Archive for the ‘weird and wonderful’ Category
Robot loves and loves and loves!
Thursday, March 5th, 2009
What do you get when you add:
1. One robot at Toshiba’s Akimu Robotic Research Institute taught to be affectionate
& 2. One lab assistant that spends lots of time with said robot
ANSWER: Robot who won’t stop hugging one terrified lab assistant.
I don’t know whether to be terrified or to completely adore this robot who doesn’t know how to let go.
The trouble all started when a young female intern began to spend several hours each day with Kenji, testing his systems and loading new software routines. When it came time to leave one evening, however, Kenji refused to let her out of his lab enclosure and used his bulky mechanical body to block her exit and hug her repeatedly. The intern was only able to escape after she had frantically phoned two senior staff members to come and temporarily de-activate Kenji.
Tags: love, robots
Posted in technology, weird and wonderful | No Comments »
Jeff Mangum come back. We miss you.
Thursday, March 5th, 2009
I’ve been kicking myself for missing the Elephant 6 Orchestra reunion tour that came to Chicago this fall. What was I thinking??!?!??!!
The truth is, I didn’t know about it…
But that’s NO excuse, damn it.
Thankfully, NPR did a recording of the show and I’ve been able live vicariously through that.
Here is a link to the goods.
On a side note: Julian Koster just gets weirder and weirder-in a good way. He makes me wanna get my saw, bow and resin out again.
Tags: elephant 6, jeff, julian koster, major organ, mangum, music, singing saw, songwriting
Posted in music, songwriting, weird and wonderful | No Comments »
Giant SQUID cake!
Friday, February 20th, 2009
Have you ever wanted to know how to make a giant squid cake?! ME, TOO!
Thankfully, a marvelously clever woman (Beth Johnson) has posted instructions on how to do just that. My life is a little more complete now.
I give it two YUM YUUUUMs! (Gremlins reference – the food equivalent to two thumbs up.)
Tags: cake, dessert, food, giant squid cake, yum yum
Posted in art, food, weird and wonderful | No Comments »
The Scorpion Queen and the Centipede King
Sunday, February 15th, 2009
In honor of Valentine’s Day I want to bring your attention to the most awesome couple I’ve encountered in years. Meet the Scorpion Queen and the Centipede King:
Kanchana Ketkaew, 36, who set a world record in 2002 for spending 32 days in a glass cage with 3,400 scorpions, wed 29-year-old Bunthawee Siengwong — who set a Thai record for enduring 28 days with 1,000 centipedes. They married on Valentine’s Day 2006.
LOVE AT FIRST BITE: They met on a snake farm while both were trying to beat world records for cohabitation with deadly insects. I didn’t really believe in true love before… but now I think I may.
Tags: centipede king, love, marriage, scorpion queen, valentines day
Posted in Uncategorized, weird and wonderful | No Comments »
