Here’s a sea otter stacking cups. I didn’t realize they were so intelligent.
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Sea Otter Stacking Cups
Category: Around The Web
Linkage I run across
Matthew Inman, aka The Oatmeal started a campaign to raise money to purchase Wardenclyffe, perhaps the most iconic thing Nicola Tesla worked on aside from the Tesla coil itself. The building, built by no other than Stanford White, of Washington Square Arch fame.
Like Inman, I’d argue Nicola Tesla is one of the greatest geniuses to ever walk this earth. Given he spent the majority of his life and his career in the US, it seems fitting this last remaining facility (the NYC labs are long gone) be made into a museum. I first mentioned the sale on this blog back in 2009.
I’m actually currently reading Tesla: Man Out of Time, so this ironically works out quite well.
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Common Misconceptions
I’d like to propose that the Wikipedia list of common misconceptions become required reading for all students from grades 5-12. Every so often I browse this list and love it every time. Lots of interesting stuff, and lots of things people constantly seem to insist is fact.
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The History of OMG
Interestingly, OMG (the acronym for “Oh My God”) is much older than most people would think. While associated with chatrooms and most would date it to the 90’s, it actually goes back to at least 1917 when it was used in a letter to Winston Churchill.
Sure enough the Oxford English Dictionary does list it:
1917 J. A. F. Fisher Let. 9 Sept. in Memories (1919) v. 78, I hear that a new order of Knighthood is on the tapis—O.M.G. (Oh! My God!)—Shower it on the Admiralty!
There you have it. Everything old is new again.
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Desk Porn
When you spend a lot of time at a desk, you begin to admire and respect others workspace. I’ve long enjoyed the endless threads of “your setup” to see what others do, and what they put up with. The cool guys at Ars have a nice article on their own setups. My favorite desk is Lee Aylward’s because I love the giant roomy desk and corner setups in general. My desks generally look more like Peter Bright’s with several displays/computers surrounding. I’m up to 4 screens at work, and can go from 1-3 at home (if laptops are open or not).
I’m convinced a good desk is deeper than average and extremely sturdy. I’m not sure why there’s such a prevalence in shallow desks that barely hold themselves up. Pre-computers it was fine, but with computers, even a laptop needs some space behind. I understand the market for slim desks (small apartments for example), but not why they are virtually standard in the US. I know people who have searched endlessly for the perfect desk.
Next time around, I’m going for a deeper desk with enough of a lip on the back that I can put some monitor arms on it.
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The History Of “Disaster Girl”
If you’ve spent enough time on the internet you know “disaster girl”, perhaps not by that moniker, or her real name Zoe, but you recognize the face. Her father, who took the picture documented the history behind the meme. Apparently the original is in fact real and unedited.
You can see a history of “her” disasters on buzzfeed.
It’s always interesting to learn the history of internet memes.
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Kindle Poll And Brand Confusion
I’d love to know how this question was asked so that “I don’t know” was even an option. My guess is confusion existed over the iPad, iPhone and Android apps which leads to the question: is “Kindle” the reading platform or the hardware? I’m not even entirely sure myself. Amazon should have done a better job keeping them separate.
Via: Violet Mae Lim via MG Siegler
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Larry Eats A Pancake
Seinfeld’s new show is up. It’s short, but it’s pretty funny and has some potential. He has the perfect first guest. I’d love to see it uncensored and uncut.
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Why Wear Pants?
The Atlantic answered the age old question: Why do we wear pants?:
“Historically there is a very strong correlation between horse-riding and pants,” Turchin wrote in a blog post this week. “In Japan, for example, the traditional dress is kimono, but the warrior class (samurai) wore baggy pants (sometimes characterized as a divided skirt), hakama. Before the introduction of horses by Europeans (actually, re-introduction – horses were native to North America, but were hunted to extinction when humans first arrived there), civilized Amerindians wore kilts.”
So essentially it’s because it allowed for better movement, and keeps our balls (and appropriate lady parts for the ladies) from showing. This however doesn’t answer why we still wear pants. I don’t know about anyone else, but I can’t remember the last time I was on a horse (was likely a class trip when I was quite young).
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Super Mario A Capella
Someone just found a way to make me find A Capella very compelling.