Ahmadism

Baby On 40 Cigarettes A Day

2010-06-09T07:11:00.001-05:00

I don't even know where to begin with this video. It obviously got a lot of attention given the number of hits it had received.

The video speaks for itself.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4c_wI6kQyE

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Bizarre and Amazing Fire Illusion

2010-04-21T21:47:00.002-05:00

I've come across my fair share of illusions. This one, however, is not a picture. Instead, it's 3D. It's real. It's on video. An excellent take on angles and perspective. Put briefly, absolutely amazing.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9PZizBDBZw

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English Translations

2010-04-14T22:47:00.006-05:00

It is bizarre that in this day and age, we can't seem to nail something down as the concept of translation. One would think that professional translators would be sought out/after to ensure accuracy; but noooooo. Instead, many foreign entities and individuals alike rely on the translation of online tools, a friend (who barely speaks English) or worse: An actual "translator" that does not have any credibility. The results? Well ... see for yourself:

Then you have those that insist that this melting pot nation is for English speakers only. Yet ... they can't seem to get it right either.

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A Badass Elmer Fudd

2010-03-17T19:46:00.005-05:00

It's Wabbit Season.

I don't know if this qualifies as "weird" on Weird Wednesday, but it definitely struck me as one. When you think of Elmer Fudd, a certain image comes to mind. Having the picture done as this is simply amazing and even inspirational. How the Artist (Bean Jamish) was able to capture the essence of the character, have him all grown up and still touch on the key points of the character is what's weird. Amazing, but weird.

Enough of my ramblings. What do you think?

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Some Buttons Should Not Be Pushed

2010-03-10T22:15:00.002-06:00

The boy in me likes to push buttons; and the man in me likes the figurative ones just the same. But this one button is one I'm likely to avoid. After all, it may be the last button I push. ▣

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Weird Laws: New York Edition

2010-02-24T21:19:00.012-06:00

Being in Texas, I felt odd picking on my home state for its weird laws. So I turned my attention to what I believe to be amongst the dumbest folks I've encountered in my travels: Florida. But their weird laws didn't make me laugh half as much as those in New York. Seeing as to how I know many folks up in New York, I thought it would only be fair.

Without further ado, here are the weird laws I came across in the State of New York:

Women may go topless in public, providing it is not being used as a business.
It is illegal for a woman to be on the street wearing “body hugging clothing”. But it's alright if you were topless?
Citizens may not greet each other by “putting one’s thumb to the nose and wiggling the fingers”. On this one, I simply had to act this one out.
A fine of $25 can be levied for flirting. Why isn't the State amongst the richest?
It is against the law to throw a ball at someone’s head for fun. Oh man this one got me giggling.
The penalty for jumping off a building is death. Things that make you go hmmmmm.
New Yorkers cannot dissolve a marriage for irreconcilable differences, unless they both agree to it.
A person may not walk around on Sundays with an ice cream cone in his/her pocket. I'm getting visuals that I'm certain I should not.
While riding in an elevator, one must talk to no one, and fold his hands while looking toward the door.
Slippers are not to be worn after 10:00 PM.

I'm taking requests for what state to do next. Let me know in the comments. ▣

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Giant Boat Crash Into Dock

2010-02-03T19:53:00.004-06:00

I'm curious whether it hit just a building (on the right) or two (on the left as well). Or is that a ship on the left? I'm even more curious as to whether ships have to carry insurance or not; and what on Earth might their monthly premiums be?!

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5t-z6KdXvA

I don't know enough about docking protocols, not that they could've done anything in time. ▣

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The Future of Music?

2010-01-27T22:41:00.001-06:00

Funny? Yes. But could this be the future of music? I simply couldn't watch the whole thing; so I hope not.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18gDUzL2mLQ

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The World's Worst Invasive Species

2010-01-20T17:50:00.006-06:00

Weird? Yes. Creepy? Some of them are. But if you're up for finding out how some frogs (toads, really), rats, killer bees and snakes, I strongly recommend reading the WebEcoist’s article (link after photos) on the most invasive species in the world.

(images via: Reptile Knowledge and Tinley Time)

(images via: The Guardian, Invasive Species Weblog and Flatrock)

Find out just how devastating a pair of bunnies ended up being to Australia; and how Florida and other areas of the south are being taken over by released and escaped Burmese Pythons. Read the article here. ▣

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Add A Sarcasm Mark to Your Text Posts

2010-01-13T22:56:00.005-06:00

Sarcasm Inc. of Washington Township, Mich., has released software for computer systems and Blackberry devices that can be downloaded for $1.99. The software provides a mark that looks like an open circle with a dot in the center; or an upside down "g" or "@" symbol.

The company Web site states the reason they developed the sarcasm mark was that "the written word has question marks and exclamation points to document those thoughts, BUT sarcasm has NOTHING!"

Paul Sak, of Sarcasm, explained that "[the punctuation mark, as it is intended to be one] is roughly the size of other characters and with the SarcMark font downloaded, it behaves like any other font character. It specifically has a point or period incorporated in it, just like all other main punctuation marks: question mark ?, exclamation point !, colon :, semi-colon ; and of course the period."

I would imagine, however, that usage is going to be key for the adoption of such a punctuation mark. And I didn't see any support for a Mac! Although I'm not a Mac user, I still found that to be very odd. In addition to the hieroglyphic look of the symbol, which I find odd and uninviting, I'm having a hard time with the approach --$2? C'mon.

There at least needs to be a way for everyone to get a read-only access to this clearly revolutionary punctuation mark

The company made a video. It was so good it got high ratings

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlwCCWGYOGg

Oh, this is such a great idea I can't wait to use this

Seriously though, rather than actually using language to express sarcasm online, now you can buy an “official” punctuation mark to represent when you try to be funny online with sarcasm, but fail miserably.

Use the symbol to illustrate your fantastic control over the English language every time you go online

The company said putting the SarcMark after an online statement will give the reader visual confirmation that the statement he or she is reading, is, in fact, sarcastic, reported ComputerWorld UK.

There have been a few previous calls for such a mark. The irony mark or irony point is a mark that was suggested to be used to indicate that a sentence has a second meaning, like in an ironic or sarcastic sense. According to Wikipedia the mark has never been used widely.

And in a 2004 Slate article Josh Greenman proposed the creation of the "sarcasm point." He wrote that it was time for the adoption of the sarcasm point because of the "range of sincerity can shoot from earnest to irreverent in nanoseconds" in today's world.

If you like the Sarcmark, the irony mark, the sarcasm point, then you're also sure to like the interrobang.

I predict that this will be a useless fad. What do you think? Do we need punctuation for sarcasm? ▣

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Weird Houses Around the World

2010-01-06T11:18:00.008-06:00

I've come across many pictures of houses and buildings with unusual and even weird & bizarre architecture. I'm posting a few of them here, but the links after the images are definitely worth checking out.

Can they even buy flood insurance for this place?

What happens here during hurricane season?

Who's the small house (bottom left) for? And is there living space through the rock (there are no windws!)?

I'm hoping this is a cropped photo and underneath that ladder there's a ledge or something. Still, that's one hell of a workout to get up to the house. How do you carry groceries up there? Ummm, furniture?

I know this isn't a house, but I'm curious to know what would happen if the occupants were to hear branch crack.

Someone isn't worried about global warming. And what about turning on any source of heat?!

Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

This adds a whole new meaning to the phrase "tree house." Something is ironic about the fact that they seem to be growing flower up there.

Although this is not architectural in nature, this one (original link here) is my favorite. Isabelle de Beaufort and Bernard Ramus created a maze in Cordes-sur-Ciel, France with a house hiding inside.

I urge you to check out other unusual, weird and bizarre houses and buildings from around the World here and here. ▣

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Amazing & Weird Art

2009-12-30T19:07:00.002-06:00

It could be argued that most, if not all, is weird at some level or another. Liu Bolin's camouflage art, however, is a whole other story. Each "masterpiece" takes up to 10 hours to set up and get just right. Often, passers-by don’t even realize he is there until he moves.

What Mr. Bolin does is paint himself (or his subjects?) into the environment; without any photo trickery or image processing. That is, he becomes a chameleon with his background and surroundings. Take a look for yourself ...

I'm sure that the photo doesn't do his work justice. It actually took me a couple of seconds to see him in this favorite picture of mine for his "Hiding in the City" collection.

You can see more of Liu Bolin's images here. ▣

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Weird Stunts

2009-12-23T16:03:00.002-06:00

I'll keep it brief. Some people lift huge weights. Some people pull trains with their teeth. And then there's this guy (via Metro.co.uk).

I urge you to see the 5 most painful weird stunts here. The last two, in particular, are cringe-worthy. ▣

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A World Full of Weirdness

2009-12-16T17:10:00.007-06:00

With the plethora of weird and bizarre things that comes my way, I wasn't sure which one to write about. So instead, I wanted to share five links of weird & bizarre things I read about recently.

1) Toddler has 50 sewing needles inside body

A 2-year old Brazilian boy in the hospital after complaining from pain in his body. After no visible reasons for his pain, x-rays show a totally different story. If I was to take a guess, at the risk of sounding stereotypical, I would say magic or something like that is sure to surface as a motive.

2) 6 Inventors Who Got Jack Shit for Changing the Modern World

Without a doubt, this is an interesting read. And if you can look past the language, the content is brief and presented well.

3) Are you big? Are you in Japan? You may be breaking the law.

In Japan, already the slimmest industrialized nation, people are fighting fat to ward off dreaded metabolic syndrome and comply with a government-imposed waistline standard. Metabolic syndrome, known here simply as “metabo,” is a combination of health risks, including stomach flab, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, that can lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Concerned about rising rates of both in a graying nation, Japanese lawmakers last year set a maximum waistline size for anyone age 40 and older: 85 centimeters (33.5 inches) for men and 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) for women.

I strongly recommend you read the comments as there may be a false representation of the facts.

4) 12 Bizarre and Unique Roofs

This roof, that roof, all kinds of weird roofs. The pictures say it all.

5) 9 Funny Classified Ads

There seems to be an increase of these funny classifieds that's parallel to the decline of newspapers. Perhaps it's how some people are trying to leave their imprint on the news sources of yesteryear. ▣

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Weird Cloud Formations

2009-12-09T18:46:00.017-06:00

God's creation, especially nature, has always been a source of inspiration for photographers and creatives to look at things differently. Seeing different color leaves, different shapes and sizes, different terrains & textures, and then look at how the "normal" state of any one of those things changes (water is not always blue, leaves are not always green, etc.) teaches us all to look beyond the obvious. It teaches us to appreciate beauty and be thankful for diversity.

Clouds, in particular, are amongst God's creation that we could stare at for minutes & hours on end. They present us with different shapes that foster creativity and imagination at a very young age. All the sentimental mushy mushy stuff aside, some of cloud formations are just plain weird & bizarre.

Cloud formations such as mammatus or lenticular among others, are perfect examples of how intricate and different nature can be.

In this post, we take a look at some amazing photographs of the weirdest cloud formations that you’ll ever see, which are destined to inspire you and at minimum awe you. The halo Moscow cloud I covered a few weeks ago also falls into this category and inspired me to look further into other cloud formations and bring them to you. In the process, I have accumulated quite a number of photographs; but shouldn't list them all. Instead, I've selected a few below (see slide show) for your viewing pleasure.

I invite you to click on any of the images to view the source.

With the wide-spread use of cameras, I invite you to submit your online images. ▣

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Creative & Weird Photography

2009-12-02T11:50:00.006-06:00

It's worth mentioning that this is actual photography ... but more like trick photography. Chinese Photographer Li Wei is not your typical photographer, but an artist. Think of these as visual treats, and as art, more so than photos.

Let's take a look at some of his work, and afterward, I'll let you know how I think he does it.

All these photos were shown here with permission.

I believe there are cables that hold the people and props, and Mr. Li Wei removes them with software. In all cases, the results are weird photos that are simply amazing. To see more of is work, go here (some of his work, towards the bottom, are NSFW). ▣

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How Not to Market Your Restaurant

2009-11-25T18:13:00.003-06:00

I'm not sure if this weird and bizarre ad is a newspaper's way of killing this business, or if it's the owner's way of building on his negative popularity in hopes of attracting new customers to his finger food selection (get it? finger food?).

What do you think of this bizarre ad? Let us know in the comments. ▣

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SC Man Convicted of Having Sex with Horse, Twice !!

2009-11-18T18:10:00.007-06:00

This story is about two weeks old, but the fact that it took place TWICE landed this on Weird Wednesday.

By Steve Jessmore, The Sun News, via AP

It's only fair to mention up front that the man involved in this, 50-year old Rodell Vereen, has had some mental / medical issues. So what's the scoop? Well, in July of 2008, Vereen pleaded guilty to having sex with the same horse on Thanksgiving 2007. He was declared a sex offender, sentenced to three years of probation, ordered to stay away from Barbara Kenley's Lazy B Stables in Horry County, S.C.

Kenley told police she had videotaped Vereen having sex with her 21-year old mare "Sugar," staked out the stable and then caught him at gunpoint behind her barn.

A family member, back in late July of this year, told The Sun News of Myrtle Beach that Vereen was diagnosed with a "mental disease" more than 10 years ago and may not have been taking his medication.

According to MSNBC:

Vereen has had mental problems for several years, but seemed to get better after getting court-ordered treatment last year, said his brother, the Rev. James Vereen, in earlier interviews. The brother lives just down the street from his brother and the stables.

"He's done all right when he was on the medicine. I don't know if he is still taking it," said James Vereen in a July interview.

The fact that the man got caught twice doing the same thing, to the same horse, with medications deemed necessary by the judge should have raised a flag, and questions on whether this man should or should not go to jail should've been asked.

The serious stuff aside, it was funny reading many of the titles associated with this story. My favorite ... "Love for Sugar lands 'stud' in jail"
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Hmm Tasty Meat Hand

2009-11-11T12:20:00.004-06:00

Think of today's blog post as part 2 to last week's Weird Wednesday one, which was titled "Human Bread: A Thailand Bakery."

After all, who in their right mind could resist a meat dish prepared to resemble a human hand? The complete recipe with lots of photos is available from Not Martha. ▣

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Human Bread: A Thailand Bakery

2009-11-04T21:46:00.004-06:00

Deep within Thailand, within the Ratchaburi Province to be exact, lies a family run bakery. This bakery, however, is not your typical run-of-the-mill corner bakery. Rather, this bakery is sure to surprise you with its realistic-looking "human body parts," which are stacked on shelves and hanging on meat hooks.

Ratchaburi is located about 50 miles west of Bangkok on the bank of the Mae Klong River. If you are in the area there are daily tours you can take, here is one site that gives tours.

Before I proceed, I must warn you that the images below are gruesome and very realistic. As you'll soon see, this is nothing short of a serial-killer lair. I would go as far as suggesting that this is not safe for kids (with the nightmares and all). Be sure to catch the video at the end.

In reality, what appears to be petrified body parts are the bread sculptures of art student Kittiwat Unarrom from Potharam, Thailand. Yes, it's bread!

Of course, people were shocked and thought that I was mad when they saw the works. But once they knew the idea behind it, they understood and became interested in the work itself, instead of thinking that I am crazy,

said the fine arts masters degree student.

As an undergraduate art student, Kittiwat started painting portraits. He then moved to mixed media and finally dough - a natural medium for him since his family runs a bakery. Along with edible human heads crafted from dough, chocolate, raisins and cashews, Kittiwat makes human torsos, arms and feet.

He uses anatomy books and his vivid memories of visiting a forensics museum to create the human parts. He now is receiving regular orders from the curious and from pranksters who want to surprise their friends or colleagues. However, I'm not too sure how your beloved would feel opening the fridge to find one of these inside.

By the end of the year, Kittiwat's confectionary slaughterhouse will go on display at Bangkok's Silpakorn University. It's his final dissertation, and he hopes it will secure him a master of arts degree.

When people see the bread, they don't want to eat it. But when they taste it, it's just normal bread," he said. "The lesson is 'don't judge just by outer appearances.

And the video ...

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKSO7m3-MH8

Did you forget that this is BREAD?! What I don't get, and can't even fathom, is how does someone decide to eat this. How does one bring themselves to add cheese, or worse, meat like roast beef or salami or something that's actual reddish meat.

Would you? I'm dying to hear your feedback on this one. ▣

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How Did the Bus Not Hit This Guy?

2009-10-29T16:23:00.003-05:00

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO2rW1alVv8

An amazing near-miss that brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "missing the bus." I've watched this over and over and still don't know how this dude didn't become road pizza. Amazing. ▣

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Homeless: A Technological Approach

2009-10-21T07:56:00.004-05:00

One of the misconceptions surrounding the homeless is that they are also jobless. In fact many of the homeless have full time jobs, albeit low paying ones. Here's an interesting article on this subject.

Although the below image may come across as weird, and in a way it is (otherwise, it wouldn't have made Weird Wednesday), but it is very realistic. A not so uncommon observation is that the homeless need and seek things that are small and portable. Everything needs to be easily moved around, and needs to fit into a backpack. Not surprising, the prime need is devices for information and communication. Things like prepaid cellphones, USB sticks, etc. are likely to be found with some of the homeless.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports about "Lisa Stringer, who runs a program that teaches job and computer skills to homeless and low-income residents, says some students who can't even read or write save money to buy computers at Goodwill. 'It's really a symbol in today's society of being OK and connected,' she says. She sometimes urges homeless students to put off buying laptops until their living situations stabilize."

Having an internet-connected computer means you don't need the media (TV, radio, or even newspapers). It's all there, online. I have no doubt that being homeless is scary, hard, lonely and very profiling; which more often than not means you're being discriminated against. When you're online and connected to the World, you're simply like everyone else. It brings hope during a time in one's life when that's scarce.

And while today's image may come across initially as weird and a bit humorous, a closer look into the issue makes it all seem very normal and natural. What's your take on the topic? ▣

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The Halo Moscow Cloud

2009-10-14T07:07:00.000-05:00

A large white cloud in the shape of a circle — or as it's being called a "halo cloud" — was spotted over the Russian capital last week. Someone decided to take a video of the halo cloud, uploaded it to YouTube and — voilà — instant phenomenon.

Just because of a circular cloud? Of course. All the elements are there: Grainy and shaky video footage. An "unexplained" hovering circular formation cast against a dreary, gray sky. The female voice of a concerned-sounding Russian newscaster emanating from the car radio; although it appears to be unrelated to the cloud.

And on top of all these requisites, there's the obligatory weatherman saying that it's not a UFO, rather it's just a cloud. Anyway, it all follows a well-trod path. Video uploaded to YouTube. It gets watched hundreds of thousands of times (it already hit 1.5 million). And screaming headlines further the sensation.

When the cloud initially formed, some UFO enthusiasts declared it to be a "true mystery." Some even compared it to the giant spaceship hovering over Earth in the movie "Independence Day." Reality quickly dashed any predictions of an alien invasion. An article from the Daily Mail explains that the "luminous ring-shaped cloud" was simply an optical effect.

I'll be the first to admit that a photograph of the heavenly cloud appears to be Photoshopped. It's just so...perfect. But meterologists have spoken up and said the cloud wasn't digitally altered. However, it wasn't exactly what it appeared to be, either.

An official spokesperson for Moscow's weather department said, "Several fronts have been passing through Moscow recently, there was an intrusion of the Arctic air too, the sun was shining from the west — this is how the effect was produced."

Still, my favorite headline so far comes from the popular tech website, Gizmodo. "Ominous cloud formation has Russians fearing an alien attack," they write. Of course, when you read the story, they don't mention anything about fearful Russians at all. Instead they acknowledge — right away — that it's a cloud. But, you can't resist the headline.

And I love the different YouTube descriptions of the same video as well. There's "Stargate Portal Opens Above Moscow!” and “Doomsday sign or UFO? Strange circle in Moscow."

And then there's the report from the Russian media outlet, Russia Today. Are they actually taking this thing seriously? We can’t tell. (See video below).

One of the graphics on the screen says "Trick or Treat" but the anchor, in all seriousness, says things like "scientists have rejected claims of UFO activity" and "people have been left baffled by unexplained circular light ..."

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHOPxVM6oIw

Well, if anything, reports like this will keep the buzz going. And with only two weeks to go until Halloween, it's only appropriate. While the cloud made its appearance a week or so ago, the search-engine searches are still soaring. Look-ups on "halo cloud" and "moscow cloud" are both booming; and as previously mentioned, the video clip has garnered 1.5 million views on YouTube and counting.

Got something weird or bizarre to share with the rest of the World? Send me what you got. ▣

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Green Porno Educational Video

2009-10-07T07:52:00.001-05:00

The title is ... ummm ... well, it speaks for itself. Green Porno sounds like an environmentalist's fantasy, and in a way it is, when it comes to Isabella Rossellini's Green Porno series for the Sundance Channel. The series explores reproductive habits of non-human species through educational and entertaining short films.

Season 3 just debuted last month on September 14th; and like its predecessors, it's just as hilarious and informative. The relatively new series is focusing on the reproductive habits of sea creatures, and in addition to the amazing puppetry of the previous episodes, will also mix in documentary footage and animation. I’m especially excited to hear that this time around there will be an even more of an environmental spin and will help educate viewers on the impact of some of our eating habits.

Here's a sample from YouTube to help put this show's efforts & intentions into perspective. Enjoy yet another Weird Wednesday must-see video.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-V621BxHZQ
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Man is Playing Guitar with His Mouth

2009-09-30T23:08:00.002-05:00

Is this man and/or what he does a little weird (umm, he is on Weird Wednesday after all)? Yes. But he is also amazing. To me, this guy is the original Guitar Hero. Take a look.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFDDtL1Q9AE

If you know of any other instrument-less music-playing, please share them with us in the comments. ▣

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