Drink More Wine - If you are a rat
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This one says that you can stave off Alzheimers - if you are a rat of course.
This one says that you can stave off Alzheimers - if you are a rat of course.
In 1992, Stella Liebeck, a 79 year old woman, spilled a cup of McDonald’s coffee on her lap and was well on her way to a cause célèbre. The resulting trial ended with her being awarded $2.9 million. Since then, any similar outrageous lawsuit has been eligible for winning a Stella award (just like the Darwin awards are for the unevolved). The 2005 list is now available. A sample [source: stellaawards.com]:
- Rhonda Nichols. She says a wild bird “attacked” her outside a home improvement store in Fairview Heights, Ill., causing head injuries. That’s right: outside the store. Yet Nichols still held the Lowe’s store responsible for “allowing” wild birds to fly around free in the air. She never reported the incident to the store, but still sued for “at least” $100,000 in damages. In January 2006, the case was thrown out of court.
- Christopher Roller of Burnsville, Minn. Roller is mystified by professional magicians, so he sued David Blaine and David Copperfield to demand they reveal their secrets to him — or else pay him 10 percent of their lifelong earnings, which he figures amounts to $50 million for Copperfield and $2 million for Blaine. The basis for his suit: Roller claims that the magicians defy the laws of physics, and thus must be using “godly powers” — and since Roller is god (according to him), they’re “somehow” stealing that power from him.
And then you wonder why insurance premiums are so high here.
Previously on rantlust, our favourite animal blogger, tafkap, posted news about the world’s ugliest dog. Now, though not a vegetarian (thank Athena), I’d like to turn your attention to the ugliest vegetable in England: a parsnip…
Pogue has done some digging for the Times and come up with an interesting post. It’s titled “When Apple Hit Bottom” though as he himself states, it’s not really about the company but more about journalists and other commentators who predict the future of everything from toasters to hedge-funds. A little bit of refreshing self-flagellation there. Some quotes that he dug up about Apple in the mid-90s:
- Nathan Myhrvold (Microsoft’s chief technology officer, 6/97: “The NeXT purchase is too little too late. Apple is already dead.”
- Wired, “101 Ways to Save Apple,” 6/97: “1. Admit it. You’re out of the hardware game.”
Only our favorite parodier Weird Al Yankovic (who seems to have outlasted all those 80s icons he parodied, by the way) is back with a song called “White and Nerdy” from his upcoming album. Is this the first instance of Javascript being mentioned in a music video?
As the world turns attention to the coup in Thailand and contemplates what it means for the future, I would like to contemplate the following tidbits.
The coup, led by the army’s chief, Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin, also “terminated” both houses of parliament, the cabinet and the constitutional court. General Sondhi was named acting prime minister.
And later.
The spokesman accused Mr. Thaksin of corruption and constant interference with the legislature and the courts. He apologized to the public for any inconvenience caused by the coup.
Oh my goodness. I hadn’t realized that declaration of martial law could be such an inconvenience. Strange place, this planet we live on.
Sep 18 was the death anniversary of the greatest guitarist who ever lived, Jimi Hendrix. He died of an overdose of sleeping pills in London, thirty-six years ago. The man lived a dangerous, fast-paced life and was an electrifying performer. In one of his most famous acts, he set his guitar on fire on stage. He was probably high on acid. You don’t have to have acid to enjoy his music. You can settle for some Hendrix inspired Vodka instead.
This is the video of the guitar on fire incident. Enjoy.
More and more vending machines seem to be popping up selling iPods and accessories. Apparently there is one at SFO though I haven’t seen it yet. If any of you are visiting me and would like to bring me a last minute gift, this is a new option 
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