Stream of Facts
Anechoic chambers, rooms that absorb internal and external sounds, are used for acoustic experiments where outside sound cannot be present.
Operation Acoustic Kitty, a CIA project in the early 1960s, was intended to use microphones surgically embedded in cats to spy on adversaries. The project was deemed a failure when, during its first field test, the cat was immediately run over by a taxi.
After the recent eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull, British comedian John Cleese took a taxi from Oslo to Brussels. At the ride’s end, the fare for the 900-mile journey amounted to $5,000.
Before becoming famous, Journey vocalist Steve Perry was shaken by the death of The Alien Project bandmate Richard Michaels, and almost left the music industry.
In the 1979 sci-fi thriller “Alien”, the title characters were portrayed by Bolaji Badejo, a 7-foot-tall Nigerian design student discovered in a bar by the casting team.
In June 2005, a bar of soap crafted from the liposuctioned fat of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi sold for $18,000 at a Swiss art museum.
In early 2010, Swiss animal rights groups proposed a system of lawyers to represent animals in court. Ultimately, the idea — presented in a referendum this March — was rejected by 70 percent of voters.
Even with their salaries combined, all nine Supreme Court justices still earn less than TV personality Judge Judy.
Boy Scouts in the Los Angeles area can earn a “Respect Copyrights” activity patch — developed in collaboration with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) — after completing readings on the evils of piracy.
As a measure against piracy, many ships are equipped with Long-Range Acoustical Device (LARD), a system that emits a beam of sound that can shatter eardrums at close range.
Word Of The Week
quaff - v. to drink a beverage copiously and heartily.
While attempting to filet a fish, the two friends quaffed scotch by the glassful.
Definition taken from http://merriam-webster.com.
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Overseen & Overheard
“914 joules! Damn!”
— Male student at Commons
“I want to blow up Target!”
— Male student in GBLT office
Car covered in saran wrap
Send your Overseen and Overheads with the phrase “Overseen and Overheard”
in the subject line to leisure@reportermag.com. Now accepting cell phone pics!
Reporter Recommends
Going outside.
So you’ve hit level 80, conquered Azeroth, and amassed a wardrobe full of purples. Unfortunately, this also means the Lich King has seen more daylight than you, and your roommate’s girlfriend is giving you the evil eye. But fear not, brave warrior, there is a world beyond the mountains of empty dew bottles, beyond the residual Cheeto dust that lingers in the air. And it’s totally free.
But seriously, guys, the dorms are no place to whittle away sunny spring days. Read a book under a tree, play hopscotch, or scout out Rochester’s bike trails. Even twiddle your thumbs — so long as you’re doing it outside. Enjoy these weeks while you have them, because all too soon Rochester will once again be buried under blankets of snow.
Haiku
Just looked in my fridge
Several new life forms there
Might just eat Gracie’s
Quote
“If I seem free, it’s because I’m always running.”
— Jim Hendrix
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