As a requirement for one of my classes, I've been working what amounts to an online reference desk at the Internet Public Library. So far, it's been a pretty pleasant experience, and I enjoy it because I get to choose what questions I answer, which means it's usually something that I'm at least mildly curious about. Anything from Philadelphia's role in the Civil War to copyright laws, I've managed to pick up some interesting stuff.
A question I answered today was "Is Hello Kitty from Japan or England". It seemed like a pretty easy one to me, but as always that's a little deceiving (answer: both). Anyway, in my research, I stumbled across news records of the Hello Kitty murder, a case that shocked Hong Kong towards the end of the year 2000. Basically what happened is that a young woman was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered before her decapitated head was stuffed inside of a Hello Kitty doll. Terrifying, right? What's even crazier is that a 13 year-old girl had apparently been dreaming about it before the police there figured out what happened. Yikes. Anyway, I'm sorry if I'm ruining it for you, but I thought it was morbidly interesting.

Hopefully I'll have something a little more positive to report on for my next question...

Not to mention that there seems to be a number of Hello Kitty guns on the market... which I'm not even gonna get into.

Clouded Leopard Cubs!

Clouded Leopard cubs were born at the National Zoo recently. And they're fucking* adorable!

(it's not a picture of Fergus, right?)

*This is my first f-bomb in what feels like ages. It was totally worth it.

What have I been up to?

I know I've been scarce, and I don't even have that good a reason, considering most of my time has been spend on the phone or emailing various administrations. So here's what's kept me from doing anything:

-actually trying to exercise
-buying a pair of swim trunks for the first time since I was 15. Normally I just wear shorts, but it appears that was no longer an option. It took me over an hour to find a pair that didn't make me look like I use the term "brah", and in the end I went with a pair that looks alarmingly like the ones I bought as a lifeguard when I was 15.
-running up an $84 bar tab while winning my first game of darts ever (I'm terrible) and getting my ass handed to me in scrabble.
-registration for school
-Signing my given name to about 250 emails, also a first.
-playing/fighting with my cat.
-catching up on podcasts.
-not watching the most recent episode of Battlestar Galactica, which has been on my hard drive for over a week.
-Pitt basketball
-web research: the Venona project, Tevin Campbell, Jules Bastien-Lepage, and the 100 Years' War. Fun!

yeah, that's pretty much it. Sorry, I'll try to make stuff more exciting soon.

Google maps kills a deer

HOLY SHIT. Check out picture 3. Someone put some paper eyes on that thing!

Paper Eyes!

Katie Sokoler puts eyes on stuff and makes them adorable.

via Urban Prankster

Goat #10

Dear scientists,
Please start genetically engineering goats 1-9 so that this guy can have some friends to race with. Otherwise, what's the point?
Love,
Cotton

P.S. Is there a way for goats to not have devil eyes?

Video Game Art

Dotter Dotter (via Jean Snow)

Letters to God

I'm almost certain these weren't written by actual children, but it doesn't really matter, because they're AWESOME. Read a bunch more here.



Sorry for the disappearance, I was on an actual vacation (answer: It was without a doubt the best vacation ever, thanks for asking) and I didn't have much computer access. I'll have some fun stuff to come soon, though, including a new favorite things list, my innovative ideas for the airlines, "Obama So Crazy", and more!

aaaaaaah, nothing like a picture of a baby animal to help restore my faith in humankind.

okay, so I'm not going to be posting for the next few days because I have a lot of studying to do, but I'll try to put up some things now since it's already been almost a week and I'm starting to feel neglectful.

I just dropped by a puppy cam and I couldn't help it. So comforting. It sucked me in for a full ten minutes. One of those little guys is a jerk. Try to guess which one!

and over at boingboing, there's footage of a baby pygmy hippopotamus. and -damnit this is getting out of control- a cat that chases boxes. They claim he's a Scottish Fold, but I'm not believing it.