Saturday, March 19, 2011

So no updates in three years, well except at actual howithappened.com. But a new template, that actually matches the old one.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

All the old howithappened.com is now archived here. Although maybe not pictures.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

1-2-1-2

Test

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

eBoy for Christian Aid


I am ideologically opposed to religious charities, but I am ideologically in favour of eBoy, so this animation gets my approval. Higher res version here.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Rube Goldberg Excellence


I don't know what I like best about this video. There's thoughtful somewhat elegiac interviewing from a news reporter celebrating something trivial and fleeting; an apologetic Rube Goldberg master; and a truly sensational lo-fi, 2-D, cardboard and string kinetic sculpture. (via MeFi)

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Word of the day: scrimshander

I must have first heard the word scrimshaw in 1996. In the Simpson's episode in which Sideshow Bob threatens to destroy Springfield with an atom bomb, he appears on TV to announce his manifesto:
"Why, we could revive the lost arts of conversation...and scrimshaw. Thus I submit to you we abolish television, permanently!"
It took me until now, to actually find out what scrimshaw, and it's jolly relation scrimshander mean:

    A general name (also scrimshaw work) for the handicrafts practised by sailors by way of pastime during long whaling and other voyages, and for the products of these, as small manufactured articles, carvings on bone, ivory, or shells, and the like. Also {sm}scrimshaw v., trans. to decorate or produce as scrimshaw work; absol. to employ oneself in scrimshaw work; {sm}scrimshander, -shandy n.; {sm}scrimshoner, one who practises scrimshaw work.

1825-6 in Amer. Neptune (1952) XII. 104 All hands employed scrimshonting. 1850 N. KINGSLEY Diary 15 Dec. (1914) 161 There is plenty of time to tinker or read or do any kind of ‘Scrimshonging’ any-one feels disposed to do. 1851 H. MELVILLE Moby Dick I. 14, I found a number of young seamen..examining..divers specimens of scrimshander. Ibid. II. 128 Other like skrimshander articles. Ibid. II. xv. 128 The skrimshandering business. 1864 Hotten's Slang Dict., Scrimshaw, anything made by sailors for themselves in their leisure hours at sea is called Scrimshaw-work. 1883 CLARK RUSSELL Sailors' Lang., Scrimshandy, an Americanism signifying the objects in ivory or bone carved by whalemen during their long voyages. 1883 Fisheries Exhib. Catal. 198 Collection illustrating the games, amusements, literature, art-work of the fishermen; musical instruments, carvings (‘scrimshandy’), &c. Ibid. 207 Walrus tusks scrim-shawed, and frame made of walrus ivory. 1887 GOODE, etc. Fisheries of U.S. v. II. 231 Scrimshawing is..the art..of manufacturing useful and ornamental articles at sea. 1898 F. T. BULLEN Cruise of ‘Cachalot’ viii. 83 The great jaw~pans were sawn off, and placed at the disposal of anybody who wanted pieces of bone for ‘scrimshaw’, or carved work. Ibid. xxi. 258 Such pieces as were useful to the ‘scrimshoners’ for ornamenting their nicknacks. 1906 B. LUBBOCK Jack Derringer 171 Specimens of skrimshander, rare shells and Japanese nitchkies in cabinets. 1933 J. MASEFIELD Bird of Dawning 201 Narwhal's horns on which the scrimshaw worker was cutting crude designs of rope, sennits, ladies, hearts, arrows and clipper-ships. 1948 Atlantic Monthly Jan. 108/1 The Whaling Museum..displays a shelf of skrimshandering tools made by hand on the whaleship Awashonks. 1972 Times 16 Sept. 10/1 ‘Scrimshaw’ stoppers, worked by sailors on whalebone.

Friday, April 18, 2008

It's been too long.


The most distinctly different things about Italy, are parliamentary politics, and sexual politics. This video showcases both. Berlusconi is the only Western leader who could get away with miming humping a female security guard.

Some random links you probably already saw some time last week:

  • Photo goodness. Hipsters fake humping their way to hell.
  • How to be Good Looking every single day of the year.
  • Get your war on back on with elitist week: (vis RoboWis)

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