Distractions: I'll Learn You Something Edition
Friday September 14th 2007
by Paul Armstrong
This has been a trying week here at the Armstrong Circus; mostly personal things, life changes, big decisions, lots of prayer and silence -- and very little silliness. All your prayers and thoughts are welcome at this time as I (and we, as a family) journey forward into some unknown territory (but honestly, life is all unknown territory).
- Thanks to M.A.T. I've been distracted all day by crazy Wiki articles, so here are a few of my favorites found over at this repository of insanity.
- The Emerald Cockroach Wasp -- read this and be amazed (and slightly creeped out). Predatory insects that use other insects as hosts are nothing new, but what this species of wasp does is truly mind awing.
- For some odd reason, this town in Austria can't keep its sign up ... it keeps disappearing.
- Fatal hilarity -- apparently you CAN from laughter (and the list of those who met their demise with laughter is longer than one would think)
- The Year "0" -- what ever happend to Zero -- neither in 1 B.C., nor 1 A.D., but a fully independent time warp (that's probably where all the time travelers are stuck)
- Colletto Fava -- a hill in Italy with a giant pink bunny
- Parents can be the cruelest people in the world, as evidence by this name -- Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116. Never EVER use your child as a "protest" or "statement", unless you want to die by their hands.
- 826 Valencia. San Fransisco's only independent pirate supply store -- which also features a writing tutor center (founded by David Eggers). How many pirate supply stores do you know of? That's right --- its the awesomest things ever to be awesomed.
- You won't be swimming in Bubbly Creek (apart of the Chicago River) anytime soon.
- Much like Petoria (from Family Guy) the Republic of Indian Stream was an independent country within the United States from 1832-1835 (because off its geographic location between Canada and U.S.)
- The tree that owns itself -- no where else could this happen, but in the south (Athens Georgia to be exact)
- Ryugyong Hotel, the worlds largest hotel -- except that its not, because its in North Korean and was never finished and stands as a reminder of the failing, falling regime of Kim Jong-il.
- The spite house, non-specific, but sounds like a description of Donald Trump's entire career --
A spite house is a building, generally in an urban environment, constructed because someone the builder feels has wronged him does not want it there. Usually they serve primarily as obstructions, blocking out light or access to neighboring buildings, or as flamboyant symbols of defiance. Because actually inhabiting such structures is usually a secondary goal at most, they often have strange and impractical layouts.
Awesome. - Dancing Mania. A "disease" said to have been rampant in the 14th-18th century where large groups of people would have the maniac desire to dance through streets -- foaming at the mouth and speaking in tongues. I believe its called "a bad trip" or "possession". Most likely (though unproven) was caused by infected rye (Claviceps purpurea)
- Vladimir Demikhov -- the father of the transplant, this Soviet doctor was the first (and hopefully) only doctor to successfuly transparent dog heads. What?
- Capgras delusion -- where a person believes that their spouse (or significant other) has been replaced with a look alike
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Three cheers for the Emerald Cockroach Wasp!
I despise roaches.
by Jeff Gill
∞ Sunday, September 16th, 2007
laughing - what a lovely way to die
(oh, and I agree with Jeff!)
by sonya
∞ Thursday, September 20th, 2007
I almost forgot. Our neighbor built a "spite railing" in the middle of a feud of some sort with the previous owners of our house. Now really; what is a spite railing going to do? Our neighbor told me during conversation one time that he'd take it down and I said, "it doesn't bother us." Our kids swing on it.
by sonya
∞ Thursday, September 20th, 2007
By railing you mean fence, and by swing you mean avoid.
by Paul
∞ Thursday, September 20th, 2007