Overnight Open Thread

Miss me last night? I didn’t think so. The feeling’s mutual.

More cowbell? I got yer out-of-synch cowbell right here (including cowbell solo near the end):

Ok, enough of that nonsense. Let's move on to...

Enviropig!

From this month's issue of Popular Science, A Bioengineered Pig That Excretes Fewer Pollutants. NOW we're sizzlin.' How Enviropig works:

"1. Make the enzyme As the pig chews, the Escherichia coli genes implanted in its salivary glands begin promoting phytase production.

2. Break up the pollutant
Phytase begins breaking phytate into digestible phosphate in the mouth, but it really ramps up its activity when it hits the stomach’s strong acid.

3. Poop and pee away!
Because they don’t need phosphate supplements, Enviropigs excrete 30 to 65 percent less phosphorus."

Wait...what? Implanted E. Coli genes? Seems counterintuitive but I'll play along. But what about the really important stuff?

"(Forsberg) is currently petitioning the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health Canada for permission to serve Enviropig meat. “Unfortunately, it is illegal for us to do taste tests at this time, despite the temptation,” he says. “But I expect they’ll taste quite good.”

Oh. Is there anything Enviropig can't do?

A Brief Death Race 2000 Break.(You've earned it if you've made it this far through this abomination of a post):

The Real-Life "Joker" From Full Metal Jacket:

His actual name was Gustav Hasford. His cousin set up a tribute site to him which includes the full text of "Short-Timers," the novel on which the film was based. It also includes all his other work plus pics, interviews, bio etc.

Hasford had a pretty checkered life which came to somewhat of an unfortunate end in 1993, according to his cousin:

Yet he died alone, living in a cheap motel on the island of Aegina in Greece.

Sad, but a very interesting guy. And yeah, there was also a real-life "Pvt. Gomer Pyle," but somewhat different from the one portrayed in the film.

Some doggeh and kitteh doing unnatural things:

Len is concerned about solar energy thievery. And in the end, aren't we all?

ADDED: The Wiki entry on the making of the video.

"The group used a $100,000 budget to make the video. They flew to Daytona Beach, Florida with two dozen friends while the area was crowded with people on their spring vacations. They spent much of the budget on alcohol, buying so much that they broke their hotel's elevator trying to lift it. They shot the video in the afternoon so that they could recover from hangovers in the morning and drink in the evening.

For this I confer on them the title: "Honorary Morons."

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posted by Genghis at 10:15 PM

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