July 2011
41 posts
Little Wars →
Little Wars is a set of rules for playing with toy soldiers, written by H. G. Wells in 1913. Its full title is Little Wars: a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys’ games and books. Little Wars is considered by some to be the first modern table top war game. It included fairly simple rules for infantry, cavalry,...
Little Wars →
Little Wars is a set of rules for playing with toy soldiers, written by H. G. Wells in 1913. Its full title is Little Wars: a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys’ games and books. Little Wars is considered by some to be the first modern table top war game. It included fairly simple rules for infantry, cavalry,...
5 tags
Sensational spelling →
Sensational spelling is the deliberate spelling of a word in an incorrect or non-standard way for special effects. (via Ken Herman)
7 tags
Roman dodecahedron →
A Roman dodecahedron is a small hollow object made of bronze or stone, with a dodecahedral shape: twelve flat pentagonal faces, each having a circular hole in the middle which connects to the hollowed-out center. Roman dodecahedra date from the 2nd or 3rd centuries AD. The function or use of the dodecahedra remains a mystery; no mention of them has been found in contemporary accounts or pictures...
4 tags
Tool use by animals →
Tools are used by some animals, particularly primates, to perform simple tasks such as getting food or grooming. Originally thought to be a skill only possessed by humans, tool use requires some level of intelligence. Primates have been observed exploiting sticks and stones to accomplish tasks. Numerous bird species have also been noted as capable of using tools. The behaviour has also been...
4 tags
Involuntary celibacy →
Involuntary celibacy is the absence in human sexuality of intimate relationships or sexual intercourse for reasons other than voluntary celibacy, asexuality, antisexualism, or sexual abstinence. The term (which is sometimes shortened to incel) describes those who, despite being open to sexual in timacy and potential romance with someone and also making active, repeated efforts towards such an end,...
4 tags
Seed Bombing →
Seed bombing or aerial reforestation is a technique of introducing vegetation to land by throwing or dropping compressed bundles of soil containing live vegetation. Often, seed bombing projects are done with arid or off-limits (for example, privately-owned) land. (via defrost)
7 tags
Traffic park →
A traffic park or children’s traffic park is a park in which children can learn the rules of the road. A traffic park is also called a transportation park or traffic garden or safety village depending on locale. (via sleevia)
4 tags
Suicide Door →
A suicide door is a car door hinged on the trailing edge, the edge closer to the rear of the vehicle. Such doors are rarely used on vehicles in modern times because of their disadvantages. (via defrost)
6 tags
Politician's syllogism →
The politician’s syllogism, also known as the politician’s logic or the politician’s fallacy, is a logical fallacy of the form:
We must do something
This is something
Therefore, we must do this.
(via @werttrew)
5 tags
Rhaphanidosis →
Rhaphanidosis is the act of inserting the root of a plant of the raphanus genus (commonly known as horseradish) into the anus. It is reported to have been a punishment for adultery in ancient Athens of the 5th and 4th centuries BC. (via awantonwonton)
4 tags
Paradox of tolerance →
The tolerance paradox arises from a problem that a tolerant person might be antagonistic toward intolerance, hence intolerant of it. The tolerant individual would then be by definition intolerant of intolerance. This problem is at the heart of the dilemma faced by pluralist societies who wish to embrace diversity, but in doing so ostensibly exclude those who do not embrace diversity, which...
6 tags
Trichotillomania →
Trichotillomania, which is classified as an impulse control disorder by DSM-IV, is the compulsive urge to pull out one’s own hair leading to noticeable hair loss, distress, and social or functional impairment. It is often chronic and difficult to treat.
6 tags
Butter Lamb →
The butter lamb, also known as a buttered lamb, is a traditional butter sculpture accompanying the Easter meal for many Slovenian and Polish Catholics. Butter is shaped into a lamb either by hand or in a lamb-shaped mould. Frequently the eyes are represented by peppercorns and a white banner with a red cross on a toothpick is placed on its back. (via jokestress)
6 tags
Challenge Coin →
A challenge coin is a small coin or medallion (usually military), bearing an organization’s insignia or emblem and carried by the organization’s members. They are given to prove membership when challenged and to enhance morale. (via pbmaxwell)
6 tags
Knismesis and Gargalesis →
Knismesis and gargalesis are the scientific terms, coined in 1897 by psychologists G. Stanley Hall and Arthur Allin, used to describe the two types of tickling. Knismesis refers to the light, feather-like type of tickling. This type of tickling generally does not induce laughter and is often accompanied by an itching sensation. Gargalesis refers to harder, laughter-inducing tickling, and involves...
7 tags
Beat Up a White Kid Day →
Beat Up a White Kid Day refers to a custom among some minority children in the city of Cleveland, Ohio of beating up white children on May 1. The only incident of this resulting in a court case or media attention occurred in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2003. The attackers explained the attack as being motivated by “May Day” or “beat up a white kid day,” and many readers wrote in to...
5 tags
Flight With Disabled Controls →
Several aviation incidents and accidents have occurred in which the control surfaces of the aircraft became disabled, often due to failure of hydraulic systems or the flight control system. Other incidents have occurred where controls were not functioning correctly prior to take-off, either due to maintenance or pilot error, and controls can become inoperative from extreme weather conditions....
3 tags
One Thousand
This is the 1000th post to Best of Wikipedia.
I initially thought of highlighting an impressive page on Wikipedia—maybe something detailing its origin—but nothing was substantial enough. Celebrating the thousandth post of content (links, not meta posts like this) may have been more logical, but having this go up as the post counter hits “1000” is going to give me a happy feeling. A thank you,...
6 tags
Hollow Earth →
The Hollow Earth hypothesis proposes that the planet Earth is either wholly hollow or otherwise contains a substantial interior space. The hypothesis has long been contradicted by overwhelming observational evidence, as well as by the modern understanding of planet formation; the scientific community has dismissed the notion since at least the late 18th century. The concept of a hollow Earth still...
7 tags
Weasel Program →
The weasel program, Dawkins’ weasel, or the Dawkins weasel is a thought experiment and a variety of computer simulations illustrating it. They clarify that the process that drives evolutionary systems — random variation combined with non-random cumulative selection — is different from pure chance. (via yeslikethemotorcycle)
5 tags
Death by PowerPoint →
“Death by PowerPoint” is a criticism of slide-based presentations referring to a state of boredom and fatigue induced by information overload during presentations such as those created by the Microsoft application PowerPoint. (via ajschrier)
4 tags
Iron Harvest →
The iron harvest is the annual “harvest” of unexploded ordnance, barbed wire, shrapnel balls, bullets and congruent trench supports collected by Belgian and French farmers after ploughing their fields. The harvest generally applies to the material from World War I, which is still found in large quantities across the former Western Front. (via axon-axoff)
4 tags
Knucklebones →
Knucklebones is a game of very ancient origin, played with five small objects, originally the “knucklebones” of a sheep, which are thrown up and caught in various ways. Modern knucklebones consist of six points, or knobs, proceeding from a common base, and are usually made of metal or plastic. The winner is the first player to successfully complete a prescribed series of throws, which, while of...
6 tags
Skunk Works →
Skunk Works is an official alias for Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs (ADP), formerly called Lockheed Advanced Development Projects. Skunk Works is responsible for a number of famous aircraft designs, including the U-2, the SR-71 Blackbird, the F-117 Nighthawk, and the F-22 Raptor. The designation “skunk works”, or “skunkworks”, is widely used in business,...
7 tags
Naga Fireballs →
The Naga fireballs are a phenomenon seen in the Mekong river — in Thailand (Nong Khai province in Isan) and in Laos (Vientiane Province) — in which glowing balls rise from the water high into the air. The balls are reddish and have diverse size from smaller sparkles up to the size of basketballs; they quickly rise up to a couple of hundred meters before disappearing. The number of fireballs...
5 tags
Attention Economy →
Attention economics is an approach to the management of information that treats human attention as a scarce commodity, and applies economic theory to solve various information management problems. (via mentation)
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Olfactory Fatigue →
Olfactory fatigue or adaptation is the temporary, normal inability to distinguish a particular odor after a prolonged exposure to that airborne compound. For example, when entering a restaurant initially the odor of food is often perceived as being very strong, but after time the awareness of the odor normally fades to the point where the smell is not perceptible or is much weaker. After leaving...
5 tags
Compersion →
Compersion is a state of empathetic happiness and joy experienced when an individual’s current or former romantic partner experiences happiness and joy through an outside source, including, but not limited to, another romantic interest. This can be experienced as any form of erotic or emotional empathy, depending on the person experiencing the emotion. (via Matt)
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Queueing Theory →
Queueing theory is the mathematical study of waiting lines, or queues. The theory enables mathematical analysis of several related processes, including arriving at the (back of the) queue, waiting in the queue (essentially a storage process), and being served at the front of the queue. (via yeslikethemotorcycle)
5 tags
Emetophilia →
Emetophilia is a paraphilia in which an individual is aroused by vomiting or observing others vomit. Emetophiles put emetophilia into practice by actually vomiting, especially on a partner. This practice is sometimes called a Roman shower, after the commonly-supposed (but mistaken) belief in the frequent induction of vomiting at Roman feasts. (via sleevia)
6 tags
Whizzinator →
The Original Whizzinator is a product intended to fraudulently defeat drug tests. The Whizzinator comes as a kit complete with dried urine and syringe, heater packs (to keep the urine at body temperature), a false penis (available in several skin tones including white, tan, latino, brown, and black) and instruction manual. The company also offered a female version of the Whizzinator, called...
6 tags
Zorbing →
Zorbing (globe-riding, sphereing, orbing) is the recreation of rolling downhill in an orb, generally made of transparent plastic. Zorbing is generally performed on a gentle slope, but can also be done on a level surface, permitting more rider control. In the absence of hills some operators have constructed inflatable, wooden or metal ramps. The first zorbing site was established in Rotorua, New...
5 tags
Lake Disappointment →
Lake Disappointment is an ephemeral salt lake in Western Australia. It was named by the explorer Frank Hann in 1897. Hann was in the area exploring the east Pilbara, around Rudall River. He noticed creeks in the area flowed inland, and followed them expecting to find a large fresh water lake. To his disappointment the lake turned out to be salt, and subsequently it got its name of Lake...
4 tags
Percussive Maintenance →
Percussive maintenance, also known as percussion therapy or a technical tap, is a term used to describe the physical concussion of an ill-behaved device to make it work—that is to say, hitting it. The origins and practice of the term are unknown, although some suggest the act became commonplace with the introduction of vacuum tube electronics. The term is a play on “preventive maintenance”. (via...
6 tags
Sarcastic Fringehead →
The sarcastic fringehead (Neoclinus blanchardi) is a ferocious fish which has a large mouth and aggressive territorial behaviour. When two fringeheads have a territorial battle, they wrestle by pressing their distended mouths against each other, as if they were kissing. This allows them to determine which is the larger fish, which establishes dominance. (via pbmaxwell)
4 tags
Killer Badger →
The killer badger is a creature found in a number of modern urban legends from Basra (Al Basrah) province, Iraq, where it was said to have attacked both people and livestock. It has since been identified as the honey badger, inflated by rumor. (via elstevo)
4 tags
Angel Dusting →
Angel dusting is the misleading marketing practice of including a minuscule amount of an active ingredient in a cosmetic, cosmeceutical, dietary supplement, food product, or nutraceutical, insufficient to cause any measurable benefit. However, no claim is made that the product contains enough of the active ingredient to have an effect—this is just assumed by the purchaser. Thus, while misleading,...
5 tags
Mull of Kintyre Test →
The Mull of Kintyre test was an unofficial guideline said to have been used by the British Board of Film Classification in the United Kingdom to decide whether an image of a man’s penis could be shown. The BBFC would not permit the general release of a film or video if it depicted a phallus erect to the point that the angle it made from the vertical (the “angle of the dangle”, as...
3 tags
Mousetrap Car →
A mousetrap car is a small vehicle having only one form of motive power being from a mousetrap. Variations include the use of multiple traps, or very big rat traps, for added power. (via kenherman)
4 tags
Joybubbles →
Joybubbles, born Josef Carl Engressia, Jr. in Richmond, Virginia, USA, was an early phone phreak. Born blind, he became interested in telephones at age four. Gifted with absolute pitch, he was able to whistle 2600 hertz into a telephone (see Blue box). Joybubbles said that he had an IQ of “172 or something.” (via pbmaxwell
June 2011
36 posts
3 tags
Gaydar →
Gaydar is the intuitive ability to assess someone’s sexual orientation as homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual. Gaydar relies almost exclusively on non-verbal clues and LGBT stereotypes. These include (but are not limited to) the sensitivity to social behaviors and mannerisms; for instance, acknowledging flamboyant mannerisms, overtly rejecting traditional gender roles, a person’s...
4 tags
Phantosmia →
Phantosmia, or olfactory hallucinations, involves smelling odors that are not derived from any physical stimulus. These phantom odors can range from rotting flesh to a spring meadow, though most cases report unpleasant aromas. In some cases phantosmia has even led to the afflicted individual to believe that both the odor and source in fact exist, a condition known as olfactory delusions. (via...
4 tags
Euthanasia Coaster →
The Euthanasia Coaster is a concept for a steel roller coaster designed to kill its passengers. In 2010, it was designed and made into a scale model by Julijonas Urbonas, a PhD candidate at the Royal College of Art in London. Urbonas, who has worked at an amusement park, stated that the goal of his concept roller coaster is to take lives “with elegance and euphoria”. (via defrost)
3 tags
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs →
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs is an organization of the General Assembly charged with implementing the Assembly’s outer space-related policies. It is located in the United Nations Office in Vienna. The Office implements the Programme on Space Applications and maintains the Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space. (via @tvchurch)
4 tags
Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht →
Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht (Be still, stop chattering) (aka The Coffee Cantata) (BWV 211) is a secular cantatawritten by Johann Sebastian Bach between 1732 and 1734. In a satirical commentary, the cantata tells of an addiction to coffee, a pressing social problem in eighteenth century Leipzig, where this work was premiered. (via pbmaxwell)
4 tags
Mithridatism →
Mithridatism is the practice of protecting oneself against a poison by gradually self-administering non-lethal amounts. The word derives from Mithridates VI, the King of Pontus, who so feared being poisoned that he regularly ingested small doses, aiming to develop immunity. Having been defeated by Pompey, legend has it that Mithridates tried to commit suicide using poison but failed because of his...
4 tags
Apophasis →
Apophasis refers, in general, to “mention by not mentioning”. Apophasis covers a wide variety of figures of speech. (via Dylan)
7 tags
Emotions and culture →
Emotions are universal phenomena; however, they are affected by culture. While some emotions are universal and are experienced in similar ways as a reaction to similar events across all cultures, other emotions show considerable cultural differences in their antecedent events, the way they are experienced, the reactions they provoke and the way they are perceived by the surrounding society. (via...
5 tags
Algorithm March →
The Algorithm March is a dance fad created in Japan, based on the children’s television series PythagoraSwitch being broadcasted on the educational channel of NHK, Japanese non-profit public broadcasting service. It is performed by the comedy group Itsumo Kokokara with variable groups (it differs at each air) such as firefighters, soccer players, Yasugi-bushi preservation society, Vienna...