If you enjoyed trying out the Four Men in Hats puzzle, here's another one for you. Again, the inmates must solve the puzzle or they will be executed.

 

On one such occasion, three cells were needed, so three of the cleverest inmates - Albert, Barry, and Carl - were put in a room and given a challenge. A guard showed them 5 party hats - 3 white, 2 black.  The guard then removed the hats from view, walked behind each prisoner and placed a party hat on his head.  Each inmate could see the two other inmates' hats, but not his own; nor could he see the two extra hats that were not placed on heads.

The guard said, "If anyone can tell me with absolute certainty the color of his own hat, you may all go free.  However, under no circumstances may you communicate the color of anyone else's hat."

He first asked Albert.  Albert is a very honest and intelligent (ie perfectly rational) person, but he was dumbfounded.  "I don't know", he said, "there's no way of knowing."

He then asked Barry.  Barry was equally intelligent and rational, but he also could not say.

The guard said, "I regret that I have to execute you three, but seeing as Carl is blind, he's not going to know.  You have failed."

But ...Carl knew what color hat he wore! How could that be? The answer is posted at The Weekly Riddle. Link -via a comment at Geeks Are Sexy

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A tender moment between two prairie dogs is caught on video. Is one of them going off to work? Is it the end of a date? Will he call her tomorrow? -via the Presurfer

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Kermit and Marbles went to the doggie dentist. As they both had a tooth extraction or two, they were anesthetized. They aren't quite out of the fog yet as this video was taken. -via Arbroath

Zeon posted about various director's audition tapes for Star Wars earlier this week, but this one "by" Wes Anderson is perfect! Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - Thanks Diana!

People tend to assume that because polar bears live up north mean that their favorite holiday is Christmas, but that's just speciest. If you really get to know them, you'll find out that most polar bears prefer Halloween. Here's one really getting into the holiday spirit with a fun witch statue.

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They call it a cat nap for a reason. If I were the guy sitting in that chair, I wouldn't be moving for a very long time. How could I? Let that kitty nap as long as he needs to.

-Via Unique Daily

Wu Conghan and Wu Songshi got married in 1924 in Nanchong, Sichuan province, China. There were no local photographers then, so there were no wedding photos taken. The couple are still married 88 years later, and they recently posed in wedding finery for the pictures they didn't have on their wedding day. A local photography company volunteered to snap the pictures as part of an city initiative to give older people wedding portraits, according to another story. Conghan is 101 years old, and Sognshi is 103. See more pictures of the at the Daily Mail. Link -via reddit

(Image source: HAP/Quirky China News/Rex)

In Teh tarik ("pulled tea"), black tea and milk are mixed not with a spoon, but with showmanship. Take a look at this man doing teh tarik in Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok, Thailand.

I have always though killer whales were beautiful animals, that being said they pale in comparison to how cute I find sea otters. Part of this video is very tragic, knowing that mother otter lost her child, but I still find it amazing that the otter managed to outwit the whales. In the battle of sea otters versus killer whales, I am strongly in the sea otter camp.

-Via Arbroath

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Nothing like bottle feeding and cuddling with orphaned babies who weigh more than you do. Someone sign me up for this job tomorrow -minimum wage seems like I'd be getting over paid.

Via Discovery News

If you surf the internet, then at some point you have probably seen Nyan Cat. The original creator of that infectiously addicting 8-bit rainbow meme, Chris Torres, has informed the internet that his cat Marty (inspiration for Nyan Cat) has passed away.

A week ago Marty started acting strange and the responsible owner Torres quickly brought him to the vet. Marty was diagnosed with Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a fatal and incurable disease. Marty passed away last night.

As a lover of Nyan Cat and as a pet owner myself- this is a sad day. RIP Marty, may Nyan Cat live on in your memory.

-Via Geekosystem | Nyan Cat

To make sure that you get there and back again safely, Air New Zealand - the official airline of Middle Earth, mind you - has released a new Hobbit-themed in-flight safety video.

In this video, titled An Unexpected Briefing, Air New Zealand partnered with WETA Workshop (which created special effects for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey as well as The Lord of the Rings series). It features cameos by film director Peter Jackson, Dean O'Gorman (Fili the Dwarf), Royd Tolkien (great grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien), and even Gollum.

Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - Thanks Cole!

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This infectious song by Stephanie Mabey tells of a zombie in love. Warning: it will be stuck in your head all day. -Thanks, Steven!

Shaun Usher is delighted to have a copy of the new book Kurt Vonnegut: Letters, which is available for purchase today. He has published two of the letters at Letters of Note, in which the author's fatherly side is evident. One concerns his son Mark, who received his draft notice in 1967. Here's the first part of it:

To Draft Board #1,
Selective Service,
Hyannis, Mass.

Gentlemen:

My son Mark Vonnegut is registered with you. He is now in the process of requesting classification as a conscientious objector. I thoroughly approve of what he is doing. It is in keeping with the way I have raised him. All his life he has learned hatred for killing from me.

I was a volunteer in the Second World War. I was an infantry scout, saw plenty of action, was finally captured and served about six months as a prisoner of war in Germany. I have a Purple Heart. I was honorably discharged. I am entitled, it seems to me, to pass on to my son my opinion of killing. I don't even hunt or fish any more. I have some guns which I inherited, but they are covered with rust.

This attitude toward killing is a matter between my God and me. I do not participate much in organized religion. I have read the Bible a lot. I preach, after a fashion. I write books which express my disgust for people who find it easy and reasonable to kill.  

The second letter is to a school that had banned one of Vonnegut's books. Both are straight to the point and well worth reading. Link

The Hear Heres is a sculpture installation by Studio Weave on the grounds of Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire, England. It consists of four giant ear trumpets that you can listen to! Each amplifies the sounds of nature around it, whether it's the wind, wildlife in a tree, or the gentle sounds of a lake. One has two receiving ends, so that people can talk to each other through it. Link -via Laughing Squid