Banjo Wine Caddy

I've never understood the need for a wine caddy. But if you must have one, here's a good one: Cool Cat Banjo Wine Caddy.

$78.99. Bottle not included.

Teen Gets New Name

Weird auction news: Sheboygan Teen Gets New Name.

An unemployed Wisconsin teen spent the first 19 years of his life as Calvin Gosz, but after selling his naming rights you can now call him Verkkokauppa Com.

Gosz says he was running out of money so he went on eBay and offered to legally change his name for $5,000. The Finnish consumer electronics Web site took him up on it. The purchase was finalized Friday and the money sent via PayPal shortly after noon.

How much to change the name of Sheboygan?

Playful Young Elk

Anything cuter than an elk calf romping in a mud puddle?

(Thanks Lisa)

Superflag

The world's largest U.S. flag is called Superflag.

The founder and father to Superflag, Thomas "Ski" Demski, first commissioned a 47 x 82 ft. American flag to celebrate the release of the Iran hostages after 444 days in captivity. The emotions surrounding the hostage crisis combined with the unfuling of the large flag produced an event filled with patriotism and joy and led Ski to go on to commission other super sized flags.

Today there are three Superflags touring the country bringing patriotism, passion, and American sentiment back into our society.

You can rent one of the superflags:

• Superflag I (95 x 130 ft) requires at least 150 volunteers
• Superflag II (160 x 300 ft) at least 265 volunteers.
• The Superflag (255 x 505 ft) at least 600 volunteers

Ski, shown here, is no longer among the living.

Collecting Pringles Cans

Further proof that people will collect anything:

• A German guy's Pringles Collection
• Marc's International Pringles Can Collection

Here are three different package designs for Cheezums.

My guess is that #3 is the original. Then, at some point, they felt compelled to announce that Cheezums are "Now Cheesier!" (#2). And can #1 shows them jumping on the "0 g Trans Fat bandwagon.

I wonder how many people work in the can design department for Pringles?

Bonus link: Julius Pringles.

Julius Pringles is the guy on the Pringle packets. Look any Pringle packet and he will be there. He is well known for his 7 inch moustache and his dangerous past addiction to Pringles. The moustache is rumoured to be there to hide his Pringle-eating scars. Nowadays he's on the Pringle packets to advise people to not try them with his quote "once you pop you just can't stop."

(via Urlesque)

Just Trying To Make A Point

In Wisconsin: Man who threatened Obama sentenced.

A Wisconsin man was sentenced late today in federal court in Jackson to three years in prison for making a threat on the Internet to assassinate then-President-elect Barack Obama. Steven Joseph Christopher, 42, faced a maximum five years in prison.

But he had a good excuse:

He said he made the threat to gain attention for his cause that he is the second coming of Christ and the apocalypse is coming in 2012 and much of the world will be destroyed.

FN Five-Seven

Here's one of the guns used by Hasan yesterday, purchased legally. I'd hate to think he killed an injured all those people with an illegally-purchased weapon.

The one shown here has an optional light, for nighttime operations -- which could be very handy.

Records indicate Hasan bought the FN 5.7 at store called Guns Galore in Killeen, Texas, well before the attack that left 13 people dead. The pistol has been dubbed a "cop killer" by those who have tried to stop its use.

More at Wikipedia.

The Five-Seven is supplied with 20 round magazines, or 10 round magazines where restricted by law. A 30 round magazine (or 10 round magazine extension) is also available, protruding 1.75 inches from the base of the weapon. The Five-Seven magazine is constructed of polymer and contrary to conventional pistol magazines, feeds from double feed lips similar to the magazine of a submachine gun such as the Heckler & Koch MP5. This makes it very easy to load individual cartridges into the magazine.

That's a very pretty gun. I wouldn't mind getting one. Any idea how much they cost?

Periodic Table

Here's periodic table table.

I’m A Banjo Hangout Thread Stopper

A few days ago, I made a comment in a Banjo Hangout thread that caused the thread to be closed. The topic was Genesis. It started like this:

Being a big fan of R. Crumb, both as an artist and as a musician (I love the Cheap Suit Serenaders), I've been really anxious to pick up a copy of his recently published take on the book of Genesis. I got it last night, and I'm really enjoying it.

This morning, partly because it's what I listen to, and partly because it's what R. Crumb listens to, I started thinking of old time tunes that relate to the book of Genesis.

A few people contributed, including myself. Then I had a clever brainstorm and posted a second comment:

And then there's one tune that summarizes the entire book: "Fly Around My Pretty Little Myth."

It's only funny if you're familiar with an old-time tune called "Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss." In any case, nine minutes later, a moderator closed the thread.

The Banjo Hangout doesn't allow religious posts, unless they are pro-religion. As an example, take a look at this one, about a tune called Baptist Shout. The original poster asked about the origins of this tune. The first reply was:

I love this tune as well. Great melody line and as believers in CHRIST, theres alot to "shout" about concerning this new life and the one to come.

I made this reply, and was accused of being intolerant:

C'mon Rob. Save it for church. I come here for banjos, not religion.

The Banjo Hangout is a great forum, but they sure don't enforce the rules consistently.

Problem With Paper Money

This could change everything: Paper Money Violates All Ten Commandments.

1. Paper money debt enslaves you to something other than God.
2. Valuing paper money is an act of idolatry.
3. "In God we trust" takes the Lord's name in vain.
4. The sabbath debt forgiveness times are ignored.
5. Lack of honest standards dishonors our parents.
6. Paper money has funded mass murder; two world wars.
7. Lenders, usurers, are committing spiritual adultery.
8. Paper money and banking is institutionalized theft.
9. Paper money requires a mountain of false testimony.
10. Paper money is supported by greed and covetousness.

So sayeth Jason Hommel who, coincidentally enough, deals in gold and silver.

Would you trust someone who wears an orange tie with a green shirt?

Lovely Flowers

From a listing of a home for sale in Michigan:

(via There, I Fixed It)

The Weekend Open Mic

It's a weekend.

Noodles Length Measured And Added

Did you ever wonder how many feet of noodles are in a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup? Now you know. It's part of a billboard campaign to celebrate 75 years of chicken noodle soup.

"We wanted to remind people how the soup they love more than any other is full of the stuff they love most," Eric Christianson, business director- Campbell's condensed soups, said in a statement.

Stone Stuff

By a sculptor named Robin Antar: Things we eat, but can't.

Here's one of her creations, which can be yours for $36,000:

The bag of Oreo Cookies is carved out of Marble and hand painted. The oreo cookies are cast in resin and hand painted. Price includes a custom build pedestal with a rotating base and a lucite cover case for public display. Does not include, crating, shipping and sales tax.

If that's too expensive, perhaps you'd like this nice limestone boot (only $9,500):

Teacher Won’t Fingerprint

In Texas: Teacher claims fingerprinting is 'Mark of the Beast'.

A 22-year veteran kindergarten teacher in the Texas Bible Belt could lose her job for refusing, on religious grounds, to give fingerprints under a state law requiring them.

The evangelical Christian, Pam McLaurin, is fighting a looming suspension, claiming that fingerprinting amounts to the "Mark of the Beast," and hence is a violation of her First Amendment right to practice her religion. Her case is similar to a lawsuit by a group of Michigan farmers, some of them Amish, challenging rules requiring the tagging of livestock with RFID chips, saying the devices are also the devil's mark.

More:

Her attorney, Scott Skelton, said his client believes that the computerized fingerprinting, in which her fingerprints will be stored in a database, is the mark addressed in Revelation. The teacher does not believe that it is merely coincidence that Revelation says only those with the ‘mark on his forehead or on his hand' will be able to buy or sell, since only those teachers who comply with fingerprinting requirements will keep their jobs, he said.