Pygmy Alien Fossil of the Bitterroot Valley

Photo 1

Revealed here for the first time are the only known photos of the fossilized pygmy alien's head, found in 2007 in the Bitterroot of western Montana by an amateur archaeologist . The exact location of the site is being withheld to thwart gawkers, looters and government agents.

Note the eye sockets, the distorted mouth which reveals flat, almost human-like teeth, and the vestigial nose flattened to the right side of the aliens face. The high forehead and pointed chin give the alien's head a distinctive diamond shape about 127 mm high and 90 mm inches wide.

The depth of the cranium is also about 90 mm and provides for a larger volume than would be expect for such a diminutive skull. Photo 2 reveals cranial ridges, but no ear openings. Perhaps completely different organs were used to perceive sound.

This alien skull was the only fossil found at this location. Efforts to find more are ongoing.

Photo 2

New Single Cell Organism

Researchers at The University of Montana have released a preliminary study of a heretofore unknown single cell organism which they have designated "SM.eli F33t". Not much is yet understood about the new little creature except its complete lack of a right knee.

Brave New Bug

Super Zuk Contest - Western Montana Fair

A tradition at the Western Montana Fair in Missoula, Montana is the "Super Zuk" zuchhini contest. (We would have spelled it "Zuke" or Zook". Oh, well.) Last year featured Mussolini Zucchini, a formidable zuke, indeed.

This years entries included one decorated to look like Jay Leno, Luke the Zuke - a biker zucchini taking a nap, and a dragon design:

Big Waste in Hewlett Packard's Packing and Shipping

Loyal reader Charlie writes:

"Meager Minds,
I just had to tell you about the enormous waste I've discovered in Hewlett Packard's shipping and packaging. We recently ordered four licenses from HP for some computer equipment.

When the licenses arrived in a box about 20 x 20 x 7 inches, we were confused. I opened the box and discovered some bubble wrap and four more boxes. These boxes were about 12 x 12 x 1 inches. Inside each was more bubble wrap an envelope and a packing list.

Inside each envelope was a piece of paper with license access numbers. These numbers were not the license keys, but allowed us to go online to obtain the keys.

So, with all this wasted packaging and the expense and wasted energy of shipping us 5 lbs. of junk, the process could all have been accomplished electronically with email and secure logins.

Now, I've got to recycle all this material, if possible, and more energy will be wasted in that process. Is it any wonder that we are in the middle of an energy crisis that has no end in sight?

Thanks,
Charlie

P.S. Here's a picture as evidence. What an incredible waste!"

New Feature! Diane's Kitschin' Korner!

Diane's Kitschin' Korner! will now be a regular feature of Meager Minds! We can't say how lucky we feel to have Diane as our guest! It's a real scoop on all those other meager blogs! So, let's get right to it!

Diane's Kitschin' Korner!
Thanks, Meager dudes! Here is an item that no sidewalk warrior can do with out! Your very own portable heated cab for your snow blower! The heat comes from you! I wonder how the defroster works! -Diane

click for large picture!

Who is it? Contest Answer

For all of you out there on the edge of your chairs waiting for the answer, the photo is of none other than the gorgeous Scarlett Johansson. Here's the full picture. Thanks for all the responses, the no one got it right. I thought those lips would be a dead give-away. Better luck next time.

Will FOX Ruin The Sarah Connor Chronicles?

Now from the Meager Minds at Fox Television:

Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly has dictated that John Connor will have a new love interest in the form of soap actress Leven Rambin.

Executive producer Joss Friedman capitulated: "I said, 'Yeah, maybe we could have a girl come in around Episode 8 or 9.' ... We compromised at Episode 2."

Not that Fox execs have had much success in meddling with the creativity of their shows in the past. Does "Firefly" ring a bell?

Who is it? Contest

Be the first to post the identity the person in this photo and win absolutely nothing. Nobody else will win anything, either.

The answers will be revealed next week.

Australia

I was looking at stuff online about Baz Luhrmann's upcomming film "Australia". www.australiamovie.com/ has links to the Apple collaborative site for film education. You can subscribe to their iTunes podcast that has short videos about making movies.

In the "Location" lesson were several shots of a distinctive mesa in the north west of Austraila, near Kununurra, WA. I thought, "I bet I can find that hill on Google Map or Google Earth."

Well, I think I did. Take a look at the pictures below and the Google links and see what you think. As I say in Google Maps:
The hill in the background of the cattle station in the movie "Australia", by Baz Luhrmann, found at www.apple.com/go/settoscreen. The distinctive "prow" on the southern tip of the hill, or mesa (as we call it in the US), is the telling feature.

Google Maps: Australia Film Site

Google Earth: Search this string exactly as show in Google Earth: "australia" filming location