Don't Try This at Home

As a lifelong lover of thunderstorms, I am fortunate that where I live, there are plenty, especially around July and some of them are pretty dramatic. I have often wished I could photograph lightning, and it would seem that these days with easily available video recording that getting some lightning pictures should be much simpler.

No doubt the girl in the video below felt the same way until things went a bit pear-shaped.

According to the Gizmodo article where I found this video she survived the experience; like Benjamin Franklin* she was very lucky.

Until the next time

*Benjamin Franklin set out to prove that lightning was caused by electricity. His experiment consisted of flying a kit into a thundercloud. The end of the kite's string was tied to a metal key. Also tied to the key was a short length of silk cord which Franklin imagined would insulate him from lightning. He was able to draw sparks from the key to his knuckle thus proving his theory. Someone else tried the same idea some time later. Toast.

Phone Box

The blurb at the top of this blog promises amongst other things, black humour, and whilst I have not delivered much in this way, today's offering should make up for my shortcomings in this regard.

After all the publicity about the new 3G iPhone there are undoubtedly those who would say "I wouldn't be seen dead with one." Well, fair enough but how about being seen dead IN one?

Yes, according to Gizmodo, it's true: this superb example of the very best in American taste is offered by Creative Coffins (I kid you not).

The original article from T3 here offers some more dead clever ideas (groan).

Until the next time

Gates vs Jobs: Judgement Day?

A search on this blog under the word "Vista" yields a surprising number of articles, indicating the extent to which I have been occupied with this erstwhile thorn in my side.

There has been one positive effect: I have become quite involved in computers and have managed to learn a certain amount - but computers! A classic instance of "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

And as the acclaimed series of Apple advertisements (I'm a Mac; I'm a PC) have shown, there is plenty of scope for humour in the subject. This video is entertaining although perhaps a little optimistic!

Enjoy!

Until the next time

"Les Choses sont contre Nous"

The title phrase ("Things (i.e. objects) are against us") was created by Paul Jennings in his wonderful piece Resistentialism about which I wrote last March.

The Miscreant.
Picture: BBC

A friend sent me a BBC article today that rather reminded me of Jennings's brilliant work. The individual pictured above had had quite enough of his un-cooperative lawn mower and decided that the correct remedial tool was an implement like the one pictured below.

A sawn-off shotgun
Picture source: here

The police did not see the funny side of this and have charged the chap with disorderly conduct and possession of various weapons. He was not apologetic however, telling police:

"It's my lawn mower and my yard, so I can shoot it if I want."

A local retailer, Dick Wagner, of Wagner's Garden Mart in Milwaukee, came up with quite a dry comment:

"Anything not factory recommended would void the warranty."

I have to say that it is just as well that I did not have access to such deadly firepower when confronted with various recalcitrant objects, such as a brand-new video-cassette recorder and also a brand new printer, neither of which ever worked properly. In England, all I had available was a four-pound club hammer in the first case and my boots in the second! Both quite effective if not quite as dramatic.

Toujours, les choses sont contre nous!

Until the next time.

Are You a Font Enthusiast?

Well the answer to this question is that you have to tell me.

I have always been interested in fonts and it seems that I am not alone...

I do not agree with the choice of super-hero, but then I didn't make this amusing video!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Until the next time

Now all in Perspective

It's late, but I just came across this super clip.

When one sees this view of the Earth and Moon taken from 31,000,000 miles away, it does make me feel that all our struggles here are rather insignificant - no matter how real and often terrible they are. You will notice that at the bottom of the YouTube frame there is an option of infra-red - do have a look.

Until the next time.