Saturday, September 11, 2010
Ummmmmmmm! Chocolate!
Armenia produces world's biggest chocolate bar - Boston.com: "Anyone looking for huge amounts of free chocolate should book a flight to Armenia's capital next month. That's when the world's largest chocolate bar will be up for grabs in Yerevan's main square. The Guinness Book of World Records certified the 9,702-pound (4,410-kilogram) chocolate bar at a ceremony Saturday."
Will the Persecution Never End?
Do Men Who Date Paris Hilton Seal Their Demise? | PopEater.com: "Dating Paris Hilton may be deadly, at least in the figurative sense. Her steady stream of BFs are usually reduced to rubble after the relationship ends, suffering everything from ruined reputations to lost jobs. The party princess is no King Midas. She's more like Medusa, because everything -- or rather, everyone -- Paris touches seems to turn to stone."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Everywhere. Repeat: Everywhere
Charles River yields lonely girl alligator - BostonHerald.com: "There are a lot of things you might expect to catch in the Charles River. A gator isn’t one of them.
A 4-foot-long American alligator was captured yesterday in three feet of water on the roadside bank of the Charles at Great Plain Avenue on the Needham-Dedham line, said Catherine Williams of the state environmental police."
A 4-foot-long American alligator was captured yesterday in three feet of water on the roadside bank of the Charles at Great Plain Avenue on the Needham-Dedham line, said Catherine Williams of the state environmental police."
Hat tip to Dave Zeltserman.
Dino Update
Dinosaur with a hump discovered - The Boston Globe: "The weird world of dinosaurs has just gotten a tad more bizarre. Scientists found a nearly complete fossil of a new dinosaur that sports a noticeable hump, maybe as possible advertising.
The hump on the dinosaur’s back, which was at least 16 inches tall, may have been used to help this meat-eating theropod communicate among its own species, scientists theorize. Discoverer Francisco Ortega of Spain named it Concavenator corcovatus, which means “the hunchback hunter from Cuenca.’’"
The hump on the dinosaur’s back, which was at least 16 inches tall, may have been used to help this meat-eating theropod communicate among its own species, scientists theorize. Discoverer Francisco Ortega of Spain named it Concavenator corcovatus, which means “the hunchback hunter from Cuenca.’’"
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
School Suspends Boy for Bloodshot Eyes: "TROPHY CLUB, Texas - Administrators at Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club suspended a 16-year-old boy on Tuesday because his eyes were bloodshot and they thought he might have been smoking marijuana.
The teen said he was not high. Instead his eyes were red because he had been grieving the loss of his murdered father.
Kyler Robertson’s father was stabbed to death on Sunday. His mother honored his wishes and let him go to school on Tuesday to be with his friends."
The teen said he was not high. Instead his eyes were red because he had been grieving the loss of his murdered father.
Kyler Robertson’s father was stabbed to death on Sunday. His mother honored his wishes and let him go to school on Tuesday to be with his friends."
So Will They Have to Change the Warning on Cigarette Packs?
Prescription for a Healthier Brain: Coffee and Cigarettes?: Scientific American: "When Leo Pallanck and his colleagues fed coffee and tobacco extracts to these flies, they found that the animals’ dopamine cells survived and their life span increased."
Walden Pond Update
Mystery blooms on Walden Pond - The Boston Globe: "But no one has reported them before in Walden Pond, and Acton, who lives nearby in Concord, has not seen them in the 15 years she has been swimming there. The Walden Woods Project, which curates the most extensive research collection by and about Henry David Thoreau, conducted a preliminary search of his work just in case he might have noticed them during his time at Walden, and found no mention."
No Comment Department
Man cleared of bomb charge | Concord Monitor: "Prosecutors this week dropped a reckless-conduct charge against a Salisbury man after what the police initially described as a powerful pipe bomb at his home turned out to be a 'tire thumper' used to check the pressure of truck tires, his lawyer said."
The Bears are Back
Texas conservationists preparing for bears' big comeback - KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |: "A different kind of immigration is putting Texans on guard near the borders. In west Texas and parts of northeast Texas, hundreds of black bear sightings are being reported."
Friday, September 10, 2010
I'll Just Have a Burger, I Think
TV chef Martin Blunos creates a cheese sandwich that costs an incredible £110 | Mail Online: "A Michelin-starred chef has unveiled the world's most expensive cheese sandwich - which carries a whopping price tag of £110.
The delicacy was created by celebrity chef Martin Blunos, who hand-crafted the luxury snack using cheddar blended with expensive white truffles.
It is dressed with 100-year-old balsamic vinegar and the sourdough bread - which costs £5 alone - is sprinkled with powdered €175. That's gold dust to you and me."
The delicacy was created by celebrity chef Martin Blunos, who hand-crafted the luxury snack using cheddar blended with expensive white truffles.
It is dressed with 100-year-old balsamic vinegar and the sourdough bread - which costs £5 alone - is sprinkled with powdered €175. That's gold dust to you and me."
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Mystery Scene Update from Kate Stine
Fall Issue #116
Kathy Reichs, William Kent Krueger, Mystery Cookbooks, Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Sister
and much more!
Hi everyone,
We've got a terrific Fall Issue in the works. Kathy Reichs, whose forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan stars in both print and TV, has taken multi-tasking to unprecedented levels. She's a fascinating person and a great interview. We also talk to William Kent Krueger, long known as a "writer's writer," but now a general favorite. Sherlock Holmes gets his comeuppance from a source close to home in Nancy Springer's terrific Enola Holmes YA novels and we review hundreds of the season's best books.
When Brian and I took over Mystery Scene in Fall 2002, our first issue coincided with the one-year anniversary of the September 11th attacks. In remembrance, that first issue offered essays from several crime writers. SJ Rozan's contribution, "My New York," is one of the finest pieces to ever appear in Mystery Scene and one we're proud to offer now at the MS Website.
Look for more contests and giveaways in this newsletter, at our website and in the magazine!
Sincerely,
Kate Stine
Editor-in-Chief
Kathy Reichs, William Kent Krueger, Mystery Cookbooks, Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Sister
and much more!
 |
We've got a terrific Fall Issue in the works. Kathy Reichs, whose forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan stars in both print and TV, has taken multi-tasking to unprecedented levels. She's a fascinating person and a great interview. We also talk to William Kent Krueger, long known as a "writer's writer," but now a general favorite. Sherlock Holmes gets his comeuppance from a source close to home in Nancy Springer's terrific Enola Holmes YA novels and we review hundreds of the season's best books.
When Brian and I took over Mystery Scene in Fall 2002, our first issue coincided with the one-year anniversary of the September 11th attacks. In remembrance, that first issue offered essays from several crime writers. SJ Rozan's contribution, "My New York," is one of the finest pieces to ever appear in Mystery Scene and one we're proud to offer now at the MS Website.
Look for more contests and giveaways in this newsletter, at our website and in the magazine!
Sincerely,
Kate Stine
Editor-in-Chief
Roger Ebert Update
"Roger Ebert presents At the Movies" - Roger Ebert's Journal: "'Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies,' a weekly half-hour film review program, was announced today by its producers, Chaz and Roger Ebert. The program continues the 35-year-old run of a reviewing format first introduced by Gene Siskel and Ebert and later by Ebert and Richard Roeper.
It will return to its birthplace, launching nationally on public television with presenting station WTTW Chicago, where it began in 1975 as 'Opening Soon at a Theater Near You' and then in 1976 as 'Sneak Previews,' became the highest rated entertainment show in PBS history. The original format moved into syndication as 'At the Movies' in 1982 with Tribune Entertainment and a quarter-century with Buena Vista Television."
It will return to its birthplace, launching nationally on public television with presenting station WTTW Chicago, where it began in 1975 as 'Opening Soon at a Theater Near You' and then in 1976 as 'Sneak Previews,' became the highest rated entertainment show in PBS history. The original format moved into syndication as 'At the Movies' in 1982 with Tribune Entertainment and a quarter-century with Buena Vista Television."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Police: Texas mom pulls gun on 7th grade students: "A woman believed to be the mother of a Texas seventh-grade volleyball player pulled a gun on a rival team celebrating a lopsided win over her daughter's outmatched squad, officials said Friday."
Hat tip to Art Scott.
A Thriller a Day...
Here's a new blog of interest. I watched many of these episodes back in the Long Ago. I was nearly as tough a grader as these guys!
Update from Peter Enfantino: We welcome your comments and running commentary. In fact, we double dog dare you! John and I were hoping to get together reams of commentary on Thriller for the blog and some of our smarter readers are doing just that for us. Stay tuned to the blog for a Really Big Announcement sometime next week. I can't wait. In fact, I promised Scoleri I wouldn't get in the bath and open my veins (even after watching "Rose's Last Summer") until after the announcement!
Croc Lady
Great pics at the link!
It happens to 16-year-old Andrew Lowing quite often because his mother Vicki lets her three prized pets have the run of their house.
The only difference is that Johnie, Fovian and Jilfia are crocodiles."
I Am, I Repeat, Everywhere
THE TAINTED ARCHIVE: THE JOHN WAYNE TRIBUTE WEEKEND - HANGING WITH THE DUKE: BILL CRIDER: "THE JOHN WAYNE TRIBUTE WEEKEND - HANGING WITH THE DUKE: BILL CRIDER"
Anthopology 101 -- Bud Webster
Bud Webster is younger than I am, but he came to SF the same way, by finding anthologies in the library. I'd read and loved SF earlier, including Heinlein's Rocket Ship Galileo, but when I discovered a Groff Conklin anthology in a school library, I was hooked forever. The first two books I ordered from the SF Book Club were Conklin's Omnibus of Science Fiction and The Astounding Science Fiction Anthology. It was by looking at the copyright page in the one from the library that I discovered the existence of SF magazines, and I owe Conklin and anthologies a lot. I've continued to read them down to the present day.
So Anthopolgy 101 is my kind of book. Yours, too, and if you care anything about SF short stories and the history of SF, you need this book. It's a collection of Webster's columns on anthologies that have appeared in various places over the years. I'd read some of them before, but not nearly all, and it's wonderful to have them here in one place. As soon as my copy arrived, I sat down and started to read. An hour passed before I even looked up again. The great Star series is discussed in the first essay, and I found myself nodding in agreement with Webster's assessments of most of the stories in those volumes. Then comes the Conklin chapter, with the contents of every Conklin anthology noted. The chapter on Ace Doubles is worth the price of admisssion. And so on. Don't bother listening to me. Go ahead and get a copy for yourself right now.
If There Had Been Any Gentlemen on the Plane, They'd Have Opened the Door for Her
Tiffany Livingston | Playboy Centerfold Tried To Open JetBlue Plane Door: "A Playboy centerfold tried to bust out -- midair -- from a jet amid a bad case of high anxiety.
[. . . .]
The passenger was identified as 21-year-old Tiffany Livingston. She was aboard JetBlue Flight 522 from Florida to Newark, N.J., on Thursday when she bolted from her seat and tried to open the door of the plane.
She had became agitated because of turbulence and appeared to grab the handle of an emergency door, a source told Fox 5 News. Then two off-duty police officers who happened to be on the flight stopped her."
[. . . .]
The passenger was identified as 21-year-old Tiffany Livingston. She was aboard JetBlue Flight 522 from Florida to Newark, N.J., on Thursday when she bolted from her seat and tried to open the door of the plane.
She had became agitated because of turbulence and appeared to grab the handle of an emergency door, a source told Fox 5 News. Then two off-duty police officers who happened to be on the flight stopped her."
Hat tip to David Cranmer.
Thomas Guinzburg, R. I. P.
The Paris Review Co-Founder Thomas Guinzburg Dies - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "Thomas Guinzburg, an editor and publisher who helped create The Paris Review, the enduring lion of American literary magazines, and who later became president of Viking Press, the publishing house founded by his father, died on Wednesday in Manhattan. He was 84."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Become Famous!
Busted Flush Press: Appear in a Reed Farrel Coleman novel!: "Register early for 2011 Bouchercon in St. Louis, and you’ll be in a drawing to have a character named after you in three-time Shamus Award winner Reed Farrel Coleman’s next Moe Prager novel, Hurt Machine (which will be launched at the St. Louis Bouchercon)! The winner, who will be chosen from the first 250 registrants (there are about 100 registrants, so far), will also be invited to lunch with Reed, along with two runners-up. Visit the Bouchercon 2011 website to register now!"
12 Fun Facts about Lost in Space
12 Fun Facts about Lost in Space: "The television show Lost in Space, airing from 1965-1968, presented the adventures of a family in space in the year 1997. In a set of campy stories, the Robinsons clashed with buffoonish pirates, anthropomorphic vegetables, and prospectors from the Old West. The show didn’t take itself too seriously, but was took a lighthearted look at the science fiction genre. Let’s take a tour of some facts that you might not know about the show."
Higher Learning - Teachers & Schools in Literature
AbeBooks: Higher Learning - Teachers & Schools in Literature: "For most of us, schools and teachers have played a big role in our lives. Discover a wide selection of fiction and non-fiction books about schools, the students that attend them, and the teachers that dedicate their lives to educating young people. Touching, amusing and enlightening - you're bound to be educated by reading this fine selection."
Forgotten Book: NO QUESTIONS ASKED -- Oliver Bleeck
My theory is that you can't go wrong with a book by Ross Thomas, no matter what name he's using. So when I saw this one the other day, I picked it up to read again. It doesn't matter how many times I've read one of Thomas's books. I always enjoy them.
I know some people don't care for Thomas, but that's okay. There are plenty of popular writers that I don't care for. I guess it's all a matter of taste. When I read Thomas's prose, I find myself smiling at something on just about every page. The guy would write. Really write.
No Questions Asked is narrated by Philip St. Ives, the professional go-between who's the narrator in all the books by "Oliver Bleeck." This time it's a volume of Pliny' History, a very valuable volume, that's been stolen. St. Ives is to recover it for the insurance company, and, as is so often the case, things go wrong.
That's really all you need to know. The plot isn't as complicated as it is in some of Thomas's books, and you might even figure it out. No matter. The pleasure of reading Thomas's prose makes the journey well worthwhile. Great stuff.
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Python Wrestling
McDonalds snake wrestling — Wide Trends: "McDonalds snake wrestling resulted to the arrest of two unidentified people. The men were spotted wrestling with a 1.5 meter long python snake at a McDonald’s restaurant parking lot.
Police say the men were arrested because they stole the python, named Boris, from a pet shop along with a lizard. Boris is 8 years old. Detective Sgt. Andrew Beams described the men who are aged 22 and 24 years as “pretty dumb”."
Police say the men were arrested because they stole the python, named Boris, from a pet shop along with a lizard. Boris is 8 years old. Detective Sgt. Andrew Beams described the men who are aged 22 and 24 years as “pretty dumb”."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Mean Old Man -- Jerry Lee Lewis
I like the title of this new CD, which is also the name of the first track, and I like just about every song on it. Who but Jerry Lee Lewis could put together a line-up of collaborators like the ones here. There are Rolling Stones. There's a Beatle. There's Eric Clapton, Slash, John Fogerty, Willie Nelson, and lots of others.
Let's get the bad news out of the way first. Lewis's song with Fogerty, "Bad Moon Rising," flops. Lewis sounds almost bored, and the song lacks the driving energy that it has in the original. That being said, there's plenty of driving energy to go around, and it shows up in a fine rendition of "Whiskey River" and a pounding "Rockin' My Life Away." "Sweet Virgina" and "Dead Flowers" are fine, too, and when Jerry Lee reprises his big hit "Middle Age Crazy," it's at least as good as the original. Maybe better because he sounds so much wearier now.
And He'd Better Keep off Her Lawn, Too
KC woman hauls naked neighbor from her home by the beard - KansasCity.com: "A 64-year-old woman fought off a neighbor and dragged him out of her house by his beard after he let himself into her Kansas City home and took his clothes off."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
The Associated Press: A whole different Playboy channel _ for the blind: "Suzi Hanks reads Playboy magazine for the articles. And the jokes. And the letters and cartoons.
And yes, for the pictures.
Each week, for an hour, Hanks snuggles close to a microphone in a tiny soundproof closet, reading — and describing in great detail — portions of the latest Playboy issue for the blind."
And yes, for the pictures.
Each week, for an hour, Hanks snuggles close to a microphone in a tiny soundproof closet, reading — and describing in great detail — portions of the latest Playboy issue for the blind."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Scouring Pads . . . Ummmmmm
Sleep Eaters Suffer From Subconscious Snacking - ABC News: "It could be a scene from a horror movie called 'Night of the Hungry Zombies.' A sleepwalker enters the kitchen, grabs anything within reach -- cookies, crackers, even a dish scouring pad -- and chows down, sometimes taking food back to bed."
Hat tip to Angela Crider.
I'm Walkin', Yes, Indeed. . . .
Y100 | Miami: "U.S. researchers suggest walking enhances brain circuit connectivity and brain function.
Moderate walking for 40 minutes three times per week for a year -- rather than just stretching and toning -- helped increase brain function in older adults.
University of Illinois at Champaign study leader Art Kramer and colleagues looked at brain regions functioning together -- especially the 'default mode network' that dominates brain activity while passively observing or simply daydreaming."
Moderate walking for 40 minutes three times per week for a year -- rather than just stretching and toning -- helped increase brain function in older adults.
University of Illinois at Champaign study leader Art Kramer and colleagues looked at brain regions functioning together -- especially the 'default mode network' that dominates brain activity while passively observing or simply daydreaming."
Clive Donner, R. I. P.
Clive Donner, Film Director, Dies at 84 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "Clive Donner, who helped define the British New Wave with films like “The Caretaker” and “Nothing but the Best” and directed the emblematic swinging ’60s film “What’s New Pussycat?,” died on Tuesday in London. He was 84."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
China Leads the Way
Odd - News - Woman sues cinema for over-long ads - Digital Spy: "A woman in China has sued a cinema and the distributors of the movie Aftershock for wasting her time with adverts.
According to the Xinhua news agency, Chen Xiaomei claims the Polybona International Cinema and film distributors Huayi Brothers Media Corporation should have told her of the length of the pre-movie commercials.
Chen, a lawyer, accused the Xian-based picturehouse and the distributors of violating her freedom of choice and wasting her time, AFP reports."
According to the Xinhua news agency, Chen Xiaomei claims the Polybona International Cinema and film distributors Huayi Brothers Media Corporation should have told her of the length of the pre-movie commercials.
Chen, a lawyer, accused the Xian-based picturehouse and the distributors of violating her freedom of choice and wasting her time, AFP reports."
Gator Update (Belly Edition)
Spanish Concavenator dinosaur a 'hunchback hunter' - USATODAY.com: "Spain's top-predator dinosaur, some 130 million years ago, sported quilled-elbows, an alligator belly and a hunchback, an international team reports Wednesday.
Called Concavenator, Latin for 'the hunchback hunter from Cuenca (Spain),' the fossil remains of the dinosaur are featured in the journal Nature. The two-legged meat-eater stood about eight feet tall and measured 20-feet in length, making it a medium-sized 'theropod' dinosaur like the later Tyrannosaurus Rex."
Called Concavenator, Latin for 'the hunchback hunter from Cuenca (Spain),' the fossil remains of the dinosaur are featured in the journal Nature. The two-legged meat-eater stood about eight feet tall and measured 20-feet in length, making it a medium-sized 'theropod' dinosaur like the later Tyrannosaurus Rex."
Show Us Your Papers, Citizen
Random Pat-Downs Turn PATCO Into Police State | NBC Philadelphia: "Commuters who ride PATCO trains between southern New Jersey and Philadelphia should expect random searches of their clothing, pockets, bags and vehicles on their morning trip to work.
Twelve Transportation Security Administration screeners, armed with an explosive-sniffing K-9, checked 663 commuter bags randomly selected from the morning rush at the Lindenwold station Tuesday.
[. . . .]
“We can conduct any kind of search we want,' said McClintock. 'We could ask TSA to bring wands or X-ray machines like they have in airports, though we don't think that's appropriate for PATCO riders at this time.'"
Twelve Transportation Security Administration screeners, armed with an explosive-sniffing K-9, checked 663 commuter bags randomly selected from the morning rush at the Lindenwold station Tuesday.
[. . . .]
“We can conduct any kind of search we want,' said McClintock. 'We could ask TSA to bring wands or X-ray machines like they have in airports, though we don't think that's appropriate for PATCO riders at this time.'"
Another Blog
WRITING FOR THE BRAND is the title, and it's from Peter Brandvold, a heck of a western writer. I've known him for a while because we connected through out interest in the work Harry Whittington and other paperback greats. Check it out.
Some of Us Have It, Some of Us Don't
Psychologists identify killer dance moves for men | Science | The Guardian: "The enduring mystery of why men rarely flatter themselves when they take to the dancefloor may finally have been solved.
A team of psychologists used video footage of men strutting their stuff to pinpoint the killer moves that separate good dancers from bad.
Men who were judged to be good dancers had a varied repertoire and more moves that involved tilting and twisting the torso and neck."
A team of psychologists used video footage of men strutting their stuff to pinpoint the killer moves that separate good dancers from bad.
Men who were judged to be good dancers had a varied repertoire and more moves that involved tilting and twisting the torso and neck."
David Dortort, R. I. P.
Creator of TV western "Bonanza" dead at 93 - Yahoo! News: "David Dortort, who created 'Bonanza,' the top-rated western that aired for 14 years on the NBC television network, died September 5 at his Los Angeles home. He was 93.
Debuting in 1959, 'Bonanza' was the most-watched show on U.S. television from 1964 to 1967 and maintained a place in the ratings top 10 for a decade.
Dortort also created 'The High Chaparral,' which originally followed 'Bonanza' on Sunday nights on NBC and ran for three seasons."
Debuting in 1959, 'Bonanza' was the most-watched show on U.S. television from 1964 to 1967 and maintained a place in the ratings top 10 for a decade.
Dortort also created 'The High Chaparral,' which originally followed 'Bonanza' on Sunday nights on NBC and ran for three seasons."
Uh-Oh
Are you ready for an evil Paul Bunyan movie?: "The movie is a dark, contemporary take on the legend of lumberjack Paul Bunyan. Kids at a first time offender's boot camp in Minnesota discover that the legend of Paul Bunyan is real, but much more horrifying than they could have imagined. They incur the wrath of the 15-foot monstrous giant, who was banished from town 100 years ago and thought dead."
The Illustration of Walter Crane
AbeBooks: The Illustration of Walter Crane: "Walter Crane (1845 - 1915) was an English artist best known for his illustrations of children's books, nursery rhymes in particular. He was also an ardent socialist, believing strongly in the importance of art, culture and craftsmanship in the world. He joined the Arts and Crafts movement which began in England in the late 19th century, and strove to make art a part of everyday life. Crane's journey as an artist began in earnest during his early adolescence when he spent three years as an apprentice to wood-engraver William James Linton.
Crane's study of wood-engraving, as well as methods such as Japanese wood blocks and color prints led him to create some of the era's most rich, detailed children's art. He was the man behind Toy Books, so-called because of their small size and short length - perfect for little hands and imaginations.
Crane's study of wood-engraving, as well as methods such as Japanese wood blocks and color prints led him to create some of the era's most rich, detailed children's art. He was the man behind Toy Books, so-called because of their small size and short length - perfect for little hands and imaginations.
And Keep Off His Lawn!
Chandler man shoots, kills 2 suspected gang members: "The intruder who punched out a Chandler man while stealing beer at a keg party picked the wrong victim.
The man, who had been attempting to defend his wife during the beer theft, had a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Fearing for his life and under attack, he pulled out a gun and fatally shot two men believed by police to be gang members early Sunday morning.
'People in Arizona carry guns,' said Detective David Ramer, a Chandler police spokesman. 'You better be careful about who you are picking on.'"
The man, who had been attempting to defend his wife during the beer theft, had a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Fearing for his life and under attack, he pulled out a gun and fatally shot two men believed by police to be gang members early Sunday morning.
'People in Arizona carry guns,' said Detective David Ramer, a Chandler police spokesman. 'You better be careful about who you are picking on.'"
Baltimore Leads the Way
A class to die for: Zombies 101 at U. Baltimore - Yahoo! News: "The University of Baltimore is offering a new class on the undead.
The course is being taught by Arnold Blumberg, the author of a book on zombie movies, 'Zombiemania,' and the curator of Geppi's Entertainment Museum, which focuses on American pop culture.
Students taking English 333 will watch 16 classic zombie films and read zombie comics. As an alternative to a final research paper they may write scripts or draw storyboards for their ideal zombie flicks."
The course is being taught by Arnold Blumberg, the author of a book on zombie movies, 'Zombiemania,' and the curator of Geppi's Entertainment Museum, which focuses on American pop culture.
Students taking English 333 will watch 16 classic zombie films and read zombie comics. As an alternative to a final research paper they may write scripts or draw storyboards for their ideal zombie flicks."
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
And the Winner Is. . . .
Texas Fried Frito Pie wins state fair food award: "The Texas Fried Frito Pie is the winner of the biggest food prize for this year's state fair.
The battered and fried blend of chili, cheese and Fritos won the Best Taste award Monday at the sixth annual Big Tex Choice Awards. Prize winners usually attract long lines from fairgoers."
The battered and fried blend of chili, cheese and Fritos won the Best Taste award Monday at the sixth annual Big Tex Choice Awards. Prize winners usually attract long lines from fairgoers."
Hat tip to Scott Cupp.
Feel Free to Move about in Orlando Again
Toy Pony Sparks Bomb Scare In Orlando - News Story - WFTV Orlando: "A child's toy sparked a bomb scare late Tuesday morning. The Orange County Bomb Squad was on scene investigating a suspicious device, a toy pony, on Whisper Glen Court in Orlando. Just before noon it was blown up."
Cap'n Bob Speaks Again
Frequent commenter Cap'n Bob Napier talks about his Personal West today at Meridian Bridge. Check it out.
Mike Edwards, R. I. P.
More on the "ELO Cellist Killed by Hay" story | StarTribune.com: "A giant bale of hay has killed a founding member of the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) band after it tumbled down a hill and crashed into his van.
Cellist Mike Edwards, 62, died after the 1,323 lb bale rolled down a steep field in Devon, southern England, smashed through a hedge and careered on to the road."
Cellist Mike Edwards, 62, died after the 1,323 lb bale rolled down a steep field in Devon, southern England, smashed through a hedge and careered on to the road."
Hat tip to Scott Cupp and Jeff Meyerson.
Sounds Better than No-Doz
Caffeinated marshmallows: A sweet pick-me-up: "College students are always looking for inventive ways to stay awake to pull those all-nighters; sometimes coffee doesn't give them the caffeine jolt they are looking for. Welcome the caffeinated marshmallow – Stay Puft!
The Stay Puft Caffeinated Marshmallow is described on the website thinkgeek.com as a gourmet marshmallow that offers a 100 mg caffeine kick. 'You feel it as soon as you suck one down,' the site says."
The Stay Puft Caffeinated Marshmallow is described on the website thinkgeek.com as a gourmet marshmallow that offers a 100 mg caffeine kick. 'You feel it as soon as you suck one down,' the site says."
Brainnnnnns!
Cockroaches could save mankind from deadly infections, study says - International Business Times: "Hate cockroach? Think again because one day, the same insect could save your life.
The brains of cockroach could be a source of new antibiotics capable of killing deadly drug-resistant bacteria, according to a new study."
The brains of cockroach could be a source of new antibiotics capable of killing deadly drug-resistant bacteria, according to a new study."
Croc Update (Vegetarian Edition)
Facts about the extinct Chimaerasuchus - by Aldo Bonincontro - Helium: "A vegetarian crocodile seems impossible like a lion eating fruits only, but it existed in a very ancient past: it was the Chimaerasuchus and we can neither consider it as an ephemeral presence, given that it lived in the middle Cretaceous, from 125 to 100 million years ago. Its name witnesses the many problems palaeontologists had to describe correctly this animal: “Chimaerasuchus“, in fact, means 'Chimera crocodile' and Chimera was a famous symbolic monster of Greek mythology, formed by parts of different animals."
Monday, September 06, 2010
An Amazing Story
Worcester auction has historians and collectors abuzz - The Boston Globe: "An extraordinary collection of items belonging to Worcester native Andrew Haswell Green — a visionary who helped remake New York City in the 19th century — will be sold this week in an unprecedented four-day auction at the DCU Center in Worcester. Among the thousands of documents, artworks, china, clothing, and toys being sold are handwritten correspondence to and from four presidents and a rare, printed copy of George Washington’s will.
From Green’s death in 1903 until 2009, virtually none of the items had ever been uncrated and examined. Packing boxes sealed more than a century ago were opened only after the death last summer of Julia Green, his great-great-grandniece and distant heiress."
From Green’s death in 1903 until 2009, virtually none of the items had ever been uncrated and examined. Packing boxes sealed more than a century ago were opened only after the death last summer of Julia Green, his great-great-grandniece and distant heiress."
George Kelley Did Not Participate
Va. woman devours 181 chicken wings in NY contest - U.S. news - Weird news - msnbc.com: "The Black Widow of eating contests gobbled up nearly 181 chicken wings in 12 minutes, devouring the national championship record in Buffalo on Sunday.
'I'm so happy!' said Sonya Thomas, who ate 4.86 pounds of chicken wings to win the contest, besting world eating marvel Joey Chestnut at the ninth annual National Buffalo Wing Festival."
'I'm so happy!' said Sonya Thomas, who ate 4.86 pounds of chicken wings to win the contest, besting world eating marvel Joey Chestnut at the ninth annual National Buffalo Wing Festival."
40 Years of Geraldo
FOXNews.com - GERALDO RIVERA: 50 Highs and Lows From 40 Years In News: "1. Only person ever to appear on the covers of both Newsweek and Playgirl.
2. Multi-winner, 'America’s Best Mustache'
3. Like Oprah, Elvis, Cher and Lassie, one of America’s few one-name celebrities.
4. More on-air fights than most professional middle-weights (tape available).
5. Debuts Eyewitness News; first assignment: a brief interview with losing Democratic candidate for state attorney general. Sound bite airs, but hand holding mike is only body part that appears; mother Lillian Friedman Rivera recognizes Jewish star tattoo on son’s left-hand; proudly proclaims he has 'made it.' Parents forgive leaving legal profession; embrace career in public life; (September 7, 1970 to present)"
2. Multi-winner, 'America’s Best Mustache'
3. Like Oprah, Elvis, Cher and Lassie, one of America’s few one-name celebrities.
4. More on-air fights than most professional middle-weights (tape available).
5. Debuts Eyewitness News; first assignment: a brief interview with losing Democratic candidate for state attorney general. Sound bite airs, but hand holding mike is only body part that appears; mother Lillian Friedman Rivera recognizes Jewish star tattoo on son’s left-hand; proudly proclaims he has 'made it.' Parents forgive leaving legal profession; embrace career in public life; (September 7, 1970 to present)"
Plus 45 more.
Sunday, September 05, 2010
DISCOUNT NOIR, edited by Patricia Abbott and Steve Weddle
pattinase: DISCOUNT NOIR, edited by Patricia Abbott and Steve Weddle: "This announcement has appeared in many places already, but I want to take this opportunity to announce here that DISCOUNT NOIR, 42 stories set in a Big Box store, originating from an idea of Steve Weddle and appearing in a flash challenge on this blog, will be an ebook within the month."
Larry Ashmead, R. I. P.
Larry Ashmead, 78, Successful Book Editor, Dies - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "A 9-year-old boy once visited his local library in Rochester to hear a mystery writer read from her book. But what particularly thrilled him was to learn that the author had a day job as an editor sitting in a Manhattan skyscraper reading manuscripts.
The boy who told that story, Larry Ashmead, made the most of the encounter. He grew up to be one of America’s most successful book editors, handling a stable of best-selling writers while working for some of the biggest houses in publishing, like Doubleday, Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins. His authors included Susan Isaacs, Tony Hillerman, Isaac Asimov and Quentin Crisp."
The boy who told that story, Larry Ashmead, made the most of the encounter. He grew up to be one of America’s most successful book editors, handling a stable of best-selling writers while working for some of the biggest houses in publishing, like Doubleday, Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins. His authors included Susan Isaacs, Tony Hillerman, Isaac Asimov and Quentin Crisp."
It All Comes Down to the Sheep
Got Medieval: Why are books so big? (Google Penance): "[M]edieval books are no bigger or smaller than modern books, generally speaking. Gutenberg and the other early printers didn't invent a whole new format for books, they just copied what people were already using.
The question then becomes, I guess, why were medieval books the size they were? And the answer to that is simple: medieval books were the size they were because medieval sheep were the size they were."
The question then becomes, I guess, why were medieval books the size they were? And the answer to that is simple: medieval books were the size they were because medieval sheep were the size they were."
Link via Neatorama.
People Already Drive 90 MPH in Texas
iWon News - Nevada candidate touts speedy fix to budget crisis: "One Nevada gubernatorial hopeful sees a speedy fix to Nevada's budget crisis. Nonpartisan candidate Eugene 'Gino' DiSimone believes people would pay for the privilege to drive up to 90 mph on designated highways - and fill the state's depleted coffers."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
13 Books Nobody's Read But Say They Have
13 Books Nobody's Read But Say They Have (PHOTOS)
There are several there that I haven't read, but I've also read some of the more than once.
No Comment Department
Man driven 'crazy' after death of pet cat - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): "A Japanese man drove the wrong way down an expressway for 90 kilometres and broke through five police barricades because his cat had died, he told police."
Hat tip to Jeremy Lynch.
Archaeology Update
Scientists find evidence discrediting theory Amazon was virtually unlivable: "To the untrained eye, all evidence here in the heart of the Amazon signals virgin forest, untouched by man for time immemorial - from the ubiquitous fruit palms to the cry of howler monkeys, from the air thick with mosquitoes to the unruly tangle of jungle vines.
Archaeologists, many of them Americans, say the opposite is true: This patch of forest, and many others across the Amazon, was instead home to an advanced, even spectacular civilization that managed the forest and enriched infertile soils to feed thousands."
Archaeologists, many of them Americans, say the opposite is true: This patch of forest, and many others across the Amazon, was instead home to an advanced, even spectacular civilization that managed the forest and enriched infertile soils to feed thousands."
24 Ridiculously Expensive Everyday Items
24 Ridiculously Expensive Everyday Items | Cool Material: "Crocodile Skin Umbrella – $50000"Link via Neatorama.
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