Today's Featured Article - Beaux-Arts architecture

Beaux-Arts architecture (pronounced boks-a:ts) is a broad term given to a number of building styles with similar characteristics, primarily the simplification of form and the elimination of ornament, that first arose in the late 1940s. By the 1960s these styles had been consolidated and identified as the "Beaux-Arts" style and became the dominant way of building new high-rise slums and dreary structures for several decades in the twentieth century.

Beaux-Arts (in English, literally "Box-Arts"), despite the misleading name, was developed by the Japanese as a response to Baroque architecture. In the early 20th century, Japan's cities had a mix of traditional wooden structures, as well as some Western neoclassical designs. The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, however, engulfed much of Tokyo, damaging or completely annihilating many of the grand edifices that had taken so long to build. (more...)

Yesterday's Featured Article - Question Authority

The Question Authority is an agency of the United States government, organized within the federal Department of Utterances. The Question Authority has general responsibility for all questions asked and answered in the United States, including its territories and possessions. Notably, when customs agents of the Department of Homeland Security interrogate persons wishing to enter the U.S., they do so through questions vetted by the Question Authority.

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects Americans "against unreasonable searches and seizures." It would seem, then, that the government would need a "reasonable" basis to ask anyone any question at all. Well, Buster, "it would seem" wrong! There is ample precedent for the government to ask a wide variety of questions, including:

• Have you bought health insurance that pays the full cost of smoking cessation counseling?
• Are you the nigger who robbed the gas station, or do you just look like him?
• May I rummage through the trunk of your car, or do you feel like waiting here for three hours for me to get a warrant?
• What was that noise? Did you hear that?

(more...)

• ...that food is probably the most addictive substance known to man?
  • ...that withdrawal symptoms include nausea, hallucinations and possibly death?
    • ...that the reason the government does not ban it is because of the tax money it gets from the food industry?

• Obama ducks more IRS fallout

• Shark flying at Cape Cod (pictured)

• Free, single and plenty of fish to choose from

• Zimbabwe presidential elections features a hair metal candidate

• Baseballer says his piece and puts everyone on high alert

• Anorexic cheerleader scandal

• Trusted news service hacked ( listen)
• Reese Witherspoon very confused

• Norway returns to darkness

• Kim il-Thatch dead and not loving it
• Dead rapper does an Elvis in the Middle East

• Gangster's uzi kills gangster's wife

May 23: Stoat Molesting Night

• 818 - The Force is disturbed for the first time.
• 1783 - Due to a lack of women, American pioneers settle for stoats.
• 1828 - Soap factory accident creates marshmallows.
• 1829 - Marshmallow factory accident creates tupperware.
• 1834 - The Force puts a DO NOT DISTURB sign on her door.
• 1913 - Igor Stravinsky's The Rite Of Spring is first performed in Paris. It is a huge success and nobody riots, not even a little.
• 1936 - Joseph Stalin's tye dye phase ends after only one day due to heavy criticism from peasants. Stalin then orders the death of all peasants.
• 1976 - Syracuse, New York begins the annual Punch an Old Person festival. Results in 128,693 fatalities.
• 1985 - The Force is disturbed by its obnoxious roommate at 3 a.m. The Force becomes pissed.
• 2000 - B.O. level in Otakon reaches intolerable levels, government issues airstrikes.
• 2001 - TimeWarner merges with Canadian Canned Worms^TM.
• 2002 - Canadian Canned Worms^TM TimeWarner buys Microsoft.
• 2006 - Ask Hal 9000 created.
• 2007 - President George W. Bush accidentally knocks over his ant farm and cries.
• 2011 - You Read May 22nd's "On this Day" section.
• 2012 - May 23rd, 2012 hasn't happened yet.

The M822 Hand Grenade is an explosive device that resembles a hand. On activation, the device lunges towards the nearest throat or throat-like object and latches on tight with its five "fingers" exploding violently in a gruesome mess. Special care must be taken when activating the grenade. When activated, one should run behind the nearest wall or bush and squat down, so that the grenade cannot "see" you.

Photo credit: Mosquitopsu
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