Disturbing Auctions
A compendium of strange eBay auctions.

Fusion Anomaly
An eccentric collection of unuseless information.

Global Network of Dreams
A way of mapping overlapping tastes in books, music and movies.

Kraftwerk Merchandise: The Casio VL-80 Pocket Calculator

Two intriguing literature resources:

The Invisible Library
A compendium of fictional books mentioned in other books.

Adherents
A database of literary references to religion (including fictional religions).

The Scoutwalker Kama Sutra

A sexology of Star Wars memorabilia. I have nothing to add.

The High Line
More urban exploration - the High Line is a disused rail line in western Manhattan.

Photos from kottke.org

Photos from Q Daily News

Friends of the High Line

The Calvin and Hobbes / Fight Club Connection

Some cinema deconstruction from Metaphilm:

It’s worth noting that during these twenty or so years, Hobbes never bears a grudge against Calvin nor wishes any ill upon him. Hobbes, remembering the depth of their past friendship, does not hate Calvin but rather hates the society that made Calvin put him away. Hobbes, residing in Calvin’s mind, sees and experiences all that Calvin does—and truly despises all of it. He witnesses a bright, superbly imaginative kid (with a genius-level vocabulary) reduced to nothing more than another nameless cog. Fighting off the tears wept for his conventionalized pal, Hobbes resolves to set Calvin free, paying special attention when Calvin idly looks up homemade-napalm recipes on the Internet.

A Christmas Tale

Excuse the lateness, but here's a disturbing Christmas tale from Zellar: Open All Night:

One year when I suppose I was maybe five or six years old uncle Dick corralled all the kids --there were probably close to a dozen of us-- after our huge potluck dinner.

"Everybody get bundled up and come with me," he said. "I've got a big surprise to show you."

...

"What is it?" somebody finally asked.

"That there is an elf fetus," uncle Dick said. "A dead baby elf."

American Emperor

From Wikipedia, the inspiring life of Joshua Abraham Norton, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.

Having become fully disgruntled with the inadequacies of the political structure and state and federal governments of the United States, Norton took matters into his own hands on September 17, 1859, when, in letters to the various newspapers of the area, he summarily proclaimed himself "Emperor of These United States":

At the pre-emptory request of a large majority of the citizens of these United States, I Joshua Norton, formerly of Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and now for the last nine years and ten months past of San Francisco, California, declare and proclaim myself the Emperor of These United States.

...

For all of his quirks and regardless of the precise nature of his psychological condition, it cannot be denied that Emperor Norton I was, on some occasions, a visionary, and a number of his Imperial Decrees exhibited a profound wisdom. Among his many edicts were instructions to form a League of Nations, and he explicitly forbade any form of discord or conflict between religions or their sects. The Emperor also saw fit on a number of occasions to decree the construction of a suspension bridge connecting Oakland and San Francisco...

It was during one of his Imperial inspections that Norton is reputed to have performed one of his most famous acts. During the 1860s and 1870s there were an unpleasant number of anti-Chinese demonstrations in the poorer districts of San Francisco, and ugly and fatal riots broke out on more than a handful of occasions. During one such incident, Emperor Norton I is alleged to have positioned himself between the rioters and their Chinese targets, and with a bowed head began to recite the Lord's Prayer repeatedly. Shamed, the rioters dispersed without incident.

A scandal occurred in 1867 when a police officer named Armand Barbier arrested the Imperial Majesty, for the purpose of committing him to involuntary treatment for a mental disorder. This caused monumental outrage amongst the citizens of San Francisco and sparked a number of scathing editorials in the newspapers. Police Chief Patrick Crowley speedily rectified matters by ordering the Emperor released and issuing a formal apology on behalf of the Police Force. Emperor Norton I was magnanimous enough to grant an Imperial Pardon to the errant young police officer who had committed the (perceived) act of treason. Possibly as a result of this scandal, all police officers of San Francisco thereafter would salute the Emperor as he passed in the street.

...

Emperor Norton I was clearly much loved and revered by his subjects. Although penniless, he regularly frequented the finest restaurants in San Francisco, and the proprietors of these establishments took it upon themselves to add brass plaques in their entrances that declared "By Appointment to his Imperial Majesty, Emperor Norton I of the United States".

...

Emperor Norton I did receive some small tokens of formal recognition for his station; the census of 1870 records a Joshua Norton residing at 624 Commercial St, and lists him with the occupation of "Emperor". The Emperor would also issue his own money on occasion in order to pay for certain debts, and this was an effective local currency, generally accepted as legal tender by San Francisco businesses.

...

The benevolent and largely harmless reign of Emperor Norton I came to an end on the evening of January 8, 1880, when he collapsed on the corner of California and Dupont (now Grant) streets while on his way to a lecture at the Academy of Sciences. His collapse was immediately noticed by another citizen who raised the alarm, and, according to one newspaper, "the police officer on the beat hastened for a carriage to convey him to the City Receiving Hospital". The Emperor passed away before the carriage could arrive.

The following day the San Francisco Chronicle published an obituary on its front page under the headline "Le Roi est Mort" ("the King is Dead"). With a tone tinged with sadness, the article respectfully reported that "On the reeking pavement, in the darkness of a moonless night under the dripping rain..., Norton I, by the grace of God, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico, departed this life".

Enjoy yourself at The Surrealist, home of the Advertising Slogan Generator among other things.

Fun with Electron Microscopes

Is there any other kind?

The Authentic History Center has some fascinating stuff including:

Treasure Chest's This Godless Communism

Eclipse Enterprises' Trading Card Series The Iran-Contra Scandal

Marvel Comic's Spider Man: Black Issue (December 2001) and others.

It's not all comics related, in case my jejeune selection gives you that impression.

Looking for something else, I found this - it's not even slightly new:

The John Paul Sartre Cookbook

...Still working on the omelet. There have been stumbling blocks. I keep creating omelets one after another, like soldiers marching into the sea, but each one seems empty, hollow, like stone. I want to create an omelet that expresses the meaninglessness of existence, and instead they taste like cheese. I look at them on the plate, but they do not look back. Tried eating them with the lights off. It did not help. Malraux suggested paprika...

Another work in the fine tradition of Woody Allen's If The Impressionists Had Been Dentists.

Some Pre-holiday Cheer

Ten Appalling Christmas Specials That Never Happened

Ayn Rand's A Selfish Christmas (1951) Prior to broadcast, Mutual Broadcast System executives raised objections to the radio play, noting that 56 minutes of the hour-long broadcast went to a philosophical manifesto by the elf and of the four remaining minutes, three went to a love scene between Santa and the cold, practical Mrs. Claus that was rendered into radio through the use of grunts and the shattering of several dozen whiskey tumblers. In later letters, Rand sneeringly described these executives as "anti-life."

(Originally on Scalzi's blog, National Lampoon bought it for their website.)

And One That Did

The Star Wars Holiday Special The basis of the Holiday Special is a two hour long drama set on the Wookie homeworld on which Chewbacca's wife Malla, son Lumpy and father Itchy await the return of Chewie in time for Light Day- a sort of Wookie Christmas... There is good entertainment, and then there is bad entertainment. Then there is the so-bad-that-it's-good zone, but the Star Wars Holiday Special occupies a hitherto undiscovered region on the spectrum. It is so bad that it saps one's will to live. It is a malignant hydra with the faces of those we know and love and a body of pure evil.

Well, everyone's entitled to respect for their deeply held beliefs.

Mr. Gordon Prentice (Pendle) (Lab): I am still perplexed because there is no definition of religion. On the 2001 census form, 5,015 people in Sheffield gave Jedi knight as their religion. I hate "Star Wars", so should I be worried?

Mr. Blunkett {Home Secretary}: If someone incited people because of their love of "Star Wars", or against people with a love of "Star Wars", they would be caught under existing law, but not in terms of religion. That is the whole point—

Scary Baby Jesus Head

That Landover spin-off (well-wishers?) Objective: Christian Ministries produced the above creepy parodic* item. Mouseover to hear the strangled cry: "Why??!"

* I just realised, gullible schmuck that I am.

Nobody Here

More interactive web fun. Just press the curly icon for a random page.

Dog Island

Over 2,500 dogs are already enjoying a better life at Dog Island. Separated from the anxieties of urban life, dogs on Dog Island are healthy dogs who live a natural, healthy and happy life, free from the stress and hardship associated with daily live among humans.

They live with almost limitless space, and tens of thousands of rabbits, rodents, fish and other natural prey. Surrounded by thousands of other dogs, this is the only place for them to be truly social and create healthy families.

Dogs at Dog Island have another chance.

My response oscillates between "Awwww..." and "Man, that's creepy!"

Some news you may have missed.

A woman upset when police seized her three preserved snakes stormed into the Hamilton station and threw a jar of pickled kittens at the counter.

...

Hoskyn said the snakes, which she bought from an antique store, held special spiritual significance for her because she was born in the year of the snake and used them to help to celebrate Halloween.

She also kept the two kittens for Halloween celebrations, using them to give the house a scary look.

The kittens were still-born from the couple's cat.

Police communications manager Kris McGehan said that although the encounter sounded amusing, it had serious consequences.

"The jar shattered. It was full of formaldehyde, which is highly toxic. The public counter had to be closed, which caused police and the public a lot of inconvenience.

"Two phones had to be replaced and we had to monitor the health of staff who may have absorbed the chemical or its fumes."

...

Hoskyn said her trouble began on Sunday when she had an argument with her partner, Tony.

"I slipped over and cut my head, Tony panicked and called an ambulance, thinking he had caused my injury. He hadn't.

"Police were called, we think by the ambulance people. While outside they saw two cannabis plants and decided under the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act they could search the house.

"I was taken away by ambulance and Tony was arrested. When they searched the house they came across my two snakes, preserved in jars."

The snakes were taken away by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Here's something fun - a multi-user interactive flash game for moving letters about. Futilely try to write greetings while others steal your letters! Have fun preventing adolescent half-wits spelling out racial slurs! Think outside the square - maybe you can use that pair of L's to do a little leg-puppet dance! But do something interesting and don't bogart the site- it's limited to 75 users at once and OTHER PEOPLE WANT THEIR BLOODY TURN!!!

Get happy! Here's a cut-up of George W. Bush singing Sunday Bloody Sunday, over at Audio Street; or go straight to the artists' site: The Party Party. Toe-tapping, soul-chilling fun.

The inevitable Apologies Accepted website.

Number Stations

Being strange short-wave radio frequencies on which lists of numbers are broadcasted - almost certainly espionage related. Now available on CD.

NPR Report

The Conet Project

Zoomquilt
Tres cool. Probably not dial-up friendly.

Part of America Apologises

This is what you are.

A collection of man-hole covers

Hey, it's what you wanted!