Until I started looking at the Analog 6.0 stat reports for the site, I had no idea what a shemagh was. Now I know it’s a it’s a style of head wrap which originated in the Middle East. If you really want to know how, ActionGear.com has a pretty handy tutorial (with pictures!).
However, you’re probably wondering what middle eastern head and face protection has to do with site analytics. I am rather mystified myself!
Observe the following:
Up until this very post, I have never talked about shemaghs. How could I if I had no idea that such a thing existed? (Well I’d seen the head wrap in films, mainly, but never in person and never knew what it was called.) I don’t show up in the first five pages of regular Google search results for the term “how to tie a shemagh”. Ditto the first five pages of image results. Nor blog search results (although I personally think I should show up for a lot more terms in the blog search category, this is one I should not show up for which makes this outcome unsurprising). Yahoo’s first five pages of results also pulled up no mention of my name. I checked the first five pages of MSN as well, just to make sure I wasn’t crazy. Still no mention of this site.
So what gives? Where does this rogue data come from? I am on shared hosting, but this is just plain out of the blue.
I am on shared hosting, granted, but my stats thus far has been without grievous errors like this. Any masterminds want to take a stab at why such a thing might happen? (Also, feel free to make fun of me for the quality of the other search terms that I legitimately DO show up for. lol mudkips.)
Poking about as I am wont to do, I discovered this Flickr account chock full of vintage Valentine’s Day cards. User Valart2008 has procured (at the time of this writing) 58 vintage card designs from the good old days. You know, when children were all extraordinarily hydrocepalic and wore thicker eyeliner and more rouge than a room full of goths.
I believe I’ve also found the culprit behind the shortening of the word “you” into the letter “u”. It all started back in the 50’s, with a little girl and a lamb.
The Point is one of my favorite animated films of all time. I first saw it on the Disney Channel in the early-to-mid 80’s. I remember that distinctly because the narrator for the film was Alan Thicke, not the more commonly known narrators of Ringo Starr (VHS release) or Dustin Hoffman (special TV presentation, NBC I think).
I discovered later in life that this melodic fable began its life as the musings of a man on acid. I purchased the album version of The Point! and in the booklet contains the backstory on how Nilsson had a revelation in the wee hours of the morning. To explain what exactly occured to him would spoil watching the film, and the last thing I wish to do is ruin the experience by allowing any of you gentle readers to allow presuppositions to cloud your minds.
I think that all folks young and old should get a chance to see this film, as the message within is one that applies to all of us. Not to mention the rich-yet-rough, hand crafted nature of this gently watercolored piece of animated cinema is so engaging that it appeals to all kinds of visual tastes, not just fans of animation. (Read: It’ll make you look like an important, artsy person if you watch it.)
For you to get a taste of this delightful film, I have put together a block of four selections of music from the film, and one extra Nilsson song that just so happens to rock pretty hard.
Good idea:
A device that allows folks with female sex organs to pee standing up.
Bad idea:
Fashioning said device to look something akin to a giant golden dildo.
It’s certainly a device that’s an invention of necessity. Yet I fail to see the need for it to be - as the site describes it - 12 inches long, and golden. And as it’s stated on the site “The Ebony model is due out soon. It will be significantly larger than the gold model, come with wheels and is…priceless.”
I’m absolutely positive that concept of this device could be executed with a LOT more discretion. I can’t picture wasting that much space in a hiking or camping pack, much less a purse with something that huge. A plastic funnel would probably serve the same purpose, at that.
Plus, I’d bet a nickel they’ve done SOME kind of keyword research, too. On the “Blog On” page, I couldn’t help but notice the sub-header stating: “The Shenis fits all designer vaginas”. The designer vagina issue seems to be coming up a lot more lately, probably due to changes in surgical proceedures and promotion. (I distinctly recall complaining about the very idea, in fact.) They could probably do more to optimize for that particular keyword, but I find it’s placement and presence in general to be highly suspect.
Conclusion: This is a pure novelty item and I’m not terribly impressed, to be honest. Campers, hikers, and road-trip travelling ladies, just make sure you have a plastic funnel (or good directions). You’ll be fine. Don’t throw money at this silly attempt to provoke in the name of convenience.
Gentle Readers,
I am torn. Every year I say I am going to do something so unbelievably wicked awesome for halloween. Every year I flake out.
This year should be different. I have 2 ideas in mind. One involves a lot of money and would need to be done soon, one involves a lot of time and maybe a little less money and skills I don’t necessarily have. Read the rest of this entry »
The video basically speaks for itself. After having listened to the song, I have to say I had not prepared myself for the experience the video had to offer.
Although shot on ‘74 on a disco program, it foreshadows so much 80’s pomp and obscurity.
And either the lead singer is the most gender neutral/confused lead lady ever - Annie Lennox, Patti Smith, eat your hearts out! - or there’s some manner of lip synch going on there that I don’t even really understand. The curious fashion choices of the group don’t really help clarify anything either. If they slicked and spiked their hair and wore a lot more eyeliner they could be just like any of the weird internet-grown gimmick bands of today.
Look for funny moustache face at a minute and 20, and at 40 seconds left to go. Also pay close attention to the extremely apathetic audience.
The dream log to follow really isn’t all that suprising to me. I’ve been re-reading The Dark Tower series (Stephen King, I’m on The Waste Lands) and quite frankly I’m probably crazy. The majority is unfortunately already disappearing into the fog of the waking world. A lot of what I do remember is NSFW in nature. That said, a handy cut tag will be employed for those more sensative of my gentle readers. Read the rest of this entry »
Just when you thought the day’s news couldn’t get any more ridiculous, New Haven, Connecticut comes through with the whopper of the day.
A couple members of the Hash House Harriers - “A drinking club with a running problem” - were charged with first-degree breach of peace, which is a felony.
Their crime? Siblings Daniel and Dorothee Salchow used flour to mark the trail for the group’s other runners for that day’s jog and party. The flour was used because it’s noticable and biodegradable. Read the rest of this entry »
A good friend of mine just came back from this year’s PAX, and being the brilliant photographer that he is, captured a lot of really great images from the conference. There’s more to come, but this one really stuck out.
This fine young con goer had this Peach costume custom made just for him. Truly, gentle readers, what more can be said about this priceless moment?
Some kids play in the sandbox. We play in the.... litterbox??? The RKNet staff is pleased that you decided to stop by. Currently this is a multi-author project, with a rotating cast of totally kooky characters. Contact giania [at symbol] gmail [dot] com if you'd like to play here too.
