Slate has an interesting discussion about beards and what they represent. I shaved my goatee off tonight for no reason in particular and was reminded why I grew a goatee in the first place – it’s a hassle to shave. Using a razor is also uncomfortable (think of the kid on Home Alone when he […]

I’ve found it hard to know what to say when signing off in an e-mail, so this article discussing different ways to do it was quite helpful. They discourage the use of “sincerely yours” though, and I disagree with their reasoning. I think it’s a perfectly valid way to end an e-mail. Of course it […]

An article about a whale jumping onto a boat ended up talking about how often rare things occur. It’s hard to believe some of the stories in the article really happened. The best one I know of personally is a family with seven children who had three boys born on the same day two years […]

The story of Elizabeth Smart is being made into a movie. The producers couldn’t interview Elizabeth directly, so all of their questions were conveyed by her mother meaning the movie might not be entirely accurate. It seems wrong to capitalize on such an unpleasant ordeal, but I admit I’ll probably watch the movie.

Bongo. Oryx. Eland. Dik-dik. Kudu. What do the above words have in common? (No fair researching them) A. Musical instruments. B. Exotic fruit. C. Words in Swahili. D. Antelopes. E. African cities.

A few years ago I had the idea to create a collaborative site where web designers could see what their site looked like on different operating systems and web browsers. If enough people joined, there would be near-complete coverage of testing platforms and designers would be able to share screenshots and usage issues. It was […]

Nik Bosyk, like many singles, turned to the web to find that special someone. Much to his surprise, the experience ended before it began. After spending 45 minutes filling out the questionnaire, the web site rejected his profile. Bosyk was stunned. “I thought the other participants are supposed to reject someone, not the company.” If […]

The latest wonder drug to hit the market: Beano. It’s a pill you take before eating gassy foods to prevent unpleasant emissions from the nether regions. However for a topic so ripe with potential, the best they came up with was “Enjoy food without gas.” It’s a pity considering all the possibilities available to them. […]

17% stronger to be exact, and faster than a speeding bullet (if the bullet doesn’t go very fast and you’re quick on the pedals), it’s the bamboo bicycle. So please caress your bamboo bicycle gently while you marvel at the thought that bamboo keeps more [than] two billion people around the world employed, that it […]

“We got away from the bow of the ship very quickly. . . it does stink,” said Nick Gales, a research scientist from the Australian Antarctic Division. With real headlines like this, who needs fake ones?

Seeing original images right next to the modified ones shows how much can be changed. Now I wonder how I would look if if this guy got one of my photographs. It also makes me doubt the authenticity of what we see in the media. (via mefi)

Justin’s levitating for food post sparked my interest in David Blaine. Blaine is a street magician who I’ve seen do some impressive tricks on TV, and I too wanted to learn how he did them. I don’t care for the floating stars on the page but David Blaine Style Street Magic revealed several secrets. Like […]

Guzzlefish.com is a cool idea. From their about page: Guzzlefish is a free personal cataloging system that allows you to manage and organize your movie, music, and game collections on the web. An easy to use interface not only keeps track of what you own but also keeps you up to date on new titles […]

I’ve heard the brain is like muscle, and that with enough work you might be able to stave off Alzheimer’s disease or other common age-related problems. Research suggests reading, chess, scrabble or anything that stimulates your mind, while watching TV in large doses is discouraged. Below is a list of a few mental exercises I’ve […]

A look at the differences between men and women.

Eric Scigliano discusses the effects of artificial light. In 1880 when the first town was lit up, witnesses reported: “The strange, weird light, exceeded in power only by the sun, rendered the square as light as midday.” “Men fell on their knees, groans were uttered at the sight, and many were dumb with amazement. We […]

Are you a modern man who likes to shop, wear the latest fashions and use more hand lotion than most women? You may be part of a new trend that’s sweeping a nation of formerly manly men. Make way for Metrosexuals. If you’re not sure you qualify, take the quiz to see if you’ve got […]

Frank J. Koller, a parole officer at Riverfront State Prison has weaved his latest business idea into a cash cow, stunning friends and family who figured it was just another one of his hair-brained schemes. He sells mullet wigs on his aptly named web site, mulletwigs.com. The wigs mock the hairstyle of the 80’s, also […]

“Just when you think you’re winning the rat race, along come faster rats.” I couldn’t believe I managed to win 13 straight games of Freecell. Then I learned that Bob Moorehead had a 68,300-game winning streak. I was overjoyed with my score of 56,130 on Bejeweled. Then I saw Yvette had scored 96,892,200. Globalization can […]

A couple of years ago I found that my eyes were straining after a day in front of the computer. I went to the optometrist and was told I needed eyeglasses. Now, I grew up having 20/20 vision. I was proud of it, even though I had absolutely no control over my perceived optical acuity. […]

I consider myself to be technologically advanced in many ways, but I lag behind when it comes to paying my bills. I either have the money withdrawn directly from my account or I use the ol’ stamp. I considered using an online bill paying service, but most of the advertisements I’ve seen claim the great […]