Bait Car

Maybe it's the gin and tonics i've had here at work, but this is an astonishing video. Apparently, from what i can gather without trying very hard, Canada has program called Bait Car, where they include a little video cam in a car they try to trick folks into stealing.

In this piece, we are introduced to the catch-phrase "Oncoming!" which is yelled by the car thief as he barrels through a red light. I highly recommend the "stopping to steal a gameboy from a parked car" moment in the video.

This piece is really fantastic. Check it out - with more info - from the WFWM blog.

It's really important here that you pay attention to the fact that the post comes from the WFMU blog, which stands - with Pharyngula and Boing Boing and Hoffmania and TUAW, as my current 5 tops. Turn off your "Oh, another blog?!" cynicism and just follow them for a while. They're worth it. Even if you get bored with many 'FMU radio shows, the blog is a gem (word o' the day, russell).

desert storm

desert storm, originally uploaded by llaitner.

What the HELL am i doing in Brooklyn?

Parappa Song Performed Live!

Okay, if you've played Parappa the Rappa you'll probably find this fascinating. Otherwise, it may seem even more disturbing to you than to those of us in category one.

Some folks and their buddies have performed live Chapter Four from Parappa, the Chicken in the Pot level. Here's a direct link to the video at Google Video. Watch it now!

There's actually more info on the piece - something about a bachelor's thesis, "marketing games through live performance," or sumthin', but it all comes down to signing lines like this with your friend on keyboards:

Heat up the oven, now we're on a roll...
Cheap cheap cheap's the name of my soul...

The other day I was called a little turkey...
But I'm a chicken, got it?! Ya beef jerky!

Pong Clock Widget

Heavens Above!

Having discovered and dreamed of getting my own Pong Clock, now anyone can! For free!

A dashboard widget (mac osx 10.4 only) has been made. Get it at apple.com.

There's Hope

(Curious George, Universal Pictures)

Hey! It looks pretty cute. That "Show My the Monkey" tagline had me fearing the worst, but, well, maybe Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore, David Cross and Eugene Levy are not heading for a trainwreck.

The Washington Post Thinks This Internet Thing's Gonna Catch On

Okay, you may not have heard, but about a week ago, the Washington Post dot com published an article that stated that Abramoff had given contributions to both major parties. This article was posted on a section of their site called Post.Blog, which allowed user comments. Understandably, considering how strongly the GOP and Bush Administration are pushing this very point of confusion, visitors went wild. Comments - according to the Post - got out of hand and started including personal attacks and profanity, both of which violated their "policy." Comments were turned off, and folks have been ranting and raving all over the place since.

No errata has issued.

Well, the point of this post here at Chelicerata is not to harp on this fact, but to point out a couple of very funny facts that I just learned on the McNeil-Lehrer Hour on PBS just now.

The comment system, as set up, had:

1. No Registration System
2. No automatica Profanity Filter

WHA?

If you don't built websites for a living, this may not mean anything to you, but let me say that it's completely baffling that no one thought that this might not work!! The Editor of washingpoint.com was on there, talking about how he's still interested in "this space" [comments from users], but they realize that they're not going to be able to handle this manually.

Oh - ya THINK?!

This is almost like The Post leaving a public "delete this page" button on every page of their site, and then, as they try to go into their backups to get their entirely deleted site back, saying "you know, we've decided that these delete buttons are probably not a good plan."

Wow.

"Inconceivable!"

Raised "doubts?"

Long Way to Go

Why does even the mention of Brokeback Mountain makes adults sound like little brats? As if the very existence of this movie is the set up for a punchline? Are you fucking 12 years old?

Don Imus and Chris Matthews giggle together.

Update (1/24): Bush and his Kansas audience giggle. Still, it's fun to watch Bush attempt to express no opinion.

An audience member asks Bush if he has seen Brokeback Mountain, and then tells him he'd "love it." Crooks and Liars has video of the question, including other fun "Bush can't talk to humans" moments.

And NY Daily News, do you think your own headline is funny?

People also covers the tale, adding that Scotty McClellan later emailed the LA Times to, um, clarify the non-response. I see.

The student indicated he was a rancher. The president was simply saying he hopes he goes back to the ranch. Ranchers and farmers are an important part of our society.

Got it.

Cranbrook Statues and Sun

dancing-girls, originally uploaded by alteredphotographics.

Another beautiful shot of the Cranbrook/Kingswood campus in Michigan.

The Hits Just Keep Coming

So, yesterday - Sunday - was the anniversary (30th?) of the Roe vs. Wade decision.

How does George W mark the date? By proclaiming it the National Sanctity of Human Life Day.

You fuckin KIDDING me?

From the "proclamation"

National Sanctity of Human Life Day is an opportunity to strengthen our resolve in creating a society where every life has meaning and our most vulnerable members are protected and defended including unborn children, the sick and dying, and persons with disabilities and birth defects. This is an ideal that appeals to the noblest and most generous instincts within us, and this is the America we will achieve by working together.

WFMU's Beware of the Blog: Boney M. (video, mp3, midi)

When I was about 12, I went on a "family european vacation." My Aunt H asked a favor of me on the trip. She said she hoped I could find a tape for her when we were in London, because, i suppose, she had some idea that it was only available in Europe or something.

I don't remember the name of the album, but it was by the band known as Boney M. I knew nothing about them, could barely even understand what those 6 letters meant, and why they were somehow the name of a band. It was all very odd to me.

I did end up finding the tape for her in HMV in London (where I also found the Cocteau Twins albums Victorialand, Head Over Heels and Treasure), and never thought of it again.

Today - seventy five years later - I noticed on WFMU's site a lovely musical bio of Boney M, which is a fascinating read - especially if you know my Aunt.

It all started in 1975 when German producer Frank Farian scored a hit under the pseudonym Boney M. with 'Baby Do You Wanna Bump?'. He decided that he needed some good-looking dancers and singers to present to the public, and so the band Boney M. came into being.

Read the whole thing.

Orson Scott Card Likes His Version Better

OH, jesus. Orson Scott Card is excellent sci-fi author (Ender's Game is his most famous).

But - having also found that he's an ass about homosexual marriage - we now he can add Intelligent [sic] Design supporter to his resume. PZ Meyers at Pharyngula unpacks the errors and the incoherences and lays them bare to see.

As Mr Meyers notes, it's not so much a defense of ID as much as a babbling rant based on versions of arguments and ideas that he seems to have made up in his head. As if the debate was a book he was writing, where he could bend the discussions to whatever story he wanted to tell. No, Orson, this topic is of real people and real ideas that you have to understand on their own terms - they exist outside of your own mind.

PZ Meyers writers a great rebuttal, if you have a little time, and it demonstrates what an intelligent and cogent writer and evolution/education defender PZ Meyers is. It's a fine way to meet this man, my favorite science blog writer.

And don't miss that homophobic article. It's called Homosexual "Marriage" and Civilization. Quotes are his. I can pretty much just drop my cursor ANYwhere in that article, and come out with a gem like this:

Just because homosexual partners wish to be called "married" and wish to force everyone else around them to regard them as "married," does not mean that their Humpty-Dumpty-ish wish should be granted at the expense of the common language, democratic process, and the facts of human social organization.

However emotionally bonded a pair of homosexual lovers may feel themselves to be, what they are doing is not marriage. Nor does society benefit in any way from treating it as if it were.

Off to bowl...

World of Nintendo Catalog, 1990

To continue our Nintendo theme today, i present to you a set of scans of The World of Nintendo Catalog, 1990. Jef, that would make a lovely Halloween costume, right?

Doppelganger

I don't think i should be, but I'm always a bit self-conscious when I'm riding the subway playing my game boy and listening to the ipod.

But when I'm doing it sitting next to a guy who looks like me, is also listening to an ipod, is also playing his own game boy, and is playing the same damn game - in that case (like this morning) i feel extra self-conscious. And kinda nauseous.

The game, if you really need to know, is Final Fantasy IV. Pretty fun. I just travelled to the Magma World to try to collect the rest of the World Crystals. Good times.

The Best Lips for the Job

Our friend the face transplant mystery star is back in the news! Apparently, facts trickle out in pre-formatted Headline Shape, from which this worthy addition to the legend comes...

Doctor: New lips not made for smoking

Face transplant recipient's smoking could interfere with healing

Past chelicerata notes:
"patch of face, chilled"
Face Transplant is Freakin Me Out

Precise Efforts

What a brain. About halfway it gets pretty conscious.

Update:There's crappy-ass music with this video! Be sure to turn off/down your audio if you play this - or just turn down the volume slider in the player.

Thank God It's Over

Define 'lazy', originally uploaded by Ogster.

Last december i was "lucky" enough to be able to signup for a bunch of magazines through a friend's sister for about $3 each for the year.

Like the end of a microwave popcorn popping experience, where you are supposed to take the bag out when the popping slows, i believe that the magazine arrival/popping is now entirely complete. It's over, done, and I'm so damn grateful.

Never did like those darn physical-space-taking-up things...

(of course, this pic's not my own stack, but you get the point)

Are Ya Gonna Ho My Way?

If just seeing his face makes you violent, yer gonna LOVE this press release.

Via The Onion's AV Club.

(gasp - what a dumb pun!)

Quality of Light

mantelpiece continued, originally uploaded by photuomey.

I recently found this photographer on flickr, and have been pretty smitten. The quality of light that he/she gets is really incredible. it's inspiring me to consider a real DSLR camera in place of my lil (mostly) point/shoot, but don't let that comment take away from my respect for the photographer's own skills!

Keep 'Em Straight, Episode 1

In this very first edition of Keep 'Em Straight, I lay out a few examples of stuff related to a several famous people that for one reason or another I keep mixing up in my mind. It's not that they look alike or play similar characters, necessarily, but there are groupings like this that happen to me.

Maybe this will help others.

Kurt Russell
- Escape From New York
- Tango and Cash
- Captain Ron
- Stargate

Jeff Daniels
- Terms of Endearment
- Tanner '88
- Dumb and Dumber
- The Squid and the Whale

Jeff Bridges
- Tron
- Starman
- The Fabulous Baker Boys
- The Big Lebowski

Cuban Spider

This is a bit of a test post of Google Video. This is a "Cuban Spider" in a sink.

Orange Ya Glad You're Pregnant?

Jill and I were talking the other day about Gwyneth Paltrow being pregnant again, and how it opened the door to some truly horrible headlines. Leave it to E! to start the parade.

(And don't miss the alternate metaphor - from the headline -in the first line of the story)

Skinny one

Scorpion, originally uploaded by dboot.

This one's long and skinny - and on the large size you can see the texture along the tail. A real - unnerving -beaut.

Fog in Brooklyn

DSCN3202.JPG, originally uploaded by cricketheron.

It was a beautiful foggy day this morning in Brooklyn. I had a chance to add to the Brooklyn Tech series...

President Clears It Up

I don't know how I missed this earlier, but on February 4th of 2005, GWB gave this little rundown (transcript from whitehouse.gov) of exactly what his proposal was to fix social security. The question is from a woman in the audience in Tampa, Florida:

Q: How is it the new plan is going to fix
that problem?

THE PRESIDENT: Because the -- all which is on the table begins to
address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate,
for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon
wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the
formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those
different cost drivers, affecting those -- changing those with personal
accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be
-- or closer delivered to what has been promised.

Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled. Look,
there's a series of things that cause the -- like, for example,
benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to
the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate -- the
benefits will rise based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases.
There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into
effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised
benefits grow, if those -- if that growth is affected, it will help on
the red.

Okay, better? I'll keep working on it. (Laughter.)

May God bless it - to our understanding.

Chelicerate Pattern

20060101-135502, originally uploaded by seancoady.

Someone seems to have gotten a little carried away in the design of this museum layout of chelicerata, but it's still a wonderful collection of all the little buggers in one place. Click through for a bigger shot!

Rule to Live By

Don't throw a mouse into the fire.

Got it. Now back to my life...

(via Pharyngula)

Screw You Guys, I'm Gyoin' Hyome...

Sen Ted Stevens from Alaska, who cried like a baby when the ANWR (Alaska) drilling provision that Republicans stuck into a military funding bill was rejected, says he has "written off" his former so-called senator "friends":

I'm not traveling with them anymore, and I'm not going to play tennis or swim or do various things with them.

(via ThinkProgress)

Frosty the Cocteau Twin

The (excellent) blog Chromewaves (named, i assume, after the Ride song) has a post up that include a link to

The Cocteau Twins Performing Frosty The Snowman

No joke.

Texas Scorpion

Texas Scorpion, originally uploaded by LadyLong.

An excellent way to start the week. Macworld San Francisco starts today...not that i care or anything...

Suzanne Tate: Harry Horseshoe Crab

Suzanne Tate writes children's books about animals and nature, and the books are often used in educational contexts because of their scientific accuracy. The above excerpt is from Harry Horseshoe Crab, and the captured moment was too adorable to pass up mention here.

Couchbike

The couchbike speaks for itself. But know that it journeyed through maritime Canada...

(via Gizmodo)

I'm So Fucking Sorry For You

CNN.com - Text of DeLay's letter - Jan 7, 2006

Dear Colleague,

Today, I have asked Speaker Hastert to convene our conference for the purpose of electing a new majority leader, the position I have been honored to fill these past three years through the trust and confidence of our colleagues.

During my time in Congress, I have always acted in an ethical manner within the rules of our body and the laws of our land. I am fully confident time will bear this out.

However, we live in serious times and the United States House of Representatives must be focused on the job of protecting our nation and meeting the daily challenges facing the American people. History has proven that when House Republicans are united and focused, success follows.

While we wage these important battles, I cannot allow our adversaries to divide and distract our attention. I will continue to stand up for the issues I care so deeply about and work with you all on these priorities. I am constantly thankful for the support of my constituents in recent days as well as over the years they have allowed me to serve them. I will continue to work every day to fulfill their trust, and yours.

Regards, Tom DeLay

was drink of crackleware

The title of this post is the subject of a piece of spam i received today, a gem that included the following text at its end - after a push for a specific stock.

good many hours here. I never thought, when I used to read books, grisly hand to his chin betrayed some trepidation or surprise. Private Parliament in Buckingham Street, after I came home from the about my poor mothers second husband, and that murdering woman of comrades, and his brown face brightened with a smile, I felt that I have deserved this, said Emily, but its dreadful. Dear, dear What. Did you ever see a crocodile overcome? inquired my aunt. Emilys dread of death - which, added to what Mr. Omer had told me, reference to our scrambling household arrangements; but I had got own home, in that second marriage; and never do both me and her the that I did not forget how interested he had always been in her, and youll bear in mind about the money, as theers at all times some

That was its own, standalone paragraph. Drink it in...

"60% of What You Say Is Crap"

Spanked!

Dave Letterman lets Bill O'Reilly have it, right to his face. Sir, you may now sit the FUCK DOWN.

Crooks & Liars has the video clip and transcript.

Horseshoe crab shell

Horseshoe crab shell, originally uploaded by ammcnamara79.

Our first chelicerate of the year!

Sing To Me!

Abramoff pleads guilty..."setting the stage for prosecutors to begin using him as a cooperating witness against his former business and political colleagues." Heh, heh. Lay. Tuh.

"Your honor, words will not be able to ever express how sorry I am for this, and I have profound regret and sorrow for the multitude of mistakes and harm I have caused," he said. "All of my remaining days, I will feel tremendous sadness and regret for my conduct and for what I have done. I only hope that I can merit forgiveness from the Almighty and from those I have wronged or caused to suffer. I will work hard to earn that redemption."

I will work hard to earn that redemption. What do you suppose that means?

There are some scared shitless folks in washington these days.

Not much of an "I'll See You In Hell!!" kinda guy, eh?

(ThinkProgress has a comprehensive summary of Abramoff connections)

Cartoon Skeletons

Absolutely beautiful sketches of what the skeleton would look like for various cartoon characters, from a guy nameed Michael Paulus. If you like his stuff, why not visit his main site and tell him so!

Thanks to Jef for the link!