Sunday Overnight Open Thread - March 22, 2026 [Doof]

From Earth Pictures

Howdy Hordelings! Thanks for stopping by the Sunday ONT. Spring has sprung! I was out enjoying the amazing weather today - playing some mediocre golf. What were you up to today? Hopefully something enjoyable. Join us in the comments. What's on YOUR mind tonight?

Feel older than 29?

City has roads named Tape Drive and Disk Drive from bygone HDD-making era — area was once home to the StorageTek empire

Some U.S. towns and cities have roads that have been given names that are clearly technology-related. Redditor MorgothTheBauglir is the latest to surface this fact, recalling their recent surprise of exploring their new neighborhood and happening upon two intersecting roads: Tape Drive and Disk Drive. These are in the Louisville/Broomfield area, north of Denver, Colorado. But, as you will read below, they aren’t the only computer tech-related street names, even in Colorado.

The reason for the existence of these two particular roads is now lost in time. According to the Redditor’s tale, the roads are “in the middle of a dirt field like forgotten monuments to the golden age of physical backups.” A bit of Google Maps exploring shows they do indeed look rather neglected. However, they were created when Storage Technology Corporation (better known as StorageTek or STK) used to maintain a 400-acre campus there, with thousands of employees, and it was so expansive that it had its own road network.

Formed in 1969 by a quartet of ex-IBM engineers, STK thrived off the back of its enterprise storage business. It was bought by Sun Microsystems in 2005 for a considerable outlay ($4.1bn), but its operations and employees were integrated into another Sun Micro location. A company called ConocoPhillips would eventually buy up and demolish the STK facilities for redevelopment into a renewable energy facility. That didn’t materialize, though, and the space has been left unused.

Check out the full story. Kinda cool throwback idea.

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The price of diesel fuel has risen - These guys had an idea!

Magnets used to bypass diesel pumps in Northwest Florida theft scheme, investigators say

Several arrests have now been made in connection to an organized diesel fuel theft scheme spanning multiple counties in Northwest Florida.

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Agricultural investigators say four of the individuals in a Santa Rosa County case used strong magnets to manipulate fuel pump components. The magnets are a common method used for stealing fuel.

Investigators say the defendants placed the magnet on the fuel pump, overriding a component -- in turn, allowing the fuel to flow freely and bypass the payment system.

The individuals were reportedly caught on surveillance footage filling up multiple semi trucks with diesel fuel.

What did they plan to do with it?

Captain Brad Brady with the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement says sometimes it's just for personal gain.

"Based off our experience with this, people that are engaging this type of fuel theft, they're either selling the fuel on the black market or it could be associated with some other somewhat legitimate business," he said. "So a trucking business, if you have an owner operator, one of his most expensive line item overheads is fuel."

Nice try, Florida Men!

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Math on the blog? Sorta kinda

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Which one to buy???

'Ette Couture (Courtesy of Piper)

It's that time of the week - when we turn the ONT over to our good friend Piper for a bit. Here's this week's fashion pr0n.

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Timeless Icons: Legendary Hollywood Gowns

In the golden age of Hollywood, the right gown didn’t just dress a star—it created legends. Costume designers turned fabric into fantasy, amplifying glamour, drama, and unforgettable moments on screen. These iconic looks from classic films still inspire runways, auctions, and pop culture today. Here’s a spotlight on a few famous gowns, with the brilliant designers behind them, plus a little fun trivia that makes them even more magical.

Marilyn Monroe’s Pink Satin Showstopper in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

William “Billy” Travilla designed this shocking-pink strapless satin gown with its dramatic oversized bow for Monroe’s iconic “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” number. He backed the peau d’ange silk with green billiard felt for perfect structure using just two side seams. Travilla’s first sketch was far more revealing and burlesque-inspired, but studio execs demanded it be toned down, resulting in this version that still oozed sex appeal.

Audrey Hepburn’s Little Black Dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

Hubert de Givenchy created this elegant full-length black satin sheath (with hem adjustments by Edith Head) for Hepburn’s opening scene as Holly Golightly. The bateau neckline, back cutouts, and pearl necklace made it the ultimate LBD. Givenchy produced three versions; one sold at Christie’s in 2006 for £467,200 (then the highest price ever for a film costume). Hepburn called Givenchy her “best friend,” and their decades-long collaboration helped popularize the little black dress for everyday elegance.

Vivien Leigh’s Bold Burgundy Velvet Gown in Gone with the Wind (1939)

Walter Plunkett designed this striking red silk velvet gown, adorned with glass beads and ostrich feathers, for Scarlett O’Hara’s defiant party look. The low-cut, feathered drama was far more 1930s-glam than historically accurate Civil War fashion. The vibrant red (sometimes called her “dress of shame”) was a deliberate film choice to contrast the famous green curtain dress and symbolize Scarlett’s fiery rebellion. Plunkett created over 5,000 costumes for the epic film.

Jean Harlow’s White Satin Bias-Cut Gown in Dinner at Eight (1933)

MGM’s legendary Adrian crafted this slinky, backless white satin masterpiece that perfectly embodied 1930s Art Deco glamour. The bias cut hugged Harlow’s figure so tightly she literally couldn’t sit down between takes. MGM built her a custom “reclining board” to rest on! It remains one of the most influential screen gowns of the decade.

Ava Gardner’s Slinky Black Satin Gown in The Killers (1946)

Vera West (Universal’s head costume designer) created this seductive one-shoulder black satin evening gown, paired with long gloves, for Gardner’s femme-fatale turn as Kitty Collins. She wears it while leaning against a piano in a hypnotic scene. The look has influenced modern designers like Dior and Donna Karan. It was a breakout for Gardner and perfectly captured film-noir danger, complete with custom Salvatore Ferragamo sandals.

Marilyn Monroe’s White Halter Dress in The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Travilla (again!) designed this pleated white rayon-acetate crepe halter cocktail dress that billowed dramatically over the subway grate. The fabric was specially chosen to swing perfectly yet drape naturally. Filming on a New York street drew huge crowds (and reportedly upset husband Joe DiMaggio); Monroe wore two pairs of underwear for modesty under the lights. Travilla called it “that silly little dress,” yet the original later sold for millions and remains one of cinema’s most parodied images.

Marlene Dietrich’s Mysterious Feathered Ensemble in Shanghai Express (1932)

Travis Banton designed the lavish black crepe bias-cut gown exploding with coq (fighting cock) feathers, complete with veil, pearls, and skull cap. Banton and director Josef von Sternberg chose the specific black feathers for how they photographed under dramatic lighting. Dietrich famously demanded, “Feathers, Travis!”creating an aura of exotic mystery that defined her screen persona forever. In other trivia, my brother’s name is Travis.

These gowns prove that in Hollywood, the dress can be the real star. From auction-house records to endless homages, their glamour endures. Which one steals your heart?

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Thanks, Piper!

Don't forget to check out Piper's X page.

DJ Doof - Random Stuff Edition

Weekly commenter stats for week of 3-22-2026

AoSHQ Commenter Statistics:
Number of posts: 81
Number of comments: 22518
Number of unique hashes: 1698

Top 10 commenters:
1 [605 comments] 'Sponge - F*ck Cancer' [85.94 posts/day]
2 [525 comments] 'TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films'
3 [351 comments] 'man'
4 [350 comments] 'Christopher R Taylor'
5 [341 comments] 'SSBN 656 (G)'
6 [313 comments] 'rickb223 '
7 [290 comments] 'r hennigantx'
8 [288 comments] 'runner'
9 [279 comments] ''
10 [267 comments] 'Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _'

Top 10 sockpuppeteers:
1 [168 names] 'Paddy O'Furniture!!' [23.87 unique names/day]
2 [145 names] 'SSBN 656 (G)'
3 [117 names] 'Defined as to lose all meaning '
4 [112 names] 'Quarter Twenty '
5 [74 names] 'Silent but sympathetic bartender Miklos'
6 [58 names] 'Duncanthrax'
7 [33 names] 'Intercepted Reddit Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison'
8 [32 names] 'Sponge - F*ck Cancer'
9 [32 names] 'Count de Monet'
10 [31 names] 'mikeski'

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posted by Open Blogger at 10:04 PM

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