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Futility Closet

Well, At Least There Was Good Stuff to Read: The Books of the Decade Anybody remember how anxious and thrilled we were in those last months of the 20th century? When we weren't at war and we had a budget surplus and it looked like Al Gore would be president? The prospect of a 21st century filled with new technologies, new art and literature loomed large and bright. Goethe said that the decline of a nation's literature is the precursor to that nation's fall, and with this look back at the books that defined the decade, we'd like to tell Goethe to suck it. To be clear: there were plenty of bad books over the course of the decade, as well. Worse still may be the self-help arena, which has continued to distinguish itself as a place where the insecure can go to justify their inane self-love or equally inane self-loathing.

Taking a Corner Fail Funny Videos, Free Games, & Funny Pictures Sign up | Login Taking a Corner Fail [+] Both the driver and co-driver survived. [–] Both the driver and co-driver survived. Tags: Cliff, Driving, Car Accident, Fail, Video <div class="highlightRed"><p>Please enable JavaScript. 72 ft Bicycle Backflip Over Can... Ice Climbing Gone Wrong Insane Bike Jump Gone Wrong First Person Bike Jump Fail Risky Plane Takeoff Riding Next to a Cliff Fail Motorcyclist Falls 35 Feet Most Epic Blob Launch Ever Driving Up a Cliff Fail Quad Cliff Jump Fail Leap of Faith Fail Mountain Biking Like a Boss Comments (34) Famous Last Words | Sep 9, 2012 | Reply "Ohhhh sh*t!" Post reply | Sign up | Login Sep 10, 2012 Is this the dash cam footage from that video a while ago? Originally posted Sep 10, 2012 Took a while to find that camera I bet. Morbidly Muscular | Jan 3, 2014 Ah living life to the max or be reserved and play it safe. uhm... | Aug 15, 2013 Thats not exactly a good place to be taking a risk on a corner Sep 16, 2012 MrRock | Sep 12, 2012 More

Story about Sun Tzu and the kings’ concubines The following story bears interesting lessons: Sun Tzu’s book The Art of War, earned him an audience with the King of Wu, who said, “I have read your books, may i submit your theory of managing soldiers to a small test?” Sun Tzu replied “Sir, you may.” The King of Wu asked “Can the test be applied to women?” Sun Tzu replied that it could, so arrangements were made to bring 180 beautiful women from the palace. The women replied, “Yes. With great patience, Sun Tzu said, “If the instructions and words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame.” Then Sun Tzu said, “If the instructions and words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. Sun Tzu replied, “Having received the sovereign’s commission to take charge and direct these troops, there are certain orders I cannot accept.” Now the drums were sounded and the drill began.

Crazy Awesome Black And White Portraits Russian photographer, Alexander Khokhlov, hailing from Moscow, has created a brilliant series of B&W “beauty-eque” portraits. I wish I knew who the MUA was so I could give her/him credit, because they did a friggin INCREDIBLE job on this shoot, whoever it was. I really love everything about these shots and it is the kind of series that pushes me to think outside of the box and find something to do that hasnt been seen before. Great job Alexander (and crew). Enjoy! Related The Best Fstoppers’ Posts From September 2012 Your "Likes", "Tweets", comments and clicks all help us know which are our best posts of the month. In "FS News" Carli Davidson's Spectacular Pet Portraiture Carli Davidson loves animals, and it shows in her work. In "Editorial"

What am I paying for in the price of a gallon of gasoline? | ExxonMobil's Perspectives Blog I’m asked this question a lot. And I know a lot of drivers ask themselves this question when they pull up to the pump. The answer is based on the economics of supply and demand and how products are manufactured and sold – along with what the government takes in taxes. Let’s take a look, based on the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s breakdown of the estimated average price of a gallon of gas in December 2011, which was $3.27. Raw materials = $2.62 The cost of the raw materials used to make a product has a major impact on the final product price. Crude oil is by far the largest factor in the price of a gallon of gasoline – accounting for 80 percent of the $3.27 average retail price per gallon in December, according to the EIA. To put that in another way – about $2.62 of the average gallon of gas in this example is set before a refiner even touches the raw material. U.S. crude oil production in 2010 was 5.5 million barrels per day. Manufacturing the product How does that happen?

Underlined Book Quotes Become Clever Illustrations Bookworm or not, you can't help but enjoy these black and white illustrations of literary quotes by Evan Robertson. The New York-based graphic designer has taken some of the cleverest lines written by famous authors such as William Faulkner and Oscar Wilde and turned them into wonderful posters. These literature-inspired fine art illustrations are currently being sold on Etsy under the name Obvious State. Robertson would see a "little jewel of a sentence" and he'd underline it. Then, he would take those "snippets of text and ideas" and "let the words be a springboard for an illustration." Here are 12 of our favorites. Update: Check out more clever illustrations in Part II of this story. Obvious State on Etsy via [Quipsologies], [Huffington Post]

Driver Gets Passed Up on Highway Funny Videos, Free Games, & Funny Pictures Sign up | Login Driver Gets Passed Up on Highway [+] While listening to Adele in Russia... [–] While listening to Adele in Russia... Tags: Helicopter, Driving, WTF, Video <div class="highlightRed"><p>Please enable JavaScript. Guy Builds Epic Copter World's Smallest Helicopter Helicopter Rescues RC Plane How to Perform the James Bond T... Apache Helicopter Landing Fail Epic Flying Car Helicopter Blows a Deer to Safe... Harvesting Christmas Trees Like... A Swarm of Nano Quadrotors Helicopter Relocates Tent Guy Tries Out New RC Helicopter Rugby Club vs. Comments (19) Alexthedude | Sep 8, 2012 | Reply Speed Limit enforced by Aircraft? Post reply | Sign up | Login Sep 10, 2012 Originally posted by literally | Sep 8, 2012 ONLY in Russia. only an overused comment shut up | Sep 10, 2012 Originally posted by ermahgerd | Sep 9, 2012 i yersed a derchberg ern yer merm lerst nerte ya f*cking dyke ermahgerd | Sep 9, 2012 Originally posted Sep 8, 2012 wow, your a douchebag probaby FPSRussia

French firefighters' Olympics Close Call for Man on Stairs Funny Videos, Free Games, & Funny Pictures Sign up | Login Close Call for Man on Stairs [+] Yea, just stay right there. [–] Yea, just stay right there. Tags: Car Accident, Stairs, Truck, Crazy, Video <div class="highlightRed"><p>Please enable JavaScript. Driver Narrowly Avoids Person i... Truck vs. Amazing Recovery After Getting ... Crazy Driver Causes Chaos Driver Narrowly Misses Boulder "Drop the Bass" Car A... Tow Truck Driver Gets Out Just ... Highway Construction Project Ge... Lexus Shows Off Sport Mode BMW E30 Drifts in Parking Lot Car Crash Escape Fail Customer Not Satisfied with Tow... Comments (21) Sep 2, 2012 | Reply good thing he was running a couple seconds late or else... Post reply | Sign up | Login HUUHHH | Sep 2, 2012 I like how the truck is the one that went flying to Narnia! XenomorphByGod | Sep 5, 2012 It's a good thing he gave the Misses a few extra strokes.... MrCock | Sep 4, 2012 Originally posted by MrRock | Sep 4, 2012 It's called Inertia my friend. shut up faggot MrRock | Sep 4, 2012 What?

Scooter Driver Falls Asleep Funny Videos, Free Games, & Funny Pictures Sign up | Login Scooter Driver Falls Asleep [+] That's about as close to death as you can get. [–] That's about as close to death as you can get. Tags: Scooter, Truck, Motorcycle, Crazy, Video <div class="highlightRed"><p>Please enable JavaScript. Scooter Rider Has Five Accident... Scooter Driver Flips Over Car Scooter Staircase Jump Knockout Double Scooter Fail Guy Gets Knocked Off Scooter Big Guy on a Scooter Fail Epic Scooter Tricks Scooter Rider Takes Advantage o... Scooter Rail Grind Faceplant Blonde Crashes Moped Girl Tries to Ride Scooter for ... Motorcycle vs. Comments (37) Sep 4, 2012 | Reply Is there anything a woman CAN drive? Post reply | Sign up | Login Originally posted Sep 4, 2012 maybe if an oven had wheels yup... | Sep 4, 2012 ...they can drive you crazy =) Aug 5, 2013 they weren't supposed to lift him up. if he had a spinal injury, they would of made it worse Devin | May 4, 2013 Dude...f*cking hilarious. Oct 25, 2012 Momma, can I have this lady? Sep 6, 2012

A young richard erdman (leonard) Click for the... How to Have Fun with an Excavator Funny Videos, Free Games, & Funny Pictures Sign up | Login How to Have Fun with an Excavator [+] Oh, so this is why construction takes so long?! [–] Oh, so this is why construction takes so long?! Tags: Excavator, Roller Coaster, Win, Video <div class="highlightRed"><p>Please enable JavaScript. Drunk Guy on a Bulldozer Digger Undresses Woman Redneck Amusement Park How a German Opens a Bottle of ... How To Have Fun At The Beach Unloading an Excavator Fail Digger Rampage Dad Builds Son Roller Coaster w... That Was Not a Countdown Too Big for Duck Ride Guy Passes Out Twice on Slingsh... Workers Tell Guy Ride is Broken Comments (30) Sep 28, 2012 | Reply He'll have to excavate his underwear from his crack after that. Post reply | Sign up | Login joedirt | Sep 28, 2012 who else was waiting for him to smack up against that building? Sep 30, 2012 Originally posted by Job Foreman | Sep 29, 2012 and that folks is how you begin your trip to the unemployment office. Maybe they were building the unemployment office. What's New

Ford Focus vs. Trolley Wire Funny Videos, Free Games, & Funny Pictures Sign up | Login Ford Focus vs. Trolley Wire [+] Surprise back flip. [–] Surprise back flip. Tags: Car Accident, Trolley, Driving, Fail, Video <div class="highlightRed"><p>Please enable JavaScript. Driver Narrowly Avoids Person i... Truck vs. Amazing Recovery After Getting ... Crazy Driver Causes Chaos Driver Narrowly Misses Boulder "Drop the Bass" Car A... Tow Truck Driver Gets Out Just ... Highway Construction Project Ge... Lexus Shows Off Sport Mode BMW E30 Drifts in Parking Lot Car Crash Escape Fail Customer Not Satisfied with Tow... Comments (27) Alexthedude | Sep 23, 2012 | Reply Dramatic Russian music building up, car flips, song starts. Post reply | Sign up | Login Tama | Sep 23, 2012 Music fit perfectly lol derp | Sep 25, 2012 Originally posted Sep 24, 2012 If this is how they drop beats in Russia no wonder why the place is so violent. So it's your country, why you guys forget everything what you have done to the world? Sep 24, 2012 surprise b*tch Fishing for cars.

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