The entry on Washington simply lists the borrower as “president”
New York City’s oldest library says one of its ledgers shows that the president has racked up 220 years’ worth of late fees on two books he borrowed, but never returned.
One of the books was the “Law of Nations,” which deals with international relations. The other was a volume of debates from Britain’s House of Commons.
Where the Volcano Is
I knew this tattoo on my arm would come in handy some day!
photo out of context
They’re above us and they’re dressed up in costumes
The Day Einstein Died
Ralph Morse, a young photographer for Life magazine, was assigned to photograph the Einstein funeral, but because of the privacy wishes of the family, the photos were left unpublished — dramatic pause — until now.
Dr. Thomas Harvey (1912 – 2007) was the pathologist who conducted the autopsy on Einstein at Princeton Hospital in 1955. The stranger-than-fiction tale of Einstein’s brain — which Harvey controversially removed during the autopsy, carefully sliced into sections, and then kept for years for research purposes — and the intrigues long-associated with the famous organ, are far too convoluted to go into here. However: on the day that Einstein died, Ralph Morse was able to take a few quick photographs of Dr. Harvey at the hospital. Morse says he’s certain that that is not Einstein’s brain under Dr. Harvey’s knife in this never-before-seen picture. Then, after a pause, Morse qualifies that certainty: “You know, it was fifty-five years ago. Honestly, I don’t remember every single detail of the day. So whatever he’s cutting there …” Morse’s words hang in the air. Then, mischievously, he laughs.
build a better Ford
Ford asked for suggestions to make better cars.
One of our personal favorites was the “Fuel from your Ford” suggestion posted by Steve S. Basically, it’s an option that would allow you to use the truck’s fuel tank as one big jerry can – filling up lawn mowers and the like without having to store a bunch of smaller containers in the garage.
I thought this was genius. People already think of their trucks as tools, utilities, extensions of themselves. I love the idea of pushing the mower to the truck to fill it up.
from the comments
Pope cake farts.
Conversation While Cindy Tries to Listen to a Bill Moyers Interview
Daryl: That guy has those TV eyes.
Cindy: What?
Daryl: You know–his eyes move funny.
Cindy: What?
Daryl: It’s like bad dubbing–but related to the eyes.
Cindy: What the fuck is wrong with you?
Daryl: I know you’ve seen shots of faces where they’ve spliced in a clip of eyes from another person.
Cindy: What?
Daryl: I’m sorry–just look at him. Right there! See? It’s a fact.
Corrections
We had a leak, leaking out, oozing up from the grout, between the ceramic tiles of the kitchen floor at the base of the sink. Called the plumber. This relates to my cobbled plumbing ten years ago. (I was putting a “model” from childhood together, reading the instructions, step by step.) The plumber corrected the “trap” coming from the disposal to the drain. (My trap was a sort of spaghetti affair, still it served okay, for about ten years.) Also, the dishwasher has “lived its life.” It leaks out the door. (I don’t think that has to do with my plumbing.) We’ll replace it, hopefully, in a couple weeks.
I never lived with a dishwasher, in all my years, until Danny and I lived in Detroit in 1993. Since then, I’ve been spoiled, we’ve had one ever since. Today the dishwasher was disconnected until Danny and I can replace it. It’s back to basics. Recently, too, we let the bi-weekly house-keeper go. We’ve been cleaning the house ourselves.
You know? I’m remembering things I’ve forgotten. When one dusts the surfaces and shelves of things one has accumulated over the years (that one might have out on display), when one touches such objects one is immediately reminded where they came from, what they mean, why you have them out on display.
It is a bitter-sweet excercise. Tomorrow, I’m going to mow the lawn (instead of having “the boys” from work do it), with a “reel” mower (no gas) I just bought at Home Depot last weekend.
Afterglow caused by the eruption of Krakatoa, 9 November 1883.
One of a series of sketches by William Ascroft, documenting the meteorological effects of the eruption of Krakatoa, Indonesia. On 27 August 1883, the volcano on the island of Krakatoa erupted in a massive explosion, throwing large quantities of ash and dust high into the atmosphere, producing spectacular sunsets and afterglows around the world. Volcanic dust also has a more serious impact on the world’s climate. Because it blocks a proportion of the incoming solar radiation, temperatures on the Earth’s surface are reduced. After the Krakatoa eruption, several years of poor summers and harsh winters followed as a result of this effect. Ascroft recorded optical phenomena attributed to the after-effects of the eruption until 1886.
Annoying DRM watermarks marring the images, but still worth a gaze or two.
It’s only 17 seconds
So you have time to watch it:
quote out of context
If you were to make a Venn Diagram of the issues Tea Party members care about, and the issues Tea Party members are confused about, you’d only see one circle.
A farmer in Iceland photographs the volcano’s eruption
Quote out of context
I don’t know if you’re aware of this but annually, every October or so, we use public transport.
[via]
Why you shouldn’t over-rely on your spell checker, continued:
Penguin pulped 7000 copies of the Pasta Bible (ISBN 9780143011071) earlier this month due to a typo that could be considered offensive.
proper disclosures included
We’ve only just started telling people but already my wife has found her way to some cool stuff.
Alicia’s been offered* one of these designer hospital gowns from Annie & Isabel. I think this is a fantastic idea and Alicia is very excited that this time around she won’t have to worry if her butt is visible as she walks down the hallway in the maternity ward.
*I guess it should be noted that the gown will be a gift from the designers’ father.
1960 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage
Today Is A Good Day
1. Started the day with my first post-colonoscopy poop. Smooth as silk. The Bristol Scale needs a new number (or perhaps a symbol) to do justice to the beautiful poop I made.
2. After said poop, went into the closet and noticed a shoe box. Looked inside to find a brand new pair of Paul Green sandals, purchased on sale last winter and forgotten.
Life just doesn’t get much better than this, folks.
Something, 37
The play was tonight before we started to write it.
Apropos of nothing
My definition of a stupid person. A stupid person is a person who treats a smart person as though they’re stupid.
(via daringfireball)
photos out of context
dear clusterflock
On Netflix or iTunes, what have you rated five stars?
quote out of context
What would the circus goers of 1890 have thought if they were told that in the America of 2010 Chauncy Morlan would be unremarkable?
favorite headline of the day, so far (no link)
the beginning of something
This is the fourth major dig for munitions and toxic agents over the past 16 years since the burial pits were discovered in the neighborhood of multimillion-dollar homes. The current excavation began in 2007 at the house which is owned by the federal government and located next to the South Korean ambassador’s residence.
