Wednesday, September 30, 2009
One more for the road....
Late post I know, and I've already jammed a ton of shit down your throat today but this video is great.
A Very Bonus Contest!
So I kinda hinted at this last Friday, but because I had Monday off, and yesterday SUCKED we're getting to this a little later then I had planned.
Anyway I'm going to be having a contest, it will run from today, to next Thursday morning. The plan? Whoever can post the best, most bonus relevant (and humorous) comment on one of my articles over the next week will be the winner. All articles that I posted today, Wednesday the 30th (I posted like 8 to make up for the missed days, so get to em) are eligible, but anything before that is not. The contest will run like I said till next Thursday, October 8th at 5 PM. I will announce the winner most likely that evening or on Friday morning.
EVERYONE is eligible, and it looks like I've got a decent number of people reading this fairly regularly, so give it a shot. Not only do you get a chance at a prize, but you'll also be positively contributing to, and spending your Bonus Time. Win win, right?
The prize is a package deal which will include the following:
- I will give you free reign over what goes on Bonus Time for a whole day, this will be for minimum of 3 but no more than 5 posts (unless I love the idea). This part is really open ended. I'll accept either you sending me a bunch of shit you'd like ME to write about, or YOU contributing to the blog for a day (and if I like what you write, maybe it becomes a permanent thing).
- You will become an honorary Hero of Bonus Time, I'll do a focus profile of you on the site, and the facebook. You can skip this part if you want to remain anonymous, and if you chose to be anonymous I totally can respect and understand that. If you chose to remain anonymous I'll let you chose someone else who you feel is a hero of Bonus Time and I'll honor them.
- And, the best part of all ...... a BEER! That's right, I will buy you a beer of your choice and we can sit together and drink it and talk about Bonus Time and stuff. This one only really works if you live in the New York area. If you don't then I'll figure something else out. If you don't drink you're a pussy, but I promise that if you absolutely don't want a beer I'll figure something else out.
Now there's gonna be certain stipulations to all of this. If you send me a bunch of retarded shit for your day then I'm going to tell you that. Hopefully so far I've given you all a good eye as to what actually flies for Bonus material, but if you're way to off the tee I'll let you know and hopefully we can figure something out.
The same goes for the hero, if you pick some dip shit like Kanye (who's already a villain and wouldn't work regardless) I'll let you know.
The beer is really where the world is your oyster, your choice of bar, your choice of beer, and it's on me. I really not gonna put a limit on this one, but know that it is ONE beer, but I will probably end up drinking like 15 and buying you at least a shot too cause I'm a fuckin great guy. Again if you don't live in the city (and are not willing to come hang out), or you don't drink we'll figure this part out. I'm sure I can figure out some kind of alternate prize.
And honestly, this goes above all else. If you don't know who I am, feel free to enter the contest as well. I might nix the beer part just cause of the creepy for both of us, but I'm willing to cross that bridge when we come to it. This is above all else a way to have fun, and to get the Bonus Faithful a little more involved in the blog.
Note: You can comment as many times as you want over the week, all comments will be eligible and considered.
So get to it bitches! Let's see those comments tally up!
What Hath Science Wrought? Beetles Mind Controlled By Humans
The video says it all, scientists are with the aid of technology able to control the actions of beetles. The beetle carries a wireless microsystem, which includes a micro processor, a radio receiver, battery, and six electrodes implanted in the creatures brain and flight muscles.
Using a lap top computer and a wireless transmitter, scientists are able to tell the beetle which direction to fly in, as well as when they want it to land and take off.
This opens quite a bit of possibilities for man, which the video notes could be used for animal research, search and rescue, and of course war fare. It sounds like a pretty crazy system, and it's incredibly disturbing to think that a bug flying around could be a US government spy, but it's still a hell of a technological development, and great to see something so out there taking place during Bonus Time.
Using a lap top computer and a wireless transmitter, scientists are able to tell the beetle which direction to fly in, as well as when they want it to land and take off.
This opens quite a bit of possibilities for man, which the video notes could be used for animal research, search and rescue, and of course war fare. It sounds like a pretty crazy system, and it's incredibly disturbing to think that a bug flying around could be a US government spy, but it's still a hell of a technological development, and great to see something so out there taking place during Bonus Time.
Why Didn't I Think Of This?
This amazing graph shows which trains people most commonly "miss connections" on.
If you don't know what the Craigslist missed connections section is you're really missing out on your Bonus Time. Not only are these a hilarious read, they're also a great way to have some fun if you can think of a hilarious enough e-mail to send one of the suckers on there.
For those of you not in the know, the Craigslist missed connections section is a personals section on Craigslist where people can post if they feel they had a special bond with someone on the subway, but didn't have the balls to act on it. Did you think that blond actually was checking you out, was the dude staring at your tits the whole ride really trying to say, "hey, I bet we both love poetry and Italian food!" this is where you go to find that out.
But CL hasn't made the Bonus Blog just because they exist (although browsing their personals is a great way to laugh your ass off during Bonus Time), it's because a Brooklyn illustrator and publisher has taken the personals to the next level.
According to this article, Sophie Blackall saw the section as a limitless opportunity to create art. She is now creating prints based on some of her favorites from the site, which she says she was prone to browsing for an upwards of 2 hours at a time on most days.
That is so freakin' awesome, and very Bonus Time. Taking what would otherwise be a boring, menial activity used only really to pass time (aka waste it) and turning it not only into art, but art that is potentially profitable over a long period of time, that's pretty awesome. Good for you Sophie, and to the chick who was kinda brushing against me yesterday with her bag on the train, I know what you were trying to say baby, but you can't cage this bird, he's gotta fly.
For those of you not in the know, the Craigslist missed connections section is a personals section on Craigslist where people can post if they feel they had a special bond with someone on the subway, but didn't have the balls to act on it. Did you think that blond actually was checking you out, was the dude staring at your tits the whole ride really trying to say, "hey, I bet we both love poetry and Italian food!" this is where you go to find that out.
But CL hasn't made the Bonus Blog just because they exist (although browsing their personals is a great way to laugh your ass off during Bonus Time), it's because a Brooklyn illustrator and publisher has taken the personals to the next level.
According to this article, Sophie Blackall saw the section as a limitless opportunity to create art. She is now creating prints based on some of her favorites from the site, which she says she was prone to browsing for an upwards of 2 hours at a time on most days.
That is so freakin' awesome, and very Bonus Time. Taking what would otherwise be a boring, menial activity used only really to pass time (aka waste it) and turning it not only into art, but art that is potentially profitable over a long period of time, that's pretty awesome. Good for you Sophie, and to the chick who was kinda brushing against me yesterday with her bag on the train, I know what you were trying to say baby, but you can't cage this bird, he's gotta fly.
2003 Was Waaaaay Too Long Ago
Another Bonus Time year's worth of fun facts for the faithful out there. This time we're gonna focus on 2003. Again this is a facebook repost, and if you're not a fan of us on facebook yet click on the fucking thing on the right.
2003
International Year of Freshwater
January 18 – The Canberra Bushfires in Canberra, Australia kill 4 people
March 13 – The journal Nature reports that 350,000-year-old upright-walking human footprints had been found in Italy.
April 14 – The Human Genome Project is completed, with 99% of the human genome sequenced to 99.99% accuracy.
June 22 – The largest hailstone ever recorded falls in Aurora, Nebraska.
July 6 – The 70-meter Eupatoria Planetary Radar sends a METI message Cosmic Call 2 to 5 stars: Hip 4872, HD 245409, 55 Cancri, HD 10307 and 47 Ursae Majoris, that will arrive at these stars in 2036, 2040, 2044, 2044 and 2049 respectively
August 28 – Bank robber Brian Douglas Wells is killed when a time bomb around his neck explodes, allegedly in an act of betrayal by his co-conspirators.
September 3 – The Hubble Space Telescope starts Hubble Ultra Deep Field.
October 15 – The 2003 Staten Island Ferry crash kills 11 after one of its ferries slams into a pier.
November 23 – A total solar eclipse is seen over Antarctica.
December 25 – Beagle 2 is scheduled to land on Mars, but nothing is heard from the lander.
2003International Year of Freshwater
January 18 – The Canberra Bushfires in Canberra, Australia kill 4 people
March 13 – The journal Nature reports that 350,000-year-old upright-walking human footprints had been found in Italy.
April 14 – The Human Genome Project is completed, with 99% of the human genome sequenced to 99.99% accuracy.
June 22 – The largest hailstone ever recorded falls in Aurora, Nebraska.
July 6 – The 70-meter Eupatoria Planetary Radar sends a METI message Cosmic Call 2 to 5 stars: Hip 4872, HD 245409, 55 Cancri, HD 10307 and 47 Ursae Majoris, that will arrive at these stars in 2036, 2040, 2044, 2044 and 2049 respectively
August 28 – Bank robber Brian Douglas Wells is killed when a time bomb around his neck explodes, allegedly in an act of betrayal by his co-conspirators.
September 3 – The Hubble Space Telescope starts Hubble Ultra Deep Field.
October 15 – The 2003 Staten Island Ferry crash kills 11 after one of its ferries slams into a pier.
November 23 – A total solar eclipse is seen over Antarctica.
December 25 – Beagle 2 is scheduled to land on Mars, but nothing is heard from the lander.
Shitloads of New Species Discovered in 2008
Fangs? Alright, it's a start.I'm only going to briefly touch on this, but 2008 was a hell of a year for discovering new species. Last year 163 new species were found in South East Asia's Mekong region alone. The discoveries ranged from fanged frogs, to leopard geckos, to new types of wild banana plants. And most of them are found no where else on Earth, at least so far.
The mainstream belief is that the fanged frog evolved to defend itself against Glenn Beck's insane attacks, but the rest of the species have been evolving over the last 8,000 years or so, as climate changes took place in the region to separate certain creatures from one another, and creating this immense range of diversity.
Here is a link to the article, they've also got a video on their homepage, but NG is weird about letting you embed their new videos so good luck finding it yourself.
The mainstream belief is that the fanged frog evolved to defend itself against Glenn Beck's insane attacks, but the rest of the species have been evolving over the last 8,000 years or so, as climate changes took place in the region to separate certain creatures from one another, and creating this immense range of diversity.
Here is a link to the article, they've also got a video on their homepage, but NG is weird about letting you embed their new videos so good luck finding it yourself.
Moon Maybe Has Water
Photo from Bonus Times trip to the Moon.
First I'd just like to say yes, Bonus Time has been on the moon. That is one of the pictures from our trip there, and yes it was amazing.
Secondly, it looks like there might actually be water on the moon, as opposed to the commonly accepted theory that the moon was made entirely out of cheese.
Scientists aren't 100% sure about this yet (and they way they're planning to figure it out is fucking awesome, but more on that later) but at the very least the ingredients to make water appear to be scattered across the moons surface.
According to this article the only question now is whether or not this is actual water they're finding, or hydroxyl (which can be bound with hydrogen to make water). The big problem that's in the way is that these molecules are bound to other molecules all across the surface of the moon, and because of that there's simply not a lot of them. It is possible however that with a little effort this could become a renewable source of water on the moon which would, "reduce the payloads that would need to be taken into space to maintain a future lunar outpost."
Moon Base One online.
Secondly, it looks like there might actually be water on the moon, as opposed to the commonly accepted theory that the moon was made entirely out of cheese.
Scientists aren't 100% sure about this yet (and they way they're planning to figure it out is fucking awesome, but more on that later) but at the very least the ingredients to make water appear to be scattered across the moons surface.
According to this article the only question now is whether or not this is actual water they're finding, or hydroxyl (which can be bound with hydrogen to make water). The big problem that's in the way is that these molecules are bound to other molecules all across the surface of the moon, and because of that there's simply not a lot of them. It is possible however that with a little effort this could become a renewable source of water on the moon which would, "reduce the payloads that would need to be taken into space to maintain a future lunar outpost."
Moon Base One online.Now how scientists determine whether or not these are actual water molecules, or hydroxyl is pretty awesome. Their plan? Smashing a probe into the moon.
I'm serious, that's what they're gonna do.
Sometimes scientists really seem to get shit right, and wanton destruction always gets a thumbs up here at Bonus Time. Their plan is to send a plume of the moon's surface into space so that they can study it in better light, and that's a hell of a way to go about it.
Anyway all of this is just dripping with Bonus Time awesomeness, I call having the first moon pool party. You all heard me call it, I have witnesses.
I'm serious, that's what they're gonna do.
Sometimes scientists really seem to get shit right, and wanton destruction always gets a thumbs up here at Bonus Time. Their plan is to send a plume of the moon's surface into space so that they can study it in better light, and that's a hell of a way to go about it.
Anyway all of this is just dripping with Bonus Time awesomeness, I call having the first moon pool party. You all heard me call it, I have witnesses.
US Troops Finally Able to Enjoy Bonus Time
Rough Riders > All Other Riders (And Ridas)
Good news for the troops over in Iraq coming out of Washington this week. And no it's not some asshole celebrity who's going over there to cheer them up. No according to this article, 4,000 troops will be pulled out of Iraq in this coming month alone. After that President Obama has said that he plans to have all US combat troops out by August 31st 2010.
You do have to be careful with your wording there though, as after all combat troops are removed, the United States will still have some 35,000-50,000 troops remaining in Iraq. So while we're not completely withdrawing, it still likely relieves some of the stress on our over worked troops, while still keeping the career guys in the saddle.
The reason behind the troop withdrawal is a drop in violence in Iraq overall. According to experts, violence in Iraq has dropped some 85% over the last 2 years. This is also coupled with the continued build of U.S. trust in Iraqi security forces in the nation as they continue to grow.
Pretty good news for the guys over there. Over the last few years I've noticed a ton of stories about how our troops are getting screwed into more and more tours of duty, being cornered into serving more time then they'd ever signed up for. Good to see that these guys get to go home, and enjoy time with their families. They'll need the rest for now, because when the Super Earthicans come, we will all have to be ready to fight.
You do have to be careful with your wording there though, as after all combat troops are removed, the United States will still have some 35,000-50,000 troops remaining in Iraq. So while we're not completely withdrawing, it still likely relieves some of the stress on our over worked troops, while still keeping the career guys in the saddle.
The reason behind the troop withdrawal is a drop in violence in Iraq overall. According to experts, violence in Iraq has dropped some 85% over the last 2 years. This is also coupled with the continued build of U.S. trust in Iraqi security forces in the nation as they continue to grow.
Pretty good news for the guys over there. Over the last few years I've noticed a ton of stories about how our troops are getting screwed into more and more tours of duty, being cornered into serving more time then they'd ever signed up for. Good to see that these guys get to go home, and enjoy time with their families. They'll need the rest for now, because when the Super Earthicans come, we will all have to be ready to fight.
Bonus Time for a Jet!
Did you really think the word "Jet" being in the title would not equal a Jet Jaguar picture?
This article was pretty funny I have to say. A jet that was lost more than 50 years ago off the coast of California was recovered recently by "aircraft archeologists." Let me just take a minute here to laugh about that. Aircraft archeologists, that's great! I was so set to write a regular article (as if there is one of those around here) and then I read that and lost it.
I don't know who to give the thumbs up to here, the wreckage for being discovered after 50 years in the briney deep, or the people who found it for having such a ridiculous job title. Yah know what, I give up. I mean honestly is that just me?
Oh I also liked the part where they said the aircraft they recovered had been presumed lost at sea for all of these years. It's been 50 years, it WAS lost at sea that's pretty cut and dry.
Still I'll take any excuse to use a Jet Jaguar picture, and good for all of the clowns involved in this project. If you can make money doing this shit then good for you, viva Bonus Time!
I don't know who to give the thumbs up to here, the wreckage for being discovered after 50 years in the briney deep, or the people who found it for having such a ridiculous job title. Yah know what, I give up. I mean honestly is that just me?
Oh I also liked the part where they said the aircraft they recovered had been presumed lost at sea for all of these years. It's been 50 years, it WAS lost at sea that's pretty cut and dry.
Still I'll take any excuse to use a Jet Jaguar picture, and good for all of the clowns involved in this project. If you can make money doing this shit then good for you, viva Bonus Time!
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