Links of Awesomeness: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 | Sojourners

Links of Awesomeness: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011

http://youtu.be/zBjQ8a8Udlo

 

The Father, the Son and the Holy ...Toast? Remember the alleged miracle from a few years ago when a piece of toast appeared with an image of Jesus Christ as it popped up from the toaster? Well, now you can have the same miracle every morning for breakfast with Burnt Impressions’ new Jesus Toaster. But hurry! They're flying off the shelves according to CNN's Belief Blog.

A vicar in Devon, England who spices up his sermons by beatboxing, recently released a retroesque beatbox video of the Nativity story in which he uses energetic vibes to narrate the “greatest story ever told.” It’s already received 12,000 views on Youtube. (via BBC)

What do we really know about reindeer, besides that they power Santa’s sleigh on his Christmas delivery rounds? Well, for one thing, this year researchers discovered that reindeers are the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light! Discover 11 things you might not know about Donner, Blitzen and their cousins via Mental Floss.

Homelessness, job loss, rising environmental concerns … and now a butter shortage! Apparently Norway has been on a new dietary kick that has wiped the country clean out of butter. And people are feeling the loss, some are beginning to pay large amounts to acquire it, and others are stealing it from neighboring nations. (via The Colbert Report)  

The Christian music supergroup Ten out of Tenn is giving away its new Christmas album on Noise Trade. The 10 independent folk musicians — including Butterfly Boucher, K.S. Rhoads, Amy Stroup and Matthew Perryman Jones — who have been collaborating since 2005, give new life to timeless Christmas carols such as “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” and “Silent Night,” while adding a few originals into the mix.

The rumors have been confirmed: Hasidic-reggae musician Matisyahu has shaved off his iconic beard. With traditional Hasidic Jewish facial hair — a not-quite-as-long-as-ZZ-Top beard and side curls — that was for years the hallmark of his unique style, Mati's new freshly-shorn look has heads turning and his fans all abuzz, speculating on what his new look (which he posted a picture of on Twitter) might mean. The man himself says his clean shaven turn is all about his faith and spiritual "rebirth."

Calling all knitters, greenies, and cat-lovers, 'tis the season to show that special someone (or special feline) you care. Try knitting your own cat toys (such as a catnip-filled wonton or egg roll) from scrap yarn and behold, “knit dim sum!”

There’s nothing like the of a well-placed Teenage Mutant Ninja Nose for comedic effect, but Dear Photograph takes it even further with a nostalgic trip, bringing the printed photograph in touch with the digital world. Then there’s Tebowing, Kitten Covers, Self Pop Tart, and other cleverly popular single topic blogs. Which one is the best of 2011? Find out via Huffington Post.

 

Joshua Witchger is an editorial web assistant for Sojourners. Follow Joshua on his blog, Hail Fellow, Well Met.