Category Archives: Weird

Political Commentary, Popular Culture, Space, Weird

First Contact

16 Comments

Just for the record, I think that the UN is about the last entity that I’d like to have that job.

And yes, per comments, it is pointless to ask someone how long it would take the Shuttle to get to the nearest star. I would have no idea how to go about answering that question with anything but a “forever.” As other commenters said, it’s like asking how long it would take to get to the moon with a bicycle, or a submarine.

[Via Alan K. Henderson]

[Update a few minutes later]

More thoughts from Kevin Williamson:

I do not propose to test the hypothesis that it would take 5,000 times the recreational dosage to overdose on marijuana, but I would like to know how much bazooka one has to smoke before deciding to appoint a UN representative to alien civilizations. Is there data on that?

I’m not sure I want to know the answer.

[Update mid afternoon]

Even more thoughts from Claudia Rossett:

…if the Malaysian head of OOSA ends up doubling as a UN envoy tasked with crafting a program for representing the “sensitivities” of all mankind to aliens, it would be nothing more than normal UN procedure should she end up huddling with Talebzadeh, head of the Iranian space agency, to draft a plan for the planet. That might be less worrisome were Malaysia and Iran a tad less cozy these days — but as it is, Malaysia was one of the three countries which last November at the UNs International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna voted against rebuking Iran over its sanctions-busting nuclear program.

Just a coinkydinky, I’m sure.

Humor, Popular Culture, Weird

They Should Apologize

3 Comments

This is just wrong:

The Bobcat first went after Brutus as the OSU mascot led the Buckeyes onto the field for the game.

Moments later, the Bobcat mascot climbed on the back of Ohio State’s mascot and rode him to the ground. The two then tussled in the end zone while fans booed.

Two thoughts. No, three.

First, it’s amusing that the only way to instill any fear in the enemy of a team mascot that is basically a tree nut is to name it “Brutus.”

Second, it should be beneath the dignity of a carnivore like a bobcat to even bother with said tree nut, let alone wrestle with it.

Third, you’d never see a wolverine do anything like that.

Humor, Mathematics, Popular Culture, Technology and Society, Weird

Too Much Time On His Hands

28 Comments

And now for something completely different — an estimate of how fast the signal of the Beacon of Gondor propagated:

After the first signal is on fire, Gandalf sees the next signal only 6 seconds later. WHAT? The guys (or gals) at the next station must have just been sitting there staring and waiting for a signal. Oh, it was probably like 40 years since the last time it was used. I guess you can do stuff like that if you don’t have youtube. But wait, the more I think about this, the more upset I get. I am ok with invisible rings, flying dragons, glowing swords and stuff. However, it is beyond the bounds of reason to expect me to believe that some guys are sitting way on the other mountain with a hair-triggered lighting mechanism. Six seconds. Seriously.

[Via Geekpress]