New Year's Superstitions

OK, ok, one more 2005 post: a nice list of New Year's traditions and superstitions, courtesy of Snopes.

Bye Bye 2005

The holidays have meant fewer posts, and before you know it - bam! - 2005 is about over and done with. A lot of newspapers, radio programs, and television shows are doing 2005 retrospectives (most likely because their news team is on holiday). I'm going to save you from reading a version of my own creation (though I toyed with the idea of doing a "things that didn't happen" list), and instead say: go out and enjoy the last day (and night) of 2005. See you next year!

GiveLobster.com: In The Running For Worst Christmas Present Of All Time

I have to hand it to the people at GiveLobster.com. They're really (I mean really) into lobster. And, for a mere $99 plus shipping, they'll send a six pound live lobster to your friends and family.

I don't know what's worse: the fact that the recipient of the gift will unknowingly open a box to find a big crustacean staring back at them, or the fact that the recipient now has to prepare the lobster (not something most home cooks are versed with).

Kofi Annan Needs My Help!

I'm disappointed in spam. It's getting more and more unrealistic by the day. Here's one example that appeared in my in-box today:

I KOFI ANNAN, secretary-general of the united nations,
would like to ask your partnership in reprofilling
funds over $250m in excess ,the funds would be coming
via a string of selected banks in Europe and Asia.

The funds in question were generated by me during the
oil for food program in Iraq.

I have been getting scandals/ controversy in this
regards, you can read more on the links below-

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/apr2005/anna-a05.shtml

http://www.canadafreepress.com/2003/main042803.htm

You would be paid 5% as your management fee. please do
not write back directly to me via my official email
address as all further correspondence should be sent
to my private mail box. As soon as you indicate your
interest i will give further details, remember to
treat this mail and transaction as strictly
confidential.
I will wait to get your urgent correspondence via my
private mail box-at : kofi_general@yahoo.com

KOFI ANNAN,
SECRETARY- GENERAL
KOFI_GENERAL@YAHOO.COM
www.un.org

Right, Kofi's got a private mail box on Yahoo.com, eh? And what's with the backstory? "I've got some money from the oil for food program, and I need your help to launder it". C'mon, no more details? No shady backroom deals? No secret handshakes? Lame...

Napoleon Dynamite Ridicules Idaho, And Idaho Says Thanks

Idaho's legislature was so excited about the exposure Napoleon Dynamite has offered to their state that they decided to sign a bill into law commending the filmmakers. Wait a sec, folks - Napoleon Dynamite made fun of Idaho.

My favorite part of the bill:

WHEREAS, any members of the House of Representatives or the Senate of the Legislature of the State of Idaho who choose to vote "Nay" on this concurrent resolution are "FREAKIN' IDIOTS!" and run the risk of having the "Worst Day of Their Lives!"

Solar Panels For Your Prius

Want to get more mileage out of your hybrid, but don't want to make your own plug-into-the-wall mod? Solatec has released a solar panel kit for the Toyota Prius. Solatec's press release claims a 10% improvement in gas mileage as a result of using the kit.

So let's see, we have mods for recharging hybrids from the grid and from the sun. I'm still waiting for the flux capacitor add-in.

Guinness Is Made Of Isinglass!

Hold the phones. The Vegan Society recently gave out its 2005 awards. The winner of the "Vegan Raspberry Award", given to a product that should be (but isn't) vegan, is Guinness Stout. Apparently, it contains isinglass, which is a form of gelatin made from the swimbladders of fish.

In other news, Guinness gives you strength!

TatAD: Tattooing For Bucks

Did you wake up this morning wishing you had a temporary or permanent tattoo of a company on your body, in return for money? I sure didn't, but TatAD thinks is this a grand idea for connecting advertisers with advertising space (and taking a cut in the process, I'm sure).

Their basic argument: you like certain companies, and you pay to get their products or services. Why not get some money in return from them?

Quotable quotes from their About Us page (with fun comma splices to boot):

Is it wrong to use the art of tattooing to get people paid? Don’t look at it as the corporate world has initiated this, the people have, we had no potential sponsors when we began, only people who wanted to be sponsored.

Of course! For decades, people have demanded that their most personal of possessions, their skin, should be scrawled with brands and taglines. Thankfully, TatAD is there to fulfill this valuable service.

I disagree with TatAD on the claim that this cheapens the art of tattoo: I think it very well does, taking a dig at the very personal expression that the art form allows for. A tattoo ad doesn't reflect someone's person. It expresses their interest in selling a portion of their skin for money, turning themselves into a billboard.

I can't help but think of the cover of Kalle Lasn's book, Culture Jam, with a barcode tattoo on the back of an unnamed man's neck. Is nothing sacred from the world of advertising?