Today's Mighty Oak


Alright, let’s see what we have today, first up, this amazing ad from Guinness:

Also in the world of advertising, this guy spend over $1,000 on Twitter ads because an airline lost his luggage and he wanted them to actually do their job.

The KKK, which is sadly still a thing, had their first-ever meeting with the NAACP, and it was described as “peaceful.”

A new study shows that gun ownership, not suicidal behavior, is actually the highest indicator of suicide.

Hahaha, amazing chart of things said to designers.

So this exists:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIcduHjDMI

Russia is now moving towards forcibly taking children away from LGBT parents.  At the end of the G-20 summit, when Obama met with Activists, they begged him to help get them out of the country.  Things are only going to get worse as we head towards the Olympics.

Utah follows in Florida’s idiotic footsteps.  Again, for those keeping score: those on public assistance are far less likely than the general public to be on drugs, stop wasting money.

And finally, a great idea for a public service campaign:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efAUCG9oTb8



Alright, let’s see what we have today.

First up, the music video made from all stock footage:

If you haven’t seen it yet, the saddest map in America: by state, how most people post in Craiglist’s missed connections.

I’ve mentioned it before, but just a reminder, the Republicans are only okay with the Violence Against Women Act if it specifically doesn’t protect the LGBT community.

And in Texas, lawmakers want to take away funding from schools that support their LGBT staff and students.

So, I love the original song, but when Gollum sings it, it just adds a certain…something:

Some fun Scrabble ads:

Mantone, the men’s color schemes.

And the Oxford comma discussion continues.  By the way, I usually go by AP Standards.

Meet a new friend in a ball pit:

Bill Nye tells it like it is.

I talked about it before, but the AP has finally come to its senses and is using the accurate terms ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ for all married couples.

And the human jukeboxes:

Rob lays it out.  Remember, if you exercise free speech for your faith (and the haters agree with you), it’s okay.  But use that same free speech to disagree, and you’re satanic.

Fun posters of the lies we tell ourselves and others each day:

As much as I think a celebrity Survivor would be awful, if NPH was on, that would totally be worth it to watch!

So….Mississippi just got around to ratifying the 13th amendment, you know, the one that outlaws slavery.  Awkward.

And no, I would not let this man cut my hair, but it is impressive:

That’s it for now, have a great one!



Alright, let’s see what’s been going on.

First up, if you use Chrome, check out this really fun map of the cosmos.

Here’s what I just don’t get about those who stockpile guns.  I can’t imagine living life so scared of the world.  And that’s what the NRA does, convince people to be afraid.  And just a reminder, the NRA represents the gun makers, and works to make them money.  So making the public afraid enough to stockpile guns is their goal.

And of course, death threats will be made, you know, for proposing any kind of gun-control legislation.

And in other far-right news, those who continue to fight, saying climate change is a hoax, are funded by the far right.

The far-right should really consider changing their views, as that holds back their technology.

So, the Pope is retiring:

And the Gutters covers it here.

Yes, I’m excited, considering Benedict continued to hide child molesters and defend them in court (see: Australia, L.A., et. al.).  But I can’t imagine the next pope is suddenly going to drop the homophobic, misogynistic, anti-sex views.  I’m not holding my breath.  Corporate Hallucinations covers it here.

And this happened the day it was announced:

The other big news is Orson Scott Card being tapped to write a new Superman series.  Card, is a very outspoken homophobic bigot (as well as hating the Jews, you know, for being Jews).  He’s entitled to his opinion, and I’m entitled to not buy his comics.  That’s how it works, although you’ll probably notice that the far-right complains and claims they are being harassed and victimized when the center/left does anything they disagree with.  However, when someone like Card, who has been quoted saying that it should be illegal to be gay, gives tons of money to hate groups like the FRC and NOM (and is a member of their board), it’s a bit beyond his opinion and more like a crusade on his part.  So excuse me as I try to protect myself.  Anyway, the Gutters covers it here.

And here’s a quote from Michael Hartney:

If this was a Holocaust denier or a white supremacist, there would be no question. Hiring that writer would be an embarrassment to your company. Well, [Orson Scott] Card is an embarrassment to your company, DC. And of all the characters Card could have been hired to write, you give him Superman? The character that taught me to lead by example? To do the right thing, even when it was hard? To keep going, even when it seemed hopeless? What an insult. Kids are killing themselves. They are killing themselves in a climate of intolerance and homophobia publicly fostered by people like Orson Scott Card. You don’t have to contribute to this. You shouldn’t. You mustn’t.”

Copyranter covers some of the greatest taglines:

And a freelancer goes up against a gym chain after they don’t pay him.  Ballsy and awesome.

The amount of puns (and carbs) in this coming out is jaw-dropping.

In case you missed it, the cool Oscar poster for this year, showing 85 years of Best Picture.

Pretty cool ad campaign, dolphins and machine guns!

In case you missed the story, a group of parents and students in Indiana wanted a “traditional Prom,” because the idea of seeing same-sex couples walk in holding hands is so repulsive to them.  The school has nothing to do with it, although one of the teachers has said on camera that gay kids “serve no purpose.”  The community, a local church and the school are reaching out to all kids, and you can read about the whole ordeal here.

Buffy, well at least SMG, is coming back to TV, and with Robin Williams!

For the first time that I can remember (because I think it’s the first time), a majority of Pennsylvanians think we should have marriage equality.

And as the UK debates equality, take a look at this amazing speech by one of the MPs:

And the last thing to talk about, the AP has decided that same-sex couples don’t get to use the terms husband and wife.  Journalists have called them out on it, and have declared they will ignore the memo.  But Fake AP Stylebook (which you should follow on Twitter), wins the Internet:

Avoid using “husband” or “wife” in reference to same-sex married couples; instead use “roommates” or “confirmed co-bachelors.”

That’s it for today, have a great one!



Alright, let’s see what we have for today, first up, a new version of Sim City:

The Great Barrier Reef is losing massive amounts of coral, partly because of climate change, but also because of the increase of a certain type of starfish, much like the reefs in the Caribbean are being ravaged by the invasive lionfish.

Tim Cook paid tribute to Steve Jobs, one year after his death.

Someone is going to try to go over the Irish Sea in this, believe it or not:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh8MiSmk-

If you’re a man, and your candidate loses, you may experience a drop in testosterone.  Which may lead you to not again in the future, very strange.

This is really cool, removing some of the growth rings to show younger versions of (dead) trees:

Big Bird was on SNL last week!  I can’t believe I missed that!

Okay, two fire videos, first up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev2anNPtfVc

And secondly, a slow motion Molotov Cocktail:

And lastly, a full plane was crashed to learn how to better survive it, Nightline covers it.



Alright, let’s see what we have today.

First up, it’s like the Humble Bundle, but for books!  Pretty cool

For all those children of the 80s, I choose to believe that this did work, even though science says it doesn’t:

Well this is absolutely infuriating.  And so is this.  And this is so scary, and yet another reminder why we need the Affordable Care Act.

But this is awesome, the mayor of Phoenix tries to live on food stamps, to better connect with those in his city.

The Information is Beautiful awards have been announced, check them out here.

Google has unveiled google maps for the coral reefs:

Fox News and the WSJ areboth wrong about climate change.  Raise your hand if you’re surprised.  No one?

And if you haven’t seen it before, the best animal photo bomb ever:

That’s it for now, have a great one!



Update for everyone, let’s see what we have today.  First up, in major Pittsburgh news, a new program called “Mister Rogers for Adults.” is creating a series of short clips to air before movies and online.  I love Mister Rogers so much, so this is just amazing.  Check out the story here and subscribe via YouTube here.

NYC may be getting an underground park.  Which would be a cool compliment to the raised park that is nearing completion:

In sad news, the famous falling bear was struck by a car and killed.

To make you feel better, watch this video about dogs riding in cars.

MaddowBlog covers the new scare tactic by those who ignore science.

North Carolina will vote in less than a week to inscribe anti-marriage equality into their constitution.  In a strange and sickening turn, the effort has been endorsed by a White Supremacist group, after it was revealed it was written to “protect the white race.”  If that makes no sense to you either, don’t feel bad, it doesn’t to me.  Unless they were more concerned about the news that gay couples are more inter-racial and inter-ethnic (could someone explain the difference to me, please) than straight couples.

To cleanse your palate after that sickening development, watch this video on full-screen with the sound on.



Well I’m back.  Well I never really left, so here’s a giant update for everyone, enjoy!

I somehow missed this commercial the first time around, and I really like it:

For all the music folk out there, Slate has a cool article about playing in tune.  I remember going to a concert of Catham Baroque in College, they had major issues because where they were performing was a cold space, except the floor was heated.  It wreaked havoc on all their instruments.

Also in Slate, an article about the AP Styleguide and how changes are made.  I need a new one, I’ll have to check out their store to see if the 2010 version is available.

And again in Slate, a cool article about PowerPoint.  It can be awesome, it really can be, just don’t do what most people do!

The first part of Star Wars Uncut is up.  The project brings people from all over the world to do small segments of A New Hope and then splices them together:

Star Wars Uncut “The Escape” from Casey Pugh on Vimeo.

Also, I’ve watched this video a couple times, and it’s amazing, an Octopus steals a diver’s camera while it is still on.  The diver chases and finally gets it back:

octopus steals my video camera and swims off with it (while it’s Recording) from Victor Huang on Vimeo.

Want to know what kind of hell happens to your mind when you stay inside a Wal Mart for 24 straight hours?  Read the hilarious report here:

An employee yelled “Shut up!” to me after I stood in the middle of the lingerie section and screamed “Spring Break!” at the top of my lungs.

I know it’s over, but I meant to post this while the contest was going on, but this Lost video was made by a local guy.  It didn’t end up winning, although when I watched all of the finalists, I really liked it the best:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiKABfaQsbY

Ok, some more about Lost.  Here are the characters are summarized by cats:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-DShnvNNv0

And Sally Wiggin (yes, that Sally Wiggin) talks about what the finale meant to her.

There was a theory that the eruption and subsequent ash cloud of Mt. Eyjafjallajokull would cool us down a bit, or maybe even stave off summer.  Sadly, it’s been warm here.  Read the article here, and I’ll be glad that my friend Kyle was finally able to make it back from Europe after all kinds of delays getting there (and the possibility of becoming stuck)

NASA captured this amazing photo of clouds over Africa:

I fully realize that this would probably clog anyone’s arteries in about three seconds after putting the first bit in your mouth, but it still looks really good: pancake, cheesecake, pancake, strawberries whipped cream.  I’m assuming the strawberries make it healthy, right?

Let’s play a fun game.  It’s called “Imagine.”

Here’s a good follow up:

Maybe the national media wouldn’t be blindsided by things like Arizona’s new anti-immigration law or Virginia’s racially tone deaf governor if it took attacks on gays and lesbians seriously, if the media saw them for the outliers they are, and stopped giving politicians like Brewer and McDonnell a faith-based pass when they attack sexual minorities. Because governors and legislators who attack sexual minorities today invariably go on to attack other minority groups tomorrow. Hate is hate is hate.

And also on that note:

Leviticus 19:33-34 (NIV)
When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt.

Moral of this story, don’t celebrate a win before the game is over:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb2UME1fBYo

Hold on.  they can’t be serious.  Apple is saying they are more open than Adobe?  Excuse me while I go catch my breath from laughing.

Want to see some cool sand art?  Here’s an example, and here are the rest.

Well this is awkward:

Aussies are safer in a strip club than a church, suggests new government data. According to the latest figures compiled by the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 1600 people were charged with committing a range of 27 offences in the state’s “places of worship” in 2008. Astonishingly, the data showed only 282 people were charged with the same offences in adult entertainment premises.

I think I have a new favorite blog, it’s called The Big Caption, bringing together images and typography

Thanks Newsweek.  And in other news, the Gulf: oily

I’m angry at Arizona for so many things, including their ban on willingly creating a human/animal hybrid (How will I amass my Centaur army now?!), but this is always heartbreaking, Arizona is now firing or moving teachers that don’t speak English properly, which makes sense to me (granted, how they frame that bill and everything associate with it was kind of underhanded), but I’d like to bring attention to what ope of the Secretary of Education’s advisers said:

Teachers should speak good grammar because kids pick up what they hear

And thanks to Jezebel for putting together this awesome guide to traveling in Arizona:

Thank you, that is all.

Ok, it’s cool, but the bicycle wheel is just showing off:

Gravité from Renaud Hallée on Vimeo.

I’m just going to go ahead and declare this a total win:

This also rocks a lot, and continues the Star Wars theme (if not a bit creepy and direct):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snp3rHDHwPg

Ok fine, one more Star Wars related item:

Need some help picking some colors?  I haven’t played around with it, but this site was suggested to me, let me know how it works!

This is just amazing, check out the art installation that puts you into a dry pool.

This ad is awesome, one because it’s the first motion-sensitive billboard that I’ve seen, and second, the format works great for the venue.  A coworker of mine is in D.C. this weekend and even though I’ve never been there, I recommended the Spy Museum, I’ve only heard people rave about it, next time I’m down in Washington, I’ll have to check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc1FeR54F-Y

Just because it’s funny:

I don’t want to say I told you so.  But I told you so (well, at least maybe).

Student newspapers at private schools are sticky business, I should know.  From where I stand, the school is in the clear to do this.  Should they?  Well that is another matter entirely.  My heart goes out to the writers and editors, I know how hard it can be, without the administration threatening the jobs of faculty members (good grief).

For your reference (full size here):

Panera is testing a “pay what you think it’s worth” store, and if it works (the money goes to charity), will open more.  It’s fun, since I’m writing this in a Panera.  With moronic teenage girls running the bakery counter.  I’ve heard them argue about the unfairness of driving, and how they are stapling napkins.  I’m not sure why either.

Ever want to know how the stop sign was created?  Slate investigates here.  And here’s what would happen if a corporation had been charged with making it:

And Slate takes a look at this year’s Clio Awards.

This is amazing, and the first building reminds me of Myst Island.  I know, huge nerd, but we all knew that, didn’t we?

Projection on Buildings from NuFormer Projection on Vimeo.

This is worth a read.  I never realized that Einstein’s Theory of Relativity was made into a political controversy.  Sigh.

Good gravy, this might be a record for me!  Hope you enjoyed it, catch everyone soon!



Alright, a more media heavy update today, but some cool stuff to pass along.

First up, this video was filmed backwards.  You’ll understand when you see it, and it’s pretty cool:

Faith finally finished her article about Women in Scouting, specifically at Scout camp.  Check it out here.

It looks as though Slate’s year end Gaming Club has finished up, although I kind of remember them coming to the same conclusion last year.  Still a great series, even if they don’t talk about some of the games I think they should have.

I might have been having a lot of fun with this link, just keep clicking to see what you get.  Because Joe Lieberman wants you dead (.com)

Even more than the previous link, this makes me so incredibly happy.  The rest of the world must really think the U.S. is bat-shit crazy.  Honestly, if I was not living here, I would just be laughing at how stupid this congressman is.  Not only for doing what he did, but also for having the balls to go the conference, try to pull together a press conference even when our government is in the building behind him trying to work with other counties from around the world.  Good frickin’ grief.

If you need something to make you smile, check out the trailer for Mega Man 10:

Did you know you can check your weather and put it in Star Wars terms?  Currently, we’re at Hoth.

The Stranger has run this “new” column a couple times, and honestly, it makes me laugh each time, especially the second letter:

And to end (much shorter post than I thought), here is just a creepy, creepy PSA from CBS.  Good sentiment, but still strange:

That’s it for now, have a great one everybody!



Today is Blog Action Day, and strikingly similar to the first topic I participated in three years ago.  And just like then and last year, I still feel as though I don’t have much to say about the topic.  I’m not a scientist, I’m not an expert, but I am concerned, so I guess that counts, at least enough.

A few weeks ago I recounted getting off of Route 66 and onto 22 and seeing a giant billboard proclaiming man-made global warming to be “the big lie.”  I think at this point you either believe climate change is real, or you have forgone all rational thought.  Now, the extent to which the human race has affected climate change is something up for debate, but we do not live in a vacuum, to think that we have had zero impact on the Earth is moronic.

But, more importantly, what can we do?  And even more poignantly, what can I do?  I said above, probably not much.  But I’m going to try, every little bit helps, and is always surprises me how much small actions really do matter.  Pittsburgh’s own green iniative, you know, the one with the most ridiculously long URL in history, encourages residents (and those like me who aren’t residents but wanted to see what was going on) to take on small steps.  One of the first was to change out old style light bulbs to CFLs as they burn out.  This small step saves not only money on energy bills, physical resources as they do not have to changed as often, but tons of carbon emissions from entering the air.

I’ve been fiddling around with the power settings on my computer.  It’s been an ongoing process, but I think I’ve almost found the perfect settings.  I don’t need my computer on during the day when I’m not there, it just sucks up power, and I only need it to be on a little bit in the morning before I go to work so it can download new podcasts and sync with my Zune.  So I headed over to Lifehacker, found a nifty little program and went from there, creating a power schedule that is more robust than what comes standard with XP and allows me to minimize the power consumption of my desktop.

It’s a little step, and took maybe five minutes of work, plus maybe 15 in total since to tweak, but it saves a lot of unnecessary power day in and day out.  It’s what I can do.  And yes, climate change encompasses so much more than what I’ve talked about here.  It brings in economics, agriculture, water resources, politics and science.  But those are things that I don’t always understand and nothing that I can really speak to.  Sure, I can hope to encourage people to choose clean energy, but I’ve discussed that before, and feel like I beat it to death over the summer, so I’ll stick to simple things.

Will I be able to affect climate change on a global scale?  Probably not, my invitation to the Copenhagen Summit must be lost in the mail (or that crazy senator who is going to protest outside might have taken it, who knows), but I can try to do my part and I’ll keep finding small ways to help, and to empower.

Looking for more?  Check out Blog Action Day (www.blogactionday.org).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CnIJ19EVMo

 

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