Polixeni Papapetrou Photography

I think I've seen the future. And the future is my nephew CLBC as seen with his mother, below.

The Barkley

The Barkley is the world’s toughest race you’ve never heard of. With 59,100 feet of climb and decent over 100 miles, it’s considered the most difficult endurance event on the planet.
In its 25-year history, only twelve men, the same amount of men who have walked on the moon, have actually been able to finish the race.
No woman has successfully completed more than sixty miles on the course.
Held near April Fool’s day weekend in the remote Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee, the race draws a small cadre of uber athletes and dreamers from around the world.
The race has no website.
It is not on any race calendar....
The entry procedure is a well guarded mystery. Ask a veteran how to enter and you are likely to be sent down a rabbit hole.
This is the world of The Barkley.

The above is a picture after the race of the 1st place winner, Brett Maune. If you've come this far, read an actual account of John Fegyveresi, a 3rd place finisher. 3rd place, one of the 12 to ever finish.

Why Are Smart People Ugly?

Why are smart people usually ugly? I get this isn't always the case, but there does seem to be a correlation. Attractiveness doesn't predict intelligence (not all ugly people are smart), but it seems like intelligence can be a good predictor for attractiveness (smart people are usually on the ugly side). Keep in mind, I have nothing against people who are really brilliant, I've just always wondered.

The answer: They’re not.

Oh, how the Explainer loves a false premise.

Lisa Black

Steampunk Taxidermy by Lisa Black. One of the most innovative ways I have seen steampunk used, and likely the only way I'd ever have a taxidermied animal in my home.

Best Card Ever

"I just don't find it funny at all. If it had been about a black child or an overweight child the store would have been shut down by now."

If I could get a box of these I might actually be tempted to send Christmas cards to people. These are fantastic. Only way to make it better would be to somehow show that the kid is also a step-child.

Go Gingers!

I have no idea

I couldn't read the captions as I am a stupid American, but I liked the photo.

Flame Meets Desire

FLAME™ by BK® captures the essence of that love and gives it to you. Behold the scent of seduction, with a hint of flame-broiled meat.

By far one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. This whole Burger King ad campaign is really taking creepy and running with it. I do, however, like this review:
Reviewer: sdfgsdr tfhrtf from drgdrg, TX United States
Title says it all, after using just all 5ml of this tiny tube I became irresistable to the plumper women in the area.
They flocked to me ripping off there clothes, rippling as they did so.

I just wanna big shout out to Burger King, without who america would not be so fat and i would never get laid

God Bless the Burger

We're All Gonna Die

In Utah, the Parowan Prophet predicts disaster will prevent Obama from taking office.

"I think that you should hear what my opinion about the Obama election is: that he will not be the next president. I said on my home page in August that if he lost to expect to see the 'riots' that 2 Peter 2:13 tells us about. He didn't lose. But the story is not finished yet. I still think they may begin the riots before Christmas 2008, as I said."

These riots, according to his prophecy, will encourage the "old, hard-line Soviet guard" to seize the moment and rain down nukes on the United States, killing at least 100 million of us.

"Prepare now," Freeborn's letter concluded. "We are downwind from Las Vegas. I hope you can survive."

Disturbing Burger King Ads

"It seems that the Onion depicted in this image isn’t a quality ingredient. Yikes.
The Onion is standing in the middle of the airport with his pants around his ankles while an angry, brawny “pickle” slips on a examination glove in preparation for a body cavity search.
I’ve got so many questions.
In addition to Botox and anti-aging cream (to make itself look fresher than it actually is and try to sneak into Burger King’s ingredients)… Look at the collection of articles airport Pickle security has dumped out of the Onion’s bags… (i.e. Burger King has allowed the artist to depict in the cartoon artwork). "

..Really, read the whole article. This doesn't make much sense as to why this ad is on a tray at a restaurant. But, maybe this will win enough ridicule to make it even more famous.

I'm Not Even Cool Enough to be Hipster

An artificial appropriation of different styles from different eras, the hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture lost in the superficiality of its past and unable to create any new meaning. Not only is it unsustainable, it is suicidal. While previous youth movements have challenged the dysfunction and decadence of their elders, today we have the “hipster” – a youth subculture that mirrors the doomed shallowness of mainstream society.

I love when I have typed out a whole rant and Blogger kills it. Fancy.

So I was ranting about how I agree with a lot this article states due to the nature that indie music brings to a show. However, I disagree about how superficial or unsustainable this subculture is compared to any other subculture that has existed. Look around your office tomorrow and think back to what everyone above the age of 30 was about 5 to 10 years ago or more. Punk? Goth? Hardcore? Hippie? Are those subcultures any more sustainable due to breeding and the influence of Jimi Hendrix or The Clash?

I have already stated before the unfortunate outfits of this group, and the writer brings up the very correct unfortunate dancing. A hipster left alone to dance is like watching an ostrich mate with a spider web. It knows it should flap its wings to fly, but keeps getting sticky webbing on them that makes them flap up in odd directions and then stay suspended until the self-mortification comes to a white dwarf close.

Plus, there is always the 'end times' part of the article that makes this go beyond the fantastic. "The end of Western Civilization" only has been touted for how long now? Sure the axis is slowly turning, but I am pretty sure that being a hipster will bring about neither the end of times for our Amerikan experience, nor be the end-all idea anyone has of what we as an Amerkican culture really are. Until they grow up and unleash "The Animal Collective" and "Arctic Monkeys" on the poor, unsuspecting (hopefully deaf) hordes.

In the meantime, check out Stereogum, The Hype Machine or buy me a subscription of Adbusters for a chance to see me rant about all kinds of things I both agree with and the reason for wanting to burn the magazine to the ground. No, really, BUY ME ADBUSTERS. I have literally, had relationships made and broken on my views of that magazine. And, I get a new tag if I am purchased a new subscription.

And please, discourage leggings, indie beards and terrible white rimmed or slotted sunglasses for all you are worth.

Photoshop is fun

BooHoo #1
BooHoo #2

Thanks Tomtom. You're my favoritest.

My Mortgage is Too High

So this was the ad I was subjected to when checking my email this morning. I question what the marketing genius who thought this would be a great ad was thinking. The best I can figure is that they are banking on the idea that I want to click the ad just to make the scary woman's face go away. This is what kind of model you get when they allow Sims characters to start using crack. Or the artists that create these kinds of heads. Not sure which.

Today is the Day

Today is the Day

Weird little story told in pictures by someone with much to much free time.

The Force Sucks

Darth Vader vs Japanese Police

..

Yes, it is dumb. But really, fighting against a culture that sells used panties in vending machines on the street? Dumber.

LFHCfS

Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists™

Sometimes, I am just truly astounded by the things I find online.

Time to Kick This Pig

International Day of the Ninja

This is a day I have to ask myself why I still live in Dallas. If I lived in LA, I could go to this show. Or if I lived in San Diego (when it's not on fire),
I could visit to go to this show. In Dallas? Not so much, and that's cause for sadness. So today is Ninja Day. Be sneaky, and feel free to kill people.

Italian 8th Wonder of the World

Here, 100ft down and hidden from public view, lies an astonishing secret - one that has drawn comparisons with the fabled city of Atlantis and has been dubbed 'the Eighth Wonder of the World' by the Italian government.

For weaving their way underneath the hillside are nine ornate temples, on five levels, whose scale and opulence take the breath away.

Constructed like a three-dimensional book, narrating the history of humanity, they are linked by hundreds of metres of richly decorated tunnels and occupy almost 300,000 cubic feet - Big Ben is 15,000 cubic feet.

Reason's Not to Live in Nigeria

In a dramatic twist of sex scandal, a middle aged man who accused his sex partner of stealing his genital has now turned into an accused after the accused lady was forced by the police, on recommendation of a herbalist into another intercourse, in a bid to restore his manhood in Bassan Jiwa, Airport Village, Abuja.

Food I'd like to try

"Here's how the Cannibal Banquet works... a pinata-like "body" is carefully crafted, then stuffed with edible goodies in a red sauce. More "sauce" is somehow embedded into the outside covering - "skin" as it were - of the body so that it will appear to bleed when cut into. By this time, most of us would have lost our appetites, but I digress... Anyway, the prepared body (who appears to be wearing a wedding ring!) is wheeled into the dining room on a hospital gurney and a courteous host wielding a scalpel begins the operation. From the looks of it, plenty of alcoholic beverages are required to keep the patrons in the mood to chow down, cannibal style!"

..via Inventor Spot

Time to Move

The Annual Texas Redneck Games

Oh the things that make me proud of living in the Lone Star State.....