A nifty DIY mono-chromatic clock
Here's another nifty find from the brilliant minds at ladyada & Adafruit Industries. While this simple retro clock kit might not appeal to today's youth, those of us who grew up with Ataris and coin-op arcades will appreciate the elegant simplicity of this masterpiece. Retro enthusiasts and DIY hobbiests alike definitely need to check out the Mono-chromatic clock!
The Warrior Song
I'm not really big on direct marketing, but in this case I'm happy to make an exception. I've never made a secret of the fact that I served my country. In fact, I'm quite proud of it. Some people, however, prefer a more indirect approach such as supporting the men and women of our Armed Forces. One such individual is Sean Householder, the man behind The Warrior Project. Sean wrote and produced an incredible video dedicated to all members of the United States Armed Forces titled The Warrior Song. It is viewable online, and an mp3 of the song is freely available to all service members, or available to the general public for a modest fee. Also available are video downloads, as well as tshirt and dvd sales. All proceeds benefit the Armed Forces Relief Trust.
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I've got the reach and the teeth of a killin' machine, with a need to bleed you when the light goes green,
best believe, I'm in a zone to be, from my Yin to my Yang to my Yang Tze. Put a
grin on my chin when you come to me, 'cuz I'll win, i'm a one-of-a-kind and I'll bring death
to the place you're about to be: another river of blood runnin' under my feet.
Forged in a fire lit long ago, stand next to me, you'll never stand alone. I'm
last to leave, but the first to go, Lord, make me dead before you make me old. I
feed on the fear of the devil inside of the enemy faces in my sights:
aim with the hand, shoot with the mind, kill with a heart like arctic iceI am a soldier and I'm marching on, I am a warrior and this is my song
I bask in the glow of the rising war, lay waste to the ground of an enemy shore,
wade through the blood spilled on the floor, and if another one stands I'll kill some more.
Bullet in the breach and a fire in me, like a cigarette thrown to gasoline,
if death don't bring you fear, I swear, you'll fear these marchin' feet.
Come to the nightmare, come to me, deep down in the dark where the devil be, in the
maw with the jaws and the razor teeth, where the brimstone burns and the angel weeps.
Call to the gods if I cross your path and my silhouette hangs like a body bag;
hope is a moment now long past, the shadow of death is the one I cast.I am a soldier and I'm marching on, I am a warrior and this is my song
My eyes are steel and my gaze is long, I am a warrior and this is my songNow I live lean and I mean to inflict the grief, and the least of me's still out of your reach. The
killing machine's gonna do the deed, until the river runs dry and my last breath leaves.
Chin in the air with a head held high, I'll stand in the path of the enemy line.
Feel no fear, know my pride: for God and Country I'll end your life.I am a soldier and I'm marching on, I am a warrior and this is my song
My eyes are steel and my gaze is long, I am a warrior and this is my song
So much for security
A fifteen-year-old girl was brutally beaten at a Seattle area bus stop recently while under the watchful eye of three security guards. The shocking, and unprovoked, attack was caught on CCTV and shows the three guards watching as the girl is beaten into unconsciousness for her iPod. The most incredible thing? The security company backed the guards' action (or lack thereof), stating that they are trained to 'observe and report.' What's so sad is that even after the beating was over, not one of the guards even checked to see if the unconscious girl was ok! They just let her lie there! Don't believe me? Watch the video and see for yourself!
Record Tripping
Good work, NYPD
In an outstanding display of brilliant police work, the NYPD arrested a high-profile suspect on Monday. Twelve-year-old Alexa Gonzalez was placed in handcuffs and brought down to the local precinct at the end of the school day for (are you ready for this?) drawing on a desk with a lime-green erasable marker. That's right folks, the act of doodling is now an arrestable offense. The unsupecting junior high student was killing time while waiting for her Spanish teacher to pass out homework and scribbled "I love my friends Abby and Faith" and "Lex was here. 2/1/10" above a small smiley face. Instead of simply erasing it (it was an erasable marker, after all), police were notified and the child was handcuffed in front of the class and brought to the police station where she was held for several hours before being released to her mother. Despite the departments' apology (only issued after a full investigation), this is just the latest in a string of increasingly rediculous arrests by the NYPD including the handcuffing, arrest, and subsequent commital of a five year old boy to a mental hospital for crying at preschool. Way to go, NYPD. Keep protecting us from all those dangerous children.
The Grim Reapurrrrr
Ever since he was six months old, Oscar the cat has exibited an uncanny ability to sense death. Oscar the cat was adopted from an animal shelter by the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island for use as a therapy cat for patients. He quickly took to sitting with patients and the staff began to notice a pattern: shortly after Oscar curled up, the patients would die. Sound creepy? Thus far, oscar has accurately predicted over fifty deaths! I'm not going to tell you the whole story, I'll let you read that from the Reuters article that inspired this post. However, I will ask this... would you find the presence of this so-called therapy cat comforting or alarming were it to curl up next to you?
In the event your aircraft explodes in mid air…
One would certainly hope that the sentiment expressed in the title of this post is never actually a condition of flight, but on the outside chance that you do find yourself in freefall, it's nice to know that survival may be possible. There have been a handful of reported instances of people falling from as high as 35,000 feet and living to tell the tale, and several groups have extensively studied this phenomenon in an attempt to better your chances should the need arise. If you think you might have need for this knowledge, or are just possessed by a slightly morbid curiosity, check out this article from Popular Mechanics.
The perils of uninformed translation
Ok... I'm all about tattoos, and those who know me will also recognize my love for linguistics. When I came across this gem I knew it had to be shared. I've seen my share of bad ink (seriously, there are already a million other people out there who have poorly, and permanently, etched into their flesh), and much of it can be attributed to the so-called cool kids trying to fit in by getting the same crappy flash art that everyone else is getting, but there are a few notable exceptions. The worst of these is the ever-popular fad of getting your favorite phrase, quote, or scripture inked in another language. Come on people... getting a tattoo in another language is one thing (I have one in German and one drawn up in Gaelic), but unless you are capable of making the translation yourself (read "without an online translator") don't get it! Online translators always fail, and they don't even tell you when they're failing! They assume you're smart enough to realize it yourself! J. Harker from Wayard Classics explores some of the more entertaining Latin failures.
Famous art – not always as it appears
Everyone should recognize most of the pieces featured in the referenced article. However, even those who study the classics probably haven't noticed the shocking, and in many cases disturbing, easter eggs that are hidden throughout these and many other famous works of art.
WARNING: Some (if not most) of the pictures in this article are definitely not safe for work! You have been warned...
Email grab bag #2
The second installation in the email grab bag series, this post will likely be shorter than most. Not much has been sent out the past few weeks likely due to everyone's fascination with their new toys post-holidays. I suspect things will return to normal once the new-toy smell wears off. Nevertheless, there have been a few gems sent and I thought it was time to share them!
The following demonstrates the so-called power of a badge quite nicely in my opinion.
A DEA officer stops at a ranch in Texas, and talks with an old rancher. He tells the rancher, "I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs." The rancher says, "Okay, but do not go in that field over there," as he points out the location.
The DEA officer verbally explodes yelling, "Mister, I have the authority of the Federal Government with me." Reaching into his rear pants pocket, he removes his badge and proudly displays it to the rancher. "See this badge? This badge means I am allowed to go wherever I wish.... On any land. No questions asked or answers given. Have I made myself clear? Do you understand?"
The rancher nods politely, apologizes, and goes about his chores.
A short time later, the old rancher hears loud screams and sees the DEA officer running for his life chased by the rancher's big Santa Gertrudis bull.
With every step the bull is gaining ground on the officer, and it seems likely that he'll get gored before he reaches safety. The officer is clearly terrified. The rancher throws down his tools, runs to the fence and yells at the top of his lungs "Your badge! Show him your badge!!!"
Somehow I saw this coming...
The following is a parody of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's infamous sketch "Who's on first?". It is an attempt to bring that timeless classic into the 21st century.
Abbot: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
Costello: Thanks I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
Abbott: Mac?
Costello: No, the name's Lou.
Abbott: Your computer?
Costello: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
Abbott: Mac?
Costello: I told you, my name's Lou.
Abbott: What about Windows?
Costello: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
Abbott: Do you want a computer with Windows?
Costello: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
Abbott: Wallpaper.
Costello: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
Abbott: Software for Windows?
Costello: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
Abbott: Office.
Costello: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
Abbott: I just did.
Costello: You just did what?
Abbott: Recommend something.
Costello: You recommended something?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: For my office?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
Abbott: Office.
Costello: Yes, for my office!
Abbott: I recommend Office with Windows.
Costello: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
Abbott: Word.
Costello: What word?
Abbott: Word in Office.
Costello: The only word in office is office.
Abbott: The Word in Office for Windows.
Costello: Which word in office for windows?
Abbott: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.
Costello: I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
Abbott: Money.
Costello: That's right. What do you have?
Abbott: Money.
Costello: I need money to track my money?
Abbott: It comes bundled with your computer.
Costello: What's bundled with my computer?
Abbott: Money.
Costello: Money comes with my computer?
Abbott: Yes. No extra charge.
Costello: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
Abbott: One copy.
Costello: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
Abbott: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
Costello: They can give you a license to copy money?
Abbott: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
Abbott: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
Costello: How do I turn my computer off?
Abbott: Click on 'START'.............
Keep your eyes open for the next email grab bag!