Geek humor. Too funny.

Burton Richardson, great coach....

Wicked submission.

You don't see a lot of folks pull off the reverse/inverse triangle choke in MMA.

"Ideally... only do things that are fun... and do less of it."

Amidst the usual nuggets of comedic wisdom about consciousness, drugs, psychology and everything... listen for the bits about the killer whales.

Apparently, in brief and quickly summarized... before the 40s/50s, killer whale attacks on humans weren't all that uncommon. Then, the US began using the whales for aircraft target practice. After that, attacks by killer whales became virtually nonexistent. Apparently, as a species, they called a truce, because we were fucking them up.

The Joe Rogan Blog » Conduit to the Gaian Mind » Adam Carolla podcast with me up now:

"This was a really fun podcast to do. I’ve always enjoyed doing Adam’s radio show, but it was especially cool talking to him uncensored. He’s a really interesting, smart dude, and this is the perfect format for him. Someday we’ll all have an internet connection in our cars and this really will be the future of radio. The old companies are outdated, and with the advent of new technology anyone with something interesting to say can have an audience. You don’t need a gigantic machine behind you, you just need the same technological infrastructure that everyone else can also enjoy."

http://www.carollaradio.com/

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/cioffi.cachefly.net/2009.05.01ACP.mp3

WorldWideWhale.com - Orca Whales:

"We've come a long way from the 1950's when the U.S. Air Force used killer whales off the coast of Iceland for target practice, using machine guns, rockets and depth charges to slaughter several thousand animals..."

Fascinating article about lost cosmonauts in the Space Race.

Much more at the link.

[Originally found via Warren Ellis.]

Lost in Space | Articles | Features | Fortean Times UK:

"What really happened to Russia's missing cosmonauts? An incredible tale of space hacking, espionage and death in the lonely reaches of space.

...There are those who believe that somewhere in the vast blackness of space, about nine billion miles from the Sun, the first human is about to cross the boundary of our Solar System into interstellar space. His body, perfectly preserved, is frozen at –270 degrees C (–454ºF); his tiny capsule has been silently sailing away from the Earth at 18,000 mph (29,000km/h) for the last 45 years. He is the original lost cosmonaut, whose rocket went up and, instead of coming back down, just kept on going.

It is the ultimate in Cold War legends: that at the dawn of the Space Age, in the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, the Soviet Union had two space programmes, one a public programme, the other a ‘black’ one, in which far more daring and sometimes downright suicidal missions were attempted. It was assumed that Russia’s Black Ops, if they existed at all, would remain secret forever.

The ‘Lost Cosmonauts’ debate has been reawakened thanks to a new investigation into the efforts of two ingenious, radio-mad young Italian brothers who, starting in 1957, hacked into both Russia’s and NASA’s space programmes – so effect­ively that the Russians, it seems, may have wanted them dead."

Shatnerquake! - [This sounds brilliant.]

Shatnerquake: bizarro novel about every Shatner character sucked into reality to hunt down William Shatner - Boing Boing:

"Rose sez, "Shatnerquake is a book by Jeff Burk, available now from independent publisher Eraserhead Press who specializes in publishing bizarro cult fiction."

It's the first ShatnerCon with William Shatner as the guest of honor! But after a failed terrorist attack by Campbellians, a crazy terrorist cult that worships Bruce Campbell, all of the characters ever played by William Shatner are suddenly sucked into our world. Their mission: hunt down and destroy the real William Shatner. "

Options.

Overheard in New York | Um, in English Literature.:

"Girl: Would you be mad if I became a dominatrix? It's not like I'd let the guys go down on me. It's a better option than prostitution.
Guy: Or you could just *not* do sex work, since you have a PhD.

--St. John's Place, Brooklyn

Overheard by: Eavesdropper has become eavesdroppee!"

You never know.

Overheard in New York | Does My Outfit Look Like I Got Dressed Sober?:

"Hobo to young woman holding coffee cup: How can you be happy? There's no vodka in that cup!
Young woman: How do you know?

--Union Square

Overheard by: Ashley"

I'm Not Just Her Attorney, I'm Also a Client

Suit to suit friend: That's so nice of her, to pick you up at one in the morning. You just asked her to come get you?
Suit friend: Yeah, I called her and I was like "hey, babe can you come get me? I got out of work late. Just wake the baby and bring him in the car." Twenty minutes later she was there. With divorce papers she had been working on.
Suit: Well, at least she picked you up, bro.
Suit friend: Very true.

--12th & 5th

Overheard by: Sarah

via Overheard in New York, Apr 30, 2009

Hi Mike!

Overheard in New York | What's So Great Aboot Wednesday One-Liners, Eh?:

"Student: I'm so sick and tired of your Canadian condescension.

--Eugene Lang College"

Photo miscellany roundup.

The aftermath of a bike ride from JR Fukuma to back home, in a torrential downpour.

From 2009-04-29

The basket on my bike, half broken. Later, fully broken. Here being held in place by a carefully arranged bike lock. Riding the Jeep dai-ni, till I can swing a new one. But they don't have the kind I need for the Costco/US style bike at Rumie/Lumiere/I don't know the proper romaji here... so where I'll pick one up is probably a crapshoot, till I hit the city or something.

From 2009-04-29

I don't even know what this is... organ meats/hearts maybe... it was "try something new and random" day. It all tastes the same when you grill it.

From 2009-04-29

The sauerkraut turned out okay, I guess. Don't know if it's supposed to taste the way it did, but it wasn't anything special. My Polish blood is probably rebelling as I write this.

From 2009-04-29

Bought cause I know the Mrs would like them. Yes, she is in America. Shut it.

From 2009-04-29

I will never go hungry teaching in Japan. Leaving from one of my elementary schools on Tuesday, they insisted I take some local produce they had just picked. My job rocks so hard.

From 2009-04-29

Same elementary school... during lunch, the new vice-principal serenades everybody. Too cool. [Also, it was a Sound of Music song, for which I blame Sandy for even knowing.]

From 2009-04-29

RK Birthday Blowout.

In honor of a fellow expat's birthday, much drinking and celebratory-ness was to be had.

First shot of the night. All downhill from here, folks.

From 2009-04-29

Mike gets comfy.

From 2009-04-29

The greater # of shots translates into increasingly goofy photos. Watch, you'll see it happen.

From 2009-04-29

Entirely too happy with my way-too-girly "ka-ro-ri" Chu Hi. [Think a diet wine cooler. But less manly.] Screw it, I like what I like.

From 2009-04-29

From 2009-04-29

And more shots. May god have mercy on our souls.

From 2009-04-29

And again. Good picture though.

From 2009-04-29

Birthday girl.

From 2009-04-29

From 2009-04-29

Mike has mastered the Oreo cookie.

From 2009-04-29

Whereas Jon is simply very, very excited by it.

From 2009-04-29

Wha?

From 2009-04-29

Seiza. Drinking. It made sense at the time.

From 2009-04-29

Jon is so happy when he has a shots buddy.

From 2009-04-29

Recursive photography.

From 2009-04-29

Big Mike - Straight Pimpin'.

From 2009-04-29

Fading quickly, but still musical.

From 2009-04-29

Karaoke, a fine Japanese tradition.

From 2009-04-29

Screw you, I was awesome. Mike was okay too :)

From 2009-04-29

Moving on to water, attempting to delay the crash...

From 2009-04-29

If Mike has a maraca, you know it's on.

From 2009-04-29

Witness the artistry, the passion...

From 2009-04-29

Jon takes us out for the night.

From 2009-04-29

Good times. That's all folks.

Kinda how I remember Catholic school...

Overheard Everywhere | Is That What Jesus Would Do?:

"Catholic school girl #1: (sings 'Total Eclipse of the Heart')
Catholic school girl #2: Stop it. I swear to god, I will shank you.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Overheard by: Adelaie"

Ridiculous overkill.

Otoh, perfect for the coming zombie apocalypse.

Atchisson Assault Shotgun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

"The weapon can fire in semi-automatic or fully automatic mode at 300 rounds per minute (5 every second) and has a magazine of 8 rounds - either a standard box, or a 20 rounds drum magazine."

Watch hip-hop culture devour itself.

Every bad hip-hop video cliche ever, done up by a middle aged Japanese salaryman in a 30 second TV for liquor. Brilliant.

Rapping salaryman drinks Jinro | Japan Probe:

"Salaryman rapper DJ Real Liquor raps about nommunication (drink+communication) in this Jinro commercial airing on Japanese TV"

2 points on friendship...

One, I've always said friendship was as important as blood. Otoh, I'm doomed.

Justine Larbalestier:

"I have been saying for some time now that friendships are every bit as important as family and romantic partners. Now there’s scientific proof:

A 10-year Australian study found that older people with a large circle of friends were 22 percent less likely to die during the study period than those with fewer friends. A large 2007 study showed an increase of nearly 60 percent in the risk for obesity among people whose friends gained weight. And last year, Harvard researchers reported that strong social ties could promote brain health as we age.

“In general, the role of friendship in our lives isn’t terribly well appreciated,” said Rebecca G. Adams, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. “There is just scads of stuff on families and marriage, but very little on friendship. It baffles me. Friendship has a bigger impact on our psychological well-being than family relationships.”"

Conclusion - to be truly evil you need bureaucracy and lawyers.

Landlord harasses murder victim's mother for early termination fees because her son was killed before his lease ran out - Boing Boing:

"Danelle Eckert, the mother of Colin Byars, a 24-year-old teacher who died after being punched in the head, is being harassed by Colin's former landlord, who wants to impose an "early termination" fee on her because her son died before his lease ran out.

...She said the apartment's property manager told her that they knew Byars had been killed. But the woman told Eckert the management company had been advised by their legal representative that they should go after the rent and fees."

"You can't possibly avoid offending everyone, so I don't even bother anymore." - Brad Warner, Soto Zen priest, author.

Via HARDCORE ZEN: ASPEN SUICIDE AND ME

Watched - 4/19 to 4/26.

Sit Down Shut Up - new cartoon, good voice work - Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Will Forte, Cheri Oteri... pretty funny. Breaking Bad. Venture Bros Season 3 DVDs - glorious. Daily Show - this week's Wyatt Cenac in Sweden was clever. Using 5 blondes to show the redistribution of wealth = win. Colbert Report - '"leftist history book" is triple redundant...' Castle - dialogue is approaching Whedonesque levels of smartness and wittiness. Upswinging [totally not a word.] Reaper, Better off Ted, Lie to Me... 30 Rock - "the only way I can make sure that I wont stray... is for me to arrange a test of erotic temptation..." The Office, Parks and Recreation, Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire, The Ultimate Fighter, Dollhouse.