Oliver Sacks, a Neurologist, recently published his latest book "Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain," where he discusses things such as music's ability to provide some symptomatic relef for Alzheimer's patients, the persistence of musical ability despite severe amnesia, the phenomenon of synesthesia, etc. I heard an interview with him on NPR last weekend while driving down to Wichita. One of the things he talked about on the show was "musical hallucination," in which people hear music that isn't there. For the first time, I have a possible explanation for something that happened to me a long time ago (other than being purely crazy). It was while I was in middle school, and I was laying on the floor of my bedroom doing homework, when all of a sudden I heard Billy Corgan (of the Smashing Pumpkins) say "The World is a Vampire" from that song (Bullet With Butterfly Wings(?)). The radio was off, and there was no other feasible source of the sound. So, either I was temporarily insane, there was a ghost in my room, or I had a single instance of Musical Hallucination (which probably places me into the first category anyway).
Anyway, that is all.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
play'n and laugh'n
A. a Boomerang
B. a Boombox
C. a Baby Boomer
D. a Boot
Answer:
... i used to read "word up" magazine
A. a Kangaroo
B. a Kangaroo Rat
C. a dancer doing that dance where you cover your knees with your hands and move your knees in and out, crossing your arms
D. Greg Louganis
Answer:
Sunday, November 25, 2007
livin' a movie, not livin' by rules
new pseudotalent movie in the works. in the final stages of post-production. should be up soon. begin pre-rejoicing preparations now.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
that boat, i had it on the mediterranean sea
Fun Facts (all from wikipedia, or somewhere else. who knows.):
1. "PFD Otter is a spokesman and advocate for water safety, who spearheads the "Kids Don't Float" program created in Homer, Alaska. The program loans Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) to children and teenagers to combat the increasing number of drowning deaths."
2. Speaking of water and drowning, on my birthday, in 1872, the boat Mary Celeste, which had been captained by Benjamin Briggs, was found abandoned in the middle of the ocean. "Dozens of theories have been proposed to explain the mystery, ranging from the mundane and plausible to the fantastic. The most plausible theories are based on the barrels of [industrial alcohol they were carrying]. Briggs had never hauled such a dangerous cargo before and did not trust it. Nine leaking barrels would have caused a buildup of vapor in the hold. Historian Conrad Byers believed that Captain Briggs ordered the hold to be opened, resulting in a violent rush of fumes and then steam. Believing the ship was about to explode, Briggs ordered everyone into the lifeboat, in his haste, failing to properly secure the lifeboat to the ship with a strong towline. The wind picked up and blew the ship away from them. The occupants of the lifeboat either drowned or drifted out to sea to die of hunger, thirst and exposure."
3. Speaking of Benjamin Briggs, the Iron Maiden song "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" was released on clear vinyl that, heretofore, I did not know existed.
4. Speaking of reincarnation and dead people:
"[T]he [Hindu Sect] Aghoris maintain that all opposites are identical and that the conventional Hindu distinctions between purity and impurity are ultimately illusory. The purpose of embracing pollution through various practices is the realization of non-duality through transcending social taboos, and seeing the illusory nature of all conventional categories.
5. Speaking of Steve-O:
"On September 26, 2005, a heavily intoxicated Steve-O appeared on Too Late with Adam Carolla.[15] He had originally planned on getting drunk, having a policeman give him a Breathalyzer test, and then pulling a cloth out from under a table of food. Unfortunately, the plan fell through at the last second as Steve-O had already consumed a large amount of alcohol. On the show Steve-O yelled obscenities, attempted to tackle Adam Carolla, broke a glass table with his foot, inadvertently cutting his leg, and was taken away by security at the end of the segment.[16][17] In the following segment Adam attempted to perform the stunt Steve-O had planned.[18][19] [20] Despite the turmoil, on October 17, 2005, Steve-O appeared again on Too Late.[21] His second appearance was no less chaotic, with Steve-O lighting a table on fire, breaking the replacement for the glass table he had broken previously, and ended with him stapling his scrotum to his thigh.[22]
[Then, on Tom Green's Show:]
Steve-O [...]spoke out about his feelings towards his clown college alma mater, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, for abusing the animals used in the circus. He took calls from viewers while repeatedly huffing medical-grade compressed nitrous oxide (commonly called "whippits"), smoking, drinking alcohol and eating hash brownies. The show ran for three times its normal length, ending with Steve-O collapsing on the floor after drinking a bottle of Italian salad dressing and vomiting violently."
6. Speaking of grossness, a device for emergency breathing during fires in high-rise buildings:
(real invention, patented)
7. Speaking of schematics, this is what a 3-speed hub looks like inside:
8. Speaking of confusing images, I have no idea what this means:
9. Speaking of perplexedness, I also don't know what this is all about:
10. And finally, another fact, so you can actually have learned something if you've made it this far:
"Mezcal is a Mexican distilled spirit made from maguey plants and refers to all agave-based distilled liquors that are not tequila."
And just for shits and giggles, watch this again.
1. "PFD Otter is a spokesman and advocate for water safety, who spearheads the "Kids Don't Float" program created in Homer, Alaska. The program loans Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) to children and teenagers to combat the increasing number of drowning deaths."
2. Speaking of water and drowning, on my birthday, in 1872, the boat Mary Celeste, which had been captained by Benjamin Briggs, was found abandoned in the middle of the ocean. "Dozens of theories have been proposed to explain the mystery, ranging from the mundane and plausible to the fantastic. The most plausible theories are based on the barrels of [industrial alcohol they were carrying]. Briggs had never hauled such a dangerous cargo before and did not trust it. Nine leaking barrels would have caused a buildup of vapor in the hold. Historian Conrad Byers believed that Captain Briggs ordered the hold to be opened, resulting in a violent rush of fumes and then steam. Believing the ship was about to explode, Briggs ordered everyone into the lifeboat, in his haste, failing to properly secure the lifeboat to the ship with a strong towline. The wind picked up and blew the ship away from them. The occupants of the lifeboat either drowned or drifted out to sea to die of hunger, thirst and exposure."
3. Speaking of Benjamin Briggs, the Iron Maiden song "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" was released on clear vinyl that, heretofore, I did not know existed.
4. Speaking of reincarnation and dead people:
"[T]he [Hindu Sect] Aghoris maintain that all opposites are identical and that the conventional Hindu distinctions between purity and impurity are ultimately illusory. The purpose of embracing pollution through various practices is the realization of non-duality through transcending social taboos, and seeing the illusory nature of all conventional categories.
In essence, Aghoris base their beliefs on two principles. First, that the gods are perfect. Second, that the gods are responsible for everything; every rock, tree, animal, and even every thought. Due to this, everything that exists must be perfect, and to deny the perfection of anything would be to deny the gods. For this reason, Aghoris are known to prove their faith by challenging pre-conceived notions of the grotesque, and find the beauty or perfection in such conventionally taboo notions as, for example, cannibalism."
5. Speaking of Steve-O:
"On September 26, 2005, a heavily intoxicated Steve-O appeared on Too Late with Adam Carolla.[15] He had originally planned on getting drunk, having a policeman give him a Breathalyzer test, and then pulling a cloth out from under a table of food. Unfortunately, the plan fell through at the last second as Steve-O had already consumed a large amount of alcohol. On the show Steve-O yelled obscenities, attempted to tackle Adam Carolla, broke a glass table with his foot, inadvertently cutting his leg, and was taken away by security at the end of the segment.[16][17] In the following segment Adam attempted to perform the stunt Steve-O had planned.[18][19] [20] Despite the turmoil, on October 17, 2005, Steve-O appeared again on Too Late.[21] His second appearance was no less chaotic, with Steve-O lighting a table on fire, breaking the replacement for the glass table he had broken previously, and ended with him stapling his scrotum to his thigh.[22]
[Then, on Tom Green's Show:]
Steve-O [...]spoke out about his feelings towards his clown college alma mater, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, for abusing the animals used in the circus. He took calls from viewers while repeatedly huffing medical-grade compressed nitrous oxide (commonly called "whippits"), smoking, drinking alcohol and eating hash brownies. The show ran for three times its normal length, ending with Steve-O collapsing on the floor after drinking a bottle of Italian salad dressing and vomiting violently."
6. Speaking of grossness, a device for emergency breathing during fires in high-rise buildings:
(real invention, patented)7. Speaking of schematics, this is what a 3-speed hub looks like inside:
8. Speaking of confusing images, I have no idea what this means:
9. Speaking of perplexedness, I also don't know what this is all about:
10. And finally, another fact, so you can actually have learned something if you've made it this far:
"Mezcal is a Mexican distilled spirit made from maguey plants and refers to all agave-based distilled liquors that are not tequila."
And just for shits and giggles, watch this again.
all my cars got leather and wood...
i got the best girlfriend ever. without even telling her which brooks saddle i like, she was bargain shopping for the exact model i want.
man i lucked out : )
man i lucked out : )
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
i don't know what you heard about me...
i found a drawer full of old pictures and letters &c.
excerpt of a note i found addressed to me, probably written in 9th grade, and evidently given to me sometime after 4th period.
"[...] So... what's new? Do you have a date for homecoming? I don't. I kinda want one, cuz I went alone the last two times[...] at the first one, [name omitted] asked me to dance at least a hundred times[...] Oh! I've always wanted to tell you that you have gorgeous eyes, but I've never had a chance so I'm telling you now! Gotta run! Bye : )
*[name omitted]*"
hahahahaha.
-------
...no cadillacs, no perms, you can't see....
excerpt of a note i found addressed to me, probably written in 9th grade, and evidently given to me sometime after 4th period.
"[...] So... what's new? Do you have a date for homecoming? I don't. I kinda want one, cuz I went alone the last two times[...] at the first one, [name omitted] asked me to dance at least a hundred times[...] Oh! I've always wanted to tell you that you have gorgeous eyes, but I've never had a chance so I'm telling you now! Gotta run! Bye : )
*[name omitted]*"
hahahahaha.
-------
...no cadillacs, no perms, you can't see....
Monday, November 19, 2007
but * we ball harder
Done with immunology. Oh your god, what a relief. Thank science it's over!
so i'm headin to the 'cha now, for to reunite the LSC.
by the way, did anybody pick up that all my post titles are rap lyrics? seeing how nothing I post has anything to do with rap, I though it'd be amusing. I wonder how long I can keep this up... before long I've gotta run out, don't I?
we'll see.
doin donuts in the lamb', get your roll on slick
http://www.ellsworthride.com/flash/SWF_videoPlayer.html
i think tom cohlmia worked on the development of this.
i think tom cohlmia worked on the development of this.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
in them bikes but they look like cars, it's somethin new
what the hell was the purpose of having an occupational exposure lecture in this module?
on an interesting note, i'm glad im in med school, even given this misery of studying, after reading the following about occupational injuries.
" One hundred thirteen (113) bicycle couriers within the City of Boston completed a two-page self-administered survey...Most working couriers have incurred an injury resulting in days away from work (70%) and in visits to a health-care professional or hospital (55%). Annual incidence rates were large at 47 injuries resulting in days away from work per 100-bike couriers. The national average is 3 lost-work injuries per 100 workers... Bone fractures accounted for the most days away from work, followed by dislocations, sprains and strains.
on an interesting note, i'm glad im in med school, even given this misery of studying, after reading the following about occupational injuries.
" One hundred thirteen (113) bicycle couriers within the City of Boston completed a two-page self-administered survey...Most working couriers have incurred an injury resulting in days away from work (70%) and in visits to a health-care professional or hospital (55%). Annual incidence rates were large at 47 injuries resulting in days away from work per 100-bike couriers. The national average is 3 lost-work injuries per 100 workers... Bone fractures accounted for the most days away from work, followed by dislocations, sprains and strains.
Collisions and avoiding collisions with motor vehicles, including being “doored,” and pedestrians accounted for the majority (66%) of events leading to injury. ...Road and weather conditions and bike features, such as a broken chain accounted for 16% and 11%, respectively, of the events leading to injury. Cumulative trauma and assaults accounted for the remaining 7% of events." (http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ergonomics/bike/)
rabbit run
Tularemia, AKA Rabbit fever "is one of the most infective bacteria known; fewer than ten organisms can cause disease leading to severe illness. The bacteria penetrate into the body through damaged skin and mucous membranes, or through inhalation. Humans are most often infected by tick bite or through handling an infected animal. Ingesting infected water, soil, or food can also cause infection. Tularemia can also be acquired by inhalation; hunters are at a higher risk for this disease because of the potential of inhaling the bacteria during the skinning process. It has been contracted from inhaling particles from an infected rabbit ground up in a lawnmower..." (wikipedia)
So be careful when skinning rabbits.
So be careful when skinning rabbits.
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