Learning to play a musical instrument can be quite daunting; not only do you need to know how to change the pitch in a musical way, but also how to physically manipulate the sound of the instrument. The following instruments are easy to learn because they simplify one or the other (or both) of these […]
By George! A modernized version of “by Jove!” (in other words, Jupiter). For Pete’s Sake! A softer form of “for God’s sake” or “for Christ’s sake,” supposedly a reference to St. Peter. For the Love of Mike! Slightly less popular, according to Google, than “for the love of Pete!” but Pete’s already made the list, […]
2007 seems to be the year for “3” movies; not only films with “3” in the title (e.g., 300, The Number 23), but also for those that are third in a series. Here are seven of them, listed in order of their release date. Spider-Man 3: May 4, 2007 Shrek the Third: May 18, 2007 […]
Just recently I was listening to a Peter, Paul and Mary album, and realized how many of their songs involve travel or someone leaving someone else behind (e.g., Leaving on a Jet Plane, Early Morning Rain). More than that, many of their songs mention a mode of transportation in particular. I guess it shouldn’t be […]
Non-Newtonian fluids are substances that can act like both liquids and solids, depending on the pressure exerted upon them. Here are some video clips showing experiments people have undertaken to show the various properties of Non-Newtonian fluids. A pool filled with non-newtonian fluid: This clip from a Spanish TV show features very excited people walking […]
With the win of Happy Feet for Best Animated Feature Film at Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony, that makes two consecutive years in which a movie featuring penguins has won an Oscar (last year March of the Penguins won Best Feature Documentary). It may seem like the success of March of the Penguins has spawned the […]
Tomorrow, February 24, is the 18th anniversary of the death of Laura Palmer. (And to think that she was only 17 at the time…gosh, it makes me feel old.) Laura Palmer was, of course, the fictional character around whom the plot of the TV series Twin Peaks revolved. A few minutes into the pilot, her […]
When I first saw the ads for Norbit, Eddie Murphy’s new movie in which he portrays three different characters, I had a strong case of déjà vu. I thought, hasn’t he just been in a movie where he has more than one role? When I looked into it, I realized that he hasn’t done so […]
If you’re looking for movies to watch with that special someone this Valentine’s Day, I suggest one of these gems as an alternative to the usual “date movie” suspects. These films highlight the sorrows and comedic travails of their quirky heroes and heroines in their search for true love. A Fish Called Wanda: John Cleese […]
I’m not much of a sports fan, but I am intrigued by the nicknames colleges give to their sports teams. Although many are uninspired (e.g., Bears, Beavers, and Bobcats), others provide great fodder for creative visualization, like this list of team match-ups I’d like to see. Meredith College Angels vs. University of the Sciences in […]
I followed The Apprentice avidly during its first couple of seasons, but the show has gotten progressively more annoying. Among the things that irritate me most is the fact that the contestants all speak some weird dialect of Business English that seems to consist mainly of clichéd baseball metaphors. Some of the phrases I hear […]
Morgen and I recently returned from a month-long trip to Indonesia and Hong Kong. It’ll take us a while to sort through all our photos and write about our experiences. But we’ll say this much: we’re alive and well. This despite the fact that before, during, and after our trip, Indonesia has made international headlines […]
With the release of the latest James Bond movie, Casino Royale, moviegoers were reintroduced to 007’s favorite tipple, the martini. However, this reincarnation of James Bond (a laconic, rough-edged Daniel Craig) eschews the familiar request for a “shaken, not stirred” martini, instead opting for the Vesper martini (gin, vodka, and Lillet) described by Ian Fleming […]
2006 was a banner year for “good” movies–that is, movies with the word “good” in their title. I’m sure it’s just coincidence that all these “good” movies were released in one year, but it’s tempting to believe there is some kind of conspiracy afoot. Perhaps these filmmakers hoped to gently convey the merits of their […]
Every year at Christmas it seems there are at least one or two items that are the “must-have” toy or gadget of the season. This year, the Sony PlayStation 3 appears to hold this position; in the past month there have been numerous reports about the lengths people are going to in order to obtain […]
Of course most of us store our music digitally on a computer or iPod these days, but some people still think having physical CDs (or even—gasp—vinyl) is a pretty neat idea. If I learned anything from reading/watching High Fidelity (book | DVD), it’s that there’s more than one way to organize one’s albums, and an […]
You’ve heard of the Book-of-the-Month Club, no doubt, a handy way for bibliophiles to feed their obsession without leaving the house. I’ve personally been a member of a fruit-of-the-month club and a chocolate-of-the-month club too. But the range of items you can receive by mail, once a month by subscription, is truly staggering. This list […]
Halloween is just around the corner, and for those of you already making plans to carve a jack-o-lantern, I’ve got some suggestions for you. Sure, you could make a traditionally spooky pumpkin, or you could create a pumpkin that expresses your political views, your love of George Lucas films, or your weakness for southern-born country […]
As moviemaking technology gets more and more sophisticated, filmmakers are better able to create works that can scare viewers out of their seats. I provide the following list as a warning to those of you who may have specific fears likely to be triggered by these current blockbusters. I recommend that you find an alternate […]
Like most people, I always assume people are telling the truth and have my best interests at heart. So naturally, I have been delighted at the large number of highly enticing offers that appear in my inbox every day. People sometimes call these spam, which must mean they enjoy them as much as that delicious, […]
