Thursday, July 16, 2009

The Squirrel's Nut Cache - 7/16/09

The Nut Cache - a collection of recent things I found interesting, or amusing, or nutworthy.

As you are probably aware, I am a space and technology nut. 40 years ago today, the a Saturn V rocket was launched from Florida, taking Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins towards the moon in their Apollo 11 spacecraft. NASA is streaming the complete audio of all communications between the ground and the spacecraft as it happened exactly 40 years ago. Give it a listen here!

The Iowa state fair. A wholesome, all-American sort of thing. And what could be more American, or Iowan for that mater, then a sculpture honoring Michael Jackson in... Butter! That's right, a butter sculpture of the now room temperature pop star will be featured at this years Iowa state fair. I was unaware until now, but butter sculpture seems to be something of a tradition in Iowa. But, wait! The weirdness is not done! PETA is protesting the butter sculpture, and demanding that Jackson be immortalized in cow-friendly non-dairy spread, instead.

Here's a story about an 88-year-old woman and a purse snatcher... except this time the 88-year-old woman is the purse snatcher! Italian police say that 88-year-old Filomena Barbetta has a rap sheet for petty theft related charges going back to the 70's. When asked to investigate an rise in pick-pocketing at the weekly market in Pesaro, Italy, guess who the police caught? Some people just need to know when to retire.

I quit smoking a long time ago, and when I quit, a pack of cigarettes cost about $2.00. I, of course, had heard that, due to increased taxes & some lost lawsuits, prices had gone up. But at these prices I think even the most hardcore smoker will soon quit. I mean, $23,148,855,308,184,500 for a pack of smokes? Ouch!

Australian snipers to penguins: "Don't worry, little birds. We've got your back!" Something, most likely a dog or a fox, is eating the fairy penguins that reside in a national park outside of Sydney, Australia. Well, now they're getting cover from a pair of snipers, charged with "instructions to do what it takes to protect these tiny creatures." Sleep well, flightless waterfowl, you've got friends!

That's the Nut Cache for this week. Stay nutty!

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