Category:
Literature
Literature
Get Your Geek On
Posted By: Paul - Fri Aug 01, 2008 -
Comments (3)
Category: Business, Products, Conventions, Geeks, Nerds and Pointdexters, Hospitals, Literature, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Pop Culture, Comics
Jetpack Dreams
That most silly and pointless and inutile, yet much desired of flight mechanisms, the jetpack, is back in the news. You can read a New York Times piece about the latest model here.And a review copy of this book recently arrived in my mailbox, portending lots of fun.
Yet such mechanisms pale before the magnificently insane accomplishment of Yves Rossy, who, a couple of years ago, basically turned himself into Iron Man. Watch his jet-powered flight below.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jul 29, 2008 -
Comments (4)
Category: Eccentrics, Flight, Inventions, Literature, Science Fiction, Movies, Obsessions, Pop Culture, Technology, Travel, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
Follies of the Mad Men #6
Of course, the very first thing you'll load aboard your interstellar ship is a new Frigidaire. What's that you say? These women are not astronauts, but rather futuristic housewives, and the Fridge remains earthbound? Then why are they wearing those bubble helmets? Future pollution? But what about the helmet that features a cutout? And the slit glasses? If only the geniuses who created this ad were still around, we could ask them to explain....
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jul 29, 2008 -
Comments (13)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Domestic, Fashion, Food, Futurism, Literature, Science Fiction, Travel, Space Travel
Art Garfunkel’s Library
Art Garfunkel has kept a record of every book he's read since 1968. If you want, you can download the entire list. Yes, this is THE Art Garfunkel, of Simon and Garfunkel.The guy has read an impressive amount, but I don't find it to be a particularly interesting selection. The bulk of it is stuff you might find in a college literature course (i.e. "The Classics"). There isn't much of what gets labeled as genre literature, such as science fiction or horror. Personally, I think some of the most imaginative literature gets produced in those genres.
Garfunkel's list is also relatively light on non-fiction academic works from the sciences and social sciences. I guess the problem is there are just too many interesting books. No one has time to read them all. (via Reality Carnival)
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jul 13, 2008 -
Comments (0)
Category: Literature, Books, Music
Le Bushmiller par excellence!
The next time someone sees you reading comics and criticizes your lowbrow tastes, whip out a hardcopy of this page and reply, "But no, mon frere, I read only zee intellectual bande dessinée, such as zee Arthur et Zoé."
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jul 09, 2008 -
Comments (2)
Category: Art, Comics, Customs, Foreign Customs, Literature
Strange Musicals
Over at the Museum of Hoaxes I kept a list of Strange Musicals, but I think Weird Universe is a better home for it. So far the list includes:- Thalidomide, the Musical
- The Elements of Style (an opera based on the Strunk & White style guide)
- Fight Club, the Musical
- Men are from Mars, Woman are from Venus (the musical)
- Jerry Springer, the Opera
- An unconfirmed musical based on the Labour Party's 1997 election manifesto
as Mr. Okulitch continues to sing in strong voice, he — or rather Seth — acquires a bulbous, hairy skin as well as an impressive ability to walk upside-down on scaffolding at the back of the stage.
Same thing happens to me if I miss my morning cup of coffee.
(Thanks, Sam Gaines!)
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jul 09, 2008 -
Comments (2)
Category: Art, Literature, ShowBiz
Name That List, #1
Jincy Willett, one of my favorite writers (who just came out with a new book, The Writing Class), offers an interesting puzzle. The challenge is to identify this list. Googling is cheating.- The spur of cheese.
- The mustard-pot of penance.
- The cobbled shoe of humility.
- The furred cat of the Solicitors and Attorneys.
- The Teeth-chatter or Gum-didder of Lubberly Lusks.
- The Ape’s Paternoster.
- The Fat Belly of the Presidents.
- The Merciless Cormorant, by Hoxinidno the Jew.
Jincy doesn't give the answer, and neither will I. Leave your guesses in the comments.
(Of course, the real challenge is to see how long before you break down and google. Took me about a minute.)
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jul 07, 2008 -
Comments (0)
Category: Literature, Quizzes, Name That List
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |