Lucky 7 (album)

Lucky 7 (album) is the seventh studio album released by the band Reverend Horton Heat. It was released in August 2002, and the single "Like a Rocket" was the official theme song of that year's Daytona 500.

According to Wikipedia, other singles on Lucky 7 include "Reverend Horton Heat's Big Blue Car," "Sermon on the Jimbo," and "You've Got a Friend in Jimbo." Reverend Horton Heat is a psychobilly band. Psychobilly music combines punk and rockabilly. Wikipedia says psychobilly lyrics often reference horror, violence, and lurid sexuality.


Jimbo plays bass.
Photo: PUNKassPHOTOS.com via Flickr (CC)

University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila

University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila is considered one of the best engineering universities in Pakistan. It's in Taxila, in the Punjab province, about 35 km from Islamabad. It was established in 1975, the same year my brother was born.

According to Wikipedia, UET Taxila offers all types of engineering degrees, including civil, environmental, electrical, and aeronautical, among others. The campus is well-equipped; there are several libraries, several mosques, several dorms, and several student common rooms where students can play basketball.

On May 7 of this year, UETians celebrated their Spring Festival 2009.


This girl is thinking very deeply about visiting Pakistan.
Photo: wazari via Flickr (CC)

Hobart Paving

Hobart Paving is a song about a sad woman. It was released in May 1993 by the British indie band Saint Etienne. You should listen to it now. Especially if it's rainy outside and you want to cry.

According to Wikipedia, the song conveys a melancholy tone through surreal lyrics like "rain falls like Elvis tears" and "just like a harpsichordist she moves." The title Hobart Paving has nothing to do with the song. Legend says it references a paving company from the band's hometown of Croydon, England.

The band Saint Etienne still exists. Current members include Sarah Cracknell, Pete Wiggs, and Bob Stanley. A different Bob Stanley is a former Boston Red Sox pitcher.


Lead singer Sarah Cracknell wears suits made out of comic books.
Photo: dexter_mixwith via Flickr (CC)

San Juan Skyway

San Juan Skyway is a 236-mile scenic highway in southwestern Colorado. San Juan Skyway is Spanish for Saint John Skyway. It has amazing views.

According to Wikipedia, the San Juan Skyway goes in a big loop, so theoretically you could go straight forever. Many people drive on it just for the sake of driving on it. Others drive on it to get to certain destinations along the way, like Durango, Telluride, and Mount Sneffels. Local residents drive on it to get to places like the dentist and Home Depot.


This is where drivers on the San Juan Skyway go to the bathroom.
Photo: J. Stephen Conn via Flickr (CC)

Peace Dividend Trust

Peace Dividend Trust is a non-profit organization. Originally dedicated to international peacekeeping, they've since expanded to economic development. Peace Dividend Trust is sometimes known as PDT. Other things known as PDT include Eastern Oregon Regional Airport, Potentially Dangerous Taxpayer, and the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

Of all the PDTs, Peace Dividend Trust seems the most noble.

According to Wikipedia, Peace Dividend Trust's most successful project to date has been in Afghanistan, where its Peace Dividend Marketplace encourages people and companies to buy locally, thus helping Afghanistan's economy. Since 2006, the program has helped to generate more than 200 million USD for local Afghan businesses.


PDT is also working on new ways to simplify their flowcharts.
Photo: munir via Flickr (CC)

Mandy Aftel

Mandy Aftel has written three books about natural perfume and founded the Natural Perfumers Guild in 2002. Mandy advocates the use of natural ingredients in perfumes, and she has lectured on natural perfumes and aromas at various institutions all over the world. She also smells great.

According to Wikipedia, her most renowned book, Essence and Alchemy: A Book of Perfume, has been translated into seven languages. The book earned Mandy a top honor from the Sense of Smell Institute, whose website includes fun facts delivered by a giant nose.

I am similar to Professor Nosetradamus, as the site's cartoon nose is called; we both have larger-than-average noses. He and I aren't exactly the same, however; his nostril is also his mouth.


Smell canisters are not natural.
Photo: dogwelder via Flickr (CC)

Oeko-tex standard

Oeko-tex standard. This is an international testing and certification system that makes sure there aren't harmful chemicals in our textiles. It is unclear who or what or how.

According to Wikipedia, Oeko-tex standard testing is categorized into four classes, depending on how much the textile comes into contact with the skin. The classes are:

1) baby articles
2) articles which come into contact with large areas of the skin, or to which the skin is exposed for long periods
3) outerwear
4) furnishing fabrics

Furnishing fabrics is moved to class 2 for people who sit around naked a lot. Also, I just looked at my sweatpants, and there is no mention of Oeko-tex standard, which makes me nervous.


This man has lost faith in Oeko-tex standard.
Photo: vasta via Flickr (CC)

Voice chat

Voice chat. This is a technological advance from the 21st century that allows people separated by long distances to talk to each other using their voices. In this way, it is very similar to the telephone. Voice chat is better than the telephone because it's usually free of charge. Unless you don't like talking to people. Then it's worse than the telephone.

According to Wikipedia, voice chat became especially popular among video gamers, who used the technology to taunt each other across long distances while competing in games like "Metroid Prime Hunters" and "Pokemon Diamond and Pearl." My grandmother's name was Pearl. She passed away in 1995, which means she never had the opportunity to use voice chat.


Voice chat has rendered Native American switchboard operators obsolete.
Photo: bobster855 via Flickr (CC)

Earth oven

Earth oven. Also called a cooking pit, it's a pit you cook in. It is one of the simplest and oldest methods of cooking known to man. It's especially useful when there is no equipment lying around. I've never made an earth oven, but I sometimes use a non-earth oven to bake dinner.

According to Wikipedia, to make an earth oven you need to dig a hole, make a fire in the hole, let the fire smolder, put your pork chops in it, and cover. You might recognize the technique from your last New England clambake, or Hawaiian luau, or Maori hangi, or Fijian lovo, or Cook Island umu.


Scientists today worry the Earth itself is an earth oven.
Photo: woodleywonderworks via Flickr (CC)

Ratko Delorko

Ratko Delorko. Another musician, this one has an awesome name. Ratko is a living German pianist, composer, producer and conductor. He was born in 1959 in Hamburg, which means that he is a Hamburger.

The name Ratko means happy. An interesting website says that one in every 351,102 Americans is named Ratko. There are 7 Ratkos born in the United States every year.

According to Wikipedia, Ratko Delorko has performed all over the world, including an ice cave in the Austrian Alps. Ratko is known for his versatility. He explores works by unknown composers, and his own compositions range from piano to chamber music to electronic music. He also has a pleasant way about him.


He also tags along on catering assignments.
Photo: tyfn via Flickr (CC)

George Duning

George Duning. This was a man who wrote soundtracks for movies back in the middle of the 20th century. For a taste of his musical stylings, listen to Lame Brain David from Houseboat. George was nominated for five Academy Awards, but didn't win any.

According to Wikipedia, George was born on February 25, 1908 and died on February 27, 2000. This means he died two days after his birthday. I wonder if he made a point of holding on long enough so he wouldn't miss his birthday party. Or if his birthday party was so wild that he died two days later. Either way, he was 92.

George was prolific. He wrote scores for many movies, including Me and the Colonel, The Devil at Four O'clock, and Toys in the Attic. "Toys in the Attic" was also the name of an Aerosmith album. When I was little, my brother and my friends and I would play in the attic with Star Wars action figures. They were our toys in the attic.


To this day, George Duning has his admirers.
Photo: solidstate_ via Flickr (CC)

The Husband's Message

The Husband's Message. It's a poem from the Anglo-Saxon period. It was written in Old English, which is a very soothing language to listen to. In fact, I recommend listening to this reading of "The Husband's Message" as you read on.

According to Wikipedia, no one knows who wrote the poem or what it's about. We do know that the beginning of the original manuscript was once burned, so we'll never know what it said in lines 2-8. We also know that the poem's speaker may or may not be a tree. When I was in kindergarten, I played a baby tree in Hansel and Gretel, and I had one line: "Oh snow, I love snow!" So I know what it's like to be a talking tree.

The Husband's Message is also notable for its runes (special characters) near the end, and for its possible connection to another poem called "The Wife's Lament". I don't know what that poem is about.


The Husband's Message 2009.
Photo: Hayley_Bouchard via Flickr (CC)

Under Suspicion (CSI episode)

Under Suspicion (CSI episode). I don't watch CSI. This episode first aired on October 24, 2005. At that time I was living in Prague. I wonder what I was doing as this episode aired. I had been there almost a year. It was the middle of the night there. I was probably sleeping.

According to Wikipedia, this Season 4 episode involves a man named Horatio acting cagey, a woman named Rachel bleeding to death, and a killer named Warren who likes to lock children in closets while torturing their parents to death. Meanwhile, Judge Joseph Ratner has a grudge, and Natalia Boa Vista finds some blood matches. And no one knows where Yelina is.

Lego forensics.
Photo: turkguy0319 via Flickr (CC)

Spatula

Spatula. One of my favorite kitchen utensils. Flat, like a very small stack of paper. Yet sturdy. Capable of flipping everything from hamburgers to pancakes.

Wikipedia says some people call a spatula "a turner, or a fish slice or frying scoop," which I say is a bunch of bullshit, unless we're talking about British people or weirdos. Speaking of British, the word "spatula" has been around since 1525, when a British person said "spatula" for the first time.

One interesting note I hadn't known before: the spatula blade (flat part) is often longer on the right side than on the left, which makes it easier for right-handed people to flip things. Left-handed spatulas do exist, but they are far and few between.

This man loves spatulas.

Photo: ardenswayoflife via Flickr (CC)

Wikibloogia - Introduction

Hello.

When I'm bored and sitting at my computer at the same time, I sometimes go to Wikipedia and click the random article link, and learn about something I never knew about. Sometimes it makes me laugh. Sometimes is makes me cry. Sometimes it's interesting. Sometimes it's boring.

Usually, when I'm done I have learned about some tiny thing that contributes to making the universe the way it is.

So, starting now, once a day I'm going to go to Wikipedia, click on 'random article', and write something about the first article it takes me to. So if you read my post, you'll know about something you didn't know about. And so will I.

I promise that I will never cheat; I will always write about whatever random article I come to first. I will only click a second time if the first click brings me to a stub or to one of those lists where it doesn't know which thing I'm talking about.

Finally, the reason this blog is called Wikibloogia, instead of Wikiblogia, is because Wikiblogia was already taken.

Adam