Thursday, August 24, 2006
0 comments 0 commentsMSN's 15 places to avoid
Travel should be about one-of-a-kind experiences, not chain stores or overpriced attractions. Here are our picks for tourist traps you're better off staying away from.
Every city seems to have a section where chain burger joints and tacky T-shirt shops rule the streets like neighborhood thugs loitering on the corner. And every town has one or two attractions that get all the hype but offer none of the payoff. After months of watching your spending and saving up your vacation time, you deserve more. Take our advice and be a better traveler: Stay away from these tourist traps that aren't worth your money—or your time.
Every city seems to have a section where chain burger joints and tacky T-shirt shops rule the streets like neighborhood thugs loitering on the corner. And every town has one or two attractions that get all the hype but offer none of the payoff. After months of watching your spending and saving up your vacation time, you deserve more. Take our advice and be a better traveler: Stay away from these tourist traps that aren't worth your money—or your time.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
0 commentsThe 25 most important questions in the history of the universe
Hard questions that matter, like "can a pregnant woman drive in the carpool lane?" or "how can I win at that ultra-important-corporate-decision-making- process, rock-paper-scissor?" and of course, "is turkey a country or a bird first?". Wait, is it *really* a natural bird? Never mind - don’t answer that.
The folks at mental_floss were friendly enough to let us feature their stuff - something that will become a regular feature here at Neatorama (so be kind to them and visit their brand new and very chic blog, ok?). The text is verbatim from the articles, although I did add links, pics, videos and probably a couple of typos.
Let’s go to the list, already:
The folks at mental_floss were friendly enough to let us feature their stuff - something that will become a regular feature here at Neatorama (so be kind to them and visit their brand new and very chic blog, ok?). The text is verbatim from the articles, although I did add links, pics, videos and probably a couple of typos.
Let’s go to the list, already:
How to write the ultimate chick flick
Friday night comes around, and the latest blockbuster is opening on seven screens at the nearest cineplex—ripe with gunfire, explosions, car chases and gratuitously bared breasts (in surround sound). And yet, you find yourself listening to it all through the wall of the theater next door while you watch Matthew McConaughey—or possibly Richard Gere—fall in love with a girl, scorn her, and ultimately rekindle their love while weepy women sniffle all around you.
How the sweet holy hell did you wind up in a chick flick? At this point, the question is moot. Your girlfriend—or gay friend who paid for the tickets and laid a guilt trip on you—has dragged you into this. Now it's up to you to make the best of it.
Every weekend, millions of couples sit through Hollywood's most recent chick flick offerings and nearly half of them enjoy themselves. That's millions of dollars spent just to rent a seat for two hours. "I wish I could get a slice of that money pie," you're thinking. Now you can, using CRACKED's patented How To Write the Ultimate Chick Flick Guide.
How the sweet holy hell did you wind up in a chick flick? At this point, the question is moot. Your girlfriend—or gay friend who paid for the tickets and laid a guilt trip on you—has dragged you into this. Now it's up to you to make the best of it.
Every weekend, millions of couples sit through Hollywood's most recent chick flick offerings and nearly half of them enjoy themselves. That's millions of dollars spent just to rent a seat for two hours. "I wish I could get a slice of that money pie," you're thinking. Now you can, using CRACKED's patented How To Write the Ultimate Chick Flick Guide.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
0 commentsDrexel is #1
What local college is considered the ugliest school in America? Which has dorms like palaces?
This week, The Princeton Review released its annual survey of 361 colleges, which includes facts about the social and study habits of students.
And not surprisingly, some NBC 10 area schools get high and low marks for campus life.
This week, The Princeton Review released its annual survey of 361 colleges, which includes facts about the social and study habits of students.
And not surprisingly, some NBC 10 area schools get high and low marks for campus life.
Aaron Durley: a giant among 13-year-olds
Aaron Durley towers over the competition at the Little League World Series. The 13-year-old first baseman for Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, stands an imposing 6-foot-8 and weighs 256 pounds.
"I was standing next to him and I was up to his elbows," Scott Kingery, a 12-year-old, 4-foot-9 Phoenix shortstop, said after meeting Durley.
At the secluded dorms where teams stay during the tournament, Durley has become as much of an attraction as the pool, the pingpong table and the video arcade.
Nominee for mother of the year
Witnesses say a woman repeatedly abused her 14-year-old and 5-year-old daughters, tying them to a bed without food or water, forcing them to eat toilet tissue with dog feces on it, and making the youngest sleep in a dog crate, authorities said Friday.
Penny Lea Holloway, 42, of Broken Arrow also allegedly forced one of her children to take anti-psychotic medication and left the pair alone for days on end, according to reports.
Holloway, who was arrested Thursday night at her home in the 8500 block of South 193rd East Avenue, was moved from Broken Arrow to the Wagoner County jail on Friday. She is charged with four counts of child abuse.
Penny Lea Holloway, 42, of Broken Arrow also allegedly forced one of her children to take anti-psychotic medication and left the pair alone for days on end, according to reports.
Holloway, who was arrested Thursday night at her home in the 8500 block of South 193rd East Avenue, was moved from Broken Arrow to the Wagoner County jail on Friday. She is charged with four counts of child abuse.
Tom & Jerry smoking scenes removed
Smoking scenes are to be edited out of classic Tom and Jerry cartoons, following a complaint to the broadcast regulator that they are inappropriate for a show aimed at children.
The complaint was about two separate cartoons - Texas Tom and Tennis Chumps - transmitted repeatedly this year on Turner Broadcasting's children's channel, Boomerang.
Boomerang's audience is made up largely of children - 56% are aged four to 14 years old.
The complaint was about two separate cartoons - Texas Tom and Tennis Chumps - transmitted repeatedly this year on Turner Broadcasting's children's channel, Boomerang.
Boomerang's audience is made up largely of children - 56% are aged four to 14 years old.
Trap-jaw ants: fastest animal ever
Their jaws spring shut at more than 100 km/h (66mph)- the fastest recorded speed at which an animal can move its body parts.
The pictures also reveal these tiny creatures, native to Central and South America, do more with their vicious jaws than simply giving a nasty nip.
By biting the ground, the ants hurl themselves upwards when danger looms.
The pictures also reveal these tiny creatures, native to Central and South America, do more with their vicious jaws than simply giving a nasty nip.
By biting the ground, the ants hurl themselves upwards when danger looms.
31 rules for the amusement park
It's summer and if you have friends, there is a 100 percent chance you'll spend some time at an amusement park. If you don't have friends, don't worry, just hang tight and keep listening to Jim Rome.
For the rest of us, the amusement park offers the perfect escape from the mind-numbing reality of summer TPS reports and minimizing the window on your computer screen when your boss walks by. Being spun around, upside down and inside out somehow makes the sky seem bluer and the air cooler. It also makes your favorite sports team (who is in the process of planting their flag squarely upon the shores of loserdom) almost palatable. Of course, you might throw up, but everything that's really worth doing carries the risk of throwing up.
Recently, I spent the day at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It just so happened I went during the middle of the week, which in Cedar Point terminology, is known as the unemployed skirt chasers' national holiday. My younger cousins accompanied my wife and I, and as a group, we managed to ride every roller coaster in the place.
For the rest of us, the amusement park offers the perfect escape from the mind-numbing reality of summer TPS reports and minimizing the window on your computer screen when your boss walks by. Being spun around, upside down and inside out somehow makes the sky seem bluer and the air cooler. It also makes your favorite sports team (who is in the process of planting their flag squarely upon the shores of loserdom) almost palatable. Of course, you might throw up, but everything that's really worth doing carries the risk of throwing up.
Recently, I spent the day at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It just so happened I went during the middle of the week, which in Cedar Point terminology, is known as the unemployed skirt chasers' national holiday. My younger cousins accompanied my wife and I, and as a group, we managed to ride every roller coaster in the place.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
0 comments 0 commentsDeath by chocolate... almost
Darmin Garcia, an employee of a company that supplies chocolate ingredients, said he was pushing the chocolate down into the vat at Debelis Corp. because it was stuck. But it became loose and he slid into the hopper.
"It was in my hair, in my ears, my mouth, everywhere," said Garcia, who has worked at the company for two years. "I felt like I weighed 900 pounds. I couldn't move."
The chocolate was 110 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than a hot tub, said Capt. Greg Sinnen of the Kenosha Fire Department.
"It was in my hair, in my ears, my mouth, everywhere," said Garcia, who has worked at the company for two years. "I felt like I weighed 900 pounds. I couldn't move."
The chocolate was 110 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than a hot tub, said Capt. Greg Sinnen of the Kenosha Fire Department.
Dear Mayor John F. Street,
A 13-year-old boy has admitted to shooting a 4-year-old South Philadelphia girl.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the teen said it was the fourth time he had held a gun. The teenager pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and weapons violations.
Four-year-old Nashay Little was caught in the gunfire between the 13-year-old and another teen outside her home in the 2100 block of Sigel Street.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the teen said it was the fourth time he had held a gun. The teenager pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and weapons violations.
Four-year-old Nashay Little was caught in the gunfire between the 13-year-old and another teen outside her home in the 2100 block of Sigel Street.
In case you were wondering where your mail is
Philadelphia postal workers protested Thursday at the historic 30th Street post office.
The workers protested against forced transfers and delivery problems at a rally.
The problems resulted when the United States Postal Service (USPS) moved its regional mail-sorting center from 30th Street to a new and more automated facility in Southwest Philadelphia.
The workers protested against forced transfers and delivery problems at a rally.
The problems resulted when the United States Postal Service (USPS) moved its regional mail-sorting center from 30th Street to a new and more automated facility in Southwest Philadelphia.
Phoenixville Library haunted?
NBC 10's Tim Furlong sat down with a local Ghostbuster to review photos and videotape of possible paranormal activity at Phoenixville Library.
Furlong and Cindy Starr-Witman of Chester County Paranormal Research Society sat down Tuesday and looked at two pieces of evidence.
The first piece of evidence was a still photo, taken in the library, of what Starr-Witman calls an "orb."
Furlong and Cindy Starr-Witman of Chester County Paranormal Research Society sat down Tuesday and looked at two pieces of evidence.
The first piece of evidence was a still photo, taken in the library, of what Starr-Witman calls an "orb."
Top ten UNmanliest superheroes
You had to have seen it coming. I mean, we couldn’t have a Top Ten Manliest Superheroes without a Top Ten Un-Manliest Superheroes could we? Well, we can’t, and you shouldn’t expect anything less from our blatant attempts at mediocre sensationalism.
In case you missed all the action last week, here’s a link to our Top Ten Manliest Superheroes. I recommend you read that before you read this, cause you can’t know what a manly man isn’t unless you know what he is. Oh, and lets all just remember that this is for fun people? Got it? Great, good, on to the insanity.
In case you missed all the action last week, here’s a link to our Top Ten Manliest Superheroes. I recommend you read that before you read this, cause you can’t know what a manly man isn’t unless you know what he is. Oh, and lets all just remember that this is for fun people? Got it? Great, good, on to the insanity.
The top ten manliest superheroes
It seems these Top Tens might become a weekly affair here for the foreseeable future or until we ‘jump the shark’ and do a Top Ten with something about ‘babes’ in comics. God, I’m dreading the day I ever do it, but we aren’t above making other, very important and very serious, Top Tens that are formed with an exacting science, applied to rigorous tests, and made from only the finest ingredients.
Keeping that in mind, we’ve decided to bring you the Top Ten Manliest Superheroes. Now what makes a superhero manly? I like to think a ‘manly’ man is best known for his lack of knowledge on fashion, his chauvinist attitude toward feelings (marked by a great emotional dysfunction), and his general willingness to fight at the drop of a hat. Taking this all into consideration, we give you the Top Ten Manliest Superheroes...
Keeping that in mind, we’ve decided to bring you the Top Ten Manliest Superheroes. Now what makes a superhero manly? I like to think a ‘manly’ man is best known for his lack of knowledge on fashion, his chauvinist attitude toward feelings (marked by a great emotional dysfunction), and his general willingness to fight at the drop of a hat. Taking this all into consideration, we give you the Top Ten Manliest Superheroes...
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
0 commentsTuesday, August 15, 2006
0 comments10 best Robot Chicken sketches
Seth Green’s made it hip to be a nerd again. Who knew the dude who was the werewolf from Buffy the Vampire Slayer was, in fact, a comic genius? We’ve been enjoying RC for the last two years, and it’s about damn time we spread the love. So for all you stoners, drunks and lollygaggers that haven’t seen the show—named, apparently, for a meal on a Chinese food menu—we present to you the 10 best sketches Robot Chicken has ever offered up.
I'm a little upset because World's Most One-Sided Fistfights didn't make the list.
I'm a little upset because World's Most One-Sided Fistfights didn't make the list.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
0 comments50 greatest WWF rivalries
When I was a young buck, I didn’t really need to watch anything on TV but WWF wrestling. I, much like many of kids my age, got ALL of the Pay Per Views and even went to a couple of house shows. I was obsessed.
Let me put to rest a rumor that I once heard: wrestling is real. These guys hated each other and did all they could to win matches. I compiled a list of the 50 Greatest WWF Wrestling Rivalries. The list is made up of mostly late-80s/early-mid-90s feuds. I consider this list to be my greatest masterpiece, and I’m sorry if I left off any of your personal favorites. I received some assistance from fellow Rivalfish Sweatshoppers Ryan O’Donnell and Danny Raspatello (who is a 100 times cooler than his brother, Tello Real).
Let me put to rest a rumor that I once heard: wrestling is real. These guys hated each other and did all they could to win matches. I compiled a list of the 50 Greatest WWF Wrestling Rivalries. The list is made up of mostly late-80s/early-mid-90s feuds. I consider this list to be my greatest masterpiece, and I’m sorry if I left off any of your personal favorites. I received some assistance from fellow Rivalfish Sweatshoppers Ryan O’Donnell and Danny Raspatello (who is a 100 times cooler than his brother, Tello Real).
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
0 comments
Sunday, August 06, 2006
0 commentsKobayashi sets another record
Takeru Kobayashi chomped through a record 58 brats at the Johnsonville World Bratwurst Eating Championship on Saturday, easily winning another tasty title and slicing through the record of 34 1/2 set last year by Sonya Thomas.
"They're good," Kobayashi said through a translator. "I want to take some home."
Kobayashi earned $8,000 for his effort. There was no extra charge for the 16,820 calories, 1,450 grams of fat and 19 days worth of the recommended amount of sodium he consumed in besting Joey Chestnut and Thomas in front of a crowd of about 3,500 people attending Sheboygan Jaycees Brat Days.
"They're good," Kobayashi said through a translator. "I want to take some home."
Kobayashi earned $8,000 for his effort. There was no extra charge for the 16,820 calories, 1,450 grams of fat and 19 days worth of the recommended amount of sodium he consumed in besting Joey Chestnut and Thomas in front of a crowd of about 3,500 people attending Sheboygan Jaycees Brat Days.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
0 commentsFriday, August 04, 2006
0 commentsThe Grudge 2
Check out the trailer. It seems pretty decent. I lot of sequals of japenese horror remakes are awful. This seems ok though. So far...
Kindergarten Cop hopes to beat 80 year old man
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will play a game of table tennis with an octogenarian pingpong champion who said he would only donate to the governor's re-election campaign if he agreed to a match.
The odds appear to be stacked against the governor.
Byng Forsberg is a champion pingpong player in the 75 and over category, having won nearly ever table tennis trophy available to the senior set.
The odds appear to be stacked against the governor.
Byng Forsberg is a champion pingpong player in the 75 and over category, having won nearly ever table tennis trophy available to the senior set.
Worst possible tree to hit
A teenage driver in the US crashed a four-wheel drive into a hollow tree and stirred up tens of thousands of angry honey bees, creating a swarm that sent her and nine others to the hospital.
"Those bees were mad," said Volunteer Fire Chief Kent Gilbert, who was stung at least 50 times while trying to pull the 16-year-old driver from the wreckage.
"I've never seen bees, especially honeybees, attack like that."
"Those bees were mad," said Volunteer Fire Chief Kent Gilbert, who was stung at least 50 times while trying to pull the 16-year-old driver from the wreckage.
"I've never seen bees, especially honeybees, attack like that."
A small victory for the P2Pers
A group of US record labels agreed to drop a music piracy case in the US after the alleged file-sharer argued that it could not be proved that she downloaded any illegal music. The case may set a precedent that undermines scores of other music piracy cases.
Tammie Marson of Palm Desert, California refused to pay the initial $3,500 demanded by a group of record labels and opted to fight the case in court. Marson and her lawyer Seyamack Kouretchian of Coast Law Group argued that the fact that Marson's computer contained illegal music files downloaded over her internet connection was not proof that she had committed a crime.
The record companies – Virgin, Sony BMG, Arista, Universal and Warner Brothers – agreed to dismiss the case and pay their own legal costs.
Tammie Marson of Palm Desert, California refused to pay the initial $3,500 demanded by a group of record labels and opted to fight the case in court. Marson and her lawyer Seyamack Kouretchian of Coast Law Group argued that the fact that Marson's computer contained illegal music files downloaded over her internet connection was not proof that she had committed a crime.
The record companies – Virgin, Sony BMG, Arista, Universal and Warner Brothers – agreed to dismiss the case and pay their own legal costs.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
0 commentsUPenn trains officers to detect precrimes, just like in Minority Report. UPenn and Tom Cruise still suck
Criminologists will work with probation officers in a new unit that will try to spot offenders already under criminal justice system supervision who are most likely to commit homicides, and head off future killings.
University of Pennsylvania experts will train a five-officer Homicide Prevention Unit that will review tens of thousands of cases looking for potential killers, and provide them with intensified supervision and treatment.
"If we can pinpoint these needles in the haystack and help them turn their lives around, we might well help to make Philadelphia a safer city," said Lawrence W. Sherman, director of the university's Jerry Lee Center of Criminology, which is providing half of the $1 million in funding for the unit. The rest of the money comes from the city and state.
University of Pennsylvania experts will train a five-officer Homicide Prevention Unit that will review tens of thousands of cases looking for potential killers, and provide them with intensified supervision and treatment.
"If we can pinpoint these needles in the haystack and help them turn their lives around, we might well help to make Philadelphia a safer city," said Lawrence W. Sherman, director of the university's Jerry Lee Center of Criminology, which is providing half of the $1 million in funding for the unit. The rest of the money comes from the city and state.
How to eat with chopsticks
Do you love Asian food, but want the full experience by eating it as it was meant to be eaten--with chopsticks? Watching others using chopsticks can make it look so easy, but when you try it, you end up asking for a fork. Here's how to say goodbye to that fork for good and put those chospticks to work!
