Word of the Day

Nombrilisme (Fr.): the disposition to look insecurely inward, to be preoccupied with self-interrogation,             navel gazing.

Adam has no idea that his penchant for nombrilisme was the reason why his girlfriend left him for an XBox.

Sometimes love just ain't enough

Really. Especially when you have diverging ideologies.

Giant step, whoa

Today, 4 members of my family are making their way to Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage. For those who are unfamiliar, the hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage that every Muslim who can afford it is obligated to undertake between the 8th to the 12th of Zulhijjah (the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar).

Not very many young Muslims think about going for hajj; to them, it is only something to contemplate when they are past forty. Heck, I myself am only thinking of the pilgrimage in abstract, academic terms. I only know that I want to go any season but summer (cos it's hot as heck in Saudi in summer, yo).

From what I've heard from those who had gone for it, it is a physically and mentally challenging journey but most rewarding spiritually. But I really love what this guy have to say about going for the hajj.



Good journey, my dears. May your hajj be mabrukh!

Now *this* is the kind of politician I want ... back when I was an angsty, anarchic teenager.

His manifesto is awesome.



I bet this is his theme song.



Unabashedly stolen from Obefiend here.

Sh*t & giggles, midweek edition

I'm sure you've met a couple of these and want to set them on fire.

This is the life, no? Ah, to be Kermit ...




This guy is so clueless. Guess what they say about advertising execs is true. *snerk*

 Ah, casualties of war comes in many colours. Some of them homophobic.

Hey! Bears have feelings too! And some of them are endangered! Say NO to bear tasering!

Totally my life philosophy. Like totally. *nods vigorously*

Those dastardly bankers!!!! *shakes fist*

Wow. What strength in the thigh muscles that would require. *shudder*

  Been there. Sometimes you just cannot win. *shakes head sadly*

TOP 10 REASONS WHY TRICK OR TREATING IS BETTER THAN SEX

#10
 YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO GET AT LEAST A LITTLE SOMETHING IN THE SACK!

#9
IF YOU GET TIRED YOU CAN WAIT TEN MINUTES AND GO AT IT AGAIN!

#8
THE UGLIER YOU LOOK THE EASIER IT IS TO GET SOME!

#7
YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMPLIMENT THE PERSON WHO GIVES YOU SOME!

#6
FORTY YEARS FROM NOW YOU'LL STILL ENJOY CANDY!

#5
ITS O.K. WHEN THE PERSON YOU'RE WITH FANTASIZES YOU'RE SOMEONE ELSE, BECAUSE YOU ARE!

#4
IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU GET YOU CAN ALWAYS GO NEXT DOOR!

#3
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE KIDS HEAR YOU MOANING & GROANING!

#2
LESS GUILT THE MORNING AFTER!

#1
YOU CAN DO THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD!

In other words, candy trumps sex any day.

Trolls are everywhere ...

Trolling is commonly decried as a negative social activity redolent with malicious intent and provocation. However, an accomplished troll does not necessarily require a 4chan account; those who enjoy doing it in real-life do not get the benefit of a sockpuppet.

Reading the list below made me realise that I have been an inadvertent real-life troll in said situation. Oops.


Top 5 annoying questions at scientific meetings.

5. Question: “You know, our group has been working on this for a long time, and we found that…”
Really means: “How come you got invited to talk about this and not I?”

4. Question:  “Have you tried using Y instead of X?”
Really means: “We are doing the same thing using Y, since we can’t afford to use X on our budget. But we haven’t had results in the past two years, and you totally scooped us. Is there any way we can actually get results using Y?”

3. Question: “So where do you think this work is going?”
Really means: “I was just scratching my head, and the microphone runner thought I was raising my hand and handed me the mike.  Now that I actually have the mike, I might as well ask something”.

2. Question:  “You know, I was just talking about this recently with Bigshot1 and Bigshot2, and they said that…”
Really means:  “Hey, look at me!  I’m important enough to have engaged both Bigshot1 and Bigshot2 together in a conference. (They couldn’t get away because it was the conference dinner with free booze).”

1. Question:  “It seems that this whole field of…. is filled with very exciting prospects. We have been looking into…. and Bigshot3 has recently published in Science….(3-4 minutes more in the same vein)  so my question is: what are your thoughts?”
Really means: “Muahahaha. By hijacking Q&A time, I got to present at this conference even though I was not invited to. Sucks to the Program Committee.”

From here.

Sheer poetry

These princesses ain't waiting for some lame prince to come and rescue the day. They can kick ass and take names ... even in tulle.

Because even villains need to get paid and cannot run away from taxes.

Sometimes the price you pay for piracy is too high.

Darn it. Why didn't I have maps like this when I had to take Georgraphy in school?


Creep (Radiohead) - Scala & Kolacny Brothers from Alex Heller on Vimeo.

The Scala & Kolacny Brothers choir gives a new dimension to pop and rock standards. Stop motion animation = FTW!

Fanboys

Fanning a real-life hero, Comedy Central-style.

Life is like Lego (TM) ...

... you learn something new every day. One of my youngest uncles bought me a Lego set when I was a wee sprog; it ever got completed to the specs on the box when he opened it and showed me how to do it. I am ever fail at following instruction, much less constructing three dimensional structures. No wonder I never even contemplated architecture school. :p

But this guy? I would award him eleventy billion internet for this. Soooo cool.