Biomes Blog

Entry #2451: Out of Tune With the Voters

Tuesday coonhound blogging: Coonhounds have a habit of looking up whenever they hear a noise, even one as faint as a moth makes. I managed to save this lunar moth before she completely destroyed it.

I’m sad to say that this is one of the mayoral candidates running in Providence. Republicans don’t have a monopoly on Palin-level stupidity. And looking at the related videos, the guy’s an insane religious fanatic to boot. (Thanks, Kara)

The origin of the phrase ‘to boot’.

Now we’re cookin’: Cook for peace.

Stuff you should know: How to forecast the weather yourself, without gadgets.

Entry #2450: Nuggitz Be Crispy

Albino Monday: Hans sends in this video of an erythristic salamander.

Tony has a beautiful sunset photo up.

Today’s long read is an exploration into what would happen ecologically if mosquitoes were eradicated world-wide. Surprisingly, the answer is "not much", and a lot of lives would be saved.

Soviet Russia, from 1945 to 2010, but blended.

You can read a review of Wendy’s from a kid in Waltham, MA posting on Google Maps.

Entry #2449: Like They're Supposed to Be

This week’s Green Thing is Biodiversity Hotspots, featuring the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on Earth.

Morford: America out of Iraq now! Oh wait...

This sandstorm invaded a village in China at the rate of 70 feet per minute.

Jesus venn diagram.

Buy your cdo t-shirt here.

Entry #2448: Rock Bridge and Braces

Saturday’s slide show is a collection of engineering wonders.

Eighteen months of braces in under sixty seconds is a pretty dramatic orthodontic demonstration.

Learn about some unusually helpful tips using toothpaste and rubber bands.

Dead blogs are clogging up the intertubes. Sadly, faithful reader Jim D is among the casualties.  I discovered Jim when I stumbled upon his other dead blog, written by his dog named Freddie, back in Entry #467.

Entry #2447: Committed No Crime

Geek Stuff: Some college kids turned the school observatory into a giant R2-D2.

Play! Test your reflexes with sheep dash.

Crazy Ninja Girl. She’s nine-years-old.

Over the past year Hans and Raj have been sending in a steady stream of links. I have no idea who you guys are, but thanks.

Cool Site off the Week: Use this tool to track ships working in the Gulf of Mexico or anywhere else in the world.

iPod Shuffle:

1. I Can't Tell You Why (The Eagles)
2. We Are The Champions (Queen)
3. Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen)
4. Mozambique (Bob Dylan)
5. American Tune (Paul Simon)

Entry #2446: Glama lyssavirus

Animal of the week: Rabid Llamas.

Hans sends in this must-see gallery of female professional tennis players in slow motion. It’s called The Beauty of the Game.

At 400 years, the ocean quahog is the longest lived animal. There are nine other runners-up, but of these I was most surprised by the bowhead whale, which can live for 211 years.

Feng Shui is nonsense, of course. But here are some tips for your kid’s dorm room anyway.

Fifteen toys that will make your children fat.

Entry #2445: Nice Bright Colors

It’s amazing that no one was injured when this Pepsi truck jumped a barrier and crashed. It’s also amazing that that little car next to it caused this mess.

The main difference between Lefties and Conservatards. And related, we have this chart of health care spending by country.

The last roll of Kodachrome film has been processed.

Hump day musical interlude:

Entry #2444: Don't Dump Wasabi

Tuesday coonhound blogging: A big male redbone at the dog park.

Now we’re cookin’: Sushi etiquette.

I can’t make sense out of this collection of photos, but they’re oddly beautiful.

Welcome to the 2010 Danish national rabbit hopping championship.

A moose and his girl.

Entry #2443: A Brand New Ray

Albino Monday: A white-backed robin (via Hans).

Since I was a kid I’ve wanted to see an oarfish. I probably won’t get the chance, but one did wash up on a beach in Sweden.

For now, a stingray will have to do. She's nameless now, but this is one a friend caught for me this week. She's about the size of a frisbee.

Seven amazing home remedies.

It’s pretty stunning to learn that Facebook gets nearly a half billion visits a month.

Entry #2442: Nobody Votes

Meet the ten most colorful towns on earth.

This week’s Green Thing: Dr. Seuss turned 106 not too long ago. Here are some things (one and two) that he inspired.

Lonely? New in town? Rent a friend.

Here is the cover of the Beatle’s “Abby Road” album. And here is a live webcam of the Abby Road crossing. Anyone know why the road lines are crooked?

Vote for Nobody and Nobody will win.

Entry #2441: The Urban Spaceman

Saturday’s slide show is astronauts doing ordinary things.

 

Pet corner: Learn how to give your opossum a proper pedicure.

Sean Connery hasn’t aged in twenty years.

Buy your camera lens mug here.

Entry #2440: Time Gone By

Forced perspective photography examples.

More food abominations.

A new study shows that religious people tend to be more racist than atheists and agnostics.

Geek Stuff: Time may be disappearing from the universe.

iPod Shuffle:

1. I Should Be Laughing (Patty Smyth)
2. Badlands (Bruce Springsteen)
3. Everything Is Broken (Bob Dylan)
4. Layla (Eric Clapton, live)
5. Some Say (Rascal Flatts)

Entry #2439: A Darb's Ray-Bans

 

Taken in 1940, this pic was used by many as proof that time travel exists, arguing that nobody back then dressed in designer sun glasses, printed tee-shirt and sweater and holding a portable camera. This has, of course, been thoroughly debunked item by item.

Knucklehead gets the trivia right. It's the Wave Rock, found in Hyden, Australia.

Jesus says “Ta dah!!!”.

Some guy saved his own life by punching a polar bear in the nose.

Day after hump day musical interlude: In Our Talons, by the Bowerbirds.

.

Entry #2438: The Luckiest People on Earth

Trivia (10 Biomes points): What is this formation called?

Taxi companies in Quincy, IL got the town to make it illegal for a guy to volunteer his time driving intoxicated people home in order to keep them from driving. He’s been arrested twice already because he can’t get the $10 license that would allow him to continue.

At 111, Sogen Kato was to be honored as Tokyo’s oldest resident. Except he’s been dead for 30 years.

Hump day musical interlude:

Entry #2437: Creole, Lucinda Williams and Casey Jones

Tuesday coonhound blogging: Creole, and her new friends Lucy and Jones, harass the owner of a "small dog" mutt. The under 30-pound dogs are isolated from the big guys. That's Jonesy on the left, and Lucy in the center. Seriously, if you're under 30 pounds, you're not really a dog. Click to bigger it.

How to defeat right-wing propaganda in three minutes.

Now we’re cookin’: Alternative recipes for your waffle iron.

Stuff you should know: The most common medical errors and how to prevent them.

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateahaumaitawhitiurehaeaturipuk-
akapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is the longest place name, and there are four others nearly as long.