A New Week, Some More Links

Poirot and Zucchini and Bread. The comments are lots of fun. I want to make Zucchini cookies now.

Kobe Bryant likes dark comics.

Metafilter links to some intense audio from a runaway train. Spoiler: no one dies, but the engineer was blamed despite staying on the train to warn people at level crossings, when he could've jumped off earlier.

Calorie Counting: why restaurants ought to be required to post calorie counts. Calorie Counts: why restaurants shouldn't be required to post calorie counts.

Speaking of food, that may not be the fish you think it is. Two teenagers discover through DNA testing that various types of sushi aren't what was advertised.

Your printer is lying to you.

How we trust people.

Michael Sensei celebrates Ozma's birthday.

Here's a great article about a science teacher trying to overcome ignorance in the Bible Belt. And on that topic, Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions.

Green Lantern watches the Olympics. And while the Closing Ceremonies didn't seem to be faked, there is an accusation that the arrangements for national anthems were stolen by Chinese musicians.

Pug Recall (from the Onion).

It's Thursday Already!?!???

Bad Astronomer's Valentines.

Cute Overload's Valentines.

The Best $3 Ever Spent. Oh man, I'd actually really like this.

Oh, I MUST get this: Optical Allusions by Jay Hosler. AWESOME. I highly recommend Clan Apis, as well. Not available through Previews, buy it here.

Oh dear: Torchwood Babiez. And don't miss more here. And, credit where credit is due, I got this via ComicMix.

The Bad Astronomer posts the Doctor Who Season 4 Trailer (bootleg).

More Wallace and Gromit from Michael Sensei.

Darth Vader Sings Muppet Favorite. The bit at the very end is pretty amusing.

My support of J'onn J'onzz was noted. Apparently I have readers on the Aquaman page.

Mike Sterling always makes me happy.

Monday Night Thoughts

If you are feeling like having some pancakes, IHOP Free Pancake Day is tomorrow, February 12th 2008.

The minicity I've been following, Pontoon, now has industry! So the Pontoonians have gone from being farmers to... um... building things? I wonder when the transportation link will become active? SimCity via links.

I would switch "Love Poem" and "Chocolates", but otherwise this Savage Chickens cartoon has it pretty right.

GO PIA! YES! Pia Guerra to work on Doctor Who! AWESOME! If it sounds like I'm thrilled for this, it's because I am.

Why Aren't You In Newspapers? Bill of Unshelved (one of the best webcomics out there) explains the situation. Incidently, if anyone wants to buy me this, it'll go great with my Library T-Shirt.

Comic Strip Protest Round Up.

Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #141: Storm, Magick, and Supergirl. Also see: Comic Book Urban Legends Addendum, on Super-Menace.

Michael Sensei links to YouTube Wallace and Gromit commercials from Japan. Now I'm amused.

Woody Guthrie bootleg recording restored.

Slashdot has a fascinating article on how laws ought to be "developed".

The Doctor Who LOL Macros group has been having a meme going 'round of "Terrifying Pertwee". It starts here.

He quit Aquaman for this? *sigh* I'm utterly uninterested.

In more somber news, Steve Gerber.

Thursday Night Links

I've always been a fan of Gail Simone, I'm even more in awe of her now. Here's the thread from the start.

Michael Sensei talks about smoking in Japan. The ads are great. I want to see more of them.

Heh, Pontoon got some paved roads finally. I wonder what comes next? If enough folks visit, we might find out. Otherwise it's just the owner of the city and me checking it every day (you can visit once a day to "add a new citizen"). I claim one of the houses on the paved road.

The funny pages will have a bit of activism coming up this Sunday. I just want to say that Herb and Jamaal is one of my favorite comic strips of all time.

Check it out: scenes from the Amelia Rules! Musical.

Speaking of music: one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve!

Is it legal to sell something you find in the trash? Well, yeah, but not in this particular case.

What does it take to scour YouTube for Alex Trebek bloopers?

I think I might like to buy this. Brad "Evil Inc" Guigar and Dave "Sheldon" Kellet alone make it worth the price.

If you were born via sperm donation, would you be curious about your siblings?

Seattle 911. I wish there was one for Bothell, too. Allows me to be nosy and yet stay completely out of the way. It would've been slightly useful that day the swat team moved into my neighborhood to find a criminal.

NASA is still looking for Astronaut Candidates. If you are a teacher, you qualify.

Ah, Puppy Bowl! I want a kitty to play with! I want the PuppyBowl DVDs!

Is it art if the pictures are taken by a cat?

Random Linkdumping

Jack Pendarvis interview at Bookslut. Jack kindly describes himself as a loyal friend of this blog, so go read it to learn more about one of my readers... er... I feel a little egotistical writing that.

Congrats to TangognaT!

Many congrats to Collen Coover and Paul Tobin as well!

How Do You Say "Kalidah" in Japanese? Oz and Ends links to Michael Sensei.

Scott McCullar's 10 Favorite Comic Book Covers.

Comcast sucks. Yet more evidence.

More Seattle Trivia.

A lawyer discusses the lawsuit against the science blogger being sued for a negative book review.

DRM: The Sky Does Fall.

What does model train software have to do with open source? A lot, apparently. In short, a court has decided against the rights of open source software, which may force open source to... well, close.

Heraldic Brain Baffler. Answer and explanation of answer is in the comments.

Amsterdam's Bike Culture, MetaFilter links to an intriguing photo essay.

How good is your area for walking? Check out Walk Score to find out.

Monkeys Harrass Villagers (who can't fight back because the monkeys are protected).

I've never heard it described quite like this, although I've seen slightly similar descriptions.

Country Village Bothell London Bus, an enhanced photo. It's the best I've ever seen it.

Cats in a box.

Sep 15-19 is "Holy Pasta Week"
Plan your menus now.

Linkdump

Mercury Studio has grown and become Periscope Studio.

Lea Hernandez on the ugly Flash cover that really is a complete grossout. Complete with a visual explanation of why Flash is represented more heroically than the gals in the Heroes for Hire debacle of a cover.

Making me into an American Girl. Yikes.

Scott Adam's Best Story Ever.

North Dakotan Farmers want hemp.

Oooh, that's a cool toy.

Kalakala. I just like saying it. "Kalakala!"

UFO over Salt Lake City becomes an IFO.

Google Sightseeing catches Street Fight in San Francisco.

Oh give me a home, where the children can roam...

The Ghosts of Pike Place Market.

In case I didn't already mention it: Ice Cucumber Pepsi! Sometimes I'm glad I don't drink much pop anymore.

Can't afford Canada???

Iron Age Mickey Mouse resembles the character more than licensed popsicles do.

More Pug-itude for the in-laws.

Packing

I'm pretty busy packing for our trip. Just a little thought...

Michael Sensei sent me some awesome snacks called "Penguin's Lunch". The treat comes in a box with a plastic toy penguin and a small bag of fish-shaped snacks. While the penguin alone made me extremely happy, the snacks were also quite excellent (and at 60 calories for the box, they also aren't a threat to my weight loss).

Now I've seen another goofy Japanese snack that I wish I could try out on Boing Boing. I really need to find a good Japanese import shop that might sell these things:

If only American snack food was so creative and silly.

Loot!

Michael Sensei, as mentioned in the last entry, sent me a nifty "care package" from Japan. I believe that had to do with my entry about the Melon Pocky I found. Well, in addition to toys, he sent some Pocky:

I was expecting maybe a box, two... three at the most. He sent a dozen boxes! Now, I don't know what ALL the flavors are... but starting on the top row, left to right: decorated pocky, dark chocolate, strawberry giant pocky, five fruits (goka), mousse (mango?), and mousse (green tea). Bottom row, left to right: milk & honey (two boxes), Hello Kitty (strawberry?), coconut, Tahitian vanilla, and non-Pocky Kisyu Ume (sour plum).

In addition to boxes of Pocky and a few loose toys, there were nine of these boxes, resealed. At first I really thought that they had Godzilla toys in them, but when I opened them to check, I found each box had a bunch of different items! No Godzilla to be found.

I don't know if Michael Sensei is aware that collect penguins. My penguin collection is a bit strange and goofy, and I can't imagine any better additions than these fine fellows!

On the back of the Penguin's Lunch box is a list of the penguins available in the set... I haven't tried the actual crackers yet, but if they are excellent I may end up trying to order more through one of the local import shops.

More toys! These are based on works by Beatrix Potter.

Most of these toys are destined to be given out as reading prizes at the local library, if the teen librarian gets back to me and says that she wants them. For the record, Michael Sensei, I was born in the year of the Pig... so I'm an Aquarius/Capricorn Pig. Hmmm. And I married an Aquarius Horse. That sounds kind of kinky. By the way, I will be keeping the Seattle Mariners compressed towel.

Fish! As you can see, I'm going to have to figured out which fish belongs to which stand. Michael Sensei, being a good teacher, suggested I look them up myself. Heh. These fine fishies may show up on the Aquaman page in some form or another.

In return, Michael has asked for some cheap comics to give to his students. I need to hunt some down soon and make up a return care package. I also need to sample those Pocky! And Penguin's Lunch! And Sour Plum non-Pocky!

If you haven't read Michael Sensei's blog recently, you MUST check out his entry on Cucumber Pepsi. I like his idea for Watermelon Pepsi. I might even be willing to have pop again to try it, if it came out.