Space Boomerang

Japanese astronaut Takao Doi experimenting with a boomerang at the International Space Station in March 2008… there is something oddly peaceful about this short video:

Mortgage Crisis

This list by Melanie Berliet via McSweeney's.

El Camino Del Rey

Batman

Those infamous climbing shots:

Speed Racer

How it first appeared on Japanese television as "Mach Go! Go! Go!:

Photo

Courtesy of dog'S faint!

Obama Basketball Dress Code

If running for president, don't wear shorts and tuck in that T-shirt!

Radiohead

Jigsaw Falling Into Place - directed by Adam Buxton:

Stuff That's Probably True

People lose at gambling more often than they win at gambling. Everyone loves to tell a story about winning, but they clam up about the losing. This gives the illusion that people are winning a lot of money. In the long run, it isn't true.
Winning is like talking about the weather. Losing is like talking about erectile dysfunction - it never comes up (pun intended).

Poem For Jeremiah Wright

I was planning a long post here on the Jeremiah Wright Press Club fiasco, but then I realized I could sum the whole thing up with three photos and a short poem:





Some people.
When you point a camera at them.
They get funny in the head.

Early Color Photographs

The Daily Mail has these first color photographs taken in England from as early as 1913.

Egypt's Abandoned Hotels

Sinai hotels abandoned in mid construction via BLDGBLOG.

Primaries

The word suggests the beginning of something. Maybe it's time to change the name of what's going on this year.

Mt. Loretto Orphanage

A large collection of photos taken at the abandoned orphanage via Modern Ruins.

Excerpt

"If you don't want a man unhappy politically, don't give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none. Let him forget there is such a thing as war. If the government is inefficient, topheavy, and tax-mad, better it be all those than that people worry over it...

Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs or the names of state capitals or how much corn Iowa grew last year, Cram them full of noncombustible data, chock them so damned full of 'facts' they feel stuffed, but absolutely 'brilliant' with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking, they'll get a sense of motion without moving. And they'll be happy, because facts of that sort don't change. Don't give then any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy...

So bring on your clubs and parties, your acrobats and magicians, your daredevils, jet cars, motorcycle helicopters, your sex and heroin, more of everything to do with automatic reflex. If the drama is bad, if the film says nothing, if the play is hollow, sting me with the theremin, loudly. I'll think I'm responding to the play, when it's only a tactile reaction to vibration. But I don't care. I just like solid entertainment."

Spoken by Beatty, the Fireman, in Ray Bradbury's FAHRENHEIT 451 (1953)

Baracky

National Geographic China Project

National Geographic has posted the results of a project called Your Shot China Map - an interactive map where you can view hundreds of photos submitted by citizens from different regions. There are some very good shots revealing the incredible diversity of the country, and it's worth a visit here.

But Girls Help Boys Learn

An earlier post. And then this new research.

Politics And Poop

On a typical day I like to surf my favorite blogs to see what's up. I usually hit sites that feature politics, art, design, and culture. Occasionally I like to mix it up and see what's going on with my favorite stay-at-home Dad, regular American guy in Kansas, Josh, over at It's only me, Josh.

After plowing through all the election spin, Monday's post delivered as a nice change of pace. But then, wait, I realized that Josh's post isn't much different from what they're slinging on many of the political sites. The full story here.

Beards Circa 1900

Link here. Check out the "Hollywoodian".