If thou wilt make a man happy...

Because I don't actually have breasts, it makes sense for me to use Virtual Breast Augmentation, hosted in part by (not virtual) Brooke Burke.

If you think the Swiss are all about banking and hot chocolate you need to read this article about how the entire country is wired for defense from invasion - demolition, bunkers, the whole bit. (I had to look up the definition of "lithic" - "of the nature of or relating to stone."

For truly hard core animation fans only - one man's quest to find the original title sequences from 1930's Disney films.

Clock fetish satisfied - jClockClock

Don't forget - tonight's the night you add a leap second to your clocks.

To give a good presentation, you need to know about people. To be specific, you need to know these five things about people.

1. People learn best in 20 minute intervals. So if you have a hour's worth of material break it up into 20 minute segments.
2. Multiple sensory channels compete. More bluntly, if you have a slide with lots of text and numbers and equations and stuff people are going to read it and not hear anything you say (i.e. visual trumps audio).
3. What you say is only one part of your presentation. Be aware of how you say it. (I had to look up the definition of "paralinguistics" - "the study of optional vocal effects.")
4. If your goal is for people to act, give them an explicit call to action. 
5. People imitate the speaker's emotions and attitudes. Don't hold back. Be contagious.

Ah, yes. The question. What is art? When does art leave craft and decoration and utility behind? I don't know. But artists and thinkers have tried to define it over the years. I like this quote attributed to Nietzsche: "We have our Arts so we won't die of Truth."

Baseball pitchers were allowed to doctor the baseball up until a Cleveland Indians batter was killed after being struck in the head by a submarine pitch which rose up from ground level. What year was that?

Meanwhile in Venezuela mimes are being used for traffic control. (Up next, balloon artists replace firemen.)

Stupid computer science tricks: edit files using vi in your browser.

The average weight of an adult human is 137 pounds. Enter your weight and see where you fit (or don't fit as the case might be) in this graphic of the world's fattest countries.

You'd think I'd be an expert on over the counter pain meds by now (in fact, I'm trying to decide whether to nip this headache in the bud or see how it plays out). But here's a brief video about how Advil works.

And here it is, best of the visualization web for May, Part 1 and Part 2.

Thirsty? Got $110? Try a six pack of Sapporo Space Barley, one of the world's most expensive beers.

Wreckage found this week on a glacier in Alaska is likely to be that of a C-124 Globemaster that crashed in 1952.

Don't touch that Excel! Before you make another chart, head over to Juice Analytics' recently updated Chart Chooser and download a template for the right kind of chart for your data.

O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.
Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke.
A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl.
To spin! A wilde release from heaven's yoke.
Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl.
The Hoke, the poke -- banish now thy doubt
Verily, I say, 'tis what it's all about.
                               ~Shakespeare Tonight

Here's test footage from 1979's Alien with actor Bolaj Badejo practicing the alien creature's walk through the corridors of the Nostromo.

Glass beads made in the Roman Empire have been found in a fifth century Japanese tomb. How'd that happen?

When my time is up this is how I want to go - IN THE ACT! These two turtles are the only known vertebrates fossilized during copulation.

What percent of the software you buy is still on CD or DVD versus download? As a percentage of what we sell it's less than 1%. Is software on CD dead?

If you have music on unwanted CDs or DVDs that you want converted to MP3 try CDSweep. They'll send you a free FedEx mailing label, you send them your CDs, they rip them to MP3 and send you the files, and the CDs and DVDs are sent overseas for resale. Did I mention the whole thing benefits autism research?

Can you handle it? Here's a video summary of one joke from every episode of Mystery Science Theater.

Know yer video standards. source

Did you know there is a Cold War Museum? It's pretty sad that with all the books I've read about Cold War espionage I somehow managed to miss the tale of Rainer Rupp, the worst spy in NATO history.

If you're a fan of Blade Runner, you might enjoy this fan-created hand-painted aquarelle video of the film. (I had to look up the definition of "aquarelle" - "a drawing usually in transparent watercolor."

Author Lee Child is diplomatic (for contractual reasons) about Tom Cruise starring as Jack Reacher. Child is quite pragmatic about how novels get turned into films (this one has been in the works for seven years) and says that with Cruise we'll get 100% of Reacher's character on screen, but only 90% of his height.

A German court has ruled that religious circumcision of young boys is a crime. (Please find your own joke in that. I tried and couldn't come up with any that I liked.)

Another perfectly disturbing Tumblr - Nicolas Cage Cats

...add not unto his riches but take away from his desires. ~Epicurus