I've never like the term "linkdump," which seems to imply lesser quality material. For me the linkdump-type blog entry is a place to put good stuff that I simply don't have time to flesh out in detail as a separate item.
I've chosen to call it a "Smörgåsbord" in honor of my Scandinavian ancestry [this time of year it would be a "Julbord"] and to represent the idea that I'm laying out a long table of tasty treats, and you can pick out the ones you want.
"Contronyms" are self-contradicting words. Handicap = advantage in sport, or disadvantage. Below par = better than average (in golf), or worse than average (in life). Temper = soften or harden. Hundreds more.
Words of Indian origin in the OED: bungalow, pyjamas, shampoo, thug, loot, juggernaut....
Microwavable grape plasma. Video. Real? I don't know.
Lost footage from the classic movie Metropolis found in Argentina.
The longest piece of music in the world. By John Cage. It will take 600 years to finish playing it.
Better health by eating worms. May alleviate the symptoms of ulcerative colitis and decrease the severity of hay fever. Not mentioned in the BBC article is the observation that asthma prevalence or severity may be lower in patients with intestinal parasites.
The Human Mirror project, performed by Improv Everywhere as a form of public theater.
Seven movies "based on a true story" - NOT. Rudy, Lean On Me, Good Morning Vietnam...
Names and nicknames - in sign language.
How your computer printer tries to trick you into buying a new ink cartridge when you really don't need one. (It's not in the article, but I'll add that the message that your wireless mouse/keyboard needs new batteries also comes up way way before the batteries give out).
The Voice Stick - an OCR scanner with built in voice synthesizer, allows visually impaired persons to have a book/article etc read to them. I don't know whether this is a concept or a real product.
The bald-faced hornet. Harry, this is what stung you at the harbor. It's a good thing we didn't bump into that nest.
Disposable diaper saves child's life when it hooks on fence and breaks his fall.
How flies evade flyswatters, and how to outsmart the flies.
Police officer earns $20K from ticketing incomplete stop sign stops.
Two-headed turtle. Cute.
"Fortunes to be made in frogs" via Uncertain Times.
You can no longer trust Pyrex. When I worked in labs, Pyrex was top-quality durable glass. Now it has a tendency to explode in kitchens.
Preserving muscle tone under casts. I had more leg casts than I can count, and the leg always came out with decreased musculature. Now devices are available to stimulate the muscles while the cast is still in place.
New "fakeproof" microchipped passports - cloned in minutes.
"Mackerel-economics" - why prison inmates used dried fish for money.
People with autism make better decisions than the rest of us. They aren't prone to irrational decisions based on "gut instincts."
The bar-tailed godwit [bird] is capable of flying non-stop 7,000 miles from Alaska to Australia in 9 days. And apparently unlike some soaring birds, this one continually flaps its wings the entire distance.
Video of a high-functioning man with amelia.
Drum-makers are at risk of death. Because the drumskins are made of animal hides. Hides which can harbor anthrax spores...
A neolithic breakfast. Porridge.
Writing checks may be more dangerous than using credit cards online.
American young people are becoming increasingly "spiritual" but at the same time increasingly distrustful of organized religion.
Videos of the countdown to Obama's victory on election night.
How many Monopoly properties can you name? I got 18 correct before time ran out.
Three-quarters of Brits can't name the three countries that make up Britain. "The poll raises some questions about how engaged people are with... geographical factual knowledge." You can say that again.
The Colossus of Rhodes is going to be rebuilt. And in keeping with the spirit of the original, part of the construction will be composed of recycled weapons.
Big Boy face-painting video. Bizarre.
Giant panda rips off zoo visitor's jacket. Video.
Civics test for Americans. Basic questions. I still missed three of them. But most people do worse than that.
"Why it's better to have a dog than a wife." Very politically incorrect. But quite funny...
The Flaming Cursor. What I get after writing twenty blog entries in a day.
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