(no subject)

So I was out one day at work and I had over 1300 emails to download. I shudder to think what might happen if I was out for a week.

Well the Salvation Army has also decided my futon is beneath them and refused to take it. Why? They say there are some stains on the mattress cover. I offered to remove said cover but they just repeated they wouldn't take it. Seriously, WTF? It's a perfectly good futon, sure it's not in perfection condition but it's been, you know, USED. Jesus. I'm trying Freecycle one more time but if that doesn't happen I swear I will break the damn thing down myself and throw it away. I've completely and utterly had it with this thing.

The Dark Mark

Ok this is kind of cool, you can check out the official Death Eater Mask Art here and even create your own!

Saddle up that Triceratops

Ars takes a field trip: the Creation Museum

By Jonathan M. Gitlin

Some highlights:

To begin with, the museum presents real science alongside its version; an aviary containing finches is the first thing to greet you as you began your tour. The finches were a profound influence on Darwin and his theory of natural selection and are still studied by evolutionary biologists today. Another display contained poison frogs. This was of particular interest to me, since they claim the reason poison frogs aren't poisonous in captivity is due to the Almighty. I'm fairly sure it's due to the lack of poisonous mites in their diet, but there you go.
[...]
As you walk through the museum, the contorted reasoning to explain the formation of the Grand Canyon in hours or the rapid creation of thousands of breeds of dogs in a matter of weeks is augmented by what can only be described as a house of horrors about the dangers of abortion and drugs and the devil's music. A wall is covered in articles from newspapers and magazines showing what happens when society lives without the museum's brand of fundamentalist Christianity as its guiding light. Stem cell research, abortion, and homosexuality are center stage. Their representation of the modern world consists of a a seedy-looking alley, replete with rats, trash, and a church being demolished. It might have worked better if they'd set it to Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones, but I'm not sure Mick and boys would have gone for that.

Do read the rest, and check out the photo gallery, I particularly like the shot of the vegetarian Velociraptor and Eve...I shit you not.