Supporting your right to bear arms…
Photo courtesy of Ilya Ronin.
Van spotted while driving through an Arab village in Israel.
3952 items (3452 unread) in 20 feeds
From a Rolls Royce to a private island, meet twelve amazing stuff you can actually make at home.
Seems easy enough, right? Just find the red button on each of these levels. But what is up with that skull level? Here’s a video of hints in case you get stuck.
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CollegeHumor has caught up with some old video game bosses. They’re not pleased.
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Just for the beauty of it: antique typewriters. Does anyone out there still own a typewriter? My parents have one but I’m not exactly sure how to refill the ink …
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If you ever find yourself staring blankly at your computer screen in a fit of procrastination where you have already checked all your usual blogs and need something more … 11 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Watch on Webcam is your friend. From watching grass grow to watching paint dry (and a bunch more weird, but safe for work, things), this should keep you occupied.
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Many of us probably think our driver’s license photos are pretty bad, but here are 12 of the most bizarre passport and ID photos on record (and a few that are purposeful at the end that are still funny). For years my Dad had a horrible ID photo because, inexplicably, he said, “when the lady said ’say cheese’ I thought she was joking, so I made a crazy face!”
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A very cool mashup of album covers that proves the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Or … something like that.
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I stumbled upon this online and found it apt since I myself am just starting to watch the Band of Brothers miniseries leading up to The Pacific airing tonight (OK, that sounds like a plug, but really, I’m just excited for it!). One blogger did a 10-hour BoB marathon, which anyone familiar with the series knows is emotional torture (he even keeps a running tally of how many times it makes him cry). SPOILERS if you haven’t seen the entire series, although if you have (or don’t care if you find out what happens to specific characters – obviously, I think we all know the final outcome …), it’s a must-read!
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A catalogue of some interesting innovations. I don’t know if they would change my life, as the site suggests, but some are pretty cool!
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Finally for this week, some of the best photos on the web, starting with this lavender stunner.
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Hope everyone has had a great weekend, and that you spend your upcoming week sending interesting internet finds to FlossyLinks@gmail.com!























See More Secrets. Follow PostSecret on Twitter.
Do you think drinking beer is a total waste of time? Then meet these cool pieces of art made entirely of beer cans.
In case you weren’t obsessively refreshing mentalfloss.com all week, here’s what you missed:
1. The Quick 10: 10 Stars Who Started on Nickelodeon, by Stacy Conradt
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2. 11 (Extra) Special Collections in University Libraries, by Ethan Trex
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3. What Does ‘Kiwanis’ Mean? The Stories Behind 4 Civic Organizations, by Rob Lammle
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4. Work Attire Over the Last 10 Decades, by David K. Israel
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5. 7 Retail Weddings, by Miss Cellania
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6. Anachronistic Memes: The Best of the Bayeux Tapestry, by Miss Cellania
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7. The Quick 10: 10 Intriguing Mobster Names, by Stacy Conradt
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8. Not-So-Famous Firsts: Cookies, by Kara Kovalchik
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9. The Late Movies: Cover Songs I Didn’t See Coming, by Matt Soniak
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10. Strange Geographies: Death at the Border, by Ransom Riggs
In 2008, The Little Tikes Company sold 457,000 Cozy Coupes, making it the best-selling car in America. It even edged out Toyota Camry sales by 20,000. In fact, over the past 30 years, children have taken joy rides in more than 10 million of the little plastic vehicles. Here’s the skinny on what keeps this classic rolling off assembly lines.
One Man’s Vision
Back in 1947, when he was still in college, Jim Mariol was designing car parts for Chrysler when he realized that he wanted to create a look entirely his own. It took more than 30 years, but in 1979, he made that dream come true. Mariol teamed up with Little Tikes and pitched his idea for a toy car that kids could power with their feet, Fred Flintstone-style. (The inspiration came from rolling around his office in a desk chair.) Little Tikes loved the concept and, within four years, its total sales skyrocketed from $15 million to nearly $43 million. The company has been raking it in ever since.
Part of the secret behind the car’s longevity is a manufacturing process called rotational molding. A plastic polymer is poured into a hollow mold, which is then heated and spun in multiple directions. As the plastic cools, it solidifies into a tough, durable shell. This might seem like a tree-hugger’s nightmare, but the cars are made using Code 4 plastic, which is easy to recycle. (Just drive it to the curb!) Still, Cozy Coupes are so durable that most are reused the old-fashioned way—handed down from one generation of little drivers to the next.
Pimp My Kid’s Ride
[Image credits: Pink and Green Mama, art-c0re and TheMistressT]
If you’re not into the classic red-and-yellow look, there are plenty of other options. In the early 1990s, sales for the Cozy Coupe dipped, so the company expanded its line to include fire trucks, police cars, convertibles, and the popular pink-and-purple “Princess Coupe.” But if the expanded line doesn’t do it for you, there’s also a growing subculture of parents who soup up their kids’ cars on weekends, adding custom paint jobs, plush interiors, and even LCD screens.
Hood Winks
Last year, the 1979 model Cozy Coupe received a makeover for the 30th Anniversary Edition. It now comes equipped with cup holders and a handle on the roof, which parents can pull if the driver gets tuckered out. But the most obvious facelift is, well, a face. Two cartoon eyes and a toothy grin have been added to the hood. In June, the 1979 model and the 30th Anniversary Edition became part of the permanent collection of the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland, taking their rightful places next to the DeLorean, the Chevy Corvette, and the Model-T Ford.
This article originally appeared in mental_floss magazine.
More from mental_floss…
Fordlandia: Henry Ford’s Ill-Fated Foray Into the Brazilian Jungle
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Get Rich Quick: 6 People Who Accidentally Found a Fortune
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Brother Against Brother: The Great Confederate Snowball Fight of 1863
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9 Muppets Kicked Off Sesame Street
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11 Famous Actors and the Big TV Roles They Turned Down
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Why Does Bottled Water Have an Expiration Date?
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10 Secret Menu Items at Fast Food Restaurants
mental_floss477:http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/49851.html
Let’s kick things off with an addicting game. Test your reaction time with the Human Benchmark. My best was 220, with an avg of 274 … I’m clearly underachieving! I’m going to try again when my mind is fresh.
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So where exactly does Lady Gaga get her inspiration? From the people of Walmart? Indeed, here are 14 Gaga styles that are miiiiighty similar to those seen at, well, Walmart!
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National Geographic’s unique moments. I don’t think any of these are ’shopped, but it’s hard to believe they’re real!
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Most people have a warm and special feeling towards their day of birth in general, and more than likely most of us have visited the “on this day” sites. One blogger takes a fresh look at some of these sites, and how they’ve changed over the years (to include a lot more depressing data, apparently!)
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Extra! Extra! Read all about it: the World’s Strongest Granny, 76, tears books in two, twists metal.
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From my friend Cassie’s Gmail status (always a goldmine for links): “What a way to make an entrance!”
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A couple cool mailboxes.
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Who doesn’t love some good alien chestbursting action? Here are some examples of unexpected places to find the art of the alien chest-burst (such as in a gingerbread cookie). NOTE: includes some faux-gruesome scenes that may give the queasy pause.
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From the Annals of Too Much Time: Egg Art Master Franc Grom sells egg artwork by creating approximately 2500 to 3500 holes in each shell. This takes a ton of patience, but the results are stunning!
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Still need more? Stay tuned for another batch of links coming your way tomorrow – and don’t forget to set those clocks back forward tonight (and no, this isn’t the fun one where we fall back … tomorrow we lose an hour!)
Last week we held a contest to see who could dream up the best new collective noun (a smack of jellyfish, a business of ferrets—that kind of thing). I jotted down four submissions that I liked, then sent the whole list to three highly respected judges for a second (and third and fourth) opinion. Usually we come to a consensus, but each picked three different entries and nobody, me included, selected one that was chosen by anyone else. What we’ve got here is a 13-way tie for first. Therefore, the results of the election have been nullified.
Let’s try this: if you’d like to be part of the electorate, head over to the original post and pick your favorite. Vote by leaving a comment here. (Only one vote per person, please.) I’ll tally the results on Monday.
To add a little ballot-casting incentive, we’ll give three random voters a free back issue of mental_floss magazine. Thanks for playing!
[Image courtesy of Michael Lyons. See more of his work here.]
All you need is a camera and some slow weekends to recreate a famous (or not really very famous) scene. Why? Because it’s cool!
The Goofy Movie
No, I don’t know why anyone would want to recreate The Goofy Movie, but Ted Sowards rose to the challenge. Using the original audio track makes it just a bit easier. Comparing this to the original is a snap with the picture-in-picture feature. More shot-by-shot recreations just ahead.
Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation
Chris Strompolos and Eric Zala began working on a remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1982, when they were only ten and eleven years old! The entire project took years, but the results are amazing. Vanity Fair detailed their story. This is only the first portion. For comparison, look in your video case or your memory will probably do just as well.
The Sopranos Opening
This time, the show is set in Pittsburgh! Compare with the original if you like. Or check out other remakes set in Melbourne or Baltimore or Quebec City or Dublin.
Separate Ways
Journey make the song a hit in 1983. You can see how well this remake of the video meshes with the original by keeping an eye on the picture-in-picture.
Perfect Strangers: Seattle Intro
The introduction to the TV show Perfect Strangers, recreated in Seattle. Compare this with the original in this side-by-side version.
Rocky IV Montage Scene
Compare this homemade remake with the cinematic original. The song is No Easy Way Out by Robert Tepper.
My Freeze Ray
A shot-by-shot parody of the song Laundry Day (My Freeze Ray) from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Check out the original to see how spot-on these guys are, especially considering they put the remake together in just 48 hours.
Quincy Jones has certainly had an interesting career. He’s done everything from conducting Frank Sinatra’s band to producing films to fathering TV and movie star Rashida Jones. Along the way he’s picked up a record 76 Grammy nominations – 26 of which he won – and sold millions of records. Here are a few things you might not know about the multitalented star.
1. He Attended His Own Memorial Service
In 1974 Jones had a pair of brain aneurysms, and the prognosis was pretty grim. Since it looked like he might not have much time left, his family and friends started planning a memorial service. Although Jones was in poor health, he talked his neurologist into letting him attend the service, which was held at the Shrine in Los Angeles. The doctor was worried that Jones’ health would suffer if he got too worked up during the service, so he sat next to Jones throughout the ceremony. Jones later told Newsweek that staying calm “was hard to do with Richard Pryor, Marvin Gaye, Sarah Vaughn and Sidney Poitier singing your praises.”
Jones’ collaborations with Michael Jackson may have yielded such beloved records as Off the Wall and Thriller, but at least one thing about the King of Pop irritated Jones: Jackson’s collection of animals. Last year Jones told Details that Jackson would often bring his boa constrictor, Muscles, into the studio and let the snake wrap itself around the producer’s leg and slither across his console. As Jones succinctly put it, “I was never comfortable with that.” Here’s a great video of Jones looking a bit uneasy around Muscles:
Jones’ relationship with Jackson’s famous chimp, Bubbles, was even worse. In the same interview with Details, Jones revealed that Bubbles once bit his daughter Rashida in the hand.
3. He Had Some Interesting TV CreditsYou may know that Jones composed quite possibly the greatest TV theme song of all time for Sanford and Son, but he had some other fun TV credits, too. Jones’ other theme song credits include In the Heat of the Night and Ironside. He also wrote the music for the theme song for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a show for which he also served as executive producer. Better yet, remember the fragrant cab driver that takes Will Smith to his new digs in Bel Air in the show’s opening credits? That’s Jones behind the wheel.
4. Picasso Taught Him How to Pay a BillIn his autobiography Q, Jones writes about Pablo Picasso, who was his neighbor while Jones was living in Cannes. Jones tells a story of being in a restaurant one day when Picasso, his wife, and a friend walked in. Picasso’s party joined Jones, and they enjoyed the restaurant’s sole meuniere. According to Jones, when Picasso was done with his fish, he pushed the plate of bones into a window to dry for a bit, then carefully arranged them on his plate and drew on them with markers. The end result was a neat little Picasso design.
When the check for the meal came, Picasso gave the waiter the plate of decorated fish bones instead of any cash. According to Jones, the bones were on the restaurant’s wall by the next day, which prompted him to say that Picasso was “who I want to be when I grow up.”
5. He Helped Oprah Hit it Big (Because He Liked Her Name)
After working on the film The Wiz, Jones decided to try his hand at producing movies. He obtained the rights to Alice Walker’s The Color Purple and miraculously convinced Steve Spielberg to direct the adaptation while working for scale. He ran into a bit of trouble casting the picture, though, when he couldn’t find the perfect actress to play the part of Sophia.
Then, on a trip to Chicago he saw a young reporter named Oprah Winfrey who seemed like a great fit for the part. As Jones later wrote, “I had never heard a name like that. Oprah spelled backward is Harpo, and we needed to cast Sophia, who was married to Harpo in The Color Purple. It had to happen.” That logic may seem a bit circuitous, but the casting worked out so well that Oprah earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, one of 11 nominations the film received (though the film did not win any).
‘5 Things You Didn’t Know About…’ appears every Friday. If there’s someone you’d like to see covered, leave us a comment. You can read the previous installments here.
From a creepy USB flash drive finger, to a geeky Star Wars glowing lightsaber thumbdrive, meet twelve of coolest USB Flash drives we've seen.
I still get a little bit startled when I see people smoking in the office on Mad Men. I know it was totally normal back then, but I just can’t quite wrap my head around it not being taboo. I feel the same way when I see these cigarette ads. Back before we knew cigarettes are quite so detrimental to your health, before it was bad to target tobacco products at teens and kids, and apparently before the women’s movement, these tobacco ads did their best to get smokers to ask for their brand.

1. Tipalet – “Blow in her face and she’ll follow you anywhere.” That’s just – I mean… there are so many things wrong with this.
2. Camels – “More Doctors Smoke Camels Than Any Other Cigarette.” Dentists, however, felt differently…
3. Viceroy – “As your dentist, I would recommend Viceroys.”
4. Lucky Strike – “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet.” This one was part of a series of ads that touted cigarettes to dieters. Lucky later had to change the wording of the advertisement to reflect dieting in general instead of sweets specifically after candy companies protested.
5. Lucky Strike – “Her singing coach advised a light smoke.” Back before celebrities wouldn’t be caught dead shilling for cigs, it was commonplace to see big names like Carole Lombard, John Wayne and even Ronald Reagan singing the praises of their “favorite” smokes. In Carole Lombard’s case, a story accompanying her ad explained that she was horrified about having to give up smoking when she accepted a singing role in a movie – until her voice coach told her that if she switched to Lucky Strike, she could keep smoking, because Lucky Strikes are so soothing and gentle on the throat. Sure, except for that whole cancer thing.
6. Chesterfield. Sometimes it’s not the slogan, but the ad itself that might make you do a double-take. Little kids buying their dad a carton of smokes for his birthday? Heartwarming!
7. Lucky Strike – “It’s Toasted.” That might not be so bad by itself, but it’s the accompanying explanation that went with the tagline: “Toasting removes dangerous irritants that cause throat irritation and coughing.” Yep, that’s all it takes – toasting.
8. Eve Cigarettes – “The first truly feminine cigarette – almost as pretty as you are.” Eve Cigarettes came with a band of flowers printed on the stick, because what self-respecting woman would be seen out and about without a cigarette that matched her outfit? They’re still produced today but you don’t see them around much.
9. Marlboro – “Before you scold me, mom, maybe you’d better light up a Marlboro,” and “Gee mommy, you sure enjoy your Marlboro.”

The gem targeted at dads above was part of the same campaign.
10. Mecca – “Where Was Moses When the Lights Went Out? Groping for a pack of Meccas.” Mecca cigarettes answers the age-old rhetorical question about Moses – yeah, Moses from the Bible – with a rather irreverent statement. Nice!
Do you remember any old cigarette ads that would never see the light of day in 2010?
mental_floss477:http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/49787.html
The Wonderlic Test is a tool used in many fields to assess job candidates, and it’s administered to NFL draft prospects each year. Sources say quarterback Tim Tebow scored 22 out of a possible 50 on the Wonderlic. How does that score compare to some of the big name QBs who came before him? Does Wonderlic score predict football greatness? Let’s find out.
Take the Quiz: The Wonderlic Quiz
(Anyone ever taken the Wonderlic?)

Doesn’t look too sexy but keeps you snug and cozy.
Nothing can be worse than your breasts freezing over during the winter time when you are out with your bff in a park checking out other friends’ FaceBook page. The very thoughtful guys from Thanko Japan realizes this dilemma for all of us living in the Northern Hemisphere and came up with this brilliant Breast Warmer. Tuck the 2 USB powered Breast Warmer under your bra and make sure at least that part of your body will never get pneumonia. Rock on Thanko, you create the most useful USB gadgets mankind has come to know!
More info: USB Breast Warmer
- Make her Sqweel aka how many licks does it take gadget
This post has been inspired by an earlier article called, Eon Quiz and Robust approaches to Tarot Readings.
In that article I posted a quiz that asked people how they approached a health related Tarot reading. The participation from others was incredible, and inspired a follow up post called Eon Quiz I – Health Question.
The discussions that resulted from these two posts focused on two distinct areas; Ethical, and reader style (predictive versus therapeutic).
In this post, I want to focus on the predictive style, and in particular, three techniques that can be used to answer a Health based question. My main interest is in discovering which, if any of the techniques we explore, is the most robust and bulletproof.
We’ll start this article with an example Tarot reading, and explore three possible techniques to use – always with an underlying emphasis on finding the most robust one.
Example Tarot readingDespite my best efforts to make this post as universal as possible, everyone will have slightly different interpretations on what the positions in the Celtic Cross Spread signify. I don’t actually think it really matters what definition you use for what position. However, for those of you who would like to know how I read with this spread, here is a link to a post where I go into greater detail on this aspect of the Celtic Cross Spread.
The QuestionIn order to keep this reading lighthearted yet useful, I’ve actually done a real reading … on my friend’s cat. This person asked for a Tarot reading on the cat’s health, and with their permission, I’ve used their reading in this example.
In the example that follows, I use the Thoth deck. In order not to exclude people who are unfamiliar with the imagery, I’ve listed the cards used (and the associated positions) after the image.

The technique of using Elemental influences to explore someone’s health is quite simple. The first step is to scan the cards and note the distribution of the Elements. Let’s do that now:
The next step is to use that information to predict someone’s (or in our case, the cat’s) health.
Applying the techniqueNormally, in health related questions, the influence of Fire indicates vitality. The more Fire cards the better, particularly if there is a large concentration of them in future positions – it indicates vitality returning to the client. In this particular case we only have 2 Fire cards, yet they’re positioned well within the reading (the future cards).
Alternatively, we only have one Air card ( … Swords are traditionally associated with medical procedures and operations). Does this indicate that it won’t come to that?
There are 4 Water cards and 3 Earth cards. This is a fairly nice balance between the two passive Elements.
What does all this tell us?
Well, there’s clearly more passive Elements than active elements. This indicates that it will take some time (relative to the reading) before the cat’s health either improves or deteriorates. Does this tell us that this illness will be lingering for a while; or at the very least, some time passes before any noticeable change in the cat’s health occurs?
With some active Elements present, especially Fire, we can be assured that things do change, but is it for the better?
I’m encouraged by the presence of Earth Elements. It indicates a strong constitution and that the best possible treatment is provided – the kind that provides the cat with a solid chance to improve.
Why use this technique?The strengths of this technique lie in its simplicity and ease of use. The technique itself will cost no more than 10-20 seconds of your life. It’s really fast to use and it gives an overall impression of timing, imbalances and blockages in a quick and effective manner.
I use this technique as a way to “get into” the reading. It helps direct the flow of the Tarot reader’s story.
Why it’s not robustIt’s too simple. Although it does provide us with a framework for figuring out what has importance within the reading, it doesn’t actually provide any concrete answers.
This is a great technique to use, but it’s not really a “primary” technique but rather a “secondary” or back-up method to the main method used by the Tarot reader.
It could also be argued that it’s deck specific and relies on certain attributions from systems (in my case, the Golden Dawn) not in keeping with the deck creators intentions. Although it can be adapted, it’s not really a universal method for reading Tarot cards.
One way to expand upon this technique is to look for different types of influences as well as obvious patterns within the spread. For example, the ratio between Major, Minor and Court cards; if there are groups of cards with the same number (such as the Four of Cups, Four of Swords, Four of Disks, Four of Wands bring present within the same reading); if the Court cards are looking at each other; where the Court cards are looking etc.
2nd Technique – Elemental Dignities and Card PairingI don’t want to spend too long on this technique because not everyone is familiar with it. For those of you who would like more information, check out a collaborative series of How-To articles that Catherine Chapman and I wrote on Elemental Dignities.
To keep this section of the article brief, I’m just going to read the cards in pairs. I’m going to pair from the outside, and work my way in. In other words, I’ll pair cards 1 and 10, 2 and 9, 3 and 8, 4 and 7, 5 and 6 together. Each card pairing takes us further into the future.
This technique will provides us with an overall story framework for the cat’s health.
Applying the techniqueAs you can see, we now have a story line … of sorts. Although the outcome isn’t completely clear, card pairing did provide us with some valuable and useful pieces of information. This is the real strength of the technique – its ability to provide us with useful information in a very short time frame. Like the first technique, this won’t take longer than a minute (depending on the spread and amount of cards) in use.
Why it’s not robustThere are some limitations to it. The first limitation depends on the spread that the Tarot reader is using. If you use a spread that has an odd number of cards in it, you will end up with just one card, whereas, if you use an even number of cards (like the Celtic Cross which numbers 10) you will end up with two cards at the end.
This is significant because, as in our case, when you end up with two cards (which you pair) the outcome is vague. The value of this technique is greatly improved if you use a spread with an odd number of cards. This means that it’s impossible to pair the last card. This “outcome” card then brings a greater level of clarity.
Naturally, you can just deal an additional card to ensure that you transform your spread from even numbers into odd numbers, but, this isn’t always natural or desirable.
I’ve found that his technique is a great way to end a reading, but not to begin one. I like to use this method as a way of validating my earlier interpretations. If this method ends up creating a similar story to the one I’ve been telling then I’m given more confidence as to the accuracy of my earlier interpretations. If, however, it says something completely different, then I know I need to reassess the reading.
Overall then, this is another great technique that does have strength behind it, but it needs to be used within the right context. For me, it’s real strength lies in its ability to diagnose and validate my previous interpretations. It’s also awesome at bringing out other additional information at the end of the reading.
3rd Technique – Divinatory DefinitionsThis is usually the very first technique we learn as Tarot readers. First, we learn the DMs of the cards and second, how to apply them to a positional based Tarot spread – such as the Celtic Cross.
The idea behind it is very simple. Let’s take an example card, such as the Seven of Wands, and apply it to various imaginary positions.
As you can see, we take the basic interpretation of the Seven of Wands and adjust its meaning depending on the meaning of the corresponding position.
Applying the techniqueLet’s apply this technique to our example reading.
Overall, we can see an improvement in the cat’s health. The Hanged Man lets us know that the cat’s been sick for a while, or at the very least, has a history of major illnesses. The other cards point to the cat’s overall strength and fighting spirit. We can also see how other people play a positive role with the future of the cat’s health; and I would fully expect the Vet’s that are involved to be accurate in their treatment.
The Death card is troubling, especially when you consider that the Three of Swords, Five of Cups and Hanged Man are all present within the reading. Without trying too hard we know the situation is serious. But how serious? Yes, the cat’s death is a real possibility, however, so is a period of improved health. If we consider how important the Ace of Wands is when using this kind of technique, it alters the meaning of the Death card. Are we looking at the cat making some kind of recovery followed by a relapse?
Why use this technique?It’s simple, can be used with any spread or Tarot deck, and its easy to use. It gives fairly clear information and provides a nice structure for the Tarot reader.
Why it’s robustBecause there are no real draw backs to this method. It’s robust in almost all circumstances and conditions. Of course, it does have its limitations. It pigeon holes the client’s life, and assumes a structure (the positional meanings that the spread uses) that the client’s life will easily fit into.
I remember a reading a friend of mine did years a go. A woman wanted to know if her husband’s health would improve. The outcome card was the Empress. There were other highly positive cards involved as well – such as the Star and the Sun. My friend predicted full recovery. A couple of weeks later her husband died. My friend and I couldn’t understand it. How could the Empress predict death? We spent years discussing. Finally, we had a moment of insight. The Empress can depict a woman who owns property – in other words, it represented inheritance. The cards didn’t lie, but sometimes it takes a while to figure these things out.
Another problem with this method is also part of its strength. Because it’s so easy to use, it’s also so easy to apply it incorrectly. Like my friend’s reading where the outcome card was the Empress, we don’t always “see” what the cards are showing us. This isn’t so much a failing of the method but rather a human failing … we can’t always see the forest for the trees.
That’s where the other “secondary” techniques come in. The other techniques can provide the essential checks and balance that every Tarot reader needs in order to ensure a robust methodology to predicting, not just health readings, but any type of reading.
Like anything in life. I’ve discovered that no one technique is instantly superior than the other. Yet, they all have their place within the Tarot reader’s tool kit. For me, some are more “secondary” than others.
ConclusionEach Tarot reader will have their own spread, their preferred deck and their preferred techniques for health readings. I know I do! But this article isn’t about me, and how I do it. It’s about finding the most robust methods a Tarot reader can use for a health question, and for my money, using some simple DMs within a familiar Tarot spread is about as functional as you can get.
When we incorporate other “secondary” methods, we can add even more useful information. For instance, when I paired the cards, the final pairing left it open ended about the cat’s health. This isn’t really the case with the DMs method. Death is a fairly clear message but so is the Ace of Wands (Birth, something new etc). However we choose to conclude this reading (initially, the cat recovers, for now) it’s clear that it’s going to take some time.
Do you agree or disagree with me? What do you think is the most robust method? What methods have I forgotten about? As ever, these posts are only as interesting as your opinions on them. I’d love to hear what you think. I’ll see you in the comments
I’ll have a laptop hoagie… to go
Also check out the Adult Engrish of the Week!
Photo courtesy of Gwen Matthey.
Menu found in Macau.

I have to admit – when Lady Gaga appeared the first time I kind of hated her, I just didn’t want to have anything to do with her. Even though she was trying to get my attention anyway she could.
Not too long ago she finally got me to listen to “Just Dance” and ever since she got me hooked. Then “Bad Romance” and I thought … Yeah I get Lady Gaga, she is Sau Cool ( for German, swine cool … which is a good thing).
Already liked Telephone from her latest album which she recorded with Beyonce but that video ROCKS so hard you might have to watch it more than once.
I’m absolute GAGA-GEIL (an other German expression (geil stands for being hot for someone)
From the Album: The Fame Monster
[ Thank you Classic Fun for the Gaga wakeup call]
- Uber Geile CDs for only one dollar
Dear AFP Family,
It’s time to turn the clock back to the days of acid washed jeans, Members Only jackets, and big frizzy hair. Inspired by the theatrical release of Hot Tub Time Machine starring John Cusack, AFP is looking for your best awesomely awkward 80’s photos. We will pick the Top 5 most rad submissions and then ask YOU to vote for the champions. Submissions accepted until March 18th at 11:59 PM EST. Winners will receive an exclusive copy of the official AFP book and rock the homepage like a hurricane on March 26th! Click HERE to enter and check out all of the totally awesome submissions at: http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/hot-tub-time-machine-80s-contest .
As if skydiving wasn't already crazy enough, these people decided to do bizarre stuff while free falling.

The always surprising and refreshing Abstract City blog at New York Times Online, which regularly features visual pearls like New York in Lego and Subway Map Bathroom Tiling, has just posted a nice collection of graphical depictions [niemann.blogs.nytimes.com] that mimic the visual style of Google Maps. However, where I first assumed they were real outtakes or crops without any major alterations, some, if not all, seem to be newly created. On each image, the captions have been changed so they are interpreted as information graphics instead of geographical maps.

Hey, where is the USB cable? What, you mean it doesn’t work! It should though.
My type of style! Go wireless with our techno savvy Recycled Keyboard Clutch Purse. It’s made from recycled computer keyboards. Show off you environmental a-wear-ness and “re”decorate with some eco-friendly goods! Your friends will be “green” with envy! Makes the perfect gift for that geeky girl in your life!
More info: Keyboard Purse

Mom wanted to give her son some space.
(submitted by Cynthia)

If you appreciated the depth and level of detail of the now classic infographically animated The Credit of Crisis - Visualized, you will probably also like the following! "How to Feed the World?" [dvanw.com] explains in more than 8 minutes the intrinsic issues involved with international food dependence and the existing regional differences of food intake, in both quantity as quality.
For instance, in Europe, people have access to a varied, large diet, while the available (affordable?) food in Africa does not cover the normal human needs, causing African people to die about 20 years younger on average. What are the reasons for this injustice? You can watch the answer in the movie below.
The movie even discusses the feasibility of some potential solutions, such as increasing the cultivated land area, increasing the yield of a given agricultural area, increasing the use of organic products, introducing innovative watering techniques, and so on, and finishes with a concrete recommendation of where you have the ability to make a difference.
Chatroulette.com, Internet's new sensation, has some seriously weird users. Meet some of the most unexpected webcam images, that are only a click away from you.

Mike and Doug of Awkward Family Photos will speak about the new AFP book at the South By Southwest interactive festival this Friday, March 12th on the Day Stage. Will there be a special message from the AFP Grandparents? Be there to find out…

Finally, by combining their efforts, these three were able to muster up some inclement weather.
(submitted by X)

Google Public Data Explorer [google.com] is yet the latest entry in the ongoing race to democratize data access and its representation for lay people. Similar to Many Eyes, Swivel, Tableau Public and many others, Google Public aims to make large datasets easy to explore, visualize and communicate. As a unique feature, the charts and maps are able to animate over time, so that any meaningful time-varying data changes become easier to understand. The goal is for students, journalists, policy makers and everyone else to play with the tool to create visualizations of public data, link to them, or embed them in their own webpages. Embedded charts are also updated automatically, so they always show the latest available data.
Google is not a particularly new player in this realm. After Google acquired Trendalyzer from the Gapminder foundation several years ago, a simple Chart API and more powerful Data Visualization API appeared that allowed for the generation of powerful, interactive information dashboards. More recently, Google added visualization graphs to search results. Other valuable visualization jewels in the now impressive Google treasure collection include: Google Insights for Search, Google Trends, Google Wonder Wheel, Google Flu Trends and Google Zeitgeist.
More detailed information is available on the official Google Blog. In the blog post, you will also find an interesting downloadable dataset of the 80 most popular data and statistics search topics, based on the aggregation of billions of queries people typed into Google search.
From a diamond created from the ashes of your loved one to a reef ball placed into the ocean, meet eight of the most creative ways to rest in peace.

Nothing wrong with showing your love during the holidays, but let’s remember the baby.
(submitted by Willow)

Ha ha! Light Bulbs are fun, especially if they are put together by the millions! WTF? You probably guessed it right, these insane street lights have something to do with Fallas. And just seeing these is worth a trip for Fallas in Valencia.
More pictures: Fallas 2010 – Calle Sueca