Helicopter Hieroglyphs Explained

                 [Click on any picture to bring up a larger photo]

I can't solve all of the (cue reverb) MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE, but I have solved one.  There are a set of hieroglyphs in Seti I's temple in Abydos, Egypt that certain people have decided show the ancient Egyptians had, or knew about, helicopters, tanks, submarines and jets.  Yes, I can see how it looks like that, but the truth is, of course, mundane.  It took me a day to figure out what was going on.  (Yay Google images, Wikipedia and an amateur interest in hieroglyphs!) 

Touch My Monkey

In a bit of absurdity (serious as it is to some)...

In case you need to travel with your helper monkey through airspace, here are a few things that you need to know about security (but leave home with lots of time to spare)...

*When the handler and service monkey go through the walk through metal detector and the detector alarms, both the handler and the monkey must undergo additional screening. [it might be a knife throwing circus monkey in reality -- you really do have to be careful]

*Since service monkeys may likely draw attention [slow down everyone else getting through security, what with the rubber-necking], the handler will be escorted to the physical inspection area where a table is available for the monkey to sit on. Only the handler will touch or interact with the service monkey. [they can bite off a finger]

*Security Officers have been trained to not touch the service monkey during the screening process  [insurance probably doesn't cover monkey ravaging]

*Security Officers will conduct a visual inspection on the service monkey and will coach the handler on how to hold the monkey during the visual inspection.  [this is why a prehensile tail comes in useful]

*The inspection process may require that the handler to take off the monkey’s diaper as part of the visual inspection. [treat the monkey nicely or it may use the contents of its diaper in protest]

Brackets are mine.

thanks BoingBoing for the link to the TSA special needs page.

3 guesses what it is and what you do with it...

King Edward VII of England, or Bertie as most people know him, had a slew of mistresses and a favorite brothel in Paris where this pretty piece of furniture was part of his favorite room, and is now on display. The Daily Mail (where I got this photo from) doesn’t seem to be able to picture how it could possibly be used. Personally I think it is quite obvious, but that might just say more about me than the Daily Mail. "The way in which Bertie used the chair has been lost in the mists of time." Not really.

If I didn't know better, I would think this would look cool in my living room. That would be embarrassing.

-If you need an explanation, you don't need to know-

I wonder(land)...

It has been pointed out to me that my favorite word is "interesting". It's a judgment call of course, one person's 'wow!' is another person's 'what the hell is that?' -- but I use it often. Colorful to perfectly dark tones, wonderfully insane, wickedly awesome, dream-like or meta-reality, eye-catching confections that are out of place, tastes weird but nice, sounds odd but strikes a chord you want to hear more of, it is a positive downer or a twisted saccharine teaser...it's strangeness that isn't completely comfortable or overly threatening. "Interesting" is something I head toward, even if I have no idea what is around the corner.


The first book I read on my own, picked up and started reading without any prodding, was "Alice in Wonderland" and I personally see a connection. I wonder how the first chosen books of others relate to them as adults -- what their favorite word is or what they seek out. [Discuss amongst yourself]