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PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
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Category: Weirdness
Posted on: September 19, 2009 12:33 PM, by PZ Myers
I am shackled to my laptop, writing, writing, writing for a while as all of my body but brain, eyes, and fingers atrophy, so I'm going to have to send you off elsewhere to find your jollies. Gary Farber has compiled a fine collection of short, strange science links…well, some are only tangentially science, but they're weird, anyway.
Someday, when my work is done, I must make the pilgrimage to Darwin, Minnesota, to see the world's largest ball of twine.
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Comments
Posted by: J. Alora | September 19, 2009 12:45 PM
It's not only a quality roadside attraction, but it's the basis for Weird Al's best song, too.
Posted by: SEF | September 19, 2009 12:53 PM
Aye, an' well should ye be shackled - in the bowels of the ship, ye scurvy dog, fer a-failin' to inform yer minions o' the nature o' this day. T' think that yon ol' Pharyngula site 'ad a pirate filter an' all.
Posted by: SEF | September 19, 2009 12:59 PM
Arrrr! That thar ball o' twine would be makin' the rigging fer a fair number o' small tall ships in bottles - once ye be a-drinkin the rum 'n' grog first.
Posted by: ShaunOTD | September 19, 2009 1:14 PM
Can anyone explain why it's necessary to sniff these balls?
Posted by: KI | September 19, 2009 1:19 PM
I'm kinda surprised you haven't already been to the ball of twine, I thought it was part of the mandatory "New to Minnesota?" socialist indoctrination program.
Posted by: ShaunOTD | September 19, 2009 1:24 PM
Oops, *cough* What I be aaskin' is, why be yon scurvey Darwinianites makin' such a song an' daance about the aroma o'their twine?
[sotto voce]I think I got away with it...
Posted by: Patricia, OM | September 19, 2009 1:29 PM
Well if we're going to get into the subject of ball sniffing this thread is gonna get covered in christians or politicians.
Posted by: --PatF | September 19, 2009 1:38 PM
Twine.
*****BOOOOORRRRRRINNNNGGGG*****
Come over to Wisconsin where we have the "World Famous Mustard Museum." Now that's an exciting place.
Posted by: Rey Fox | September 19, 2009 1:41 PM
What's surprising to me is that the URL for this post doesn't have any numbers after it, meaning this is the first post ever at Pharyngula to be titled "Weird Science".
Posted by: les | September 19, 2009 1:49 PM
Sorry, guy, you'll have to come down to Cawker, KS if you want to see the actual world's largest ball of twine. Or if you're duped by the Guiness world record shills, possibly Branson MO. But I don't recommend Branson, generally. Courtesy Wikipedia and local chauvinism.
Posted by: Camels With Hammers | September 19, 2009 2:02 PM
That article's okay but it doesn't give a sense of the majesty of the ball or how overwhelming it is to be in its very presence. For that you need Weird Al's moving song and the video filled with photos of his epic trip to see it first hand, http://camelswithhammers.com/2009/09/19/the-biggest-ball-of-twine-in-minnesota/
Posted by: ShaunOTD | September 19, 2009 2:04 PM
@--PatF #8 - Mustard, you say? Do you have one that would go well with The World's Oldest Ham in the Oxford Covered Market? It's 117 years old, looks vile, and was cured in borax, but it's allegedly still edible...allegedly.
Posted by: --PatF | September 19, 2009 2:10 PM
ShaunOTD:
Oh, they MUST have. (MUST. MUSTARD. Get it. I am such a scream.)
By the way, do you think that mushrooms would go well with these? We could get some at http://www.fieldtrip.com/pa/03886082.htm.
Mustard and Mushrooms and Ham, Oh my!
Mustard and Mushrooms and Ham, Oh my!
Mustard and Mushrooms and Ham, Oh my!
Now, who is goiong to be the first to mention BACON!!!!
Posted by: steve_h | September 19, 2009 2:10 PM
So now the trophy wife has an atrophied husband.
Posted by: g | September 19, 2009 2:13 PM
So. How long before some creationist quote-mines PZ -- "I must make the pilgrimage to Darwin" -- as proof that those nasty mean scientifical fundamentalist atheists are really Darwin-worshippers after all?
Posted by: Dahan | September 19, 2009 2:39 PM
I've not only seen the Largest Ball of Twine, I met the guy who created it a couple times when I was young. Believe it or not, he was kind of an accentric. He was a really good carver, as well.
Posted by: Dahan | September 19, 2009 2:42 PM
He was even an "eccentric". Sorry folks.
Posted by: DaveG | September 19, 2009 2:59 PM
He was eccentric, but his twine ball was not.
Posted by: Islander | September 19, 2009 3:00 PM
Winner.
Posted by: davem | September 19, 2009 3:15 PM
OK, so I looked at the web site about the twine, and am left speechless, apart from a solitary word:
Why?
Posted by: Paul | September 19, 2009 3:35 PM
...and for someplace to store the world's largest ball of twine...
THE WORLD'S LARGEST BASKET!!!
I grew up 15 minutes from this thing, lol. It IS beautiful at night...
Posted by: Dave C | September 19, 2009 3:47 PM
Heh. I use to live about 3 miles from Darwin. I've seen the ball of twine on many occasions--and each one was as thrilling as you might imagine.
Posted by: Michael Dickens | September 19, 2009 4:35 PM
World's largest ball of twine? Like in that song?
Posted by: 'Tis Himself, OM
|
September 19, 2009 8:00 PM
PZ,
After you see the Ball of Twine, you should visit the Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota.
Posted by: Carlie | September 19, 2009 8:39 PM
Oh yeah? Well I grew up near the World's largest Catsup bottle. Sadly, it's already been dissed by Kanye.
Posted by: WMDKitty | September 20, 2009 12:27 AM
Obligatory lyric quote.
And now I have that damn song stuck in my head.
Posted by: Rob | September 20, 2009 6:02 AM
It's just a bit of fun...