kontrawize

A Bunch of Rocks

I came across this great cartoon recently. If you have any background or interest in physics, computing, life, the universe, and everything, take a look.

QI Quote

One of my favourite TV shows is the BBC's "QI" (Quite Interesting), with Stephen Fry. I was reminded today of one of my favourite closing quotes of his from the show:

I leave you with this cautionary snippet about paying attention. A radio interviewer from GLR Radio, carried away with news of a possible discovery of a cross between an elephant and a woolly mammoth, asked a paleontologist 'So, it would be like some sort of hairy gorilla, would it?' To which the paleontologist replied, 'Yes, pretty much... except... elephant-shaped and uh... with tusks.'

Wasn't Martin Luther King the first black president?

I went to have my hair cut this morning, here in London in the UK. Two of the trainees were talking. One was saying that she had been inspired by Obama being elected as U.S. president, and had decided that she wanted to go into politics herself. The other said something like "they keep saying he is the first black president, but wasn't Martin Luther King the first black president"? So much for skoolin', I guess.

Update: here is a link to the Wikipedia article on Martin Luther King Jr.

Doritos in Japan

I was reading a blog post about falling domestic car sales in Japan, but what really caught my eye was the accompanying photo (go on, have a look). I'm not sure what the two guys on the packet of Doritos are supposed to be doing, but perhaps it's an aid to digestion. It reminded me a bit of how, when tea was first brought to England, people didn't know what to do with it, and some people just boiled it up, threw away the liquid, and ate the soggy tea leaves. I'm starting to wonder what people actually do with Doritos in strange corners of the world.

Holy Cow! Flying Cow!

Can I get those rump steaks delivered? Via  Jalopnik.

Live Long and Prosper. And Ouch!

I like Star Trek as much as the next person, but this is too much. (Oh, and read the comments below the main text.)

Great Flaming Squirrels

Read on, at The Register.

Extreme Thumb Makeover for iPhone User, part 2

So, it was a good story, but it was a hoax.

Extreme Thumb Makeover for iPhone User

Find that your fat fingers are too large for your iPhone keyboard? For every stupid answer (like surgery), there's a willing volunteer.

A Car for Mathematicians

See here, and have a close look at the back of the car.