Oddly Enough

Pretty much the kind of content you’d expect with a title like this

Heartwarming, charming, disarming

November 16th, 2007, filed by Robert Basler

leopard-360.jpgJust when you least expect it, the usual sarcasm and absurdity in this blog take a brief vacation and you get a big helping of adorable, instead.

Here then, to make your weekend a little better, are ten of the most memorable animal posts we’ve had in recent months. They’re all great, but if you haven’t seen the last two items - the otters and Charlie the cat, you are in for an extra special treat.

Stop by and warm your heart…

You winsome, you lose some…

Knut the Cute…

Paging Christopher Robin…

I can’t talk, I’m a little horse…

No bunnies were harmed in shooting this photo

Guess I owe Disney some royalties?

Hold that tiger…

Do unto otters…

A couple of minutes with a special cat…

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Okay, who had 131 in the pool?

November 16th, 2007, filed by Robert Basler

victoria-lips-140.jpgJust to catch you up, I have been a bit amused this week at the abundant coverage of those Victoria’s Secret models, starting on Monday when we filed 15 shots of their arrival in California.

I mean, that’s not such a huge deal. Even Jed Clampett managed to get to the West Coast.

Well anyway, then they got an award in Hollywood, then they put on make-up, and then they held some kind of a fashion show. One thing leads to another with these gals, and our total for four days is now up to 131 photos. My guess in the office pool was 642 shots for the week. We’ve got three days to go, so I think I’m still in the running. If you’re interested, here’s a slideshow of the models:

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Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2007 in Hollywood, California November 15, 2007. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

And Finally: Who spit in Chad’s coffee?

November 16th, 2007, filed by Robert Basler

Chad Ruble, our guy who collects bizarre video clips to save you the trouble, has outdone himself this week.

He’s got a fashion show with clothes made of chocolate, a skirt that foils urban predators, and coffee that involves monkey spit.

As if all that isn’t enough, he’s now showing video from readers as well. You may want to send him some yourself. Here’s Chad, and don’t forget about his new archive pages, too.

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Get in the Jacuzzi, Susie!

November 15th, 2007, filed by Robert Basler

Blog guy, you seem to know quite a bit about sophisticated stuff.  A friend gave me some Beaujolais Nouveau, and I’d like to cook her a special meal and open the bottle. What food goes great with this wine?

Food? Food? I’m so glad you came to me for help!  As you can see in this photo from a trendy resort, you don’t drink Beaujolais Nouveau, you bathe in it.  If you invite your friend over to “enjoy the wine,” that’s what she’ll be expecting.  I’m pretty sure Beaujolais Noveau translates directly to ”Rev up the Jacuzzi.” 

How embarrassing it would have been if you had poured the wine into stemware next to a hearty stew or whatever. Yeesh.  A video report from Toshi Maeda

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wine-300.jpgA sommelier pours Beaujolais Nouveau into a Beaujolais Nouveau bath at a hot springs spa resort in Hakone, west of Tokyo, November 15, 2007, to celebrate its launch.  REUTERS/Toshi Maeda

Gumby fashion design: feet of clay?

November 15th, 2007, filed by Robert Basler

Dear Blog Guy, I am a Gumby, and proud of it. Why does the fashion world just ignore us? Gumby women like to look good, too, and we will NOT be ignored any longer!

I hear you. In their defense, many big fashion names say it’s tough to design nice clothes for models who tend to melt under hot runway lights.  Our own photographers point out that clay animation is a pretty tedious way to shoot the fast-paced world of haute couture. 

Having said that, things may be looking up for you. This creation from a fashion show in Russia shows that designers have you in mind, but you may just need to be a bit flexible.  Well, actually, I guess you probably are

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gumby-300.jpgA model displays a creation by designer Elizaveta Kovalkovskaya during an international fashion contest at the University of Technology and Design in St.Petersburg November 8, 2007. REUTERS/Alexander Demianchuk

And for meritorious underwear posing…

November 14th, 2007, filed by Robert Basler

star-face-140.jpgAfter months of a J.D. Salinger sort of existence, the Victoria’s Secret models are back making real news again. We moved 15 pictures of them landing in a plane, as you saw in this blog yesterday, followed by 11 more photos and a video report of them getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Wait a minute. Don’t you have to be like Jack Nicholson or Meryl Streep or somebody talented to get one of those Walk of Fame star things?

Actually, that gets a little murky. Some of the coverage said they got an “honorary” star, which I guess may be a different kind, where you don’t exactly need to be Hilary Swank. It turns out the models also got an “award of excellence,” which isn’t given to just anybody. Or at least, not to just anybody who wears clothes.

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star-360.jpgVictoria’s Secret models pose after receiving an “Award of Excellence” star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, November 13, 2007. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Binge and purge: easier than ever!

November 14th, 2007, filed by Robert Basler

As the song says, kicks just keep getting harder to find. The amusement park industry is having its big convention, and the hot new thrill seems to be dining 165 feet above the ground, at a table suspended by a crane.

Yeah, that’s pretty much what I wondered, too. Who cares? It’s not like you can’t go to the Rainbow Room if  you want to dine high up. Heck, you could even sneak a sausage pizza aboard a gyrocopter. It doesn’t take Isaac Newton to guess what’s going to happen when you eat raw oysters and some linguini,  washed down by a few beers, and then sit there swinging back and forth, back and forth…

The promoters of this suspended table thing say it’s available for business meetings, too. We’ve seen those “meetings” in James Bond movies. “Uh, sorry Mr. Blofeld, I don’t want to join your evil scheme, so I guess I’ll just be goin’ home now…”

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The attraction ‘Dinner in the Sky’ is demonstrated at the amusement industry’s international convention in Orlando, Florida November 13, 2007.  REUTERS/Nicholas Wolaver/Handout

Call it a model airplane, I guess…

November 13th, 2007, filed by Robert Basler

klum-180.jpgSome of you have been concerned that we haven’t met our photo quota of those elusive supermodels in 2007, as discussed recently in my blog post Are Victoria’s Secret models turning shy? 

It appears we’re trying to make up for it at the end of the year, starting with 15 shots of Victoria’s Secret models arriving on their own plane.

It isn’t clear to me exactly what the deal is on this plane. Like, do the models pilot it and everything? ”This is Heidi Klum and I’ll be your captain….”  I think we may safely assume not a morsel of food is served on the flight.

How do you equip an aircraft whose purpose is to allow a load of supermodels to look their very best the instant they arrive? Do they have one long makeup mirror, and blow dryers at every seat, or do they just blast each model with Scotchgard when they board?

A slideshow of the arrival

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Models  pose at Los Angeles International airport November 12, 2007.  REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

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Ed, that manhole called you a bozo!

November 13th, 2007, filed by Robert Basler

Recently I posted Skirting the Urban Enemy, about a special garment that lets  a woman in danger disguise herself as a vending machine. While some people did not take this seriously, you can see here that apart from having a face and feet, she does resemble a Coke machine, nearly fooling this small boy.

What I didn’t mention was that the same designer thought of a purse that women can use as a disguise to look like a manhole cover. I am serious. 

Of course, manholes are generally in the middle of a street, often a busy one, so who can point out the flaw here? You sir, in the speeding Toyota? You, in the Honda? Hey, slow down! I’m hiding here! The story:

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skirt-360.jpgA boy looks at Japanese designer Aya Tsukioka dressed as a vending machine to camouflage herself in Tokyo, November 7, 2007.   REUTERS/Toru Hanai

A martini, Spiderman! Juggled, not stirred…

November 12th, 2007, filed by Robert Basler

There was just a contest for “Asia’s Most Annoying Bartender,” and boy was the competition tough! They wore costumes, juggled bottles, danced on the bar… In the end, the most irritating bartender was a dude dressed as Spiderman, who…

Huh? No, I’m sorry, that isn’t possible. I’ve just been informed that it was really  the “Asia’s Top Bartender” competition, and this obnoxious flamboyance was considered a good thing.  Apparently it’s called “flairtending.”

Well, this is exactly what’s wrong with the world.  A ”top” bartender should mix the booze quietly, not fling it around like some kind of Benihana cleaver jockey. It makes me want to drink at home. Here is the report from Tara Joseph-Hui:

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