Clearly tongue-in-cheek, and also a fun watch...

Two things the video misses:
1. Trying out a bunch of standard passwords before getting bored and moving on.
2. That asshole at every airport pulling the "Free Wi-Fi" ad-hoc network scam. You'll get online, but they'll swipe your passwords. Sort of like a pimp not making you pay, but filming and selling a video of it without you knowing.

By the way, am I the only one that thinks free Wi-Fi looks kinda like Juliette Lewis? Who woulda thunk it.

Alexa Longueira fell about 4 or 5 feet into an open manhole in Staten Island, scraping up her back and shoulders in the process, although she is otherwise physically unharmed. Her mother noted that she was also mentally injured, as the sewer was "putrid" and one of her shoes remains down there. Apparently, there were some DEP workers on the scene who were "looking" for cones to mark the area when the girl fell in.

The Longueira family says they will sue, although it's not clear exactly who—the city? The cellphone company? Alexa herself, for not watching where she was walking? Regardless, we are all allowed to laugh at this story, at teenagers with their texting, and at Staten Island as a whole, because the girl is unhurt. Proceed. [MSNBC via Twitter]

This is a listening apparatus for airplanes, and since back then nobody had a clue about radar, it was the only way to detect incoming enemy aircraft. How effective was it? Probably as effective as the airplanes back then: Not a lot.

Looking forward, the future of this technology was actually not that crazy. Sound ranging-which uses sound as a way to locate artillery pieces-started during World War I and continued into World War II, even with the advent of the radar.

Both the Brits and the US Army used sound ranging technology then, based on multiple microphones. Even after the radar-which was not able to locate artillery shells-established itself as one of the biggest leaps in modern warfare and civilian navigation, sound location continued way into the 20th Century, right up to the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

In fact, sound ranging technology is seeing a comeback these days, although using much more sophisticated equipment than these funny instruments. Audio detection is being used to automate radar operation, but also on its own. The British military used a new system-called Advanced Sound Ranging Project-during the Iraq war in 2003, locating enemy artillery as far as 50 kilometers away. The US Marines are adopting similar technologies, as well as the Germans and Ukrainians.

[Image via Dark Roasted Blend, Sound ranging in Wikipedia]

I want this shirt, it's 20 dollars,
I want the boys to gimme hollers.
It's four bucks more for a woman's fit,
But Sam, I don't really give a shit—
Cause when I wear it I'll be geeky cute,
Oh, Sam, I sure hope the boys will hoot!
I do not want 3 Megs of Ram!
I do not want them, Sam I am!

[T-Shirt Humor via Fashionably Geek]

Although these ridiculous looking kicks promise to help "keep you active while maintaining blood flow and muscle tone in your legs" while you're inactively watching TV, on long flights, or doing whatever else you do in a chair, I believe this un-gadget has an alternative purpose.

Another one to add to the list of fashion faux pas, the Inflatable Foot Cushions will repel away women faster than wearing socks with sandals. Admittedly, I want a pair of these suckers for myself. But only to see if they'll help me walk on water; after all, my momma tells me I have to stop being a little Satan spawn and start being more like Jesus. [Product Page via 7 Gadgets]

I scoured the entire area, and found what I consider to be the most amusing items there and placed them into a gallery below for your consumption.

[Dark Roasted Blend]

Samurai-themed underwear have become something of a runaway hit in Japan. Each piece is made to resemble the armor of famous Japanese samurai, such as Tokugawa shogunate founder Tokugawa Ieyasu or military hero Oda Nobunaga.

They can be found on Japanese company Sido's website, but everything is currently sold out. If you wait for them to restock, each piece will cost you about $100. [Japan Probe]

Brittney Love Venton of St. Paul is now charged with second-degree assault and is being held on $50,000 bail. Her boyfriend, Nicholas Smith is in stable condition and is in a local hospital recovering from the stabwound.

Witnesses told police the stabbing stemmed from an argument over a TV remote.

"One person wanted to see one thing, one person wanted to see the other, so she stabbed him in the stomach," said Juanita Luke, who lives in the apartment downstairs from the rental unit where Smith lives. "It was like a movie or a music video. It was between that."

She said she heard a commotion and went up to Smith's apartment, and saw the aftermath of the attack.

Right, so the next time you even think about not letting us finish that new Britney Spears premiere video, remember this: We. Will. Cut. You. [Twin Cities]

He doesn't half-ass the WoW-themed décor either. The entrance is a real-life recreation of the opening animation from the game. The dining area, called the Hall of Snow Storms, features large plasma screens showing in-game action, as well as a towering World Tree in the middle of the room.

The owner said he'd created the restaurant in hopes that "people who share his enthusiasm for The World of Warcraft would find a comfortable gathering place." Well, my account hasn't been active for over a year, but rest assured, I. Will. Be. There. You know, for the Horde and all. [CCTV]

1. Trying to saw a two-by-four alone looks awfully stressful: our moustachioed French hero has grown three heads in his panic. But recruiting a team of builders gets that barn made like they were Amish (though we all know the lazy French are incapable of such efficiency).
2. If you link arms, you can make kick-ass birdhouses. But watch out for the ghostly silhouettes inching ever closer.
3. Tools required to make birdhouses/barns/Core 2 Duo processors include: a chainsaw, a syringe, multiple dustpans, and a pastel scarf rakishly knotted around the neck. Optional but strongly recommended: party hats.
4. Doing basic arithmetic makes French barnbuilders very content.
5. OH GOD they've grown multiple heads again! At least people seem to be buying their barns, which apparently have shrunk into shoebox-sized models somewhere between here and the first panel.
6. Something awful has happened. Our heroic Frenchmen are now plugged directly into electrical outlets, with internal temperature monitoring. Is this some kind of Shyamalanianian twist and they were robots the entire time? This narrative ends on such a disturbing note. [Sony, thanks Christopher!]

Update: Readers are pointing out that it's probably due to the hurricane. Had no idea it was due to that, so we hope our Houston readers and their friends and family are safe. Here's to you guys.

The ad aired on September 11 on CBS' “Big Brother” reality show. It's funnier than the first and you get to see Jerry clip his toenails and Bill do the robot, but as a Windows user, I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to think about this. “Looks like Macs aren't the only thing catering specifically to East and West coast elitists?” [ZDNet]