blogawiki

From the CueCat wiki article:

The CueCat (trademarked :CueCat) is a cat-shaped handheld barcode reader developed in the late 1990s by the now-defunct Digital Convergence Corporation, which connected to computers using the PS/2 keyboard port and later USB. The CueCat enabled a user to open a link to an Internet URL by scanning a barcode — called a “cue” by Digital Convergence — appearing in an article or catalog or on some other printed matter. In this way a user could be directed to a web page containing related information without having to enter a URL. The system that supported this is no longer in operation.

In late 2000, advertisements containing CueCat barcodes briefly appeared in some high-circulation U.S. mass-market periodicals, notably Parade magazine, Forbes magazine and Wired magazine. For a time, RadioShack published catalogs containing these barcodes, and even distributed CueCat devices at no charge. CueCats were also bulk mailed (unsolicited) to certain mailing lists, such as subscribers of technology magazines, notably Wired magazine.

Joel Spolsky speculated about the apparently large sums invested in the unsuccessful launch of the device, noting that according to the Digital Convergence website, the company claimed to have 200 employees as of 2000. Spolsky estimated that the “postage costs alone” of mailing CueCats to every subscriber of Wired, as was apparently done, must have been $1 million.^[1]

In June 2005, a liquidator offered two million CueCats for sale at $0.30 each (in quantities of 500,000 or more).^[4]

From the Korfball wiki article:

Korfball (Dutch: Korfbal) is a mixed gender team ball game, similar to mixed netball and basketball. It is played in 57 countries. The sport is very popular amongst others in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Taiwan. A team consists of four (4) men and four (4) women.

The ball is similar in size as those used in football (soccer) but with more grip and bounce. Players score by throwing the ball through the other team’s basket. After two goals the teams change zones: defenders become attackers and attackers become defenders. At half-time teams swap halves.

Men and women play side by side, but duels are man to man and woman to woman. One man may guard one man and one woman may guard one woman. A woman may not defend a man nor may a man defend a woman.

Each team tries to score using tactics. The rules prevent physical strength dominating the game. Blocking, tackling and holding are not allowed. Nor is kicking or punching the ball. A player may not attempt to score when defended. That occurs when the defender is closer to the basket and facing his opponent, and is at arm’s length and attempting to block the ball.

It was a demonstration sport in the Olympic Games of 1920 and 1928, held in Antwerp and Amsterdam).

From the School Days wiki article:

School Days (Sukuru Deizu^?) is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by 0verflow and published by Stack, and was originally released for the PC on April 28, 2005.^[1]

Delay of finale

The day before the final episode was scheduled to air, a sixteen-year-old girl killed her father with an axe in Kyoto. In response, TV Kanagawa replaced the episode, which was known to contain similarly violent material, with half an hour of scenery and classical music to avoid association with the murder. Other stations airing the anime followed suit, except for AT-X, who remained indecisive at the time.^[15]

The sudden swap of the last episode to scenery footage led to shock and confusion among the fans. A contributor of the English-speaking 4chan image board posted screenshots of the episode, dryly commenting that the “last episode of School Days is live action” and writing “Nice boat” next to an image of M/S Skagastøl, a Norwegian Fjord1 ferry. The phrase “Nice boat” immediately became an Internet meme and reached massive proportions in Japan, spreading via screenshots of the 4chan thread and a flood of “nice boat” comments on Nico Nico Douga videos of the scenery footage.^[18] It ranked tenth in Yahoo! Japan’s keyword search ranking for the week of September 17 to September 23, 2007,^[19] and appeared as a hidden message in the first episode of the anime Ef: A Tale of Memories.. The phrase was so well-known among fans that 0verflow decided to name its booth “Nice boat” for the Comiket 73 in December 2007, selling “Nice boat” merchandise along with its normal line of specialty items.^[20]

From the Brian Bonsall wiki article:

Brian Eric Bonsall (born December 3, 1981 in Torrance, California) is an American former child actor. He is best known for playing the youngest Keaton child, Andy, on the television sitcom Family Ties from 1986 through 1989. He is also known for his portrayal of Alexander Rozhenko, the son of Worf, on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Legal troubles

Since he left acting, Bonsall has had a number of run-ins with the law. In 2001, he was convicted of driving under the influence, and in 2004, he was arrested under suspicion of drunk driving.^[2] On March 28, 2007, Bonsall was arrested for charges of second degree assault and false imprisonment after an altercation with his girlfriend. In a plea bargain, Bonsall pleaded guilty to third degree assault and the other charges were dropped. He was then sentenced to 24 months probation on August 31.^[3]

In June 2008, Bonsall was accused of violating the conditions of his probation by failing to pay for domestic violence classes, missing daily Breathalyzer tests, failing one Breathalyzer test, and walking out on a urine test.^[4][5] He was due to appear in a court hearing scheduled for July 16, 2008, to answer for these alleged probation violations. Bonsall failed to show at the hearing, however, and an arrest warrant has been issued for the former actor, coupled with a $2,500 bail bond. He recently entered an unnamed drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in Colorado and as of 2009, he remains a fugitive.^[6]

From the Mother Insult wiki page:

A mother insult is a reference to a person’s mother through the use of phrases such as “your mother” or other regional variants, frequently used to insult the target by way of his or her mother.^[1] Used as an insult, “your mother…” preys on widespread sentiments of filial piety, making the insult particularly and globally offensive. “Your mother” can be combined with most types of insults, although suggestions of promiscuity are particularly common.^[2] Insults based on obesity, incest, age, poverty, poor hygiene, unattractiveness, or stupidity may also be used. Compared to other types of insults, “your mother” insults are especially likely to incite violence.^[3] Slang variants such as “yo mama”, “yo momma”, “yer ma”, “your mum” or “your mom” are sometimes used, depending on the local dialect. Insults involving “your mother” are commonly used when playing the dozens. Additionally, this phrase is frequently used in playful banter between friends.

Historic usage

Although this may appear to be a recent phenomenon, one can find variants in classical literature.

William Shakespeare used such a device in Act I Scene 1 of Timon of Athens:

Painter: “Y’are a dog.”
Apemantus: “Thy mother’s of my generation. What’s she, if I be a dog?”

Also in Act IV, Scene II of Titus Andronicus, Aaron taunts his lover’s sons:

Demetrius: “Villain, what hast thou done?”
Aaron: “That which thou canst not undo.”
Chiron: “Thou hast undone our mother.”
Aaron: “Villain, I have done thy mother.”

From The Concert For Bangladesh wiki article:

The Concert For Bangladesh was the event title for two benefit concerts organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, held at noon and at 7:00 p.m. on August 1, 1971, playing to a total of 40,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Organized for the relief of refugees from East Pakistan (now independent Bangladesh) after the 1970 Bhola cyclone and during the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities and Bangladesh Liberation War, the event was the first benefit concert of this magnitude in world history. It featured an all-star supergroup of performers that included Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, and Ringo Starr.

Funds and controversy

The concert raised US$243,418.50, which was given to UNICEF to administer. Sales of the DVDs and CDs of the concert continue to benefit the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF.

However, there were complaints about the high price of the album and allegations that there were delays in money from the album sales being sent to help the Bangladesh refugees. Allen Klein, then an executive at Apple Corps insisted the company made no money from the album or film and was only recovering its advertising and production costs. However New York magazine reported in 1972 that some of the proceeds remained unaccounted for. Klein denied it and sued the magazine for $150 million in damages.^[4]

According to a June 2, 1985 article in the Los Angeles Times, by 1985 nearly $12 million had been sent to Bangladesh for relief. However, the money was tied up in an Internal Revenue Service escrow account for 11 years because the concert organisers had not applied for tax-exempt status.^[5]

From the Witch’s Milk wiki article:

Witch’s milk or neonatal milk is milk secreted from the breasts of some newborn infants. It is the result of influence by the mother’s hormones before birth. Witch’s milk is more likely to be secreted by infants born at full term, and not by prematurely-born infants. Breast milk production occurs in about 5% of newborns and can persist for two months though palpable breast buds can persist into childhood.^[1]

There is no treatment necessary; unless redness, tenderness, or fever develop which may be a sign of mastitis and may require antibiotics.^[2] Blood from the nipples is nearly always benign and associated with the normal growth of the ducts not mastitis.^[3] Removing the milk from the breasts can prolong milk production but is considered necessary in some cultures.^[4] While breastfeeding may also contribute to prolonged milk production and breast enlargement temporary or permanent weaning is not recommended.^[2]

In folklore, witch’s milk was believed to be a source of nourishment for witches’ familiar spirits.^[5] It was thought to be stolen from unwatched, sleeping infants. In other cultures milking the infant’s breasts is supposed to contribute to shapely breasts in adulthood.^[2]