Recently in That's Curious... Category

I never really knew of anything cool and famous that was related to Norway, other than Norwegian Cruise Lines and the Norway village at Disney's Epcot theme park. It ends up that there are some pretty well-known bands and musicians from Norway. When I think of Norway's music scene, I think of lots of electronic and metal music. Thankfully, there's more genres to it.

Röyksopp

This Norwegian electronica duo is probably best known in the U.S. for their song "Remind Me", which was featured on a Geico caveman commercial.

A-Ha

This band from Norway has been around since 1982 and they're still making music. Although I doubt anyone can name one of their songs other than "Take on Me".

Looking at a typical rat up close, it's difficult to imagine how anyone could ever be frightened by one of these adorable creatures.

Of course, all bets are off when it comes to rat kings. If you're not familiar with the concept, a rat king is the result of dozens of rats getting tangled together at the tail (perhaps by blood, excrement, or other debris). The specimen pictured below is a mummified rat king currently on display Altenburg, Germany at the Mauritianum.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, if you're into creepy stuff like this), the concept of the rat king is believed to be nothing more than a hoax. There has never been a verified sighting of a real, living rat king.

If you've ever spent much time reading the wisdom of prominent poets, philosophers, and (dare I say it), long-dead politicians, you've probably noticed that nearly all of the great quotes were spoken or written in proper English. After spending some time online, though, I have to wonder what those quotes would have sounded like in the slang that has become common today.

Below, I've run some famous quotes through Redneck and LOLCat converters. If the meaning is unclear, scroll down to see the original quotes. Enjoy...

LOLSpeak:

If you're not familiar with LOLSpeak, it's the language you'll find all over cat pictures like the one below. These translations come courtesy of Speak LOLCat.

1. I HAS NOT FAILD. I HAS JUS FINDZ 10,000 WAYS DAT WONT WERK.

2. WHETHR U FINKZ DAT U CAN, OR DAT U CANT, U R USUALLY RITE.

3. TEH THIRD-RATE MIND IZ ONLY HAPPEH WHEN IT THINKIN WIF TEH MAJORITY. TEH SECOND-RATE MIND IZ ONLY HAPPEH WHEN IT THINKIN WIF TEH MINORITY. TEH FURST-RATE MIND IZ ONLY HAPPEH WHEN IT THINKIN.

4. U HAS BE TEH CHANGE U WISH 2 C IN DA WURLD.

5. A LIL LERNIN IZ DANGEROUS TING

Redneck Speak:

These translations are brought to you from the Dialectizer.

1. Only two thin's is infinite, th' unyverse an' hoomin stoopidity, an' ah's not sho'nuff about th' fo'mer.

2. Th' richess man is not he who has the dawgoned-est, but he who needs th' least.

3. Th' third-rate mind is only happy when it is reckonin' wif th' majo'ity. Th' second-rate mind is only happy when it is reckonin' wif th' mino'ity. Th' fust-rate mind is only happy when it is reckonin'.

4. Try a thin' yo' haven't done three times. Once, t'git on over th' fear of doin' it. Twice, t'larn how t'do it. An' a third time, t'figger out whether yo' like it o' not.

5. Menny wealthy varmints is li'l mo'e than janito's of their postesshuns.

The Original Quotes:

LOLSpeak:

1. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." --Thomas Alva Edison

2. "Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right." --Henry Ford

3. "The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking." --A. A. Milne

4. "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

5. "A little learning is a dangerous thing." Alexander Pope

Redneck Speak:

1. "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." --Albert Einstein

2. "The richest man is not he who has the most, but he who needs the least." --Unknown Author

3. "The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking." --A. A. Milne (this was just too funny not to include in both sets of translations).

4. "Try a thing you haven't done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time, to figure out whether you like it or not." --Virgil Garnett Thomson

5. "Many wealthy people are little more than janitors of their possessions." --Frank Lloyd Wright (1868-1959)

What makes it OK for some cartoon characters to be naked and not others? How come some animals don't have to wear pants but others do?

Clearly, cartoons aren't held to the same dressing standards as humans. That's fine, but I am curious about how a decision is made about which articles of clothing a character will and will not wear.

Both Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck have a significant piece of an outfit missing. Mickey Mouse wears shorts and gloves. He doesn't wear a shirt, but he's a guy so it's no big deal. However, Donald Duck wears a shirt and hat, but he doesn't wear any pants. Are mouse "parts" more vulgar than a duck's or something? It can't be based on sex because Daisy Duck also only wears a shirt and Minne Mouse wears a dress. Is it because duck butts are kind of cute and the animators wanted to show them off?

It can't be based on what type of animal the character is because Goofy is some sort of dog, and he wears a complete outfit, including a vest and hat. You can look to the Winnie the Pooh characters for more examples. Winnie the Pooh wears a little baby tee and Piglet wears a striped bodysuit, but Rabbit, Tigger, and Eeyore are naked.

Whether to be a naked cartoon or not isn't based on age either. Kanga (the mama kangaroo) doesn't wear any clothes. Roo (the little boy kangaroo) wears a shirt. You wouldn't want to cover up a kangaroo's pouch, but why give the little boy a shirt and not the adult mom? How backwards!

Even within the same type of animal, there are differences. Chip 'N Dale are totally naked, whereas Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are totally covered with long sleeve boy-dresses. Are Chip 'N Dale naked because their names can also refer to male strippers? There is a Chip 'N Dale movie where they are dressed in tuxedos like Chippendales. I haven't seen this movie, but maybe, just maybe, they are wearing clothing for once just so they can take it off. Oh Disney, you just might be the pervert people think you are.

There's tons of videos on YouTube about hidden messages in animated Disney movies, but here's a very short one that includes some of the most commonly talked about instances. If you prefer a video with actual movie clips and like "E-pro" by Beck, watch this one.

"Woohoo! The cargo plane full of condoms is here!"

Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/designnerd/358863713/

Apparently, researchers on Antarctica have protected sex about every 3 days.

Well, the article didn't exactly say that, but it did say that 16,500 condoms were delivered as a year's supply for the 125 scientists.

Oh yes, I did the math:

The condoms are available at no charge. That's a nice yearly savings, but I don't know if that is enough compensation for having to spend an entire freezing winter in constant darkness being stuck with the same group of people.

Actually, since both partners would be from the group of 125 people, it could be more often since they'd each have 132 condoms for the year. With 264 condoms per year, we're looking at almost every day. After all, there is a lack of outdoor activities and sunlight. They have to find someone something to do!

Few people will have the opportunity to have sex in Antarctica, and even fewer will have a chance to have sex in outer space. NASA definitely doesn't kiss-and-tell; they won't say whether this has or has not happened.

There's been speculation for decades about astronauts having sex while on missions. Thanks to Space Weddings, it could be a confirmed occurrence as soon as 2011. For $2.3 million, couples can get married in outer space. If it's your wedding night, it's part of your honeymoon, and you're spending that kind of money, I think there is a good chance a couple would go for it.

You have about 3 years to wait for a sex in outer space update...unless an astronaut sex tape gets leaked.

Obviously, not everyone can compete for the "cool" Guinness World Records like "World's Tallest Man", "Longest Fingernails", or "Oldest Male Stripper". Fortunately, the Guinness Book is a thick one, and there's plenty of room for lesser record-seekers like the ones below.

Most Tango Spins in One Minute - Tim Ferriss, the dashing, world-traveling author of the New York Times Bestseller, The Four Hour Work Week:

Sword-Swallowing a Jackhammer - I'm not sure how you wake up one day and decide that you need to swallow a jackhammer, but this guy pulls it off. Bonus points for the fact that he looks like he just stepped out of a bizarre RPG (that's role-playing game for those of you who don't speak geek).

And Fastest Accordion Playing - I'm not sure if this one's been made official, but I do love accordion music...







Ever wanted to set a record of your own? This video explains how you can do it:

Although I spent just a few hours with my predecessor here at Vat19.com, I'm pretty sure that he and I wouldn't have gotten along.

It's not that he wasn't a nice guy. He was both enthusiastic and polite, rare qualities in someone who's preparing you to take on his job. It's not even like he looked at me funny or unknowingly insulted something I like. In fact, I didn't even realize my dislike for him until a couple of weeks after his departure.

One afternoon, though, as I was searching through a pile of his old faxes, I realized that he and I never would have gotten along. He consistently stapled his pages at the very edge of the paper.

That flagrant disregard for the permanence of the paper-to-paper union was enough to counteract everything else I knew of him. In an instant, I decided that he was unreliable, careless, and generally unlikeable.

I'm not the only one with these silly issues, either. A friend of mine refuses to go out with any man who owns a plastic watch. It doesn't matter if he's an outdoorsy sort who uses it while mountain-climbing and deep sea diving; she's out the door the moment she finds out.

Even my parrot has an irrational hatred - phones. The size, shape, and style are unimportant. If it's a phone, or if you're a person carrying a phone, she attacks.

A brief survey around the Vat19 offices revealed that pretty much everyone has at least one strong, irrational hatred:

• People who wear braided belts
• People who wear pantyhose with open-toe shoes
• Creative I-dotters (Though I must confess to agreeing with this one. Why are they wasting so much effort on circles, stars, and hearts? The collective wasted efforts of the creative i-dotters could have cured world hunger by now).
• People with ribbon magnets on their cars
• People named Holly.


Do you have any completely irrational beliefs? Would you switch jobs to avoid working with a guy who has salt and pepper hair? Would you duck behind doorways to avoid making conversation with a co-worker who drives a Volkswagen? Leave your irrational dislikes in the comments.

Some people find a pregnant woman to be one of the most beautiful sights. It is no surprise that there are lots of options for women to preserve memories of their pregnancy. Just a few ways that a woman can remember her pregnancy include photos with artistic flair and intriguing lighting, belly casts, journals, and belly paintings.

Yes, your pregnant belly can serve as a canvas. It might sound weird, but it's definitely unique and would make for some pretty neat photos. Hang one of these up in your hallway, and it'll get your guests talking.

The set up for this photo is cute. You could paint pretty much anything round on a belly and it'll be neat.

Hopefully that baby grows up tall and can dunk. She looks like she'll be a fun mom.

While humans certainly have some odd courtship and mating behaviors, that's a much larger topic than I care to tackle. Animals, on the other hand, are a lot easier to figure out Below, I've highlighted some of the more entertaining courtship behaviors from the animal kingdom.

Bowerbirds - Male Bowerbirds in New Zealand and Australia spend the majority of their time building impressive abodes for the purpose of attracting as many lady friends as possible. Below, you can see how one male bowerbird has created a place worthy of an HGTV special. He's assembled moss, berries, and even snail shells to create this earthy little love shack.

His setup is actually very similar to Leon Phelps' skanktuary in The Ladies Man, though I doubt he keeps "Piña Colada Butt Lotion" on hand.

Seahorses - Seahorses get things started in the same way that a lot of humans do - by dancing. The pair will wrap their tails together, swimming and dancing for as long as 8 hours until the female deposits her eggs into the male's pouch. From there, the male seahorse will complete the process, carrying as many as 2000 baby seahorses until their birth. 10 to 25 days later.

Pond Turtles - Some male pond turtles flaunt their "fingernails" in hopes of attracting a female. If the lady isn't taking notice, he'll swim in front of her and wave his nails in her face. Imagine if human men did that...

It's also interesting to note that female Spotted Pond Turtles are able to save the male's sperm for up to 5 years and use it later to lay eggs. That sounds like a paternity suit waiting to happen.

Prairie Voles - Male prairie voles are, without a doubt, great husband material (assuming you're a vole, anyway). When the male vole finds a hot, single female vole, he hangs around for a few days until the female is ready to proceed. Once they have mated, they are nearly always monogamous until one partner dies. Researchers who set traps in the wild to catch prairie voles frequently find pairs in the same trap, due to the fact that they spend so much time together.

Elephant Seals - If the male elephant seal could talk, he'd probably say something like, "Dem's mah hoes!" while referencing a small herd of lady seals. Some of these prolific lovers claim seal harems of as many as 50 females, and they defend their territory viciously.

When approached by a male on his territory, he barks out the seal equivalent of, "I'll cut you, fool," and proceeds to launch into a fierce and bloody battle for the ladies in question.

If you're a reptile fan, you probably know that it's not all that uncommon for animals like lizards, snakes, and tortoises to be kept in a refrigerator for hibernation purposes. The cool, consistent temperature is perfect for a nice long nap.

What is a little unusual, though, is the British woman who keeps 75 tortoises in her refrigerators, right alongside her wine and bell peppers. Shirley Neely has tiny tortoises in biscuit tins, big tortoises that line the inner shelves in their makeshift towel sleeping bags, and a few mid-sized strays that line the door.

Although she has removed their bedding for photos, the picture below gives you a pretty good idea of what her guests see when they reach for a drink. You can read the full story over at the UK's Daily Mail.

Also, just a note for those of you who may want a few fridge tortoises of your own - there are a number of safety precautions that you must take to ensure the animal's safety. Check out this article on refrigerated tortoise hibernation for more details.