Worst Science Fiction TV Shows Of The Decade
Hat tip, again, to Toby O'B.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Doctors Examine Head, Find Nothing
Man stabbed in head with screwdriver in Joliet - Chicago Breaking News: "A Joliet man was stabbed in the head with a screwdriver by the husband of a woman with whom he was speaking with at a local bar, police said.
The 44-year-old man, who was not identified, sustained non-life threatening injuries, Joliet police said."
Joliet Jake not talking.
The 44-year-old man, who was not identified, sustained non-life threatening injuries, Joliet police said."
Joliet Jake not talking.
Archaeology Update
Remains of house from Jesus' era found in Nazareth - NYPOST.com: "NAZARETH, Israel - Remains of a house from the time of Jesus have been found in Nazareth -- the first discovery of its kind in the place where he grew up, Israel’s Antiquities Authority said on Monday.
[. . . .]
'The discovery is of the utmost importance since it reveals for the very first time a house from the Jewish village of Nazareth,' Alexandre said in a statement issued by the Antiquities Authority."
[. . . .]
'The discovery is of the utmost importance since it reveals for the very first time a house from the Jewish village of Nazareth,' Alexandre said in a statement issued by the Antiquities Authority."
Nothing Says Christmas Like a Stuffed Reindeer
Deceased deer pulled Santa's sleigh at Crossroads - Roanoke.com: "'I recall the reindeer were real -- stuffed -- and the display was rather large with some of the reindeer suspended on wires like they were taking off,' recalled Valerie Deal Augustine."
Hat tip to Richard Moore.
Hat tip to Richard Moore.
'Tis the Season to be . . . Shoplifting?
Priest outrages police by telling congregation: 'My advice is to shoplift' | Mail Online: "A clergyman has been criticised as 'highly irresponsible' after advising his congregation to shoplift following his Nativity sermon.
Father Tim Jones, 41, broke off from his traditional annual sermon yesterday to tell his flock that stealing from large chains is sometimes the best option for vulnerable people."
Father Tim Jones, 41, broke off from his traditional annual sermon yesterday to tell his flock that stealing from large chains is sometimes the best option for vulnerable people."
Croc Update (Solstice Edition)
Great photo at the link.
Celebrating the winter solstice the Chinese way: Just eat | CNNGo.com: "Take a whole crocodile tail, seal it off in a pot with abalone broth and cook it for over six hours. That is how the Cantonese render a scaly amphibian edible. It was delicious. The meat tasted intensely of the best, most tender chicken thighs, while the prized skin and fat were of a firm jelly texture, much like high quality sea cucumber.
Crocodile meat is used to cure asthma in Chinese medicine and is a great food for keeping the respiratory system healthy during the cold months."
Celebrating the winter solstice the Chinese way: Just eat | CNNGo.com: "Take a whole crocodile tail, seal it off in a pot with abalone broth and cook it for over six hours. That is how the Cantonese render a scaly amphibian edible. It was delicious. The meat tasted intensely of the best, most tender chicken thighs, while the prized skin and fat were of a firm jelly texture, much like high quality sea cucumber.
Crocodile meat is used to cure asthma in Chinese medicine and is a great food for keeping the respiratory system healthy during the cold months."
Cocaine-Using Opossums Don't Have Worms
Majority of U.S. Cocaine Supply Cut with Veterinary Deworming Drug | Popular Science: "Cocaine's a hell of a drug, and even more so when laced with another drug that's commonly used to deworm opossums. Federal agents have found that 69 percent of cocaine shipments seized entering the United States contain levamisole, a veterinary drug linked to serious weakening of the immune system in humans."
Link via Boing Boing.
Link via Boing Boing.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Will the Persecution Never End?
Animal shelters seeing glut of Chihuahuas -- latimes.com: "Reporting from San Francisco - If every dog has its day, the Chihuahua's, it seems, may be on the wane.
Representatives from half a dozen Bay Area animal shelters and rescue groups asked the public's help Wednesday in remedying a serious statewide glut of the petite pooches.
'All the shelters in California are seeing an upswing in Chihuahua impounds,' Deb Campbell, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco animal care and control department, said in an interview. 'It's been a slow and steady climb. . . . We call it the Paris Hilton syndrome.'"
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Representatives from half a dozen Bay Area animal shelters and rescue groups asked the public's help Wednesday in remedying a serious statewide glut of the petite pooches.
'All the shelters in California are seeing an upswing in Chihuahua impounds,' Deb Campbell, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco animal care and control department, said in an interview. 'It's been a slow and steady climb. . . . We call it the Paris Hilton syndrome.'"
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Dame Victoire Ridsdale, R. I. P.
Woman who provided the inspiration for Miss Moneypenny dies aged 88 - Times Online: "The secret service secretary who inspired the character of Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond stories has died aged 88.
Dame Victoire “Paddy” Ridsdale once described Ian Fleming as “definitely James Bond in his mind”. Dame Paddy was definitely Miss Moneypenny — or at least a part of her.
Fleming and Dame Paddy, then plain Paddy Bennett, were colleagues in the wartime Naval Intelligence Department: he was assistant to the Chief of Naval Intelligence; she was a secretary, and a most formidable one, with at least some of the characteristics associated with Fleming’s second-most beloved creation."
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Dame Victoire “Paddy” Ridsdale once described Ian Fleming as “definitely James Bond in his mind”. Dame Paddy was definitely Miss Moneypenny — or at least a part of her.
Fleming and Dame Paddy, then plain Paddy Bennett, were colleagues in the wartime Naval Intelligence Department: he was assistant to the Chief of Naval Intelligence; she was a secretary, and a most formidable one, with at least some of the characteristics associated with Fleming’s second-most beloved creation."
Hat tip to Art Scott.
UFO Update
UFO pyramid reported over Kremlin - Telegraph: "A giant pyramid which appears to be a UFO hovering over the Kremlin has caused frenzied speculation in Russia that it is an alien spacecraft."
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Police: Suspected robbers dump cash out window during chase | khou.com | Local News: "A group of thieves who held up a game room decided they didn’t want the cash after all, according to police. That’s because police were hot on their tails and they decided to dump the evidence out the window.
[. . . .]
During the chase, police said the two suspects began tossing money out of the window. It was estimated that the suspects had over $5,000 in cash. The chase ended after three miles when the suspects crashed."
[. . . .]
During the chase, police said the two suspects began tossing money out of the window. It was estimated that the suspects had over $5,000 in cash. The chase ended after three miles when the suspects crashed."
Criminal Brief Contest Update
Criminal Brief: The Mystery Short Story Web Log Project: "Today, as Chanukah ends, so does Phase I of our Christmas contest. Each CB story contains hints and suggestions, noteworthy being Sunday’s, Monday’s, Tuesday’s, and Friday’s which are peppered with hints, cues, and intimations."
Leviathan -- Scott Westerfeld
YA steampunk. It's almost WWI, but not quite the way you learned about it in history class. The archduke's been assassinated, and his only son, Alek, is on the run in a Clanker, one of the steam-powered machines favored by the Austrians and Germans.Meanwhile, in England, Deryn Sharp, a girl posing as a boy named Dylan, enters the air service and finds herself on the Leviathan, a monstrous living airship. See, in this England, Darwin has discovered how to manipulate DNA, so they have living machines called Huxleys (or possibly Huxlies; I forget). Leviathan is a whale, and a whole lot more. Before long, Deryn and Alek's adventures merge, and they're sailing off into the sequel.
There's a lot of good stuff here. The Clankers and the Huxlies (or Huxleys) are presented in such detail that you almost believe them, and the human characters are even better, particularly Deryn. And then there's the mysterious Dr. Barlow and her the even more mysterious eggs that she's trying to deliver to Constantinople.
High adventure, air battles, Clanker chases, and I almost forgot to mention the great illustrations by Keith Thompson that are scattered throughout. Fun for all ages, really.
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