Day at the Beach

This photo is from Holland. You can thank me for putting in the little black box. This picture raises so many questions. Why is this guy at the beach? Couldn’t the photographer have found a different angle? Don’t Dutch swim suits have that netting that keep your privates, well private?

Mannequin boobs are getting bigger

According to the Metro UK Mannequins’ breasts are growing to cater for the number of women who now have plastic surgery (or men’s increased fondness for gigantic boobs). Shop mannequins with 40″ DD breasts are now being used. Given that breast augmentation surgery has increased by 700 per cent in America in the past 10 years this is no longer a niche market.

One thing to note is that instead of being designed for naturally big-breasted women the mannequins’ breasts are abnormally high up for their size suggesting they are modelled on women with implants (and/or designed my a man).

h/t: Spin Thicket

The top 10 unintentionally worst company URLs

Attn: Entrepreneurs

Everyone knows that if you are going to operate a business in today’s world you need a domain name. It is advisable to look at the domain name selected as other see it and not just as you think it looks. Failure to do this may result in situations such as the following (legitimate) companies who deal in everyday humdrum products and services but clearly didn’t give their domain names enough consideration:

1. A site called ‘Who Represents‘ where you can find the name of the agent that represents a celebrity. Their domain name… wait for it… is
www.whorepresents.com

2. Experts Exchange, a knowledge base where programmers can exchange advice and views at
www.expertsexchange.com

3. Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island at
www.penisland.net

4. Need a therapist? Try Therapist Finder at
www.therapistfinder.com

5. Then of course, there’s the Italian Power Generator company…
www.powergenitalia.com

6. And now, we have the Mole Station Native Nursery, based in New South Wales:
www.molestationnursery.com

7. If you’re looking for computer software, there’s always
www.ipanywhere.com

8. Welcome to the First Cumming Methodist Church. Their website is
www.cummingfirst.com

9. Then, of course, there’s these brainless art designers, and their whacky website:
www.speedofart.com

10. Want to holiday in Lake Tahoe? Try their brochure website at
www.gotahoe.com

Seeing the funny side of silly deaths

It's a time of the year when many people, and I shamefacedly count myself among them, take some guilty pleasure in the silly deaths that some people bring on themselves. Morally bankrupt? Possibly. Can I sleep at night? Yes. What am I talking about? The Darwin Awards.

How I tittered at the electrician from Belize who, after extending his kite's range with thin copper wire, flew it into a high tension electricity line. Fundamental physics quickly took over, and the poor chap was well and truly zapped.

The titter was followed by a chuckle, as I read of the Brazilian chap who tried to disassemble a Rocket Propelled Grenade by running it over in his car. Failing to break it into bits (possibly to sell it, and other munitions, as scrap, according to local police), he thought hitting it with a sledgehammer might help… He went out with a bang (sorry, couldn't resist).

Those two were the runners up. I was all set for a full-scale guffaw when I got to the "winner" (or "winners", in this case) but then my merriment fizzled.

The winners were two 21-year-old students who thought they'd have some fun with helium. Now, we've all done the Mickey Mouse voice after inhaling from a helium balloon, but this young man and woman took it a step further. They spotted and pulled down an advertising helium balloon 8 feet in diameter, and then climbed inside.

No doubt the first 30 seconds or so of squeaky chatter were hilarious for the young pair. That was before they collapsed and suffocated through lack of oxygen. I did not find anything to smile about in this tale.

For me, the Darwin Awards are at their best (and most appropriate) when their winners really really should have known better, and when those winners go against very common-sense safety standards to bring about their own demise.

The breathing of helium is a well-known jape the world over. And here two young people – and not necessarily completely daft young people – saw the opportunity to experience the mother of all helium-based japes. Well, it turned out the "joke" was on them. I've got to say, though, that try as I might, I cannot see the funny side.

I'm not sure if it's me losing my sense of humour, or the Darwin Awards. Which is it?

Sean O'Neill, Online Sub-Editor