If there was a contest for the nerdiest piece of furniture ever made, my money would be on this Periodic coffee table. It has everything a science fanatic could ask for, including the actual elements (even the toxic ones) encased in a thick layer of resin to ensure safety. As a whole, the table is actually quite attractive—and it is sure to be a powerful conversation piece. Unfortunately, that conversation may be internal as your date wonders how she got there and how she can escape without offending you. Available for a whopping $9,500. [Element Displays via Born Rich]

Neat, probably a bit cheaper to make your own

Attention Nerds: Periodic Coffee Table With Embedded Element Samples

In the late '90s, pop-culture historian Bill Geerhart had a little too much time on his hands and a surfeit of stamps. So, for his own entertainment, the then-unemployed thirtysomething launched a letter-writing campaign to some of the most powerful and infamous figures in the country, posing as a curious 10-year-old named Billy.

To his surprise, replies soon started pouring in. Everyone from Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld (on tree-fort diplomacy) to Oprah Winfrey, Mister Rogers, Janet Reno, and members of the Supreme Court had words of wisdom for Billy. ("I like the Egg McMuffin," wrote Justice Clarence Thomas when asked about his favorite McDonald's food. "Actually, I like almost everything there.") Responding to Billy's idea for a "Hustler for kids," Larry Flynt wrote back encouraging the fourth grader to "Hang in there. You'll be 18 before you know it."

These are amusing.

From The Magazine : Radar Online : What better mentor for a 10-year-old than Charles Manson? Little Billy seeks life advice, and America's most notorious killers are happy to oblige

The Russian government is in the process of drafting a law to make emo and goth music illegal.

Last month a parliamentary committee was convened to discuss a draft proposal of the Russian government's Government Strategy In The Sphere Of Spiritual And Ethical Education bill, the details of which were leaked to The Moscow Times. The newspaper subsequently reported that, among other things, the draft bill dubbed the musical movements a "dangerous teen trend" and called for emo and goth websites to be regulated and young people dressing like emos or goths to be banned from entering schools and government buildings.

Kerrang! Emo and goth to be made illegal in Russia

Get some nuts.

YouTube - Speedwalker

Four Iowans were arrested today while attempting to make a Citizens’ Arrest of Karl Rove in Des Moines, Iowa. Citing Iowa Code provisions for making Citizen’s Arrests as well as citing Federal Statute violations they claimed Rove had violated, the four were stopped at the gate of the Wakonda Country Club in Des Moines where Rove was scheduled to speak at a Republican Fundraiser.

Citizens' Arrest of Karl Rove Attempted in Iowa |

The Kowloon Walled City was located just outside Hong Kong, China during British rule. A former watchpost to protect the area against pirates, it was occupied by Japan during World War II and subsequently taken over by squatters after Japan’s surrender. Neither Britain nor China wanted responsibility for it, so it became its own lawless city.

Its population flourished for decades, with residents building labyrinthine corridors above the street level, which was clogged with trash. The buildings grew so tall that sunlight couldn’t reach the bottom levels and the entire city had to be illuminated with fluorescent lights. It was a place where brothels, casinos, opium dens, cocaine parlors, food courts serving dog meat and secret factories ran unmolested by authorities. It was finally torn down in 1993 after a mutual decision was made by British and Chinese authorities, who had finally grown wary of the unsanitary, anarchic city and its out-of-control population. null

Wow, Kowloon looks like something out of Blade Runner. Kind of like the alleys of of Shinjuku if you turned the power off!

10 Most Amazing Ghost Towns

Somebody went into Mike Tyson’s old mansion and took pictures. There’s an explanation on the site about the history of the mansion but either my reading comprehension is shot or it’s the first thing that this person has ever written in their life.

Rosebud.

Cynical-C Blog - » A Tour of Mike Tyson’s Abandoned Mansion

Howard Nemerov said “Nothing in the universe can travel at the speed of light, they say, forgetful of the shadow’s speed.” But what about the amazing effects and contrasts of light and dark. In their invisible race to the finish line, what effects or phenomena do they create? We decided to explore 20 of the most stunning images for your viewing pleasure

20 Most Incredible Light Phenomena [pics] : Environmental News Blog | Environmental Graffiti

Art Clay Silver is a pliable, aqueous clay that is transformed to pure silver by heating inside a kiln or with a simple propane torch. Now anyone can easily create one of a kind silver jewelry!

Art Clay Silver - The silver clay that makes creating jewelry easy. Gold too.

I continue to be really stunned by the imagery that surrounds Obama in this campaign. I can’t think of another candidate that has been portrayed in this manner during a campaign by graphic print and street artists. Is this the growth of our generation into a political machine and marking a shift in the that candidates are embraced and promoted on a grass roots level?

i wonder if the off white is intentional design humor

Positive VORB » Graphic Artists for Obama