While Coca-cola attempts to give itself a healthier image buy purchasing Glaceau (makers of Vitamin Water), they had better address the fact that sodium benzoate can turn into the carcinogen benzene when mixed with vitamin C. Better yet, they should take out the sodium benzoate AND drop high fructose corn syrup in favor of the crystalline fructose that Glaceau uses. One thing’s for sure, if Coke causes cancer, Echanos and I are screwed. There were a few years where I think I even brushed my teeth with it.

Another food-related item to watch out for: too much salt. In addition to causing heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure, scientists have discovered that a high salt intake can cause gastric ulcers and even gastric cancer. I know a few folks in the “salt everything” demographic, so consider yourselves warned!

Everyone’s seen a ‘trash car’ at least once. You know the kind… the interior is full of garbage except for the driver’s seat, and you’re amazed that they’re able to drive it. Well, here’s a collection of trash car photos. I’m sure Echanos’ days of yore at the E-Check provided some impressive candidates for this type of thing.

What is it with celebrities getting DUIs these days? It’s all the rage, I hear. Anyway, Little Miss Lindsay Lohan got herself arrested for drunk driving on Saturday, and naturally she brought along a little blow, so you can toss in that charge as well. All I know is, I’m never driving anywhere around Hollywood with all these fucked-up celebrities playing bumper cars!

Make your own air horn out of household items. Here’s the list of supplies: balloon, rubber band, film canister, straw, scissors. I thought I had a film canister and can’t find it, plus I definitely don’t have a balloon. Someone tell me if it works!

Hey there. Yesterday I tried to post a link to something really hilarious, but at some point it was hacked and turned into something not funny at all. If any of you saw it in the latter state, I apologize.

This may be hacked again, but HERE is what I was trying to show you. I thought it was about the funniest thing ever.

This.

Cynical-C posted today that Bush has somehow put himself in charge of the entire federal government during times of national emergency. Great. Why isn’t this front page news everywhere?

Chris Colin, a San Francisco Chronicle reporter, attempts to answer the age-old question why aren’t all these people at work? If you’ve ever noticed just how many people seem to have the day off, this article is for you. I guess a lot of them have good alibis.

Some cool artwork, some featuring the AT-AT from Star Wars.

If you’re like me, you just don’t have the time to sit down and read a lengthy book about the Civil War. It’s much better to just sit and watch this four-minute animation of it. Perhaps you’ll walk away with a bit less knowledge than you’d like, but it’s still pretty cool.

UFO, or viral marketing scam? I’m hoping it’s a UFO, but the fact that they were able to get such clear photos (for once) has me suspicious. Plus, that alien language on the outside seems a bit too sci-fi for reality.

Ladder Racing. Why, oh why isn’t there a ladder racing channel? I would watch it all day.

Not much going on this Sunday… but it’s only 9am on the west coast. I found two things worth sharing today:

Baby wrestling a cobra. All I can think is that they sewed it’s mouth shut. It’s still very bizarre.

Cat with Bow Golf is just what it says it is. You’re a cat, and you have a bow and arrow to launch yourself at the target, or “hole”. Just click on the cat and pull backwards to aim. Keep in mind you can shoot while you’re in mid-air also.

Well people, I’m happy to report that I got myself a new jobby-job. I am kissing the long commute goodbye, in favor of a short bike ride around Oakland’s scenic Lake Merrit. It sure beats nearly 2 hours wasted in the car each day, plus gas costs and a toll bridge.

Some really bizarre developments have occurred in the Floyd Landis doping scandal. Greg LeMond was threatened by Landis’ manager, who was then relieved of his post by Landis’ attorney. Greg was allegedly sexually abused as a child, and the threat was to expose this in the Landis trial (for whatever reason). My only hope is that Landis had nothing to do with this, and his manager has simply gone mad. Geez, while watching the Tour last year, I never expected any of this to happen…

Here’s an interview with Michael Moore about his upcoming film, Sicko.

And speaking of health care, here’s an article about some cancer treatments using hormones, rather than chemotherapy.

MUSIC TIME:
I heard about this yesterday on NPR… music created from genes and protein patterns. It was pretty wild, especially the Mad Cow Disease one.

Behind the scenes of Kamakiriad, the Donald Fagen album.

The Grand Master of Bigotry, Jerry Falwell, has passed on. He left behind a legacy of quotes such as these gems. Here’s one: “Christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions.” Wow.

Berkeley plans on passing legislation to prevent the homeless from smoking on city streets. What I think they failed to mention in this article is that it might not always be clear who’s homeless and who’s not! They almost make it seem like if you roll up in a BMW, looking as white as possible, you can walk right past a cop and blow smoke in his face. I have a feeling that the true law will be that no one is allowed to smoke in Berkeley. ANYWHERE.

Is this a giant, dead sea turtle? Geez, it really doesn’t look like a whale….. can you imagine the majesty of this thing out in the open ocean? I bet it smells godawful right now, though.

15 Firefox Tricks.

Geeeez, would you believe that since my last post a full 579 comments were flagged as spam? That’s wordpress hard at work for the little man. I must say, I find that pretty impressive.

Bob Barker is calling it quits. I think I heard rumors of this about a week ago, but I’m not sure. The man’s 83! I think he should have been enjoying retirement long ago. Shit, I would have.

In a nation of asshole drivers, Miami reigns supreme. I’ve heard tales of road rage down there, and I guess this proves they weren’t myths! San Francisco pulled down 10th, which seems about right, and Cleveland fell in at 19th. I have to say, I find it hard to believe that drivers are more hardcore in Minneapolis, but maybe I wasn’t in the right part of town when I stayed there. Boston should be exempt from the list because their roads make no sense… and of COURSE you’re gonna get angry.

Yep, we all know America is the fattest country goin’. Just how much fatter? A lot. Would you believe 31% of adults over 15 have a BMI of at least 30? That’s 7 percentage points higher than the next in line: Mexico. You could blame their proximity to us, but then again Canada is down at 14%. Wow.

But hey, if you’re really hungry for some chocolate right now, why not grab a box of chocolate anuses? I’ll tell you why… because that’s nasty!

Here are some remarkable photographs that illustrate the magnitude of product consumption. Pretty staggering.

I thought the bookstore owners might like to see this: Bookshelf wallpaper. You know, for when you just don’t feel like there’s enough books around.

The TSA has lost a hard drive containing information for over 100,000 employees, including their payroll records. You know what I should say here… that these are the same people responsible for our airline security, and that’s a frightening thought. But, come on! It was frightening already.

Having just overcome major gastrointestinal distress, pepto bismol ice cream really speaks to me. It’s always been one of those flavors that I didn’t mind, but didn’t exactly enjoy. It also makes me want to try making NyQuil ice cream, or perhaps orange-flavored Triaminic. Or grape. Seriously though, doesn’t the pepto ice cream look pretty tasty?! I want some.

I’ve always thought parrots were pretty smug, cocky creatures. Perhaps it’s the whole talking-back thing, or the smirk on their beaks. Well, now I have something to taunt them back about: the way they look when they’re born! Hahahaa! You helpless chickens!

Hmm, ya know.. we humans look pretty freaky when we first come out, too. Don’t tell any parrots or they’ll have the last laugh.