral names have begun cropping up again.
Watch Modern Family and you'll see Lily; read Us Weekly and you'll hear about Violet Affleck and Iris Law. While Rose has yet to make a full comeback, other flower names are definitely in bloom. Just check out the graph below:
A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME
Just as people can be named after flowers, flowers can be named after people. Here are some of our favorite celebrity buds.
Barbra Streisand Rose A notorious diva, Barbra Streisand once said that if a flower were ever named after her, she wanted it to smell good and be disease-resistant. Botanists bred this sweet, purple bloom with a hearty immune system just for her.
Julia Child Rose If you're wondering what sort of mouth-watering qualities land you the Child name, this one's the color of butter and smells of licorice.
Chihuly Rose This rose is fittingly named after Dale Chihuly, the master craftsman who's created some of the world's most colorful and elaborate glass sculptures. The petals of the Chihuly Rose change color with the light, turning from yellow to orange to red.
Dolly Parton Rose This hybrid tea rose has big double blooms, just like its country-crooning namesake.
George Burns Rose In honor of George Burns' 100th birthday in 1996, botanists created a ruffled flower with streaks of red, yellow, pink, and orange. They also gave it a lemony scent, making it as colorful and zesty as the comedian himself.
Jackson and Perkins, the iconic rose-peddling company, will allow anyone to name a new rose variety after themselves. All it requires is a small fee of $75,000.
(Title image credit: Flickr user Bart Everson)
Be sure to visit mental_floss' website and blog for more fun stuff!
The flower business might seem old-fashioned, but 1-800-FLOWERS is anything but behind the times. In the 1980s, it was one of the first businesses to operate a 1-800 number, taking calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And in 1991, during the Gulf War, the company made the risky move of ramping up its television ads on CNN. At the time, other businesses were pulling their ads from the channel, not wanting to be associated with the station's non-stop war coverage. But Jim McCann, president of 1-800-FLOWERS, saw it as an opportunity. He bought 24 ads for the price of one. The Gulf War made CNN the biggest cable new network in the world, and 1-800-FLOWERS reaped the benefits.
Then came the emergence of the internet. McCann launched 1-800-FLOWERS.com in 1995, and the company became the first merchant to sign a contract with AOL. By 1995, well before Google was conceived, 1-800-FLOWERS.com had deals in place with at least 13 other online service providers. And the innovation hasn't stopped. In July 2009, 1-800-FLOWERS.com became the first company to complete an e-commerce transaction entirely on Facebook.
WISTERIA HYSTERIA
On October 3, 2004, Americans met the ladies of Wisteria Lane -the famously fictional street that's home to TV's Desperate Housewives. In a matter of months, the rest of the world had been introduced to them, too. According to a 2006 survey of 20 countries, the program was the third most-watched TV series in the world, with 120 million viewers. (That's one of out every 55 people on the planet!) But not everyone watches the same cast members. In Latin America alone, there are five separate adaptations; each is a scene-for-scene remake using local actors.
Yet, nothing compares to the impact the show has had in Saudi Arabia. In May 2009, Wikileaks unearthed a diplomatic cable about the program, which reported that it's helped dissuade Saudi youth from radical Islam by giving them a favorable impression of the United States. According to the cable, "Saudis are now very interested in the outside world and everyone wants to study in the U.S. if they can. They are fascinated by U.S. culture in a way they never were before."
In a country where women can't vote, drive, or walk outside without a male guardian, the ladies of Wisteria Lane are showing them that life has more to offer, particularly in the way of drama.
FLOWER GIRLS
There's a reason why so many grandmas are named Rose and Daisy. During the first half of the 20th century, women were basically expected to name their pink bundle of joy after a flower. But as the nation entered the 1960s, the hippie generation became more interested in planting on vans than using them for baby names. Recently, however, floral names have begun cropping up again.
Watch Modern Family and you'll see Lily; read Us Weekly and you'll hear about Violet Affleck and Iris Law. While Rose has yet to make a full comeback, other flower names are definitely in bloom. Just check out the graph below:
A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME
Just as people can be named after flowers, flowers can be named after people. Here are some of our favorite celebrity buds.
Barbra Streisand Rose A notorious diva, Barbra Streisand once said that if a flower were ever named after her, she wanted it to smell good and be disease-resistant. Botanists bred this sweet, purple bloom with a hearty immune system just for her.
Julia Child Rose If you're wondering what sort of mouth-watering qualities land you the Child name, this one's the color of butter and smells of licorice.
Chihuly Rose This rose is fittingly named after Dale Chihuly, the master craftsman who's created some of the world's most colorful and elaborate glass sculptures. The petals of the Chihuly Rose change color with the light, turning from yellow to orange to red.
Dolly Parton Rose This hybrid tea rose has big double blooms, just like its country-crooning namesake.
George Burns Rose In honor of George Burns' 100th birthday in 1996, botanists created a ruffled flower with streaks of red, yellow, pink, and orange. They also gave it a lemony scent, making it as colorful and zesty as the comedian himself.
Jackson and Perkins, the iconic rose-peddling company, will allow anyone to name a new rose variety after themselves. All it requires is a small fee of $75,000.
(Title image credit: Flickr user Bart Everson)
_______________________
The article above, written by David Goldenberg and Adam K. Raymond, is reprinted with permission from the Scatterbrained section of the July-August 2011 issue of mental_floss magazine. Get a subscription to mental_floss and never miss an issue!Be sure to visit mental_floss' website and blog for more fun stuff!
Do you know which countries produce the most crude oil? That's the subject of today's Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss. You are challenged to name the 12 nations that produce the most oil (not the ones that have or export the most) in three minutes. There was only one left when I ran out of time. Link
Here it is, time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Tell us what this thing is, if you know. If you don't, make a wild guess!
Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you'd like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.
Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don't include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?
For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Have fun and good luck!
Update: the picture indeed shows us the inside of a Red Box DVD vending machine. The What Is It? Blog posted the video this picture was taken from. Marty McGuire knew the answer right off, but didn't select a t-shirt. The funniest answer came from Muno, who said this is one of the droids we were looking for! He wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop.
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The most ridiculous (and most difficult) online game in the world, QWOP, requires you to control a runner's legs with your keyboard. Now, for some reason, it has been made into a live-action story. -via The High Definite
P.S. While preparing this post, I found that it is possible to actually win the game! Link
Sunflowers were grown as a food crop thousands of years ago in North America, although they looked very different from modern flowers. Sunflower seeds were exported to Europe in the 16th century as ornamental plants. But it took Russian intervention to make it the huge oil-producing plant it is today.
Read about how the sunflower made its way back to America as a crop in this post at Kuriositas. Link -via the Presurfer
(Image credit: Flickr user Allen Hsu)
During Lent, the Russian Orthodox Church forbad its adherents from consuming oil. However, the oil of the sunflower was not on the prohibited list and the Russian people jumped on Peter’s bandwagon wholeheartedly. By the third decade of the nineteenth century sunflower oil was manufactured in Russia on a large and highly lucrative commercial scale.
Read about how the sunflower made its way back to America as a crop in this post at Kuriositas. Link -via the Presurfer
(Image credit: Flickr user Allen Hsu)
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By OK Go (with help from The Muppets). This is from The Green Album, available as of today. And it's not over when the fat lady sings! -via Metafilter
What's your idea of the items waiting for you in the perfect place? For many internet surfers, this collection from Jeff Wysaski at Pleated Jeans would fill the bill. It's a lot more encouraging than his (previously featured) Map of Hell. Link -via @johncfarrier
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Little Shiro is learning to climb, but he doesn't quite get the hang of it -yet. He's little, but he has his own blog. Link -via Say OMG
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