There is a great misconception that complex society breeds violence and that simpler societies live harmoniously.
Like Ewoks.
Next time you have to listen to some crunchy hippie going on about making with world a better place by living in a tee-pee, beat them over the head with this one:
Steven Pinker’s talk on “The Myth of Violence” (TED Talks, 2007):
(via Sachs Report, via Lifehack)
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Blogadilla co-author Allison and I decided that we can make better “tiki bar” drinks than most Tiki Bar franchises. Here’s the first installment of what we’ve dubbed “The Boozadilla Project” – behold “Noah’s Ark”:
Noah’s Ark ingredients:
• 1 watermelon
• plastic animals
• 2 shots vodka
• 2 shots white rum
• 2 shots coconut rum
• 2 shots gin
Get it? “Noah’s Ark” – 2 of everything
• 2 shots fruity-flavored schnapps
• 2 shots lime juice
• 2 shots grenadine
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup grape soda or strawberry soda
• 1 tray of ice cubes
• 1 sharp knife
• 1 large spoon
• 2-4 straws
Step 1: Cut the top of the watermelon into the ‘ark’ shape above, remove the inside of the watermelon with the large spoon. Cut windows into the side (near the top) of the watermelon, place animals in the windows.
Step 2: Pour all of the ingredients into the hollowed-out watermelon. Garnish with tiny umbrellas.
Serves 2 to 4 people.
And when you’re done drinking, the watermelon also makes a great helmet!
(photo from René Rondeau)
Earlier this month, researcher/historian David Giovannoni (at First Sounds) discovered the earliest recording of a human voice, from the archives of the French Academy of Sciences. According to records, this sound recording was made by inventor Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville on April 9, 1860 – 17 years before Thomas Edison. The recording was made on Scott de Martinville’s “phonautograph” which records sound onto a carbon (smoke)-blackened paper. Though his machine successfully recorded a human voice, Scott de Martinville had no means to play back the recording. This recording was scanned, processed, and converted into an audible clip at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
HERE IS THE AUDIO CLIP of Scott de Martinville’s recording – it is a 10 second passage from the French song “Au Clair de la Lune” (I also added a modern recording of the song for comparison).
(via ABC Science)
Today I was watching “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.” At the monsoon-destroyed ruins of Hotel Citroën on the island of Little Ping, Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) notes:
“What a shame. They had a bartender here, Kino, made the best Rum Cannonball I’ve ever tasted.”
The question comes to mind: Is this a real drink, or something invented by Wes Anderson? From internet discussions and references, it’s hard to tell if this drink actually existed before the movie. Based on an average of posted recipes, I made a Rum Cannonball (actual photo).
The Rum Cannonball
•1 part white rum
•1 part gin
•1 part orange juice
•1 part pineapple juice
•1 part lemon-lime soda
•1 part strawberry soda
Serve over ice with a key lime, pineapple, or tropical orchid garnish.
What does it taste like?: Not bad . . . fruity fizzy booze.
An alternate recipe also exists:
•2 oz rum
•Top-off with orange juice
•4-5 dashes of Angostura bitters
What does it taste like?: Not bad . . . rummy spicey o.j.
Bonus Round: Drink one while wearing a Hotel Citroën t-shirt.
Sean Dockray’s ‘Ameising Project’ – tracking the pheromone trails left by ants. Check the video.
Some might consider this bad taste, but if you’re able to find any semblance of humor in the absolutely ridiculous video of University of Florida student Andrew Meyer being tazered after asking some pointed questions at a John Kerry speech back in September of this year, or if you own one of the millions of “Don’t Taze Me, Bro” t-shirts for sale on the Web, the “Don’t Taze Me Bro – Rap Remix” will come as enjoyable entertainment for you. Don’t get me wrong, this all was terrible and in my opinion completely unjustifiable, but at least this well-done rap song gets my head knocking…
