More than 60 percent of Britons use items such as screwdrivers, scissors and earrings to remove food from between their teeth, according to a survey published on Friday.

posted by issek @ 23:22 0 comments

Since time immemorial the Nukak-Makú have lived a Stone Age life, roaming across hundreds of miles of isolated and pristine [Colombian] Amazon jungle, killing monkeys with blowguns and scouring the forest floor for berries.

But recently, and rather mysteriously, a group of nearly 80 wandered out of the wilderness, half-naked, a gaggle of children and pet monkeys in tow, and declared themselves ready to join the modern world.

The Nukak have no concept of money, of property, of the role of government, or even of the existence of a country called Colombia. They ask whether the planes that fly overhead are moving on some sort of invisible road.

posted by issek @ 17:46 1 comments

Two Shanghainese entrepreneurs are offering themselves as verbal and physical punch-bags to frustrated office workers. Fed up with your boss? Underpaid? The founders of Wantong Ltd certainly hope so. Chen Jun and Zhang Li are offering Shanghainese a novel service: for 100 yuan they will lend a listening ear; for another 20 yuan you can give them a slap (although this service is only available to women). Wantong Ltd is not doing any official marketing, but relying on word-of-mouth exposure to attract new customers. In the first few weeks of operations, they welcomed five clients: two merely wanted to talk; two were happy with insults; one opted to slap.

posted by issek @ 20:47 0 comments

thanks to ben for the reminder

posted by issek @ 00:44 3 comments

After Alan Greenspan announced he would retire, the chattering classes floated a select few names as his possible replacements. Though the job went to Ben S. Bernanke, one of the top contenders was Glenn Hubbard, dean of Columbia Business School and former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. Based on a recent comedy sketch by Columbia Business School students, however, it appears Mr. Hubbard hasn’t gotten over his snub. Weird Al Yankovic may have some new competition.

posted by issek @ 10:46 1 comments