Monday, December 28, 2009

Kinkiness Beyond Kinky | The Loom | Discover Magazine

Kinkiness Beyond Kinky

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There comes a time in every science writer’s career when one must write about glass duck vaginas and explosive duck penises.

That time is now.

To err on the side of caution, I am stuffing the rest of this post below the fold. My tale is rich with deep scientific significance, resplendent with surprising insights into how evolution works, far beyond the banalities of “survival of the fittest,” off in a realm of life where sexual selection and sexual conflict work like a pair sculptors drunk on absinthe, transforming biology into forms unimaginable. But this story is also accompanied with video. High-definition, slow-motion duck sex video. And I would imagine that the sight of spiral-shaped penises inflating in less than a third of second might be considered in some quarters to be not exactly safe for work. It’s certainly not appropriate for ducklings.

So, if you’re ready, join me below the fold.

This story is actually a sequel. Back in 2007, I wrote in the New York Times about the work of Patricia Brennan, a post-doctoral researcher at Yale, and her colleagues on the weirdness of duck genitals. The full story is here. (Brennan also appeared in a Nature documentary, starting at about minute 38:35.)

In brief, Brennan wanted to understand why some ducks have such extravagant penises. Why are they cork-screw shaped? Why do they get so ridiculously long–some cases as long as the duck’s entire body? As Brennan dissected duck penises, she began to wonder what the female sexual anatomy looked like. If you have a car like this, she said, what kind of garage do you park it in?

Brennan discovered that female ducks have equally weird reproductive tracts (called oviducts). In many species, they are ornamented with lots of outpockets. And like duck penises, duck oviducts are corkscrew-shaped. But while male duck penises twist clockwise, the female oviduct twists counterclockwise.

Brennan speculated that all this bizarre anatomy is the result of a peculiar form of evolution known as sexual conflict. A strategy that allows females to reproduce the most offspring may not be so good for males, and vice versa. For example, male fruit flies inject their mates with lots of chemicals during sex, and those chemicals make her less receptive to other males, thereby boosting his chances of fathering her eggs. But those chemicals are harsh and will make female flies sick. Females, in turn, have evolved defenses against those chemicals, blunting their effects.

With many examples of sexual conflict in nature, Brennan wondered if sexual conflict between male and female ducks was giving rise to their weird genitals. Female ducks pair off with male partners for the breeding season, but they also get harrassed by other males, sometimes being forced to have sex (and sometimes dying from the attacks). A third of all duck matings are forced.

And yet only 3 percent of the ducklings that female ducks produce come from such forced matings. Brennan speculated that the female ducks can block forced copulations with their mismatched spirals. And they might also be controlling which drake got to fertilize their eggs by socking away the sperm of different mates in different pockets. And the extravagant penises of males might be the result of an evolution around those defenses.

As I reported in 2007, Brennan discovered a pattern that supported this hypothesis. Among 16 species of water fowl, species in which the males grew long phalluses also had females with more turns in their oviduct and more side pockets. The ducks were escalating an arms race, genital for genital.

But Brennan didn’t actually know how duck penises actually moved through the labirynthine oviduct, and how the oviduct’s shape might affect the drake’s delivery of sperm. So she traded calipers and rulers for high-speed video.

Brennan and her colleagues traveled to a California duck farm, where workers are expert at collecting sperm from drakes. The first step in the collection is to get a drake excited by putting a female duck in his cage. The drake climbs on top, and then the penis emerges. Before its emergence, a drake’s penis is usually completely hidden from view, tucked inside his body like an inside-out sock. Drakes unfurl their pensises differently than male mammals. In mammals, the penis becomes erect as blood flows into the spongy tissue. Ducks pump lymph fluid instead. And as the fluid enters the penis, it does not simply become engorged. It flips rightside-out.

Here’s how it happens, in slow motion. A Muscovy drake everts his penis in about a third of a second, at speeds of 1.6 meters per second.

Of course, drakes don’t mate with the air. Having made this video, Brennan still needed a way to see how a duck penis actually performs its appointed task. Unable to film duck penises in a real female oviduct, she built a fake oviduct out of silcone. She then managed to get a drake to mate with it. But the overwhelming force of the explosive penis broke the fake oviduct.

So Brennan turned to glass. Her new fake oviducts were strong enough to handle the drakes, and she started filming. Here’s what she saw.

As Brennan had predicted, the counterclockwise turns of an oviduct slow down the expansion of the duck penis, compared to a straight tube or a clockwise one. Brennan suspects that female ducks slow down males trying to force a mating, but they can also let their partner’s penis move faster through the oviduct. They have been observed to relax and contract their muscles arond the oviduct.

Female ducks can’t stop an unwanted male from delivering his sperm, but the obstacles in their oviducts may give them control over what happens to that sperm. The female ducks may use their oviducts to slow down the expanation of the penis, so that by the time the drake ejaculates, the sperm are delivered in the lower reaches of the oviduct. A female ducks’s partner, with her cooperation, can deliver sperm further up the oviduct. With the wanted and unwanted sperm delivered to different places in the oviduct, a female duck may be able to store the sperm in different pockets. And then she can choose which drake will father her duckling. For all the explosiveness male ducks may display, it’s the female ducks that get the final say.

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Sunday, December 27, 2009

This Snow Leopard Has a Naked Lady On It - Snow leopard - Gizmodo

This Snow Leopard Has a Naked Lady On It

You will never find this snow leopard in any Apple promotional shot. Why? Because there's a naked woman in there. And a very sexy one at that. Can't you see her? She's right there, completely nude. Not yet? Look closer:

Yes, now she's very hard to miss. And in three-dee! No amount of Photoshop work could fix this one. [Painted Alive—Thanks David Keyes]

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Kid goes crazy after getting a Xbox360

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Monday, December 14, 2009

Microsoft's "Games on Demand" to compete against Valve's "Steam" starting tomorrow


Games on Demand

On December 15, Games for Windows — LIVE will evolve beyond LIVE gaming and include a portal for accessing and downloading your favorite LIVE-enabled titles…courtesy of Games on Demand!

Games on Demand for Windows lets you easily purchase and download great titles from the Games for Windows — LIVE library right from your computer, and re-install your games whenever you want, wherever you want. Games for Windows — LIVE now gives you the flexibility to access and play your games where and when you want, all straight from your PC!

“With Games on Demand, we didn’t just want to create a cut-and-paste version of existing digital distribution services,” said Mike Ybarra, General Manager of LIVE Engagement Services. “We challenged ourselves to deliver an integrated platform that takes full advantage of the unique capabilities offered by the LIVE service. Our goal has always been to create a seamless online gaming experience for the Windows community, and Games on Demand is a great step toward that end.”

The launch lineup will include recent hits like Resident Evil 5 (Capcom), Red Faction: Guerrilla (THQ), and Battlestations: Pacific (Square Enix), as well as new exclusive LIVE-enabled versions of popular digital games like World of Goo and Osmos, distributed by Microsoft Game Studios. All games can be purchased either by credit card or with Microsoft Points. Games on Demand for Windows will be available in markets that currently support the Games for Windows — LIVE service.

Microsoft is also offering an updated LIVE-enabled version of Tinker, formerly an exclusive Windows Vista Ultimate Extra, as a completely free download from the Games for Windows — LIVE client.

“Connected digital experiences are defining the continued growth of Windows as a gaming platform,” said Chuck Osieja, Creative Director of Games for Windows — LIVE. “Today marks Microsoft's return to delivering Windows games built on unique LIVE experiences.”

Games for Windows — LIVE delivers a truly connected experience for PC gamers, letting you enjoy a common Gamertag, Gamerscore, and unified friends list that carries across both supported PC games and the Xbox 360 console. The service also offers single and multiplayer Achievements, voice chat, text messaging and TruSkill online matchmaking.

To download the Games for Windows — LIVE client, visit www.gamesforwindows.com/live.

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Social Media Breakfast Austin 12/14/09 SMB Austin 12 [Video]

This was my first time speaking public about social media to an audience. I see a lot of things I can polish. At least I got the first one under my belt.

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Friday, December 11, 2009

Every have a hard time finding a time where everyone is free? Try Flexvite

Flexvite Beta - Service to help a group of people find a time that works for everyone.

Find the best day to get Face to Face!

#1. Send #2. Vote #3. Meet!

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Make Google Voice better, Mozilla wants you to use Bing: TechVi Now « TechVi

http://media.techpodcasts.com/techvi/http://serve.castfire.com/video/211463_2009-12-11-081812.m4v","title":"TechVi Now: Friday: Dec 11, 2009","permalink":"http://techvi.com/shows/2009/12/techvi-now/","cuepointz":[27000,{"time":27000,"notesfollow":"true","notesname":"Mozilla backing Bing","notesurl":"news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10413473-56.html","notesdesc":"","notescompany":"CNET"},36000,{"time":36000,"notesfollow":"true","notesname":"Eric Schmidt talks privacy","notesurl":"www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/12/google-ceo-eric-schmidt-dismisses-privacy","notesdesc":"","notescompany":"EFF.org"},47000,{"time":47000,"notesfollow":"true","notesname":"Apple gives away free iTunes LP","notesurl":"www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/12/10/apple_offers_free_taste_of_itunes_lp_format_with_holiday_sampler.html","notesdesc":"","notescompany":"Apple Insider"},6000,{"time":6000,"notesfollow":"true","notesname":"Help improve Google Voice","notesurl":"googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/help-improve-transcription-quality.html","notesdesc":"","notescompany":"Google Voice Blog"}],"scaling":"fit"},{"url":"http://media.techpodcasts.com/techvi/http://serve.castfire.com/video/210625_2009-12-10-105626.m4v","title":"Facebook backlash: Justified?","permalink":"http://techvi.com/shows/2009/12/facebook-backlash-justified/","cuepointz":[59000,{"time":59000,"notesfollow":"true","notesname":"Ning.com","notesurl":"www.ning.com/","notesdesc":"","notescompany":""}],"scaling":"fit"},{"url":"http://media.techpodcasts.com/techvi/http://serve.castfire.com/video/196477_2009-11-23-004528.m4v","title":"Apple’s app store drama: How to fix the problem?","permalink":"http://techvi.com/shows/2009/11/apples-app-store-drama-how-to-fix-the-problem/","scaling":"fit"},{"url":"http://serve.castfire.com/video/146533_2009-08-25-144132.m4v","title":"Ultra-thin plasma gets reviewed by CNET","permalink":"http://techvi.com/shows/bottom-line/2009/08/ultra-thin-plasma-gets-reviewed-by-cnet/","scaling":"fit"},{"url":"http://serve.castfire.com/video/184955_2009-11-01-203341.m4v","title":"Welcome to the new TechVi!","permalink":"http://techvi.com/shows/inside-techvi/2009/11/welcome-to-the-new-techvi/","cuepointz":[39000,{"time":39000,"notesfollow":"false","notesname":"New show note","notesurl":"techvi.com/","notesdesc":"","notescompany":""},48000,{"time":48000,"notesfollow":"false","notesname":"Product Page","notesurl":"www.roku.com/roku-products","notesdesc":"","notescompany":"Roku"},60000,{"time":60000,"notesfollow":"true","notesname":"iPod product page","notesurl":"www.apple.com/ipodnano/","notesdesc":"","notescompany":"Apple"}],"scaling":"fit"}],"plugins":{"controls":{"playlist":true,"autoHide":"always","hideDelay":1000}},"playerId":"player1"}" />

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Norman Rockwell’s Reference Photos Featured In New Book & Museum Exhibition

Norman Rockwell’s Reference Photos Featured In New Book & Museum Exhibition

by Scott Beale on December 9, 2009 · Comments (0)

Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell

What many people may not realize is that Norman Rockwell meticulously staged photos as reference material for his illustrations. NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday recently did a story featuring some of the photographers and models that Norman Rockwell used for the photos along with a gallery featuring side-by-side comparisons.

Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera

A book featuring these photos “Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera” by Ron Schick, was recently published. A companion exhibition is currently on display at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA and will be up through May 31st, 2010.

Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera is the first book to explore the meticulously composed and richly detailed photographs that Norman Rockwell used to create his famous artworks. Working alongside skilled photographers, Rockwell acted as director, carefully orchestrating models, selecting props, and choosing locations for the photographs–works of art in their own right–that served as the basis of his iconic images. Readers will be surprised to find that many of his most memorable characters-the girl at the mirror, the young couple on prom night, the family on vacation-were friends and neighbors who served as his amateur models. In this groundbreaking book, author and historian Ron Schick delves into the archive of nearly 20,000 photographs housed at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Featuring reproductions of Rockwell’s black-and-white photographs and related full-color artworks, along with an incisive narrative and quotes from Rockwell models and family members, this book will intrigue anyone interested in photography, art, and Americana.

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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Rocking Winter Wonderland. Party hard while helping the homeless. Please RT

Event Details

 

It's cold outside and times are hard for all of us . . . they're even harder for the people needing help the most. Charities have taken a big hit from the slowed economy and they need your help.

 

Admission is your donation to Mobile Loaves and Fishes. This time of the year, every penny can make a difference! If you've been blessed, we encourage you to share with someone who needs help.

 

100% of the net proceeds and donations are going to help this cause.

 

MOTORPHILIA, The World's First Fully Online Car Dealership, is hosting this event to support "Mobile Loaves and Fishes", a local Austin charity.

 

Mobile Loaves and Fishes helps the poor and homeless and are currently providing inexpensive housing to help keep people safe and off the streets.

 

One of Austin's best and newest bands, "The Wonderland Avenue" will be entertaining us at "Rocking Winter Wonderland" . . . this is a group you don't want to miss!

 

Speakeasy has been gracious enough help us host this event. They will be providing drink specials, so please thank them with your business!

 

The success of this event is up to you, so we ask you to tell as many people as possible via Facebook, Twitter or word of mouth.

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Monday, December 7, 2009

Texas Social Media Awards 2009 [Video 1]

In 2009, the Austin American-Statesman announced its first-ever Texas Social Media Awards. We honored 25 social media rock stars from around the state. The top winner, Michelle Greer, was introduced during a cocktail party attended by 200 people in downtown Austin during South by Southwest Interactive. Check out the photos from the party.

We had so much fun last year that we're doing it again! Nominations are now open for the 2010 Awards. Do you know someone who uses social media tools in a creative, distinctive, successful way? We're looking for the best of the best (you can nominate yourself and last year's winners are eligible to win again). The nomination period is open until 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31. We're also excited to announce that Michelle has agreed to join our judges' panel this year. Here are the complete rules.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/standing/awardnominations.html

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Texas Social Media Awards 2009 [Pic 2]

In 2009, the Austin American-Statesman announced its first-ever Texas Social Media Awards. We honored 25 social media rock stars from around the state. The top winner, Michelle Greer, was introduced during a cocktail party attended by 200 people in downtown Austin during South by Southwest Interactive. Check out the photos from the party.

We had so much fun last year that we're doing it again! Nominations are now open for the 2010 Awards. Do you know someone who uses social media tools in a creative, distinctive, successful way? We're looking for the best of the best (you can nominate yourself and last year's winners are eligible to win again). The nomination period is open until 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31. We're also excited to announce that Michelle has agreed to join our judges' panel this year. Here are the complete rules.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/standing/awardnominations.html

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Texas Social Media Awards 2009 [Pic 1]

In 2009, the Austin American-Statesman announced its first-ever Texas Social Media Awards. We honored 25 social media rock stars from around the state. The top winner, Michelle Greer, was introduced during a cocktail party attended by 200 people in downtown Austin during South by Southwest Interactive. Check out the photos from the party.

We had so much fun last year that we're doing it again! Nominations are now open for the 2010 Awards. Do you know someone who uses social media tools in a creative, distinctive, successful way? We're looking for the best of the best (you can nominate yourself and last year's winners are eligible to win again). The nomination period is open until 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31. We're also excited to announce that Michelle has agreed to join our judges' panel this year. Here are the complete rules.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/standing/awardnominations.html

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Is Mozilla Raindrop a better Google Wave?

I love how he uses his browser as a presentation tool. Keynote? PowerPoint? How about Firefox?

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Sunday, December 6, 2009

ATI Radeon™ HD 5970 -- world's fastest graphics card

Wow this video is kind of in your face. I am not sure if I like it or not. Very different than the videos AMD usually makes. I must be getting old, cuz the music seems too loud. I'm just sayin.

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Thursday, December 3, 2009

#Movember Day 34: No more pictures, signing off :(

So this is my last picture for Movember. It was a good experience and I made some friends along the way. Male bonding is not something I do often, so this was a nice change of pace. Thanks again for every ones support and encouragement. The donations links are still live for now. Right now I am tied for second place in the number of people who donated to me, and in the process I managed to raise $636. As a team we raised $16,567.01! The people on my team kick butt and I am proud to be associated with them.

If you have been following my effort then I would love to have you involved. Use the links below to show me that you care.

Check out my team here:

http://budurl.com/MovemberATX

If you would like to join the list all it takes is a $1. Thank you and here is the link to donate:

http://budurl.com/manjunk

Seriously folks. If you think $1 is not enough you're WRONG! Donate $1 and I'll love you forever.

*Update: There seems to be an issue with link to the donate page. You may need to click it a few times to get it to work. If you don't see a page with my face on it, please try the link again or click the long URL: http://us.movember.com/mospace/216027/

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Catholics slam PETA nude adopt-a-mutt poster • The Register

The image - which clearly demonstrates Krupa sports no fur whatsoever - is a follow-up to a Thanksgiving Be an Angel for Animals poster which featured the model "naked from the waist up holding a dog and a rosary".

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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

#Movember Day 33: Tomorrow is the Gala

Tomorrow is the big bash to judge the best stache. I know I won't win, but it should be fun anyway. Almost done. It was a great experience.

If you have been following my effort then I would love to have you involved. Use the links below to show me that you care.

Check out my team here:

http://budurl.com/MovemberATX

If you would like to join the list all it takes is a $1. Thank you and here is the link to donate:

http://budurl.com/manjunk

Seriously folks. If you think $1 is not enough you're WRONG! Donate $1 and I'll love you forever.

*Update: There seems to be an issue with link to the donate page. You may need to click it a few times to get it to work. If you don't see a page with my face on it, please try the link again or click the long URL: http://us.movember.com/mospace/216027/

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NYS Senator Diane Savino speaks on the Marriage Equality bill

The NY State Senate voted down gay marriage today with a 38-24 margin. Here is the only good thing to come out of the vote: a speech by Senator Diane Savino from Staten Island that will knock your socks off. Particularly if you hate reality TV show brides.

In other news, it seems that Diane loves to wear that outfit in December. Check out this pic from 2007: http://www.flickr.com/photos/downtownsi/2124277663/in/photostream/

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

#Movember Day 32: Please and thank you

In the last few days I have missed a few people that have helped me on my journey. Here comes the "Thank You" portion of this post. Thank you to the following:

  • Ida Rose Sylvester
  • Maggie Dwyer 
  • Frank Souders
  • Dara Quackenbush
Now for the "Please" segment. I still have 5 days left to get donations, go please donate just $1 if you can. Do it now.

If you have been following my effort then I would love to have you involved. Use the links below to show me that you care.

Check out my team here:

http://budurl.com/MovemberATX

If you would like to join the list all it takes is a $1. Thank you and here is the link to donate:

http://budurl.com/manjunk

Seriously folks. If you think $1 is not enough you're WRONG! Donate $1 and I'll love you forever.

*Update: There seems to be an issue with link to the donate page. You may need to click it a few times to get it to work. If you don't see a page with my face on it, please try the link again or click the long URL: http://us.movember.com/mospace/216027/

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#Movember Day 31: Movember in December?

Well the have extended the fund raising to the 6th of December. Which means I have more time to catch up to the top leader in the amount of people who I got to donate. Remember folks that I am not looking for $5, $10, or even $20. I just want $1. I need more people!

And for those who looked for me on the news and didn't see me. They cut me out for some reason. My wife thinks that they didn't like my shirt, which had a picture of a tree on it. In fact this is the shirt I was wearing: http://www.302designs.com/tshirts/shop_guys_shine_design.php

I will see what I can find out today, but I doubt that they would know why I was cut out either. Maybe the camera guy went rogue?

If you have been following my effort then I would love to have you involved. Use the links below to show me that you care.

Check out my team here:

http://budurl.com/MovemberATX

If you would like to join the list all it takes is a $1. Thank you and here is the link to donate:

http://budurl.com/manjunk

Seriously folks. If you think $1 is not enough you're WRONG! Donate $1 and I'll love you forever.

*Update: There seems to be an issue with link to the donate page. You may need to click it a few times to get it to work. If you don't see a page with my face on it, please try the link again or click the long URL: http://us.movember.com/mospace/216027/

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