Flesh-eating Parrot

October 27, 2009

“Happy, little green parrot who calmly burrows through the still-living flesh of sheep and dines upon their kidney fat while they lay bleating in terror.”  More stuff to worry about from mother nature. Info and video here.


News…

October 4, 2009

News of the WeirdTM
(c) 1999-2001 , Chuck Shepherd. All rights reserved.

Check out previous News of the Weird Columns

Current Column
09.20.09
09.13.09
09.06.09
08.30.09
08.23.09
08.16.09
08.09.09
08.02.09
07.26.09
07.19.09
07.12.09
07.05.09
06.28.09
06.21.09
06.14.09
06.07.09
05.31.09
05.24.09
05.17.09
05.10.09
05.03.09
04.26.09
04.19.09
04.12.09
04.05.09

<!–CHUCK SHEPHERD’S NEWS OF THE WEIRD by Chuck Shepherd–>

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2009

LEAD STORY

A male Swedish college student, Ragnar Bengtsson, 26, has begun pumping his breasts at three-hour intervals in a 90-day experiment to see if he can produce milk. If he succeeds, he said, it could prove “very important for men’s ability to get much closer to their children at an early stage.” A professor of endocrinology told the daily Aftonbladet that male lactation without hormone treatment might produce “a drop or two,” but suggested that men instead consider offering their breasts to babies as a matter of comfort and warmth, rather than as food. Bengtsson, who will report regularly on his progress via Stockholm’s TV8 channel and the station’s Web site, acknowledged that his timetable would sometimes require that he pump during classes. [The Local (Stockholm), 9-2-09; Aftonbladet, 9-2-09]


Top Gear – Tesla

September 30, 2009

This British auto-enthusiast show reviews the Tesla Roadster, an electric car from California. Is this the eco-friendly future of sports car technology? Maybe. Is it worth the money? Probably not for the average person. Interesting comparison nonetheless. Review by Jeremy Clarkson.


Encrustation Pseudomorphism

September 8, 2009

Picture 2

Atacamite and chalcanthite encrusted (partially pseudomorphed) mouse. Fersman Museum, RAS, Moscow. Michael Leybov photo. From Robert Cook, “Mineral Oddities.” (Rocks & Minerals; Jan/Feb2009, Vol. 84 Issue 1, p. 17).

Picture 3

Gypsum coating a gym shoe. Terry Huizing photo. From Robert Cook, “Mineral Oddities.” (Rocks & Minerals; Jan/Feb2009, Vol. 84 Issue 1, p. 17).


News of the Weird

September 7, 2009

Unclear on the Concept

Admitted gang member Alex Fowler, 26, of Jasper, Texas, was arrested in July and charged with an attempted home-invasion robbery that went bad. Tough-guy Fowler, who has the words “Crip for Life” tattooed on his neck, was chased from the house by the 87-year-old female “victim” pointing a can of Raid insect repellant at him, threatening to spray. [Beaumont Enterprise, 7-20-09]


Museum of Animal Perspectives (MAP)

August 31, 2009

animalcams

Strap a camera on an armadillo, cow, wolf, turkey, scorpion, goat, tortoise, horse, tarantula, lamb, housefly, pheasant, cricket, chick, mole, duck, bee, caribou, pig, alligator, falcon, frog, and bison and get an “animal perspective.”

Museum of Animal Perspectives (MAP) at flickr


More things to worry about

August 26, 2009

1118189333_4b738f2836_o

A steel wrecking ball came off its cable and rolled down a hill into the middle of a small town in Pennsylvania.


Another Article

February 25, 2009

If we have extra time in class, we should watch this video; it’s pretty crazy. It talks about a hydroelectric dam built in the ’70s that flooded a valley where people lived. It turns out that a hotel is still standing at the bottom of the lake; in 300 feet of water. They talk a lot about “progress” as well, and the cost.

Video is here.


Extra Information

February 13, 2008

PIG

On page 57, the book talks about a pig going to trial dressed in human attire in Falaise, Normandy in 1386.  I researched this topic because it seemed rather odd and came up with a website about animal criminology and shows a drawing of what may have happened.  The website states that, ” The execution of the sow of Falaise (Normandy) in 1386.  The pig was tried in the town’s tribunal and found guilty of committing human infanticide.  But, before her execution was carried out, the townspeople dressed her in man’s clothing.  In medieval Europe, animals were frequently tried and executed for their “crimes” against people.  These trials were taken very seriously, and defense counsel for the accused animals was provided at public expense.”

-Nick W


Paper 12 Cylinder Engine

January 23, 2008

paper-engine.png

Bored? Done with the fascinating Geog 360 reading for the week and nothing else to do? Want a big engine that does not pollute?

Information on this paper model of a V-12 engine here.

– John K.