Boing Boing

I can only imagine what the hospice nurse must have been thinking.

It was an early October evening in 2017, and I was camped in the gigantic, overstuffed leather recliner that I had delivered the previous week. One of the problems with buying furniture online is you don't truly get a sense of the dimensions in relation to your space. I don't know what made me think ordering a piece of furniture this way was a good idea.
So there I was, in the gigantic chair that had only fit in the room because we had replaced my mother's king-size bed with a hospital bed that weekend. I had my laptop and iPad balanced precariously on my lap and frantically refreshed both, waiting for Lot Number 1004 at the Profiles in History auction in Carlsbad, California, to open for bidding. The item I was targeting was described as follows: 1004. Fruit basket lamp. Vintage table lamp consisting of metal basket with tinted glass plums and grape bunches. Measures 11 x 15 x 10 in. Internal lighting element tested and working. In vintage very good condition. $100 - $200

My mother watched me as the nurse worked to change her clothes and get her into a nightgown. In 2013, my mother had been diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme – the deadliest form of brain cancer. At the time of her diagnosis, she had been given 14 months to live. Linda, however, had other plans. Thanks to a genetic marker in her tumor that responded well to chemotherapy, along with sheer stubbornness, she turned that 14 months into almost 48. Read the rest

Embroidery master Rayna created this exquisite hand embroidery of Homer Simpson disappearing into the bushes. This follows on her Lisa Simpson "true crime" embroidery and other fine Simpsons stitchery available at her Etsy shop HermitGirlCreations.(via Kottke) Read the rest

Jason Satterlund directed this short film, "Kenobi." Not canon. Read the rest

KKR is one of the largest private equity funds in the world. Overdrive is one of the largest e-lending suppliers to the world's libraries, supplying 43,000 libraries in 75 countries. Now, KKR owns Overdrive, having purchased it for an undisclosed sum. Private equity firms' business model is to buy profitable, productive companies, load them up with debt (paying themselves out of the money that was borrowed), cut costs by slashing wages and degrading the quality of their products and services, then allowing the company to go bust, stiffing the creditors, workers, and suppliers (that is, libraries, publishers and writers).Gary Price notes, "Worth noting. In 2018, KKR acquired RBMedia/RBDigital and Audiobooks.com providers of audiobooks and other materials to libraries and consumers."Report: Global Investment Firm KKR to Acquire Overdrive For an Undisclosed Amount [Gary Price/Infodocket] Read the rest

"Fairytale of New York" is, unequivocally, the best Christmas song. Because it's actually a bleak story about the false veneer of holiday spirit as a metaphor for the soul-crushing deceptions of the so-called "American Dream" that leads people to hatred, drug abuse, and worse … and still returns for one more rousing chorus.In short, it's perfect. So perfect that you may just want to listen to it over and over and over again. Which is why I put together this Spotify playlist consisting of 99 covers of the song, plus the original version by the Pogues with Kirsty MacColl.And then — just because 100 wasn't round enough for me — I recorded this quick cover of the song myself, using an Irish Gaelic translation by Fred McCluskey and Ger Maher (which cleverly skirts around that bit of ugly language in the third verse, which makes sense in the context of the fictional story but absolutely shatters any Christmas delusions).Just, um, don't bother looking up Shane MacGowan's recent birthday performance of the song from the Late Late Show, 'cause it's pretty painful to watch, and not just because of him. Oof.Image by peelandstick/Flickr Read the rest

Robbo sez, "As is my wont, I post on social media at this time of year John Lennon & Yoko Ono's Happy Xmas (War Is Over) official YouTube video. It is an anthem for peace and the end of war. This year it has been labelled as "inappropriate content" and requires viewers to sign in to confirm they are 18 years or older. Yes, there are images of war and suffering within the video - but for cryin' out fuckin' loud, YouTube, it's something that deserves and should be seen and heard by everyone, all the damned time - such dumb ass fuckery is going to be the end of our so-called civilization." Read the rest

T’is the season when the tabloids look into the future to forecast what lies ahead for a scandal-filled 2020 - and when are they ever wrong?

Whether you're managing a political campaign or building a client base, there comes a time when you stop seeing people and start seeing numbers.This doesn't happen suddenly. You shake hands, make calls, and build relationships. And then those relationships disappear into a database of donors or customers as your organization grows. People get brought in to manage those databases, and those databases fragment off into countless little spreadsheets.That's how the people that were once your supporters end up with faceless emails, impersonal calls, and tedious forms that ask for information you already have. And that's how they stop becoming your supporters.That's why services like the one that NationBuilder is providing are more crucial than ever. They allow you to manage your contacts in integrated databases that actually foster communication and allow for on the-fly-customization based on their interests and prior interactions.In other words, it allows you to treat "your people" like people.All of this is done on a website that you can build from the ground up in minutes with NationBuilder's ready-made templates. Plus, NationBuilder sets you up with tools to help you inspire, capture, and seamlessly track actions across your page.NationBuilder also empowers you to maintain real, meaningful connections with your supporters by way of personalized email and text to supporters based on their interests and history with you.They're currently doing a 14-day free trial of NationBuilder, but Boing Boing readers can get a free month after that trial ends. If you're doing any kind of community engagement, it's definitely worth a look. Read the rest

On Tuesday, Colorado Springs police arrested David Wayne Oliver, 65, at a Starbucks for allegedly robbing a nearby bank. After departing the bank with the loot, Oliver apparently started tossing the cash into the air while yelling "Merry Christmas." From Reuters:(Witness Dion) Pascale said bystanders retrieved some of the money and returned it to the bank as Oliver walked to the Starbucks, sat down and appeared to be waiting for police to arrest him, KKTV reported.The Denver Post quoted police as saying “thousands of dollars” remained unaccounted for, adding there was no indication Oliver used a weapon in the heist. Read the rest

In 1994, Cynsa, a member of the pioneering online community The WELL, thrilled us with her Rectal Foreign Bodies page all about the weird things people have put in their butts as reported by medical professionals tasked with removing the items. Barry Petchesky has continued this important online endeavor with his series of posts "chronicling our country's cavity misadventures." He posted his latest list, drawing from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s database of emergency room visits, over at VICE in a delightful article titled "What Did We Get Stuck in Our Rectums Last Year?." Here is a sample:• “PATIENT STATES HE STATES SLIPPED IN THE SHOWER AND LANDED ON A METAL AIR FRESHENER CAN AND IT WENT INTO RECTUM”• FOLDING KNIFE• PLASTIC TOY, “ABOUT 6 INCHES LONG”• TOOTHPICK• MATTRESS FOAM• TWO RAZOR BLADES• COAT HANGER, “PATIENT UNSURE HOW IT GOT THERE”• COINS• LIGHT BULBAPPLE SAUCE CAN• “ACCIDENTALLY GOT A DILDO LODGED IN RECTUM & CUT THE END OF THE DILDO OFF”• CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTStill curious? Try this book by three medical doctors: "Stuck Up!: 100 Objects Inserted and Ingested in Places They Shouldn’t Be" Read the rest

Cities have done a lot to eliminate straws and other forms of plastic waste in recent years. Now isn't it time we start talking about all those pens and pencils we throw away?Actually, it looks like private enterprise might solve the problem for us if the Omega AXL Inkless Pen catches on.As the name indicates, the pen is actually inkless. In fact, there's no reservoir for a writing liquid of any kind. The entire business end of the Omega AXL is made from a special metal alloy. As you drag the pen across paper, it leaves trace amounts of the metal behind, leaving a distinct grey line.The amount of metal is so small, the manufacturers tout that the pen will effectively never need to be replaced. That's obviously good news for the environment moving forward.As a bonus, the whole thing is sheathed in an anodized aluminum casing, making it physically cool as well as aesthetically.Right now, the Omega AXL Inkless Pen is a full 25% off the retail price. Read the rest

MARTY is the name of this 1981 DeLorean that researchers from Stanford’s Dynamic Design Lab customized into a self-driving electric car. Now, Jon Goh and Tushar Goel have augmented MARTY so it's capable of drifting through a complicated driving course with incredible precision. From Stanford:Conducting research in high-speed, complicated driving conditions like this is a bread-and-butter approach of the Dynamic Design Lab, where mechanical engineer Chris Gerdes and his students steer autonomous cars into challenging driving situations that only the top human drivers can reliably handle. On-board computers measure the car’s response over dozens of runs, and the engineers translate those vehicle dynamics into software that could one day help your car quickly dodge a pedestrian that darts into the road.Most automated vehicles on the road have been designed to handle simpler cases of driving, such as staying in a lane or maintaining the right distance from other cars.“We’re trying to develop automated vehicles that can handle emergency maneuvers or slippery surfaces like ice or snow,” Gerdes said. “We’d like to develop automated vehicles that can use all of the friction between the tire and the road to get the car out of harm’s way. We want the car to be able to avoid any accident that’s avoidable within the laws of physics.” Read the rest

In the Galapagos Islands, a shoreside crane toppled over while loading a shipping container onto a barge, capsizing the boat and causing a terrible oil spill of hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel. It was Charles Darwin's 1835 studies of the Galapagos Islands's biodiversity that sparked his theory of evolution by natural selection. From ABC News:(The site of the spill,) San Cristobal Island is one of more than a dozen in the Galapagos, which is home to rare wildlife species and one of the world's most protected natural destinations. The remote islands are roughly 600 miles away from Ecuador, the country that owns them.Ecuadorean President Lenín Moreno said he declared the state of emergency when the collision first occurred but said the situation was under control as of early Monday."Thanks to the timely intervention of several institutions, we have it under control. I am in permanent contact with @normanwray and the COE is activated to watch over the galapagueños," Moreno said in a tweet translated from Spanish. The COE is Ecuador's Emergency Operations Committee . Read the rest

You know those cooking shows where you see chefs furiously stirring their broth or risotto? That's the only time stirring has ever looked cool.For the rest of us, it's an unbearable time-sink and a quick way to get sore arms - especially if you're preparing thick foods like mashed potatoes. For that reason, we heartily recommend you let technology take over in the form of the StirMATE® Smart Pot Stirrer.This device is far more than just a spoon attached to a rotor. There are actually two paddles attached to a high-torque rotator that clamps onto the side of the pot. The upper paddle does the heavy work of actually mixing up your food in the middle layers while the lower paddle rests at the bottom, gently wiping the pot surface clean and making sure there's no nasty caked-on residue to deal with.It's adjustable to pots and pans of various diameters, up to 9 inches deep. The StirMATE is now on sale for 16% off retail, and you can take an additional 15% off that final price by entering the coupon code HAPPYHOLIDAYS. Read the rest

Friends of mine in Palm Springs are up to some real Hanukkah hijinx. Kudos to Mel, Jessica, and Sasha (the tall one in yellow) for making the world's first crazy sky dancer menorah. Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate! Read the rest

Writing for the Washington Post, Gene Park argues that Star Wars has been at its best in recent years the closer the product has been to a video game. He praises the narrative in the game Fallen Order, and the game-like structure in the show The Mandalorian. Rise of Skywalker fails, he says, partly because it mostly takes the bad aspects of video games:The Macguffin chasing/fetch quests aren’t the only problem associated with bad gaming practices. There are also the “microtransactions” and DLC-like elements required to fully appreciate the main property. The modern day Star Wars moviegoer is now required to read the comic books and watch the old “Clone Wars” cartoon (now available on Disney+!) to fully appreciate the import of items and characters making sudden appearances in this universe....Sure, the experience of investing this much time and money can be satisfying and sometimes pays off. But it isn’t enough to have seen all eight movies before seeing this one. “The Rise of Skywalker” is overstuffed with references to the past, and also to future potential franchises and brand opportunities. It’s glaringly more obvious that these new films are not meant to be definitive, tell-all works, but rather a jumping-off point for other properties.You can read his entire review here.On the same topic, the opening crawl itself refers to something that happened in last weekend's Fortnite/Star Wars tie-in:Disney is an investor in Epic Games. Read the rest

I'd call this madness if it weren't for the fact that the event was used to raise awareness about world hunger. Read the rest

Wine is great, but wine poured with an aerator is even better.It's true that a jolt of oxygen does wonders for the flavor of a wine just before it's poured. This Electric Wine Aerator & Dispenser makes sure that every pour gets its fair share of air, delivering oxygen over a wide surface area. Not only that, but the design makes sure every glass is free from sediment, which stays in the dispenser.When you're not pouring, it stays airtight, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the taste. Push a button and it cleans easily, flushing itself out after each bottle.The aerator comes with a travel bag, and they're both already 25% off the retail price. You can take an additional 15% off that by using the holiday discount code HAPPYHOLIDAYS. Read the rest

How many times a day do you wipe your glasses clean? If you actually care about your specs, you're using a microfiber cloth and not your shirt. In which case, good for you. But even so, you're just removing the surface dust on those lenses - not the grime and oil that accumulates on a daily basis, which in turn attracts more dust.There's a better way, and not only does it not involve any additional elbow grease, but it can also save you some time: The Smartclean Vision.7.Not only does this innovative cleaning casework wonders on your glasses, but it can also be used on most small jewelry items. It works by way of tiny ultrasonic waves. Simply fill it up with water, immerse your glasses, and the ultrasonics turn the bubbles into tiny shockwaves. They won't scratch your lenses in any way, but they will do a deep clean on your glasses by removing built-up oil and stubborn stains - all without you lifting a finger.The Smartclean Vision.7 is already 20% off retail, but you can take an additional 15% off by using the holiday coupon code HAPPYHOLIDAYS. Read the rest

I just discovered Pavel Chilin's YouTube channel. There's only five videos there so far but, my friends, they are glorious.As near as I can tell, Pavel's love of trains has translated into his building a rat-rod-as-all-get-out steam engine just big enough to conduct himself and a pal around a good length of track, which again, I'm guessing that he built himself (but please correct me if I'm wrong.) I'd love to see how much work it took to put all of this together if, for nothing else, it might lead to other folks to do it as well. Read the rest

When you're doing long-term workouts, you know the recovery can be just as important as the exercise itself. And when the intensity gets to a certain level, a simple stretch won't cut it.From there, you've got two options. Either head to the spa for a professional massage, or take matters into your own hands with the Evertoneâ„¢ Prosage Deep Tissue Massager.Prop tip: One of those options is a lot less expensive and more personalized to boot.The Evertone Prosage comes with three interchangeable massage heads, allowing you to target specific muscle groups with the exact amount of intensity you need. Choose from three modes on the massager, and, after as little as 30 seconds, you'll be able to see and feel results on those trouble spots that hold onto pain after every session.The battery lasts up to two hours on a charge; more than enough for multiple workouts. Whether it's joint or muscle fatigue, you know your body best. This system allows you to target the areas that need relief the most.The Evertoneâ„¢ Prosage Deep Tissue Massager is already 29% off the MSRP, but you can take an extra 15% off the final price by using the discount code HAPPYHOLIDAYS. Read the rest

Tom the Dancing Bug, IN WHICH Bob figures out how to escape from terrorists

"What's even the point of having an Internet if I can't buy a replica kid's plastic Santa Claus mask from 'It's a Wonderful Life'?" That's the question my friend Evan Prodromou recently posed on Facebook. He then tagged me in the comments, "I'm pretty sure Rusty Blazenhoff could find these if I asked her."Well, I don't anything about them or where to find them but I'm always up for a challenge. So, I went to my expert-in-all-things-novelty friend David Wahl, the Director of Awesome for Archie McPhee, and asked if he knew anything about the masks. I figured if anyone would know, it would be him. His response made me chuckle. He told me it's something he and Shana Iverson, the company's High Priestess of Rubber Chickens have already discussed. Because, of course they have!This is what he knows:"It’s papier mâché, so it probably wouldn’t have survived unless someone took special care of it. We haven’t seen them anywhere in any catalog or weird show. I think it was made just for the movie. It also could just be a local item to LA during Christmas that year. There were tons of small companies doing stuff like that."Sounds right. Just to see, I searched on the internet for any mention of the masks.In a Movieweb interview from 2006, Jimmy Hawkins, the child actor who played Tommy Bailey in the 1946 film, recalls the masks being uncomfortable:"...I also remember sitting on Jimmy Stewart's lap. Read the rest

Jack Russell Hurdle Racing is a lightning fast race where the dogs leap over three obstacles while chasing lure, and then cram through the narrow finish arch. The television broadcast that was on over the weekend was as well-produced as a premier NFL game:Here's an older video featuring almost twelve minutes of Jack Russell Hurdle Racing:It's just one of several events at the Incredible Dog Challenge, including agility, diving, and fetch, Read the rest

While looking up something else on YouTube, I came across Santa Claus, the world's first Christmas movie! This British silent film, a little over a minute long, was made in 1898 and was directed by George Albert Smith, a "stage hypnotist, psychic, magic lantern lecturer, Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, inventor" and noted film pioneer. It was considered a technical marvel in its time and definitely worth a watch.Michael Brooke of BFI National Archive reports that the movie had "considerable technical ambition and accomplishment for its period," and that it "uses pioneering visual effects in its depiction of a visit from St. Nicholas." He also writes that it is "believed to be the cinema's earliest known example of parallel action and, when coupled with double-exposure techniques that Smith had already demonstrated in the same year's The Mesmerist (1898) and Photographing a Ghost (1898), the result is one of the most visually and conceptually sophisticated British films made up to then."In this picture you see two children being placed in bed by a maid, lights are then shut off. Santa Claus enters the room from the fireplace and proceeds to trim the tree. He then fills the stockings that were previously hung on the mantle by the children. After walking backward and surveying his work, he suddenly darts at the fireplace and disappears up the chimney. This film surprises everyone and leaves them to wonder how old St. Nicholas disappears. Read the rest

The staff at Vilnius Airport in the capitol of Lithuania decided to celebrate the holidays a little differently this year — by creating a Christmas tree out of the various objects they'd confiscated from passengers. Scissors, guns, blades, lighters, and a tree-topping star made of cheese knives. Basically it looks like the set piece for a death metal band's touring holiday stage show.Check out the creativity of the Aviation security officers at Vilnius Airport! A tree made of confiscated items. "Knives, scissors, lighters, blades, and all sorts of other dangerous goods – this Christmas tree has them all." https://t.co/OAOyHxUKmo pic.twitter.com/WTwaPhP2gJ— Lithuania Travel (@LTtravelUSA) December 11, 2019In an interview, the director of the Lithuanian Airports Security and Safety Department, Vidas Kšan, said that the tree does not include any food or liquids, which comprise a large portion of their confiscated items. Instead, the airport donates these, usually sending about 7 tons of food to charity each year. If Google Translate is actually correct (which, who the hell knows), the most commonly confiscated items are gas dispensers and electroshocks. I'm guessing that means portable plastic gas canisters, and tasers—which is still kind of a weird combination, especially for an airplane. Read the rest

Sleep masks work wonders on the sleepless. A hot towel on the face is one of the best sensations of a spa treatment. So we're not sure why eye massagers aren't more of a thing - even though just talking about how this latest model works relaxes us.It's called the Aurai Eye Massager, and let's get one thing straight: It's far more than a simple sleep mask. The massager itself resembles a set of VR goggles, though it's a bit lighter. The strap fits comfortably around the head, and the rig is attached to a reservoir that pumps water into a molded, soft compress inside the mask.The compress fits just about any head shape, molding to your eyes as the water circulates through the mask. It rolls over your eyes in gentle waves, releasing tension in the muscles of your face and the eyes themselves.As it does this, it can change temperature. Warm water can be especially good for eyestrain or dryness, while cool settings can help with those dark circles and age lines around the eye.The Aurai Eye Massager is on sale now for nearly half off the retail price, but you can take an extra 15% off by using the discount code HAPPYHOLIDAYS. Read the rest

Sometimes it's easier to focus on needs rather than wants. And the one thing that almost everyone needs these days is power. Power for smartphones, tablets and any of the other gadgets we use on a daily basis.That's why getting this pack of three 10-Ft. MFi-Certified Braided Lightning Cables is kind of a no-brainer.Each cable is 10 feet long and made of durable, braided nylon. Unlike your typical plastic-coated cords, it resists tearing and fraying, and is a lot less likely to tangle up.As for the interior, each cable is MFi-certified, meaning it's rated to work seamlessly with all of your Apple devices. And, the pack comes with a 14-day warranty for an additional dose of security.Best of all, the 3-pack is already on a deep discount at more than 80% off retail - but you can take an extra 15% off that final cost by using the holiday coupon code HAPPYHOLIDAYS. Read the rest

Le Creuset offers this Han Solo Carbonite Signature Roaster. It's enameled cast iron and sells for $450. The product description points out that "the lid’s interior has been embossed with the word “France” translated into Aurebesh, the most recognizable written language of the Star Wars galaxy." Most importantly though, they claim it is dishwasher safe. Read the rest

On Christmas Eve, 1968, astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders, the first humans to orbit another world, delivered a Christmas Eve message from above the lunar surface. From NASA:"We were told that on Christmas Eve we would have the largest audience that had ever listened to a human voice," recalled Borman during 40th anniversary celebrations in 2008. "And the only instructions that we got from NASA was to do something appropriate.""The first ten verses of Genesis is the foundation of many of the world's religions, not just the Christian religion," added Lovell. "There are more people in other religions than the Christian religion around the world, and so this would be appropriate to that and so that's how it came to pass."The mission was also famous for the iconic "Earthrise" image, snapped by Anders, which would give humankind a new perspective on their home planet. Anders has said that despite all the training and preparation for an exploration of the moon, the astronauts ended up discovering Earth. Read the rest

Photographer Eric Brummel created this magnificent time-lapse video of the Milky Way in which the sky is stabilized so you can experience the Earth's rotation. He captured the footage at Font's Point, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California. From Universe Today: Eric created this time-lapse by using a star-tracker with his camera. A star-tracker rotates the camera at the same speed as the Earth, but in the opposite direction. It has the visual effect of stabilizing the sky. Usually, star-trackers are used to stabilize the camera during a long exposure, to avoid blurry or streaked stars in the image. (via Daily Grail) Read the rest

Alive From Off Center was PBS's pioneering TV series that featured experimental video and performance pieces by artists like Ann Magnuson, the Brothers Quay, Jonathan Demme, Bill Irwin, and Laure Anderson. For me, the program, which aired between 1985 and 1996, was a wonderful introduction to many avant-garde artists and filmmakers. Above is Laurie Anderson's "What You Mean We?" that first aired on September 6, 1986. Here's a New York Times article about the episode from the time: "TV: Laurie Anderson Performs"(via r/ObscureMedia) Read the rest

A Roman Catholic church in the rural community of Cow Island, Louisiana dumped 100 gallons of holy water from a crop duster airplane onto the people and their land below. From NPR:"I've blessed some buckets for people and such, but never that much water," (Rev. Matthew Barzare of St. Anne Church) said.The pilot had instructions to drizzle certain parts of the community, including churches, schools, grocery stores and other community gathering places...The idea was first proposed by a parishioner who is studying to become a missionary who was looking for a way to spread both community togetherness and holy water across Cow Island.And the more Barzare considered it, the more it made sense."Most parishes have a central location, but my area that I have to cover is a good 30 minutes to the next church, and so by plane, we realized, it might be the easiest way to sprinkle people's fields, rather than me going in a car to different locations," he said. Read the rest

The holidays can be a boozy time of year for many people. Even though I'm on four different medications with labels stating that I shouldn't drink alcohol while taking them, I still like the occasional nip—I mean, If I don't wash the pills down, I'm technically not drinking while taking the meds, right? Going in for a bit of spiked eggnog, homemade Irish cream in your coffee or a bit of dark rum in a mug of hot chocolate are obvious choices for blustery, cold, northern hemisphere revels. However, I don't think that anyone can argue that such traditional concoctions can be a little boring (not that you'd care after three or four rounds.) If you're looking for some fabulous new drinks to liquor you, your loved ones and friends up for the holidays, Texas Monthly has some outstanding suggestions to take for a spin.From Texas Monthly:Whether you’re toasting friends and family in celebration or calming your nerves at the very same social obligations, the holidays inevitably present many opportunities for alcohol consumption. This year, instead of drinking to excess, consider adding some mocktails to your repertoire—or at least have them ready for any teetotaler guests. We asked four of the state’s best bartenders to share their current favorite creations with us for the yuletide season. And with a “nice” mocktail for every “naughty” cocktail, you can be sure there’s something delicious for everyone to sip.There's a number of absolutely delicious drinks on this list that could make your holidays a helluva lot more jolly. Read the rest

Willie Nelson's Martin N-20 guitar, affectionately known as Trigger, has seen some shit. Happily, the majority of the shit it's seen has been in the name of making countless music lovers, the world over, happy. Over the years, Willie's finger-pickin' playing style has worn second soundhole into the guitar (not to mention the other carnage that this poor instrument has somehow survived.)To keep Trigger alive and playable, Texas-based luthier, Mark Erlewine, gives the iconic instrument a whole lot of TLC during the guitar's annual checkup. Read the rest

What a terrific perk, after five years of working at Fantasy Flight Games, employees gets their likenesses added to a game. Below are four examples from the Shadow of the Beanstalk Android sourcebook: View this post on Instagram As some may know, after five years of working at FFG our employees are put into one of our games as a thank you for their amazing work. Today, we would like to share a couple of the fantastic employee-art pieces that appear in Shadow of the Beanstalk, the Android sourcebook for Genesys! #Android #Genesys #RoleplayingGames #TabletopGames #LifeAtFFGA post shared by Fantasy Flight Games (@fantasyflightgames) on Dec 3, 2019 at 1:14pm PSTFive more examples are collected at Board Game Atlas. Read the rest

When it comes to smoking methods, dabbing is still a fringe exercise. Which is puzzling, because inhaling from a wax concentrate is pretty potent.It might have something to do with the gear involved, which - up til now - has meant you can't really take the show on the road. The Very Happy Dab Kit aims to change all that.This all-in-one pack contains all the items you need for a clean, easy hit, plus a few gadgets even experienced dabbers might not have at home. They include the essential butane torch and vapor glass (with a titanium tip and mouthpiece), but also a nectar collector, dab pad and containers for your concentrate of choice.It's all bundled together neatly and securely in a hardshell container. All the gear is tightly packed and protected against most impacts, but it's also smell-proof from the outside - a definite plus.The Very Happy Dab Kit is currently on sale for 14% off the MSRP, but you can take an extra 15% off that final price by using the discount code HAPPYHOLIDAYS. Read the rest

Ahh, Kef Bir and Exogol, sure to become cherished locations in Star Wars lore, are now the featured destinations in Star Tours. Disney says Star Tours now offers more than 100 storytelling combinations, but "for the next few months we’ll exclusively feature the destinations inspired by Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."If you'd like only a glimpse of the new destinations, enjoy this promotional video:And if you'd like the full experience, find someone to shake your chair, and enjoy:Speaking of Star Tours, here's a lengthy editorial arguing that Star Tours is a better attraction than Galaxy's Edge's Millennium Falcon:The themes of Star Tours include things like “the bad guys just hijacked my vacation,” being a tourist in the galaxy, and how one person can make a difference in the grand scheme of things (even if they didn’t realize it). Comparatively, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run’s themes are much more shallow, including “I flew the Millennium Falcon,” smuggling to enrich yourself, and targeting guests for ridicule.(Via Polygon.) Read the rest

Former MTV Veejay Martha Quinn is now a deejay and blogger for iHeart80s. On Friday, she posted a bunch of holiday videos from her MTV days, including this gem that reunites the Monkees for a weird medley from Christmas Eve 1986. She writes:This Monkees video is historic for Monkees fans as it reunited Monkee Mike Nesmith with Monkees Peter Tork, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz!In the world of MTV this video gives a peek into a new era. We’re welcoming VJs Carolyn Heldman and Downtown Julie Brown, but by this time we’d said good-bye to original VJs JJ Jackson and Nina Blackwood which was part of the transformation to MTV phase 2, that would include Head Banger’s Ball host Adam Curry, VJ Kevin Seal, and Yo! MTV Raps hosts Ed Lover and Doctor Dré. This was our last Christmas video.But guess what…out of the blue along would come something called “The Internet” and “YouTube.” Thanks to them we can enjoy these videos all over again!!Eighties fans will enjoy following Martha on Twitter. Read the rest

From the University of Saskatchewan:Wild pigs typically weigh between 120 and 250 pounds. They have around six piglets per litter, per year.They are adapted to very cold temperatures, and can breed in any season, living in pigloos burrowed into the snow. Sexually mature within four-to-eight months, they feed on all common types of farmers’ crops, including corn, wheat and canola. They also eat insects, birds, reptiles and small mammals.“The growing wild pig population is not an ecological disaster waiting to happen—it is already happening,” said USask’s Ryan Brook, lead researcher for the Canadian Wild Pig Project, a Canada-wide research program, and Aschim’s supervisor.Even the New York Times is getting in on the pigloo action (although it has yet to be noted on the Times First Said Twitter bot):Many experts thought the pigs couldn’t thrive in cold climates. But they burrow into the snow in winter, creating so-called pigloos — a tunnel or cave with a foot or two of snow on top for insulation. Many have developed thick coats of fur.Now they are poised to invade states along the border, threatening to establish a new beachhead in this country.“It’s concerning that Canada isn’t doing anything about it,” said Maggie Nutter, one of 80 concerned ranchers and farmers who met recently near Sweet Grass, Mont., to discuss the potential swine invasion. “What do you do to get them to control their wild hog population?”It seems that not even an AR-15 nor a Jason Isbell song can stop these feral hogs from burrowing. Read the rest

Who are these people that have time for a job, social life, and actual healthy meals? With a nutrition segment on seemingly every talk show and entire networks devoted to food, it can sometimes seem like we've never left our mother's house and her constant admonitions to "eat your vegetables!"And okay, she was right. But things were a lot easier when she was feeding them to us. Being an adult requires buying these things, planning your meals for the week so they don't go bad, and (worst of all) actually cooking them.Which is why we turn to takeout, let's face it. But Daily Harvest might just be the thing that slowly replaces it - or at least relegates it to the occasional guilty pleasure it should be.We've all heard of those meal deliveries that show up at your front door, ready to cook. And while some of them may indeed be healthy, Daily Harvest does them better by actually being easy to make. Everything is perfectly portioned and takes one step to prep. Like, five minutes or less kind of easy.Setting up a plan with Daily Harvest takes about as much time as prepping one of their meals. You can pick from Sweet Potato + Wild Rice Hash harvest bowl, Cold Brew + Cacao Smoothies, Pumpkin + Chai Oat Bowls and over 65 more items, built on organic fruits and vegetables frozen at their peak to lock in peak season freshness.Once they arrive, stick them in the freezer and heat them up or blend them as required. Read the rest

TMI: It's not just applicable to the stuff your best friend posts online about their kidney stones. There's too much information in general, online and everywhere. Too many opinions, facts, strategies and stories - but that doesn't mean some of it isn't worth knowing.That's likely why BookNotes is getting solid reviews on the App Store. Its mission is to take all those books you say you'll get around to reading and give you the gist in 15 minutes or less.BookNotes' library of book summaries includes titles from Eckhart Tolle, John Gray, Tim Ferris and other heavy hitters in the business and self-help world. It's also got fiction classics like 1984 and The Great Gatsby. There's even a few original mini-books, plus summaries of top Netflix documentaries like Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates.They're all distilled into tightly-organized snippets that give you the key ideas, plot summaries, and takeaways. And since they're also available on audio, you can soak up a great book on every daily commute.You can access the app from any device, and a lifetime subscription is now a full 90% off the retail price. Get your own BookNotes account and start getting the information you need, when you need it. Read the rest

Yesterday was the first night of Hanukkah. From the International Space Station, astronaut Jessica Meir tweeted the image above and the following: "Happy Hanukkah to all those who celebrate it on Earth! #HappyHanukkah" Read the rest

David Rush now holds the Guinness World Record for the most juggling catches in 60 seconds. Rush had the record before, with 556 catches, until Michael Ferreri snatched it with 558. Now, 586 catches later, the record is Rush's once again. From UPI:Rush also decided to take on his own record for speed juggling using the slower cascade pattern of juggling and managed 502 catches in one minute, beating his own 2016 record of 428 catches.The Idaho man, who has broken more than 100 Guinness records to promote STEM education, said the speed juggling records were the most difficult that he has attempted. Read the rest

A classic robotics video from Boston Dynamics in 2015.Think of how much more developed the robots are now!Yikes.[YouTube] Read the rest

GROOT. GINGERBREAD.Says IMGURian @cdeniseeriksson, 'I made a gingerbread Groot!'This years christmas gingerbread project! It took me 5 weeks, 1 for planning and 4 to build. It has a wire mesh structure underneath to fill out the shape, since it’s 1:1 scale. Truly spectacular.I don't wanna eat him. But I would.Scroll down in her gallery for the excellent video!I made a gingerbread Groot! Read the rest

The US Navy has issued a policy banning the social media app TikTok from government-issued mobile devices, saying the China-owned video messaging service is a “cybersecurity threat.” Authorities will block devices with the app from the Navy Marine Corps Intranet.From Reuters:A bulletin issued by the Navy on Tuesday showed up on a Facebook page serving military members, saying users of government issued mobile devices who had TikTok and did not remove the app would be blocked from the Navy Marine Corps Intranet.The Navy would not describe in detail what dangers the app presents, but Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Uriah Orland said in a statement the order was part of an effort to “address existing and emerging threats”.TikTok did not return a request for comment. The Navy would not describe in detail what dangers the app presents, but Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Uriah Orland said in a statement the order was part of an effort to “address existing and emerging threats”. https://t.co/wR0UHoqCi6— Alex Ptachick (@alexptachick) December 23, 2019I don't think any dystopian sci-fi I've read predicted this kind of future scenario.US government needs to ban an application with ties to a foreign state (China) because otherwise their own Navy personnel would willingly install it on their own phones.https://t.co/Ounql9rgqU— Zeh Fernando (@zeh) December 21, 2019Following five consecutive Russian military selfie bans, this is the largest military digital media ban (not regulation) that we know of. Russian bans didn’t work, so the real question is: how will this be monitored and prosecuted at scale. Read the rest

New York billionaire and 2020 US presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg is working with former Facebook and FourSquare executives on technology systems for Bloomberg's campaign. Hawkfish’s executives from Silicon Valley include longtime Facebook Chief Marketing Officer Gary Briggs, who recently posted on his social media page that he is now a digital director at “Mike Bloomberg 2020,” and Jeff Glueck, former CEO of location-tracking firm Foursquare. CNBC reports that right after he founded a technology company named Hawkfish that was incorporated just this past spring, the firm began working on races in Virginia and Kentucky, where Democrats scored key victories in November:Hawkfish will be the “primary digital agency and technology services provider for the campaign,” Julie Wood, a Bloomberg campaign spokeswoman, told CNBC. She added that the firm “is now providing digital ad services, including content creation, ad placement and analytics” for their campaign. It will also help Democratic races across the country in future election cycles, she said.The company’s existence has not been previously reported. Bloomberg’s campaign disclosed details about the company after CNBC pressed the campaign about its recent hiring spree.Bloomberg, a billionaire former three-term mayor of New York, started building the company early in 2019, before he decided to seek the Democratic presidential nomination, the campaign aide said. While the campaign declined to say how much Bloomberg has invested in the company, Bloomberg has said he will spend over $100 million on anti-Trump digital ads. His campaign has already spent at least $13 million on Facebook and Google spots. Read the rest

Google and Apple remove app

On Thursday, the Oxbow Prairie Horizons School in Saskatchewan, Canada staged their annual student Christmas concert. The show, "Santa Goes Green," pissed off parents in the town where oil is one of the major industries. Here's a description from the Santa Goes Green sheet music:Melting ice caps, global warming, surfing reindeer! The North Pole is going green this year and everyone is excited – everyone, that is, except Santa who likes things just the way they are. Solar panels, LED light bulbs, new power sources? It all sounds a bit inconvenient to him. Mrs. Claus, the elves, toys and reindeer have their hands full! From CBC:(Mike Gunderman, whose daughter was in the show,) said the concerns raised were not directed at the children. He said they did a great job singing and performing, but he felt it was "the wrong message to send at the wrong time of the season."Especially when our industry is suffering right now," he said. "It's a tough time for everybody." Audrey Trombley, chair of the South East Cornerstone Public School Division where Oxbow Prairie is located, apologized to anyone who was offended by the concert, saying there was never any intention to make the show political. "There was no political agenda," said Audrey Trombley, chair of the division's Board of Trustees. "The teacher chose the song because of the rhythm and the beat, and thought the kids would like it."image: cover detail of Santa Goes Green sheet music book (Hal Leonard) Read the rest