If horror writer H.P. Lovecraft were to write an advice column, it would be somewhat less useful than those of Miss Manners of Dear Abby, but much more entertaining. In an imaginary column by James Warner, here is a part of the response to a woman who received a letter from a man she dated once in high school.

Although humankind has a yearning toward whatever is redolent of mystery and allurement, it is well that certain lacunae in our knowledge should remain forever unfilled. Your shadowy correspondent’s mention of the ill-regarded numbers nineteen and three recalls an unutterable experiment performed on sticklebacks by the Swedish icthyologist Dalgaard. I dare not describe his observations, but he concluded that, the longer we can remain innocent of our place in the cosmos, the better it must augur for our mental integrity. He came to understand there was more meaning than is commonly supposed in the nebulous half-inscriptions found on abandoned wharves — while who knows what malign significance underlies the latest findings on the growth of angiosperms, or the cycle of the solar spots?

Oh, that's just the first letter. They get more bizarre from that point. Read several letters and Lovecraft's advice at The Bygone Bureau. Link -via Brightest Young Things

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Inspired by the soaring theme music of Koji Kondo, Mitchell Moffit turned The Legend of Zelda game into a Broadway-type musical! Animated by Moffit and Chris McGregor. The full credits are at the YouTube page, but I'll go ahead and tell you Tay Zonday is the voice of the Great Deku Tree. -via Geeks Are Sexy

 

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This is a sport that can only exist in animation: a combination of diving, skydiving, and synchronized swimming. It seems silly at first, but the movements become hypnotically beautiful. Animation by Paris Mavroidis; music by Kaki King. Link -via the Presurfer

Construction has begun on the Intercontinental Shimao Shanghai Wonderland, a 19-story hotel outside of Shanghai, China. Almost all those floors will be below ground level. Building them is not as difficult as you'd think at first, as the site is a former rock quarry and most of the underground digging has already been done. There will be an underwater restaurant at the bottom. See more pictures of the current site and future plans at Shanghaist. Link -via Gizmodo

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The obituary notice for Michael "Flathead" Blanchard has gone viral. It doesn't read like your ordinary, everyday funeral notice.

So many of his childhood friends that weren't killed in Vietnam went on to become criminals, prostitutes and/or Democrats. He asks that you stop by and re-tell the stories he can no longer tell. As the Celebration will contain Adult material we respectfully ask that no children under 18 attend.

You can read the rest, and leave a message in the guest book (like almost 500 people have already) at the Denver Post. Link -via reddit

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Pixar animation studio has some interesting perks for its creative staff. For one thing, employees can have a bowl of their favorite breakfast cereal anywhere, anytime. Strangely, I have the exact same job perk, except I pay for the groceries. However, those who work in traditional office setups find the Pixar cereal room simply fascinating. -via Laughing Squid

A vague bill now working its way through the Tennessee legislature could lead to unintended consequences. It may soon be illegal for teachers to mention kissing, hand-holding, and other "gateway sexual activities". From the bill summary:

Instruction of the family life education curriculum may not:

(1) Promote any gateway sexual activity or health message that encourages students to experiment with non-coital sexual activity;

But the bill does not define exactly what gateway activity is. Holding hands? Kissing? Possibly. Teachers will have to be careful because they don't yet know how the law will be interpreted.

Discouraging heavy petting and more intense shenanigans is one thing. But critics of the bill say it's so vague that activities as innocent as "holding hands and kissing could be considered gateways to sex," says Jerica Phillips at WMC-TV. The bill also says parents can file a complaint, triggering an official investigation, if they believe a teacher has mentioned or demonstrated a "gateway sexual activity." So watch out, teachers, says Jeanne Sager at The Stir. Hand-holding isn't just verboten for teenagers ... for you, it's "a fire-able offense."

The consequences of the bill would depend on definition of "gateway sexual activities" and who does the defining. Link

(Image credit: Flickr user Entrer dans le rêve)

The actual body of an owl is very much smaller than what it looks like with a covering of feathers. The shape of the bird looks like a vulture or something. Who would have thought it? The photo is of a stuffed Great Grey Owl from the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen, cross section and whole. Link -via Boing Boing

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It's time to play a game in collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog! Do you know what this thing is?

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 each win a 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?

Check out the What Is It? Blog for several additional pictures of this item (including closeups), and more mystery items. Good luck!

Update: the tool shown is a horseshoe calk sharpener, which can used without removing the shoe from the horse's foot. A calk is a spike that is used in icy conditions. See the patent here. And guess what? NO ONE came even close. But LostCrichton summed up that confusion by saying, "Don't quite reckon I know but it keeps the missus happy." As the funniest answer, that one wins a t-shirt! Thanks to everyone for playing this week. Find out the answers to all of this week's items at the What Is It? blog.

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A ship of cats and their trusty robot explore the final frontier. Then an enemy appears! There's also a making-of video in case you are interested, from Dastoli Digital. Link -via The Daily What Geek

by Patrique Roonquel L’Institut Sacre Bleu, Ashville, North Carolina In this paper we present inflexible evidence that increased oxidative stress was a primary triggering mechanism underlying the rise and fall of the Third Reich.

The Effects of Oxidative Stress on Cell Membranes

Figure one.

Cell membranes damaged by oxidative stress often become depleted of phospholipids, depriving them of essential fatty constituents that ensure proper flexibility and permeability. As phospholipid levels diminish, the cell barrier becomes "dried up" and stiff. In joint tissue, reactive oxygen species react synergistically with inflammatory mediators of the synovial membrane, causing synoviocytes to undergo a premature cell apoptosis. These mechanisms have been linked specifically to the development of chronic joint stiffening. Clinical evidence of this joint stiffening in the Third Reich is seen clearly in historic photographic evidence of the time period (see Figure 1).

The Effects of Oxidative Stress on Mitochondria

Increased oxidative stress also underlies mechanisms of neurodegeneration commonly observed in the pathogenesis of dementia. Oxidative damage to mitochondria causes a decrease in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) levels, interfering with glucose transport to cells in the brain. As a result, neurons deprived from receiving the essential "fuel" they require essentially "starve" to death, causing the onset of dementia.[2] Anecdotal evidence suggests that Hitler was demented [3-77,854]

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It's another movie quiz, but you know you love them! Evan Seitz gave us ABCinema in February and 123Films in March; now he's got another movie quiz in video form. Color Reel has quick representations of movies with a color in the title. How many can you name? -via Geek Are Sexy

The first James Bond film, Dr. No, was released in 1962. To celebrate its 50-year anniversary, Matt Needle made this art poster celebrating all 23 movies, including Skyfall, to be released this year. Can you decipher which icons represent each film? The print is on sale through Needle's site. Link -via Geek Tyrant

The Canadian Avalanche Rescue Cat Association (CARCA) is the brainchild of Steve Ruskay, whose vision of a unit of trained rescue cats met with initial enthusiasm and then ridicule. From the website:

We are a small group of volunteers dedicated to the training and use of domestic cats in emergency avalanche rescue procedures.

We feel that with proper training, cats can be just as effective – and in some cases, more effective – than dogs, and certainly more effective than traditional probe line techniques.

The group offers training videos and has a documentary about the project for sale. Publications that cast doubt on the seriousness of the project are labeled as canine propaganda. Link -via Metafilter

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Boo doesn't like to be left out of the bedroom. And he wants to be fed on time! -via The Daily What