But it can’t happen here…
Category: True Stories
Chinese Roadhouse – My Way or The Highway
The House in the Middle of the Street: A car stops beside a house in the middle of a newly built road in Wenling, Zhejiang province, November 22, 2012. An elderly couple refused to sign an agreement to allow their house to be demolished. They say that compensation offered is not enough to cover rebuilding costs, according to local media.
That place screams for a safety sign mounted high on both sides of the house:
Saturday Matinee – Rocket Booster Ride, R.L. Burnside, Jeff Beck & Tal Wilkenfeld
I like the soundtrack. [via]
RL Burnside‘s “Let My Baby Ride.” I don’t usually post “slideshow” videos, but this is a good ‘un.
Jeff Beck with Tal Wilkenfeld on bass playing “Nadia.” Nice tune to round out a lazy Saturday.
Have a great weekend, see you back here tomorrow.
Another Great Gift Idea – 28 Switches
This illuminating piece was created by an artist and former colleague of mine, Kiel Mutschelknaus. ‘It is a lamp with 28 switches. In order to turn the lamp ON, you need to switch all 28 toggle switches to the on position. And, logically, to turn the lamp off, ALL the switches need to be turned to the off position.
Very cool. Now wire them up to a rheostat so that the lamp may be dimmed, switch-by-switch. Dare you. [Found here, via here.]
Saturday Matinee – Pigeon Pong, Axe Cop and Jonathan & Darlene Edwards
Pigeon Pong. [via]
New Axe Cop animated series! (If you don’t know why Axe Cop is pure awesome, you haven’t been paying attention. CLICK HERE and follow the links.)
A fun holiday song (that Bunkarina named “dafuq?”). Watch for the possum.
Have a great weekend, folks. There’s more awesome coming to a blog near you.
12/12/12 12:12:12 YAY!
Day/Month/Year Hour:Minute:Second and every permutation therein. 
Australia Blackout Dexember 2012
(West Poondongwalla, Australia) – Strutts News Services
Only the wealthiest of the wealthy were able to keep their lights on when the entire power grid of Australia failed just days ago, and no one knows why the continent now glows blue. Some locals blame global warming, while others point accusatory fingers at The Mayans for their probably prophetic Calendar of Doom that caused the utility companies of Oz to hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete simultaneously and just for the hell of it.
In any case, the well-to-do panicked wisely and moved inland to avoid the rising seas that subsequently swamped the coastal regions.
[There’s more info here that can’t possibly be true. Related post here.]
We Remember
Scanned image of a rubber stamp that Papa Strutts had made. He used it on much of his correspondence to commemorate that Day of Infamy.
How To Secede Without Really Trying
With all the recent Huffin’ N Puffin’ N Rapier Rattlin’ from some small sectors about States seceding from The Union (due to rampant fiscal insanity emanating from Washington D.C.) kudos to Key West and Mayor Dennis Wardlow. His preceding secession succeeded.
On April 23, 1982, the Florida keys seceded from the Union. Frustrated that a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint was obstructing the main artery to the mainland, Key West mayor Dennis Wardlow opted for a lighthearted public relations campaign: He proclaimed his “Conch Republic” a separate nation, declared war on the United States, surrendered one minute later, and applied for $1 billion in foreign aid.
Since then the republic has maintained an uneasy peace with its giant neighbor. On Sept. 20, 1995, when an Army reserve battalion forgot to notify Key West of local training exercises, Wardlow mobilized for war. He sent letters to Bill Clinton, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and secretary of state Warren Christopher, and his militia engaged La Dichosa Bakery to bake Cuban bread with which to pelt the convoy (“our historic weapon of choice for dealing with Federalist Forces”) and Key West Lager “to provide the beer.”
By 10:50 p.m. they had received a fax from the battalion’s leaders stating that they had “in no way meant to challenge or impugn the sovereignty of the Conch Republic.” An official surrender ceremony was held two days later.
[Story burgled in its entirety from Futility Closet because Greg Ross is so entirely bitchin’ and everyone should send him money. There’s a somewhat related post here.]
In Memory of Erin O’Keefe
A somber ceremony at Pike’s Peak 1876. The dangers of the new frontier were many, and there were many horrible ways one could part from the living.
The U.S. Signal Service (an early Weather Bureau) built a telegraph station on the summit [of Pike’s Peak] in 1873 to monitor the weather, and a guard was posted in Manitou at the beginning of the trail to collect a toll for hiking to the summit.
In May of 1876, tragedy befell the O’Keefe family when their daughter Erin was apparently eaten by mountain rats. The true story may be found here.
[Bottom image found here, top image here. Related post here.]
Tacky Raccoons 