It's a cold, wet, ugly Sunday in New York and if you need a big laugh this classic Laurel & Hardy sketch should do the trick. Watch the original "Who's on First?" above or if you'd prefer, a fun type design animation treatment after the jump.Whatever you choose, you'll laugh.

In International news....

The double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius today won his appeal to compete for a spot in this year's Beijing Olympics. The decision, taken by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), overturns a ban on Pistorius competing against able-bodied athletes, and thus allows him to run in all International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) sanctioned events.

The IAAF had ruled in January that the 21-year-old Pistorius could not compete with able-bodied athletes because the carbon-fibre blades attached to both legs gave him an advantage. However, after a two-day meeting of CAS, world sports highest tribunal, disagreed.

"I am thrilled with the panel's findings and hope that it silences many of the crazy theories that have been circulating in recent months about my having an unfair advantage," said Pistorius. "My focus throughout this appeal has been to ensure that disabled athletes be given the chance to compete and compete fairly with able-bodied athletes. I look forward to continuing my quest to qualify for the Olympics."

I hope he makes the team. (Thanks Guardian Online)

And for more on the Oscar Pistorius story head on over to Neatorama.

Didn't Sinatra sing a song named that? Send in the freaks? Something like that.

There are subjects I cannot help but be fascinated with. Monkeys, Old West gunfighters, Ernest Hemingway and the Loch Ness Monster. Can't help it. I'm riveted like R. Kelly at a Chuckie Cheese. (Too far?) Two other items that I am interested by are the circus and the odd. Not the modern politically correct circus, the old-timey circus with colorful tents filled with exotic animals and trapeze artists, sideshow barkers, snake oil salesman selling magical tonics and most important, the freak shows.

You know what I'm talking about. For a few extra bucks, the curious were herded into a tent to see the pinheads, bearded ladies, Siamese twins and other assorted oddities.

I think we should bring the freak show back.

Some time ago we wrote about the porn industries' propensity to take an award-winning film and create a hardcore parody. But an announcement from X-Play really takes this to a new level. The makers of Not The Bradys XXX are bringing us... no kidding... Not Mr. Rogers XXX Neighborhood:

"Mr. Rogers will be teaching sweet young girls about pulling down their pants and exploring their ‘dirty areas'...We are going to go into the land of the make-believe and fuck it up completely. Puppets are the least of what we are going to be doing..."

I'm.. just... speechless.

I love cereal - rarely start my day without a bowl. If I was to be stranded on a island with only 1 food option, I'd choose cereal. As long as it's not any one of these 5.

I don't know if this is a product demonstration or a talent show, but either way I'm impressed. This guy uses a mechanical shovel to take the model's clothing off.

(via Arbroath)

In Greece this week, a nine year old girl complained to her family of stomach pains. Perhaps a little too much baklava you may think. Maybe she dipped into the souvlaki one too many times.

You'd be wrong if those were your guesses. Upon being examined by doctors, it was found that the little one was carrying her unborn embryonic twin.

Seriously.

Perception is reality. For instance, no matter how much money Microsoft throws into their Zune advertising campaigns, I'll always think it's a sub-par iPod ripoff. Friend and marketing genius, Noah Brier, built a site called Brand Tags that tracks what people think about certain companies. Take it for a spin, see what other people think about your favorite companies. Remember, there are no wrong answers.

Here's something I've been involved with for the last couple of months, and it's nice to be able to finally talk about it.

On August 8 & 9, American Eagle Outfitters will be holding the first annual New American Music Union, a two-day, open-air concert in Pittsburgh, PA. On the main stage, the lineup includes Bob Dylan and His Band, The Raconteurs (Jack White's band), Gnarls Barkley, The Black Keys and many others. And on the second stage, 15 of the top College Bands from around the country will be competing for an exclusive recording session and promotional deal. And the whole thing is hosted by Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow from Livenation and Ticketmaster. And any bloggers or podcasters out there who want to be informed of the latest news and behind the scenes info as it happens, email me at steve (at) theadvanceguard (dot) com to get on the outreach list.

Maybe we should organize a YBNBY field-trip :)

I'm only 3 years late on this one. NASA, who haven't spent nearly enough time creating the flying car, spent our hard earned tax money creating a movie featuring the particularly destructive 2005 Hurricane Season.

Now here's a guy with it all: the moves, the girth and the Speedo. (PS - The girl in the freeze frame is just a misdirect.)

These ladies have a very creative way to show their love for Mickey Mouse. Would Disney ever let them in to the parks though?

(Slightly NSFW photo after the jump.)

As a kid I had the G.I. Joe jet-pack. I'd strap it to the back of Snake Eyes and have a ball. I figured that when I was all growns up I would have a real one to fly to work. Flying cars, hover boards, underwater cities, moon colonies, time machines, the lot, I thought it was just around the corner. I have been disappointed over the years the New York hasn't turned into the futuristic utopia I saw on the Jetsons. Life has been a real let down.

And then I saw this...



How soon until that baby is available at Brookstone?

"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" **1/2 (out of four): It's back to Narnia in this second, and only slightly more meaty, adaptation of the C.S. Lewis fantasy franchise.

The world of Narnia - the magical realm that fueled seven C.S. Lewis fantasy novels - has always struck me as something out of a children's story, filled with kitschy, harmless characters and capped by feel-good moralizing. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", the 2005 franchise-starter by director Andrew Adamson, only cemented that theory. The film's CG talking animals and PG battle scenes, along with a daintily-handled Christian allegory, made for a Disney-fied adaptation that went down like a spoonful of sugar. The second installment, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian", picks up either one year or 1300 years after the first film, depending on who you ask. But not much has changed in this series which continues to feel like "Lord of the Rings" lite.

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