We have been invaded by squirrels!

Oh no, they're in my back yard:




And in my house!




And even in my OFFICE! Oh noes!





(Want to make your own? Go here).

They say that the average child laughs 400 times a day, and the average adult only 15*

This made me laugh this morning:


see more pwn and owned pictures

Yarr! (I'm not even sure that's a FAIL; I'd laugh pretty hard - with delight, not derision - if someone I knew had modified their car in that way)

(*And that 46% of statistics are made up on the spot)

***
Ah, Mythbusters, how I missed you when you were on hiatus. How glad I am that you are back. Two most excellent visuals last night: the million match heads flaring up in a giant shortlived ball of flame (and I REALLY DO NOT WANT to hear of some idiot trying to replicate that in his back yard), and the giant Lego ball.

Now I want a giant Lego ball. Or heck, I just want half a million Lego bricks.

And that "Oh NOOOOOOO!" you may have heard at about 8:46 pm CDT was me responding to the Lego-ball self-destructing. I really wanted to see that thing smash the car.

***
I made the mantle for the Dumbo octopus last night. (A sentence that out of the context of a blog of someone who likes to knit odd toys would make no sense.) It's very cleverly designed - you do something akin to turning a sock heel to make the little pouchy bit of the mantle and give it shape.

I really prefer making toys that are designed this way - where most of the essential shaping comes from how you KNIT it, not from making a bunch of fiddly pieces and then having to sew them together. (and only part of it is that I dislike seaming).

Part of the reason I like toy patterns that use things like shortrowing - or at least are knit in the round with appropriate increases and decreases for shaping - is that it seems more elegant to me, and it takes advantage of one of the good properties of knitting. Toys that are made by knitting up a bunch of flat shapes and then seaming them is mimicking what you do when you make a toy of fabric - and one of the downfalls of sewn toys is the seams, both in terms of appearance and (if it's a toy for a child or is made of exceptionally delicate fabric) strength.

But a toy that's designed to take advantage of one of the unique qualities of knitting - that you can get nifty 3-D shapes without seams - that's a good design.

I foresee making more Hansigurumi toys. (I bought the book she has out. She has an earthworm pattern in it. An EARTHWORM. I'm really tempted to order Cascade 220 in the recommended colors and make a whole army of earthworms because they are just that cute.)

***

Oh, and if you're wondering if you have swine flu? here's a handy site that can help you figure it out.

(I've already laughed twice this morning now. Only 398 more to go.)

Heh. Lynn is talking about the alleged "next big thing" after Twitter - something called "flutter". (And a commenter on the site she links to proposed "Bitter," where you can only post a 0 or a 1).

(Incidentally the site linked to - the video is pretty hilarious commentary on the "faster bigger newer" mentality. I was reading somewhere the other day about how people are complaining about stuff that "never even existed" 20 minutes ago. That's kind of like people complaining that a Tweet takes "too long to read.")

And I realized just one of the reasons (other than my self-conscious, "I'm not one of the cool kids and don't want to be" pose) I don't Twitter (or is that Tweet) is that I cannot constrain myself to 140 characters.

And I almost said, "Heck, I can't use WORDS of 140 letters or less." And then I thought, no, that's not true. Well, maybe it would be if I were a biochemist. The longest word (technically speaking) is 1,913 letters long. It's a protein name*.

(And I HAVE a copy of that "Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary" somewhere. I bought it years and years ago - I remember bringing it to school in 5th grade so my friends and I could snicker over some of the words using "procto-" and "copra-" as a root. And there were a few words in there the definition of which I would not understand fully until I was in college [and then I will admit I was moderately horrified when I figured out what they REALLY meant]).

(*Wikipedia - which I don't think one can always believe, even on matters of trivia - claims there is one even longer ("Not to be confused with Tintin" has to be one of the odder disclaimers I've run across)

There's also "antidisestablishmentarianism" (though Mrs. Byrnes, as I remember, also lists "ultraantidisestablishmentarianism") at 28 and 33 characters respectively.

And the wonderful word floccinaucinihilipilification (clocking in at 29 characters), which apparently means "estimating as nothing" and which was playfully coined from some Latin roots that were apparently lying around.

And Shakespeare used honorificabilitudinitatibus (27), the state of being able to achieve honor.

So I'm a little sad to see that there are, apparently, no existing words of exactly 140 characters. But there are a couple of long words that perhaps deserve greater usage, if only for comic effect.

I suppose if I spoke German (or one of the Scandinavian languages) where those portmanteau nouns are more permitted, perhaps I'd be faster to think of some really, really long words.

From the "I love the whole world, in all its craziness" files:

Googly Eye Watch.

An entire blog devoted to "sightings" of googly eyes used in different contexts.

(And yes, they have the famous Christopher Walken SNL sketch about the man who is afraid of his plants unless he can make "eye contact" with them.)

And they have some of the creepier applications of googly eyes: an entire purse covered with them [are there pumps to match?] and a Christmas ornament covered with them. I think the 'rule' for me is: one googly eye, sad; two googly eyes, funny; three googly eyes weird; more than three googly eyes, creepy.

Although I have to admit the googly eyed car is quite amazing.

Why I will need to get a Roomba if I ever get a cat:



(I've watched that something like five times and it still makes me laugh.)

I can has cheezburger embroidery?

Yes. Yes, you can has:



Yay! it's done! The Happycat pillow, featuring THE iconic LOLcats phrase.

I'm very happy with it. (That photo is without flash, and may be a little dark. Here is a brighter one:)



You can see the colors a bit better in that one.

Some specs: the cat head was a vintage embroidery pattern from "Rectangel's" photostream. (No idea if it's still there or if it was one of the ones purged because of copyright concerns). Script is my own handwriting, done with considerably more care than I usually do. Standard DMC floss in a couple shades of dark grey, black, a mustard color for the eyes, a greyish-pink for the ear, nose, and mouth, and a bright pink for the writing.

The fabric (here is a better shot from the back):



is a 1930s reproduction in colors that went well with the design. (The flower-centers are mustard yellow like the cat's eyes, and one of the pinks in the design is close to the color of the writing).

I'm really pleased with it. It makes me laugh, and yet at the same time it does have that odd frisson that some "vintage" items have. It's like some kind of time portal opened up and the LOLcats of today got mashed-up with the cartoon characters of yesteryear.

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that at least some of the inspiration for this came from the wonderful Laugh Out Loud Cats comic strip, which is a similar idea (1930s mashed up with LOLcats) in a different style.

I do have plans for a companion piece. However, as there are no vintage embroidery transfers of walruses (walrii?) with buckets out there, I'm going to have to draft up my own. I do need to search to see if there's some kind of comic-book-like image of a walrus I can modify. (I do want to 1930s-ize it, by, at the very least, giving the walrus those "pie wedge eyes," like the old Mickey Mouse cartoons had).

That's the next project. (And the last. I think two of these are enough). But I think that as I have a pillow with a cat asking if it can "has" a "cheezburger," I need another pillow with a walrus that is happy because it has its "bukkit."

If you saw the "Raisin Brahms" post here, you're not crazy.

Apparently the Powers that Be removed the video from YouTube...so no one can share in the raisin-y (or Brahms-y) goodness any more. Poo. So rather than leave a frustrating post with a non-working video link, I just took it down.

I'll just say it was something I found very funny. You might still happen to catch it on PBS as a "bumper" between some of the kids' shows...I think that was where they showed it.

Wait...wait...It's still available, you just can't actually put the video on a blog. Go here for your serving of Raisin Brahms. (The 30 second spot is the funnier one).

I love his "Guten TAAAAAAAAAAAGGGG!" Would that we could all start the day being greeted by a bearded, 19th century, German composer.

(I will say that the Van Goghgurt one isn't as funny. It would have been good if, when the kid asked about the ear, he would have responded, "I SENT IT TO MY GIRLFRIEND! BOOGA BOOGA!" and the kid booked out of there in terror. But maybe that's a bit twisted for a PSA.

And I don't think it was actually his "girlfriend" per se, but I think it would be a bit much to refer to a woman of easy virtue in a PSA aimed at a child...)

"I pity the fool who don't craft!"

I know there are a great many fans of the "original" "Star Trek" out there. And I know the series has its detractors. (I'm mostly agnostic on it...no, I don't mean that I find it impossible to determine whether it exists or not, I mean that I don't have strong feelings one way or another).

But, just in case, here's an odd little site: Punch Captain Kirk. I suppose it's good if you have some aggression you need to get out.

(Just hope he doesn't show up in the persona of T.J. Hooker and arrest you, or the persona of Denny Crane and sue you, or the persona of "The Negotiator" and karate-chop you).

Really, the internet has so many just plain odd things on it.

Stormy here today.

That's all right, we need some rain and it will save me having to set up sprinklers.

I've designated today a research-work day. I have one paper I could perhaps finish up (or at least get a decent draft of finished) if I work diligently today. (I've already begun work on it; I'm just taking a break now).

I've been working away on various things in my free time. I have the heel of the first Undulating Ribs sock turned and am working on the gussets. And I've added a few more rows to the Bird's Nest shawl, but as it's knit the long way, it takes quite a bit of time to complete even one row.

And I'm working on the Knitting at Knoon elephant. This is a very clever pattern and I'm happy with how it's turning out. I've said before that I think knitting toys in the round generally makes the most sense (unless you're doing something you want to be flat and pillowlike, and then knitting the front and back and seaming them probably makes the most sense). This elephant is knit in the round, with a few added appendages (the trunk is knit as a separate piece and sewn on). The head in particular is cleverly done; you basically turn a flapped heel to form the back of the elephant's head. I like patterns that are architectural in that way; there are maybe "simpler" ways the head could have been shaped but there is something satisfying about doing it like a heel turn; there is a certain elegance to the shaping that (for example) knitting a vague oval and then gathering it up to sew onto the body would lack.

As I've said before, "I hate sloppiness" so I'm always cheered when a pattern maybe uses a slightly more complicated technique where appropriate rather than going for the "so simple and easy that no one will be intimidated by it."

I'm also doing a bit of test-knitting but I won't talk more about that (unless the person for whom I am test knitting - and yes, I know she reads, at least occasionally - tells me it's OK.) I know some people like to swear their test-knitters to secrecy because they're concerned about being "scooped" or about some form of industrial espionage.

Heh. Being a clandestine test knitter. I kind of like that. I can imagine a whole underground network of clandestine test-knitters, getting their knitting instructions over secret shortwave frequencies, like the old numbers stations. And of course, they'd have to all be sworn to secrecy, and have knitting needles that would convert to something else - pencils, maybe - if they were discovered. And they'd have to have secret clandestine-knitter names.

I don't know if they'd go so far as to carry cyanide pills in a Chibi needle case, but maybe the whole clandestine test-knitter network is why some airlines still don't allow needles on board...to much possibility of mayhem if, say, someone test-knitting for Vogue knits encounters one of their (apparently) sworn enemies: someone test-knitting a pattern that will be issued for free online.

My laugh-out-loud moment of the morning:

Rickrolling, in cake form.

Hahahahah. awesome.

(for those unfamiliar: the Tao of Rickrolling)

Scientists for better PCR*

(When science geeks get together and parody We Are The World.)



All together now:

"PCR, when you need to detect mutation
PCR, when you need to recombine.
PCR, when you need to find out who the daddy is.
PCR, when you need to solve a crime."

(*I don't do PCR as part of my "gig," but I know well enough what it is to find this really funny.)

The odd things that pop into one's head when one is grading.

I'm going over a basic biochemistry homework; one of the questions is on the "weak force" that establishes between water molecules.

Lots of people have got it wrong.

As I wrote in the correct answer YET AGAIN, I said to myself, "Bond. Hydrogen Bond."

(I wonder what kind of arch-villains HE would battle.)

Education blogger Mr. Teacher floats some new-show ideas in hopes of ending the writer's strike.

I particularly like "The Straight-A Team":

10 hours ago, a crack academic team was sent to detention for a violation they didn't commit. These students promptly escaped from the minimum-security detention hall to the high school underground. Today, still wanted by the vice principal, they survive as mathletes of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... the Straight A-Team.

Bah ha ha ha ha ha. I'm guessing it's made up of a suave, mature senior student, a good-looking ladies'-man varsity track guy, a kid who keeps getting "referrals" because of the crazy stuff he draws in his notebook, and a large African-American student wearing chains made out of paperclips....

One of the semi-local gas station chains (I know they are in Oklahoma, not sure how widespread they are) is Love's. There are a couple of Love's near me and I often buy gas from them because it tends to be a penny or two (sometimes more) cheaper than other chains.

Well, the Love's nearest me (perhaps 1/4 mile away) had a pump fire Friday night. (Fortunately it was not serious and no one was hurt)

There was a photo of it in the local newspaper this morning.

The caption? "Hunka hunka burnin' Love's."

Yes, it's terrible, but I laughed.

Oh, dangit, I LOVE "I Can Has Cheezburger" SO MUCH!

(References, for those unfamiliar: Cornell and Wikipedia versions)

(I also have to say I think "Schroedinger's Cat" would make an excellent band name. That is, if it's not taken already.)

And, people- there's evidence that cute is good for you!. Yays! (Or maybe that's LULZ!)

Oh, and



Don't forget! Only 6 days until Talk Like A Pirate Day!

As I've said many times before, I have a hard time being able to say, "Darn, I'm good." But there still is something gratifying about being able to make one's own virtual star on the Walk of Fame. (Still, it would be nice if you could change the little icons...as I remember, the Walk of Fame stars have different icons on them depending if the person was best known for writing, directing, singing, whatever.)

Want your own? Make it here


(Update: there's a whole set of really fun sign generators at that site.

For example, you can go punk:



or have a beaver make art for you:

More LOLs, More Cats. (Perhaps that should be, "Moar LOLs.")

Loxoceles linked this - I saw this at her place. But I had to link it too just in case you didn't see it over there:

The Laugh-Out-Loud Cats. This is purportedly (a mockumentary of sorts) a 1920s-30s era comic strip featuring two hobo cats. And the captions? Well, there's the brilliance: the old-style cartooning is captioned using phrases that will be curiously familiar to fans of I Can Has Cheezburger. But, see, they're slightly double-entendre-ized (not in the icky sense, not like "Three's Company" double-entendres).

"Oh hai...I upgraded yur RAM" means something very different with two hungry hobo cats and a pen full of sheep.

And there's a "monorail cat." And lots of "Do not want!" or "I'm in your Y, doing X."

Also - who knew that ROTFL actually stands for "Royal Occidental Tuna Fisheries, Ltd."?

This is one of those things that's merely funny and charming if you take it at face value, but that gets really weirdly interesting if you think about it in kind of a meta way....without that "series of tubes*" called the Internet, this would never have existed....I wonder if fifteen years hence, there will be Cultural Studies Master's Theses written on the LOLcat phenomenon, and Linguistics Master's Theses on LOLcat grammar....

("Is not a truck! Is a series of tubes!" hahahahaha.)

I find this image extremely "full of win"

(as they say on the lolcats pages. Presumably "full of win" means something like it is the winner, but I also kind of think of it as a bad-English alternative for "winsome.")