Odds and sods I look at regularly, just because they amuse me. I hope they do the same for you. Incidentally, I found this page’s title on Greg Ross’s Futility Closet (it’s somewhere on this page) in a mini-article which also includes the delightful sentence in Icelandic: Barbara Ara bar Ara araba bara rabbabara. Ross points out that this, “besides being fun to say, is spelled with only three letters. It means “Barbara, daughter of Ari, brought only rhubarb to Ari the Arab.”
Fark.com RSS » Not news: Dog bites man. News: Man bites dog. Fark: Dog burns down man's house [Facepalm]
[link] [48 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Bobby Jindal Was Running For President? [NewsFlash]
[link] [408 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » 12 Stately Facts About ‘The American President’
Before he created 'The West Wing,' Aaron Sorkin wrote this Oscar-nominated political rom-com, which was released 20 years ago. [Link]
Mental Floss » A Hoard of Famous Artworks Have Been in Storage Since the Iran Revolution
This month, they'll be showcased in a new exhibit at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. [Link]
Mental Floss » Half of the World’s Natural History Specimens Might Be Labeled Wrong
Well, this is embarrassing. [Link]
FMyLife » Anonymous says FML
Today, my friend was complaining about about her new boyfriend. Playing around, I told her that he sounded a lot like my ex. He is. FML [Link]
Mental Floss » 10 Facts You Might Not Know About Olive Garden
Unlimited salad and breadsticks, coming right up. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Like, oh Magog, ISIS is totally Syria about Armageddon [Strange]
[link] [212 comments] [Link]
The Onion » News in Brief: Rubio Campaign Deploys 6,000 Ground Troops To Combat ISIS
OTTUMWA, IA—Vowing to hunt down and destroy every last vestige of the extremist group, Senator Marco Rubio announced Tuesday that his presidential campaign was deploying 6,000 ground troops to the Middle East to combat ISIS militants. “ISIS has shown that it has no respect for the sanctity of human life, which is why this campaign has dispatched troops to Syria … [Link]
Mental Floss » Humans Saved Gourds and Pumpkins From Extinction
Thanks to our ancestors' green thumbs, we can enjoy Thanksgiving staples like pumpkin pie today. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Here is the church, and there is the steeple [Scary]
[link] [26 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Stadium in Germany evacuated after conflicting reports of a van packed with explosives [News]
[link] [400 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Photoshop this woman walking in the park [Photoshop]
[link] [32 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of ‘This American Life’ With Our Favorite 20 Episodes
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of 'This American Life,' we’ve rounded up 20 of our favorite episodes. [Link]
The Onion » News in Brief: GOP Warns Refugees Likely To Be Driven To Terrorism By Way America Would Treat Them
CHARLESTON, SC—Declaring that opening the nation’s doors to displaced Syrians posed a major security threat, GOP leaders warned Tuesday that any refugees who resettled in the U.S. would most likely be driven to terrorism by the way America treats them. “We absolutely cannot provide a safe haven to these Syrians due to the very real threat that the abusive and … [Link]
Fark.com RSS » One more reason to avoid Texas like the plague: Chagas disease, propagated by "Kissing bugs," can kill you without warning decades after infection, and is spreading like wildfire. Sleep well, y'all [Scary]
[link] [116 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Nigerian math professor announces he's solved 156-year-old Millennium Problem, needs you to wire him $156 million so he can afford publication of solution [Cool]
[link] [106 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Afternoon Map: Where’s All the Groundwater?
A map shows how groundwater would be pooled across the Earth if it was brought to the surface. [Link]
Mental Floss » Milwaukee Man Confuses Travelers with ‘Welcome to Cleveland' Sign on His Roof
Most epic prank ever. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » New smartphone vibrator is about to launch. Is not compatible with iPhones, whose owners experience orgasm during the unboxing process (Not safe for work) [Obvious]
[link] [93 comments] [Link]
The Onion » American Voices: Oxford Selects An Emoji As Word Of The Year
The Oxford English Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2015 is not in fact a word, but what they have dubbed the “Face with Tears of Joy” emoji, which accounts for 17 percent of all emojis sent in U.S. texts and whose use is steeply on the rise. What do you think?
[Link]
Mental Floss » 25 Things You Should Know About Little Rock
14. It's where the country's hardworking Billy Basses go to retire. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Teenybopper Steve King: "Teddy is the answer to my prayers" *squeeeeeeeeeeee* [Giggity]
[link] [67 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » 1st grader arrested after attempting rock-paper-scissors maneuver of scissors stabs teacher [Scary]
[link] [77 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Look Up Tonight! The Leonid Meteor Shower Will Blaze Across the Sky
The celestial show occurs every November. [Link]
Futility Closet » Unquote
“There are very few things which we know, which are not capable of being reduc’d to a Mathematical Reasoning; and when they cannot it’s a sign our knowledge of them is very small and confus’d; and when a Mathematical Reasoning can be had it’s as great a folly to make use of any other, as to grope for a thing … [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Alaska's cancelled bridge to nowhere left at least one benefit: a $28 million hiking trail for berry pickers [Fail]
[link] [78 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Why Is Your Cat Such a Picky Eater? Blame Bitter Taste Receptors
The downside of refined tastes. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Barbie commercial stars a boy for the first time, presumably removing the doll's head to stuff it with fireworks [Cool]
[link] [151 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Limited Edition LEGO Slippers Keep Your Feet Safe From Brick-Stepping Accidents
Protect your feet from the agony of stepping on a LEGO brick. [Link]
Mental Floss » 11 Ingenious Ways to Make Your Next Flight Fly By
Long flights aren’t exactly the highlight of any vacation, but there are some simple tricks to make them easier and more comfortable. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Canada's Navy would like you to know it is willing to spend up to $40,000 on: A) ship safety equipment. B) ship navigational system upgrades. C) a new bassoon [Strange]
[link] [127 comments] [Link]
The Onion » Horoscope: Your Horoscopes — Week Of November 17, 2015
[Link]
Mental Floss » Install a Living Beehive in Your Home
Here's the conversation piece you've been looking for. [Link]
The Onion » Sports News in Brief: Aging Peyton Manning Now Forced To Take Field With Assistance Dog
DENVER—Noting that he is no longer capable of safely maneuvering across the field on his own, the Denver Broncos announced Tuesday that quarterback Peyton Manning will now be accompanied in all games by a specially trained assistance dog. “Given Peyton’s age and physical limitations, he needs Scout to help him navigate the pocket and find his way to and from … [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Tattooed manboobs land guy in prison for 50 years. That, and the face-stabbing and the blood sandwiches [Creepy]
[link] [79 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » This Taiwanese City Is Replacing an Old Mall With a Lagoon
And an artificial beach! [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Lord tunderin', this is a fine kettle of fish when Newfoundlanders can't hold their Screech when out on a tare, b'y [Facepalm]
[link] [58 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » I guess they did a little too much LDS in the '60s [Interesting]
[link] [242 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Students address high court seeking compensation for "mental agony" after failing their exams [Unlikely]
[link] [42 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Do Tortoises Like Being Petted?
The massive reptiles lean into human touch like overgrown, leathery cats. [Link]
Mental Floss » 11 Spellbinding Facts About 'The Witches'
When Roald Dahl, Jim Henson, and Nicolas Roeg combined forces, movie magic happened. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » TSA catches two guns at airport in four days, takes the rest of the year off for meeting their quota early [Dumbass]
[link] [123 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Security breach at G20 summit. Difficulty: Cats [Amusing]
[link] [73 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » ISIS has a 24 hour help desk for terrorists. Representative. Representative. REPRESENTATIVE [Weird]
[link] [96 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » What Are Those Dark-Green Mailboxes That Don't Accept Mail?
Your mail carrier relies on these boxes (and thieves love them). [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Hitler's daughter dies in Moscow [Unlikely]
[link] [59 comments] [Link]
Weird Universe » Frozen Turkeys As Deadly Weapons
According to my research, the first case of assault with a frozen turkey occurred in the 1940s. But by the end of the 20th Century, the use of frozen turkeys as deadly weapons had become fairly common. More details over at about.com.
[Link]
Fark.com RSS » "She tried to back up. I stopped her, took her keys from her. She said, 'I can't get another DUI.' I said, 'What do you mean?' She said, 'I already have one today.'" [Dumbass]
[link] [70 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Trick Your Brain Into Seeing This Black-and-White Photo In Color
There's some neat science behind this freaky trick. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Photoshop George Clooney [Photoshop]
[link] [32 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » The Epic Facial Hair of the Forefathers of the National Parks
These men stayed impressively groomed while championing for wildlife preservation. [Link]
FMyLife » kitkat1740 says FML
Today, I called my boss to ask if my paycheck had been deposited yet. He said no, that my grandmother came in to work and picked it up. Confused, I called her. She is holding it ransom until I start calling home every day. I do, but she gets so drunk, she doesn't remember. FML [Link]
Weird Universe » Fox Tossing and Other Sports
This new book by Edward Brooke-Hitching looks like a good read (Amazon link), and potentially of interest to WU readers. From the publisher's blurb:
Have you ever wondered what people did for fun throughout history? Edward Brooke-Hitching began to wonder the same thing while flipping through an eighteenth-century German book on hunting, and found a bygone sport in which German … [Link]
Mental Floss » The Right Stuff(ing): 11 Variations on the Turducken
Definitely NSFV (Not Safe for Vegetarians). [Link]
Mental Floss » Soon You’ll Be Able to Charge Your Phone Just By Walking
A new tech company called SolePower wants to harness the energy in every step you take. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » These are the lives cut tragically short in Paris [Followup]
[link] [108 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Russian investigators state that forensics have revealed explosives were aboard A321, confirming it was an act of terror [Followup]
[link] [157 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Artist Paints Beautiful Submerged Murals on Icebergs
These temporary murals are meant to draw attention to climate change. [Link]
Weird Universe » Follies of the Madmen #265
Hey, wait, most beaches don't allow pets!
Original ad here. [Link]
Mental Floss » 5 Questions: McCloud
[Link]
Fark.com RSS » Lego offers solution to parents guilty of swearing in front of their kids [Spiffy]
[link] [49 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » CIA director says NSA spying on Americans would have stopped Paris rampage by Syrians who probably weren't Syrian and on whom the NSA was already spying. ARE YOU NOT AFRAID? [Dumbass]
[link] [219 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Easy-Bake Evolution: 50 Years of Cakes, Cookies, and Gender Politics
The story of the much beloved toy that's been a hit since day one. [Link]
GraphJam » This Guy's Post-It Note Graphs Illustrate Some of Life's Most 'Too Real' Moments
Having a struggle today? Chaz Hutton and his post-it graphs know that feel: Submitted by: Tagged: list , IRL , graphs Share on Facebook
[Link]
The Onion » American Voices: Former Parishioners Protest Mormon LGBT Policy
Hundreds of members of the Mormon faith protested this week by submitting formal letters of resignation, renouncing the church’s latest anti-LGBT policy that bans baptisms for children of same-sex couples. What do you think?
[Link]
Mental Floss » 11 Brilliant Gifts for the Harry Potter Fan in Your Life
These presents are so magical, they’ll have wizards and Muggles alike crying “Accio gifts!” [Link]
FMyLife » weldingmachine217 says FML
Today, I went to the bowling alley. I have short, stubby fingers, and as I looked for a bowling ball that would fit my hand properly, an old man watched me searching, and approached asking, "Is that how you are with women? Fingering them, tossing them in the gutter, and looking for another?" FML [Link]
FMyLife » ScreweD- says FML
Today, I got a writing assignment back. After meeting with my professor specially after class and meticulously combing through every word of that paper, I got a low D. Turns out, he graded me down on every suggestion of his that I took. FML [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Well, isn't that just grate [Giggity]
[link] [21 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Coffee, which was bad, then good, then bad, then good, then bad, is now linked to longer lifespans [Cool]
[link] [85 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Morning Cup of Links: The 'Star Wars' Prequels Weren't All Bad
Some great links from all over! [Link]
Mental Floss » 20 Things You Might Not Have Known About 'Hamilton'
Why George Washington's death was cut, and more… [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Not quite what I had in mind for a dressed chicken, but never mind [Sappy]
[link] [29 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Crystal Lake man ch-ch-ch-ch-ah-ah-ah-ah-arged with animal cruelty [Sick]
[link] [42 comments] [Link]
GraphJam » Looks Like You Didn't… State Your Case
Graph by: Unknown Tagged: caruso , csi , forensics , miami , Pie Chart , speech and debate , YEEEEAHHHHHHH Share on Facebook
[Link]
GraphJam » I Just Call Them All Czar
Graph by: kingster20 Tagged: anastasia , men , names , Pie Chart , pop culture , russian Share on Facebook
[Link]
GraphJam » Thinking of comebacks
Graph by: Tagged: Bar Graph , burn , comeback , fight , friends , hours , insults Share on Facebook
[Link]
GraphJam » Changing the World One Laugh at a Time
Graph by: plazma911 Tagged: Pie Chart , self referential , slacktivism , society Share on Facebook
[Link]
GraphJam » I Thought It Was the 'Handy-Kick' Door Opener
Graph by: Unknown Tagged: doors , handicap , kick , Pie Chart Share on Facebook
[Link]
GraphJam » We're Searching For Lyrics
Graph by: bdbecker Tagged: do do do do do , europe , final countdown , GOB , Pie Chart , venus Share on Facebook
[Link]
GraphJam » Contents of Captain Planet
LoL by: starfox64x Tagged: captain planet , clothes , contents , earth , fire , heart , water , wind Share on Facebook
[Link]
Mental Floss » Minnesota is Introducing a New 'Canoe Share' Along the Mississippi River
Twin Cities residents will soon be able to check out canoes and kayaks for the day, in addition to bikes. [Link]
The Onion » News in Brief: Corporation Proud Of Origins As Small Business That Would Never Survive In Modern Economy
DEERFIELD, IL—Touting its foundational values of hard work, honesty, and integrity, drugstore giant Walgreens confirmed Wednesday it is proud of its origins as a small business that in today’s economy would absolutely never have been able to get off the ground. “Here at Walgreens, we still live by the same commitment to customer service preached by Charles Walgreen when he … [Link]
Mental Floss » 8 Amazing Dollhouses From Around the World
With many of these ornate dollhouses costing thousands of dollars, they're definitely not just kids' stuff. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » A 9-year-old boy could face sexual harassment charges if he doesn't stop passing love notes to a girl in his fourth grade class [Florida]
[link] [107 comments] [Link]
The Onion » News in Brief: Elderly Woman Relieved To Know She’s Tackled Last Technological Advancement Of Lifetime
POMPANO BEACH, FL—Moments after successfully sending her first text message from her new smartphone Tuesday, 75-year-old Eleanor Brodeson is said to have felt immense relief at the knowledge she had surmounted the final technological advancement of her lifetime. “Oh, there, I think I’ve got it,” said Brodeson, who, after investing considerable time and mental energy learning how to use a … [Link]
The Onion » News in Brief: Bar Has Loud, Overcrowded Section Upstairs Too
SAN ANTONIO, TX—Noting that the bar and surrounding floor area can get pretty cramped and chaotic, regulars at local bar The Blue Room informed visiting friends Friday that the establishment has a noisy, overcrowded upstairs section too. “If it gets too packed and loud down here, we can always head upstairs to struggle to find a place to stand and … [Link]
Mental Floss » Far Out! A Psychedelic View of Pluto
A false-color image of the dwarf planet shows the variation in color among regions. [Link]
Futility Closet » As You Wish
In 1951 G.V. Carey published a 15-page booklet called “Making an Index,” intended to guide new authors in preparing indexes for their books. When it was published, a friendly reviewer in the Times Literary Supplement suggested jokingly that the booklet might have benefited from an index of its own, in which Carey could have given “a full-dress demonstration of his … [Link]
Fark.com RSS » The Elmhurst Police Department could use some help with their Photoshop technique [Fail]
[link] [44 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » 11 Things Prince Charles Does With His Time
On the day the new royal prince—his first grandson—was born, Charles, Prince of Wales, was going about business as usual, all the British papers reported. But what, if you’re heir to the British crown in one of the world’s oldest constitutional monarchies, exactly is business as usual? [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Americans workers rob their employers of $16.6 billion a year. That's a lot of paper clips [Stupid]
[link] [227 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Fifteen uses for coffee that don't involve trying to regain consciousness [Interesting]
[link] [32 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » The Most Common Phrases in Craigslist 'Missed Connections' Posts, Visualized
Including “long shot, “eye contact,” and “*crosses fingers*.” [Link]
Fark.com RSS » FDA releases new food safety rules for produce. Which is great news for the three Americans who still actually eat fresh fruit and vegetables [Followup]
[link] [48 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » A Member of Parliament Wants Hedgehogs as the UK's National Species
MP Oliver Colvile recently nominated the hedgehog as a national symbol to raise awareness of the species' declining numbers. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Oxford dictionary's Word of the Year is an emoji. Why? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ [Stupid]
[link] [58 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Thanks for reducing your water use, here's a 40% rate hike [Asinine]
[link] [69 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Artist Puts Classic Actors In Modern Movie Posters
Graphic designer Peter Stults creates beautifully designed hypothetical movie posters. [Link]
Mental Floss » Researchers Discover Lost Island Where Athenians and Spartans Once Battled
The site of a major battle between the Spartans and Athenians during the Peloponnesian War, the island is mentioned in numerous ancient texts—but its exact whereabouts were unknown until now. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » A satiric article in 2003 about the consequences of the American invasion of Iraq was, as my dry cleaner might say, spot on [Strange]
[link] [137 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Photoshop this reclining Art [Photoshop]
[link] [27 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » 10 Ancient Textiles That Will Blow Your Mind
These textiles laughed in the face of entropy. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » In a town of only 900 residents voters don't have many choices for town council, but surely they could have done better than a biker gang "enforcer" who murdered a woman in her sleep after she objected to him stealing her Rx drugs [Fail]
[link] [25 comments] [Link]
Mental Floss » Join the 2015 Starling Survey
Researchers are collecting data on starling sightings across the UK. [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Australian researchers confirm that they made another quantum computing breakthrough next week [Cool]
[link] [47 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » And there you were, thinking something as trivial as a flood could stop people from drinking [Strange]
[link] [34 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Ginger student sent home from school for being too ginger [Amusing]
[link] [80 comments] [Link]
Fark.com RSS » Bear cub rescued after doing great Winnie the Pooh impression [Sappy]
[link] [15 comments] [Link]
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