Carousel

It's friday moons and spoons. Everyone should be somewhat happy! Well as you know, I'm feeling rather restless. So in the hopes of quenching that mind boggering travel itch, I've included a special suprise, along with the regular tidbits of carousel.

Who doesn’t have a safari on their must-do list?
Too expensive? Think again. Stay in small, owner-operated lodges and private houses, take scheduled flights instead of private charters, use resort guides instead of pricey private guides — and your trip will be top-of-the-line and reasonably priced.

The Itinerary:
1. Start slow in Sarara, a community-run tented camp in North Kenya where you can stretch your legs on long walks accompanied by local Samburu tribesmen. Or walk out the kinks with Kerry Glenn and her team of camels through spectacular rocky outcrops on Karisia Limited Walking Safaris.

2. Want to push yourself a little? Climb Mount Kenya and fly-fish for rainbow trout from your Rutundu Log Cabin. Or spend a few days in colonial style at Sosian on the Laikipia plateau or in the sheltered oasis of Ol Pejeta conservancy, the only place in Kenya to see endangered chimps.

3. Next, jump on an AirKenya flight to the Masai Mara game reserve, the jewel in East Africa’s crown. Stay at Rekero, a stylish, community-minded resort with excellent local Masai guides. Situated near the confluence of the Mara and Talek rivers, the tented camp has front-row seats for the annual wildebeest migration.

4. Finally, end with a bang at Shompole, the most glam lodge in Kenya. (Adding to the allure is the fact that it’s partly owned by the Masai.) Otherwise, head to the Swahili Coast and rent a bungalow like Alfajiri on the gorgeous beach.

Where the Wild Things Are

Wildebeests, zebras, and the nomadic lions that love them migrate in a giant circle, starting in the southern Serengeti in Tanzania in March. They head west then north, army-style, following the rains (and new grass). They reach Grumeti River around June, site of the over-the-top Sasakwa Lodge, cross the Mara River in July and August — then turn around and head back the same way. Other big safari animals — cheetahs, gazelles, hyenas, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and leopards (the hardest to spot) — tend to stay put and are found everywhere.

When to Go

Year-round, but the best times are June-October and December-February. The green months (November, March, April, May) are rainy and less expensive. If you want help planning a safari on a budget, contact local guide Sandor Carter at sandor@wananchi.com. If you want to do the trip in grander style with your own private camp and an expert guide, contact Lindbald at info@lisalindblad.com.

So you can see that I am desperatly wanting to go to africa. I'll have to wait a bit before I can save up enough, but how glorious would it be? Anyway, onward with the clickies:

PLAY

Consumer Consequences

What: Answer a few questions about your lifestyle, and this interactive game will tell you how many earths it would take to sustain 6.6 billion people sharing your habits.

Why: It’s a small world after all.

Where: Online at sustainability.publicradio.org.

GO

Search Me

What: Efficient new search engine enables you to scan resulting pages visually.

Why: Watch out, Google.

Where: Online at beta.searchme.com.

USE

Believe Honey Bar

What: Profits from these lovely shea butter soaps go to the Raise Your Hand Campaign, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring children in developing countries have access to clean water.

Why: Believe to achieve.

Where: Online at noodleandboo.com.

GUZZLE

Vodka 360

What: The world’s first ecofriendly vitamin V is distilled four times, filtered five, and does the trick.

Why: Here’s to a healthy buzz.

FOLD- Tried and Tested

Cubecraft

What: Want a paper model of your gaming hero? Download the instructions and fold, no tape or glue required.

Why: Know when to fold ’em (you can even have battles).

Where: Online at cubecraft.com.

That's it for carousel today, but I think I've kept some of you occupied enough.

Carousel

It's Friday! woo! I'm very very happy that it's Friday. It's been a long week for me and frankly Friday is the day to celebrate the release! Carousel is a little bit different today, but I think you'll like it anyway.

You blew your shot with Saint Peter when you blew Peter Saint. But hey, no worries. You can save your soul online at reserveaspotinheaven.com. For less than the cost of a couple of cocktails, you'll get a certificate of reservation, registered in the Book of Light; a first class ticket to paradise (why climb stairs when you can fly?); an official ID card; and the heaven 101 mini informational guide (find out what's really behind those pearly gates). A few more bucks and you'll have VIP access to the Big Guy and a pass that gets you to the Land of Milk and Honey as well as Thug Mansion, where the cool angels hang.

Got enemies? Ensure they burn for all eternity; sign them up for one-way tickets to firey damnation at reserveaspotinhell.com. Sound familiar? well they do to me...oh that's right, we've played this game before; indulgences.

For those of you in DC, I have found the deli shop! It's a great gourmet shop and I stumbled upon it (don't ask me how) the other day. The owner, Steve Gatward came stateside to set up a new shop after selling gourmet meat in the UK and Australia. It gets daily deliveries from regional producers (Amish sausages from Pennsylvania, anyone?). And Gatward is happy to oblige special requests (hungry for ostrich?) with a day's notice, and grind beef to order for burgers. The store also stocks marinades, mustards and sauces along with striped butchers' aprons from England. Go ahead and pair your feast with Napa's best pinot. It's called "Let's Meat on the avenue" 2403 Mount Vernon Avenue, at oxford Avenue, Alexandria (703-684-6328).

I have been craving a vacation, and today I indulged in my fantasy of the perfect Caribbean vacation. There are so many options, but here is one.

Let me tell you, Nicaragua is the New Costa Rica; gorgeous beaches, adventure activities and a killer exchange rate...(I don't necessarily agree wit their politics though). Now you won't find five-star resorts or boutiques, but you will find $10 meals, and $60 beachfront rooms. And if you prize getting there before the crowds while getting away from it all, you've arrived.

So you arrive in Managua and turn around: You'll want to catch the first tiny plane off the mainland. The Corn Islands, off the Atlantic coast, are two of the last bits of unspoiled paradise in the Caribbean.

The culture in Big Corn is more Nicaraguan local than European backpacker. You'll want to zip around in a $1 taxi to waterfront bars and homey restaurants. The islands' most luxurious hotel (king-size beds, infinity pool) is Casa Canada. Relax with a cold Tona (the national beer) and a $10 lobster at Anastasia's on the sea, the only over-water restaurant on the islands.

If the bustle of the Big Corn island is too much, take the 30 minutes roller-coaster boat ride to Little Corn island - and leave civilization behind. Casa Iguana is a neo-hippie resort with beachfront cabanas, board games, and hammocks galore. Kick back on the deck to watch the sunset or join a communal dinner in the no shoes allowed restaurant. Prefer to keep your sandals on? The veranda-fronted rooms at Hotel Los Delfines may look a little dated (dig the mirrored headboard) but they have all the creature comforts right in the heart of downtown (such as one exists).

For an island only one mile square, little corn offers a surprising variety of food.Credit Euro expat hoteliers, like the Italians at bio farm Farm Peace & Love and the French and the Spanish at Ensuenos. The best eatery, Habana Libre (+505-848-5412), Serves authentic Cuban food with the fastest service in the country. Order the slow-roasted pork in advance.

If you tire of the many white beaches (the best are on the north end) go underwater with a snorkeling or scuba trip. Dolphin Dive can help you explore the local reefs and spot giant turtles. Not so aquatic? Hit the dirt dance floor at the Happy Hut reggae club and try the Nicaraguan version of bottle service; coca-cola and a bottle of Flor de Cana rum for about $5.

A bathing suit and a good book aside, you won't need much on the Corn Islands, but bring plenty of cash - there are no ATMs. But with prices so low, you can afford to say an extra day or two.

Carousel!

Yay! It's the end of the week. Let me tell you, I am excited about it. It has been a very very long week for me and now that I can somewhat breathe, I can enjoy my weekend. As such, I'm starting it with a kooky selection of carousel works for you.

Thanks to my job, I have been working very closely with facebook applications (unfortunately I cannot tell you what applications I am making). Now, I'm not a financial analyst, but if I had to point out the one Achilles Heel of Facebook, it's this:
Brands can basically advertise for free on the site by creating "applications" that ostensibly function as ads.

Witness the "TopShop Fashion Fix" application, where every time you click, a new stream of TopShop outfits are unloaded onto your screen - then you vote on your favorites, and challenge your friends to do the same. There are hundreds of others, but the latest is particularly interesting: The Louis Vuitton application.

You send Louis Vuitton "gifts" to your friends - basically just graphics of expensive and very branded LV merchandise - then wait for them to do the same thing back to you. The more "gifts" you get, the more Louis Vuitton stuff appears on your profile - and the more "gifts" you send, the more new "merchandise" you're allowed to preview.

Setting up this application probably cost the Louis Vuitton people $5000 - assuming they hired an outside techie and didn't get the LVMH in-house computer team to design it. Meanwhile, they'll make hundreds of thousands of virtual dollars back in brand extension, product placement, and the priceless experience of getting young men and women to interact with their brand, even if they're not setting foot in an LV boutique.

I'd go so far as to say Facebook is losing money by allowing branded applications to exist on its network. But whatever, as long as I can play facebook stalk, I don't really care.

This weekend, Variety ran a smirky story, about Sacha Baron Cohen, the artist formerly known as Borat (and also Ali G, yo!), whose latest prank is playing Bruno, a flamboyantly gay fashion reporter from an unknown chiffon wonderland.

According to the Hollywood trade paper, several odd incidents involving a foreign fashion writer have been written up in local crime logs and also reported by regional Associated Press bureaus. Looks like he's got everyone fooled, though it's not like he's made a trip to Fashion Week. Meanwhile, I am hoping that Borat's wife, Isla Fisher, is part of this whole practical joke, and that's why she's wearing the stupidest outfit ever for her next movie, Shopaholic. Sadly, it doesn't seem to be a prank.

Quote du-jour: "If she comes past the shop, hopefully she'll just keep walking...I don't really covet that sort of thing." - Alexander McQueen, on Paris Hilton

In Bold political moves, Tanzanian president condemns witch doctors for harvesting albino body parts.

Eight sex myths….interesting.

Media lovefest with Obama continues: ABC goes to Iraq, finds the three soldiers who support Obama, and then declares military is supporting him for president. That’s some fine reporting there, Lou.

At a Maine high school, students will be required to complete 40 hours of community service, 10 hours a year, to graduate. “I don’t think we should have it at all. We have enough to handle”. Shut up, you whiny complaining people.

If you can’t sleep…why not listen to cold play, or read a book about celebrities.

Sect’s rights violated for sex-rights violations.

One of Japan’s top bloggers makes regular “meet the fans” tours. His website gets 50,000 hits a day…but he’s a cat.

The FBI leaves you alone in the interrogation room. Do you A) Keep quiet? B) Ask for a lawyer? Or C) scream at your accomplice for messing up the plan? (with video goodness).

Bulk purchase of eggs and ketchup by persons under 18 years of age banned by Nanny State town to prevent “anti-social behavior”.

State senator gets a speeding ticket in a school zone the same day that he proposes legislation to increase the fine for speeding in a school zone. Oops!

The next bond…Latin America + Emo + self-stunts?

Schoolgirl says she was beaten up over her anti-illegal-immigration poster. School surveillance tape shows her beating herself up.

Carousel

Hello! welcome to the last day of the week where you can go home tonight and do whatever it is that you want to do! I have some things to keep you occupied...enjoy!

An apple a day makes Hermes Ok? I really do eat an apple every day, or at least some form of round fruit. But I usually just throw it in the depths of my bag and hope it's still ok when I go searching for it at three in the afternoon. Hermès doesn't think that's a great idea. In fact, they've gone so far as to develop a separate purse for my apple. They’ve just launched a new section on their website called, “travel the world of hermes”. You can watch videos, (some awkward but some with very good looking people), read illustrated storybooks and watch the computer add color to a blank silk scarf.

As you can see the slideshow below displays the granny-smith-apple-green, lambskin apple holder with stainless steel lining. And of course it comes with a horn-handled knife for snack time. A little apple shoulder purse might be adorable for a 12 year old’s allowance, but I’m guessing that this is just a bit out of an adolescent’s price range….and mine.

The Saudi king says: Let’s get Arab Muslims, Jews and Christians together in Riyadh and peacefully talk about God. Saudi top religious figure replies: Sure, but no Jews.

Police nab burglar playing dead at funeral home.

London marathon runners warned that, although they are allowed to carry a shield and a spear, they are not allowed to use them to hunt any cows they come across.

Kennedy had a stadium named after him. Reagan has an airport. Where will Bush have his name emblazoned? In San Francisco, it looks like that honor will go to a sewage plant.

Police investigating complains that a man placed a “get off my lawn” device on his home. And simply because I love you all, I have the clip right here too:

Man tries to cash check at bank, check bounces. Man decides the logical next step is to rob the bank.

After a traffic stop, police officers call registered owner of a car for verification. Owner promptly calls back and tries to buy crack.

She apparently talks to animals…it’s amazing what you hear when you’re connected to animals’ brainwaves. I wonder what my dog would say.

Interviews with billionaire publishers are generally pretty boring- until one starts talking about his fondness for whores, his crack addiction, and then confesses to killing a man.

Man discovers that “pretty” lady is a “strong” male. Pays him to leave. Also discovers his cell phone’s missing. Goes to cops to lay charges. Then it gets weird.

Man believes dead wife is contacting him from beyond the grave…on her mobile phone. She calls him, calls him anytime, calls him any day or night. Calls him…he’s a Blondie fan too

Problem: thieves are stealing flowers from graves
Solution: install a surveillance camera
New Problem: thieves steal surveillance camera

I was looking at a magazine the other day and I saw a beautiful picture of a flashy model, who was giving me the gorgeous model stare through the camera lens. And then I scrolled down....

Seriously? Does france have an april fool's day? Crocs? I find those about as sexy as the burger king in a bikini...no thank you.

A quote: "If I gain more than two or three pounds, like I have right now, I’m going to eat vegetables tonight. I don’t ever cut out vodka and tonics. My trick is that if I eat vegetables at night three or four days in a row, I quickly snap back to my ideal weight." --Tom Ford to Prestige magazine.

I wish it was a joke...but it's not. Giorgio Armani (yes boys the one that makes Armani suites) makes roller skates now.
1. If any designer's making roller saktes- shouldn't it be Heatherette?

2. The new business plan - the one where he refrains from sticking his name and logo on everything in order to re-establish himself as a luxury instead of mass market brand- was introduced less than six months ago. So has it not started yet or did they just ditch the idea?

3. Why don't they come collaged with pictures of Beckham rocking his Armani briefs?

4. Does Giorgio himself roller skate through the streets of Milan? Because I would love to see that.
5. Who, exactly, is the target consumer for this $425 product? I'm dying to know.

I recently was wandering accross the art section of the Web (and by that I mean just looking through the galleries at various museums) and came accross this one at the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. I was floored, immediately. It's called Women Observing Stars. It was made in 1936 by Chou Ota, a Japanese artist. Not only for the time was it strange for anyone in Japan but a scientist to have access to a telescope, but the presence of a teleschope in such a traditionally-executed piece was remarkable enough; it's an inflitrator. Hard geometric lines clash with soft, flowing figures. But it was the main observer's fixed gaze that drew me in. Hands firmly gripping the mechanism, she seems completely removed from teh rest of the grou, lost in the starts, so to speak. I love it. You should too:

This game is maddening. I love playing it though. It’s not hard, but see how far YOU can go.

Acno's Energizer Help Acno clear a level by moving the balls into the energizer.

Play this free game now!!

Carousel!

It's friday! here are some things to read and keep you busy. Besides who really works friday? ;)

Son hires stripper to dance for his father’s funeral

What happens when Medicare covers Viagra? Two 93 year old men arrested for soliciting undercover cop for sex

“My two-year-old daughter loves to drink alcohol-free beer. What consequences can that have?”

Scottish photographer awarded his weight in whiskey… literally

If the police come to your door to serve you summons for a mental health examination…attacking them may not be such a good idea

Woman crashes car after trying to answer phone…manages to save her coffee

Are you tougher than a fifth-grade girl? Depends on who’s holding the taser eh?

Porn-idol? Weekend-Long $4000 a head “porn camp” comes to Tampa Bay

Berlin zoo faces charges for “animal disappearances”, as a Taco Bell opens up next door

Ouch! TSA officers force woman to remove nipple rings

This is why you don’t get rat dogs

Playboy will soon premiere Playboy Philippines, but the magazine won’t have any frontal nudity. We have the same magazine in the US except here it’s called the sears catalog

So I was busy reading lots and lots about the various things that they have in makeup and how they make “makeup” and I have to admit…I’m a little skeptical about makeup now.

1. Sometimes, lipstick contains crushed beetles.
2. Sometimes, perfume contains whale puke (sort of.)

3. Sometimes the most expensive perfumes contain a note called “civet” which in reality should be called what it is. A French perfume ingredient that comes from the anal gland of the civet cat. Yes. And just an example? Chanel No. 5….gasp.

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It's friday! Glorious! Also it's easter weekend, and may I state that I am thoughrly excited. I know that I don't get any days off, but it's still nice to celebrate. Well onward through the foliage no?

I wish I had these as a kid

AF money give away!: Right on the hells of news that A + F is doing very well financially, and that at least London will see the revival of the A + F Wuarterly, The New York Times reports some bad news for the brand- After donating $10 million dollars to Ohio's Columbus Children's Hospital for a new emergency department and trauma center, it turns out that the donation may be refused entirely because of urging from fifteen organizations including the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Parents for Ethical Marketing and several doctors who work at the hospital. They argue that accepting the donation and naming the part of the hospital that would be gift from A+F (as they have in response to all other corporate sponsorships in the past) would send a "grievously wrong message" because of the advertising and clothing.
Not sure that it's so wise to refuse $10 million when ground on the new center is set to break this fall, but at the same time, I kinda see the coalition's point.

One thought - Why is no one talking about accepting the money without naming the wing after A+F?

Driving naked in Pennsylvania is one thing, but when it’s a 64-year old lady and it’s 9:00 in the morning that’s another.

It’s not really a news flash if two girls get into a fight in school. It becomes news when the police are involved…and the two girls are actually teachers

Officers are “left with no choice” but to shoot a crazy cow….cause god knows that if a cow ever got the chance, he’d eat you and everyone you care about

Romantics are always looking for ways to express their love, and sometimes a Hallmark card just isn’t good enough. When you can’t afford to buy something shiny, why not use spray paint?

Oh my god! Somebody said “slaves”

Teachers are increasingly being sued for damaging the self-esteem of their students

Strip club sign controversy: The naked woman can stay, but those flashing lights have to go. Please, think of the children!

Some people just….ok, if two strangers in a parking lot offer you a “large sum of money” in return for your savings account information, do not give it to them

Woman discovers that hiding her car keys in her cooch is not an effective way to avoid a DUI

According to a poll conducted by Debhenhams (the British version of Macy’s), Wonderbra and all pushup bras, are the greatest fashion invention ever. A spokesperson for the dept store called them a “weapon for millions of women across the world”, saying it beat out boot cut jeans and miniskirts because “there is no shame in faking the body beautiful” Really? What do you guys think?

West Yorkshire, England- Tasha wears a collar with a leash that her fiancé Dani holds when they are out walking together. For this reason, a bus driver has denied them service, saying “no dogs allowed”- and allegedly pushed them off the bus.

It’s ironic that he same land that gave us Siouxsie and Fat Bob is now one of the most dangerous, discriminatory European places for Goths to inhabit. Last year, 20 yr old goth girl Sophie Lancaster was beaten to death for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, wearing the wrong clothes. A goth guy collecting charity while dressed as Nosferatu was violently beaten by a group of up to seven, his prosthetic ears ripped off. These attacks, perpetuated by Yobs and/or Chavs, are one thing, but this kind of treatment by a public servant is something else entirely.

The story was covered by the Daily Mail, England’s more conservative, and rightwing newspaper. Some of the thread comments are rather hilarious. Here are my top 3…for various reasons:

He looks like a work-shy scrounger to me, get a job and pay your way.- Harry Basset, Whitby

Never mind walking the dog - with a figure like Tasha’s she’ll soon be on the catwalk.- Sarah, Belgium

If he was a gentleman goth, he would loan her his coat.- John, United Kingdom

Though I’m 100% with them, the couple gets points taken off for giving stupid quotes to the media. Don’t say “I am a pet” to a reporter for a mainstream news outlet. Just don’t.

And that is it mis amigos, enjoy the randomness of friday, and try to get out!

Carousel- 2-29-2008

Happy Friday! Also happy birthday to all those leap year kids that were born today.

Trivia fact of the day: did you know that traditionally speaking, every four years (on Feb 29) it was socially acceptable for women to propose to men. I wonder if I'll witness anyone doing it today. Anyway, onward!

• For those of you that DON'T believe. The outbreak begins! I told you the zombies were coming!
  


• I think this guy should be arrested and the daughter slapped.
  


• Australian Football League issues morals test to players….this an actual question is: “A mate and his girlfriend are having sex. Do you a) watch b) not watch?”
  


• Instead of “they terk our jerbs!” the English say: “they ate our swans!”
  


• I don’t get the idea of “beautiful” “high-end” stenches.
  


• Drunk 53 year old riding on a lawn mower, leading police on a 3 mph chase. Claims to have been chasing some kids from his lawn
  


• Man gets tattoo….on his eyes. ON HIS EYE! With pics
  


• At first…it’s cool because it reads about a bird boy….but…..come on monkeys in the US?
  


• One of my friends sent me this saying that this should be my next screen cleaner....it's obnoxiously cute
  


• If you want to pretend that you're a rock star who doesn't want the press chasing you around, but still wants to be photographed by them try using this next time it rains. Spaceship LAUNCH!
  


• In college, I studied with a rich girl. She was in my art program, and bought Louis Vuitton bags to cut up or cover over, or half burn or part shred or whatever. She said it was a comment on consumerism but I thought a little differently: That she was a pretty 19-year-old showing off all the shit she could buy. I haven't seen her since, but yesterday I did spot this which oddly reminded me of her. They're resin chocolate bars with the names of top designers....and fun part? the words are lined with powdered sugar...and cocaine...how did they get this past the drug laws?
  


• And well cupcakes, that’s about it for now. Enjoy your friday!

Carousel friday!

Huzzah! It’s Friday, and while I don’t condone you slacking off at work, it’s ok during your lunch hour to wander around and around a bit.

• The world’s oldest post office goes for sale…buyer assumes the responsibility of undelivered mail.
  


• An interesting idea…but I thought it already existed. You’ll have to correct me if I’m wrong.
  


• Tennessee text law
  


• Clowns deal with the fact that 60% of children are afraid of them.
  


• During a speech Obama pulls out a tissue…the appropriate reaction? CLAP you fools!
  


• Man call woman ugly, woman does the only logical thing and stabs him with a kitchen knife
  


• Today’s time waster game is brought to you by the discovery channel
  


• Need to pay rent or eat (like me) AT&T may owe you money
  


• Who will be next? The brother or the taco bell platter? Cuba’s uprising
  


• And following the Cuba stories: how the CIA tried to assassinate him…again and again
  


• Madonna vs. Marylin…I don’t know if I’m happy about this or not
  


• Another reason why fad diets….are just not cool
  

I have yet to come out of the geek closet, though it’s clearly written on my face as “Lola” the embodiment of a 6ft Tina turner is in a “queens” show. This is what happens when you get an inexplicable smile on face while looking at the economist magazine, and reading Lord of the Rings four times in a row. So, I ask you….why didn’t anyone tell me about Skywhales?! This is incredible. Have you seen it? What about you there, in the back, wearing the Dragonriders of Pern tee shirt? Ever heard of Skywhales? Yeah?

DAMN it. I’d never even heard of Skywhales until just now. What a huge, unsightly gap in my nerducation.

An old friend and I were just wasting many precious hours of life watching old-school music videos and cats having psychotic episodes on YouTube when he suddenly asked “wait, time out, have you seen Skywhales?” Nope, never heard of it. He made with the clickies and I promptly spilled wine all over myself.

Completed in 1983, Skywhales is an animated short about a race of green-skinned humanoid aliens who live on a floating island in the upper layers of a gaseous planet’s atmosphere. To survive, they hunt enormous manta ray creatures in pedal-powered airships. As this fansite author puts it, Skywhales “is a window onto an alien way of life–language, culture, taboos… as complete a picture as a short film has ever painted, and its final revelations are nothing short of haunting.”And how! The “boo bee boo boo bee” stuff is a bit grating at first, but hang in there. It’s epic, some would say. Uber, even. Circle of life. See it! Skywhales! (Sorry, I just really like saying that. “Skywhales!” While making jazz hands.) But seriously. It’s gorgeous and poignant and disturbing. Like your mom. With a Mohawk.

Onward through the dorkdom forest, I also thought it would be a good idea to resurface The End of the World video. I saw this a long time ago….junior year of high school I think, but it’s still kinda funny if you ask me. It has no basing, besides stereotypes, and some people may find it somewhat offensive. But….have a look-see at amateur hilarity. Word of advice though, this has some profanity in it…so it’s not necessarily a good idea to watch it with loud speakers…if you’re at work or something…

And well cupcakes, that’s about it for now. Maybe later on today I’ll post a mini. Happy Friday!

Carousel! 2-8-2008

It's carousel friday! And that means randomness to keep you busy (whether you're at work or not) So let's begin:

* Still haven’t decided where to go on vacation this year? Here’s an option you probably haven’t considered: the moon. No, seriously. Vienna-based Space Adventures is offering the first private expedition to the big cheese for a mere $100 million (yeah, that money was really starting to burn a hole in your pocket).
After six months of cosmonaut training in Russia, you’ll blast off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard a three-person Soyuz rocket ship. Three and a half days of spaceflight later, you’ll marvel at the moon’s giant craters and mountain ranges for three to four hours — before Mama Earth’s gravity pulls you away. Added bonus: You’ll get bragging rights unique to only a few people in history. Which you probably don’t need, considering you’ve got that much money in the first place.

* People may find some new things in their Valentine’s Day chocolate.

* Government officials claim that laptops and cell phones are no different from briefcases, and so they have equal rights to search all of them

* Cops arrest aggressive panhandlers; judges immediately free them because intimidating people into giving is “freedom of speech”

* New York’s biggest mafia round up in 20 yrs as feds arrest entire hierarchy of the Gambino crime family

* Swedish man attacked with a can of fermented fish

* Israeli air force pilots to be issued Viagra to assist with stick control and discharge of payload

* Pot and Booze, the best things to add to your 11-year-old’s birthday party….dumbass

* In case you were wondering if he was still crazy, I present to you the archbishop of Canterbury

* WHAT? A 34 year old sex offender gets his jail time cut in half because judges says there was real love

* Feuding Scottish families take to the streets to battle with swords, baseball bats and golf clubs…

* These retro like laces take me back to an era of roller skates, 'Don't have a cow man', and world where Joey's ' How you doing', was still a novelty. Sadly those days have passed but you can hark back to the past with these rave like trainer laces. Made of fibre optics you thread them into your shoes, press a button and off they glow. They're weatherproof, water proof, washable and heat resistant, so they'll work well as you mosh your way through a night at 80's turntables. Glow sticks at the ready, get set and go/glow.

* Oh tank girl, what happened to you? Tank Girl now has a new look. I like the look of the new Tank Girl drawings. However, the old-school, combat-boot-wearing, band-aid-covered, baseball-bat-wielding, kinda dikey, Tank Girl of yore will always hold a very dear place in my heart. I’ll come out and say it: I love Ashley Wood’s amazing drawing style, but the new Tank Girl look doesn’t really do it for me. Maybe I’m being way too nostalgic.

This is the tank girl that I know and first fell in love with

The New modern Look

* And because I still love it! Hello Cluthulu

And Drumroll please! He's back!

And that's it my friends. Perhaps a Mini? You should check in.

Carousel!

It's friday carousel!

Here to make your day...as good as it can!

Cthulhu: For those of you that don’t know what Cthulhu is, I shall offer a quick summary: He is a fictional giant being or demi-god if you will, created by H.P Lovecraft. It’s this giant tentacled like humanoid, with fantastical powers. He is really apart of an alien race that came to rule humans (allegedly). Anyway, he is considered to be composed of pure horror or evil. Basically he’s a giant squid like human. Anyway, there is now a movie about him which I had no idea about. It’s the most recent incarnation of Lovecraft’s work (believe me there are many), and is to become a film called CTHULHU. The Film deals with gay themes, anti-Bush sentiments, the Apocalypse, and it features….get ready for this…Tori Spelling! As some fans have already commented, sadly and quite surprisingly, Spelling does not play Cthulhu. Go watch the trailer right now.

On the topic of Cthulhu: Enjoy Hello-Cthulhu:



Robots. To be honest these things creep me out. You'll find a video of a robot that looks like Einstien. It's scary how real the facial features are.

I found it! The Jesus crazy comics! And the infamous Darque Dungeon parody

Crazy clowns…quite literally

I continue with the idea that Russians are just weird….but this is funny. Silly Vegetarians.

Canadian brewing company seeks to solve the question of how long can a beer sit in the snow before freezing?

Vermont offers to trade lifetime supply of driver’s licenses in exchange for organs….what?

AHAHA! The POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!

She’s possessed so you ticket her?

Someone here had a sense of humor when they made this.

400 Croatians dress up as smurfs…Gargamel immediately books flight to Croatia

The ultimate chocolate lover’s dream


And in case you ever wondered about the pope. He released his inner Goth:


Once again that is all. And I think that this will keep you occupied for an hour or two...if not...perhaps a mini?

It's Friday!

• It’s that day! Friday! Carousel! Time to keep you occupied!
  
  
• You got to love it when people come up with corny jokes to advertise something
  
  
• How can the three little pigs be offensive?
  
  
• Who says cats don’t have 9 lives?
  
  
• Addictive little game: I’m telling you DON’T play it!
  
  
• I love this artist. I mean she’s a little kooky but I think she’s great and it takes a lot of imagination and knowledge of wielding in order to do what she does.
  
  
• How about this for when you're having a bad hair day?
  
  
• Deliciously creepy photos
  
  
• This is really just an excuse to see half-naked girls fighting...and not a photoshoot for vogue
  
  
• Would you like to meet Mr. Nightmare before easter?
  
  
  
  Not as scared of it as I am zombies...but pretty damn close. Seriously will someone please tell me who was working in ads and marketing over at Ferrero for the Kinder Surprise line in the 80s? Leprechauns? Crackheads? Seriously. I am confounded and terrified. Can anyone out there tell me where these demonic puppetmasters have gone? I must know!
  
  
  This guy is awesome:
  
  
  Now I believe that all of these things will keep you occupied for about an hour or two…perhaps…I’ll have a mini for you later.

Friday Carousel

It's Friday, the last day of the week! How wonderful! This is the day that I get to wear casual clothes to work, and pretty much enjoy the day as much as I can. I'm right now in my office hanging up pictures. Mostly they are pictures of impressionist artists, but they are all pictures that were in the famous Ambroise Vollard collection. So far my favourites are "The cook", and "Dr. Felix Rey".

Anyway, onward with Carousel!

Florence Foster Jenkins: You have to give the woman some credit, she was just so determined. Florence was born in Pennsylvania in Wilkes-Barree to two rich parents in 1868. She had a couple of music lessons as a child and developed the desire to go abroad and study music. Of course daddy refused to pay the bill, so she eloped to Philadelphia with Frank Jenkins, a doctor (She later divorced him). Here she earned a living as a teacher and a pianist. However when her father died, Jenkins inherited a substantial sum of money and embarked on the singing career that she had always wanted. She was a hit immediately for her songs, but for quite the opposite reason than most singers can boast. Florence had little sense of pitch and rhythm and was barely incapable of sustaining a note. Her accompanist can be heard making adjustments to her variations and rhythmic mistakes. Despite her lack of ability, she was convinced of her own greatness; dismissing the laughter which came from the audience as “professional jealousy”. She was also aware of what her critics said stating that “people may say I can’t sing, but no one can ever say I didn’t sing”. The great Florence died after her last (and sold out appearance) in 1944 in the same happy, confident sense of fulfillment that had always been a leading factor in her entire life.

A lawsuit between hairdressers and culture?

Underwater Sculpture. These are a little creepy but still beautiful in my opinion, I suppose that they'll in some way revert back to the ocean and in a thousand years they will become coral reefs. This is of course if we don't mess everything up first.

RAVE CATS! I Have always had a thing for glow in the dark stuff...yes it's a secret passion of mine...that I think stemmed from my obsession with the strange and unusual well scinece has created my newest fad...Rave cats!

Fireworks in Oslo. Because it generally gets really cold up in Norway, the government doesn't have a huge location where people go to watch fireworks. Instead everyone just uses their own backyard as the point of celebration. Someone decided to take a picture. How cool is that?

Most romantic getaways are sappy, but these actually look pretty cool. I love beaches, so I would probably go for these.

Japan should know better: Globalization and politics merging together to create this big ooops. Come on...Japan should have known better.

And now a weird video for all you wonderfully weird people out there: