chumster A hand-picked selection of the internet's finest randomness

MI5 spied on Charlie Chaplin after FBI asked for help to banish him from US | UK news | guardian.co.uk

"Chaplin has given funds to communist front organisations … He has been involved in paternity and abortion cases," an MI5 liaison officer in Washington warned in October 1952.MI5 noted that a decade earlier Chaplin had told the Los Angeles branch of the National Council of American Soviet Friendship: "There is a great deal of good in communism. We can use the good and segregate the bad."

via MI5 spied on Charlie Chaplin after FBI asked for help to banish him from US | UK news | guardian.co.uk.

The videogame book Martin Amis doesn’t want to talk about

“Anything a writer disowns is of interest,” wrote Leith, “particularly if it’s a frivolous thing and particularly if, like Amis, you take seriousness seriously.” He’s got a point; any book so callously orphaned by its own creator has to be worth looking into. This is especially true if the book in question happens to be a guide to early 1980s arcade games.

via The Millions : The Arcades Project: Martin Amis’ Guide to Classic Video Games.

The Japanese do Valentine’s Day differently

Valentine's Day is celebrated in an interesting manner on two different dates in the country of Japan. On February 14, female present gifts to their boyfriends or any man close to them. The favor is returned to ladies on the White Day celebrated on March 14 when men pamper women who gave them gifts a month before on Valentines Day.

via valentines day in japan,valentine's day celebration in japan,valentine in japan,japanese valentine day.

The final words of James Clark

Uh, I don't know, Um, I don't know what to say. I don't know. (pauses) I didn't know anybody was there. Howdy.

via Death Row Information.

Chilean miner rescue capsule on display at Science Museum

The capsule used to rescue 33 miners who were trapped for 69 days in a mine in Chile has gone on display in London.

The steel capsule, 3.9m (12.7ft) tall and 54cm (1.7ft) wide, known as Fenix 2, will be on show at the Science Museum in South Kensington until May

via BBC News - Chile mine rescue capsule at London Science Museum.