An article on anti-foreigner protests in Japan that have shocked the public reminded me of when it was pointed out to me that while the US had student protests in the late 60s, so did everyone else, including China’s Cultural Revolution. So while the US is having an odd populist uprising showing resentment of perceived outsiders, so is Japan. I am glad that I’m not the only one who is shocked by protesting an elementary school (or the use of the adjacent park, depending who you ask), but I was surprised by the descriptions of the far-right’s vans tooling around town being a regular sight. I guess the US has Neo-Nazis, but they can’t usually get it together to buy a van. I bet another similarity can be seen in the photo of one of the group leaders in a bow tie. Perhaps bow ties are not as cool as the Doctor thinks.

So some towns in Australia are having problems with swooping birds (birds are protecting nests, but people get pecked in the head while just strolling around), so here’s some help in protecting yourself: printable eyes to tape to the back of your head!!!!

Also, there is a link going around to an animated gif of a molting cicada. If someone had said “hey, would you like to see a movie of how a cicada molts? It is pretty neat,” I may well have said yes. But because the links were on a forum of short thoughts, I did not get that vital context. I just ended up looking at a picture of a big ole bug that SUDDENLY BEGAN REARING UP OUT OF ITS OWNSELF. I was creeped entirely out the door by what should have been a friendly sharing of information. I don’t know how people with actual phobias can even cope, what with url shorteners and so forth.

I was initially opposed to proposals to make electric or electric/fuel hybrid vehicles make more noise. Isn’t one of the benefits of these vehicles that our neighborhoods are less noisy? But I guess people are concerned about the possibility of accidental death and dismemberment (?!?!?!?). All of my concerns are addressed in this excellent press release and video from Toyota for their new noisifier system. Not only does it sound super futuristic, you can turn it off if you need to murder someone!

“Bulk molasses has a specific gravity of about 1.3, and in cold weather thickens and becomes difficult to pump. When transferring cargo under the conditions noted, it should not be heated above 100 degrees F., in order to avoid sugar deposit.
Molasses tanks should be hosed down with sea water. It has been found that neither fresh water nor steam gives satisfactory results in the operation of cleaning the tanks and pipe-lines used in carrying molasses.”

Merchant Marine Officers’ Handbook by Edward A. Turpin and William A. MacEwen, Master Mariners. New York: Cornell Maritime Press, 1945.
p. 202-203

I was fascinated to learn about the South African origins of the Vuvuzela, that long plastic horn I’d seen at Seattle Sounders games. I wondered if there was an Americanized name for it, and looked in the Sounders Proshop. No dice. Then I realized I hadn’t seen any in Sounders colors this season. Some research indicates that there used to be an official “plastic Sounders horn“, but I guess no longer. I bet it’s related to the fact that they are internationally recognized as being loud and irritating.

A brave declaration by Bill Corbett led me to a history of the team’s name led me to a charmingly named meat conglomerate. Are you ready to be a ham fighter?