This makes me want to smoke a hot dog

...well... not really, but it's terrible news!



http://www.christianpost.com/news/eating-hot-dogs-as-risky-as-smoking-cigarettes-53068/



I love organic food and saving the planet, but hot dogs are one of my favorite foods ever. God, there has got to be a way around this! (Although I will add, they should also be talking about cold cuts in this article. Hot dogs are not entirely to blame.)

New Zealanders can't name their kids Duke

...nor can they give their kids a number of other unusual names.



http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/20/new-zealand-bans-weird-baby-names/



Some of these I can sort of undersand. I mean, giving your kid a title for a name could lead to some confusion later in life. And other names seem to be made up by idiotic parents who aren't giving any thought to the fact that their babies aren't cute little toys-- they're people who are going to have to accept their names as a part of their identity. The long name that is pronounced Albin could be looked at as a comment on pronunciation, which could be looked at as intellectual. But who wants to be their parents' intellectual statement?

I'm not saying that I agree with most of the banned names here, but I definitely think that there are a lot of dumb people out there who should not be having kids. So long as a parent can tell their kid why they lovingly and thoughtfully (and I mean for real) chose the name Lucifer or Metallica, and the kid can be proud of it, I can deal with it.

But once you start banning dumb things, when do you stop?

Help end the chihuahua crisis!

Not living in California, I had no idea that this was going on, but thankfully I know the founder of The Perfect Dog (http://theperfectdog.org), so I heard about it through her. Long story short, people continue to use their ignorance-- intentionally or not-- to harm animals, but we can end it.

Here are more details. Please remember to spay an neuter your pets, and pass on this info to anyone you know who may be looking for a new furry friend!



http://www.thesanjoseblog.com/2011/07/chihuahuas-in-san-jose.html

Wen markiting fales

As a linguistics geek, I love mistranslations. If you've never seen engrish.com, you really should check it out.

I've seen a number of these failed marketing stories before, though I'm not sure how true they are. A phrase that I will never forget as long as I live is "Bite the wax tadpole". Inspiring, no?



http://www.leehopkins.net/2006/09/14/they-may-be-true-they-may-be-false-they-make-great-reading/

Ze Eenglish grammar eez for ze dummies, yes?

Some consumer reports are very helpful, while others resemble spam. And then, a precious few are entertaining.



http://www.amazon.com/review/RPUSBNNCSTI4B/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0470546646&/

Summer in the Pacific Northwest

Unfortunately this picture was posted on Imgur with no photographer listed, so I also can't credit it to anyone, but it's so damn true. Most of the country is frying like a slice of French toast, while Washington and Oregon are pulling on their sweaters. Oi.

Apparently the Brits own English

God, this annoyed me so much as I read it. Although, I'd say that this list is quite telling.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14201796



It would seem that the British don't like American English. As someone who hates most cliches, I agree that a lot of these phrases are terrible. "I could care less" definitely needs to burn. And actually, poster #48, there are a lot of people who commit the ghastly sin of "I got it for cheap". Believe me, I'd like to smack some of those people, too. (And why didn't "pitch dark" make the list?)

But I also find some comments here irritating, such as #38-- "My worst horror is expiration, as in 'expiration date'. Whatever happened to expiry?" Uhh... who says "expiry"? Oh, the British! Some of their phrases are equally laughable to Americans.

I've never been to England (or am I supposed to call it Britain or the UK?), but all this is leading me to believe that we English-speakers on opposite ends of the ocean view our language differently on a fundamental level. I think that Americans are more experimental and less like purists, because we're a mutt nation with a short history and a knack for borrowing traditions from the rest of the world.

Sorry, Brits, but that's just how it is.


PS- How are we supposed to be pronouncing the letter Z, anyway?

Because Dean Winchester would totally be a unicorn

You know who directed me to this video? I do believe it was Jared Padalecki. Not that I know him or anything. Yet. Anyway, we Supernatural fans are ridiculously creative, and use the internet heavily to spread our love. If you have not seen the original "Charlie the Unicorn" video, you should probably watch that one first. This is the Supernatural version, which Jared found on YouTube and mentioned at a fan convention in Chicago a few years back. I saw a video of that, and had to see this. Bahaha, it's great. Enjoy!




http://youtu.be/P6DjeK2xIZc

Bent Objects creator takes on a world of art

I believe I may have directed you to the Bent Objects blog before. Artist Terry Border uses food, wire, and other little things to create humorous characters and scenes, and released a book a while back. (Anyway, in case you've forgotten-- bentobjects.blogspot.com.)

He's just started on a new project in which he interprets other pieces of art in his own, epically twisted way. Oh I am so looking forward to all his future posts!



http://myresponseproject.blogspot.com/



And actually, I wouldn't mind trying my own version of this, too. Hmmm...

Breakdancing kid

I don't know anything about breakdancing, except that it's a skill that I know I'll never have. I'm not sure how the routines are arranged, but to me, this one isn't spectacular at first-- and then near the end the kid owns it. Pretty cool. I wonder if we'll be seeing him on America's Got Talent someday?




http://youtu.be/6Ouv-XHhV5c

How do Pastafarians feel about rice?

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster? Can I meet this guy???



http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/07/15/137824732/austrian-man-wins-right-to-wear-pasta-strainer-in-license-photo

So... pot might bring world peace...

...or something. I found this article interesting because I remember years ago seeing a news story which I believe was about these two girls, Lamb and Lynx Gaede of Prussian Blue. I remember seeing footage of these cute little girls dancing on a swastika. Talk about parental brain-washing. Anyway, here's how they feel about humanity and their upbringing now:



http://www.uproxx.com/music/2011/07/teenaged-nazi-music-duo-prussian-blue-discover-marijuana-have-a-change-of-heart/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=teenaged-nazi-music-duo-prussian-blue-discover-marijuana-have-a-change-of-heart

Bobby's junkyard t-shirt

Yeah yeah, this is one for the Supernatural fans. This just in, fresh off Facebook. Apparently Jim Beaver (who plays Bobby Singer) bought this t-shirt, wore it to work, and now everybody there wants one. It was designed by heartjack.

I've got to say, I love the shirt too. We should all get one!




http://www.redbubble.com/people/heartjack/t-shirts/7224442-singer-salvage

Woof! Woof! Woo--mmmmeow?

Bahahaha, that's exactly what this is. A cat caught barking. God, I love cats.




http://youtu.be/aP3gzee1cps

Dollar stores aren't a bargain?

http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-113117-10316-1-why-youre-overpaying-at-the-dollar-store?ywaad=ad0035&nc



To this I'd like to add a couple of things. First off, doesn't it take a ton of effort to dig up all those coupons to begin with? But hey, that's fine if you're short on money, and who isn't in today's market anyhow. Second, what with everything costing "only" a dollar, it's easy to buy a ton more useless things that you never needed anyway. Those places can be good to avoid. I'm not... the biggest fan. I usually feel as though I'm making myself morally unclean every time I set foot in a dollar store. Heh.

Stab with a smile

Standing up for what you believe in can be extremely difficult, so I admire those who can make a good point in a clever, unforgettable way. Adding humor makes it that much better. Here are some fabulous gay marriage signs for you.



http://www.happyplace.com/8958/the-most-hilariously-convincing-gay-marriage-signs

Art on LSD

Please know that I don't advocate the use of any drug, but I think that the effects they have on our brains can be fascinating. For instance, this article. It's short, so don't worry, and the drawings are crazy. This was the sort of thing that I was hoping to see when I first found the spiders-on-drugs video, but even if that was fake, it was still hilarious.

Anyway, here's the real deal.



http://epicr.com/2010/09/drawings-vs-lsd-its-like-a-graph-but-not/

It doesn't pay to help people

When I say "pay", I mean actual money, not karma. And that's beyond upsetting. Every time I wonder how things in our society have gotten so horribly screwed up, something new is thrown at me. People are mentally and emotionally unstable these days with all of the pressure of the 21st century, filling their bodies with crappy food and chemicals that further mess with their health, and now every health industry in the country seems to be failing us.



http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/health/policy/06doctors.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&emc=eta1



Here's to hoping that, the more people realize there's a problem, the harder they can work to fix it.

Cute German cupcakes!

Okay, so if you're ever in Germany and want a cupcake... try this place. I've never even been to Germany, but these things are super cute.

Enjoy!



http://jennys-cupcakes.de/cupcakes.html

Male brain: female voice = music

...or something like that. I never cease to be fascinated with the strange ways in which males and females differ. To say that it goes beyond body parts is a massive understatement.

Anyway, ladies, why do men seem to not always hear what you say? And men, at least now you've got some science to back you up. ;)



http://www.stylecaster.com/lifestyle/13348/male-brains-arent-designed-listen-female-voices

Birds have... prints?

Apparently so. I've seen plenty of birds smack into windows at my house, but if I saw this, I think I'd probably freak out a bit. It'd make a hell of a Halloween decoration.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-14111152

Little boy killed for being gay?

I know that I'm not the only person who finds some acts of religious fanaticism to be appalling. Of course we all have our own set of morals, but each society does have a few shared beliefs as far as what's considered crossing the line. For instance, the story of this article. Here you've got the ugly mix of sexuality and religion. And let's throw in the fact that this supposedly gay boy was four years old.



http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/religious-leader-shoots-4-year-old-boy-to-death-because-he-might-be-gay/news/2011/07/08/23361?awesm=fbshare.me_AcgpD&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=fbshare.me-facebook-post&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_content=fbshare-js-large



Yeah, you know... I wish there was something better to say than the old but ever-true "what has the world come to?"

Moving = sad dogs

Bahaha. If you liked the spider rant, you should like this. It's another piece by Hyperbole and a Half! I've never had to deal with dogs this neurotic before, but maaan... what an adventure that would be. I'm curious now, and want a follow-up report!



http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html

Does school spirit have a gender?

School mascots can be awesome or ridiculously lame, but regardless, students across the country adopt their new symbols and they become a part of their identity. For instance, in Washington, the big question is, "Are you a Husky or a Coug?" And people even sell apples with little doggies and kitties on them during bowl season.

Here's an interesting aspect to mascots, though... do they have genders? For many, it seems irrelevant, say in the case of animal mascots. (Although, the person wearing the costume and running around the field? I think we tend to assume that it's a guy.)

I don't know the full story-- or there's even much of a story behind this-- but the University of Toledo is trying to establish a female mascot, and has asked students to pick her name. Because, well... the rocket mascot, Rocky, is apparently a boy. Never mind the fact that a rocket is, well, a rocket. With no gender to begin with.

This isn't very long, but yeah, I'm finding the whole stink pretty interesting.



http://journals.utoledo.edu/justin/2011/07/06/is-rocky-really-a-boy/

Stained glass, pop art style

Dare I say that this is beyond epic? Can I... buy this place and live there??









For this and more epic wins and fails, check out http://wins.failblog.org/2011/07/07/epic-win-photos-stined-glass-windows-win

I... suddenly feel like creating an insane amount of art. Trippy.

Polish Festival in Toledo?!

Ahhh, I wish I could go! Sounds like fun. I'd love to try some pierogies and if their "Dancing with the Stars" is open to the public, show off my polka skills. Anyway, the place is sounding more and more interesting than I used to give it credit for. Toledo, I mean. Or well, Ohio in general. Heh.



http://www.polishfestival.org/

The most epic astronomy lesson you'll ever get

When I took a basic astronomy course during my freshman year of college, we professor showed us this video, and while sometimes it makes my brain melt beyond the point of comprehension, it's still awesome, and I love watching it. Not to mention, it's in HD, so it looks even cooler.

Even if you don't know a thing about the planets or stars, or if you have no science-y abilities whatsoever, you will still be able to appreciate this video. Enjoy!




http://youtu.be/Dv6OtEnIAQk

Click! Screw! Bend! Inflate!

Alter saddle!

Hehe, I'm guessing that a hardcore fan might have already figured out what this is... it's from the Bicycle Repairman sketch in Monty Python's Flying Circus.

My Monty Python experience is very limited, but I thought that this was pretty hilarious.




http://youtu.be/U01xasUtlvw

Spiders are evil!!!

I am terrified of those horrid things. Yes, I know that I am bigger than they are. Yes, I know that they keep the insect population in check. Yes, I am aware that their webs are works of art.

But that's all beside the point.

They have eight long legs. Some have fangs. Some are poisonous.

Most of all, they are... spiders.

And that's that.



http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/03/spiders-are-scary-its-okay-to-be-afraid.html

Characters that are going POOF

Oh sad day. The only show on this list that I have any interest in is Supernatural, as you might imagine... I'm thankful that my other favorite shows are nowhere to be seen here (or... have already ended).

But it's weird to me when a character leaves a show, in how it changes the dynamics and everything. Especially in Supernatural it's bizarre, as the two main characters are constantly traveling around, so in its six-season history, there have been very few characters that have recurred, period.

I guess it's life, though. If you love a character, why not see what the actor's up to now?

I hope that you don't find any of your faves below!



http://www.buddytv.com/slideshows/glee/so-long-18-tv-characters-who-wont-be-back-this-fall-73665.aspx

Paintballs send the feathers flyin'!

There are some things that I absolutely love about rednecks. One is their creative spirit, which they will exercise whenever they need to, no matter who's laughing at them.

Because hey, the people who are laughing are totally missing out on a good time!



http://youtu.be/d9mb8zrXzRQ
(Sorry, couldn't embed this one.)

Nothing says "thank you" like alcohol

You know, this is actually a pretty cool idea. I'm sure it's not new by any means, but I like that this guy has mapped out a ranking system for the amount of thanks (or beer) that a friend deserves.

And this makes Iowa look kinda awesome. Or well, I think it does.



http://www.adventure-journal.com/2011/06/the-beer-based-gratitude-scale-for-outdoor-people/

Wait, that wasn't in English?

Typically, I have trouble listening to music in languages I don't speak, because my brain wants to turn the words into English ones, even though the resulting "lyrics" make no sense and frequently annoy me. However, I have come to love some foreign-language songs nonetheless, such as the even-popular "Dragostea Din Tei". It's sung in Romanian by the group O-Zone. You might know it as "Numa Numa".

These are the misheard lyrics according to one person. Apparently this is the original version, and it's definitely way better than others that I've seen.

Enjoy! Aloe, and goodbye for now. ;)




http://youtu.be/KfEE_nYehZ8



PS- I'd also like to add that this is my 100th post. Yay! I've had a great time with this blog. Onward to post #200!

ModCloth is rad, groovy, and swell, man

Aaaaaaahhhhhh. I find some aspects of fashion interesting enough, but I'm by no means a fashionista. I used to be hooked on What Not To Wear until I got tired of it. BUT, if there is one thing that I love, it is vintage clothing. I love looking at photos from the 50s or 60s and drooling over girls in floral print dresses or guys fresh off of Carnaby Street.

And what's better? Being able to buy that kind of clothing today, because it's in style again! It's not cheap, but online store ModCloth.com has pretty much everything you could want.

So, let me get you started with a dress that I cannot get over. Even if this stuff is out of your price range, treat yourself to some delicious optical goodness.



http://www.modcloth.com/Womens/Dresses/-Bonus-Points-Dress

America on Facebook!

Bahaha, these things are hilarious. I love how we can translate a few centuries' worth of history into a Facebook log. It's a good little history lesson, and I think very appropriate for our country's birthday. Because, hey, isn't it a good time to look back on what we were, what we've become, and what we'd like to be?



http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/07/04/opinion/20110704_OPART.html

Be a man and camp with other men who are men

Hehehe. Craigslist can be a very useful resource, as well as a good place to find a laugh. For instance, go check out photos of couches and love seats in the Free section... oi, some of those things are awful.

I didn't know this, but there's this "Best of Craigslist" page with the craziest posts to date. The one that my friend posted a link to is here--



http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sdo/2370048082.html



Hey, if the guys want to do a manly camping trip, sounds awesome. Putting stuff in all-caps made me giggle. And, of course, led me to the rest of the "Best of" selections.

Enjoy!

Misha Collins in Haiti

His trip has already ended, but actor Misha headed down south earlier this summer to help build an orphanage, from what I understand. As I've mentioned in an earlier post, he's got a charity, Random Acts, and is a genuinely nice guy who hasn't let Hollywood get to his head.

And, he keeps us updated on his epic adventures through his Twitter.

Here are a couple of his short videos!




Misha steals a plane


http://youtu.be/u5kST2hfiyU




Misha introduces his inspirational host


http://youtu.be/f-gB02k2U28




And yeah, he's a fantastic actor, as well. ;)

Elderberry champagne??

Oooo, sounds tasty. I have not gotten to try this out, but it sounds fairly simple, with delicious results.

If anyone else has tried it or is planning to, please leave a comment and let me know what you think!



http://www.garden.org/ediblelandscaping/?page=july_elderChampagne

1930s "King Kong" spoof

There is nothing like watching an old TV show or commercial to show you just how far we've moved from our past. It's particularly interesting to me what details are considered acceptable back then but are not now, and vice versa. This short cartoon definitely features some racial stereotypes, but not unlike others that I've seen from that era.

But that aside, there is one characteristic of this particular time period's art that I think is awesome. Look at the creativity in the animation. Like, when the hero pulls out the plane's front propellar, it's made to look like the plane lost its dentures. And the spikes on the giant lizard/dinosaur's back turning into a chainsaw of sorts. Epic stuff. I don't really watch cartoons nowadays, but I'm pretty sure that you don't see that anymore!




http://youtu.be/ArKXdba3C8E

Can I be reborn as a tree?

I like to consider myself something of a modern-day hippie, although I definitely don't live in a geodesic dome or grow a garden. But, I love me some oldies, classic rock, and floral prints in hues of burnt orange and yellow. Oh, and trees. I love trees.

So, I found this collection of tree photos to be very deep. Pause and ask yourself, what would you be if you were a tree?...



http://pinterest.com/jenny_doss/if-i-was-a-tree/



If I was a tree, I would feel the universe breathing with me. :)

Keep your pets happy and patriotic!

Well, first off, happy Fourth of July! Yes, it's still very early in the day (haha) and the fireworks won't be for, like... 17 more hours, but still.

While I love fireworks, they really freak me out because they're so dangerous, and are harmful to animals and the environment. I remember spending one Independence Day on the beach with my family and finding a few dead seagulls as the night wore on. But, this link is not about that, it's about animals that are much more personal to you-- your pets!

Yeah, they look cute with Uncle Sam hats on their furry little heads, but they so totally do not understand the concept of fireworks. This list has great tips for keeping your pets safe this holiday weekend.



http://www.sanjoseanimals.com/pdf/July4_Safety.pdf



Have an awesome Fourth!!