Prince Rupert's Drop at 130,000 fps!


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Hunting for Trinitite

http://arstechnica.com/staff/2014/09/trinitite-the-radioactive-rock-buried-in-new-mexico-before-the-atari-games/

”When you’re hanging out in the trash dump be sure to look out for Trinitite,” automotive editor Jonathan Gitlin told me.

”What’s Trinitite?” I asked. He explained that it was a type of radioactive glass that formed during the first test of the first nuclear bomb in 1945. I did a quick Google search and understood (somewhat incorrectly, more on that later) that collecting and selling Trinitite had been made illegal long ago. I made a mental note to keep an eye out for the murky green or red glass when I was in Alamogordo.…

Buying Ivy

http://www.vice.com/read/i-ghostwrote-hundreds-of-chinese-students-ivy-league-admissions-essays-897

Hey China, you’re welcome. When you think about your future multi-million dollar shipping moguls, innovative tech giants, and up-and-coming diplomats, please remember a small handful of them probably received their Ivy League degrees thanks to me.

I’m a black market college admissions essay writer, and over the last three years I’ve written over 350 fraudulent essays for wealthy Chinese exchange students. Although my clients have varied from earnest do-gooders to factory tycoon’s daughters who communicate primarily through emojis, they all have one thing in common: They’re unable to write meaningful sentences.

"The secret to life is honesty and fair dealing.  If you can fake that, you've got it made."
--Groucho Marx

A man, a plan, a tour de force, Panama!

From http://angrystatistician.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-man-plan-cat-canal-panama.html

A man, a plan, a cat, a master, a minae, a lunula, a tora, a vela, a cola, a belga, a tola, an uta, a dona, a tiara, an aura, a kata, a mana, a nipa, a cabana, a law, a harem, a taces, a liard, a gnat, a mut, a dawed, a bura, a nim, a levator, an eh, a trams, a sall, a vacates, an up, a garb, a keets, a serin, a sored, a patamar, a gater, a lees, a strep, a lama, a pat, a lame, a haded, a wag, a naan, a kalian, a fer, a yaws, a remit, a keep, a loom, a neep, a ha, an ai, a retailor, a cabals, a subah, a slits, a pated, a callet, a xu, a faena, a tups, a sati, a rapider, a reps, a rapid, a korat, a dens, a sled, a tical, a pipages, a rats, a seeks, a defi, a wasts, a peracid, a nomas, a rosarian, a bran, a nonet, a gama, a sac, a scrota, a lab, a cain, an aid, a statin, a reel, a tiff, a haj, a talas, a nares, a mares, a laics, an allot, a til, an arena, a nits, a palace, a fanum, a yarer, a daub, a basts, a masas, a called, a slay, a galoots, a senega, a ton, a span, a mum, a dracaenas, a coda, a must, a satis, a lion, a yob, a reknit, a dessert, a lex, an aver, a red, a fab, a katas, a deet, a diaper, a nos, a snips, a spot, a fed, a wap, a past, a galax, an apos, a zaps, a lat, a rai, a resale, a tallit, a boob, a hag, a fayed, a sports, a loof, a ragg, a sashay, an agar, a selah, a spit, a brad, a strap, a wolf, a reified, a navar, a cases, a bedaub, a tassels, a gaes, a runaway, an amahs, a burg, a sorter, a del, a basely, a kae, an evades, a lader, a waved, a spirts, a pas, a slam, a hasps, a nalas, a snog, a cedar, an ulama, a lasagnas, a leud, a poh, a larum, a si, a retained, a pay, a pit, a raps, a repots, a sell, a datums, a yard, a hey, a terces, a prod, a skips, a gip, a lin, a sib, a lac, a jaded, a later, a beef, a sallet, a panicum, a gnar, a pall, a gas, a rotator, a tamis, a gel, a snawed, a decaf, a pol, a jawans, a dual, a gateman, a tins, a ran, a riff, a za, a minim, a get, a bard, a spud, a sum, a stem, a rases, a tsar, a lobate, a hasp, a hwan, a lotahs, an agas, a pad, a reed, a slim, an attar, a steels, a medina, a gar, a tub, an asarum, a pows, an ava, a mib, a map, a stab, a rasp, a tala, a nadir, a seton, a stoped, a repoll, a waste, a hades, a ragi, a tsades, a bap, a rain, a ratels, a hasten, a gid, a snot, a basal, a vinas, an upas, a nonacid, a naval, a lahar, a sonar, a lovat, a wares, a bal, a ripsaw, a jatos, a sup, a sh, a haed, a hailed, a moor, a vaned, a delf, a revel, a tan, a meter, a sob, an evil, a deific, a peracids, an ass, a bait, a buran, a far, a lamas, a robalo, a gaum, a sha, an arak, a macer, a macs, a snub, a stirps, a deffer, a perp, a naw, a jar, a vain, a ban, a miladi, a rasps, a wallop, a rex, a waney, a rase, a caird, a patrons, a tun, a stob, a japans, a maws, an awa, a con, a spoons, a fir, a stroma, a mil, a keen, a lace, a canon, an allod, a spay, a ten, a kop, a yah, a regal, a modal, a dinar, a madame, a hallahs, a dor, a repel, a reflet, a noma, a gen, a fast, a waggon, a dewan, a recap, a wort, a pin, a sung, a bag, a sos, a tepal, an abash, an ami, a manias, a pees, a diols, a repp, a taxed, a deb, a spans, a reman, a reward, a poons, a smug, a now, a teff, a hakeem, a seem, a rami, a simaruba, a ness, a cadets, a teraohm, a knob, a sewan, a seven, an oot, a skeets, a demur, a lanai, an unassuaged, a stared, a seam, a meed, a naos, a bus, a wad, a xis, a hon, a dan, a snail, a kayak, a looter, a gob, a men, a sorb, an inner, an oxen, an emes, a seder, a reknits, a loid, a saw, a pint, a castes, a stop, a debut, a tows, a tog, a kips, a rep, a cask, a yam, a minareted, a reflow, a laced, a bun, a keels, an ort, an assent, a faun, a reign, a manat, a rakus, a lade, a dater, a minarets, a nay, a fanos, a matt, an arhat, a tram, a tel, a vat, a ba, a pal, a pager, a tarps, a plug, a nod, a rash, a rotas, a ramal, a butane, a galiot, a paws, a pals, a stressed, a derat, an um, a mac, a sri, a mas, a lagan, an ajar, a laid, a big, a lass, a vara, a mail, a sikas, a yawl, an add, a simas, a romano, a kalam, a tannin, a less, a tater, a carer, a pasts, a caseic, a papayas, a salal, a haffits, a snivel, an atlas, a bases, a macaber, a tress, an alerts, a water, an imaginer, a pec, a golf, a pupils, a gnaws, a mos, a la, a baklawa, a gan, a stums, a step, an ikat, a keel, a dot, a loll, a tares, a renamed, a nanas, a sematic, a tap, a zareeba, a mob, an ales, a lox, a tass, a matsah, a ports, a names, a batik, a secs, a fane, a haleru, a lasts, a fats, a valley, a spam, a spools, a saner, an aspis, a hun, a stops, a tots, a tils, a gamely, a put, a las, a vaw, a ranid, a ham, an ataps, a barca, a gig, a strow, a struts, a speed, a draw, an axon, a gaga, a birr, an agnail, a pow, a tuber, a teel, a rip, a tail, a tatar, a hay, a ray, a lall, a barege, a janitor, a caff, an auk, a hah, an areic, a raster, a casks, a basil, a bubal, a donas, a bananas, a lobar, a lades, a cadi, a caw, a tad, an ogam, a janes, a sirup, a cram, a lets, a passus, a nuts, a muton, a cyma, a mix, a madam, a let, a corban, a partan, a melanin, a top, a wot, a bad, a bows, a resod, a nae, a parol, a vastness, an anime, a hares, a rax, a lam, a tabbis, a bins, a liar, a straw, a pant, a cares, a papa, a res, a sass, a mattes, a nopal, a daff, a yapon, a toped, an ivy, a maven, a ganef, a sovran, a gorp, a divan, a dexes, a moot, a prat, a nips, a redips, a mood, a sabir, a zarebas, a shales, a nett, a papal, a japan, a swots, a seral, a sip, a tarots, a path, a baseness, a callan, a drib, a nairu, a salep, a last, a babuls, a kiths, an orc, a daps, a galoot, a stink, a sail, an ameer, a haslets, a pats, a medal, a ganof, a dim, an atoll, a hall, a feral, a robalos, a sin, a radioed, a cycases, a kuna, an as, an arepa, a ki, a haps, an asks, a mair, a saloops, a vug, a stang, a tophs, a dak, a yay, a serac, a vav, a lap, a gad, a laden, a manioc, a fin, a dub, a loons, a teemer, a sris, a soar, a matador, a saros, a vavassor, a kayos, a setal, a maid, a waw, a palet, a rayon, a solon, a dine, a rumaki, a hae, a gaff, a lipases, a ladder, a stub, an akees, a seller, a manats, a barytas, a lied, a nona, a mars, an ait, a suber, a cimex, a tau, a vail, a grana, a pan, a sums, a ramadas, a rood, a teels, a muts, a torr, a paeon, a sow, an alfa, a rob, a mures, a toper, a rerun, a mall, a canoe, an apart, a seer, a saps, a wait, a laxer, a cats, a manor, a baton, a tag, a strown, a fax, a wab, a jauk, a racial, a lev, a gasser, a careens, a swat, a rein, a wanigan, a tenner, a flora, a rolf, a rennet, an agin, a wanier, a taws, a sneer, a caress, a gavel, a laic, a raku, a jab, a wax, a fanworts, a gat, a not, a baron, a mast, a carex, a lati, a wasp, a sarees, a trap, an aeon, a call, a manurer, a repot, a serum, a bora, a flan, a wos, an oe, a parrot, a stum, a sleet, a door, a sad, a marasmus, a napa, an argali, a vau, a taxemic, a rebus, a ti, an asrama, an on, a deil, a satyr, a bast, an amarelles, a seek, an abuts, a redd, a lases, a pilaff, a gae, a haik, a muraenid, a nolos, an oy, a ratel, a paw, a wadi, a malates, a soy, a kaross, a vavasor, a sarod, a tamaraos, a sirs, a remeet, a snool, a bud, an if, a coin, a maned, a lad, a gap, a lav, a vac, a resay, a yak, a dashpot, a gnats, a guv, a spool, a sari, a masks, an asp, a haika, a per, an asana, an ukases, a cycadeoid, a ranis, a sol, a boral, a refall, a hallot, an amid, a fon, a gal, a demast, a pastels, a hareem, an alias, a knits, a tool, a gasp, a dacron, a shtik, a slub, a bats, a lapel, a saurian, a bird, an all, a cassenes, a baht, a pastor, a tapis, a lares, a stows, a nap, a jalap, a patten, a selahs, a saber, a zaribas, a doom, a spider, a spin, a tarp, a toom, a sexed, an avid, a prog, an arvos, a fen, a ganev, a mayvin, a depot, an op, a yaff, a dalapon, a sett, a massas, a sera, a pap, a ser, a catnap, a warts, a rail, a snib, a sibb, a tam, a lax, a raser, a haemin, an assents, a valor, a paean, a doser, a swob, a dab, a tow, a pot, an in, a leman, a trapan, a brocatel, a mad, a maxima, a myc, a notum, a stun, a suss, a pastel, a marc, a puris, a sen, a jam, a gonad, a taw, a caid, a cased, a lar, a bolas, an anabas, a nodal, a bubalis, a basks, a carets, a racier, a nah, a haku, a naff, a carotin, a jaeger, a ball, a lay, a rayah, a rat, a tali, a tapir, a leet, a rebut, a wop, a liang, an arriba, a gag, an ox, an award, a deeps, a sturts, a worts, a giga, a crab, a spat, an amah, a din, a raw, a vasal, a tup, a ylem, a gaslit, a stot, a spots, an uh, a sips, an arenas, a sloops, a maps, a yell, a vast, a fasts, a laurel, a haen, a fasces, a kit, a baseman, a strop, a hast, a mass, a taxol, a sel, an aboma, a beer, a zap, a tacit, a mesas, an anadem, an eraser, a tallol, a tod, a leek, a takin, a pets, a smuts, an aga, a walk, a baal, a som, a swang, a slipup, a flog, a cep, a renig, a minaret, a wastrel, an assert, a reb, a camases, a basalt, an alevins, a stiff, a halalas, a say, a papacies, a casts, a parer, a caret, a tassel, an inn, a tamal, a kaon, a moras, a misadd, an alway, a sakis, a li, a maar, a vassal, a gib, a dial, a raj, a nan, a galas, a mairs, a cam, a mun, a tared, a desserts, a slap, a swap, a toil, a gaen, a tubal, a maras, a torahs, a radon, a gulp, a sprat, a reg, a palapa, a bat, a valet, a mart, a tahr, an att, a mason, a fay, an aster, an imaret, a daedal, a suk, a ratan, a mangier, a nu, a fatness, a natron, a sleek, a nub, a decal, a wolfer, a deter, an imam, a yaks, a caper, a spik, a got, a swot, a tubed, a pots, a sets, a catnip, a was, a diol, a stinker, a redes, a semen, an exon, a rennin, a bros, an em, a bog, a retool, a kay, a kalians, an ad, a noh, a six, a daw, a sub, a so, an adeem, a maes, a derats, a degauss, an unai, an alarumed, a steeks, a toon, a neves, an awes, a bonk, a mho, a retasted, a cassena, a bur, a misaim, a ramees, a meek, a haffet, a won, a gums, a snoop, a drawer, a namer, a snaps, a bed, a dex, a tapper, a sloid, a seep, a sain, a maim, an ahs, a banal, a petasos, a gab, a gnus, a nip, a trow, a pacer, an awed, a nogg, a wats, a fanega, a mon, a telfer, a leper, a rod, a shall, a haem, a damar, a nidal, a domal, a gerah, a yapok, a net, a yaps, a doll, an anon, a caecal, an eek, a lima, a morts, a rif, a snoops, an oca, a wan, a swam, a snap, a jabots, a nut, a snort, a padri, a caesar, a yen, a waxer, a poll, a wasps, a raid, a liman, a bani, a var, a jawan, a prep, a reffed, a sprits, a buns, a scam, a rec, a makar, an aahs, a mu, a gaol, a boras, a malar, a fan, a rubati, a bass, an asdic, a repacified, a liven, a bos, a retem, an at, a lever, a fled, a den, a varoom, a deli, a hade, a hahs, a pus, a sot, a jaw, a spiral, a baser, a wat, a volar, an osar, a halal, a vanadic, a nonas, a punas, a nival, a sabatons, a dig, a nets, a haslet, a rani, a rap, a based, a staig, a rased, a haets, a walloper, a depots, a notes, a rid, an aal, a taps, a rabats, a pam, a bima, a van, a swop, a muras, an abut, a raga, an idem, a sleets, a rattan, a mils, a deer, a dap, a sag, an ash, a tolan, a whaps, a haet, a bolar, a stases, a ramets, a mus, a dups, a drab, a teg, a minima, a zaffir, an ar, a snit, a nametag, a laud, a snaw, a jalop, a faced, a dewans, a leg, a sim, a tarot, a toras, a gall, a parang, a mucin, a patellas, a feeb, a ret, a laded, a jacal, a bis, a nil, a pig, a spiks, a dorp, a secret, a yeh, a dray, a smut, a dalles, a stoper, a spar, a tip, a yap, a deni, a terais, a mural, a hop, a duel, a sang, a salaam, a lunar, a decagons, a sal, an asps, a hamals, a sap, a strips, a dev, a wared, a lased, a venae, a kayles, a baled, a retros, a grub, a shaman, a yaw, an urase, a gasless, a tabu, a debases, a caravan, a deifier, a flow, a parts, a darb, a tips, a hales, a rag, an ayahs, a saggar, a fool, a strops, a dey, a fag, a haboob, a till, a tael, a serai, a ratal, a spaz, a sop, an axal, a gats, a papaw, a def, a tops, a spins, a son, a repaid, a teed, a sat, a kab, a fader, a rev, an axel, a tressed, a tinker, a boy, a noil, a sit, a satsuma, a doc, a sane, a cardamum, a naps, a nota, a genes, a stool, a gayals, a dell, a casas, a masts, a babu, a darer, a yamun, a faecal, a pastina, an er, an alit, a toll, an asci, a laser, a maser, a nasal, a taj, a haffit, a leer, a nit, a tsadi, an ani, a cabala, a torcs, a casa, a mag, a tenon, an arb, an air, a soras, a monadic, a repasts, a waifed, a skees, a star, a seg, a pipal, a citadels, a sned, a tarok, a dip, a rasper, a redip, a raitas, a sputa, a ne, a faux, a tell, a cadet, a pastils, a habus, a slab, a caroli, a terai, an aah, a peen, a mool, a peek, a timer, a sway, a ref, a nail, a kana, a nag, a waded, a haemal, a tapa, a malaperts, a seel, a retag, a ram, a tapaderos, an ires, a steek, a brag, a pun, a set, a cavallas, a smart, a hen, a rot, a velamina, a rub, a dew, a datum, a tang, a drail, a sec, a tamer, a hawala, an abaca, a pina, an ama, a taka, a ruana, a raita, an oda, a tuna, a lota, a gleba, a loca, a leva, a rota, a lunulae, an imarets, a mat, a canal - Panama!

How The 'Kung Fu Fighting' Melody Came To Represent Asia (China, really)


http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/08/28/338622840/how-the-kung-fu-fighting-melody-came-to-represent-asia
There's a tune that you've probably heard throughout your life. It's nine notes long, and it's almost always used to signal that something vaguely Asian is happening or is about to happen.
Also:
http://chinoiserie.atspace.com/

I don't know, it doesn't seem a mystery to me.  Here's an old traditional Japanese folk song:  "Shin Kiso Bushi".
(Bonus: You can play the tune with just the black keys on the piano!)