John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons

John Gordon Ross header image 3

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 » Prosecutor: I'm not going to seek the death penalty. Governor: Then you're fired. Next Prosecutor: uh, lemme think about this [Florida]

Monday 20 March 23:38:04 UTC 2017

Florida [link] [74 comments] [Link]

Futility Closet » Unquote

Monday 20 March 23:35:30 UTC 2017

“The leading advocates of the need to subject everything to the competitive test of the market are tenured economists.” — Sheen Kassouf [Link]

Mental Floss » Grand Getaway: Vacation Like Belle and the Beast in a Castle

Monday 20 March 23:30:00 UTC 2017

Vacation rental company HomeAway created the 2017 Castle Collection, including luxurious lodgings from all over the world. [Link]

Mental Floss » The Hardest Working Baboon in South Africa

Monday 20 March 23:00:00 UTC 2017

During his tenure as a paid employee at the Port Elizabeth Mainline Railroad in South Africa, Jack the baboon never made a single mistake. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Those crazy Russians. When they aren't thinking up new ways to persecute racial minorities and gay people, they're thinking up new games involving pushing cars around frozen lakes [Interesting]

Monday 20 March 22:50:04 UTC 2017

Interesting [link] [24 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » New App Takes You Inside the Edinburgh of the 16th Century

Monday 20 March 22:30:00 UTC 2017

Researchers have reconstructed how the Scottish city would have looked shortly before it was largely destroyed by the English army in 1544. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Norway unseats Denmark as happiest country. I'm assuming this makes Denmark unhappy. See how that works? [Facepalm]

Monday 20 March 22:20:05 UTC 2017

Facepalm [link] [64 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Hey, let's give speeding ticket money to folks who obey the speed limit. BRILLIANT [Cool]

Monday 20 March 21:50:05 UTC 2017

Cool [link] [68 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » You Can Now Check the Weather in Virtual Reality

Monday 20 March 21:30:00 UTC 2017

AccuWeather has launched a Samsung Gear VR app to experience the weather outside (or across the country) live. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Mom changing to Dad at the same time as son changes to daughter. The next family reunion is sure going to be interesting [Hero]

Monday 20 March 21:17:08 UTC 2017

Hero [link] [309 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Pink Used To Be Yellow (No, Really)

Monday 20 March 21:00:00 UTC 2017

Look up the word pink in the dictionary, and you’ll probably find a lot more definitions than you might have expected. But of all the word’s meanings, the oldest on record is one that appears in only the most comprehensive dictionaries: Pink used to be yellow. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Get checked for strep throat, people [Creepy]

Monday 20 March 20:47:08 UTC 2017

Creepy [link] [84 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Constantly Congested? Ease Up on the Nasal Spray

Monday 20 March 20:46:16 UTC 2017

Overusing decongestants and other drugs can cause a rebound effect, producing the same symptoms the drug was intended to treat. [Link]

Mental Floss » To Compete With Siri, Samsung Will Launch a New Digital Assistant: Bixby

Monday 20 March 20:45:00 UTC 2017

The new Samsung Galaxy S8—and Bixby—will officially debut on March 29. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Photoshop this peaceful and hazard free work environment [Photoshop]

Monday 20 March 20:00:01 UTC 2017

Photoshop [link] [32 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Mobile Game From Merriam-Webster Tests Your Dictionary Knowledge

Monday 20 March 20:00:00 UTC 2017

Meet your newest word game obsession. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » While a mortuary was evacuated for weeks due to chemical leak, several bodies disappeared from their storage bins [Creepy]

Monday 20 March 19:47:08 UTC 2017

Creepy [link] [70 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » What Happens When Someone Named Alexa Buys an Amazon Echo?

Monday 20 March 19:30:00 UTC 2017

Your smart home device can get dumb in a hurry when it has to share a name with a human. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » New book details Hitler's plan to jack up supersolidiers with meth, cocaine, and livestock steroids before sending them to England on miniature submarines [Scary]

Monday 20 March 19:17:08 UTC 2017

Scary [link] [101 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » The Re-Imagined Spring of the French Revolutionary Calendar

Monday 20 March 19:08:26 UTC 2017

Following the unseating of the French monarchy and the institution of the French Republic in 1792, cultural revisionism was all the rage—and it extended to the Gregorian calendar. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Monday is International Day of Happiness. Note – the beatings will continue until morale improves [Sappy]

Monday 20 March 18:47:08 UTC 2017

Sappy [link] [51 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Siberian Hamster Testicles are Growing, Which Means the Vernal Equinox is Here

Monday 20 March 18:45:00 UTC 2017

It's a pretty granular-level effect of the axial tilt of an entire planet. [Link]

Weird Universe » 7 Clicks (March 20, 2017)

Monday 20 March 18:33:00 UTC 2017

7 Clicks
A Weird Universe News Service
March 20, 2017

Proportion (I): Bald, repeat sex fiend who murdered a child demands toupee in prison because: humiliation [BBC News]

News You Can Use: Having your [well, a mouse's–but anyway] whole body vibrated = "exercise" (A journal article! Endocrinology!) [Science Daily]

The U.S. House protecting rights of mentally ill veterans–to own a … [Link]

Mental Floss » Virgin Galactic Will Blast Stephen Hawking into Space

Monday 20 March 18:30:00 UTC 2017

“Richard Branson has offered me a seat on Virgin Galactic, and I said yes immediately,” he said. “I can tell you what will make me happy—to travel in space.” [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Roses are red / violets are top [Florida]

Monday 20 March 18:17:08 UTC 2017

Florida [link] [26 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Tokyo Is Now Home to a Pop-Up Nap Cafe

Monday 20 March 18:00:00 UTC 2017

Why sleep at home when you can sleep in public? [Link]

Fark.com RSS » It takes skill to jump from a moving garbage truck into a snowbank, then slide down and get run over by the same garbage truck [Dumbass]

Monday 20 March 17:50:04 UTC 2017

Dumbass [link] [36 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Brexit will start March 29th [Spiffy]

Monday 20 March 17:20:05 UTC 2017

Spiffy [link] [226 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Pink diamond worth millions shown in London. ♫ harun…harun…harun harun harun harun haruuuuunnnn ♫ [Cool]

Monday 20 March 16:46:44 UTC 2017

Cool [link] [66 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » New Game Turns James Joyce's 'Ulysses' Into Virtual Reality

Monday 20 March 16:00:00 UTC 2017

"Joycestick" explores the author's famously difficult novel in a whole new way. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Time travel is real, just look at these ancient statues that are holding modern designer handbags. 100% definite proof [Weird]

Monday 20 March 15:50:04 UTC 2017

Weird [link] [134 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » If you're 19 and hauling 30 cases of beer for spring break, don't drive 90 mph on the interstate [Florida]

Monday 20 March 15:20:05 UTC 2017

Florida [link] [140 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Grab Monday's Best Amazon Deals While You Can

Monday 20 March 15:07:03 UTC 2017

From the Smart Shopping Team… [Link]

Mental Floss » Tardigrades Produce Glass Shields to Survive Extreme Conditions

Monday 20 March 14:57:11 UTC 2017

These microscopic monsters just get weirder and weirder. [Link]

Mental Floss » 5 Questions: Chuck Berry

Monday 20 March 14:57:06 UTC 2017

[Link]

Mental Floss » Brunch Your Way Around the Globe

Monday 20 March 14:57:02 UTC 2017

Many international cities offer their own uniquely delicious version of the midday meal. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Man who made the brilliant career move of opposing Putin has green dye sprayed in his face. And this was how St Putin chased all the democracy out of Russia, kids [Silly]

Monday 20 March 14:50:04 UTC 2017

Silly [link] [59 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Intel offers no evidence of Trump Tower spying. To be honest, I always suspected AMD [Followup]

Monday 20 March 14:32:16 UTC 2017

Followup [link] [133 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » 15 Heartwarming Facts About Mister Rogers

Monday 20 March 14:30:00 UTC 2017

Though he passed away in 2003, Fred Rogers remains an icon of kindness for the ages. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Beijing park clamps down on excess toilet roll usage with….*shakes magic 8-ball*… facial recognition [Facepalm]

Monday 20 March 14:20:04 UTC 2017

Facepalm [link] [49 comments] [Link]

Overheard In The Office » The Good News Is That the World Ends in July

Monday 20 March 14:03:04 UTC 2017

Coworker #1: I've got good news and bad news.
Coworker #2: Okay, it's Monday, throw it at me.
Coworker #1: The website is not going to be done until August.
Coworker #2: August?! Why?
Coworker #1: Yeah… I know.
Coworker #2: So was that the bad news? West Coast
Canadia Overheard by: Carla [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Seriously, this gigantic chicken is scaring the hell out of people on the internet [Giggity]

Monday 20 March 13:59:58 UTC 2017

Giggity [link] [110 comments] [Link]

Weird Universe » How many ways are children annoying?

Monday 20 March 13:59:52 UTC 2017

Back in 1931, Dr. Mandel Sherman, director of the Child Research Centre, wanted to find out the exact number of ways in which children annoy their parents. He came up with the oddly specific number of 2,124 different ways.

He arrived at this number by having a group of parents carry notebooks around with them for a week and record … [Link]

Weird Universe » Ex-millionaire Lives With Pigs

Monday 20 March 13:59:51 UTC 2017


Original story here. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » The sixth annual Father-Daughter Dance for inmates took place at the Richmond Justice Center Sunday afternoon [Sappy]

Monday 20 March 13:50:04 UTC 2017

Sappy [link] [42 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Here Are the Most Popular Disney Princesses in Each State

Monday 20 March 13:30:00 UTC 2017

Belle narrowly loses the top spot. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Yakuza disappearing from across Japan. It's all been downhill for them since that guest shot on "The Simpsons" [Obvious]

Monday 20 March 13:20:05 UTC 2017

Obvious [link] [68 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Photoshop this little alley cat [Photoshop]

Monday 20 March 13:00:01 UTC 2017

Photoshop [link] [37 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Say my name. You're Dr Heisenberg. You're goddamn right [Dumbass]

Monday 20 March 12:50:03 UTC 2017

Dumbass [link] [37 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » 24 Fantastic Frequentative Words And Where They Come From

Monday 20 March 12:30:00 UTC 2017

If sniffle comes from sniff and chatter comes from chat, where do fizzle, waddle, and flutter come from? [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Syria: Hey Russia, how can we make the Syrians' lives even more miserable? Russia: Well here's an idea – let's start blowing up hospitals [Sick]

Monday 20 March 12:20:05 UTC 2017

Sick [link] [72 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Australian teenager summons his inner Steve Irwin, survives a crocodile attack, then washes his thumb [Scary]

Monday 20 March 11:53:28 UTC 2017

Scary [link] [43 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Getting rid of old medicine getting easier; take it to your pharmacy any day. Or just give them to pilled out Pete. That guy will take anything [Spiffy]

Monday 20 March 11:30:31 UTC 2017

Spiffy [link] [36 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Chuck Berry

Monday 20 March 11:15:00 UTC 2017

[Link]

Fark.com RSS » Police investigating case of assault with deadly cheeseburger [Fail]

Monday 20 March 11:00:23 UTC 2017

Fail [link] [21 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Master the Game in Style With the 'Zelda: The Breath of the Wild' Strategy Books

Monday 20 March 11:00:00 UTC 2017

Not as pretty as the game itself, but close. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Fark you, fark you, fark Uber, this isn't cool, I'm out [Followup]

Monday 20 March 10:09:17 UTC 2017

Followup [link] [99 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Sara Connor sentenced to prison, soon to be busted out by a teenager and an Austrian on a motorcycle [Followup]

Monday 20 March 10:01:22 UTC 2017

Followup [link] [16 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Today's math word problem: Your middle school teacher has 61 kilos of cocaine, 1 kilo of heroin, and a stash of weapons in her home. How many years will she serve? Please show your work (Not safe for work content in sidebar & below article) [

Monday 20 March 9:30:18 UTC 2017

Awkward [link] [58 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Morning Cup of Links: Chess in the Movies

Monday 20 March 9:30:00 UTC 2017

Check out these links to get your day started right! [Link]

Futility Closet » Podcast Episode 146: Alone in the Wilderness

Monday 20 March 8:34:33 UTC 2017

In 1913 outdoorsman Joseph Knowles pledged to spend two months in the woods of northern Maine, naked and alone, fending for himself “without the slightest communication or aid from the outside world.” In this week’s episode of the Futility Closet podcast we’ll follow Knowles’ adventures in the woods and the controversy that followed his return to civilization. We’ll also consider … [Link]

Mental Floss » Little Free Pantries

Monday 20 March 8:30:00 UTC 2017

Inspired by Little Free Libraries, Little Free Pantries have been popping up across the nation. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » In not-creepy-at-all news, this California city wants to photograph and identify every single car's license plate in real time and link it to other government databases. In real time [Creepy]

Monday 20 March 7:35:34 UTC 2017

Creepy [link] [92 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Infographic: Brunch Your Way Around the Globe

Monday 20 March 7:30:00 UTC 2017

Many international cities offer their own uniquely delicious version of the midday meal. [Link]

Mental Floss » Forgotten Female Composer Finally Gets Credit for Her Famous Sonata

Monday 20 March 7:07:08 UTC 2017

For decades, the long-lost “Easter Sonata” was thought to be the work of composer Felix Mendelssohn. In fact, it was his sister's creation. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Growing number of Americans would rather smoke cannabis than drink beer [Interesting]

Monday 20 March 4:38:27 UTC 2017

Interesting [link] [153 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » 'Sesame Street' Introduces Julia, a New Muppet With Autism

Monday 20 March 3:32:32 UTC 2017

It’s important for kids without autism to see what autism can look like. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » South Carolina shows the entire NCAA Tournament that once again, Duke sucks [Fail]

Monday 20 March 3:21:44 UTC 2017

Fail [link] [108 comments] [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Russians search for a snow leopard for Putin to ride while shirtless [Obvious]

Monday 20 March 2:09:33 UTC 2017

Obvious [link] [41 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Dairy Queen is Giving Away Free Ice Cream Cones on Monday

Monday 20 March 1:40:19 UTC 2017

I scream, you scream, we all scream for free ice cream. [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Second woman dies at Miami clinic after getting Brazilian butt lift [Florida]

Monday 20 March 1:28:43 UTC 2017

Florida [link] [75 comments] [Link]

Mental Floss » Emulate a Vintage Mac Running System 7 in Your Browser

Monday 20 March 1:00:00 UTC 2017

If you used a Mac in the '80s or '90s, this will bring you right back. [Link]

Weird Universe » News of the Weird (March 19, 2017)

Monday 20 March 0:59:21 UTC 2017

News of the Weird
Weirdnuz.M519, March 19, 2017
Copyright 2017 by Chuck Shepherd. All rights reserved.

Lead Story

Perhaps there are parents who (according to the Cinépolis movie chain) long to watch movies in theaters while their children (aged 3-and-up) frolic in front in a "jungle-gym" playground inside the same auditorium. If so, the company's two "junior" movie houses (opening … [Link]

Fark.com RSS » Photoshop this VR hotshot [Photoshop]

Monday 20 March 0:00:01 UTC 2017

Photoshop [link] [25 comments] [Link]

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