Let’s be honest, folks, this week sucked. I don’t mean it sucked in terms of quality on Skepchick, because there were plenty of great posts, especially over on Teen Skepchick. No, this week sucked because The Blue-Collar Scientist died, Robert Lancaster is in the hospital, Doctor Calimari had an asthma attack, the MBTA made my commutes miserable, and a multitude of other things too depressing and/or personal to mention. 
Oh, but one superstitious culture says today’s a lucky day, so . . . let’s all get drunk and celebrate anyway.
Comment o’ the Week!
Congratulations to jtradke, Kimbo Jones, DMS, GabrielBrawley, laarree, Expatria, and JOHNEA13. All of you wrote posts that made me chuckle, on the two different threads linked. For making me chuckle during an otherwise crap week, you win THINGS THAT MAKE US HAPPY. That’s right, you win an entire thread of comments filled with links to things that make you, me, and the rest of Skepchick.org laugh.
That means that the rest of you readers should post your links in the comments — please make use of videos, pictures, blogs, whatever. Just make it funny, and bonus points if it’s skeptical, too. My first contribution is after the jump.
From Suburban Panic:
PS: Every damned comment had better contain a link to SOMETHING that is amusing. Like the most recent Crap-Based Medicine post, for example:
http://crapbasedmedicine.wordpress.com/2008/08/07/quantum-touch/
Rebecca,
Are you sure I’m supposed to be on that link? It doesn’t link back to anything I’ve posted. I can’t think of anything I posted latley that would be COTW worthy.
Here’s one:
Scientific Theories that will make your head asplode
http://www.cracked.com/blog/2008/08/07/5-scientific-theories-head-explode/
Superego: Supershort 3: Gettin’ Laid With Rutherford B. Hayes from Matt Gourley on Vimeo.
Things You Will Never Overhear at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
And hey, thanks for the plug. =)
XKCD always makes me laugh, but this one made me laugh until I cried:
http://www.xkcd.com/457/
Here’s a couple of Overheards:
http://www.overheardeverywhere.com/archives/003780.html
http://www.overheardeverywhere.com/archives/003558.html
I think this one is funny:
http://www.xkcd.com/459/
Hey lets not forget about Phil being the new JREF president. That was something good that happened this week.
If you missed this:
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/08/second_coming_second_helpingss.php
Podcasting heaven for fans of British comedy, see no. 23 for a pant wettingly funny discussion of homeopathy.
http://www.comedy.org.uk/podcasts/collingsherrin/
Gabrielbrawley Whoops, I’ve fixed the link. Yes, you belong there!
Protesilaus, of course we remember that, Skepchick totally broke it! I was just venting and leaving off the good news we talked about this week: Phil & the JREF, Randi’s birthday, and all the events going on. It’s been a rollercoaster, really, as opposed to a mudslide.
There is also PBF:
http://www.pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF217-Magic_Eyes.gif
Can I give you a Hug?
http://www.pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF115-Hug_Bot.jpg
Since my wife suggested it, and then Rebecca asked for it, here’s the above design on a T-Shirt. I’d suggest buying one before the BBC sics its lawyers on me.
May I be snob about it? It’s pluggity but it’s skeptical!
Hum, the system doesn’t seem to like my comment for some reason. Ok, I give you this:
http://fleasnobbery.blogspot.com/2008/07/molecular-snobbery.html
It’s pluggy but it’s skeptical!
/shamelessness
Way OT, but is this a sister site?
http://www.theskip.net/the-skip-magazine/skip_chicks/
No skeptical content in this one, but it is still fun (in a dark and potentially lethal way):
http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=122
I always like a little Cyanide and Happiness for a good laugh at the horribly inappropriate.
May I be snob about it? It’s pluggy but it’s skeptical! (And hopefully funny.)
Neat, I accidentally started a thing. …again.
I can’t let the funny go by without mentioning Cectic: http://cectic.com/
And here’s my favorite from Cectic:
http://cectic.com/153.html
I want my extra credit skeptic points for that one!
Well, if you watch this video and don’t smile then there is something seriously wrong with you…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ2iyFmywPE
“The little creatures of nature.. They don’t know they’re ugly! That’s very funny!”
Here are some of my favorite funny things on YouTube:
A Dramatic Look – I can watch this over and over, and it gets me every time.
White and Nerdy – Weird Al is a genius.
A Date With Your Family – MST3K, so awesome.
Ricky Gervais talks about the Bible – Brilliant.
Graham Chapman’s memorial service – This is either appropriate or not, since it’s a memorial service filled with humor during a week filled with disaster. But I find it both funny and uplifting.
Here’s one… thanks, CNN, for giving me something to gripe about all day…ghostly images…grumble grumble grumble…
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/08/08/legrand.haunted.school.wspa
I think that the reason I was so good at math in elementary school was because I was afraid that if I got the answer wrong I would be eaten by a giant tornado.
And it goes without saying that in the early 90’s the best way to get kids interested in math was to have The Fat Boys rap about numbers, like they do here.
And Saganist, MST3k is indeed awesome :)
Ha ha, awesome! Thanks LBB, I may invest in one of those soon.
Keep up the funny, everyone. I look forward to poring over these as soon as I get the chance for a pick-me-up.
There is always the Mythbusters to cheer you up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHcDP_Yew-g&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab2rVT9qgjw
PS: I am jealous you met the Mythbusters…
This is more neat than funny: http://www.geekologie.com/2008/08/eye_candy_lightning_strike_in.php
Brian Dunning’s latest podcast on homeopathy is quite funny!
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4113
I’ve been going overboard with this but I just love it. Follow this link to the NPR show RadioLab. Listen to the pod cast titled “Tell me a story.” Its great. http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/
Just one last short one: When it came time to translate the TV show ‘Duck Tales’ into the Hindi language the people working on the opening theme song apparently gave up on trying to translate word combinations like “duck blur” and “duck world”. I can’t help but feel that India is worse off for this, but at least their children didn’t miss out on that awesome show.
“White and Nerdy – Weird Al is a genius.”
I am so out of touch with what the kids are listening to these days. I haven’t a clue what popular song Weird Al is parodying. :-(
The dialogue which has transpired here made me smile. . . after my head recovered from being all asploded.
— Me:
— Neil Gaiman
There’s obviously some great stuff here. I’ll have to check it all out after work. But I really want to contribute something, so…
I recently found a nice, hardcover, bound version of the Journal of Irreproducible Results at a used book store. The first article refers to “Skinner’s Constant.”
Skinner’s Constant is “that quantity which, when multiplied by, divided by, added to, or subtracted from the answer you get, gives you the answer you should have gotten.”
My math grades would have been so much better if I knew about this in school. Unfortunately, the article doesn’t say what the symbol for Skinner’s Constant is. Maybe a question mark?
Instead of happiness, I bring you despair:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6b6_1217878876
omfsm, blake, was that really him?! it seems like it was. that’s awesome.
alright…just because I don’t know : what is “omfsm?”
I normally use OMG, but for me it means…”oh my goodness”
Does it count as skeptical automatically if it’s a Thunderf00t vid?
Red, it means “Oh, my Flying Spaghetti Monster”
Not that I have anything funny to post, but I will get drunk in your honor. Down goes another one.
First, the best venn diagram ever:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelewis/254836853/
I’m a fan of The Saturday Bulletin:
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=265
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=320
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=330
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=366
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=392
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=428
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=446
Some skeptical, some just nerdy, all funny.
And, since I know you’re a Red Dwarf fan, how about Ace Rimmer to the rescue!
This is why I love the internet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyl5Mwr84MA
And just think, that’s my first Skepchick post.
First, the best venn diagram ever:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelewis/254836853/
I’m a fan of The Saturday Bulletin:
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=265
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=320
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=330
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=366
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=392
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=428
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=446
Who else could save a bad week but Ace Rimmer?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXYfnWRp1Q0
incredible timing, but on thursday morning, I made my own lolcat based on the same picture:
http://somecanadianskeptic.blogspot.com/2008/08/i-can-haz-lolcat.html
Ah likes mine betters.
*WANT* that Dalek shirt…
How about pretty astronomical things?
Or some classic xkcd…
Who could save a bad week, rescue the princess, kill all the bad guys, and still have time for some sex, and a hearty breakfast? None other than Ace Rimmer!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXYfnWRp1Q0
For some reason, I couldn’t post all of this at once, but I’m a big fan of The Saturday Bulletin:
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=265
http://www.saturdaybulletin.com/?p=366
I want to second Gabrielbrawley. Radio Lab is a great show, and that episode in particular is very worth listening to. it’s a recording of a commencement speech that one of the hosts gave at Caltech, urging the graduates to tell stories about their science to interest non-sciencey types. Very engaging and funny, and a good message.
@DMS: I didn’t know either until I looked it up. It’s a parody of Ridin’ by Chamillionaire. Watching the original video makes the White and Nerdy one even funnier!
Here’s another funny clip to validate this post: Penn and Teller demonstrate why magic works.
Behold and tremble:
Bill Nelson, the self-sung quack hero.
http://holybibble.net/latest.php?id=3
A comic strip that’s always highly entertaining, it’s a sort of retelling of biblical scripture, satirically of course.
and then there’s this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUxWdIQVT_c&feature=related
from A Bit of Fry and Laurie.
Also, the week can’t be all that bad, James Randi turned 80 and he’s still going strong, so that’s something.
A woman who claims she had her dog cloned in Korea has an interesting history.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080809/ap_on_re_us/cloned_dogs_mormon_hostage
A unicorn-flavored amusement for you, dear Rebecca (although I am nearly certain that you have seen this before): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQJD1ura7G4
and a bit of bizarrie filmed in the dank basement of a church: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi8beYR1iBQ
And, nearly last but not least, I believe I have discovered the sidewalk from which Wookiees are generated (correct me if I am wrongue): http://homepage.mac.com/laarree/.Pictures/wookiee_plant.jpg
and a man who hath an subtly unspeakable yet copious talent: http://homepage.mac.com/laarree/.Pictures/monsieur_giclee.jpg
The only Banana that gives me nightmares