misc

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Japanese Hot and Sour Bath

For some reason there's no commentary on this CNN video, but apparently spas in Japan have started offering hot curry treatment for spa-seekers. A little research on the net provided this insight: "... a few of the baths border on the bizarre. For example, a bath house in Osaka offers a curry bath which it asserts is the antidote for almost every nervous disorder and internal illness known to humans. This "treatment" is not just bath water with curry powder sprinkled in; this is a cauldron of hot, soupy,... READ ON

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University Shrugged: Duke ethics professor to launch for-profit college

Sick and tired of how American universities operate, professor Gary Hull is setting out to launch a new, for-profit university. Dubbed Founders College, Hull hopes to do away with "publish or perish" atmospheres and tenured professorships, focus on education, and provide a "classic" liberal arts curriculum. It sounds like a gutsy experiment (he's also cutting the sports teams). Hull hopes to mold great communicators out of his students, and he's definitely talking big: The... READ ON

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Monopoly Applies for a Debit Card

If you thought the unholy alliances between McDonald's & Monopoly, Lord of the Rings & Monopoly and Disney Princesses & Monopoly were terrifying (see horrific pictures above), check out the latest incarnation of the indefatigable board game. Sky.com is reporting that Visa and Parker Brothers have joined forces and eliminated all the paper money from a new version of the game. Instead of counting bills, players will use plastic in the form of mock Visa debit cards to keep track of their funds... READ ON

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Raining Cats and Gods

According to UPI reports, this summer's massive drought has spurred public officials in Lubbock, Texas to plead their case to a higher authority "“ you guessed it, they're taking their case to God! In fact, town officials have decided to petition the Big Man with numbers by organizing a massive community prayer. Mayor David Miller, the City Council and the Lubbock County commissioners "are expected to adopt resolutions this week asking local residents to both pray and fast"... READ ON

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Is THIS for real?! (part II)

In my daily quest for the unbelievable, or perhaps just things I'm curious who's buying, I found a George Foreman grill that plugs into your USB! (Is there nothing that George Foreman can't do.) While it's far less spectacular than, say, the spaghetti cooker featured on this video, I'm still pretty amazed that ThinkGeek is vigorously hawking the things. I guess it could come in handy on camping trips, or when you're in the mood to grill in your lab and Bunsen burners just won't do, but seeing as I'm afraid... READ ON

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Is this for real?!

I saw this on Weird News Today. And while I can't verify whether this is indeed a picture of a man trying to sneak over the US border disguised as a passenger seat (I can't even figure out where the photo originated!), I for one would be inclined to give him an "A" for effort, as well as bonus points for... READ ON

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Ben and Jerry Exposed?!

I had no idea that July was National Ice Cream Month, or else I would have been indulging far more frequently (I hate to let a good national observance go uncelebrated). Anyway, in honor of the great event, I started doing some digging. And while I found standard ice cream facts, like that people in Omaha, NE supposedly eat more ice cream than citizens of any town in Florida or California, or that a dollop of vanilla was offered to immigrant at Ellis Island as part of their "Welcome to America"... READ ON

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Let's Go Fly a Cursor!

If you're a freak for desktop graphics and computer symbols (like I am!), then you absolutely need to get your hands on Tim Elverston's new Cursor Kite. That's right, the pics above aren't the work of a Photoshop hack, but instead an actual flyable kite fitted with "invisible fittings, quad-line control and opposed-bow tensioning to allow the asymmetrical shape" to soar with the best of "˜em. And while I have no doubt that the things could come in extremely... READ ON

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America's Funniest Design Bloopers

The keen eyes over at SugartownCreative have spotted a gaffe in the new Frank Gehry-designed InterActiveCorp headquarters, located in Chelsea. I guess Microsoft isn't the only one having a problem with their Windows. (Ba-dum-pum!) Story via Adfreak. Of course, just the mention of architect Frank Gehry's work (the genius behind the strangely beautiful Bilbao Guggenheim, and Walt Disney Concert Hall) makes me think of the Onion headline: Frank Gehry No Longer Allowed to Make Sandwiches for... READ ON

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Only the greatest magazine titles of all time

According to BoingBoing, Amazon.com has been threatened with a lawsuit from the American Humane Society for choosing to hawk subscriptions to two cockfighting magazines on their site: The Gamecock (currently the world's #1 cockfighting magazine) and The Feathered Warrior. While I'm definitely curious about the content provided in these magazines (supposedly they're about rooster grooming and maintenance), and I'm disgusted by the "sport," I do love the name The Feathered Warrior. The staff used... READ ON