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Ig Nobels Awarded
prostoalex writes "The definitive study on bellybutton lint, a dog-to-person translation device and an inquiry into what arouses ostriches were recognized at 2002 Ig Nobel awards. The telecast of the event in RealMedia format is available from Harvard University server, there's also an Associated Press story. Ig Nobel awards typically recognize the most dubious contributions to the world of science and research."
Hang on, this could be quite handy.
For
a: breeding ostriches
and
b: Don't wear pink in a field full of ostriches, it makes then horny!
thank God the internet isn't a human right.
If you read the article, the question is, do ostriches find overweight, middle-aged men with belly-button lint hair sexy?
"We're sorry, but the website you're trying to reach has been disconnected."
Ironic that awards for technologies with dubious benefits are being streamed in RealVideo...
----- Documentation is worth it just to be able to answer all your mail with 'RTFM' - Alan Cox.
___ I don't respond to Anonymous Cowards, and I Never Mod them UP.
" A potentially more practical achievement is a Japanese device that measures the tone of a dog's bark and relays his mood. The device is on the market in Japan, and an English version, called Bow-Lingual, should be ready in about a year. "
Imagine a Beo-WOOF! cluster of these.
Slightly disreputable, albeit gregarious
Where's the dude that invented napkins on a roll?
"Do what I do, get them good and drunk"
Trying is the first step towards failure.
In general, women have pubic hair that looks like an inverted pyramid, or a map of Tasmania, with a sharp cut-off at the top.
Thats information you need to get through life.
A link to goatse would be finally on-topic!
----
Testicular asymmetry in human sculptures. "To test Winckelmann's claim, I observed the scrotal symmetry of 107 sculptures, either of antique origin or Renaissance copies, in a number of Italian museums and galleries. Although the ancient artists were correct in tending to place the right testicle higher, they were wrong in so far as they also tended to make the lower testicle the larger: we may postulate that they were also using the common-sense view that the heavier ought to be the lower." (McManus, I. C. 1976. Scrotal asymmetry in man and in ancient sculpture. Nature 259: 426)
I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
PHYSICS
Arnd Leike of the University of Munich, for demonstrating that beer froth obeys the mathematical Law of Exponential Decay. [REFERENCE: "Demonstration of the Exponential Decay Law Using Beer Froth," Arnd Leike, European Journal of Physics, vol. 23, January 2002, pp. 21-26.]
What do they mean "cannot not or should not be reproduced"?!!!!!! I'll run this experiment every chance I (URP!) get...
Soko
"Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm." - Anonymous
Personally I don't think the physics winner (Demonstration of the Exponential Decay Law Using Beer Froth) satisfies the awards criteria for achievements that "cannot or should not be reproduced." I know once I finish work to today I plan to try to reproduce it!
The economics prize was shared among a long list of corporations for "adapting the mathematical concept of imaginary numbers for use in the business world."
That..... is what I call humor.
42 - So long and thanks for all the fish.
. . . to get some ideas for research grant proposals.
The dog-to-human translator is taken. Maybe I'll go for tomacco.
-Peter
From the Associated Press article:
In economics, the executives and auditors at Enron, WorldCom, Arthur Andersen and a host of other companies were commended by the Ig Nobel committee "for adapting the mathematical concept of imaginary numbers for use in the business world."
That's the funniest thing I've read in a while. (I guess I don't get out much.)
Ig Nobel awards typically recognize the most dubious contributions to the world of science and research.
Does this mean that Amazon's revolutionary "One Click" system will be honored?
It took me forever to find this comic online, Dog decoder (see the one to the right).
Naturally, there is also the more subtle guide to interpreting the mood of an Irish Setter.
-Kraft
Live and let live
I think I saw prior art on the dog/cat washing machine in Puerto Rico. I was in traffic caused by a carnival and saw a ride through donkey wash car wash style.
As for this invention I'm sorry but no pet of mine will ever be placed in a device that looks that much like an industrial microwave.
Work for Change & GET PAID!
"...Waste Management, WorldCom, Xerox, and Arthur Andersen, for adapting the mathematical concept of imaginary numbers for use in the business world. [NOTE: all companies are US-based unless otherwise noted"
Hmmm.... I wondering why my last phone bill was $36.45 + $7i dollars.
I don't know about that. Sounds like he was smart enough to get you to stand there and spell words to a dog. :)
This next song is very sad. Please clap along. -- Robin Zander