A digital archive of thousands of wax cylinder recordings from 1890-1929. Basically, it's like having a royalty-free iTunes from the earliest sound recordings, back when it was purely a spring-driven mechanical-acoustic process. picked by drogue 2 days ago

Reagan’s underwhelming performance in the first debate led some to believe that, at 73, he was too old for the rigors of the presidency. But in the second (and final) debate, Reagan zinged Mondale with the soundbite that will be replayed before every presidential debate for as long as there are presidential debates: picked by Bornbad 2 days ago

One council is failing to see the funny side of names such as Hoare Road and Cracknuts Lane. picked by Bornbad 2 days ago

The Marine Corps is trying to ease two problems in Anbar province: the economic straits of Iraqi widows and their children, and the deterioration of the once-thriving dairy industry.

The Marines have purchased 50 cows for 50 Iraqi widows whose husbands were killed in combat. picked by suebe 2 days ago

The city makes you stupid. Researchers have verified that the metropolis mangles minds: Just being in an urban environment impairs our basic mental processes. After spending a few minutes on a crowded city street, the brain is less able to hold things in memory, and suffers from reduced self-control. picked by suebe 2 days ago

Trying to stave off rumors that he is dying, Steve Jobs admitted today that is his docs are treating a 'hormonal imbalance' that is making him lose weight. picked by Moe 2 days ago

This guy likes to be squashed by his obese wife. picked by AutumnLotus 2 days ago

Even some of the most sexually liberal readers were shocked by the debauchery at a suburban slumber party that resulted in two mothers being charged with corrupting the morals of six teenage boys. picked by Bornbad 3 days ago

This threw evangelicals into a tizzy. After all, the Bible makes it clear that heaven is a velvet-roped V.I.P. area reserved for Christians. Jesus said so: “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” But the survey suggested that Americans just weren’t buying that. picked by Bornbad 3 days ago

Parents who smoke often open a window or turn on a fan to clear the air for their children, but experts now have identified a related threat to children’s health that isn’t as easy to get rid of: third-hand smoke picked by Bornbad 3 days ago

It's...
Virtual Mom. picked by Bornbad 3 days ago

Tilt-shift is a technique that makes photographs of real life objects appear as miniature models. Keith Loutit has applied this technique to stop-motion photography of scenes around his native Sydney.

More details in the comments. picked by pocksucket 3 days ago

A Liberian woman accused of smuggling endangered monkey meat from Africa to New York has failed to persuade a judge that she shouldn't be prosecuted because she needed the butchered carcasses for religious reasons. picked by suebe 4 days ago

This hilarious gadget is the perfect thing if you're feeling a little smaller than normal and need to ‘inflate' yourself a little. picked by AutumnLotus 4 days ago

The housebreaker leapt from the first-floor window of the building to escape Torvald Alexander, 39, who said the man may have been intimidated by the costume he made of the god of thunder out of tin foil.

Finally Proof of the Insidious Power! picked by equinox 5 days ago

Need to get somewhere but can't afford the train fare? Take a tip from Mr & Mrs Pierstorff who came up with an innovative way of sending their daughter Amy to see her grandparents when they couldn't afford the ticket. picked by pocksucket 5 days ago

Tariq Griffin entered the world at 12:17 a.m. on New Year's Day at Crittenton Hospital in Rochester, Mich.
His twin brother, Tarrance, was born a bit earlier - 26 minutes to be exact... picked by muppet 5 days ago

"The FBI agents actually cleared our names," Inayet Sahin, one of the family members kicked off the flight, told CNN. "They went on our behalf and spoke to the airlines and said, 'There is no suspicious activity here. They are clear. Please let them get on a flight so they can go on their vacation,' and they still refused." picked by muppet 5 days ago

Onion writer John Harris is trying to sell an unspecified joke on eBay because he "can't find a contextual home" for it. The punchline is that bids have already soared to $370, despite his self-effacing sales pitch: "To be fair, it's less of a joke and more of a dated, Capote-esque cocktail party bon mot, but decidedly more feeble" picked by suebe 5 days ago

remember Edna Jester, the 89-year old lady of Blue Ash, Ohio? She is the one who refused to return a football that was thrown onto her yard. She is now suing the family of the boy for emotional distress. picked by 2manyusernames 5 days ago

This award winning image shows the extraordinary moment when a lemon shark gazed into a lens with an apparent cheeky grin. picked by AutumnLotus 5 days ago

A trusting shopkeeper who did not want to close up shop but wanted to take Boxing Day off decided to leave his store open for customers to help themselves. picked by AutumnLotus 5 days ago

A church group that owns beachfront property discriminated against a lesbian couple by not allowing them to rent the locale for their civil union ceremony, a New Jersey department ruled Monday in a case that has become a flash point in the nation's gay rights battle. picked by sputum 1 week ago

Back in August, a Phoenix prostitute got a perverted request from a john: He'd pay $1,500 to have sex with her and a 10-year-old girl. picked by KingGolathE 1 week ago

Marines, Cpl. Jonathan Yale and Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter saved dozens of lives including Iraqi police officers and fellow marines when they courageously stood their ground firing upon a a truck-driving suicide bomber. They will posthumously be awarded the Navy Cross picked by 2manyusernames 1 week ago