silliness

Most misspelled words on Google

The examples of misspellings that Google sees most often are typos of very frequently searched terms, such as “Criagslist” instead of “Craigslist” and “Facebok” instead of “Facebook.” But Mr. Paskin said words that aren’t spelled the way they sound also give people trouble.
He cited a few of the most common examples:

* “definitely,” which is often spelled “definately,” “definetly” or “definatly”
* “stilettos,” which people spell “stilletos,” and “stillettos”* “mischievous,” spelled “mischevious” and “mischievious” and* “nauseous,” which comes out “nautious,” “nauseas” and “nausious.”

Stilettos? Really, is that a most used term?

More here at the WSJ

Librarians do Lady Gaga

librarians-do-gaga
See the whole thing here

It's the UW Library School, with many featured cameos - Nancy Pearl, Bob Boiko, etc.

Geekware

maze
Don't you need a ridable vacuum cleaner or a locking door maze?

More fun stuff here

Bronte Sisters super action figures with book throwing arms and brontesaurus

bronte
Check the video out here

Annual Peep Contest!

peeps
Go vote for your favorite at the Washington Post. This one is Pride and Prejudice and Zombie Peeps!

April Fools!

Best April Fools list selection from the Museum of Hoaxes:

01sanser_thumb
#5: San Serriffe 1977: The British newspaper The Guardian published a special seven-page supplement devoted to San Serriffe, a small republic said to consist of several semi-colon-shaped islands located in the Indian Ocean. A series of articles affectionately described the geography and culture of this obscure nation. Its two main islands were named Upper Caisse and Lower Caisse. Its capital was Bodoni, and its leader was General Pica. The Guardian's phones rang all day as readers sought more information about the idyllic holiday spot. Only a few noticed that everything about the island was named after printer's terminology. The success of this hoax is widely credited with launching the enthusiasm for April Foolery that gripped the British tabloids in subsequent decades.

Wierd book room at ABE

weird
And it's updated! Check it out.

Fake AP Stylebook

Follow these folks on Twitter:

apfake

This is funny

Who needs a logo designer for your business cards or web site, when you can get this:

whoneeds
"Make My Logo Bigger cream," and more

I'm hot, so let's bake cookies in the car!

Baking Bites has been experimenting with cooking cookies in a hot car!
cookie

Car-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, soft
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Beat in egg, followed by flour mixture and chocolate chips.
Place dough on a large sheet of wax paper and roll into a log approximately 11-inches long by 2.5-inches wide. Freeze for 2-3 hours, or overnight.
When ready to bake, park your car in the sun on a 100F+ day. Slice cookies into 1/4-inch thick slices and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Place baking sheet on car dashboard (with protective towel underneath) and bake for 2 1/2-3 hours, until done.
If you have a big dashboard (or a friend with another car), you can do two batches at once, otherwise you can save half of the dough for another day.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

8 GB USB flash drive squid

I may need this:

squid

Plants vs. zombies

zombies

I have fallen victim to playing this game, and I just want to warn you off -- it's addictive.

Download it for free here, but you only get 60 minutes.... hah hahahahhahhaha!

Future of the Telecom Industry, British edition

comm
It's only fair to show this British version of the future, from 1969.

The internet, as imagined in 1969

internets
nice video here

McSweeney's new faux course on writing for nonreaders

McSweeneys is an eccentric publisher of books -- each volume of the McSweeneys Reader has a theme. I have their comics volume, which is just a wonderful collection of history, style, new artists, old artists, and included two add in booklets. Their website is just as much fun (or not, at times they can be bleakly humorous), as you can see by their latest essay:

ENG 371WR:
Writing for Nonreaders in the Postprint Era
M-W-F: 11:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Instructor: Robert Lanham

Course Description

As print takes its place alongside smoke signals, cuneiform, and hollering, there has emerged a new literary age, one in which writers no longer need to feel encumbered by the paper cuts, reading, and excessive use of words traditionally associated with the writing trade. Writing for Nonreaders in the Postprint Era focuses on the creation of short-form prose that is not intended to be reproduced on pulp fibers.

Instant messaging. Twittering. Facebook updates. These 21st-century literary genres are defining a new "Lost Generation" of minimalists who would much rather watch Lost on their iPhones than toil over long-winded articles and short stories. Students will acquire the tools needed to make their tweets glimmer with a complete lack of forethought, their Facebook updates ring with self-importance, and their blog entries shimmer with literary pithiness. All without the restraints of writing in complete sentences. w00t! w00t! Throughout the course, a further paring down of the Hemingway/Stein school of minimalism will be emphasized, limiting the superfluous use of nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, gerunds, and other literary pitfalls.

Prerequisites

Students must have completed at least two of the following.

ENG: 232WR—Advanced Tweeting: The Elements of Droll
LIT: 223—Early-21st-Century Literature: 140 Characters or Less
ENG: 102—Staring Blankly at Handheld Devices While Others Are Talking
ENG: 301—Advanced Blog and Book Skimming
ENG: 231WR—Facebook Wall Alliteration and Assonance
LIT: 202—The Literary Merits of Lolcats
LIT: 209—Internet-Age Surrealistic Narcissism and Self-Absorption


I think I've taken Lit 202 and Eng 102, but I have to make up 209 before I can take this... And afterwards, we can put together a session on indexing for nonsearchers in the postprint era.

Sticky note ballet

sticky
I'm inspired now!