Weirdness: March 2013

My next desk/cabinet

http://squatlo-rant.blogspot.com/2013/03/roentgens-berlin-secretary-cabinet-18th.html

(Thanks for the link, Infidel753 !)

A good review of the new album by Well Hung Heart

http://musicinpress.com/2013/03/well-hung-heart-are-young-enough-to-know-it-all/
I think that this band is great, and getting better all of the time.

Happy Birthday to The Matrix!

Premiered on this date in 1999.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/

Preparing for the End....

http://gizmodo.com/5986734/ride-out-north-koreas-preemptive-strike-in-these-24-cold-war-fallout-shelters?popular=true

I actually remember several of these pamphlets and designs from my childhood. And....I'm certainly not an expert of radioactivity -But I'm assuming that if you're getting air from outside, you're getting that too...
I'm also amused/horrified to see that at least one of these shelters has a door that only opens outward. What if debris from the bombing falls against it? How does one escape entombment?

MIA Soviets in Afghanistan

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/06/world/asia/missing-russian-soldier-found-afghanistan/index.html?iref=obnetwork

I've often wondered if some of this country's MIA's in Viet Nam can be explained this way....

A new (fictional) film about the Dyatlov Pass incident

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130319/new-film-revives-soviet-hikers-death-mystery

A great Fortean mystery.

The Mystery of the Sonora Aero Club

http://observatory.designobserver.com/feature/dreams-of-the-sonora-aero-club/37754/

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/03/charles-a-a-dellschau-dreams-of-flying-the-amazing-story-of-an-airship-club-that-might-never-have-existed/274170/

RIP Tiffany Tavern

http://oldtownalexandria.patch.com/articles/is-tiffany-tavern-closed-for-good?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001

RIP Phil Ramone

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/30/showbiz/obit-phil-ramone/index.html

The Mothman Festival is coming up in September!

http://mothmanfestival.com/

Taking out the trash...

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-olen-burrage-20130325,0,1100412.story

Good riddance...

From the top of the Great Pyramid

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2298729/The-view-TOP-Great-Pyramid-Tourists-secretly-climb-Egyptian-landmark-amazing-photos.html

Nice article about Monopoly and WWII

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/monopolys-hidden-maps-wwii-pows-escape/story?id=8605905#.UVbzX-8eqSd

The cutting edge of snake removal

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/22/woman-burns-down-home-set_n_2933888.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

The Post's annual Peeps Show!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/peeps

Fun stuff!

RIP Paul Williams of Crawdaddy Magazine

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/global/1554929/paul-williams-crawdaddy-founder-godfather-of-rock-criticism-dead-at

Evidence that warmer weather is on the way for DC!

http://georgetown.patch.com/articles/police-manhole-explodes-on-33rd-street-nw-in-georgetown

Yes, our exploding manholes are back! I love the sounds and sensations of Spring and Summer, don't you?

Bacon!

http://store.baconsalt.com/Bacon-Coffin_p_118.html

http://store.baconsalt.com/Bacon-Condoms_p_177.html

http://store.baconsalt.com/Dozen-Bacon-Roses-_p_163.html

(Thanks for the links, Dennis!)

Happy Tater Day!

http://www.explorekentuckylake.com/lakesarea/events/taterday.htm

Happy Birthday Lene Lovich!

http://www.lenelovich.com/

Happy Birthday Graeme Edge!

http://www.moodybluestoday.com/index.cfm/pk/content/pid/400334

Happy Birthday John Astin!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0040014/

Happy Birthday God!

http://www.ericclapton.com/#

Happy Kite Flying Day!

Lovecraft gets a Crater!

http://www.universetoday.com/101017/new-crater-names-approved-for-mercurys-south-pole-more/#ixzz2Oxj5LuxE

I still think that Pluto should be renamed 'Yuggoth'...

The Oldest Astrologer's Board Discovered

http://news.yahoo.com/good-heavens-oldest-known-astrologers-board-discovered-135402881.html
Interesting....

(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

Happy Birthday Patty Donahue!

http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2011/03/29/happy-birthday-patty-donahue-of-the-waitresses

Happy Birthday Terence Hill!

http://www.terencehill.com/

Happy Birthday Eric Idle!

http://ericidle.com/

Genius. Essential.

Happy Birthday Futurama!

Premiered on this date in 1999.

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/futurama

Animal Welfare League needs to learn about animals

http://www.wtop.com/120/3264158/Arlington-residents-on-alert-after-coyote-scare

The above article is not unexpected. Coyotes are moving into NoVa, slowly but surely, and have been for several years now. My problem is with the quote at the bottom of the article from the supposed "expert" on such matters:
"Their environment is being taken away by people building houses, building developments."

Bullshit. This is NOT their environment. They are moving in - an invasive species. There were NEVER coyotes here until quite recently. Ever. If you want to stop development, fine, but lying about its affect by creating imaginary victims is pretty damn lame. No doubt English sparrows, feral cats and snakehead fish also object to new development...

Happy Birthday Spock!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000559/

Happy Birthday Strother Martin!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001510/

Happy Birthday Diana Ross!

http://www.dianaross.de/

A Lovecraftian Puppet Show

http://lovecraftzine.com/2013/03/25/a-lovecraftian-puppet-show-that-looks-awesome/

This sounds pretty cool, actually.

Anniversary of the Lyon Sisters Tragedy

One of the greatest and saddest mysteries in DC history.

http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=98861

Happy Birthday John Keel!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Keel

http://www.forteantimes.com/features/interviews/2053/john_keel_rip.html

One of the greatest Fortean researchers and investigators.

Happy Birthday Johnny Burnette!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Burnette

Happy Birthday Elton!

http://www.eltonjohn.com/

Happy Birthday Aretha!

http://www.arethafranklin.net/us/home

An American Treasure.

Happy Birthday Alyson Hannigan!

http://www.alysonhannigan.com/

Happy Birthday Wilhelm Reich!

http://www.wilhelmreichtrust.org/

Happy Birthday Nick Lowe!

http://www.nicklowe.net/

Happy Birthday Houdini!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Houdini

Headline of the Day

http://boingboing.net/2012/05/15/zookeeper-reportedly-licks-bab.html

The Lost Subway Station...

http://www.travelettes.net/new-york-city%E2%80%99s-hidden-subway-station/

The Ultimate Maze?

http://www.spoon-tamago.com/2013/01/21/dad-spends-7-years-on-incredibly-detailed-maze/

Staying Fresh!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Baur
Please note that the inventor of Pringles was buried in a Pringles can...

Irony...

http://cheezburger.com/7122297088

Tales surrounding the original Washington Monument

http://hauntedohiobooks.com/news/black-dogs-and-dynamite-south-mountains-washington-monument/

Haven't been up there in about 40 years, remember it being a very nice park.

The Ossuaries of Europe

http://www.worldsbiggests.com/2013/03/11-most-bizarre-european-ossuaries.html

Bringing back a dead species

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/extinct-frog-hops-back-into-the-gene-pool-20130315-2g68x.html

Fascinating...

The man who hates food

http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/rob-rhinehart-no-longer-requires-food?fb_action_ids=10151337500201769&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={%2210151337500201769%22%3A153405254822883}&action_type_map={%2210151337500201769%22%

On the one hand, I do indeed see the advantages to this in possibly helping against hunger and nutritional problems in the world. On the other hand, this is obviously a dude who hates food anyway.

Anti-Zombie Perfume

http://now.msn.com/anti-zombie-perfume

Brazil has a lot of rich losers...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/07/brazilian-sex-doll-virginity-valentina-bidding_n_2830371.html?ref=topbar#slide=2000966

The Hunger...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/08/teacher-lets-students-taste-blood-norway-kindergarten_n_2839276.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Mosquitos From Hell

http://now.msn.com/huge-florida-mosquitoes-coming-this-summer
I assume that we'll be getting these in Virginia by the end of the decade....

Happy Birthday Ric Ocasek!

http://www.ricocasek.com/

Happy Birthday Chaka Khan!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaka_Khan

Happy National Chip & Dip Day!

Yum!

http://www.rt11.com/

Happy National Puppy Day!

Awwww....

http://animal.discovery.com/tv-shows/puppy-bowl

Happy Liberty Day!

http://www.libertyday.net/

Forget Grover's Mill...

An update on our meteor - there are reports that it might have landed on the Maryland/Delaware border - just a few miles from DC. I've alerted Professor Pierson of Princeton University, and he's on the way to investigate...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs0K4ApWl4g

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/03/22/dramatic-meteor-streaks-through-evening-sky/

Isn't this how War of the Worlds begins?

My brother just sighted a meteor over Alexandria. And now news reports are coming in regarding it.
Everyone who has a head cold, start sneezing in the direction in which it lands....

There, but for the grace of God, go I...

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/22/mansion-caretaker-charged-with-stealing-100000-worth-old-whiskey/

(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

Some neat maps!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/h2/shfke/awesomer/maps-you-never-knew-you-needed

Check these out!

I shall live forever..

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/lifestyle/archives/2013/03/20130321-112233.html

A new use for silly putty

http://www.universalhub.com/2013/city-enlists-silly-putty-bulletproof-bags-fight-po

The Last Cavalryman

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/299950/pinoyabroad/news/us-military-officer-of-pinoy-guerrillas-in-world-war-ii-dies-95

Happy International Talk Like Shatner Day!

http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2012/03/happy-international-talk-like-shatner-day.html

Happy Birthday Werner Klemperer!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0459252/

Happy Birthday Chico!

http://www.marx-brothers.org/biography/chico.htm

Happy Birthday Captain Kirk!

http://williamshatner.com/ws/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000638/

Happy World Poetry Day!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_once_was_a_man_from_Nantucket

Upcoming conference on the War of 1812 in Annapolis

http://www.starspangled200.com/FETA#.UUoHPO-Rd-k

New Books from Firesign Theatre!

http://firesigntheatre.com/firesale/firesale.php?books#PIBSPBPFTFTJ

A podcast of Lovecraft's 'At The Mountains of Madness'

http://www.sffaudio.com/?p=23452
Neat-O!

(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

Happy Spring Equinox!

Happy Birthday John de Lancie!

http://delancie.com/

Happy Birthday Carl Reiner!

Genius. Essential.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005348/

Happy Birthday Dick Dyszel/Count Gore De Vol!

A legendary DC horror host.

http://www.countgore.com/

RIP Bobbie Smith

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-passings-20130319,0,3891971.story

The Spinners were one of the great soul vocal groups. Definitely in the top-most tier.

The oldest 20-sided die...

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57547697-1/ancient-d20-die-emerges-from-the-ashes-of-time/

Very cool!

Mapping Our Thoughts...

http://io9.com/breakthrough-research-could-be-the-first-step-to-mappin-456366486

Fascinating!

Happy Birthday Bill Bowman (Body)!

http://www.bowmanbody.com/

A legendary Virginia horror host.

Happy Birthday Clarence "Frogman" Henry!

http://www.neworleansfrogman.com/

Happy Birthday Patrick McGoohan!

One of my all-time faves. Genius. Essential.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001526/

http://www.theunmutual.co.uk/

http://www.sixofone.org.uk/

A nice interview with Stevie Nicks

http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/03/17/174494011/stevie-nicks-when-we-walk-into-the-room-we-have-to-float-in-like-goddessses?sc=nl&cc=mn-20130318

Happy Birthday Wicked Wilson Pickett!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_Pickett

Happy Oatmeal Cookie Day!

Yum!

Happy Sheelah's Day!

http://todayinirishhistory.blogspot.com/2012/03/sheelahs-day.html

Real-Life Picasso Women

http://io9.com/real-life-picasso-women-are-gorgeously-grotesque-453900303
Fun stuff!

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

The Johnson tapes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21768668

Absolutely fascinating history from 1968.

Hugh Janus!

http://now.msn.com/hugh-janus-gets-shout-out-from-ktla-weatherman-henry-dicarlo
(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

Happy Birthday Pattie Boyd!

http://www.pattieboyd.co.uk/

THE rock'n'roll muse....

Happy Birthday Karl Straub!

http://karlstraubmusic.com/

A local DC songwriter and performer; and old comrade in arms at the record store. I consider Karl to be one of the best songwriters going. Really.

Happy Birthday Paul Kantner!

http://www.jeffersonairplane.com/paul.html
http://www.planetearthrocknroll.com/
http://www.jeffersonstarshipsf.com/

Happy Birthday John Sebastian!

http://www.johnbsebastian.com/

One of my all-time faves.

Happy Evacuation Day!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evacuation_Day_%28Massachusetts%29

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/us/agegate

The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain plays the theme to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLgJ7pk0X-s

(Thanks for the link, Bill!)

Happy Birthday Jerry Jeff Walker!

http://www.jerryjeff.com/

Happy Birthday Elliott Murphy!

http://www.elliottmurphy.com/

Happy Birthday Leo McKern!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0571674/

Happy Birthday Nancy Wilson!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Wilson_%28rock_musician%29

Happy Bacchanalia!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacchanalia

A nice article about Duane Allman

http://www.jazzwax.com/2013/03/duane-allman-studio-picker.html

(Thanks for the link, Erik!)

Happy Birthday Plan 9 From Outer Space!

Premiered on this date in 1959. Genius. Essential.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052077/

Happy Birthday Forbidden Planet!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049223/

Premiered on this date in 1956.

The Buzzards Return To Hinckley!

http://cleveland.about.com/od/clevelandareaparks/p/buzzards.htm

Happy Birthday Sly Stone!

http://www.slystonemusic.com/

Happy Ides of March/Brutus Day!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ides_of_March

Epic Rap Battle: Edison VS Tesla

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ1Mz7kGVf0

I'm going with Tesla, every time...

(Thanks for the link, Bill!)

Happy Birthday Einstein!

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1921/einstein-bio.html

Happy Birthday Michael Caine!

http://www.michaelcaine.com/

Happy Birthday Michael Martin Murphey!

http://michaelmartinmurphey.com/

Happy Pi Day!

http://www.piday.org/

Happy National Potato Chip Day!

http://www.rt11.com/

Yum!

My next t-shirt

http://arkhambazaar.com/t-shirts-apparel/keep-calm-and-cthulhu-fhtagn-t-shirt/

Cask of Amontillado Wine Tasting this Saturday!

http://www.poeforevermore.com/events.html

RIP Pete Banks

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1551731/original-yes-guitarist-peter-banks-dead-at-65

(Thanks for the link, Perry!)

Happy Birthday Lee Hays!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Hays

And a thousand puns were born...

Uranus was formally discovered on this date in 1781 by William Herschel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranus

Happy Birthday Vanishing Point!

One of my fave movies. Premiered on this date in 1971*.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067927/

*Some sources say that it was 1/15.

Happy Birthday Mike Stoller!

http://www.leiberstoller.com/

Saving "You Bet Your Life"

http://boingboing.net/2013/03/12/the-day-my-grandfather-groucho.html

A nice story from Groucho's grandson. Thanks goodness the film was saved...

Toy Robot Band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAbKXp7CP0g

Cute stuff!

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

Happy Birthday James Taylor!

http://www.jamestaylor.com/

Happy Birthday 99!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0271156/

Happy Birthday Liza!

http://www.officiallizaminnelli.com/

Happy Genealogy Day!

http://www.answers.com/topic/genealogy-day

Beer Cart Fridays

http://www2.tbo.com/news/business/2013/mar/08/fla-company-rewards-workers-with-beer-cart-fridays-ar-653587/

Fun stuff! Back in the record store days, a few of us would end Friday's shift by walking up to a local deli/gourmet shop and bringing back a round of new beers to try out. Any new brand's bottle/can would be placed on a ledge that ran around the walls of the stock room. There were hundreds there within a few months...

(Thanks for the link, Mike!)

Happy Birthday Nina Hagen!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nina_Hagen

Happy Birthday Johnny Appleseed!

http://cleveland.about.com/od/peopleandpets/p/johnnyappleseed.htm

Happy Penny Loaf Day!

http://www.cooksinfo.com/penny-loaf-day

New Star Trek trailer

http://mashable.com/2013/03/09/star-trek-into-darkness/
At least one scene looks like a rip off from the Star Wars attack on the Death Star....

Happy Birthday Buffy The Vampire Slayer!

Premiered on this date in 1997.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118276/

http://www.buffyworld.com/

I shall live forever

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227101929.htm

I thought that only dancing was done to cheek to cheek...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/bike-gets-stuck-in-boys-a_n_2774188.html?ref=topbar

Suddenly, I'm delighted by the fact that I never learned to ride a bicycle.

GET A LIFE!

http://news.sky.com/story/1055222/star-wars-fans-join-jedis-in-training-class

Vampires VS Penguins

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/21534299

This is actually pretty creepy.

The cutting edge of holiness

http://metro.co.uk/2013/02/25/mexican-priest-with-comic-book-robe-sprays-congregation-with-holy-water-gun-3513939/

A battleship in Union Square

http://gizmodo.com/5988945/the-battleship-that-took-over-union-square

A little footnote to WWI

(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

A Beat Club appearance by the MC5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAtchwCJ9rI

Wonderful! There were Gods in those Days...

(Thanks for the link, Perry!)

Happy Birthday John Cale!

http://john-cale.com/

Happy Birthday Mark Lindsay!

http://www.marklindsay.com/

Happy Panic Day!

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/March/panicday.htm

Happy National Crab Meat Day!

Yum!

http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/crab.html

Happy Birthday Skipper!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001308/

Frozen Dead Guy Days are beginning!

http://frozendeadguydays.org/

Happy World Book Day!

http://www.worldbookday.com/

Happy Birthday King Kong!

Premiered on this date in 1933.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong_%281933_film%29

Happy Birthday Willard Scott!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willard_Scott

http://www.biography.com/people/willard-scott-9926770

http://www.thejoyboys.com/

A local legend and all around nice guy.

Happy Birthday Peter Wolf!

http://www.peterwolf.com/

The Harmonic Convergence

http://www.startrek.com/article/takei-hamill-join-forces-for-the-neighbors

RIP Alvin Lee

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ten-years-afters-alvin-lee-dies-571954

RIP Allan Calhamer - the designer of the game Diplomacy

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-03-03/news/ct-met-calhamer-obit-20130303_1_games-magazine-game-companies-diplomacy

I'm actually bummed by this. Besides designing one of my fave, (and one of the best), games of all time, for many years he published a wonderful little newsletter with all sorts of scholarly and fun tidbits.