This is a scene from a UK science show called Weird Nature – it’s weird. Is it just me, or is the part when the cat starts foaming at the mouth pretty creepy?
They seem to be enjoying themselves, don’t they?
Pixar Grants Girl’s Last Wish to See “Up”
•June 22, 2009 • 1 CommentSad as it may be, this is a really nice story. It makes me well up just thinking about it. Good on you Pixar.
Colby Curtin, a 10-year-old girl suffering from terminal vascular cancer, told her mom that she wanted to live to see Pixar’s Up. But before she could visit the theater, her condition became too unstable for her to be moved.
Colby’s family called Pixar, guessed a name of an employee to break through the automated operator and explained the situation to the first person they reached. A Pixar employee flew out immediately with a DVD, toys and posters in hand. From the OC Register:
Colby couldn’t see the screen because the pain kept her eyes closed so her mother gave her a play-by-play of the film.
“Do you think you can hang on?” Colby’s mother said.
“I’m ready (to die), but I’m going to wait for the movie,” the girl replied.
At the end of the film, the mother asked if her daughter enjoyed the movie and Colby nodded yes, Lisa Curtin said.
Colby died later that evening, hopefully fulfilled in at least some small way
![Colby [PHOTO COURTESY OF CAROLE LYNCH]](https://darkintheboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/photo-courtesy-of-carole-lynch-colby_lrg.jpg?w=497 "Colby Curtin [Photo courtesy of Carole Lynch]")
Saved by my iPod: Girl survives Freak Lightning Strike after wire diverts 300,000 Volts
•June 20, 2009 • Leave a CommentWow, I mean what are the odds of this happening? and everything being setup perfectly for this to occur – Read on:
A teenage girl survived a terrifying lightning strike after she was saved by the wire of her iPod.
Schoolgirl Sophie Frost and her boyfriend Mason Billington, both 14, stopped to shelter under a tree when a storm struck as they were walking near their homes.
Doctors believe Sophie survived the 300,000-volt surge only because it travelled through the gadget’s wire, diverting it away from her vital organs.
What a cool story. Since her headphones were hanging from her school uniform – and not in her ears – the wires diverted some of the current away from her body, avoiding vital organs.
The effect of the strike was also reduced because she was holding hands with Mason at the time, splitting the shock between them.
She will be thankful she was wearing her iPod, which she had been given four days earlier as a gift from her grandmother.
Returning from hospital yesterday after three days of treatment, she said: ‘I’m just glad to be alive. I don’t remember a thing about what happened, but from what everyone tells me it’s a miracle I’m still here.
‘If lightning hits a person it can do one of two things. It can go down the outside of the skin, which is more likely if someone is caught in a storm and their body is wet.
‘Or it can puncture the skin and go into the body. Potentially a metal wire, which is highly conductive could divert the electricity away from the heart and save someone’s life.’
Sophie was reunited with her boyfriend and family in Rayleigh, Essex, yesterday after being transferred to the Broomfield Hospital for burns treatment.
She said Mason, whose eyesight is now back to normal, was a hero. ‘My mum thinks he’s wonderful,’ she added.
Voltron Star Shooter Camera ☆彡
•June 20, 2009 • 1 CommentFreaking Cool – It wasn’t just made recently but it’s an actual peice of nostalgic wonder!
The top part of his body is actually a working 110 camera, while the big “SLR” lens is a fake. Made in 1985, this toy starts out as a mild-mannered SLR (inset), but then converts into Voltron: Defender of the Universe!
…I WANT IT!
UPDATE: There’s one mint-cond selling on eBay right now for the low price of… (＠_＠;)
Usually a “toy camera” is just cheap kids cameras, but this one is not! In standing form, this is a science fiction hero, but within the toy in the shoulder region lies a real pocket camera for 110 film cartridges. On top of the camera there is also a fitting for Magicube flashbulbs. ~ 1-highbidder (seller)
Game Manuals for Sale (No Games!)
•June 20, 2009 • Leave a CommentLOLZOR! So I like my old games just as much as I do the new, and as I was surfing TradeMe [NZ buy & sell site] I came across this:
Game Manuals X 25 (No Games!)
Starting bid: $20
Note: Manuals only, games not included.
Are you keeping the games to yourself? Because I think that defeats the whole purpose of what you’re trying to do here. And if you don’t have the games… Well, what the hell?
Closes: Sun 21 Jun, 9:49 am. This auction may auto-extend.
Ok. Good on you for trying dude.
Vinnie Jones’ “Attack Cardio”
•June 20, 2009 • Leave a CommentVinnie Jones is fucking great: [trust me this video wont stay up for long]
You know how some weight-loss programs help you slim down through the shedding of water weight? Well, Vinnie Jones’ “Attack Cardio” helps by tackling your oft-ignored “blood weight.”
New Animals and Plant Species Discovered in Ecuador
•June 20, 2009 • Leave a CommentPretty cool looking creature; Hyalinobatrachium pellucidum or Glass Frog:
An expedition on the Nangaritza River of Ecuador, near the border with Peru, has uncovered nearly a dozen species new to science, including four amphibians, a lovely lizard, insects, and plants.
This one above is a species of glass frog, Hyalinobatrachium pellucidum, named after its translucent skin.
These discoveries are hoped to encourage the government to protect the area, which is close to a “peace park” created in the late 90s after decades of conflict.
More photos and videos available from: Conservation International
Highway Patrol Officer wrote ‘Kitchen Bitch’ on speeding ticket
•June 20, 2009 • Leave a CommentTaliah Butters, 17, was shocked by the policeman’s description of her occupation on the speeding ticket:
A highway patrol officer will be reprimanded after he admitted writing “kitchen bitch” as the occupation of a Greymouth teenager on an infringement ticket he issued her.
Taliah Butters, 17, was issued with the notice in February, when she was stopped at Omoto, near Greymouth, for driving with unauthorised passengers.
After receiving the $400 fine, she “just threw it into the glove box”.
She found it again when she cleaned out the car this week.
“I sat there and read it and when I saw what the cop had written under ‘occupation’, I just ran inside and told my Nan. I couldn’t believe a cop would write anything like that.”
Ms Butters said that when she was stopped just after 3pm, the officer asked what her occupation was.
“I told him I was a kitchen hand and part-time chef. I never said I was a ‘kitchen bitch’.”
Tasman police district Superintendent Gary Knowles said yesterday he was treating the matter seriously.
“In fact, I have already spoken to the officer concerned, from Nelson, and he has admitted writing the words ‘kitchen bitch’ on the ticket, but according to him that is what she told him.”
Ms Butters denied that yesterday. Mr Knowles said the officer did not act appropriately even if that was what she had told him.
– GREYMOUTH STAR
![Taliah Butters, 17, was shocked by the policeman's description of her occupation on the speeding ticket. [Photo-Greymouth Star]](https://darkintheboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/taliah-butters-17-was-shocked-by-the-policemans-description-of-her-occupation-on-the-speeding-ticket-photo-greymouth-star.jpg?w=497)
E3 Special [game trailers]
•June 19, 2009 • Leave a Comment
The Electronic Entertainment Expo, aka E3 was at the beginning of the month, but hey!
I like my music videos and movie trailers separate to their own post, but this time, the game trailers get special treatment in this sweet E3 compilation, for your enjoyment:
We talk to Executive Producer Alyssa Finley about what you can do as the Big Daddy, how you can adopt or harvest Little Sisters, new ways to use and combine plasmids, and new details on some of the multiplayer modes.
Obama Girl searches E3 to answer: Who is the hottest female game character?
NEW First Person Shooter “Singularity” – it looks sweeet
The best graphics I have ever seen and this game is just AMAZING!!
– Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment, Developed by: Naughty Dog Software
The Old Republic takes place thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader and at a time when war was raging between the Old Republic and the Sith Empire. – Developer: Bioware, Publisher: LucasArts
We finally get to see the English voices, as well as an introduction to a few new characters. – (c) of FINAL FANTASY franchise and FFXIII to Square Enix.
The return of the Dark Knight to games we were waiting for.
Lost Planet 2 picks up the action 10 years after the original, with the success of terraforming, the ice has begun to melt, giving way to jungles and other new environments. Players this time are able to play as their own customizable character on mission to control the E.D.N. III. – Developer: Capcom, Publisher: Capcom
Mass Effect 2 is the sequel to the very successful and highly acclaimed Mass Effect and will be released on the Xbox 360 and the PC in 2010.
GameSpot @ E3 2009: We speak to James Cameron about his involvement in the game based on his forthcoming movie, Avatar.
I’m sure I’m missing more…
Hmm I hate when this happens
Futuristic Movie Timeline by Dan Meth
•June 18, 2009 • Leave a CommentThis one goes out to all you Sci-Fi lovers! Just reading the titles to some of those films should give you the warm fuzzies:
“No one really pays much attention to what year sci-fi movies take place. I thought it would be interesting to arrange some classic films about the future into chronological order and see what we’d find. I’ve also charted the years in which they were released as well as the current year. This is by far the geekiest thing I’ve ever done.
* I only included movies in which Wikipedia knew the exact year.” ~ Dan Meth / Blog
WoW Mountain Dew
•June 18, 2009 • Leave a CommentSeeing two hot chicks go at it in the supermarket over Mountain Dew is about as likely as seeing the same two playing World of Warcraft, so consider the TV spot above a gift from the gods.
🎭 