mental_floss Blog » Allison Keene

The Weekend Links

Allison Keene — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:18:02 +0000

There’s a never ending supply of websites featuring pets doing silly, amazing, cute or preposterous things. Why? Because we obviously cannot get enough of them! (there’s a thesis paper in there somewhere, I can sense it). In any case, here’s another one, found by Whitney: Sad Pets in Costumes.
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Sleeping in your own bed after a long trip, being able to carry all the groceries from the car in one swoop, that miracle of science when the amount of toilet paper left on the toll is the exact amount you need – these are just some of the quietly awesome things in life, but here are a whole bunch more: 1000 awesome things.
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We can now officially say “there are plants who have more personality than you!” Apparently, plants have a social life, too
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A beautiful and haunting site: the Suitcase Exhibition: “When Willard Psychiatric Center in New York’s Finger Lakes closed in 1995, workers discovered hundreds of suitcases in the attic of an abandoned building. Many of them appeared untouched since their owners packed them decades earlier before entering the institution.”
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Feeling fishy? Check out one of these 7 Over-the-Top Aquariums. I am chuffed to see my own Georgia Aquarium here in Atlanta is featured – and yes, those grouper really are that huge!
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When desiring to become an Evil Overlord, there are certain things you should remember: be sure your ventilation ducts are too small to crawl through; never utter the sentence “but before I kill you there’s just one thing I want to know” to the hero; if you have usurped your brother’s power and kingdom, dispose of him and don’t just keep him locked up in a dingy cellar that anyone could access! Of course, these are only a few of the 100 Things any good genre savvy overlord would do.
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I don’t know if anyone else remembers those commercials the NFL used to do toward the end of the season where they would feature fictional pre-season conversations about players who were “certain” to blow up (who turned out to be duds), or teams who were losers (but ended up going almost undefeated), but I loved them. In that same vein, Page 2 looks back at 12 of the least-prescient athletic predictions of the past half-century.

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Wanting to measure up to Hollywood’s ideal of women is tough, but what about when the men get in on it, too? (and succeed!) Here are 10 Movie Men who look doggone fierce in drag
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WonderHowTo has the story (and plenty more pictures) of this insanely ginormous treehouse in Crossville, Tennessee.
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Here’s what one well-known company’s manual probably looks like.
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Zombies, vampires, ninjas, pirates … Vikings! On a scale of awesomeness, Vikings still rank pretty high (any fans of True Blood? “Wherever I am … there will be women” – Viking Eric, pre-vampire). Of those, here are 7 worthy Vikings of note.
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From the Annals of Too Much Time: Is there something going around? Everyone seems to be making incredible movie mashup videos lately. The newest find for me: 100 Best Movie Lines in 200 Seconds (*not a substitute for a minor in Film Studies but … close).
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Even More! Very strange and funny signs.
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To be honest, going forward, here are 10 annoying phrases that serve no purpose. At the end of the day, whatever. It is what it is. (I could go on all day!)
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Is it late? Are you starving? Or is it daytime and you just want a quick nosh? Confused about where to go and when you can go there? This tongue-and-cheek chart of “which fast food should I eat?” is a handy guide.
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Do you want to type like Doogie Houser? Better question: who wouldn’t? Dark Copy can turn your monitor screen into part typewriter, part DOS for those who miss the old days.
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Some people claim that the internet has ruined newspapers, TV, music, movies, Microsoft … and probably a host of other things. But how did this happen? And has it really caused the destruction some have foretold? (Thanks to Sarah!)
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A shirt every alien visitor should have: the ingredients for being human.
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Finally, in the category of “Why Not?” – pregnant male sea horses (looks like they’re just hanging around gossiping)
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I hope everyone has a great weekend – thanks for sending in such great links! Keep submitting your finds to FlossyLinks@gmail.com!

[Last Weekend's Links]

Oregano: The Spice of Life

Allison Keene — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:56:56 +0000

• As you are getting ready to plan your Thanksgiving meal, you may want to include a dash of oregano into the proceedings (although it’s more of a seasoning for Italian dishes … no matter!) – be like Arthur Ashe, who put it on everything!

• The name oregano comes from the Greek for “joy of the mountain.” It is a member of the mint family, and is often confused (by sight) for its cousin marjoram. Just never confuse it with basil … that swap once sent Alex Trebek over the edge!

• Proof that the herb is hardly new to the human palate: an international team of U.S. and Greek researchers investigated the remains of a 2,400-year-old shipwreck that lies 230 feet deep, roughly half a mile off the coast of the Greek island of Chios in the Aegean Sea. The cargo? Olive oil flavored with oregano.

• Though it may have spent its earliest days as part of a salad dressing, oregano was primarily used more medicinally than for flavoring, such as to sooth aching muscles or heal scorpion stings and spider bites. However, that particular species of oregano may not be the same one we use today.

• Current species are still holding their own, though: in 2003, researchers found that applying a concentrated oregano extract to prepared meats may destroy Listeria bacteria.

• Additionally, researchers at the University of Illinois set out to develop a film made with oregano and soy protein that could be used to cover sausage, candy or other products. “The more oregano extract is added, the more antimicrobial and antioxidant benefits,” said Pruneda-Olguin. “But the films also turn darker brown in color, making them less desirable as a food wrapper.”

• Despite its many positive properties, oregano did not become popular as a food flavoring in the US until after WWII, even though it had been brought stateside in colonial times. And since the Obamas have just planted the first working kitchen garden at the White House since WWII, it is only fitting that they include oregano, which they did.

• Perhaps oregano truly IS the spice of life: in a 1960 Letter to the Editor of Time magazine, there was a suggestion (by a woman!) of how to cure frigidity: “The women that suffer from frigidity need a mere improvement in their daily diet, such as curry powder, oregano, paprika, onions (not onion salt), black pepper and much garlic accompanied by beer.” Hmmm….

• Speaking of beer – yes, you can sometimes find oregano there, too. “Pizza and beer go together like Brangelina. But pizza-flavored beer?” It’s true! (Has anyone tried this?)

• Mistaking marjoram or basil for oregano is one thing, but cannabis? I wish I could find the clip, but for any fellow fans of Spaced out there, I have to bring up this exchange:
Thief 1: Man, you guys gotta take a hit of this, it’s the good stuff!
Thief 2: Wait a second … that’s not weed, its oregano!
Thief 1: How d’you know?
Thief 2: ‘cos I’m a catering student!

• What are your favorite herbs and spices, Flossers? Let us know and we may feature it soon! I might have to go with basil (yes, even over fresh rosemary) which I put on nearly everything. Does anyone have an unusual use for oregano? Please share!

Hungry for more? Venture into the Dietribes archive.

‘Dietribes’ appears every other Wednesday. Food photos taken by Johanna Beyenbach. You might remember that name from our post about her colorful diet.

The Weekend Links

Allison Keene — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:30:09 +0000

Every year it’s something – Tickle Me Elmo, Trolls, Nintendos – the “must have” toy of the season. Check out this list of the best selling Christmas toys from the last 50 years. Did any of you own any of these during their “hot” year, or fight off the mobs to get them? (Thanks Jan!)
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Procrastination Tool of the Week: try out this Book Meme to describe yourself with books you’ve read this year.
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Another procrastination tool – this one a game diversion called The Walls Are Not Cheese. But I think they are? Either way, I am somewhat addicted.
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It was only a matter of time before someone figured out how to make fuel out of Mountain Dew.
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You think you’re a good driver, don’t you? That you completely understand all road signs? That, undoubtedly, if you took the driving test again today you would pass with flying colors? Well ok then, play this little “name that road sign” quiz and find out! (I made a D but I assure you I am an excellent driver! No, really! At least by Atlanta standards …)
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An amazing collection of unique golf courses and holes. Despite my dabbling in the sport, golf courses sometimes irritate me since they often use more water than some agricultural farms. However, I must admit that some of these courses are very, very cool!
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The first English encyclopaedia contained almost as much fiction and speculation as truth – here are 10 very weird facts (air quotes) from the Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1768 edition!
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What if all apartment complexes were this honest?
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We love BoingBoing’s “Science Questions From a Toddler” series. This week’s question: were any dinosaurs omnivores?
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Weekend activity time: how to make a process picture. I have to admire how neat and clean it comes out in the end!
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It appears that while Maxim does not like Cracked.com, they do like us (see the fake tagline). And in case any of them are reading this … I like all three! (cough) So there you go.
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I always thought I was mildly clever at writing prompts in school, but I never did anything as great as this response to “Assume you are Chinese immigrant …”
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Forget vampires – everyone knows that zombies are the real winners in the popularity contest. Even fashion designers think so!
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Speaking of fashion, there’s an easy way to make designer goods work for you, and be cheeky about it at the same time.
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Where oh where has the hood ornament gone? Oh where oh where can it be? Ah, here it is – an Ode to the Hood Ornament: a visual history of car jewelry.
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A really cool concept called Tours from Above. Frankly, I am a big fan of that soothing music as I soar up into the clouds … (sigh)
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Who would have thought that a Skateboarding Hot Pocket would be the most mesmerizing thing I watched all week? All too true, though. And as the site suggests, “Skip to the midpoint if you want to see the terrified Xtremepocket lay prone on the cement while a bunch of carb-raging preteens ollie over top of him.” I think there should be mascot X-games …
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A commercial blast from the past – from 1983, the amazing! new! science gone mad! The “Versateller Machine” (what we now know as the ATM) Thanks Sarah!
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Ever spotted a flower that you simply had to know the name of? This wildflower field guide is a handy resource. Just don’t use it to cheat on this quiz!
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De-stress this weekend by making yourself a lovely tune with this raindrop melody maker.
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Thanks as always for the great links and finds – I think some of you are starting to discover my secret for finding links! Don’t stop now – keep sending your finds in to FlossyLinks@gmail.com. Have a wonderful weekend!

[Last Weekend's Links]

The Weekend Links

Allison Keene — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:20:56 +0000

From the Annals of Too Much Time: An incredible movie mashup that creates a song (that rhymes! with a beat!) from bits of dialogue spanning TV and movies from the ’20s onward. (Also try playing the game of “which movie is that from?” while you watch)
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Will the Duggars inherit the earth? Is Jim Bob the new Genghis Khan? Scary!
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Bored at work? Try getting inspiration from some of these Best Office Pranks of All Time. As the site aptly says, “Nothing says happy birthday like being an obsessive compulsive prick.”
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Just another reason to stay out of the water (ok ok, so these creatures are typically REALLY far down in the ocean … but still!): the 12 Most Bizarre and Frightening Deep Sea Creatures.
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Still, we shouldn’t pick on deep sea dwellers just because they aren’t stupidly cute. After all, some very gorgeous things can be quite deadly, such as these 13 unassuming poisonous plants.
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From Jan: If you think you know your car facts (or at least can recognize cars based on several arcane-to-obvious clues), try your hand at this car quiz. (er … I made a D)
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Sure, the writer-director or actor-singer is nothing new. But a singer-wrestler? When certain celebrity’s careers tank, they might turn to wrestling to get a small second wind going (See: K-Fed, Steve-O), but unfortunately fame rarely goes the other way. Here is a list of 7 professional wrestlers who unsuccessfully tried to become musicians.
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Sure, most of you will have seen the majority of these Eye-Popping Illusions, but I always find them fun. Someone in the comments posted a link to one in particular which I hadn’t seen before, and I couldn’t get over it. Too cool!

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8 Cutting-Edge Cheese Sculptures
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It was always hard for me to believe in French class that a cow or dog made a completely different sound in France than it did in the United States. But perhaps they do … after all, it turns out that newborn babies cry in their native tongues!
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So what exactly separates humans from animals? As this chart proves, less than you think.
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Interesting and sobering space images that compares Earth’s size to the other planets as well as other stars in our solar system and far beyond.
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Sure we all get tired of getting menus stuffed under our doors, but how far would you go to stop it? This note surely takes the cake! Do any of you Flossers have proven methods of your own?
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Feel like sleeping away a third of your life is a waste? Here are some different sleep techniques to maximize sleep efficiency. (Has anyone tried any of this alternative methods?)
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Further proof that, to cats, humans are just large head-scratching machines.
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A very apt comic for anyone who knows (or who is!) an indie rock snob.
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Finally, a “do with this what you will” link: Aileen sent in this odd video and admitted that the drummer in question is her brother, and Flossy reader Danyel also sent in the same link (a rare occurrence), so it must be popular in some circles this week! (This was a close contender for the “Annals of Too Much Time”)
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I hope everyone had a great week and restful weekend ahead. Just don’t forget to keep sending in those great links! Submit all finds to FlossyLinks@gmail.com

[Last Weekend's Links]

Dietribes: Water Water Everywhere! Part Two

Allison Keene — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:50:08 +0000

For those of you whose thirst wasn’t quenched with the last Dietribes, here’s another round of water facts for you to paddle, wade, swim or float through:

• Worried about drinking your 8 glasses of water a day? Turns out it may be a myth …

• However, there is definitely the possibility of drinking too much, which results in water intoxication. In some cases it can lead to death. In fact, Andy Warhol’s estate charged that water intoxication caused by the hospital led to his fatal heart attack.

• There are some creatures who don’t need water very often at all – camels, for instance. But is it because they store water in their humps? No! The humps store fat, not water. “Camels get all the water they need from the plants they eat and thus may go six or seven months without drinking. During the summer, [...] camels drink only every five days. ”

• There are of course alternatives to the tap (Quite a few of you mentioned last week about the good or bad taste and quality of your local water; and yes, Florida water tastes the worst in my opinion … sulfur!) – check out these stats on the growing use of bottled water. Of course, states are ready to cash in on this as quickly as they can.

• The varieties of bottled water are endless – you can buy bottled Holy water, bottled water for dogs or even “plain” tonic water … which glows in the dark under a black light thanks to quinine!

• In the 1940s scientists noticed a link between tooth decay and the amount of naturally occurring fluoride in water supplies. So, In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, adjusted the fluoride content of its water supply to 1.0 ppm and thus became the first city to implement community water fluoridation.

• Water can also be carbonated (as discovered by Joseph Priestly, whose other credits include discovering oxygen and inventing the rubber eraser). But there are other, stranger ways to add bubbles. In the town of San Pellegrino Terme, Italy, there is a spigot that runs all the time, providing San Pellegrino water free to the local citizens–except that free Pellegrino has no bubbles. The bubbles in San Pellegrino are extracted from volcanic springs in Tuscany, then trucked north and injected into the water from the source.

• Finally, if you want to sleep on the water but can’t afford a boat, consider a water bed (originally called a “pleasure pit” and was more of a water blob placed on the floor). In 1987, water beds accounted for 22% of all mattress sales. (Do any of your Flossers have water beds? Did your parents?)

• For anyone who’s interested in issues of US water supply and water rights, Cadillac Desert is one of the best books I’ve read on the subject. West Coast dwellers might find it especially interesting!

Hungry for more? Venture into the Dietribes archive.

‘Dietribes’ appears every other Wednesday. Food photos taken by Johanna Beyenbach You might remember that name from our post about her colorful diet.

The Weekend Links

Allison Keene — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:28:16 +0000

Let’s start things off with a vintage viral video clip that never fails to bring the laughs – a Halloween Prank that either went very right or very wrong, depending on who you are in the video!
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Just in time for All Hallows Eve, Sarah brings us this find: 10 films that even scare Wes Craven.
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To continue on with further spooky happenings, check out some of these truly scary Scarecrows (ok, some are just silly).
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Sure, there are plenty of really cute baby costumes out there, but there are also quite a few inappropriate things to dress your baby in (like a baby pimp? Or baby MJ?) See for yourself!
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Ok, here’s the last Halloween link for ya – the 15 Funniest Knockoff Halloween Costumes. I love the “veiled” name of “8 is too much” and also “Immortal Male Colonial.”
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Just when you thought Bento couldn’t get any cooler … here are some examples featuring comic book characters that blow all the others out of the water.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce you to the greatest invention on Earth: the Playable Electric Guitar Shirt.
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From Kimberly, “Jeffrey Thomas made some creepy artwork featuring Disney princesses that he titled ‘Twisted Princess‘. Pretty creepy pictures! Our childhood would be different if we grew up with these ladies!” Some are fierce but others are certifiably spooky!

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From the Annals of Too Much Time: the world’s smallest working train model.
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Extra! Extra! Read all about it: Real-life Harry Potter reveals why sharing the wizard’s name has made his life a misery. I really love how emo all of the pictures are. Do any of you Flossers share your name (purposefully or otherwise) with famous celebrities or characters?
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For some of us, winter is already here (even in Georgia!). Get in the winter spirit by making virtual snowflakes and checking out the beauties others have made in the gallery. (PS – click the “I know I have Flash” option if given and you have the updates – sometimes it can’t always detect it automatically).
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What words can do this justice? Some very beautiful and unique cloud formations (some are quite ominous!)
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Flossy reader Rachel has found an oddly amusing site called Google Fight. You can have two entities compete (or choose from their list of popular opponents), and the winner will be determined based on how many more search engine hits one gets over the other. (Another title may simply be “which is more popular?”)
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From Merinda, “Any old Amiga users at Mental Floss? This seriously seriously gave me flashbacks. And it’s got the juggler!” Indeed, this Amiga simulation makes all of us wonder how we ever got by before!
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TV doesn’t always rot your brain – in some cases it can help you fight crime. In fact, “CSI” helped one this teen fan nab a local locker thief!
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There’s a cause for everything these days … even jerks. Here’s a video where Douchebags have united to take a stand against Non-Douches. (Warning: some strong, suggestive language!)
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For those of you who aren’t yet in the working world, here a hint about the 5 Bosses You’ll Have After College. For those of us who are already here … recognize any?
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Anyone who loved the anvil guy from last weekend will appreciate this list of the 15 most explosive videos on the internet (literally – and yes, anvil guy is featured).
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Finally, every so often, there comes a .gif that mesmerizes and enchants. For me this happens at least once a day, but this Dog helping dog .gif just needed to be shared!
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I hope everyone has a safe and howling Halloween! When you’re sick at home from eating too much candy (or indulging in other excesses) and are surfing around the internet, send all links of interest to FlossyLinks@gmail.com! Also share any great costume ideas or sightings in the comments (Anyone going as Balloon Boy this year?)

[Last Weekend's Links]

The Weekend Links

Allison Keene — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:51:20 +0000

A sundry of spooky links this week: we begin with the curious case of Mary Roff and Lurancy Vennum. From Merinda, “Short version is … Mary Roff was crazy and died. Fifteen years after she died Lurancy Vennum went into a trance and when she woke up she claimed she was Mary Roff and was so convincing everyone believed it. She stayed ‘Mary Roff’ for a few months until Lurancy came back and went on to live a normal life.”
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Last week I featured a link to some terrible Halloween costumes – but here are some that might actually be fun ideas (Thanks Andi), and a few more that are definitely topical!
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So there’s this guy who shoots anvils 100 feet into the air. Yeah. I am not one of those women he mentions who asks why he does it, I’m one who exclaims “THAT’S. AWESOME.”
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Local (and national news) at its finest: a fabulous list of Caption Fails.
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Say hello to flu season in style with these 10 Swanky Swine Flu Masks
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Wikipedia does many things right (probably not as many as we would like to think), but it does a few things wrong … in particular, 5 searches that, for populist reasons, should reconsider the first source you are directed to!
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Celebrity yearbook photos remind us that before all the plastic surgery and money for hair and clothes that deep down, they’re just like us (right?). Well the same goes for these political figures, too.
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In case you were wondering what kind of space exploration we’ve done in the past 50 years, here’s a handy (and beautiful) map. Speaking of maps, here’s another unusual but fantastic rendering of Europe, 1914.

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It’s raining cats and dogs as I am preparing the Weekend Links, so here are two apropos offerings about each: First, cats in wigs (yes, seriously, this is probably why the internet was invented), and dogs with the best in home architecture.
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From the Annals of Too Much Time: “This is a video montage of every single Cosmo Kramer entrance in Seinfeld history, and it will hypnotize you into a dream-like state within 1 minute. It’s really quite impressive how his slide/twitch move progressed over the years.”
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More spooky fun: 10 of the Creepiest Art Toys
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From Jan, “I know Mental Floss mentioned this last week, but don’t remember if there was a link to these great pictures.” So without further ado … here they are: Celebration of the Reunification of Berlin (how freaking creepy are those gigantic marionettes??)
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I see you, gecko! Though admittedly, not at first. “A mossy leaf-tailed gecko is almost invisible while resting on a lichen-covered sapling in the eastern forests of Madagascar. This is one of the most dramatic examples of crypsis that we have ever photographed.”
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Don Draper would be proud (perhaps) at the staying power of these 10 Food Mascots.
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From top-notch links-finder Sarah (this is but one of her many contributions this week) comes an interesting and uplifting tale of a Cub Scout who saved his teacher from choking.
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Great Photoshop skills can do more than just create silly pictures or make you look not SO disastrous from that one wild night, but it can also do great things like helping to find missing kids.
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And if all this wasn’t enough for you, here are 50 Kick-Ass Websites You Need to Know About.

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Thanks as always to everyone who sent in links this week – keep it up! Send all finds to FlossyLinks@gmail.com, and have a great weekend!

[Last Weekend's Links]

Dietribes: Water Water Everywhere

Allison Keene — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:21:01 +0000

• Ah yes, that cool, glistening refreshment that makes up roughly 70% of the human body 70-75% of the Earth. Unfortunately, only 1% of Earth’s water is suitable for drinking. Luckily (?), the inventor of the Segway is now focusing his efforts on developing a water purifier made out of cow dung.

• Don’t be afraid of your tap water – in fact, many places are trying to make it popular again. And though they may have air pollution problems, there’s nothing wrong with what comes out of the spigot – LA has once again won the award for tastiest tap water.

• Speaking of, you may be interested to know that Aquafina and Dasani are both tap waters (and they constitute 24% of bottled water sales). Additionally, there are no health benefits to oxygenated water. There may not be anything great about carbonated water either, but it does occur naturally (The word seltzer comes from the name of a German town, Nieder Selters, a district where mineral springs are located).

• So then … why does water have an expiration date?

• As mentioned, water is not always of the utmost quality: Because of the poor quality of water in the 17th century, the Mayflower travelers drank beer. And indeed, they landed in Plymouth because … they ran out.

• And for when times get tough …. NASA has discovered a way to turn astronaut’s urine into drinking water. Though there are other options, of course (The Apollo crew used fuel cells to create water).

• Salt water conversion is one big challenge to overcome, although evolution has figured out for some. For example, to get rid of excess salt from the water and food they ingest, Albatrosses have salt glands just behind their eye sockets. The glands excrete a highly concentrated salt solution that drains out through the tip of the beak.

• Lizards have also mastered water, though in a different way – they can walk on it.

• Water can be controlled in interesting ways, from making ice spikes to making it flow uphill.

• I hope you Flossers are getting your daily drink requirements. Do any of you have well water as your main source of aqua? And for those who are not aware, the title this week (that old familiar saying) is from “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

Hungry for more? Venture into the Dietribes archive.

‘Dietribes’ appears every other Wednesday. Food photos taken by Johanna Beyenbach. You might remember that name from our post about her colorful diet.

The Weekend Links

Allison Keene — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:14:56 +0000

“The very idea of Australia conjures up images of red soil, vast empty spaces and sweltering heat. An inhospitable climate that requires something more than the average clad bungalow. To live in this land you need a house to stand up to the year round demands of the Outback; a proper Aussie home.”
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When I was in school I occasionally checked to see if my professors were on Ratemyprofessor.com (mostly not). However, College Humor has obtained information on 7 new fascinating professors to be added to the list that must be viewed by all …
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From Rachel, “These images are from the 1975 JC Penney catalog and beg the question, what were people thinking in the 70’s?!” I can assure you that I do not have the answer! I’m sure some current fashions will look bizarre in 30 years but … really?
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Have you decided your Halloween costume yet? Here are some ideas … to avoid: The Most Inappropriate Halloween Costumes Possible (warning: some costumes not safe for life … although apparently they exist!)
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Even more fun with money.
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From the Annals of Too Much Time: Art in the Eye of the Needle – Willard Wigan’s Micro-Sculptures. In truth I am very impressed by this work, because I can’t even THREAD a needle!
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This pandect of arcane mots metagrobolizes me. In other words: a list of obscure but cool words. (My favorite: tintiddle: a witty retort you wish you had made but thought of too late)
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Peruse the wonders of nature with this slideshow of stunning photography.
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11 writing mistakes, etc to avoid, i.e. the usage of e.g. et. al. Most of them are all too common, unfortunately.
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Proof of the pudding: a picture show of refrigerators and explanations of their owners that claims you are what you eat.
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I may still count on my fingers, but I do still appreciate the occasional beauty of math.
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More artwork from unusual sources: 8 Rubik’s Cube Artworks.
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Some may find this video of the Adventures of Wassup Holmes to be “excellent!” while others may say, “elementary, my dear.” (Thanks Merinda!)
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For those of you who, like me, get bored jogging the same ole paths and distances, check out some of these 30 running events that involve everything from beer to bikinis to Beethoven!
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One reason why not to go kite snowboarding (it’s almost like the boy in the balloon! Who … wasn’t).
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For anyone doing inter-space travel this weekend, here’s a map of the universe that might help. (Takes a moment to load)
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Pie graphs of each national flag by color – click on the pie to reveal the flag (also a summation of all the colors at the end). I made this into a guessing game for myself, but maybe I’m just easily amused!
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Finally, sweet slumbers, Flossers! Who needs a sound machine when you can make your own?
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Thanks as always to everyone who sent in some great links this week! Send all finds to FlossyLinks@gmail.com. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

[Last Weekend's Links]

The Weekend Links

Allison Keene — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:14:03 +0000

Flossy reader Tucker has offered up a fascinating video that you must see to believe. It will predict what you will do next (though as Tucker warns: “Keep in mind that even though he doesn’t state it you aren’t supposed to move to a blank space. This caused quite the argument in my house!”).
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One of my favorite videos in awhile: T-Pain demonstrates his new Auto-Tune iPhone app on Jimmy Kimmel’s show by auto-tuning Obama’s healthcare plan.
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Beautiful and intriguing life guard posts from around the world.

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Sports are full of passion and pushing one’s self to the brink … so it’s no surprise that we get some pretty hilarious photos from it – in fact, here are 100 of the best (all of these are begging for captions. ALL OF THEM).
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Where would humanity be if Adam and Eve had always remained in that awkward “friend zone?”
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From the never-ending source of entertainment that is my friend Thomas’ gchat status message, this news story about angry European farmers and creative uses of cows’ milk. Sounds boring? It’s anything but. At least, the pictures are definitely worth a gander – here’s another set.
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Halloween is just around the corner, but there’s still time to hone your pumpkin-carving skills … you may still not be as amazing as these extremely talented carvers, though.

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Obviously this artist has plenty of cash to be able to use it as art! (thanks Dekalb!)

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Heath.com continues to navigate to the far recesses of the internet for the world’s weirdest heath-related stories – this week: Nasal Spray Improves Memory, a Comic Book About Schizophrenia, and What Coffee Has in Common With Cockroaches.
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A little something to brighten your Saturday: explanations of 10 Doomsday Cults.
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Just so we’re clear … here are 8 common phrases that probably don’t mean what you think they mean …
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A delicious way to learn science – mitosis as demonstrated by Krispy Kreme donuts (Thanks Jessica!). I almost wish my donuts did this on their own … almost.
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Random Rumination: What would Facebook look like it if were a country?
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Forget a Hello Kitty plush or a miniature sneaker, here are 10 seriously cool (and occasionally useful) keychains (Thanks Jan!)
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You may have also seen Michael Moschen juggling crystal balls in “Labyrinth,” and if you were impressed then, you are sure to be mesmerized now by this performance!
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Take a look at this “amazing pilot project in Fiji that is bringing damaged coral reefs back to life.”
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Finally, to get everyone in the mood for autumn – some beautiful fall foliage.
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I hope everyone had a great week and an even better weekend – just don’t forget to send in those marvelous links! Send all finds to FlossyLinks@gmail.com

[Last Weekend's Links]