Big Feet Department

A possible Big Foot sighting?

You bet!

Xenophilia (True Strange Stuff) has the story.

Robot Apocalypse Department

Errrm, right on the heels of a decent amount of ranting from me and joking about autonomous kill bots here comes a report of man in Sweden who was viciously attacked by a malfunctioning factory robot.

Apparently it went down like this:

"The robot suddenly came to life and grabbed a tight hold of the victim's head. The man succeeded in defending himself but not before suffering serious injuries.

'The man was very lucky. He broke four ribs and came close to losing his life,' said [public prosecutor] Leif Johansson. "

Well, this being the case, allow me to be the first to welcome our new metallic overlords...

The Local has the full story.

And we all know what happens next (<-- video link).

Useful Department

Well, it seems like a strangely slow day in the land of the weird so while we keep scouring, enjoy this list of 15 Bizarre Patents from Oddee.

And for more great inventions, go directly to their source, Brown & Michael's Weird and Wonderful Patents.

Trashy Robots Department

Physorg.com reports on some really neat Robot Trash Collectors that have been popping up in the city of Peccoli, Italy.

No word on when their autonomous kill-bot switch is set to go off...

In the meantime they're essentially waste collection on demand units, something that could put a large dent into littering while being pretty neat to use at the same time.

Woo(ooo)f Department

Should have covered this earlier, but it's over now, oh well.

John Strong, that "freak show" impresario, tried to buy a five legged dog, another woman, Allson Siegel of Charlotte, NC bought it instead and had the leg removed and prevented the dog from being an act.

Now, surely a nice home is preferable to a living in a sideshow (well, to most people, probably not to me but that's besides the point), but the amount of outrage being directed at Mr. Strong is a bit over the top, don't you think? I understand how people get about dogs, but I highly doubt that he would have been mistreated and there are worse places in this world than Coney Island. That all said, I am superbly creeped out by Gothamist's article detailing how Mr. Strong wished to reattach the fifth leg (hold the genital jokes, just for a second at least, please).

Anyway, Neatorama has more as does the LA Times.

Picture from the Los Angeles Times article linked above.

Conspiracy Monday Department

From this point forward, every Monday we'll link to the most ingenious/zany/interesting/something else conspiracy theory we could find the previous week:

This week, Jay Weidner says that famed director Stanley Kubrick faked the Appolo Moon Landing.

Read all about it...

Moral Panic Department

Ridiculous article in the NY Times.

I think somebody's been watching too many sci-fi horror movies over there because I'm pretty sure they're trying to create a moral panic about the singularity.

Meh, I'm tired though, I'm going to review this and try to tackle it more thoroughly within the next few days hopefully.

In the mean time watch out for those autonomous kill bots y'all (and, maybe check out the always insightful H+ Magazine for singularity and transhumanist related issues).

n.b. Yes, I'm well aware that the singularity does sort of read as a technocratic rapture and personally I am not expecting or saying it will or will not happen, but I find it rather obtuse to draw the types of conclusions that the Times does which are, let's face it, little more than scaremongering.

Seafood Sunday Department

The Montauk Yacht Club in Montauk, New York has a lot of wonderful pictures of people with large fish (like this one, snapped covertly... in the bathroom... what?).

Not exactly the usual monstrosity of fish we provide on Sundays but since this has been a particularly seafood heavy week around here, I figured it would be okay.

Complaints can be submitted in writing and sent via carrier pigeon.

Kung Pao Nessie Department

Well, maybe Nessie isn't dead (errm, you know... because of global warming... or something), maybe she's just moved to China!

The article is worth checking out for the illustration alone.

They theorize it might just be a "taimen trout" by which I believe they mean the same thing as a Hucho Taimen* (pictured below):


This could also have a bit to do with a lot of traditional folklore regarding the fish in the region, Thomas Roche's blog entry from February has a little more on that and a link to an article from the UK's Times Online.

And of course there was a 2005 exploration of the Kansai region by Chinese researchers to look into reports of giant fish. China Daily had the scoop on that.

* A little more research has made it very unclear to me as to whether Hucho Taimen is a trout or a salmon, in particular, are there two different fishes or is it the same creature and just sometimes mislabeled and if so which genus is correct? If anybody knows, please get in touch with me!

How Many Seconds to Mars Department

The New Scientist tells us that if the Ad Astra Rocket Company can really get this supercharged ion engine thingamajig they're testing going we might be able to reach Mars 39 days after launch (!), wow.

Let's hope the good folks at Ad Astra prove it can work.

In the meantime, enjoy this classic Jack Handy quote:

“When the chairman introduced the guest speaker as a former illegal alien, I got up from my chair and yelled, 'What's the matter, no jobs on Mars?' When no one laughed, I was real embarrassed. I don't think people should make you feel that way.”

Transparency in Government Department

Press Secretary Gibbs was asked what the government knows about UFOs at a press conference (via phone call). The Huffington Post has more!

n.b. I know we don't really cover alien encounters and UFOs that much (if there's any intelligent life out there that would like to volunteer to ramp up our coverage, please, let me know!). In the meantime, if it's something you're interested in I highly recommend you check out UFO Casebook.

Is that an Organ in Your Pocket Department

Grisly story out of Brooklyn about a man, Levy Izhak Rosenbaum, who allegedly has been brokering the sale of organs...

The problem, for me at least, isn't so much the sale of organs (I don't see that as a particularly big deal to be honest, particularly given the fact that demand far outweighs supply) but it does sound like he was preying on a lot of people and that's, well, not cool.

And, let's face it, the whole thing is sort of cringe inducing to begin with.

The Associated Press has more.

Fins to the Left, Fins to the Right Department

A dead shark appeared in the middle of Miami.

Apparently it had a little Weekend at Bernie's type experience, being dragged all over town and eventually taking a ride on the Metromover train.

CNN has more under a great headline.

Am I the only one confused as to why they had to return it to the ocean? I can only assume the second part of this story will somehow involve a botched voodoo ritual.

Monkey Business Department

Sorry, the headline was too easy.

Apparently there's a criminal monkey mastermind lurking about down in Texas.

The Dallas Morning Star has the details (and a video...).

Wolves in Space Department

I would be remiss not to mention this wonderful op-ed on the glory of reaching the moon and the tragedy of the NASA program's failure to move much since that fateful day in 1969 from Tom Wolfe in the NY Times.

Calling Dick Tracy Department

Finally, a watch with a phone on it.

Also, given the way phones are subsidized by the cellular companies here in the US of A I wouldn't make too much of that price tag, it will certainly end up being a lot less.

Interplanatery War Department

Jupiter under attack?

Move Along Department

We've got an update on those military robots that feed on dead bodies, apparently they're "actually" meant to "chomp on twigs, wood chips, and other plant based materials."

So is it a vegetarian robot... one not designed to harvest our bodies for food in its never ending lust for brains?

Well,

"We completely understand the public's concern about futuristic robots feeding on the human population, but that is not our mission," said Harry Schoell, the chief executive of Cyclone Power Technologies, one of the companies behind the machine.

He then immediately let out a large cackle and rubbed his hands together in evil glee.

More at The Guardian and Engadget.

The Blob Department

Good news for anybody who was worried (come on, raise your hands), the Giant Alaskan Blob Mystery has, apparently, been solved.

Jelly of Life Department

Because apparently it's jellyfish week here, I give you the coolest creature on the earth or seas, the Turritopsis Nutricula!


Capable of reverting to its polyp state after becoming sexually mature, in other words it can reverse its own life cycle... in other words it's (potentially) immortal!!!

Wikipedia has the basic rundown.

And of course, should you ever want to cook a jellyfish, there's always this salad.

Peanutbutter Jelly Time Department

Last week it was giant squids in California this week it's giant jellyfish in Japan. (h/t to the venerable David Siffert)*

What is going on I wonder...

* (okay, okay, that's obviously not the David Siffert in question, sorry Dave...)

Protohacking Department

Cool story from Esquire, circa '97 about blue boxes and phreaking the phone system.

Seafood Sunday Department

Old story but dang, that's a big fish.



Read all about it at the Singapore Morning Herald.

Crytpolegendarymonsters Department

The Sun-Sentinal today has a pretty good quick rundown on 40 of the most famous monsters, check it out!

Bugging Department

First flesh eating, steam powered robots from hell, now cyborg spying insects.

The U.S. Military is coming up with a some pretty neat stuff nowadays...

Fox News has the scoop, h/t to the always entertaining Coast to Coast AM.

All The Scientists Are Running Around Department

The day we've all feared is here: yes, that's right, the day that monkeys that can control gigantic robot arms with their minds.


More over at Sky News.

When You See the Southern Cross Department

Something that's always bothered me (and maybe only me) but as you probably know the Southern Cross is a pretty important astrological navigation point. But how good is it if there are two other crosses (Diamond and False) right nearby that consistently confuse those that are unaware of their existence?

Starry Night Photos has a nice picture for reference.

And of course I'd be remiss not to link this song.

Revenge of the Fish Department

The Telegraph reports on a "monster fish" (a larger than average perch actually) that bit a buncha' people over the weekend. But don't worry, our species got the last laugh (assuming none of us on this blog are fish), it ended up being cooked and eaten.

Best line of the article?

He added that he suspected the fish was suffering from a hormonal imbalance which could be responsible for its aggression.

Yep, that'll do it.

And should you catch yourself a monster perch of your own someday, here's some recipes!

Out Here in Space Department

Ever heard of the UNOOSA?

Well here's your chance...

Surely Nothing Could Go Wrong Department

Fox News wins the headline of the week debate, and it's only Tuesday:

Upcoming Military Robot Could Feed on Dead Bodies

Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes. And even better, they're calling it EATR. And it's steam powered!

C'mon people, zombie robots, seriously, what could go wrong...?

Nuts and Booze Department

Yum.

You can learn more about Peanut Lolita and some other strange liqours at the always, um, chock full of... integrity... (trying not to laugh, trying not to laugh) Washington Post.

Insidious Showing Department

Mental Floss has a (dated, sorry, but the following points still stand) story about "Coney Island Freaks Past and Present."

To be totally honest, I think the author is in some ways doing a disservice to the Coney Island Circus Sideshow in directly comparing "freaks" to performers. They aren't the same thing* despite their admittedly intertwined heritage. The beauty of the sideshow, to me, is in the performance art and athletic aspects of such an event whereas freak shows (which, again admittedly, a lot of this blog can be defined as being an homage to) gain their beauty from mutations, alterations, and the generally physically unusual.

Anyway, the point is that we ought to always be careful to separate what are acts of skill and what is the appreciation of (or in some of our cases, let's face it, repulsion from) appearances. Both can be weird and beautiful but I think that we ought to give a little more reverence to what is a practiced art form than simply equating it with our reaction to other visual effects.

More information about the wonderful Coney Island Circus Sideshow can be found here.

* (n.b. I am reminded that in recent years in particular the Sideshow has brought on acts like The Black Scorpion, The Lizardman and Chuy the Wolfman which of course all cross over into the more classical "freak" category. Though I've never seen The Lizardman live I have seen the other two and still have to further note that they do have acts and are thus more of a melding of the two traditions instead of simply sights to see. Just another example of the intertwining of traditions in the public perception I suppose...)

Hey There Little Fella' Department

From the enormous to the minuscule we go:

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports on the discovery of the Patch Nosed Salamander (the smallest salamander species ever found in the United States and, in fact, a completely new genus!) down in Georgia in 2007.

And no, I don't have any recipes...

Novemom Department

Okay, here's one for the "go-figure" file:

Radar reports there might be a ninth baby in the Octomom's house... and it's a ghost!!!

A Different Type of Prom Department

Ah, Senior Prom, memories of dancing with your high school sweetheart, drinking gin in the bathroom, and... stealth UAVs?

Seafood Sunday Department

Yum.

(that's a whale shark btw)

Civil Ghosts Department

I'm always skeptical about such things (is there anything more tedious than shows like Ghost Hunters that just NEVER seem to really deliver the goods outside of some grainy sounding supposedly EVP material?), but the St. Petersburg Times is reporting that the West Pasco Historical Society is harboring a Union Army ghost...

And here I always thought it was the South that was supposed to rise again (as zombies of course)...

Killer [Squid] Department

Well, nobody got killed, but a whole bunch of giant Humbold Squids did turn up ashore...

Delicious, that's what I say.

You Can Learn A Lot from Lydia Department

Or about Lydia (that encyclopedia!) from Lugubrious Drollery.

I've been in quite a Grouch-y mood lately I guess. (heh heh heh)

Are We Not De Supermen Department

The NY Post reports that cops beat up Superman and Batman in Times Square...

Which raises the question, when are we going to stand up and stop anti-super hero violence? Or for that matter this type of profiling!

I demand an answer, President Luthor!

Morality Department

From Gallup, a new poll on morality in America:

Is it bad that I find very few, if any, of these things to be immoral? (Well, besides the affair stuff, that strikes me as pretty bad...) Then again, morality's a tricky thing anyway.

Really, I'm most surprised that that many people are against human cloning. And who are all these people who are okay with cloning pigs and chickens and the like but not humans?

Centralic Park Department

The NY Post reports that the Museum of Natural History is now storing the frozen DNA of endangered animals.

Thank goodness.

Fifty years from now when my plan to grow giant Fen Raft spiders to take over Manhattan comes close to fruition I know where to look...

Vagina Department

The Inquisitr reports that a woman has broken the record for vagina weight lifting.

My mission for the day is to find a strong vagina with which to beat that record.

Wait. That sounded bad.

...

Never mind.