SATURDAY, 7/21/2001, 5:58pm HST by Penfold

More lightning fast content from this afternoon.

Oh yes, it's back and back to its roots, Jelly's Comics and Books, located behind Cutter Ford in Aiea. Inside you'll find the music, books, (not sure about the games), and other stuff just like in the beginning. Reminds me of back in the day when there was only one Jelly's at 404 Pi'ikoi (doesn't even have a/c). And yes, Norm is still working there.

STATESBORO, Ga. -- To pass French's field biology course, students must prepare — and eat — a dish made with bugs, weeds and other wild things people might stomp or spray, but seldom swallow.

FRIDAY, 7/20/2001, 10:58pm HST by Penfold

Well they would have if he had a ferret in his pants.

See the whole gallery of ad parodies here.

What happens when you mix guys with too much time on their hands and digital cameras. Check out the Action Figure Bock Party.

Seems that James Hetfield, lead singer for Metallica checked into rehab today for "alcoholism and other addictions." Yeah, he's suffering because of his inability to get his fix of dignity and respect. Check it out here.

Crash and burn

TORONTO (Reuters) -- A teenager crashed into six cars and injured one person when she tried to park at the end of her driving test, Toronto police said on Thursday.

What would you do to win? Piss in a trash can, yes or no?

FRIDAY, 7/20/2001, 1:30pm HST by Raul

Some things just take a few seconds of your time but put a smile on your face. They are of great worth. Thanks to M&C.

I suppose it was only inevitable that this device would come around: a USB reader that reads all popular memory card formats. It does CF, SD, SM and Memory Stick. A little pricey at $100 but possibly useful for studio computers and those with new Palms plus digital cameras.

Andgor Toy Company offers one of the greatest ego strokes to appeal to the kid in every red-blooded American male: custom action figures bearing your likeness. How cool is that? I'm sure it's not cheap, but it would be the ultimate gift, for the guy who has literally everything.

This article is nearly a year and a half old, so surely this product must have hit the market by now: virtual porn for your Playstation 2. Just have a look for yourself. Anyone out there have this title? Purely for statistical inquiry, of course.

Napster's wake

It's this year's mass Net movement: the Napster diaspora. As predicted, the crackdown on Napster is now leading directly to the widespread adoption of alternatives that are less legally and technically vulnerable to the kind of attack that has hamstrung Napster.

This ought to be keeping the RIAA awake at night.

Not much big movement in the NHL for some time now, everyone's waiting for the Brett Hull and Eric Lindros hammers to drop. In the meantime, have a gander at the list of signings here. You can access the lists of those still left on the market through a nav bar at the top. I might have posted this before, but now's a good time to check it out again.

THURSDAY, 7/19/2001, 9:58pm HST by Penfold

A twenty dollar value, free.

Proof positive that with the internet, you can do anything. Check out the petition to bring back the old Subway Sandwich cut.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the police department spent $25k on 17 pepper-ball air rifles (about $1470 per rifle). Check out the story here.

Wonder if they realize that they're paying that much for this.

Feel like running of to Cuba for a little vacation? This travel agency can help you out. Ah Canada, making money by exploiting dumb US laws.

The Webby Award winners were announced today. IMHO some were worthy and some are just populist crap.

THURSDAY, 7/19/2001, 1:20pm HST by Raul

In the past, I've looked at cameras like the Nikon D1X and the Kodak DCS760 and thought, wow, these are really expensive cameras, at $7-8,000. But this stuff is utterly out there: Phase One designs digital backs for medium- and large-format cameras, including single-shot models like the one above. The CCDs on these cameras are just enormous -- some on the order of 10,500 x 12,600 pixels or more, capable of up to 760MB captures. These cameras are strictly designed mainly for studio professionals doing truly large-size prints (60" wide or so) without interpolation or GenuineFractals. The price? Starts around $20,000. But then you get to thinking, hey, weren't the first digital SLRs with barely 3MP sensors originally introduced around that price?

Well apparently Gran Turismo 3 for the U.S. market is out, and the Firingsquids have taken another look.

Looking for information on your Abit VT6X4? Well try the FAQ here. It's kind of weak compared to other board FAQs, but I guess that's to be expected from a board that broke new ground (Abit's first VIA board), but was quickly superceded by much more well-received boards.

WWF vs. WWF

LONDON (Reuters) - The Worldwide Fund for Nature, formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund, on Wednesday began a legal grapple with the World Wrestling Federation over the use of the initials WWF.

Also from Iwon: "Survivor" pig-killing prompts new legislation down under.

WEDNESDAY, 7/18/2001, 10:58pm HST by Penfold

Snort cocaine off a stripper's tits?

Some more flash animation for your enjoyment. Done with a real director's touch. Check it out here.

ODB of the Wu-Tang Clan got sentenced today to 2-4 years of prison. Wonder if he'll become someone's Old Dirty Girlfriend. Check it out here.

For those Hotmail users out there, have you noticed that the look has changed? It's all blue and funky now. Read MS's press release here. Really, not that much has changed.

Weed elitism or just bong snobbery? You decide.

WEDNESDAY, 7/18/2001, 2:45pm HST by Raul

Hump day, oh blah day. Why do I feel so uninspired? Oh yeah, Jui wants lychee if you got extra.

So a higher court has overturned Judge Hall's decision to shut Napster's doors until they can comply with copyright restrictions. BFD. Who cares? It's come to the point where Napster is no longer of any consequence. I never thought I'd say this, but I wish it would slink off and die already, and leave the RIAA floundering for someone to sue. From Penfold.

Hardware misuse

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) -- A pair of bounty hunters who allegedly fired paintball guns at their quarry and a 7-year-old girl found themselves locked in jail while their prey escaped, police said on Tuesday.

Addendum: This is horrible, alarmist writing -- the lede says they fired at the man and the girl, but the story later goes on to say they fired at the truck and pointed the gun at the girl. Two VERY different things. (I suspect the point was to mark the vehicle for easier identification by police.)

Tidbits is right, there is nothing big going on in the NHL right now. But the Blackhawks actually signed someone, and the Leafs are gonna keep their offensive pointman Mats Sundin.

Well, much to my dismay, I stumbled upon this site that tells you how to accurately measure your penis. Being an equal-opportunity site, I decided to post this so, WARNING: potentially pr0nographic content in this link. Homophobes need not apply.

Grainy pictures of dongs aside, I found it amusing how the guy put in the "dimension" lines in his illustrations.

Love drug

Cannabis is a potent female aphrodisiac that works by interfering with a "neural love triangle" of bodily chemicals that influence sexual behaviour, scientists have found.

TUESDAY, 7/17/2001, 10:58pm HST by Penfold

"I would not amend that great shield of democracy to hammer a few miscreants. The flag will be flying long after they have slunk away."

Handspring has announced a new price of $49 on the Visor Phone, a good idea if you already carry around a PDA and a cell phone. Hawaii service is provided by Voicestream. Now if I didn't already have a Palm Pilot and the same cell number for years and years, I might buy one.

Just some mindless cell phone destruction for your pleasure

I forget who I was talking to about Avogadro's number, but here's the Straight Dope on it straight from Cecil Adams.

Tatoo litigation

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) -- Beahm said he underwent 13 laser surgeries to remove the flawed tattoo of a knife stabbing into a man's back, with the words "Why Not, Everyone Elese Does." Else is spelled with an extra "e."

Will Lindros be traded from Philly to Edmonton?

TUESDAY, 7/17/2001, 12:00pm HST by Raul

So back in the early 90s, you were an Interact! geek. C'mon. Admit it! Okay, even if you don't admit it, you know it's true. So hop on over to Interact! Hawaii on Communityzero, a "new Interact" started by some former members. Maybe you'll find some people you used to chat with. And then you'll remember why it is you never kept in touch with them.

Got my Tiffen circular polarizer the other day, but haven't really had much of a chance to put it through its paces. However, I did trip down to the Blaisdell pond for a few and grabbed these shots: 1 2 I think it shows the potential, but you do need a lot of sun to use it ...

I was poking around NHL for some content and came across this mess. Tell me, is that not the worst editing you have ever seen in your life? Check out that second paragraph. It's undecipherable!

In other NHL news: Tom Barrasso is back, Hasek's getting better still and Hedberg declines salary arbitration.

This product has been attempted before, I'm sure. But as a Palm owner, I know that it does hold some attraction for anyone who takes serious notes. The Seiko Smart Pad automatically converts information scribbled on a normal memo pad into a Palm memo. The only problem I forsee with this device is that it is getting larger -- and closer to the size of the smallest laptops ...

I fixed the links to the printer below for those that might have tried them earlier ...

MONDAY, 7/16/2001, 11:59pm HST by Raul
Deadline edition

Between an all-night and -day hard drive surface scan and picking up a new toy, this post got pretty delayed. Not to fear, I'm working on it. Anyway ...

Picked up a Epson Photo Stylus 1280 today. I briefly considered a color laser such as a HP 4550, but decided against spending the $2k before the ol' E-10 is paid off. Like many people, over the years I had become quite anti-inkjet. The recent trend towards inkjets being the new budget printer did little to change that view. However, this printer is starting to erode my previous assumptions about inkjets. I'll be a little more in-depth later, but suffice it to say that a lot of the preconceived notions about inkjets I had -- slow speed and easy-smear ink in particular -- are definitely NOT factors with models in this line.

This model has the ability to print 13" wide paper, unfortunately that means the thing is quite wide -- 24" total -- so I'm going to have to really move stuff around to get it to fit. Oh well ...

MONDAY, 7/16/2001, 11:58pm HST by Penfold

I really need more suits.

Eau de cat

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Oh My Cat is floral, mixing jasmine, magnolia, freesia, mandarin and bergamot with cedar, sandalwood, vanilla and a touch of olive leaf oil that cats with their sensitive noses can smell but humans can't, according to Nick Munafo, vice president of marketing for Adipar, the New York-based company that is introducing Oh My Cat in the United States.

Expedia, the travel site, was sold today to USA Networks, yes that company that brings you all those cheesy 80s movies. USA Networks is planning to use Expedia to help then launch the USA Travel Channel. Read about it here.

Someone in Nevada has come up with the idea of building a super-sized brothel. Prostitution, legal in 10 of Nevada's 17 counties, might be threatened by this new brothel's flashiness. The industry is up in arms. Read the story here.

For those who don't want to get sperm the old fashion way, we bring you an article telling you everything you've wondered about the world of sperm banks and sperm donation.

SUNDAY, 7/15/2001, 3:15pm HST by Raul

The Kaga dubs are NOT a new thing, according to this article in the Iron Chef FAQ, and it seems to be the consensus reached in the forum as well.

Apparently, they were early episodes aired in the U.S. market, and after figuring out that the voiceover was inappropriate, FujiTV did away with it for all subsequent episodes. So complaining about it won't really do anything because the problem is already fixed. And it can't really be considered blasphemy because these are the original Iron Chef episodes, so they did not have any prior reputation to soil.

I recall that I read about this when I first thumbed through the IC FAQ, so I really should have picked up it quicker. So my apologies to anyone who complained, I probably could have saved you some face and some time if I had been a bit more vigilant.

I still stand by my statements. Kaga was dubbed and those shows shown on the air. FoodTV should never have replayed then until they corrected their oversight. Don't agree with me? Tell it to someone who cares. -Penfold

SUNDAY, 7/15/2001, 2:30pm HST by Raul

First there was the disposable cell phone battery, now there's the disposable cell phone! Well not exactly. Hop On Wireless offers ultrasimple, prepaid-minutes, use-and-recycle (not toss) cell phones. Apparently it works on the same principle as calling cards -- press CALL and voice-recognition software picks up the number you want to dial when you speak it. Potentially interesting, but I wonder if it will catch on.

So what WAS that thing that Alton Brown was using to measure out his honey? It's the Wonder Cup, and it's available at a variety of kitchen stores all over, so shop around.(The link is just for example's sake). Anyway it's a graduated cylinder-type measuring tool that incorporates a piston bottom so when you push out the ingredients, it scrapes the sides clean as well. Good for sticky items or thick liquids.

Funny what you can find in a Japanese publication. Here's an article on how Japanese girls are changing their panties less often. But then there are more serious articles such as this one about how it's very possible that this whole Okinawa 'rape' thing was anything but. I especially like the "beefcake" comment at the end.

In the ongoing quest for a better user interface than the keyboard-mouse setup: Fingerboard, which is like a hybrid keyboard and oversized touchpad. Apparently, you can use multi-finger "gestures" to take the place of the mouse and other keystrokes. I hate touchpads, but every one I've ever used has been no bigger than a 3" square, so maybe a large one would offer the accuracy we take for granted from a mouse. But I am not so sure how the lack of distinct, individual keys and the "ergo" split-keypad design (which I abhor) would work.

Utah's porn czar has condemned Victoria's Secret for showing women in suggestive poses on their in-store ads. This only bring to mind the question: How else are you going to portray expensive, skimpy lingerie? As something that makes women more unappealing?

Most likely you've already heard of this one, but in case you didn't: Afghanistan has banned the Internet. What surprises me is just how much crap the people of Afghanistan put up with from this new government. But then again, they seem to have the tanks and AK-47s to prove they are right.