Cards Anyone?

   In response to the US military's now infamous "Iraq's Most Wanted" deck of
   playing cards, there has been an outbreak of 'card deck mania'.  Here's a
   sampling of recent offerings.

   1. Greenpeace Nuclear Playing Cards
      < http://act.greenpeace.org/col/get?i=770&sk=std2&la=en >
      Play Nuclear Solitaire Game  [Flash]
      < http://archive.greenpeace.org/cards/game.html >
      "Blair is ace of diamonds on Greenpeace cards"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_775938.html >

   2. Operation: Hidden Agenda
      < http://www.operationhiddenagenda.com/ >
      "Teacher sells Hidden Agenda cards"
      < http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2003/07/15/136367-ap.html >

   3. 'America's Least Wanted' Deck
      < http://tvnewslies.org/html/the_loaded_deck.html >

   4. War Profiteers Card Deck
      < http://www.warprofiteers.com/ >

   5. Bush Regime Playing Cards
      < http://www.rasken.kajen.com/USD/The_US_Deck.html >

   6. The Deck of Weasels
      < http://www.newsmaxstore.com/nms/showdetl.cfm?&DID=6&Product_ID=1304&af_id=38 >
      "Weasel words"
      < http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/news/0,12597,957683,00.html >
   The unrighteous Right strikes back

   7. California Governor Candidate Deck of Cards
      < http://www.brokennewz.com/reports/govcards/index.asp >

   8. The Stacked Deck - Corporate America's Least Wanted
      < http://www.thestackeddeck.com/ >

   9. "52 cards weed out Australia's 'most wanted'"
      < http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s922685.htm >


   For information on the history of playing cards and examples of more
   traditional decks of playing cards from around the world, check out
   the following links.

   1. Elliott Avedon Museum: Playing Cards
      < http://www.ahs.uwaterloo.ca/~museum/vexhibit/plcards/plcards.html >

   2. World of Playing Cards
      < http://www.wopc.co.uk/ >

   3. The Bob Lancaster Gallery of Unusual Playing Cards!
      < http://members.aol.com/rslancastr/blgupc/blgupc.htm >
   "A celebration of playing cards, especially those with non-standard Jacks,
    Queens and Kings"

Monkey Business

   1. "Jasper the monkey wanted by police"
      < http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2003/04/22/70637-ap.html >

   2. "Typing monkeys produce a real mess"
      < http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2003/05/09/83503-ap.html >

   3. "Monkey Visits German Pizzeria, Vandalizes Toilet"
      < http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=88&sid=98933 >

   4. "Monkey business is not good business for Taitung farmers"
      < http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/detail.asp?ID=39717&GRP=B >

   5. "Monkey amok in Maynard"
      < http://www2.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/monk08012003.htm >

   6. "Bus passengers' monkey puzzle"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_808736.html >

   7. "Some 'Monkey Business' at the Zoo This Morning"
      < http://www.wroctv.com/news/story.asp?id=9971&r=l >

   8. "Sick simian seeks human help"
      < http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/919_345970,001800010001.htm >

   9. Monkey News
      < http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=87 >
   For those who can't get enough monkey business, this page is 
   dedicated to news stories about monkeys.

Music's Hall of Shame

   "Music's dinosaurs live on in Hall of Shame"
      < http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/13/1060588441379.html >

   Blender magazine's "50 worst artists in music history".  Some selections
   are obvious, but there are a few surprises, e.g. #37 The Doors.  Bound
   to stimulate debate.

   The complete Blender article:
      < http://www.blender.com/articles/article_466.html >


   Some nominees that were obviously overlooked:

   1. "Liam, Appletons & Howlett Form ABBA Style Group"
      < http://www.rockdirt.com/article6605.html >
   They're calling themselves 'LNNL', based on their first initials
   (alá ABBA):
     Liam Gallagher (Oasis)
     Nicole Appleton (All Saints)
     Natalie Appleton (All Saints)
     Liam Howlett (Prodigy)

   2. "Cherie braced for pop hit"
      < http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3121751.stm >

   3. "Nine-day-old baby gets an earful at AC/DC gig"
      < http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s886541.htm >

   4. "Out of tune guitar band sets record"
      < http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s891196.htm >

   5. "Elvis all shook up, all night long"
      < http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s928895.htm >
   Not Elvis, I mean the impersonator.

Are You Game?

   Some fun and games for a Friday.

   1. Stare Down Sally
      < http://bonus.lycos.com/bonus/card/Stare_Down_Sally.html >
   Very low-tech game - no plugins required.

   2. Rubik's Cube
      < http://www.rubiks.com/cube_online.html >
   Relive the Eighties. Java applet.

   3. Don't Touch
      < http://www.t45ol.com/play_flash.php?ID=787 >
   A variation of the old wireframe "buzzer" game. Move the pointer
   through the tunnel without touching the sides. Requires Flash.

   4. Cyber Mice Party
      < http://www.flashplayer.com/games/cybermiceparty.html
   Guide the mice safely to the cheese. Requires Flash.

   5. Baseball
      < http://www.flashplayer.com/games/baseball.html >
   Something a bit more involved. Requires Flash.

Stories from the Dung-Heap

   1. "Dung-throwing challenge to set men apart from the boys"
      < http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s900527.htm >

   2. "Teenager paid £7 an hour to catch cow dung"
      < http://santabanta.com/newsmaker.asp?select=805&catname=Newsmaker >

   3. "India to export cow urine and dung products to the US"
      < http://quickstart.clari.net/qs_se/webnews/wed/cx/Qindia-us-trade-dung.RxOn_DuA.html >

   4. "German artist makes clocks from cow dung"
      < http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s821055.htm >

   5. "Businessman sells 'poo' good luck charms"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_771803.html >

   6. "Dung helps lightning victims recover"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_803728.html >

   7. "Animal dung coffee - only $1000 per kilo"  [broken link]
      < http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5902078%5E13762,00.html >
      "The World's Most Expensive Coffee is From Beans Cycled Through an
       Indonesian Monkey's Digestive System-Truth!"
      < http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/kopiluwak.htm >

Google Calculator

   Google Calculator
     < http://www.google.com.au/help/features.html#calculator >

   Google search engine has a built-in calculator function.  Just enter
   a formula in the standard Google search box and it returns the answer.
   Apart from numbers and arithmetic symbols, it also understands units
   of measure, conversions and some constants.

   A couple of example calculations:
   * Approximate Volume of the Earth
     < http://www.google.com/search?q=%284%2F3%29+*+pi+*+radius+of+earth%5E3 >
   * Something much simpler: 2+2
     < http://www.google.com/search?q=2%2B2 >

Action Figures and other Dolls

   1. "Dubya a real doll"  [2003 Fly-boy action figure]
      < http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/3151.htm >
      "By George, it's the Dubya doll"  [2002 talking doll]
      < http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/12/09/1039379782799.html >
      TalkingPresidents.com products page, includes Bill Clinton version
      < http://www.talkingpresidents.com/products.shtml >

   2. "Prototype G.I. Joe, snubbed at auction"
      < http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2003/08/07/155774-ap.html >

   3. "Action Man tested at North Pole"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_787307.html >

   4. "Scotland Yard line-up to hit toy shop"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_786574.html >

   5. "Toy company launches librarian action figure"
      < http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s899618.htm >

   6. "New barbie doll costs $207"
      < http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,6861672%255E13762,00.html >

   7. "Barbie's new flava: Hip-hop"
      < http://www.sunspot.net/business/bal-barbie0730,0,6977636.story >

   8. "Barbie's got competition"
      < http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/12/11/1039379880838.html >

   9. "Granny Barbie launched"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_754197.html >

   10. "Beckham doll 'can't be exact likeness'"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_712987.html >

Animals In The Workforce

   It's hard enough these days finding a decent job, now you have to
   compete against animals!

   1. Primate Programming Inc
      < http://www.newtechusa.com/PPI/main.asp >
      "Spoof Web site offers apes to do computer programming"
      < http://www.salon.com/tech/wire/2003/08/05/ape/ >

   2. "Sheep find work as firefighters in Italy"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_773758.html >

   3. "California Town Hires 500 Goats"
      < http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/6426637.htm >

   4. "Guard Alpacas"
      < http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/brkfast/stories/s677023.htm >

   5. "Sniffer rats to find African mines"
      < http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3123119.stm >

   6. "Student learns Italian from pet bird"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_777339.html >

   7. "Who's a clever girl then?"
      < http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-12712488,00.html >
   "A pet parrot has frightened off burglars - by asking them questions"

Celebrating Failure

   1. "Missile misses target, officials call it a success"
      < http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/06/19/missle.defense.test/ >
      "The Pentagon's Laughable Weapons Test"
      < http://slate.msn.com/id/2084665/ >

   2. "Humiliated Eurovision duo advised to call themselves Nil Points"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_784686.html >
      "Eurovision Song Contest Countries Scoring Nil Points Page"
      < http://www.jcwchan.clara.co.uk/eurosnil.htm >

   3. "Money made is a reminder of lost money"
      < http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2003/08/06/154824-cp.html >

   4. "First class: only 14.5m letters lost"
      < http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/07/18/nmail18.xml >

   5. "Round the world in ... no, forget it"
      < http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s790078.htm >

   6. "Branson's 'glorious failure'"
      < http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/11/98/great_balloon_challenge/242530.stm >

   7. "Medals and motorcade for Private Lynch"
      < http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/22/1058853068181.html >

   8. "Bankrupt 'Flunk-Out U' Holds Reunion"
      < http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2003/06/02/101211-ap.html >

   9. "The 10 Most Glorious Failures Of All Time"
      < http://www.austin360.com/movies/content/movies/special/glorious_failures.html >

Playing With Food

   Last month the Australian government agency responsible for regulating
   genetically engineered (GE) (aka genetically modified, GM) food approved
   the planting of the first commercial GE food crop, canola.

   The purpose of this post is not to debate the pros and cons of GE/GM food,
   but rather to highlight some amusing and interesting developments in food
   manipulation research.

   1. "Tear-inducing onions get the chop" [Japan, 2002]
      < http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992935 >
      "Tear-free onion invented" [UK, 2003]
      < http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/24/1058853174568.html >

   2. "Scientists get wind of a flatulence-free bean"
      < http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,985003,00.html >

   3. "Biotech researchers create safer soybeans"
      < http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992782 >

   4. "Blueberry hamburgers coming to buns near you?"
      < http://www.suntimes.com/output/food/cst-nws-berry03.html >

   5. "Round carrot rolled out across UK"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_664390.html >

   6. "Scientists Unveil Low-Calorie Watermelon"
      < http://www.rednova.com/news/stories/5/2003/08/05/story109.html >

   7. "GM bacteria may banish tooth decay"
      < http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991941 >

   8. "Scientists Create Many Biotech Crops"
      < http://www.rednova.com/news/stories/2/2003/06/28/story005.html >

   9. "Genetic engineers decaffeinate coffee"
      < http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993851 >

   10. "Not Your Average Cup of Joe"
      < http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,93657,00.html >


   Some opponents have dubbed GM food "Frankenfood"; see definition:
      < http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenfood >

   (Note that "Frankenstein" was the scientist and not the monster he
    created).

   Hopefully all foods are thoroughly tested before being unleashed onto
   the public, and that food labels are informative. We could do without
   a repeat of the Olestra fiasco:
     "New Olestra Complaints Bring Total Close To 20,000 - More Than All
      Other Food Additive Complaints In History Combined"
      < http://cspinet.org/new/olestrapr_041602.html >

Gee Whiz Indeed

   1. "A Gee Whiz Game: Students Create Video Game Fun - for Urinals"
      < http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/US/techtv_urinalgame030620.html >

   If these things actually go into production, they had better take
   the necessary safety precautions, because ...

   2. "Urine conducts electricity"
      < http://www.forwardgarden.com/forward/1668.html >

   3. "Electrocution after pee near pole"
      < http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,6699117%5E1702,00.html >

   4. "Russian man freezes penis to bus shelter"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_738078.html >

   5. "Trio quizzed over tennis 'prank'"
      < http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,6722182%5E1702,00.html >

   6. "Man Pleads In Chicken Urinating Case"
      < http://www.kshb.com/kshb/home/article/0,1925,KSHB_9410_2100011,00.html >

   7. "MTV Performer Steve-O Charged With Urinating At Concert"
      < http://www.nbc10.com/entertainment/2349670/detail.html >

   8. "Maid jailed for lacing drinking water with urine"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_802878.html >

   I guess the moral of this post is: when nature calls, think carefully.

The Little Yellow Gallery

   The Little Yellow Gallery: Post-It note art
      < http://www.littleyellowgallery.com/ >

   "The Post-It Gallery is a project featuring artwork drawn on
    standard yellow Post-It notes. The artists are anyone and
    everyone can submit artworks. The Gallery is updated daily
    with new items."

Don't Have A Cow!

   1. "Roger Federer fussing over new farm friend after Swiss Open gives him a cow"
      < http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2003/07/09/131008-ap.html >

   2. "Rent-a-cow scheme opens for Swiss cheese lovers"
      < http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s902089.htm >

   3. "Cow to plop on giant roulette board (to raise money for cattle farmers)"
      < http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2003/07/29/148986-cp.html >

   4. "Reading skills could turn dairy cattle into cash cows"
      < http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/scitech/SciTechRepublish_882720.htm >

   5. "Hordes (herds?) turn out to admire bovine beauties"
      < http://www.ajc.com/arts/content/metro/atlanta/0603/29cows.html >

   6. "Couple draws crowds racing cows"
      < http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/breaking_news/5919064.htm >

   7. "Leopard and cow are 'friends'"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_779803.html >

   8. "This is your pilot speaking. We'll shortly be landing on a cow"
      < http://observer.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,935617,00.html >

   9. "Rogue cows shut airport"
      < http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5859355%5E13762,00.html >

   10. "Bill Oddie soaked by urinating cow"
      < http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_741628.html >
      I guess she wasn't a fan of the Goodies

Not the Nine O'Clock News

   1. "Fox News Gets Exclusive Rights to Next Four Wars"
      < http://www.brokennewz.com/entertainment/nextfourwars.asp >

   2. "White House adds Dixie Chicks to 'Axis of Evil'"
      < http://www.newshax.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=68 >

   3. "Wealthiest .0001% Praise Bush Economic Package"
      < http://www.borowitzreport.com/archive_rpt.asp?rec=472 >

   4. "CA Judge Orders Recall Ballot to Include 'None of the Above'"
      < http://www.newshax.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=405 >

   5. "Microsoft Announces Ads for BSOD"
      < http://www.bbspot.com/News/2002/10/bsod_ads.html >

   6. "Symantec Offering Virus Sponsorship"
      < http://bbspot.com/News/2003/06/virus_sponsors.html >

   7. "New Program for Swapping Hardware Enters Beta"
      < http://bbspot.com/News/2003/07/hardster.html >