Jenny Levine: Fun

"When we bought our house in Amsterdam it had many modern features that I would never think of installing myself, but was always happy to have a fully automatic urinal, bulletproof glass windows, full climate control and fm transmitter for audio, just to name a few of the gadgets. We were also impressed with the Swedish toilets: You sit and the 'odor-fan' kicks in immediately. A button on the side 'irrigates' with warm water, followed by warm air to dry you off. Go ahead and laugh all you want, but now you too can own your own Curry Commode at a fraction of the price! This model straps-on to your existing seat for hours of hygienic fun." [CurryDotCom]

I didn't think I could be jealous of somebody else's toilet, but I am.

Ace Powder's Mountain Mayhem A Flash snowboarding game to entertain while you watch the Olympics. [via MeFi]

Awwwwww.

Honda Commercial - The automotive equivalent to a really hot librararian "Good-looking, yet intelligent. Fun, yet sophisticated. All in a very eye-catching 200-horsepower package." [via Library Stuff]

U.S. Considers Military Action to Remove Skating Judges "Reacting to the outrageous awarding of the Olympic gold medal to a pair of Russian figure skaters over a more deserving Canadian pair Monday night, President Bush said today that the U.S. would not rule out military action to remove the figure skating judges involved. 'The judges from Russia, China, Poland, and Ukraine represent an axis of cheaters,' Mr. Bush said to a standing ovation in a special joint session of Congress." [via MeFi]

Andy, Paul, and Curran will get a kick out of this one. AcmeVaporWare, a company I'm sure has targeted SLS, offers the Feng Shui TorpoFluxometer. It had several good suggestions for the SLS network, which of course means re-addressing. Again.

I then tried the AVW TorpOracular Network Divination System (also labeled as the "AVW Tech-Tarot Deck") and was told that my "Transport Layer Reality-Archetype" is "FUBAR Directorate." Ain't that the truth.

What I'll be doing in future meetings: TorpoLeximatic for Palm O/S. [via MeFi]

Who knew Pop Rocks are patented?

Even though I sent this around to friends last year, I had forgotten about the Valentine Candy Heart Generator. Here's the one I'll be posting on the Homer Library Web site. [reminder via MeFi]

Beer Bottle Pipe Organ "Don't miss the MP3 of the theme from Star Wars as played on the 'BBO.' " [via bOing bOing]

Andy, you've wanted to do something bigger and better. Here you go. Quantum Programming with Perl [missingmatter]

It's a toolkit. ;-)

The Secret Lives of Numbers "The authors conducted an exhaustive empirical study, with the aid of custom software, public search engines and powerful statistical techniques, in order to determine the relative popularity of every integer between 0 and one million. The resulting information exhibits an extraordinary variety of patterns which reflect and refract our culture, our minds, and our bodies. For example, certain numbers, such as 212, 486, 911, 1040, 1492, 1776, 68040, or 90210, occur more frequently than their neighbors because they are used to denominate the phone numbers, tax forms, computer chips, famous dates, or television programs that figure prominently in our culture." [via MeFi]

The consensus seems to be that the search engine is Google. I think Google is single-handedly responsible for an Internet renaissance of its own. Its inspiring people to use search engines, manipulate data, and do research in entirely new ways. The name itself has become a verb, and it's responsible for new Internet-based sports (Googlewhacking and Google Instant Messaging anyone?). Offhand, I can't think of another site that has been used in such wildly different ways from its intended purpose to become an integral part of the collective Internet consciousness. And it will only continue. At least, I hope it will.

Note: The site listed above is a Java applet recommended for Windows and IE users with higher-end machines with lots of RAM and a broadband connection.

Ore-Ida Puts Fun Into Funky with the Introduction of Funky Fries "Ore-Ida Funky Fries will be available to consumers this May in five 20-ounce varieties: Cinna-Stiks (cinnamon and sugar potatoes), Cocoa Crispers (cocoa-y potatoes), Kool Blue (crispy, seasoned potatoes with a radical blue color), Crunchy Rings (cylindrical potatoes that crunch as they delight), and Sour Cream & Jive (crispy potatoes seasoned with just the right amount of sour cream and chive flavoring)." [via MeFi]

So does this mean I'm officially a kid if these flavors intrigue me (especially the chocolate fries)? Brent will love each and every one of these flavors. I know this because last week he extolled the virtues of salsa mixed with white rice. Ah, six-year olds....

Copyright Fight Deck "How about a card game where you fight to control the rights to all of humanity's works? RIAA, I choose you!" [More Like This WebLog]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry this is so funny. And you get three "library" cards to boot! I'll be printing this out for the next game night....

Love Songs Will Serenade Sharks to Help Them Mate "Sharks are to be serenaded by Barry White at The National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham in an experiment to help them mate. His love songs and other romantic tunes will be pumped in to tanks containing dogfish, starry smooth hounds and tope." [via MeFi]

That paragraph alone makes this worth posting, but it's not even the best part of the article. This is:

"The experiment follows the revelation of the centre's 'Rock lobster', Ginger, who has a penchant for pop. The crustacean reacts to music played to it on a radio by picking up the vibrations and wiggling its antennae. Visitors say it looks like dancing."

It wasn't a rock, it was a rock lobster! Now try to get the song out of your head tonight. You're welcome.

The Museum of Online Museums "Welcome to the coudal.com Museum of Online Museums (MoOM). Here, you will find links from our archives to online collections and exhibits covering a vast array of interests and obsessions: Start with a review of classic art and architecture, and graduate to the study of mundane (and sometimes bizarre) objects elevated to art by their numbers, juxtaposition, or passion of the collector." [via BoingBoing]

If I had any time, I'd spend it browsing through this site.

Overstated also points us to WordWatch, which I hadn't seen before. I like Cameron's pursuit of "information diffusion," which dovetails nicely with my interests in memes and information connectors. I'll be adding his site to my blogiography.

"This gets my vote as the cleverest use of flash and javascript." [the Jer Zone]

I agree!! Especially after my Flash class today. More on that later.

"Billy Pooper points to the perfect gift for any Andersen accountant: The Website Shredder" [CurryDotCom]

For Kate: Muhammad O'Ali? Boxer's Roots Traced to Ireland "Muhammad O' Ali. Geneologists have uncovered his Irish roots. His great grandfather was an Irish emigree who married an African American woman in Kentucky." [MeFi]

For Bruce: Leonard Cohen should be poet laureate, sez the Glo .... "The Globe and Mail's readers have just overwhelmingly voted Leonard Cohen to be Canada's first Parliamentary Poet Laureate in an unofficial poll. Too bad Lenny lives in LA, and so isn't eligible." [bOing bOing]

I've seen other sites like The Miniature Earth before (in fact, I think I highlighted one in the past at the LSdJ), but it's always a good reminder to see another one. [via MeFi]

Bruce Levine @ 02/07/2002 04:50 PM. "Jenny, we have the "ALF" beach song on flexi disc. It came with the surfer Alf at, I think, Burger King. We may have one or two other flexis in my basement. The all time best Flexi was REM covering "Dark Globe" by Syd Barrett (Post LSD Breakdown) given away in the late, lamented "Sassy" magazine."

It's even more perfect that it's an ALF flexi disc! My day is complete.

Hey, Bruce - remember these??!! We don't have any left anymore, do we? [via bOing bOing]

Harry Potter gets his revenge. Tongue planted firmly in cheek. [via MeFi]