Lot 49

Epistrophy

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:23:10 -0800

Andrea Claburn sings Monk's Epistrophy, with Dan Zemelman (piano), Peter Barshay (bass), Rob Ewing (drums), and Sheldon Brown (sax).

Sheep Are Shrinking

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:41:42 -0800

Climate change is causing a breed of wild sheep in Scotland to shrink, according to research. Scientists say milder winters help smaller sheep to survive, resulting in this "paradoxical decrease in size".

Tiny lamb chops will soon be a trendy appetizer.

Source: BBC News

No Dogs Or Farmers

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:05:52 -0800

No dogs or farmers allowed at the Charter Shopping Center in Changchun, China.

Source: danwei.org

Forever Young

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:43:16 -0800

Brooke Greenberg is the size of an infant, with the mental capacity of a toddler.
She turned 16 in January.

"Why doesn't she age?" Howard Greenberg, 52, asked of his daughter. "Is she the fountain of youth?"

Such questions are why scientists are fascinated by Brooke. Among the many documented instances of children who fail to grow or develop in some way, Brooke's case may be unique, according to her doctor, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine pediatrician Lawrence Pakula, in Baltimore.

Link

Neuticles

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:21:30 -0800

Neuticles are testicular implants for pets. Neuticles are available for canines, felines, equine, bulls or any pet which is neutered. Neuticles should be implanted when the pet is neutered - but can be implanted years afterwards in most cases.

Like TruckNutz...but for pets. Better still, Neuticles, which once were only available in small, medium, and large, now come in nine sizes.

Link, via Improbable Research

Google Protects Horse Privacy

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:28:00 -0800

One of the technical challenges at stake with Street View--or any service that uses image detector software --is that the software sometimes makes mistakes, labeling part of the image as containing a face or a license plate when in fact it doesn't. While we like to think we've gotten pretty good at this stuff, we still have lots of these 'false positives'.

Link

Birdpooling

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:01:41 -0800

A crow hitches a ride on a vulture in Soria, Spain.

Photoshop or laziness? I prefer the latter explanation.

Link

Lyrics for Shriekback's 'Il Mystera Del Tempo'

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:47:06 -0800

The final song on Shriekback's Cormorant is "Il Mystera Del Tempo," a haunting evocation of time and spirituality. The lyrics are sung in Italian by Carlo Asciutti, a poet and friend of Barry Andrews. Through the intercession of Tracy Angelina Evans, Carlo provided a literal translation, for those who are curious and not conversant in Italian.

The Mystery Of Time

The Mystery Of Time
Socrates And Plato
Into Galactic Meanders
Sideral Spaces......
Transport Of Heart
That Traces Destiny
An Ancient Emotion.....

The Power Of Sex
Ignorance And Pain
Transparency Of Being
Spiritual Matter.......

A Ringtone For David Lynch

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:53:51 -0800

I was playing around with GarageBand the other day and came up "Your Phone Is Ringing" (MP3 for easier previewing). Coming from canned loops, it's "Cheez Whiz" to Angelo Badalamenti's gourmet product. Still, it's rather fun.

Here's an .m4r file, which is the iPhone ringtone format.

National Debt Clock Runs Out Of Digits

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:47:05 -0800

The national debt has surpassed $10 trillion and the National Debt Clock in New York doesn't have enough digits to mark the occasion.

Palin Flirt Earns Fatwa For Zardari

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:32:50 -0800

Lahore, Pakistan - After the flirtation came the fatwa.
With some overly friendly comments to Gov. Sarah Palin at the United Nations, Asif Ali Zardari has succeeded in uniting one of Pakistan's hard-line mosques and its feminists after a few weeks in office.

A radical Muslim prayer leader said the president shamed the nation for "indecent gestures, filthy remarks, and repeated praise of a non-Muslim lady wearing a short skirt."

Feminists charged that once again a male Pakistani leader has embarrassed the country with sexist remarks. And across the board, the Pakistani press has shown disapproval.

What did President Zardari do to draw such scorn? It might have been the "gorgeous" compliment he gave Ms. Palin when the two met at the UN last week during her meet-and-greet with foreign leaders ahead of Thursday's vice presidential debate with opponent Sen. Joe Biden, the Democratic vice presidential nominee.

Send Palin on a diplomatic tour of the Middle East and watch the regimes crumble.

Link

Microsoft Sued For Kidnapping By Homeless Person

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:36:30 -0800

Why are you bringing this case to court? Please explain the circumstances that led to the problem.
I was told and coerced by Microsofts and Blacks (the community) or I would be hurt, face slashed and set up by police officers which I have been and am on Social Security (McCarthyism).

Woods v. Microsoft

Microsoft's lawyers probably aren't losing any sleep over this case.

Taaz. It's For Women.

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:36:43 -0800

Taaz.com is a fun, easy-to-use website that gives women the opportunity to "try on" the hottest makeup and hairstyle looks from the convenience of their homes. From creating the perfect smoky eye to painting on a dramatic ruby-red lip for a night out on the town, taaz.com allows women to become their very own makeup artist and create the perfect look for any occasion.
taaz.com

U.S. v. Approximately 64,695 Pounds of Shark Fins

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:42:41 -0800

Yes, that's actually the name of a case filed by the U.S. government. Best of all, approximately 64,695 pounds of shark fins won, though the victory is a Pyrrhic one. After more than five years of litigation, the estimated 64,695 pounds of shark fins are presumably beyond their expiration date.

(By way of The Chronicles of Dissent.)

Link

The Monstrous Information Flow

feedback@lot49.com (Thomas Claburn) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 06:26:02 -0800

We live in an age of forgetting. The monstrous information flow that washes over us on a hourly basis, pushes out recent events and their lessons and fills our minds with new obsessions: Spitzer, Ferraro, Spears, Market Meltdown. The fact that men and women are dying and being maimed in their loyal service to a fatally flawed policy is soon pushed off our TV screens and the front pages of our newspapers. Communications scholars have long understood the power of governments to persuade by obfuscation and fear.
Link

An excerpt from Jon Taplin's excellent blog.