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2011/05/31

Neatorama

Neatorama

Anatomy of the Centaur

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:09 AM PDT

The following is an article from the science humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research.

Figure 1. Battle between Lapiths and Centaurs (Centauromachy) at the wedding of Perithoos with Hippodameia (Vase 5th century b. Chr.)

by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. H.C. Reinhard V. Putz
Institute of Anatomy, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich/Germany

This study concerns itself with the systematics of Centaurean anatomical conditions. These are bound to be highly peculiar, combining, as they do, an animal trunk (the equine component) with a human trunk sans legs (the human component). (See Figure 8.)

A staple of Greek mythology, Centaurs have made many appearances throughout the centuries and even in our own time. They are represented by numerous sculptures and images in museums. True, when speaking of Centaurs, we have to rely on two- and three-dimensional models—here as many other instances in biology—because there has not yet been a sighting of a live specimen. However, the majority of extant graphic documents show a degree of verisimilitude and accuracy that makes them appear quite trustworthy, at least as regards the outward appearance of those beings.

Figure 2. Hypothetical skeleton of Centaurs.

Historical Background
As we know from the ancient Greeks, the Centaurs are the offspring of the ill-fated relationship of Ixion, the king of the Thessalian Lapithes, and a cloud with the features of Hera, the wife of Zeus. At the wedding of Perithoos, king of the Lapithes, the drunken Centaurs sought to ravish the Lapithes' wives. In the ensuing battle (the Centauromachy), they were driven from Thessalia to the Peloponnese. Quite understandably, Centaurs and Lapithes became mortal enemies on that day.

Materials
Since neither fossils nor living specimens of Centaurs have hitherto been discovered, the present study must be founded upon artistic renderings of its subject matter. These are abundant; collectively, they offer us a wealth of data. The most ancient depictions of Centaurs may be found on Grecian vases (see Figure 1). Greece and Rome have provided us with impressive sculptures. Medieval sources, on the other hand, are primarily scriptorial. Artistic renderings of Centaurs soared at the onset of the Modern period. Judging by the number of sculptures extant, Centaurs must have enjoyed remarkable popularity in the Renaissance. They have also inspired sculptors of more recent times.

Methods
This is a foundational survey of the Centaurean body and its organs. We present no statistical analyses. The sizes of sets of specimens are widely heterogeneous and can by no means be considered evenly distributed as regards their characteristics.

Nomenclature
The classic Centaur consists of two body parts, which meet at a right angle. The vertical or anterior part shows all the characteristics of the species Homo. For simplicity's sake, however, we will simply refer to it as Anterior (A). The horizontal part is the posterior one. In classic Centaurs, this quite obviously belongs to the species Equus. We will simply call it Posterior (P). For the purpose of the present study's phylogenetic considerations, and in order to improve legibility, species-related epithets will be attached to these terms. When describing and discussing classic Centaurs, therefore, the anterior part of the body will be referred to as Human Anterior (HA); the posterior part, as Equine Posterior (EP).

(Image credit: Flickr user Terence Faircloth)

Two Parts
The anterior (HA) of the classic Centaur consists of a human element constituted by a head, a neck, a thorax with upper extremities, and an abdomen. The presence of a pelvis cannot be established with certainty. At any rate, the outward appearance indubitably and undeniably shows that HA—down to the umbilical region—possesses that human plasticity that is described in any modern anatomical atlas (e.g. Putz and Pabst, 2005). In contrast, EP consists of a near-complete horse's trunk with a tail and four extremities. Again, the plasticity of the trunk allows us to accept as standard the equine anatomy that is exhaustively documented in the relevant literature (e.g. König and Liebich, 1999).

Two Sexes
Owing to the far larger number of samples of male Centaurs, the present study will not be concerned with the anatomy of females, with the exception of a brief discussion of the external genital organs. The intensive analysis of female centaurs is a task we leave for future researchers.

Two Structural Principles
We take into account two different structural principles in the hypothetical anatomy of classic Centaurs. On the one hand, the Centaurean body contains simple systems, such as the locomotor and the nervous systems; on the other hand, there exist duplex systems, such as the digestive, respiratory, circulatory, and urogenital apparatuses (see Table 1).

Simple Systems: The Skeletal Locomotor Apparatus
The most problematic region, and the main focus of attention, is the junction of the two body components. It appears that EP provides a fully developed thorax complete with thoracic spine as the basis from which HA emerges. However, there is no way of ascertaining whether there also exists an equine cervical vertebra. As regards the scapula, we may safely assume that it serves a double purpose. Firstly, its functional orientation is toward the anterior extremity of EP. This suggests that the scapula may be suspended in a complex web of muscular loops and that it has to possess a certain dynamic mobility. Second, the scapula's spatial proximity to the pelvic region of HA assigns to it the task of supporting the weight of HA, which demands a relatively a higher stability.

Concerning the caudal end of HA, the humanoid systematic of the pelvic skeleton suggests a somewhat stronger connection of the pelvis with the spine. This peculiarity may be explained by the specific structure of the syndesmotic junction, which is a characteristic e.g. of the locomotor segments of the lumbar column and which is present in the interosseous talocalcanear ligament. There is also the possibility of an ilioscapular joint. However, a comparison of various Centaurs in various positions suggests—at least in the case of classic Centaurs—the presence of synosteosis and, therefore, of an ilioscapular bone (see Figure 2).

(Image credit: Flickr user Ed Schipul)

If we assume such a junctional bone, we have to conclude that the vertebral column of HA contains an indeterminable number of sacral segments above the fifth lumbar vertebra. This has to be the case because usually, in primates, os coxae is immediately connected segmentally with os sacrum. The connecting equine vertebra—depending on the length of the human portion of the sacral section—is either one of the lower cervical vertebrae or the uppermost thoracic vertebra. Apart from the very peculiar structure of this humano-sacro-equo-thoracic transition, the skeletal elements of both components seem to show the correct features appropriate to the respective species.

Simple Systems: The Muscular Locomotor Apparatus
The Centaurean corporal plasticity not only allows us to comprehend the structure of the skeletal elements; it also gives us an understanding of the muscular relief. Again, it seems certain that both HA and EP present themselves in a manner appropriate to the respective species as described in the relevant textbooks. Of course, certain problems arise in the transitional area. The caudal ventral muscles of HA emerge from both rectus muscles as well as from the lateral ventral muscles. The rectus muscles in particular are often visible in the shape of two pronouncedly modeled bulges beneath the skin. On the part of EP, the anterior termination of the musculature of the trunk is a large, symmetrical muscle shield, which is quite evidently constituted by the two major pectoral muscles. It cannot be ascertained whether there is a sternal muscle located between these muscles, as is commonly the case in the species Equus. At any rate, the Centaurean body seems to have formed a pectoral-abdominal muscle shield that is characterized by a fascinating interplay of differently oriented fibers. Specific developments of this kind are by no means uncommon, as is proven memorably by the rich array of variants in mammals (Romer and Parsons, 1978).

Figure 6. Hypothetical central nervous system of Centaurs.

Simple Systems: The Central Nervous System

The arrangement of the central nervous system in classic Centaurs is comparably easy to interpret. Obviously, the head contains a cerebrum, connected to the medulla, which in turn is located in the vertebral canal. Certain intumescences of the medulla at the sites where nerve tracts link to the extremities are common in mammals. In Centaurs, this accounts for the presence of a humano-cervical intumescence as well as of an equo-lumbal intumescence. Since the anterior extremity (forehand) of EP presents itself as properly equine yet fulfilling increased static and dynamic demands owing to the larger mass of HA, which rests upon it, a somewhat extended lumbobrachial intumescence has to be assumed. The course and topography of the segmental nerves seem to be appropriate to the respective species. This rigid metamerism is not interrupted in the transitional area.

Surprisingly, the relative size of the Centaurean cranium is in fact disproportionate. In spite of its significantly increased peripheral distribution area, the brain volume is no larger than human average, or so the shape of the skull seems to suggest. Another question that must remain open is that of the allometric functioning of the cerebellum, which has to coordinate six instead of four extremities. It must be assumed that the proportions of the brain segments strongly diverge from the common human type.

Figure 3. Hypothetical digestive apparatus of Centaurs.

Duplex Systems: The Digestive Tract and the Common Rectum
Since there is no evidence of HA's digressing from the forms of fully developed Homo sapiens, it has to be assumed that also the Centaurean digestive tract, at least up to the sigmoid colon, is developed in the same manner as in the human body proper. Besides, the iliac crest allows conclusion to the position of the vermiform appendix.

The transportation of food to the equine stomach poses another problem. At this point, we must forego the question of where the connection to the equine stomach branches off from the common esophagus. Owing to a certain lack of space in the area of the posterior mediastinum, we can assume that this embranchment occurs after the common esophagus has passed the human diaphragm, and slightly above the cardia, that is, away from the abdominal portion of HA. This branch of the esophagus passes the equine thorax in a generous arch that stretches to the equine stomach. The further formation of the specifically equine digestive tract appears to follow the textbook pattern. It ends in a common rectum. This is the term employed here for that section of the intestine that is joined by an elongated colon linking from HA.

It must be made quite clear, of course, that the gaster of EP, here called "equine stomach" for convenience's sake, can by no means be a regular horse's stomach. It is merely localized in the position of the equine gaster; however, its function  has to be that of a regular human stomach, since the upper gastrointestinal tract, which supplies it with food, is clearly human. There is no hint in the relevant literature that Centaurs subsist on other than human food. The sources indicate, however, that Centaurs were rather fond of Greek wine. Precisely this uncontrolled predilection for alcohol was to play a fateful role in their conflict with the Lapithes (that is, the Centauromachy). Therefore, it is clear that the small intestine of EP follows the functional principle of its human counterpart and thus has to be significantly shorter than the equine small bowel, which is usually as long as 25 meters (80 feet). Likewise, the length of the cecum has to correspond to the usual length of the human cecum, which measures approximately 10 centimeters (4 inches).

Figure 4. Hypothetical respiratory apparatus of Centaurs.

Duplex Systems: The Respiratory Apparatus
As can be deduced from the external appearance, the respiratory apparatus is constructed in a manner similar to the gastrointestinal tract. There seems to exist a common trachea, with a bifurcation occurring at the height of the third or fourth thoracic vertebra of HA. The anterior pipe—"short trachea" for our purposes—corresponds to the human windpipe and ramifies into the various pulmonary bronchi. The primary pulmo (that of HA) is situated correctly in the two pleural cavities. The long trachea penetrates the human diaphragm, presumably in front of the esophagus yet behind the heart, and enters the equine thorax in an elegant curve. It ramifies into the secondary pulmo according to the well-known structural principle of the equine lung.

Further interesting issues are the extension of the pleural cavities, which are indispensable for the mechanics of breathing, and the synchronization of the two diaphragms. The interaction of the two tightly linked respiratory systems indubitably poses a tremendous challenge to the central nervous system.

Duplex Systems: The Circulatory System

Figure 5. Hypothetical cariovascular apparatus of Centaurs.

The structure of the circulatory system is particularly interesting. We could assume the existence of two hearts that sustain circulation in their function as pressure and suction pumps. It would not be entirely illogical, however, to suggest two separate circulatory systems, since the respective blood pressures of Equus and Homo, the original species, are considerably different. However, the two systems may have aligned in the course of phylogenesis.

Yet for simplicity's sake, let us assume a primary and a secondary heart. The cranial aorta emerges from the primary heart. Since HA does not need common iliac arteries, it has to be taken that the cranial aorta immediately joins the caudal aorta. This happens in the area of the aortic arch that emerges from the secondary heart. The further structuring of the caudal aorta follows the principle explained in the standard texts on veterinary anatomy (e.g. König and Liebich, 1999).

The question for the systematics of the transitional vessels remains entirely open. The subclavian artery presumably follows standard patterns; however, the position and function of the common carotid artery are highly problematic. For the present study, we prefer to assume that no equine carotids have been developed. The question of the existence of an equine vertebral artery is particularly stimulating.

The large body veins present no fundamental systematic problem, since they are generally known to be highly variable in form and position. It would be foundationally important, however, to establish the boundaries between the catchment areas of the human inferior vena cava and the equine superior vena cava, respectively.

Figure 7. Hypothetical urogenital apparatus of Centaurs.

Duplex Systems: The Urogenital Apparatus
The structure of this part of the metabolic system appears unproblematic. Obviously we have to assume two (caudal) kidneys in HA. The long ureters connect these with the common urinary bladder through the retroperitoneum and the posterior mediastinum (or the retroperitoneum) of the equine thorax/abdominal cavity. The caudal kidneys of EP doubtlessly possess ureters, which we will call short ureters. These are linked to the posterior of the urinary bladder at the lateral posterior wall of the minor pelvis. Quite understandably, only a single urethra leads from the urinary bladder to the anterior abdominal wall. The penis is likewise developed according to equine anatomical standards. Somewhat surprisingly, if one considers possible reproductive techniques, even a painstaking scrutiny of the Centaurean body yields evidence of only one pair of reproductive glands.

The Cretan Variety
There seems to exist in Crete a very rare variety of Centaurs that are equipped with one pair of human legs instead of the equine forehand. This species, quite dissimilar to the regular Centaurean form, also possesses a full human genital apparatus, at least in male specimens. (Due to a scarcity of depictions, there may hardly be any statement made regarding the external genitals of female Centaurs, or Centauresses.) Relevant material is exceedingly scarce and sketchy.

Outlook
By way of summary, we may state that Centaurs and related life forms present a fascinating model for the study of foundational aspects of mammalian morphology and phylogenesis. With particular regard to the big number of questions left open by this study, it seems in order to demand—corresponding to the "Decade of the Brain," or to the "Decade of Degenerative Diseases" recently postulated by WHO—a new direction of research that paves the way to what might be described as the "Century of the Centaur."

Acknowledgement
The author is very grateful to Mr. Erich Kaiser, M.D., for his historical contribution, as well as to Mr. Horst Ruß for performing the elegant drawings.

References
The Vertebrate Body, A.S. Romer and T. Parsons, W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, 1978.
Atlas of Human Anatomy, 14th ed., R. Putz and R. Pabst, Elsevier, Munich, 2005.
Anatomie der Haussäugetiere, H.E. König and H.-G. Liebich, Schattauer, Stuttgart and New York, 1999.

Figure 8. Idealised recent Centaur (in parts a portrait of the author).

_____________________

This article is republished with permission from the September-October 2006 issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. You can download or purchase back issues of the magazine, or subscribe to receive future issues. Or get a subscription for someone as a gift!

Visit their website for more research that makes people LAUGH and then THINK.

Hand-Cranked Magnet Machine

Posted: 31 May 2011 02:27 AM PDT


(Video link)

Someone has created quite an impressive hand-cranked machine that “manipulates small spherical rare earth magnets, slicing one at a time from the end of a long chain, moving it around a bit, then dropping it back to re-connect at the tail end of the chain”.

Make sure you don’t miss the amazing chain of magnets at the end of the video.

I made this machine for my father-in-law for his 75th birthday: astute viewers equipped with video analysis software and way too much time on their hands might find that the magnet drops 75mm from the tip of the slicer until caught by the lifter, and that the lifter then drops it through a 75mm long aluminum tube.

via Pusha

Waterspouts at Close Range

Posted: 30 May 2011 07:33 PM PDT


(Video Link)

The sky gods are angry at Australia! Several waterspouts were seen off the coast of New South Wales, and a news camera crew got very close to them:

The video, taken from a helicopter by Australia’s Channel 7, showed several powerful columns of swirling air blasting along the water’s surface near the coastline.

Channel Seven says the spouts reached heights of up nearly two thousand feet), but dissipated as they neared land.

Link via Doobybrain | Photo: Singapore Waterspout

Cat Plays Shell Game

Posted: 30 May 2011 03:53 PM PDT


(YouTube link)

Frida, a cat that lives in Berlin, has a good eye! -via reddit

Credit Card Found 25 Years Later -Underwater!

Posted: 30 May 2011 03:36 PM PDT

John Krayeski of West Palm Beach, Florida, was spear fishing in the waters off Singer Island, specifically at an artificial reef called the Triangle on Mothers Day. A responsible diver, he often picks up trash he sees underwater. On this trip, he picked up an old JC Penney credit card. Back on land, he read the name on the card: Jack Jacobs. He knew the guy!

“I said to my friends, ‘We did an addition to this guy’s house a while back,” said Krayeski.

At his office, he compared the signature to contracts in his files.

Sure enough, the brown-and-white card belonged to Jack Jacobs, a Delray Beach caterer.

Jacobs’ wife told Krayeski that they never had a card from JC Penney, but later Jack Jacobs called and said he’d lost that card 25 years ago, before he was ever married! However, he had no idea how it ended up a mile out at sea.

“I told John I’m going to drop another credit card in the ocean and he has 25 years to find it.”

“Make it a gold American Express and I’ll find it a lot sooner,” Krayeski said.

Link -via Fortean Times

(Image credit: Libby Volgyes/Palm Beach Post)

Psychological Dimensions of Rage Comics

Posted: 30 May 2011 01:59 PM PDT

The crudely-drawn faces that constitute rage face comic memes may seem vague and random, but they actually represent very specific emotions. This chart from the scholars at Know Your Meme explains the comparative relationships between them based upon depression-elation and bliss-rage axes. You can view a larger image at the link.

Link via The Mary Sue

Doctor Who Is Gonna Bust a Cap in Yo Ass

Posted: 30 May 2011 01:54 PM PDT


(Video Link)

This is a compilation of scenes of the Doctor getting violent. The Fourth Doctor especially seemed to appreciate long-range riflery. And the last scene…well, I did not see that coming at all. Content warning: NSFW language.

via Fanboy

Robot Explores Pyramid

Posted: 30 May 2011 11:10 AM PDT

The Great Pyramid of Giza contains narrow passageways and chambers that have never been explored. A small robot was sent into an 8-inch wide chute in 1993 and 2002, but both expeditions ran into something impassable. Now a new robot called Djedi with the ability to take pictures around corners is making headway and sending back pictures of previously unseen hieroglyphs and architecture.

The winning robot, designed by Leeds University, has indeed gone further than anyone has ever been before in the pyramid.

The project began with the exploration of the southern shaft, which ends at the so called “Gantenbrink's door.”

The robot was able to climb inside the walls of the shaft while carrying a “micro snake” camera that can see around corners.

Unlike previous expeditions, in which camera images were only taken looking straight ahead, the bendy camera was small enough to fit through a small hole in a stone “door,” giving researchers a clear view into the chamber beyond. It was at that time that the camera sent back images of 4,500-year-old markings.

“There are many unanswered questions that these images raise,” Richardson told Discovery News. “Why is there writing in this space? What does the writing say? There appears to be a masonry cutting mark next to the figures: why was it not cut along this line?” Roberston wondered.

Read more about the Djedi project at Discovery News. Link -via the Presurfer

(Image credit: Djedi Team)

Ketchup Kritter Ketchup Bottle Cap

Posted: 30 May 2011 11:01 AM PDT

Ketchup Kritter Ketchup Bottle Cap – $3.95

It’s the unofficial start of summer! Are you ready for your next backyard BBQ?

Dress up your picnic table with the Ketchup Kritter Ketchup Bottle Cap from the NeatoShop.  This fabulous little monster spits ketchup out of his mouth!  It pairs great with the Booger Buddies Mustard Bottle Cap.

Summer will be over before you know it!  You better hurry on over to the NeatoShop and on stock up on all your favorite cookout gear before it is all gone!

Link

The Optimism Bias

Posted: 30 May 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Is the glass half empty or half full? Well, if you’re anything like the average American, then chances are you’re biased toward optimism.

Here’s an interesting article by Tali Sharot of TIME Magazine about science of optimism, and how may just be hardwired by evolution into our brain as a survival mechanism against the knowledge of certain death:

To think positively about our prospects, we must first be able to imagine ourselves in the future. Optimism starts with what may be the most extraordinary of human talents: mental time travel, the ability to move back and forth through time and space in one’s mind. Although most of us take this ability for granted, our capacity to envision a different time and place is in fact critical to our survival.

It is easy to see why cognitive time travel was naturally selected for over the course of evolution. It allows us to plan ahead, to save food and resources for times of scarcity and to endure hard work in anticipation of a future reward. It also lets us forecast how our current behavior may influence future generations. If we were not able to picture the world in a hundred years or more, would we be concerned with global warming? Would we attempt to live healthily? Would we have children?

While mental time travel has clear survival advantages, conscious foresight came to humans at an enormous price — the understanding that somewhere in the future, death awaits. Ajit Varki, a biologist at the University of California, San Diego, argues that the awareness of mortality on its own would have led evolution to a dead end. The despair would have interfered with our daily function, bringing the activities needed for survival to a stop. The only way conscious mental time travel could have arisen over the course of evolution is if it emerged together with irrational optimism. Knowledge of death had to emerge side by side with the persistent ability to picture a bright future.

Link (Image: Noma Bar)

Maze Cafe

Posted: 30 May 2011 10:59 AM PDT

Start your a-maze-ing day right with the Maze Cafe ($14.95). This clever cup and saucer set from the NeatoShop is designed by Turkish designer Erdem Selek. It features a molded maze pattern on the saucer that you can play with a drop of coffee.

It’s the perfect Father’s Day gift for your coffee- and puzzle-lovin’ dad: Link

The Football Feeling

Posted: 30 May 2011 10:35 AM PDT


(YouTube link)

A Danish football league for 14-year-olds got a boost reminiscent of Improv Everwhere’s Best Game Ever when a group that was “tasked with making the Under 21 European Football Championship more visible” converged on a game unbeknownst to the players and made it feel like a championship final! They brought spectators, avid fans, cheerleaders, a marching band, vendors, sports journalists, and even soccer stars. A good time was had by all. -via reddit

Living in a Billboard

Posted: 30 May 2011 10:30 AM PDT

This has got to be recycling at its best. Why throwout perfectly good billboards when you can reuse them as a living space? I don't know about you, but how many billboards have you seen that would make a good one bedroom apartment? This may be the idea, but we shall see if it comes into practical use. Check out the images of billboard residences in different settings.

Link

What an Astronaut's Camera Sees

Posted: 30 May 2011 10:28 AM PDT

This mini documentary shows the breathtaking views from space astronauts have captured with their video cameras. And you thought your vacation video was neat.

An intimate tour… in 1080p… of Earth’s most impressive landscapes… as captured by astronauts with their digital cameras. Dr. Justin Wilkinson from NASA’s astronaut team describes the special places that spacemen focus on whenever they get a moment.

Link

Land Speed Record Bid Could Make Space Flight Safer

Posted: 30 May 2011 10:28 AM PDT

By developing new rocket technology on the land scientists hope to help aid in safer space travel. It sounds counter intuitive, however the group making the bid for the land speed record thinks it could lead to a breakthrough in safer space travel.

So says Daniel Jubb, who is the founder of military rocket motor company Falcon Project Limited (FPL), based in Mojave, California, and chief rocket engineer for the Bloodhound SuperSonic Car, which aims to reach a speed of 1600 kilometres per hour (1000 miles per hour) on the salt flats in Hakskeen Pan, South Africa, sometime in 2013. The current record is 1227 km/h, and was set in 1997 by the Bloodhound team’s driver Andy Green, in a car called Thrust SSC.

Link

Most Distant Object Ever Seen

Posted: 30 May 2011 10:26 AM PDT

A gamma ray burst may be most distant object from Earth ever observed. The object is so far that it is giving scientists a glimmer into the early universe.

GRB 090429B (the numbered name denotes its April 29, 2009, discovery) is estimated to be some 13.14 billion light years away from Earth. Given that the universe is only estimated to be about 13.7 billion years old, that makes the source of this light really young in a cosmic sense, originating when the universe was just 4 percent of its current age and 10 percent of its present size. It's also way, way out there, further than any confirmed quasar or galaxy on the books.

Link

Literally Unbelievable

Posted: 30 May 2011 10:25 AM PDT

Now and then while surfing the web we all come across something almost believable yet just outrageous enough that we are not sure if it is real or not. However most of us don't experience this doubt while reading articles from such an infamous humor source as The Onion. Here now is a site that chronicles those folks reactions who think the president was going to push the nuclear button just to see what would happen.

Link

Play Zork on a Rotary Phone

Posted: 30 May 2011 09:56 AM PDT

Zork, a classic computer game from the 1970s, is now accessible through a rotary phone. The project is appropriately called “Dial-A-Grue”:

[...] a chap named Ulysses got the vintage game to run on a TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) — a project he built to show off at the Bay Area Maker Faire last weekend. In a move we truly respect, he hunted down a rotary phone lifted straight out of the era when Zork was conceived (that would be the late ’70s / early ’80s). Then, he modified a modem so that the acoustically coupled TDD could be interfaced — transmitting at a slow 45.5 baud to make it easy for even ponderous readers to keep up, one line at a time on the TDD’s narrow display.

Link via Walyou | Project Website | Photo: Ulysses

Previously:
You Are Likely to Be Eaten by a Grue
Pac-Man + Zork = Pac-Txt

100 Years of Vincent Price

Posted: 30 May 2011 09:24 AM PDT

May 27th would have been Vincent Price’s 100th birthday. In honor of the occasion, artist Zach Bellissimo drew 100 characters played by Vincent Price on sticky notes! See the whole thing at DeviantART or you can enlarge them enough to see each drawing at his blog, Snaggle-Tooth Salad. Link -via Nag on the Lake

The Top 10 Best Modern Literary Love Stories

Posted: 30 May 2011 09:19 AM PDT

When people talk about literary loves, they mention Rhett and Scarlet, Heathcliff and Catherine, or Romeo and Juliet. It’s about time some more modern love stories joined them. The Best Damn Creative Writing Blog assembled a list of modern novels with great love stories. If you haven’t read these, this might be the nudge you need! For example: The Solitude of Prime Numbers.

When Alice and Mattia first meet in grade school, they realize that they have one thing in common–they are not yet ready for love. Both have been shaped by profound childhood tragedies that crippled their trust in the world around them. But years later, they eventually learn to trust each other enough to overcome their awkwardness. The Solitude of Prime Numbers is an absolutely flawless literary debut from one of Italy's most promising new authors and the romance between Alice and Mattia–unconventional though it may be–is one for the history books.

Meet the lovers of nine more modern novels you may want to explore. Link

(Yet Another) Bigfoot Sighting

Posted: 30 May 2011 09:03 AM PDT

(Watch on YouTube)

Bigfoot was (probably not) caught again on video. A group of young people were recording absolutely nothing with an iPhone camera as they traversed the undergrowth near the Spokane River. According to the woman in the video, YouTube user samantha13950:

While hiking, we accidentally caught an image of bigfoot walking through the woods. I didn’t even notice until I got home and saw it on the computer! This scarred [sic] the crap out of us!

While I commend the cinematographer for keeping Bigfoot out of center-frame, I’m going to request that the next sighting include some dialogue and/or a group of people talking directly to the camera as Sasquatch Himself walks by unnoticed over their shoulders.

Link

Weird Home-Made Modded Cars

Posted: 30 May 2011 08:41 AM PDT

Because clowns aren't scary enough already.

What the Internet has taught me: People do strange things, and sometimes these strange things involve a car, and in this instance, sometimes the strange thing done to the car renders said car unrecognizable. Also, people really like tanks. Check out the gallery on CrunchPost for more weird auto-mods, hand-built by people with loads of free time.

Link

Atrophy

Posted: 30 May 2011 08:17 AM PDT

This Twaggie illustrated by Gary Krejca was inspired by a Tweet from @BeerBatterBeard:

I'm the absolute best at making up excuses for not exercising. I deserve atrophy.

Link

Follow the Rs and the Ls

Posted: 30 May 2011 08:14 AM PDT

In another example of strangers collaborating to share information online, Minnesotastan asked for an explanation for a confusing passage in the novel Free Air:

She rarely lost her way.  She was guided by the friendly trail signs — those big red R’s and L’s on fence post and telephone pole, magically telling the way from the Mississippi to the Pacific. (p.69)

At first glance, “L” and “R” would seem to mean “left” and “right”, but that wouldn’t help someone drive across the country. A commenter knew that “L” stood for the Lincoln Highway. With the help of reddit, we find out that “R” designates the Yellowstone Trail. Why they chose that letter instead of a “Y” is still a mystery. Link

Tupac Lives According to (Hacker-Controlled) PBS

Posted: 30 May 2011 07:50 AM PDT

Hacker group The Lulz Boat pirated PBS.org and posted an article claiming Tupac Shakur–who was shot four times and died in September, 1996–is alive and well and living in New Zealand.  They also claim rapper Biggie Smalls (Notorious B.I.G.) was housed in the same resort for a time after his death.

LulzBoat created a new page within PBS.org and posted the passwords of PBS journalists, login information and “sensitive information” about PBS stations.

According to CNN:

The Lulz Boat claims it was “less than impressed” after watching the network’s program “WikiSecrets” and “decided to sail our Lulz Boat over the PBS servers for further… perusing.”

The “WikiSecrets” documentary, which aired last week on the PBS show “Frontline,” talked to U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning’s father and close friends.

Manning, a military intelligence analyst, is suspected of leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents that ended up on the WikiLeaks website — one of the largest leaks of classified material in U.S. history.

Whether PBS has gotten their security issues under control is debatable, but the article and any LulzBoat references have been removed from the site.

Link | Image credit: Kurt Strazdins/NewsCom

Human-Sized Pin Toy

Posted: 30 May 2011 07:30 AM PDT

Lulu Guinness, a fashion designer in the UK, created this public art installation which invited people to create impressions of themselves with a giant pin toy:

The giant frame of pins is situated in front of the iconic London landmark, St John's Gate and lets the public create full body sized portraits using the 6,000 chromed capped aluminum pins. Here are a few pics of the images created by passerbys.

Link via NotCot | Photo: Lulu Guinness

Beef Jerky Purse

Posted: 30 May 2011 07:19 AM PDT

Nancy Wu, a student at the Art Center College of Design in California, made a Chanel purse out of pure beef jerky. Presumably it’s not actually endorsed by Chanel, though one would imagine that Chanel would want to market this product as soon as possible.

Link via Boing Boing | Photo: Design Boom

Manhattan 4:33PM

Posted: 30 May 2011 07:10 AM PDT

(YouTube Link)

Manhattan as the sun goes down is re-imagined as a pinball machine.  It was created in After Effects and was directed by Lizzie Oxby.  It ’stars’ John Taylor who also worked out the compositing details, set up the After Effects project and did the final grading. Perhaps this should be the first in a series of different world cities being given the same treatment.  It would be fun to see which place would win the game!

Link

Music Box Automata Pistols

Posted: 30 May 2011 07:09 AM PDT


(Video Link)

This is a truly amazing work of art and machinery. Built in Geneva by Rochat around the year 1820, these two pistol-like objects are actually tiny music boxes. When the user pulls the trigger, a tiny, realistic mechanical bird pops out of the end. It dances as the musical components play what sounds just like bird whistling.

This video from the auction house Christie’s shows how devices work, including internal diagrams. You can skip to 1:45 in the video to see them in action.

via Everyday, No Days Off

Laurel & Hardy's Last Film Footage

Posted: 30 May 2011 07:07 AM PDT

(YouTube Link)

This short video is thought to be the last footage of comedians Laurel and Hardy; it was shot in 1956 at the home of Stan Laurel's daughter, Lois. Also featured in the clip: Stan Laurel’s wife Ida Kitaeva Raphael Laurel, Hardy’s wife Virginia Lucille Jones, Andy Wade (who shot the film), Laurel's daughter Lois, her husband Rand Brooks and their children, Randy and Laurie.

Link
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