Whittle It a Little, It’ll Fit

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 » Large mudslide blocks Interstate 80 near Truckee. No word on status of carees, vanees, and pickupees [PSA]

Monday 9 January 23:48:05 UTC 2017

[link] [25 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Three duck hunters found dead on Texas coast. Laughing dog sought for questioning [Sad]

Monday 9 January 23:36:05 UTC 2017

[link] [33 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » This Ingenious Snow Shovel Design Makes Clearing Your Driveway a Breeze

Monday 9 January 23:30:00 UTC 2017

The Snow Wolf is designed to reduce your risk of injury while clearing your driveway. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Got a quarter million dollars to spend on stuff you want? Not if you have a kid, you don't [Scary]

Monday 9 January 23:24:05 UTC 2017

[link] [82 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Tap water befouled in Quebec. La merde est dans l'eau [Scary]

Monday 9 January 23:12:05 UTC 2017

[link] [25 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Doctors Find a Tiny Brain Growing Inside a Teenager's Ovary

Monday 9 January 23:00:00 UTC 2017

Japanese surgeons spotted the teratoma while performing a routine appendectomy. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » El Paso County Courthouse in Colorado evacuated because it's, um, blowing away [Scary]

Monday 9 January 22:56:05 UTC 2017

[link] [24 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » You can now buy a robot fishing buddy who won't drink all your beer, unlike a baptist [Cool]

Monday 9 January 22:40:05 UTC 2017

[link] [38 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » At the beach, or in a pew, Pope Francis loves them, yes he do [Boobies]

Monday 9 January 22:13:24 UTC 2017

[link] [49 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » 8 Simple Ways to Speed Up Your Smartphone

Monday 9 January 22:00:00 UTC 2017

Much like computers, smartphones can start to slow down after years, or even months, of use. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Not all heroes wear capes. This one uses a cane [Hero]

Monday 9 January 21:43:24 UTC 2017

[link] [25 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Amazon Fresh and More Online Grocers Will Soon Accept Food Stamps

Monday 9 January 21:30:00 UTC 2017

Residents of select states will soon be able to pay for Amazon Fresh and other services with government assistance. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show features cars that will have the ability to talk back to drivers. Chryslers programmed to say "You're going to have to walk the rest of the way" [Cool]

Monday 9 January 21:16:44 UTC 2017

[link] [57 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Photoshop this race car driver [Photoshop]

Monday 9 January 21:00:01 UTC 2017

[link] [29 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » What Makes the Center of Ice Cubes White?

Monday 9 January 21:00:00 UTC 2017

Blame it on oxygen. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Masseuses take note, "Whoops" is NOT sufficient excuse for UFIA infractions [PSA]

Monday 9 January 20:50:04 UTC 2017

[link] [95 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » You Don't Want to Miss Monday's Top Amazon Deals

Monday 9 January 20:44:55 UTC 2017

From the Smart Shopping Team… [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Scientists determine that it would take a Sith Lord a trillion calories to shoot force lightning unless said Jedi was "drawing power from some other source." You know, some other source. An outside power of some kind. Some sort of force or so

Monday 9 January 20:44:07 UTC 2017

[link] [112 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » So if sunlight is composed of the full spectrum of colors and prisms are naturally produced by differences between the speed of light in a vacuum and its speed in a medium like an atmosphere, why aren't we living in a giant rainbow, man? *BONG RI

Monday 9 January 20:38:39 UTC 2017

[link] [49 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » US Navy destroyer fires warning shots at Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats, because apparently they needed reminding what a destroyer does [Interesting]

Monday 9 January 20:25:39 UTC 2017

[link] [98 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Cause of troubles in Northern Ireland: 1968-1998, Religion. 2017, Renewable energy subsidy scheme [Sad]

Monday 9 January 20:07:12 UTC 2017

[link] [35 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Librarian Creates Fake Patron to Keep Books on Shelves

Monday 9 January 20:00:00 UTC 2017

The fictional "Chuck Finley" checked out 2361 books last year. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Everything's coming up mushrooms [Scary]

Monday 9 January 19:50:04 UTC 2017

[link] [130 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Texas steps up the immigration war with an anti-sanctuary bill. Can the inevitable anti-anti-sanctuary bill be far behind? [Murica]

Monday 9 January 19:37:13 UTC 2017

[link] [68 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » 'Dumpster Fire' and 4 Other Words of the Year Chosen by The American Dialect Society

Monday 9 January 19:30:00 UTC 2017

These words capture the zeitgeist of 2016 in a variety of categories. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Days before airport shooting, Florida lawmakers worked on bill to allow guns in airports [Followup]

Monday 9 January 19:20:05 UTC 2017

[link] [142 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Montana leads the nation for most gun companies per capita, with roughly 100 percent of state's residents currently building some kind of ridiculous weapon in his or her garage [Obvious]

Monday 9 January 19:08:32 UTC 2017

[link] [89 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » A 3300-Pound Flying Car Could Evacuate People Remotely

Monday 9 January 19:00:00 UTC 2017

The drone, scheduled to be released in 2020, just had its first test flight. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Snow and ice covered 49 of 50 states this past weekend. Guess who was left out? [Florida]

Monday 9 January 18:50:05 UTC 2017

[link] [53 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » If you've been putting neon green dye in public fountains, the city of Virginia Beach would like you to knock it off [Amusing]

Monday 9 January 18:40:05 UTC 2017

[link] [38 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » 10 Years Ago Today, Steve Jobs Announced the iPhone

Monday 9 January 18:30:00 UTC 2017

Time to reminisce about your first smartphone. [Link]

Futility Closet » The Real World

Monday 9 January 18:25:02 UTC 2017

I had a growing feeling in the later years of my work at the subject that a good mathematical theorem dealing with economic hypotheses was very unlikely to be good economics: and I went more and more on the rules — (1) Use mathematics as a shorthand language, rather than an engine of inquiry. (2) Keep to them until you … [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Slacktivists devised a plan to destroy Breitbart and it's already working [Interesting]

Monday 9 January 18:20:05 UTC 2017

[link] [148 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Russia's Admiral Kuznetsov set to smoke its way back to Russia [Followup]

Monday 9 January 18:14:04 UTC 2017

[link] [59 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » The Latest Home-Brewing Concept From Keurig: Boozy K-Cups

Monday 9 January 18:00:00 UTC 2017

Beer will be the next beverage to get the pod treatment. [Link]

Mental Floss » 15 Facts About Maggots

Monday 9 January 17:30:00 UTC 2017

Maggot therapy is making a comeback. [Link]

Mental Floss » Canada Has Been Hiding Cadbury Oreo Eggs From Us

Monday 9 January 17:12:00 UTC 2017

Come April, make a run for the Canadian border. [Link]

Mental Floss » Name the TV Show From These Supporting Characters

Monday 9 January 17:08:37 UTC 2017

Take the quiz! [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Amid populist nationalism spreading like the clap, 2017 begins with the real possibility of Cyprus healing the 43-year-old rift between the island's two communities [Cool]

Monday 9 January 16:44:17 UTC 2017

[link] [37 comments] [Link]

Weird Universe » Wonderful Ching-Ching

Monday 9 January 16:34:44 UTC 2017

Additional images and full PDF download here. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Rare snowy owl draws crowds in Pennsylvania, carries note requesting Yuengling delivery to Hogwarts [Cool]

Monday 9 January 16:20:18 UTC 2017

[link] [87 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » If eleven drunken idiots from Philly make a derogatory comment about your military service, you don't need to defend the Army's honor. You are not Nic Cage in Con Air [Asinine]

Monday 9 January 16:03:44 UTC 2017

[link] [147 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » 12 Fictional Film and TV Languages You Can Actually Learn

Monday 9 January 16:00:00 UTC 2017

Speak like an alien, elf, or droog with these learnable fictional languages. [Link]

Weird Universe » Non-Terrifying Gas Mask

Monday 9 January 15:26:00 UTC 2017

1941: Charles Leguillon, a manager at the B.F. Goodrich Co., invented a "non-terrifying gas mask" that a pretty girl could wear "and remain a pretty girl and not become a gargoyle."

The media proclaimed that for this he deserved "female thanks," because of course all women want to continue looking their best, even during chemical warfare.

But was the new … [Link]

Mental Floss » AI Egg Timer Helps You Plan Meals and Cook Recipes

Monday 9 January 15:00:00 UTC 2017

Hello Egg is like Google Home for your kitchen. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Former Iranian President Rafsanjani has died. Subby isn't sure if 2017 is angry yet [Interesting]

Monday 9 January 14:37:45 UTC 2017

[link] [39 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Photoshop this hard-working man [Photoshop]

Monday 9 January 14:00:01 UTC 2017

[link] [18 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Man handcuffed inside cop car shoots himself in the head [Dumbass]

Monday 9 January 13:46:19 UTC 2017

[link] [111 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » You hit the pinnacle of parenthood once your children hit middle school: They can feed themselves, bathe themselves, and dress themselves. But they still like hanging out with you [Cool]

Monday 9 January 13:38:44 UTC 2017

[link] [82 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Japan has almost eradicated gun crime. Here's how they've done it [Interesting]

Monday 9 January 13:37:45 UTC 2017

[link] [316 comments] [Link]

Futility Closet » Podcast Episode 136: The Boston Molasses Disaster

Monday 9 January 12:47:39 UTC 2017

In 1919 a bizarre catastrophe struck Boston’s North End: A giant storage tank failed, releasing 2 million gallons of molasses into a crowded business district at the height of a January workday. In this week’s episode of the Futility Closet podcast we’ll tell the story of the Boston Molasses Disaster, which claimed 21 lives and inscribed a sticky page into … [Link]

Mental Floss » 5 Questions: F"ix"ed

Monday 9 January 12:45:00 UTC 2017

[Link]

Mental Floss » Let Hedwig Keep You Warm With This 'Harry Potter'-Inspired Scarf

Monday 9 January 12:30:00 UTC 2017

It gives you wings! [Link]

Fark.com RSS » It's not money laundering when a Republican does it [Fail]

Monday 9 January 12:27:38 UTC 2017

[link] [171 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » After you open a bottle of red wine, it's okay to store it in the refrigerator. Although why anybody would put an empty bottle of wine in the fridge is beyond me [Interesting]

Monday 9 January 12:05:27 UTC 2017

[link] [28 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Meryl Streep brings down the house during her Lifetime Achievement award acceptance speech. Donald Trump to declare war on Hollywood in 3… 2… [Hero]

Monday 9 January 11:34:38 UTC 2017

[link] [560 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Woman in broken wheelchair towed home by heavy duty truck and then it gets 'Murica [Murica]

Monday 9 January 11:12:45 UTC 2017

[link] [113 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Morning Cup of Links: The 2017 Golden Globe Awards

Monday 9 January 11:00:00 UTC 2017

Start your work week with these great links! [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Remember The Gap accepting a return on a 17-year-old shirt? Well, KFC just honored a 30-year-old coupon [Spiffy]

Monday 9 January 10:46:00 UTC 2017

[link] [48 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » So, how do you drink a $6000 bottle of Kentucky bourbon, besides VERY slowly? [Strange]

Monday 9 January 9:19:00 UTC 2017

[link] [88 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » YouTube User Remakes 'Home Alone' Ending—and Adds Lots of Blood

Monday 9 January 9:00:00 UTC 2017

Happy New Year, you filthy animals. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Best Korea announces it can attack the Pacific at any time [Followup]

Monday 9 January 7:01:00 UTC 2017

[link] [48 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Sit Back and Enjoy 5 Breathtaking Minutes of Storm Cloud Footage

Monday 9 January 7:00:00 UTC 2017

It's more fun to watch storms than to get caught in one. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » How do I know 2017 is going to be worse than 2016? Two words: man bangs [Amusing]

Monday 9 January 6:42:00 UTC 2017

[link] [86 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » 6 Ways Grad School Is Different From Undergrad

Monday 9 January 6:00:00 UTC 2017

Presented by Prudential. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Experts suggest solving nation's housing crisis by repurposing and renovating abandoned office space as affordable apartments. Just don't touch the red stapler [Obvious]

Monday 9 January 5:24:00 UTC 2017

[link] [59 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Bad: Get shot on the street. Good: Neighbor reaches scene in moments. Louisiana: Prays over you instead of rendering aid [Fail]

Monday 9 January 4:43:52 UTC 2017

[link] [153 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Live rent free in Manhattan for 7 years…yes, indoors. Hint: Loft Law [Interesting]

Monday 9 January 3:45:58 UTC 2017

[link] [154 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Homelessness cannot be solved in a headline, on a bumper sticker, or by a campaign slogan [Obvious]

Monday 9 January 2:24:45 UTC 2017

[link] [97 comments] [Link]

Weird Universe » News of the Weird (January 8, 2017)

Monday 9 January 2:17:20 UTC 2017

Lead Story

Too-Much-Reality TV: Russian producers are planning the so-far-ultimate survivors' show–in the Siberian wilderness for nine months (temperatures as low as -40F), with 30 contestants selected after signing liability waivers that protect the show even if someone is raped or murdered. (Police may … [Link]

Mental Floss » Watch an Early Silent Film About Relativity

Monday 9 January 2:00:00 UTC 2017

"A subject requiring a life-time to master, obviously cannot be demonstrated in a few minutes. This is therefore an attempt to explain only some of its more popular ideas." [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Douche wrecks a rented Ferrari Italia despite his passenger's advice to not drive like a douche. Not safe for work language in video [Dumbass]

Monday 9 January 1:06:43 UTC 2017

[link] [138 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Photoshop the road less traveled [Photoshop]

Monday 9 January 1:00:01 UTC 2017

[link] [35 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Explain your favorite movie very badly. "Some dude loves Rita Hayworth and there's this guy who murdered someone. They're like, BFFs in prison, and platonic BFFs at that. So the Rita loving dude chisels this wall in his cell forEVERS and

Monday 9 January 0:43:01 UTC 2017

[link] [2388 comments] [Link]

John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons