Nov 12 2009 You Fools!: Government Convinced Martians Were Going To Make Contact In 1924
In 1924, during Mars's opposition (when Earth, on its inner orbit, passes between the Sun and Mars) the US Navy sent a telegram alerting all its stations to be on the lookout for possible alien contact from the red planet. WOW!
Turns out that during the 1924 Mars opposition--when Mars would be closer to Earth than it had been since 1804--the secretary of the Navy sent a telegram to all naval stations asking them to "COOPERATE ASTRONOMERS WHO BELIEVE POSSIBLE THAT MARS MAY ATTEMPT COMMUNICATION BY RADIO WAVES WITH THIS PLANET WHILE THEY ARE NEAR TOGETHER."
BWAHAHAHAHA -- Martians! Like, aliens from Mars! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! I've got news for you: there aren't any aliens on Mars. Pluto, yes, but they're so pissed off we reclassified their home as a dwarf planet they don't have anything to say to us.
UPDATE: I lied, turns out they do have something to say: "F*** you -- have fun with the global warming".
Navy was ordered to listen for Martians in 1924 [scifiwire]
Thanks to junkyard dog, who eats scrap metal and tires and shit because that's what junkyard dogs do.
Nov 5 2009 On This Day In History
In 1955, Doctor Emmet Lathrop Brown was standing on a toilet hanging a wall clock when he slipped and beat his head on the bathroom sink. Unconscious, Doc had a vision. And that vision was that of a flux capacitor -- the device that makes time travel possible. The rest, my friends, is history. Or should I say, future? Time travel joke!
Thanks to Zach, who doesn't need roads where he's going.
Jun 15 2009 Good Times, Sexy Times: Jurassic Fight Club
Jurassic Fight Club: Turf Wars is a little in-browser video game (in the style of Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat) made by The History Channel to promote their new series Jurassic Fight Club premiering on Tuesday, July 29th at 9PM eastern. Needless to say, I will be turning on, tuning in and dripping out the leg of my pants. And, while I typically don't condone dinosaur on dinosaur violence, this was strangely erotic. You like how I caught a screencap of the two dinosaurs kissing? I do. JURASSIC FAP!
Thanks to Gabby, who beat the whole game. Nice, Gabby, I tried, but my directional pad got stuck.
Mar 25 2009 Wow: Man Survived Two Atomic Bombings
93-year old Tsutomu Yamaguchi was recently recognized as the first survivor of both the Nagasaki and Hiroshima atomic bomb droppings of 1945. Allegedly, he still pisses depleted uranium.
Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on a business trip on Aug. 6, 1945, when a U.S. B-29 dropped an atomic bomb on the city. He suffered serious burns to his upper body and spent the night in the city. He then returned to his hometown of Nagasaki just in time for the second attack, city officials said.
"As far as we know, he is the first one to be officially recognized as a survivor of atomic bombings in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki," Nagasaki city official Toshiro Miyamoto said.Thousands of survivors continue to seek official recognition after the government rejected their eligibility for compensation. The government last year eased the requirements for being certified as a survivor, following criticism the rules were too strict and neglected many who had developed illnesses that doctors have linked to radiation
Speaking of radiation, I want some freaking superpowers already -- and I'm not afraid to go atomic to get them. Atomic Fireballs that is! *CRUNCH* ZOMG, too hot, too hot!!!
Man Survived 2 Atomic Bombings [aolnews]
Thanks to Pat and MoD, who have both survived three bombings and now have x-ray vision. So, what color underwear am I wearing, guys? Ha, those are my nuts is right!
Mar 11 2009 Lincoln's Pocketwatch Contained Secret Message, Secret Not So Secret Anymore
Apparently a watchmaker who was repairing President Lincoln's watch on the day gunfire broke out at Fort Sumter, SC (sparking the civil war), secretly immortalized the day by engraving a note inside Lincoln's pocketwatch.
The engraving, by watchmaker Jonathan Dillon, is dated April 13, 1861, and reads in part: "Fort Sumpter was attacked by the rebels" and "thank God we have a government."
Forty-five years later, Dillon the watchmaker told The New York Times that he was repairing Lincoln's watch when he heard that the first shots of the Civil War had been fired.Dillon said he unscrewed the dial of the watch and used a sharp instrument to mark the historic day on the president's watch. He told the newspaper that, as far as he knew, no one had ever seen the inscription.
The National Museum of American History agreed to open the watch to see if the inscription was there after being contacted by Dillon's grandson. And lo and behold -- there she blew! Apparently Lincoln never knew about it -- probably because he was too busy chopping down cherry trees. Am I right? What do you mean, "that was Washington?" Carver? I thought he was the peanut guy.
Museum finds "secret" message in Lincoln's watch [reuters]
Thanks to NTF, who found a hidden message in her Tokyoflash. It read "Made in Japan".
Dec 4 2008 Terrorist LEGO Minifigs Stir Controversy
I can't say that I'm surprised, but apparently people are taking offense to LEGO minifigs that have been modded (by BrickArms) to resemble terrorists and Nazis.
Mohammed Shaffiq of Muslim organisation The Ramadhan Foundation told The Sun the figures were 'absolutely disgusting'. He said: 'It is glorifying terrorism - the makers should be ashamed. We should be coming together to unite against terrorism but how is that possible when children are playing with toys like this?'
Last night the business's founder Will Chapman said: 'It's not my intention to glorify terrorism or Nazis - but kids love the bad guys. He added: 'I can see why people might get offended but that is not what I'm trying to do. We have sold thousands and thousands of them.'
He later added: 'CHA-CHING!'
When reached for comment, the Geekologie Writer had this to say about the figures: 'Finally, terrorists versus Nazis! PEW PEW.'
Hit the jump for a few more of the offensive minifigs.
Continue Reading " Terrorist LEGO Minifigs Stir Controversy "
