Infographic: How Google has shaped the web

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Infographic by SEO Book

Apple's original logo with Sir Isaac Newton looked more like a wine label

The original logo

The logo we all associate with Apple Computers was not the first log they used. This from OMG Facts:

"This first logo was designed by Ron Wayne, one of Apple's three co-founders, and was only used for the Apple I computer. More of a picture than a logo, it portrayed the famous scene in which Isaac Newton is pondering gravity beneath an apple tree. Less than a year later, Steve Jobs, another co-founder, requested a redesign because he felt it was too intellectual and far too intricate to be stamped on computers.

The newer logo, created by art designer Rob Janoff, was far more simplistic - it featured a partially bitten apple striped with the colors of the rainbow in the wrong order. This served as Apple's primary logo for 20 years until 1997 when Jobs decided to ditch the rainbow stripes for a solid-colored fruit."

 The first Apple products to feature the new logo were the PowerBook G3s in 1998. Below is the evolution of the famed logo, one of the most recognizable in the world.

Are you from Mars? Maybe.

You just may be a Martian.  Many planetary scientists conjecture that all life on Earth originally may have came from from organisms that originated on Mars and came to Earth by way of meteorites. Researchers at MIT and Harvard are developing and instrument to try and prove – or disprove this theory. The device would take samples from the Martian soil and attempt to isolate DNA and RNA.  Researchers estimate that it could take two more years to complete the design and testing of a prototype of the proposed device.

"It's a long shot," MIT research scientist Christopher Carr says, "but if we go to Mars and find life that's related to us, we could have originated on Mars. Or if it started here, it could have been transferred to Mars." ... "We could be related to life on Mars. So we should at least be looking for life on Mars that's related to us." 

Read the entire story on MIT NEWS. 

The perfect girlfriend gift: The Hello Kitty™ inlayed Sig P226 handgun

I must say I am impressed.  The Dark Hello Kitty™ inlayed  Sig P226 from TJ's Custom Gunwork creates a whole new vibe in the gun world. Designed for looks, ready for action. TJ's advertises "OLD WORLD MASTER CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH PRIDE AND HONOR" and I think on this baby they have delivered. 

TJ's reason for making this gun: 

"I know, the first question is 'WHY???'

The answer is simple, because THAT is what the gal ordered!
And TJ will make your custom gun dreams come true if you pay for it.


The next question I hear, is 'HOW MUCH???'

The gun was provided, so the custom work was around $2100, and nearly $500 of that was just for the grips & inlays."

Netta Marshall really, really, really wants to work at Instagram

Yes Netta Marshall wants to work at Instagram. So badly in fact that she created an entire website as her application. What can I say. Hire the woman!

Pole dancing for Jesus - in Texas of course!

Not much more I can say about this insanity. Just watch the video.

Video: "Stupid Orchestra" actually quite clever

It's been named “The Stupid Orchestra” but in fact it is very clever. Artist Michael Petermann created this piece using 200 vintage household appliances to create his mechanical symphony. You'll need to go the Hamburg, Germany to hear the full 35 minute symphony but watch the video below for a teaser.

Blödes Orchester from white tube on Vimeo.

Castle has help wanted for a "Dragonologist"

Are you an unemployed Dragonologist? Look no further. Monster.co.uk is advertising this position in Warwick, England:

JOB TITLE
Consultant Dragonologist


PURPOSE OF THE JOB
Following the launch of Warwick Castle’s new attraction, Merlin: The Dragon Tower in April, it will be the responsibility of the resident dragonologist to ensure all elements associated with the dragon onsite (from the attraction to associated press materials and Castle staff) measure up to the required standard.​


DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Acting within the role of consultant – the resident dragonologist would be required to demonstrate their knowledge to ensure all elements of Merlin: The Dragon Tower (set to be opened to the public in April) reach the required level of authenticity
• Using their knowledge of dragons and associated mythology, it will be the job of the dragonologist to train all Castle members (including Castle characters) within the realm of dragonology and ensure all staff onsite have the basic foundational knowledge required.​
• It will be the duty of the dragonologist to respond to enquiries from staff and members of the public on any dragon-related issues on an ongoing basis from contract start date.​


CANDIDATE:
• Candidates must demonstrate extensive knowledge of dragon myth and legend, with particular reference to dragon summoning and dragon powers and riddles.​
• The desired candidate will have at least five years’ experience working with or in relation to mythology and folklore preferably dragons and sorcery, although this is not essential and enthusiasm to learn on the job will be noted.​


QUALIFICATIONS:
• The ideal candidate should hold a BA (Hons) degree in Mythology and Folklore to the level of classification Upper First Class Honours or higher.​
• An in-depth knowledge of mythology (specifically dragons, dungeons and sorcery) with accompanying practical experience will also be accepted.​


WORKING HOURS:
• Working on a consultative basis, the ideal candidate would be able to respond to all queries within 24 hours and be on call for a specified period of time each week.​
• Throughout bank holidays and the Castle’s busier footfall periods (such as Christmas and the Summer Holidays) the chosen candidate should be able to travel to the Castle at short notice to respond to demand if required.​


SALARY:
• Competitive (negotiable dependent on experience)


BENEFITS & PERKS:
• Full access to Warwick Castle and its accompanying grounds
• Family Entertainment Pass to enjoy all attractions within Merlin Entertainments Group (including the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, SEALife and Alton Towers).​

Alexander Graham Bell's sketchbook

"'Mr. Watson – come here – I want to see you," Alexander Graham Bell said to his assistant in his first phone call in 1876. Thankfully, voice mail didn't come for some time later and his assistant picked up. Bell was also a prolific sketcher, with a fairly wide range of interests. Here are a few of his sketches. See the rest on the Atlantic.com 

Must see: The Heart Attack Grill - people over 350 lbs. eat free

This is truly incredible – burger joint called the "Heart Attack Grill". The waitresses dress as nurses and the customers must wear hospital gowns. The menu – well every item is indeed worth a heart attack. Their 500+ pound spokesman died at 29. The owner of the chain dresses up as a doctor and in this interview is totally unrepentant about the fare served at his establishment. Then again, no one is putting a gun to the heads of his customers and it is a free country. Eat your heart out!

Qantas Airline employees want to get rid of John Travolta's inflight video

Travolta in Battleship Earth

Quantas Airlines employees are upset over John Travolta's inflight video, which has been called "tacky" and "corny". The three-minute safety demonstration video, played before take-off on every Qantas flight, has angered employees who would like "real pilot" to be in the video instead. A Qantas spokeswoman said they had received positive feedback from both staff and customers. "We're really happy with the video and we think it's really engaging," she said. They should be thankful he isn't doing a Scientology commercial  or showing his embarrassing bomb "Battleship Earth" to the captive audience instead.

Scientists search for asteroid to land on

 Asteroid 951 Gaspra Credit: NASA

The Orion spacecraft, which was initially meant to return humans to the moon until the project was axed by President Obama, is now being relaunched as a docking vehicle, that will allow astronauts to fly to and from the International Space Station. But there are bigger plans for the Orion. NASA is hoping a pair of Orion spacecrafts can be used to support a manned mission to an asteroid.

Since Obama last year outlined the goal of sending astronauts to an asteroid by 2015, scientists have been trying to figure out exactly where the mission should be going to. There are more than 7,000 known near-Earth objects, but it is still unclear which would be suitable for astronauts to land on. Many have unsuitable terrain or are spinning rapidly. "Right now we only have a few targets in our catalog. We need a lot more to provide us with maximum mission flexibility," former NASA astronaut Tom Jones said. "It’s time to get on with this search."

"By 2025 we expect new spacecraft designed for long journeys to allow us to begin the first-ever crew missions beyond the moon into deep space," Obama said at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in April 2010. "So we’ll start by sending astronauts to an asteroid for the first time in history. By the mid-2030s, I believe we can send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to earth, and a landing on Mars will follow."   Read more here.

This artist's illustration showing asteroid mission and NASA's Orion spacecraft  Credit: Lockheed Martin

Rand corporation tried to figure out how best to scare the hell out of ‘peasants, old people and… ignorant workers’

Cover of The Men Who Stare At Goats

This sounds more like something straight out of "The Men Who Stare at Goats" .


‘What types of superstitious appeals will be best adapted to the various audiences to be propagandised? A study of local superstitions as reflected in popular folk lore might be profitable in providing answers to these questions" 

Seems the Rand Corporation kept themselves extra busy during the old Cold War days producing a report "The Exploitation of Superstitions for Purposes of Psychological Warfare" (PDF here). The paper was published for the US Air Force on 14 April 1950.

The paper outlines PSYOPS missions that made the locals nervous by exploiting their superstitions. A couple examples the report references:

• In the1920s on Afghanistan’s Northwest Frontier, the British planted loudspeakers in planes warning tribal peoples that God was angry with them for breaking the peace with India 
• During World War II the Germans projected imagery onto ‘drifting clouds’ 

The report details the use of chain letters to clog up enemy communications networks  and the use of bogus fortune-tellers and false astrological data to lower morale in civilians and their leaders.

This come from Mirage Men and you can read a lot more about this  on their site.

Video: The entire Appalachian Trail in just 4 minutes

Ever had the urge to hike the Appalatian Trail? Check out Kevin Gallagher's four-minute video-hike through the trail, which is 2,181 miles in legnth and spans 14 states. You might also want to check out "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson, a very humourous account of hiking on the trail that should be required reading on the trail.

Some facts about the trail:

• Lowest elevation: 124 feet – near the Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mountain, New York
• Highest elevation: 6,625 feet – on Clingmans Dome in Tennessee
• Approximately 165,000 white paint blazes mark the Trail's route.
• More than 10,000 people have reported hiking the length of the Trail.
• It takes approximately 5 million footsteps to walk the entire length of the Trail.
• More than 6,000 volunteers contribute about 200,000 hours to the Appalachian Trail every year.


Green Tunnel from Kevin Gallagher on Vimeo.

Burrito price increase has customer shooting up restaurant

Image by Lester Of Puppets via Flickr

An enraged Taco Bell customer in San Antonio, Texas fired a BB gun at an employee after finding out the price for the seven burritos he ordered has gone up in price. Restaurant patrons hit the floor when the man started shooting an the manager called the police and locked the door when the man fled. The manager saw him put an assault rifle and a handgun on the roof of his car. When police arrived he fired at them with an assault rifle and then barricaded himself in a nearby motel for three hours. Police finally lobbed tear gas into the motel and the man surrendered –– without ever getting his burritos. The Beefy Crunch burritos had been sold for 99 cents each as a promotion, but the promotion had ended and the price had gone up to $1.49. Now that is one cheap hombre!

Paul Shaffer says Jerry Seinfeld wanted him to play George

Paul Shaffer says in the interview (video below), that Jerry Seinfeld wanted him to play the role of George on the hit show Seinfeld. He received a message from Castle Rock Productions (actually Castle Rock Entertainment), Rob Reiner's company, from Jerry Seinfeld asking him to play the part as his sidekick in a new series.

Shaffer didn't recognize Seinfeld's name so never answered the message.

 It's not that Shaffer hasn't done well for himself as David Letterman's musical sidekick, but missing out on Seinfeld is sort of like being the fifth Beatle.

Libya "no fly" zone should be "no go" zone for the west

Image via Wikipedia

How quickly things change. Just months ago U.S. President Obama, Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi and French president Sarkozy, among others, were engaged in photo ops cozying up to the seemingly insane despot Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Not such a bad guy after all it seems. Flash forward. Now they are happily bombing his country in what appears to be essentially a civil war. We can get caught up in the terminology: popular uprising, revolt, civil war, tribal conflict – all are true descriptions – yet essentially the west is becoming embroiled in what is an internal matter within a sovereign state. There seems to be no rush for the west to intervene in Bahrain who have brought Saudi forces in to help them with their 'crisis' and have been firing on their unruly citizens.

Absent among the interveners rs are the Arab states. They seem not to be rushing in to help depose Gaddafi.

This is not surprising given that these states themselves are ruled in much the same manner Libya is. The United Nations have 192 nation members, yet only a handful of the trusty western democracies are involved in the assault on Libya. Where are the rest?

If the west is truly interested in intervening in civil clashes and preventing slaughter, one only has to look at the dismal record in Africa to understand that that intervention on the continent is largely inept and ineffective, when it happens at all.

This is a sad and desperate time in Libya, yet it's not up to the U.S. and its allies to pick a side in a civil war. If Gaddafi had asked the U.S. to help him impose the rule of law in Libya, it's inconceivable that they would intercede. It's called choosing sides, and while we can cheer from the sidelines, we need to let the Libyans choose for Libya. 

Unrest in the Middle East - country by country look

It's getting tough to keep up with all the unrest in the Middle East an North Africa. CNN had put together this excellent interactive map that give you the key news. Click on the map to go to the interactive version on CNN.

Woman sues Starbucks over coffee scalding – Starbucks says fake

Image via Wikipedia

No free drinks from Starabucks for Riffat Qureshi. Qureshi, 36, married mother of four, doctor and self-described as a "professional model" claims she was doused with boiling water which scalded her belly when a Starbucks barista in New York slid the drink across the counter, shouting, "Catch the cup."

Starbucks says Qureshi is faking her injuries and that the woman's physician testified that he diagnosed her with a rash and skin infection. Either way, this is great material. The model, the doctor, the scalding coffee and the "Catch the cup" line. I'm proposing this one for a sitcom to NBC.

Sammy Hagar's brain abducted by aliens

Cover of Sammy Hagar

Now it's all clear to me. I wasn't the booze and drugs that got to Sammy – it was the aliens. Former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar believes his brain was taken over by aliens. Hagar, who is flogging his new book "Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock" dropped the A-word during an interview on MTV. Hagar admits this just might make him "sound like a crazy person" to some readers.

In the interview he was talking about dreams he claims to have had about UFOs when the reporter asked whether he believed he had been abducted. Hagar answered: "I think I have."

"It was real," Hagar said, according to MTV's Hive website. "They were plugged into me. It was a download situation ... or, they uploaded something from my brain, like an experiment."

"This was long before computers or any kind of wireless. There weren’t even wireless telephones. Looking back now, it was like, “Fuck, they downloaded something into me!” Or they uploaded something from my brain, like an experiment. “See what this guy knows.”

We are likely safe from alien attack for the moment, since they decided there was no intelligent life on earth after connecting with Sammy.