tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26471652774111495852024-02-07T01:12:42.042-05:00AspartamedUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-78294063630021023292011-11-09T14:19:00.000-05:002011-11-09T14:19:25.336-05:00ASPARTAMED MOVING TO TUMBLR<div style="background-color: #ffd0d0; padding: 10px;">
This is the last message I'll be posting on Blogger. After some frustrating experiences with this service, I've decided to move <b>Aspartamed</b> over to Tumblr.<br />
<br />
Here are directions to the new place: <a href="http://aspartamed.tumblr.com/">http://aspartamed.tumblr.com</a><br />
<br />
You can read about why I made this choice at my latest post, <a href="http://aspartamed.tumblr.com/post/12563314502/why-i-left-blogger-a-breakup-story">Why I Left Blogger: A Breakup Story</a>.
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-69170181981495717002011-10-31T17:47:00.000-04:002011-11-09T13:56:16.323-05:00Happy Halloween!Happy Fright Night, everyone! Here's my Halloween roundup.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Eyes in Slow Motion</span></b>
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This has been going around the internets lately—it's a great celebration of everyday uncanniness that is perfect for Halloween.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Billy Cosby — Chicken Heart</span></b><br />
<br />
A spooky tale from my all-time favorite storyteller, Bill Cosby.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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Part 1</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Part 2</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Because <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059026/">no holiday</a> is complete without a morality play staring our favorite blanket-wielding do-gooder, Linus van Pelt.<br />
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<a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/188640/its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown">link to Hulu.com</a><br />
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But seriously, love this movie.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Rotting Pumpkin Time Lapse</span></b></div>
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Maybe more appropriate for a first week of November post?</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Happy Halloween!</span></b><br />
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It's still not too late to carve up a jack-o-lantern and bake some <a href="http://aspartamed.blogspot.com/2011/10/spiced-pumpkin-seeds.html">Spiced Pumpkin Seeds</a>. Yum!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRG4QPMCxzMTWSI5B724pq9F80Y0rxKnGs2kvO8RLdU6CPo65KOsZxdNBZi5f_jr6YyKjGT-1ww-jRg4jVGs6K52nWhqFjcIE3Phs1OsWb3jVkeL6DRomKRfxzUOzbiV0pApsEfiWM6rsE/s1600/happ-o-lantern.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRG4QPMCxzMTWSI5B724pq9F80Y0rxKnGs2kvO8RLdU6CPo65KOsZxdNBZi5f_jr6YyKjGT-1ww-jRg4jVGs6K52nWhqFjcIE3Phs1OsWb3jVkeL6DRomKRfxzUOzbiV0pApsEfiWM6rsE/s400/happ-o-lantern.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Stay safe, everyone. See you in November!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-5273620153307192562011-10-23T13:25:00.000-04:002011-10-23T13:25:50.410-04:00Spiced Pumpkin SeedsIf you're a pumpkin-carving type like me, than you should try making these tasty Spiced Pumpkin Seeds. Just save the seeds from the pumpkin pulp for a delicious, healthy(ish) snack.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMpO5LL9MrioObEr9oufNNJc1UL232z-LBRdYU6mMIP6Yy9blVhN1qQIBBBb0pYpbalYG2Y9t5h-vNy43yLlK8-nqki_9kH9IToeoC_WP-aYjUrs6KvGgvSE02wnZK4xzqyOg4w0DtrzZ/s1600/spiced-pumpkin-seeds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMpO5LL9MrioObEr9oufNNJc1UL232z-LBRdYU6mMIP6Yy9blVhN1qQIBBBb0pYpbalYG2Y9t5h-vNy43yLlK8-nqki_9kH9IToeoC_WP-aYjUrs6KvGgvSE02wnZK4xzqyOg4w0DtrzZ/s400/spiced-pumpkin-seeds.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Also pictured is the Happ-O-Lantern (Team effort by <a href="http://kelseyyyann.blogspot.com/">Kelsey</a> and I).<br />
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<hr />
<b>Spiced Pumpkin Seeds </b>(adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spiced-pumpkin-seeds/detail.aspx">allrecipes.com</a>)<br />
<br />
Mix in a bowl<br />
<ul>
<li><b>2 tbsp melted butter</b></li>
<li><b>1/2 tsp seasoned salt</b></li>
<li><b>1/8 tsp garlic salt</b></li>
<li><b>1 tsp Worcestershire sauce</b></li>
</ul>
Add and stir until coated<br />
<ul>
<li><b>1 cup raw pumpkin seeds</b></li>
</ul>
Remove pumpkin seeds to baking dish.<br />
Bake at 275 F for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.<br />
<hr />
<br />
<b>Pumpkin Trivia</b><br />
<br />
Did you know that the average pumpkin has 500 seeds?! More pumpkin trivia, courtesy of the <a href="http://www.history.com/topics/halloween">History Channel</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaMHgBVXmWh1mPoL0qLD1Coe6I3WHi7WE0U4-N-8RR7yOJ54WkEf1AKzV_SYOft61vrSfusRr0FeMnnZ2egn0bHKpKDRlz2qLtDZWSe7_E3tRZ9RCJXD80JvUjaK8ZnVq9P3kDhJ2bKsV/s1600/Challah1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaMHgBVXmWh1mPoL0qLD1Coe6I3WHi7WE0U4-N-8RR7yOJ54WkEf1AKzV_SYOft61vrSfusRr0FeMnnZ2egn0bHKpKDRlz2qLtDZWSe7_E3tRZ9RCJXD80JvUjaK8ZnVq9P3kDhJ2bKsV/s400/Challah1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm used to making the <i>Joy of Cooking </i>challah, however I can confirm that this one tastes better. And while it is a little more work I think it's definitely worth it!</div>
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<b>Best Challah</b> (from <i>The Silver Palate Cookbook</i>)</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><i>2 c</i> milk</li>
<li><i>6 tbsp</i> sweet butter</li>
<li><i>1/3 c</i> sugar</li>
<li><i>2 packages</i> active dry yeast</li>
<li><i>4</i> eggs, at room temperature</li>
<li><i>2 tsp</i> salt</li>
<li><i>6 c</i> unbleached all-purpose flour</li>
<li><i>1/4 c</i> cornmeal</li>
<li><i>1 tbsp</i> cold water</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Bring milk, butter, and sugar to a boil. <i>(I use a double boiler to avoid burning the milk)</i></li>
<li>Remove from heat, pour into a large mixing bowl. Let cool to lukewarm, 105-110 F.</li>
<li>Stir yeast into milk mixture, let stand 10 minutes.</li>
<li>Beat 3 eggs well in small bowl. Stir eggs and salt into milk-yeast mixture.</li>
<li>Stir in 5 cups flour, one cup at a time, until you achieve a sticky dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.</li>
<li>Sprinkle flour over dough, begin kneading, adding more flour as necessary until you have a smooth, elastic dough. <i>(Remember to coat hands with flour, this helps with the mess)</i></li>
<li>Grease the inside of a large bowl <i>(with butter, shortening, or cooking spray)</i>, add ball of dough, turning to coat it lightly with oil, cover bowl loosely with towel <i>(or plastic wrap)</i> and set aside until tripled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.</li>
<li>Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Cut into halves, cut each half into thirds. Roll thirds out into "snakes" about 18 inches long. Braid into two loaves, tuck ends under.</li>
<li>Sprinkle large baking sheet with cornmeal, transfer loaves to sheet. Leave room between loaves for them to rise. Cover loaves with towel <i>(or plastic wrap) </i>and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.</li>
<li>Preheat oven to 350 F.</li>
<li>Beat 1 egg with 1 tbsp cold water together. Brush egg wash over loaves.</li>
<li>Bake 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and sounds hollow when bottoms are tapped.</li>
<li>Cool completely on racks before wrapping.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Enjoy warm, but allow loaves to cool completely before wrapping. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Recommend serving with butter and honey. Also makes excellent french toast!</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-46207291293617346982011-09-20T09:00:00.000-04:002011-09-20T11:41:22.357-04:00Call Me ProfessorMy blog has been quiet for a few weeks as I have been adjusting to my new part-time position as Adjunct Professor at a private liberal arts college in New Jersey. I've had so much fun coming up with lesson plans and lectures for my course, <i>Introduction to Psychology</i>. This was one of my very favorite classes as a psyc major, so being able to teach it myself is quite special. And I'm not gonna lie to you, after spending the last six years in college, being called "Professor" is unexpectedly cool.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMaRj06AyNprMjxcL_oSFjsq6lm5tJ2eoT3x2pgDmTWuy9yIbKhdb4XfcK4QHU5cu_pu8Im0V0bsidXvy6qhkAs9uV_jtnbPxK68O13IBBAbb8O7H9zBiwWTeY2gNZzKUQL1I1pV3HxFA/s1600/professor-x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMaRj06AyNprMjxcL_oSFjsq6lm5tJ2eoT3x2pgDmTWuy9yIbKhdb4XfcK4QHU5cu_pu8Im0V0bsidXvy6qhkAs9uV_jtnbPxK68O13IBBAbb8O7H9zBiwWTeY2gNZzKUQL1I1pV3HxFA/s400/professor-x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A photo of me teaching<sup>1</sup></div>
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I feel very fortunate to have a job that I enjoy—especially after the Summer of Unemployment (hereinafter referred to as the "Darkness"). While I'm still trying to find another part-time job to pay the bills, I'm much more optimistic than I was before.<br />
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I realize that real life has gotten in the way of my blogging, and while I'm not terribly distressed about that I do find myself missing this little creative outlet. In the coming days and weeks I will try to find time to post here more often.<br />
<br />
You can expect more of the odd and interesting diversions that I stumble upon and reshare, the occasional life update, and even a recipe or two (I've been busy in the kitchen lately, so stay tuned). I'll probably create posts that reflect my adventures as a naive psychology professor, too.<br />
<br />
And on that note, I'll leave you with a brief but fascinating demonstration.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Bouba/Kiki Effect</span></b><br />
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Consider the following shapes:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72CDviHC9_2hcgWFfXu2ajgFT_kFkFQBTm0CKCmP6BdyfMkM7etrl7HOAunQpbyKpsLqv3Cvb7m_RAWbYiaP6H67q_-bLnPha4zvtS1x5ZNBpRNps9Rq0WfRpmpydRXNoOPmPFNEvhW5W/s1600/bouba-kiki-effect.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72CDviHC9_2hcgWFfXu2ajgFT_kFkFQBTm0CKCmP6BdyfMkM7etrl7HOAunQpbyKpsLqv3Cvb7m_RAWbYiaP6H67q_-bLnPha4zvtS1x5ZNBpRNps9Rq0WfRpmpydRXNoOPmPFNEvhW5W/s400/bouba-kiki-effect.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Tell me, which of these shapes is named <i>bouba </i>and which one is <i>kiki</i>?<br />
<br />
Odds are you're one the of 98% who identify the curvy figure on the right as <i>bouba</i> and the pointy figure on the left as <i>kiki</i>. This demonstrates a strange effect first discovered in 1929 by psychologist Wolfgang Köhler. As it turns out, regardless of culture or native language, just about <i>everyone </i>identifies these two figures the same way.<br />
<br />
The Bouba/Kiki Effect illustrates how the human brain can extract abstract properties from simple phonetic sounds that are otherwise meaningless. Many believe this ability is vital to the development of language, symbolic thought, and ultimately consciousness, which are the very qualities which seem to separate humans from other species.<br />
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You can <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouba/kiki_effect">read more about bouba and kiki</a> at Wikipedia.<br />
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__________<br />
<sup>1</sup>Not of photo of me teaching. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Pz38xuNcZFC55Y0IDvfGuXGf6lNggRwlemucLTJCq2YyuHraPMKKWrBj_SMpD4SSHZg5C7taBLWVEv5b1nDyraSuok6XoGFdsTfFVZsjqE0Y9-LZt1xwYnY7HyN07VG8JhWA8pTQooEO/s1600/the-professor.jpg">This is actually a photo of me teaching.</a><sup>2</sup><br />
<sup>2</sup>Honestly? <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgs0MSN2yzOM97J83_eFft_HJCy4b0KSx7MB3xfcHT1Ku7qyHJnSziQ3-WT48IVwShyphenhyphen4d0S3b6tLhOeDQWNrKBMGIPWfik5cqVd5zquOX9vi4-_SMJOdu5-HgdkhOWIfx5hOh398anGZ5/s1600/gilligan.jpg">I probably look more like this</a> when I teach.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-78467688467031213862011-08-22T11:09:00.000-04:002011-08-22T11:09:05.195-04:00Starlings: God's Screensaver<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/V71hz9wNsgs?rel=0" width="534"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/b8eZJnbDHIg?rel=0" width="534"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xCW1Sg2dsgI?rel=0" width="534"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8vhE8ScWe7w?rel=0" width="534"></iframe><br />
<br />
Starlings are one of many species which exhibit <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarm">swarm behavior</a>. In swarming species, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergence">emergent behaviors</a> arise from relatively simple rules, like each starling adjusting to the average position and speed of the handful of birds around it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-1787119782861226232011-08-19T13:31:00.000-04:002011-08-19T13:31:28.760-04:00The Adventures of a Cardboard Box<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/25239728?portrait=0" width="534"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://vimeo.com/25239728">The Adventures of a Cardboard Box</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/studiocanoe">Studiocanoe</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
<br />
Today, find joy in something simple.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXl-7RLyjB7A1toEUaT9T9DLh2KGoWu0P1CFqMLA7HryAgA1pnGlqgKVI9RiICWQLDGHzu59sA0v-saXmIOgf434PIV_jO49kfBKeOVFk2ar-WXz6JAwn5DWfvHDnPPmXRtgcpWs1j7td/s1600/transmogrifier.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXl-7RLyjB7A1toEUaT9T9DLh2KGoWu0P1CFqMLA7HryAgA1pnGlqgKVI9RiICWQLDGHzu59sA0v-saXmIOgf434PIV_jO49kfBKeOVFk2ar-WXz6JAwn5DWfvHDnPPmXRtgcpWs1j7td/s1600/transmogrifier.png" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-42903705176333167712011-08-17T11:51:00.000-04:002011-08-17T11:51:15.930-04:00Rise of the Retronauts<i>Salon</i> recently published an article titled <a href="http://www.salon.com/books/history/index.html?story=/mwt/feature/2011/08/05/retromania_simon_reynolds_interview"><i>Will Nostalgia Destroy Pop Culture?</i></a> It's interesting reading, but a brief summary might go something like this: <i>For reasons not entirely clear, the current generation of young people is increasingly obsessed with rehashing and repurposing retro culture—a trend which threatens our capacity for innovation.</i><br />
<br />
At first glance this article (which promotes author Simon Reynolds's new book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Retromania-Pop-Cultures-Addiction-Past/dp/0865479941">Retromania</a></i>) is the same "we've reached the end of history" story we've all heard many times before. In fact, there are some excellent arguments being made which support the idea that <a href="http://kelseyyyann.blogspot.com/2011/06/everything-is-remix-from-kirby-ferguson.html">almost nothing is original</a>. But it seems like Reynolds may have a point. Since reading this article a week ago I can't help but see retro everywhere I go (see gallery below).<br />
<br />
There is another startling aspect to pop culture's current obsession with the past as well. Never before in human history have science and technology progressed so rapidly. Technologically, we are living in a golden age of innovation with no end in sight. So why are we living in the past?<br />
<br />
Reynolds offers one possible reason which makes a lot of sense to me:<br />
<blockquote>
The past has taken the place of the future in people's imagination. That might have something to do with politics as well ... No one can quite picture a future that seems positive or exciting. At one time the future seemed to suggest grand projects. <a href="http://aspartamed.blogspot.com/2011/07/sts-135.html">Now the space shuttle program has been shut down.</a> If I look at what young people are watching on TV and at the movies, when they're looking for heroism and romance, they're watching quasi-historical fantasies, it's not future fantasies. It's "Game of Thrones," "Harry Potter," and that kind of thing, as opposed to going to outer space or the year 3000.</blockquote>
Speaking as a young adult struggling to enter the professional world in the Great Recession, I can report that it is much more comfortable reminiscing about an idyllic past than wondering where my <strike>next</strike> first paycheck is coming from. It is no marketing accident that Nickelodeon is <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ylgCF7wHud3lMv3lVqq8ez3tcaXho68O_nkkxulCf2R0nZ0iYCc3bYDTRSr6qwB1aDrUGJVRX4dUb0LNrxd3D-iS8ErEQ79qpSvzcJWJfa5Ok4VrXB2gSLt1Wtu-xOyWlFzT7AGoCxVy/s1600/retro-nick-remember-when.JPG">promoting</a> its heavily publicized 90s throwback programming block ("The 90s Are All That") with the slogan <i>"Remember When Life Didn't Suck?"</i><br />
<br />
Reynolds also points to the 1960s—the cultural yardstick we've been using to gauge progress for the last fifty years—to illustrate all the momentum we've lost:<br />
<blockquote>
In terms of how it was covered and how it was felt at the time, the '60s was just a long period where there was a sense of hurtling forward. It was happening on multiple fronts simultaneously -- the beginning of feminism, civil rights, the space race, the Beatles and all that. In the early-to-mid-'60s, there was a lot of very modernistic space age-looking fashion. On every cultural front, people were breaking down barriers. In pop music, it's the decade the other decades have all defined themselves against. Punk was the inversion of the '60s in a lot of ways, but it still kept a little of that idealism and the belief in change. The '80s were defined in a lot of ways as a repudiation of '60s ideas, and '90s rave culture was a return to drugginess and all that.</blockquote>
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And as turbulent as that decade surely was, maybe there was an optimism then that we lack now.<br />
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Reynolds also suggests that our stagnation (too strong a word?) may have something to do with the very same technological innovation which is juxtaposing our backwards looking culture:<br />
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It was gradual, but with the arrival of the Internet, and broadband access, and the rise of this kind of strange collective archiving thing, [looking backward] became irresistible. Now people put stuff on YouTube because it feels like they're doing something worthwhile and this enormous archive has developed ... Now all the records in the known universe are basically accessible at the click of a mouse ... I remember living in a culture of cultural scarcity.</blockquote>
Perhaps our collective pessimism combined with our unprecedented access to all things passed is too tempting for today's youth—why live in the depressing present when it's so easy to re-experience the twee trends of yesterday?</div>
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I'll admit that there is an abundance of nostalgia nowadays. I consider myself as guilty of perpetuating retro culture as anyone—recent blog posts have covered <a href="http://aspartamed.blogspot.com/2011/06/20-snacks-that-will-make-you-miss-90s.html">snacks of the 90s</a>, <a href="http://aspartamed.blogspot.com/2011/06/chilly-down.html">Jim Henson</a>, <i><a href="http://aspartamed.blogspot.com/2011/07/carousel.html">Mad Men</a></i>, and <i><a href="http://aspartamed.blogspot.com/2011/08/lucy-at-100.html">I Love Lucy</a></i>, not to mention my weekly-ish series of <a href="http://aspartamed.blogspot.com/search/label/SMC">classic cartoons</a>. But I'm not sure I buy Simon Reynolds's conclusion, that our fascination with the past is going to corrupt our future. Some might argue that never before has a generation of people been so aware of their roots. And isn't that something to be proud of?<br />
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<i>The Atlantic </i>responded to all the retromania with <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/08/the-90s-are-all-that-and-the-ever-accelerating-nostalgia-machine/243182/" style="font-style: italic;">The '90s Are All That' and the Ever-Accelerating Nostalgia Machine</a>, a sound rebuttal to cautionary voices like Reynolds, arguing that the latest wave of affection for the near past is nothing new.<br />
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What are your thoughts? Are we too obsessed with the past? Too afraid of the future? Or are we just as creative (and nostalgic) as we have always been?<br />
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For more, you can check out my visual diary of retro culture after the jump.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Gallery: Rise of the Retronauts</span></b><br />
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Retro is everywhere. Here is a collection of cultural time travelers that I've noticed in the <i>past week alone</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sIquPyYx8IWF5OcHIorXM99kO-Si8_0ZIw_baC9bemXU9G3BCW55blY9WsNnIwWKMGpfSi3C4HLUjkJoaQO36k_NpJ8Ee7pgw2Yn5-yPtEUJGFe18pthEQkbgEcT9WBLgR416d28qX35/s1600/retro-90s-all-that.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sIquPyYx8IWF5OcHIorXM99kO-Si8_0ZIw_baC9bemXU9G3BCW55blY9WsNnIwWKMGpfSi3C4HLUjkJoaQO36k_NpJ8Ee7pgw2Yn5-yPtEUJGFe18pthEQkbgEcT9WBLgR416d28qX35/s400/retro-90s-all-that.jpg" width="327" /></a></div>
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<i>"Aw, here it goes..."</i> Nickelodeon's midnight to 2am flashback block is the latest—<a href="http://www.inquisitr.com/130185/90s-are-all-that-programming-block-smashes-teennick-viewing-records/">and most successful</a>—retro offender. (This is me wishing I had cable.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PL_41dx0v-5cljqwfjd3AehdBYTNKGxiPbiOIpsTwTwEtXqFQBgia8Pw_R4ySmx9bNs7IMDzo_bDekhabx9P0LHLeYZj_uEbJMTkgVFlPiA2Or3Mls5G1MmQjm3Zc1n8s4kjkb1L0FaJ/s1600/retro-mad-men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PL_41dx0v-5cljqwfjd3AehdBYTNKGxiPbiOIpsTwTwEtXqFQBgia8Pw_R4ySmx9bNs7IMDzo_bDekhabx9P0LHLeYZj_uEbJMTkgVFlPiA2Or3Mls5G1MmQjm3Zc1n8s4kjkb1L0FaJ/s400/retro-mad-men.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
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Reminding us how cool the 60s were (at least for white guys).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12pJ8X4AZmYHHADO5_T6SA9Bn48OEQZDRnaIWd7FbjDnjdq6J_D-zhlFGVnyFfXhDmDJH4DVMR15SvN28bna9oXTKp9QHRdM3y3qIyzcfQ4W3DFgra9iwvKcAHsoWUql0cVVz1dGYI_4d/s1600/retro-pan-am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12pJ8X4AZmYHHADO5_T6SA9Bn48OEQZDRnaIWd7FbjDnjdq6J_D-zhlFGVnyFfXhDmDJH4DVMR15SvN28bna9oXTKp9QHRdM3y3qIyzcfQ4W3DFgra9iwvKcAHsoWUql0cVVz1dGYI_4d/s320/retro-pan-am.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
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Launching this fall, ABC's new show seems like it's trying to cash in on the success of <i>Mad Men</i>. But probably with less drinking and <a href="http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/08/no-smoking-on-this-pan-am-flight/">smoking</a> and sex.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL1id80bYkYHJ0X2A3LgMuAXX_I-YXm6inDAvC0lhGibgoeYtSuyH0Ih3fIl4SqGcfJF67eSM97CHqX8boTZcUigP0POdWvEV4RGiPrHi1mT2GfYbODSNkRVdXDRXN3BjHHnvLr-zM69P/s1600/retro-playboy-club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL1id80bYkYHJ0X2A3LgMuAXX_I-YXm6inDAvC0lhGibgoeYtSuyH0Ih3fIl4SqGcfJF67eSM97CHqX8boTZcUigP0POdWvEV4RGiPrHi1mT2GfYbODSNkRVdXDRXN3BjHHnvLr-zM69P/s400/retro-playboy-club.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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And here is NBC's new glamorously 60s show. <i>The Playboy Club </i><a href="http://www.salon.com/entertainment/tv/feature/2011/08/11/gloria_steinem_playboy_club">has already caused a stir</a>, mostly over whether the show is going to be a historically accurate (and gratuitous) portrayal of the objectification of women, or a revised, much more comfortable (and gratuitous) portrayal of the objectification of women. <i>Tune in this September to find out!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nMIrJboiZ0OZJqVZHopw_71Em6nk-760AkgTOLDri0Av6A9D9vgKe9aRTfOgtOIkorjfeUW502N-_qBgugOOwc-7z3fpiHhTxg_p8evJ-idxT_1RPJdYGKqYxAmiPXSpAaqUe5CNeHvt/s1600/retro-adele.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nMIrJboiZ0OZJqVZHopw_71Em6nk-760AkgTOLDri0Av6A9D9vgKe9aRTfOgtOIkorjfeUW502N-_qBgugOOwc-7z3fpiHhTxg_p8evJ-idxT_1RPJdYGKqYxAmiPXSpAaqUe5CNeHvt/s400/retro-adele.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Maybe Adele's chart-topping album <i>21</i> owes some of its success to the retro-soul vibe which sounds so distinctly un-2011.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k6ZCsAf8C9gOAnrD9ikFTJeUA1vnT4Jkfth6YgDkctufGVDrYiqndec5Znj9hICfVNdehqKhWS7PP6OQ7jYDbPjC9tGbhy9kh4Tr82XgX_wtWJdpqv3Y35D9khWr7zSo-XIzeGuRL769/s1600/retro-cee-lo-green-cry-baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k6ZCsAf8C9gOAnrD9ikFTJeUA1vnT4Jkfth6YgDkctufGVDrYiqndec5Znj9hICfVNdehqKhWS7PP6OQ7jYDbPjC9tGbhy9kh4Tr82XgX_wtWJdpqv3Y35D9khWr7zSo-XIzeGuRL769/s400/retro-cee-lo-green-cry-baby.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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Pop genius Cee Lo Green's latest single <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I34cljQQ7YA">"Cry Baby"</a> is retro on a couple of levels simultaneously—there's the infectious 60s street-dancing thing, and then there's <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnd6Lt8vNFLlQ_cj6aLgxkrXxeGXKdG6cGQCWXEC3x5-ypbcjdpV_njiZ5hE4qVuqeacDD61Ignbw8dQAUTufIWuCvNQZaVVhxilGr3_d8lUV8UYePA_DuOoalqNSskApU0PTPjl3JlICy/s1600/retro-urkel.jpg">this guy</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdRVwo5x-p557tWAzPrbiOi2p0PJawFcMUcbtQbRgPMZjNcYYbuWvA5HwpqZXHaYc7dYfZAdhB-4U_ZtJdyjnPGcGebGkVAeTlRNpK7J8TYrOzCWkSKMAW5EI_wTLKCO6e-zW49Q1hFHo/s1600/retro-glee-madonna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdRVwo5x-p557tWAzPrbiOi2p0PJawFcMUcbtQbRgPMZjNcYYbuWvA5HwpqZXHaYc7dYfZAdhB-4U_ZtJdyjnPGcGebGkVAeTlRNpK7J8TYrOzCWkSKMAW5EI_wTLKCO6e-zW49Q1hFHo/s400/retro-glee-madonna.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The cast of <i>Glee </i>goes Gaga for an episode every season, but many of the show's hits are <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seSJJBCPm8k&ob=av2e">cleverly repackaged oldies</a> that reintroduce music from the last few decades to a younger generation—artists covered include Madonna, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, The Beatles... oh yeah, and <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPMunc-gxgcf86WgVTAO-ZZiiqOWxkSIHV7UnppR0PjWrvHUaErAkwQjr0F_IScin0gnpW9AS8c6936cTd6uaajOx30MhvR_RVHYk_OEI9OADv4ywABzPDHQH7BrXLzVtllvdXuUmYX6e/s1600/retro-glee-mr-schue-journey.jpg">Journey</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjsYthaXKBxZC6qSWcxigs8BQWZLk992aS7UjfXwx4SwmJELyhFh6aroeHyk3gLUhKpqR-uv8xyF2BzfYMHurVtAe7hgfgCpGMpH57JAZa_5GElF_poopnNaspt3IA6qy2AsvAatmIXkz/s1600/retro-instagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjsYthaXKBxZC6qSWcxigs8BQWZLk992aS7UjfXwx4SwmJELyhFh6aroeHyk3gLUhKpqR-uv8xyF2BzfYMHurVtAe7hgfgCpGMpH57JAZa_5GElF_poopnNaspt3IA6qy2AsvAatmIXkz/s400/retro-instagram.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sure, the smartphone in your pocket may be <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/2008/5/apple-iphone-more-powerful-than-1998-imac-way-more-powerful-than-1984-macintosh">several times more powerful than that clunky pink Macintosh you used in high school</a>, but can it take retro lo-fi photos circa 1965? Popular smartphone apps like Instagram and Hipstamatic give your digital pics the nice washed out look that oozes nostalgia for a time many of us younger folks weren't around to enjoy the first time.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0MxcSa-MCTW12lRauji0IZ6WEHP9bkih41F2At29tB5HvUl9NrqbKvMlUjvCT0_e_CS5ch367BMWMazBOhcOTrUjOUciBnisBuRfaSyxqCBzDHMPVbMH9gRc35bX64vKWMLLsZktlCP6/s1600/retro-footloose-remake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0MxcSa-MCTW12lRauji0IZ6WEHP9bkih41F2At29tB5HvUl9NrqbKvMlUjvCT0_e_CS5ch367BMWMazBOhcOTrUjOUciBnisBuRfaSyxqCBzDHMPVbMH9gRc35bX64vKWMLLsZktlCP6/s400/retro-footloose-remake.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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Need I point out the irony in the poster for this year's remake of <i>Footloose</i>? "This is our time." Hmmm...</div>
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You can surround James Franco with an army of damned dirty apes, but will you ultimately do anything more than remind us of the 1968 classic we can't seem to leave behind?</div>
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<i>Did I miss any good examples of retro culture? Leave comments below!</i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-46792211512522143072011-08-13T09:00:00.000-04:002011-08-13T09:00:03.232-04:00"Jerry, Jerry, Quite Contrary" [SMC]<a href="http://aspartamed.blogspot.com/search/label/SMC"><img class="logo" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTo2fkxJ56Gdej33EQ_kTkpBhXytsKQUPnVe2NhIGLb_arLA-xGX0W-aruL4BDXb_0UJbdKAUboqjH3FJkYyautGeOZ7CF5CRWm-xov5fS-fgm6gYyYovnbd5DgPu7vPxey1pWKhrLTRf/s1600/SMC-logo-2.JPG" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -4px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /></a><br />
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This one seems appropriate, since my new favorite pastime is <a href="http://lemonsasbigasdiamonds.tumblr.com/post/8845951955/hi">bothering the kitten while he sleeps</a>. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-58163224077953545142011-08-12T23:37:00.002-04:002011-08-12T23:56:12.020-04:00Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Salsa and Sweet Coconut Rice<div>
Kelsey and I made a delicious dinner tonight—Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Salsa and Sweet Coconut Rice.<br />
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Photos by Kelsey (with <a href="http://instagr.am/">Instagram</a>)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GQxPbkyakusHckZZBhk02f-LeTCoDV6Jq79-ruXYPh52JjN0e9Su8pEw2LcmNlV7S0URh4Ail2vcK9mkTbYlV1np19VJGp-g7HX2TQqwDinV_Bhjt12bvU-ABVD7Chzi7M7rZIoaJ1Jk/s1600/chicken-8-12.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GQxPbkyakusHckZZBhk02f-LeTCoDV6Jq79-ruXYPh52JjN0e9Su8pEw2LcmNlV7S0URh4Ail2vcK9mkTbYlV1np19VJGp-g7HX2TQqwDinV_Bhjt12bvU-ABVD7Chzi7M7rZIoaJ1Jk/s400/chicken-8-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Action shot—grilling the chicken.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMXkqtdK1psJaLVYpkwUloUr30B3kbcjW0D2SxLqeYkYNc5O7Jk5avicOfT94shjuh4JM7n1VEf9OZ1TJys_j4sApe9wsIAXffhASL357WHaVnThTrmsLYdmOlsHvyB_Q4imHUOGDu3VA/s1600/salsa-8-12.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMXkqtdK1psJaLVYpkwUloUr30B3kbcjW0D2SxLqeYkYNc5O7Jk5avicOfT94shjuh4JM7n1VEf9OZ1TJys_j4sApe9wsIAXffhASL357WHaVnThTrmsLYdmOlsHvyB_Q4imHUOGDu3VA/s400/salsa-8-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Salsa—so colorful! And a great combination of sweet </div>
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(pineapple, bell pepper), tangy (scallions), </div>
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and spicy (jalapenos).</div>
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Delicious!</div>
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I really do love my big cookbooks, but more and more frequently I find recipes on <a href="http://allrecipes.com/">allrecipes.com</a>, which is a great community of online foodies. I can browse recipes that are well rated and reviewed by other users, and before I make anything I read the comments, where others have offered suggestions and modifications which often improve the final product. <br />
<br />
For the rice recipe, one user suggested subbing coconut milk for some of the water—a small adjustment which completely made this whole meal pop! (The coconut creaminess of the rice balanced the spiciness of the salsa and chicken wonderfully.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqpau0ahqUHUhXD3nefS6NhjeT3l7eqz8C95QrnxgO5Rx_2vO8C7J_rJx9LsG40JjE3QFoQp7w0nUUA5QKLclr8lhs9v_cMoR5_-5Q2405qcp8Irq2xz9qsxVaHPRCE9ECIzubimdiGkz/s1600/plate-empty-8-12.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqpau0ahqUHUhXD3nefS6NhjeT3l7eqz8C95QrnxgO5Rx_2vO8C7J_rJx9LsG40JjE3QFoQp7w0nUUA5QKLclr8lhs9v_cMoR5_-5Q2405qcp8Irq2xz9qsxVaHPRCE9ECIzubimdiGkz/s400/plate-empty-8-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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T-plus 20 minutes or so...</div>
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Great food, with <a href="http://lemonsasbigasdiamonds.tumblr.com/post/8847320771/so-happy-together-taken-with-instagram">great company</a>.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<hr />
<b>Jerk Chicken Recipe</b><br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>chicken breasts, boneless and skinless</li>
<li>Jamaican Jerk Chicken marinade</li>
</ul>
<div>
Marinade chicken overnight. Grill, brushing on extra marinade sauce. <i>(I like to use my cast iron skillet in lieu of a proper outdoor grill)</i></div>
</div>
<div>
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<div>
<b>Sweet Coconut Rice Recipe </b>(adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/jamaican-rice/detail.aspx">allrecipes.com</a>)<br />
<ul>
<li><i>1 tbsp</i> vegetable oil</li>
<li><i>1/2</i> large onion, chopped</li>
<li><i>1</i> red apple, chopped</li>
<li><i>1 pinch</i> curry powder</li>
<li><i>3/4 cup</i> water</li>
<li><i>1/2 cup</i> coconut milk</li>
<li><i>2/3 cup</i> brown rice</li>
<li><i>1 tsp</i> molasses</li>
</ul>
<div>
Heat oil in saucepan. Add onion and apple, cook until onion is translucent, stirring frequently. Stir in curry powder, water, and coconut milk. Add rice and molasses. Cover, reduce heat to low. Simmer for approx. 45 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is soft <i>(may need to add up to 1/4 cup water)</i>.</div>
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<b>Pineapple Salsa Recipe</b> (adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pork-tenderloin-with-pineapple-salsa/detail.aspx">allrecipes.com</a>)</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i>2 cups</i> chopped pineapple (fresh or canned)</li>
<li><i>1</i> chopped red bell pepper</li>
<li><i>1</i> small jalapeno, chopped</li>
<li><i>2</i> scallions, chopped</li>
<li><i>1 to 2 tbsp</i> minced cilantro</li>
<li><i>1 tbsp</i> brown sugar</li>
</ul>
<div>
Combine ingredients in bowl. Serve with chicken.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-10486756473536544582011-08-07T13:53:00.000-04:002011-08-07T13:53:13.410-04:00The Shining = House of Leaves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/95039">Mental Floss</a> posted a great series of videos exploring the spatial impossibilities that riddle the film sets for The Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick's classic horror movie <i>The Shining</i>. While watching, I couldn't help but think about Mark Danielewski's horror novel <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">House </span>of Leaves</i>, which chronicles a family's life inside of a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">house </span>that is larger on the inside than on the outside.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhM2Z72fnFDEsv0qlMTAFd0VTWrKsZs0l-5tUGfe83NPUCLogL5JLR0C7pWInYPB6o4EjoYJXT4L7kxvnqF5fr4yySJ-g3oy9cv0VZ9GFj9F7wwb-MDwZYIZEXvfQiGuMP99fLSq5Vx06/s1600/shining-house-of-leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhM2Z72fnFDEsv0qlMTAFd0VTWrKsZs0l-5tUGfe83NPUCLogL5JLR0C7pWInYPB6o4EjoYJXT4L7kxvnqF5fr4yySJ-g3oy9cv0VZ9GFj9F7wwb-MDwZYIZEXvfQiGuMP99fLSq5Vx06/s400/shining-house-of-leaves.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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While the disorienting effect is much more subtle in <i>The Shining</i>, the device used by Kubrick and Danielewski is the same. I wonder what it is about these spatial violations that is so unsettling.<br />
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Upon closer comparison I also notice that these impossible buildings aren't the only plot devices shared by <i>The Shining </i>and <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">House </span>of Leaves</i>. Other elements the two stories have in common are:<br />
<ul>
<li>mazes</li>
<li>an isolated nuclear family </li>
<li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgMdz2fe0CY">nonsensical</a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFhl5AglqOqgr3joX1Di0gYfDiR2F4eXe35EnBCWBzGpKOdUwjcwFCUb6gfwQoLOUO6l6GWT4a2FUNkZ26nWFM0J1vTEJro09R7q0Wp4mSAmkljKjyOHq0NCvJCli3UxQmSDDNIY0cAwM/s1600/House-Of-Leaves-Page-134.gif">manifestos</a></li>
<li>a protagonist who slowly but inevitably descends into madness.</li>
</ul>
It seems that Kubrick and Danielewski were plumbing the same depths, so to speak.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0sUIxXCCFWw?rel=0" width="534"></iframe></div>
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Part 1</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IfJ8rK7eJeQ?rel=0" width="534"></iframe></div>
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Part 2<br />
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I highly recommend both the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/">movie</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311705966&sr=8-1">book</a>. I can't comment on Stephen King's original <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shining-Stephen-King/dp/0743437497/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311706711&sr=8-1">novel</a>, never having read it, but I'm sure it's very enjoyable if you're into that sort of thing (personally I can't seem to get into King's stuff—too dark even for me).</div>
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As a bonus, here is the climactic river-of-blood scene from <i>The Shining</i>. I've only seen this movie once, and it definitely got under my skin, but this 30 seconds of film is forever burned into my memory for reasons I don't completely understand.</div>
</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SlAmXGIbo84?rel=0" width="534"></iframe><br />
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Of course I don't want to leave you with that in your brain, so here's the cleverly edited trailer for <i>Shining</i>, which made its way around the internets a while back, and proves that Peter Gabriel can suck the scary out of anything.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sfout_rgPSA?rel=0" width="534"></iframe><br />
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(Untitled Fragment)<br />
<blockquote>
Little solace comes<br />
to those who grieve<br />
when thoughts keep drifting<br />
as walls keep shifting<br />
and this great blue world of ours<br />
seems a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">house</span> of leaves </blockquote>
<blockquote>
moments before the wind.</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-62232961108156558282011-08-06T18:08:00.003-04:002011-08-06T19:44:55.080-04:00Lucy at 100Today is Lucille Ball's 100th birthday!<br />
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<i>"Twenty-three percent alcohol?!"</i></div>
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I believe she is and will always be one of the funniest people on television (although I may be biased—<i>I Love Lucy </i>is one of my absolute favorite shows). This clip from one of my favorite episodes made me laugh when I was a kid as it makes me laugh now. And that is the magic of Lucille Ball—her timelessness. Can we honestly point to any contemporary TV personality today who will charm audiences in 50 years?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAlADdQJSt7M8qi5MgVJjOXrsnNYrcYRZ6q-lfmZ4qCkTU1bWn_RYSX6eK1UptJBw_9RZyN23SINthD-v9Oq4vgZ7xkZ9KmbfrCoNhRHtTO1pBqkpJVZvZlZTVlmY6i8mj8lWjsaIDG7s0/s1600/lucy-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAlADdQJSt7M8qi5MgVJjOXrsnNYrcYRZ6q-lfmZ4qCkTU1bWn_RYSX6eK1UptJBw_9RZyN23SINthD-v9Oq4vgZ7xkZ9KmbfrCoNhRHtTO1pBqkpJVZvZlZTVlmY6i8mj8lWjsaIDG7s0/s400/lucy-2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Not only was Lucille Ball a comic genius, but she was a pioneer for the entertainment industry—she was the first woman to run a major television studio (Desilu, founded by her and Desi Arnaz), she and Arnaz developed the three-camera filming style which would become a staple of sitcom production for decades, and she was among the first people to successfully fight the House Un-American Activities Committee.<br />
<br />
Lucille Ball has also been featured on the cover of <i>TV Guide </i>more than any other person.<br />
<br />
The Museum of Broadcast Communications has <a href="http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=balllucille">a great bio on the life and legacy of Ball</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
Her comedic skills were grounded in the style of the silent comics, and Buster Keaton, with whom she once shared an office at MGM, seems to have been particularly influential in the development of Lucy's daring exploits, hang-dog expressions, and direct looks at the audience ... So distinct were her rubbery facial expressions, that scriptwriters for I Love Lucy referred to them with specific code word notations. For example, the cue "puddling up" directed the star to pause momentarily with huge tear-filled eyes and then burst into a loud wail. "Light bulb" was an indication to portray a sudden idea, while "credentials" directed the star to gape in astonished indignation.</blockquote>
<div>
<i>Life </i>magazine also released a <a href="http://www.life.com/gallery/62521/lucille-ball-unpublished-photos">gallery of unpublished photos</a> of the star, many from her modeling career before she established herself as the undisputed "first woman of television."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xBIEv71xIVzM-maCUsnqWcE_El6sLW6991lpA2hOWevcNY0mZ8Y3RbwTrCzhrGTEo5MNRqo-lECmrAIaM59_FWTCLA_Ji54eSv3y7g_xcRR0NfcsVsaGf0MGcezIZ4R3hwR8U-gYh_V-/s1600/lucy-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xBIEv71xIVzM-maCUsnqWcE_El6sLW6991lpA2hOWevcNY0mZ8Y3RbwTrCzhrGTEo5MNRqo-lECmrAIaM59_FWTCLA_Ji54eSv3y7g_xcRR0NfcsVsaGf0MGcezIZ4R3hwR8U-gYh_V-/s400/lucy-1.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
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Happy birthday, Lucy!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-68894848401613098382011-08-04T15:14:00.000-04:002011-08-04T15:14:55.980-04:00Happy Birthday, Mr. PresidentTo celebrate his 50th birthday, here is a picture of your President taking a bike ride in his dad jeans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhvrAZ-T9uLk7IBhJpZp8SuS-YgR-NrOgfWSD1p0TBDgeMObus89Bc7YVOxLVCRDkdYupGWWl7PtSMhcCtfSSDNbU0l6gK7G0lLmMzgyMQcl7K6VILmPNU5b9ebudBI_6jzigxAKtyAXd/s1600/obama-dad-jeans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhvrAZ-T9uLk7IBhJpZp8SuS-YgR-NrOgfWSD1p0TBDgeMObus89Bc7YVOxLVCRDkdYupGWWl7PtSMhcCtfSSDNbU0l6gK7G0lLmMzgyMQcl7K6VILmPNU5b9ebudBI_6jzigxAKtyAXd/s400/obama-dad-jeans.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
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Sweet.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-16665066093625997342011-08-01T15:00:00.000-04:002011-08-01T15:00:38.303-04:00What's in a slogan?<i>The Atlantic</i> recently ran an interesting feature about the science and history of advertising slogans. In addition to their gallery of timeless (and not so timeless) corporate mottos, the feature includes a brief article that illustrates the challenge and reward of crafting the perfect slogan.<br />
<blockquote>
Ideally a [brand] positioning taps into our underlying human motivations. The desire to be a good parent. The need to demonstrate status. The urge to have a good time. This is harder than it seems. Let's say you're Johnnie Walker whisky. Do you stand for casual hedonism? Well, you make rare, expensive liquor. So do you stand for luxury? Well, bar tenders serve you at dives. It took two years and extensive market research to identify the positioning of history, optimism, and personal progress captured by the slogan "Keep on Walking."</blockquote>
(And without a slogan <i>that</i>, you couldn't get an ad like <i><a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/johnnie-walker-man-who-walked-around-world-94000">this</a></i>.)<br />
<br />
Consumerism is a value that is highly regarded in the American majority culture—our lives are so saturated with slogans that it's easy to forget how deeply certain advertising is woven into the fabric of our collective experience. I think it's safe to say that the most enduring slogans say as much about us as a culture as they do about the products they promote: <i>Just do it. Have it your way. The Breakfast of Champions. </i><br />
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For more, read <i><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/07/the-science-of-slogans-the-best-and-worst-ad-campaigns-of-all-time/242591">The Science of Slogans: The Best and Worst Ad Campaigns of All Time</a></i>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-80437766934480889642011-07-30T09:00:00.001-04:002011-07-30T09:00:04.080-04:00"What's Opera, Doc?" [SMC]<a href="http://aspartamed.blogspot.com/search/label/SMC"><img class="logo" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTo2fkxJ56Gdej33EQ_kTkpBhXytsKQUPnVe2NhIGLb_arLA-xGX0W-aruL4BDXb_0UJbdKAUboqjH3FJkYyautGeOZ7CF5CRWm-xov5fS-fgm6gYyYovnbd5DgPu7vPxey1pWKhrLTRf/s1600/SMC-logo-2.JPG" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -4px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /></a><br />
<div style="background-color: black; margin-top: 0; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-top: 25px; text-align: center; width: 534px;"><a href="http://youtu.be/MQlmXU1zqfc" style="color: white;">Embedding disabled, click here to watch video (YouTube)</a></div><br />
Sorry I couldn't find a video that allowed embedding, but I just had to include <i>What's Opera, Doc? </i>as a <b>Saturday Morning Cartoon</b>. After all, it's widely considered to be <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_50_Greatest_Cartoons">the best cartoon ever made</a></i>!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-29436695147672697172011-07-28T17:25:00.001-04:002011-07-28T17:25:38.606-04:00The CarouselMy thoughts are back in Texas, where <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/#DON">Tropical Storm Don</a> is hopefully going to relieve the terrible drought they've been having.<br />
<br />
However this blog post brings you news of a different Don—that is Don Draper, fictional 1960s ad exec of the AMC hit show <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804503/">Mad Men</a></i>. As of this week you can <a href="http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Mad-Men/70136135?strkid=1415182157_0_0&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strackid=fafffea67a8784e_0_srl&trkid=222336">stream all four seasons</a> of <i>Mad Men </i>on Netflix Instant Watch.<br />
<br />
I heard a lot of talk about this show for a long time, but it wasn't until last winter that I snagged the DVDs on sale from Amazon. I was instantly hooked—if you're a fan of HBO-style character drama and you haven't seen <i>Mad Men</i> then you should check it out. While the show occasionally strays into the bizarre, episodes are consistently well-made, and they are always guaranteed to serve up an enjoyable mix of quality writing, acting, social commentary, history, music, and for some, nostalgia.<br />
<br />
In this Season 1 clip Don Draper pitches the next big thing in slide technology:<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suRDUFpsHus">Embedding disabled, click here to view (YouTube)</a></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-31715149183898726602011-07-26T15:20:00.000-04:002011-07-26T15:20:16.368-04:00Night Cheese<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GxqycijBUn0?rel=0" width="534"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-18381024835726541732011-07-25T10:06:00.000-04:002011-07-25T10:06:58.459-04:00Alfred Sirleaf and The Daily Talk<i>Thanks to <a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/94247">Mental Floss</a>, where I first discovered this story.</i><br />
<br />
This incredibly inspiring story comes out of Monrovia, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberia">Liberia</a>. <br />
<br />
In the capital of one of the world's poorest countries, Alfred Sirleaf works as the unpaid one-man editorial staff of a most unlikely news publication.<br />
<br />
<i>The Daily Talk </i>isn't your regular newspaper. In a country where most cannot afford a newspaper, or television, or internet, or often electricity, Sirleaf has made a heroic effort to sustain that most important ingredient of any functioning democracy—a well-informed citizenry.<br />
<br />
Monrovia's most-read news source, you see, is nothing more than a blackboard on the side of a shed on the side of a road.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qZ3IEMSb_g41tt8uX3_m2-2PMhyphenhyphenYemSRjDXc9nA8sqcNlZgd5B_pLlDB4xwphRwu3Gj0SISgif2xYPZTSBub99ymVuKo1sNTHBVd3UjjAZIMz68npP4YC5S_9g0NolsZaBM6FA-XTCn6/s1600/sirleaf-newsroom-nytimes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qZ3IEMSb_g41tt8uX3_m2-2PMhyphenhyphenYemSRjDXc9nA8sqcNlZgd5B_pLlDB4xwphRwu3Gj0SISgif2xYPZTSBub99ymVuKo1sNTHBVd3UjjAZIMz68npP4YC5S_9g0NolsZaBM6FA-XTCn6/s400/sirleaf-newsroom-nytimes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit New York Times</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Sirleaf updates his chalkboard bulletin daily with succinct summaries of the day's events, often accompanied by biting editorials which provide his audience with critical analyses of government leaders and policies that <i>Daily Talk </i>readers would otherwise never hear.<br />
<br />
<i>The Daily Talk </i>is hugely popular, with crowds gathering and cars queuing up every day, patiently awaiting the unveiling of the day's news.<br />
<br />
Some have characterized the <i>Talk </i>as the worlds only (and most popular) analog blog.<br />
<br />
Sirleaf has even developed a subtle system of visual symbols that accompany his stories, so that Monrovians who can't read are able to follow along with others. For example, next to a story about the president's failure to electrify the city Sirleaf hangs a kerosene lamp juxtaposed alongside an unlit fluorescent bulb.<br />
<br />
It's clear that Sirleaf provides an invaluable service to his city and country. As an admitted news junkie myself, I know how easy it is to forget that the <a href="http://news.google.com/">fire-hose of news and ideas</a> I enjoy on a daily basis is a precious commodity for so many others.<br />
<br />
If you have a few minutes, check out the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/04/world/africa/04liberia.html">great article about Alfred Sirleaf</a> over at the New York Times. You can also watch the video from <a href="http://motherboard.tv/">Motherboard.tv</a> below.<br />
<br />
<script charset="utf-8" src="http://www.vbs.tv/vbs_player.js?width=534&height=300&ec=Qxb2UxMjrFJllltmvttslbc3lpPOifg1&st=undefined&pl=http://www.motherboard.tv/2011/7/13/motherboard-tv-the-analog-blogger--2" type="text/javascript">
</script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-68675884613462337532011-07-21T21:38:00.000-04:002011-07-21T21:38:14.690-04:00Texas Sky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Getting away from the big city lights certainly has its benefits. I love being back in Texas because I get to enjoy these beautiful sunsets. I snapped these photos at Stephen F. Austin's <i>Mast Children's Garden</i>, in gorgeous Nacogdoches.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-64674373662533082532011-07-14T18:34:00.000-04:002011-07-14T18:34:16.208-04:00Potter on Sporcle [HP WEEK]It's happening! I'm headed to the movie theater to see the <i>Deathly Hallows Part 1 + 2</i>!<br />
<br />
Hopefully you're going to see the movie soon, too. If you find yourself feeling a little Potter fatigue and need to rally before the main event, <a href="http://www.sporcle.com/games/tags/harrypotter">head on over to Sporcle</a>,where they are <i>also </i>celebrating Harry Potter Week:<br />
<blockquote>
If you thought the Ordinary Wizarding Levels test would be challenging, wait until you try these Harry Potter quizzes! Be you Witch, Wizard or Muggle you will need to rack your wizardry brain to complete these Harry Potter spell games and Quidditch quizzes.</blockquote>
Some of my favorites include:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.sporcle.com/games/lukebradford/harrylines">Characters by First Line</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sporcle.com/games/mgwiley26/hplastlines">Characters by Last Line</a> (spoilers)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.sporcle.com/games/GeoGod/allharrypotter">Top 200 Characters</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sporcle.com/games/potterspells.php">Name These Spells</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sporcle.com/games/zhambsch/the_dumbledore_quiz">The Dumbledore Quiz</a></li>
</ul>
And of course, you can brush up on your Horcruxes for the final movie with the <a href="http://www.sporcle.com/games/tylerhen9/voldemorts_horcruxes">Horcrux Quiz</a> (MAJOR spoilers if you haven't read the books, of course).<br />
<br />
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b0/Sporcle.gif" style="border: 0;" /> <br />
<br />
Thanks, Sporcle!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-85589536667831065312011-07-13T12:20:00.000-04:002011-07-13T12:20:06.722-04:00Wheezes [HP WEEK]<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I'm a Hufflepuff!</span></b><br />
<br />
This video has been working its way around the internet recently:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/y0Z5_wipT2o?rel=0" width="534"></iframe><br />
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For the record:<br />
<blockquote>
You might belong in Hufflepuff, <br />
Where they are just and loyal, <br />
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true, <br />
And unafraid of toil.</blockquote>
(via the Sorting Hat, <i>Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone</i>)<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Daniel Radcliffe on <i>Extras</i></span></b><br />
<br />
If you've never seen <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445114/">Extras</a></i> then you're missing out on one of the great British comedy gems of the past decade. Developed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant (original creators of <i>The Office</i>), <i>Extras </i>follows Andy Millman (Gervais), an ambitious actor who can't seem to grow out of the bit parts in which he is repeatedly cast.<br />
<br />
Each episode of <i>Extras </i>features a chance encounter between Gervais and a different film star—usually an A-list Brit portraying an outrageously parodied version of her/himself. As with this episode guest starring Daniel Radcliffe, hilarity quickly ensues: <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/54t3s7eH25g?rel=0" width="534"></iframe><br />
<br />
Other stars that have lent their considerable comedic talents to <i>Extras </i>include Kate Winslet, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg_cwI1Xj4M">Patrick Stewart</a>, Ian McKellen, and David Bowie.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Save Ginny Weasley From Dean Thomas, </i>by Harry and the Potters</span></b><br />
<br />
Because <i>Harry Potter Week </i>needs a theme song, here is the wizarding world's definitive punk rock cover band, <a href="http://harryandthepotters.com/">Harry and the Potters</a>.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/track=2825119006/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=0000aa/" style="display: block; height: 100px; position: relative; width: 400px;" width="400">&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://harryandthepotters.bandcamp.com/track/save-ginny-weasley-from-dean-thomas"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Save Ginny Weasley From Dean Thomas by Harry and the Potters&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;</iframe><br />
<br />
Other songs by Harry and the Potters include: <i>My Teacher is a Werewolf, Let's Drink to Aragog, The Economics of the Wizarding World Don't Make Sense, </i>and <i>Fleur is Fine</i>.<br />
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Yes, <a href="http://harryandthepotters.bandcamp.com/">you can stream all of their albums</a> online.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-18246008988638651832011-07-12T14:02:00.003-04:002011-07-13T03:37:57.199-04:00Cover Art [HP WEEK]Growing up with the Harry Potter books in the United States meant growing up with the beautiful cover art of <a href="http://www.marygrandpre.com/">Mary GrandPre</a>, who created the distinctive imagery of the American editions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1T310_9FGq-nJr_s8YP_Us_znfoAipwkBagEPubx2afm6WCwb2KvCxWRFOlzfK3H801CImxf3N2b8Kk1k4_Pwo5IiRvL9bJFHTtqwQkfL86hbRg6R_krV9f0xdbu3l6B0Us4ZTYutxpVX/s1600/hpcover-us-6-wraparound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1T310_9FGq-nJr_s8YP_Us_znfoAipwkBagEPubx2afm6WCwb2KvCxWRFOlzfK3H801CImxf3N2b8Kk1k4_Pwo5IiRvL9bJFHTtqwQkfL86hbRg6R_krV9f0xdbu3l6B0Us4ZTYutxpVX/s400/hpcover-us-6-wraparound.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxdY4KiM8lIFtL3MYuYRVsIT2FwlVxZDeuEcJKZ-9v9ilNkpLPg_XfjhQN_FFUTiH_V4KswsEaWn5kN3gxuiRIE8IUluxlO6QXmy_SBlIcj2AGWNGe9Rj7cJ76-n873LdS1a65r1jyuoQ/s1600/hpcover-us-7-wraparound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxdY4KiM8lIFtL3MYuYRVsIT2FwlVxZDeuEcJKZ-9v9ilNkpLPg_XfjhQN_FFUTiH_V4KswsEaWn5kN3gxuiRIE8IUluxlO6QXmy_SBlIcj2AGWNGe9Rj7cJ76-n873LdS1a65r1jyuoQ/s400/hpcover-us-7-wraparound.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I honestly love these covers. I think they do an amazing job of illustrating both the narrative and the atmosphere of each volume. <i>Sorcerer's Stone </i>is bright, whimsical; <i>Goblet of Fire </i>is subdued, a little more adult; <i>Order of the Phoenix </i>is dark, sinister; <i>Deathly Hallows </i>is perhaps the most simple of all, yet dramatic and sincere.<br />
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I can't help but feel partial to GrandPre's Harry Potter covers, but I've enjoyed digging up cover art for the many, many international editions. I think it's fascinating to see the artwork that other young Potter fans grew up with, and know that they are probably as fiercely loyal to their own book covers as I am to mine (except for the poor, poor children of Iceland).<br />
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<i>(In most cases I didn't include artwork for all seven volumes in the series, but I tried to select covers that convey each publisher's overall style.)</i><br />
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See images after the jump.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">U.K.</span></b><br />
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I know some might consider the British covers the <i>originals</i>, but I find them kind of boring (<i>Half-Blood Prince </i>is the best, I think, so I made sure to include it).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5Asds8uIXxksJ91N94OivUorMg5Y3ZBr6HGLO8BNgzKTDuTKy3JQj1EROgfJd8moOxcKu-GRDg4d9xiA7LAzzDFZlE0r2930iQRqmRQajNTIOBwP0FnA85MrrFH3jGB4nmWImzhWGg4X/s1600/hpcover-uk-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5Asds8uIXxksJ91N94OivUorMg5Y3ZBr6HGLO8BNgzKTDuTKy3JQj1EROgfJd8moOxcKu-GRDg4d9xiA7LAzzDFZlE0r2930iQRqmRQajNTIOBwP0FnA85MrrFH3jGB4nmWImzhWGg4X/s400/hpcover-uk-6.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 6 (English — <i>U.K.</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDetUx0gYuLM9CbG6ETtB0oT5596kl7DpM-MaOzzJ55P73px1o3qHPISveRDna337482HmrmrTq6IlYU0N1kgcO5_aAPwtC0Rs4xmXT3K1R8lY9JnR5j3f1U9OqpYhUT2dKDpKigyb8YG/s1600/hpcover-uk-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDetUx0gYuLM9CbG6ETtB0oT5596kl7DpM-MaOzzJ55P73px1o3qHPISveRDna337482HmrmrTq6IlYU0N1kgcO5_aAPwtC0Rs4xmXT3K1R8lY9JnR5j3f1U9OqpYhUT2dKDpKigyb8YG/s400/hpcover-uk-7.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (English — <i>U.K.</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Czech Republic</span></b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyucInWAR2yfC0aXUriQNrOXrH9zttijn_O2Ot4_wFWXk7IECDsDY9zV8UhXMCPGy7nbfAVRF-1nPTQgCfyxNbiEEdZRGrFTQZ5uFvJEkjIzgIvBkLatJYfwd6aI7_R6Mg8ZP673HIRzKg/s1600/hpcover-czechrepublic-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyucInWAR2yfC0aXUriQNrOXrH9zttijn_O2Ot4_wFWXk7IECDsDY9zV8UhXMCPGy7nbfAVRF-1nPTQgCfyxNbiEEdZRGrFTQZ5uFvJEkjIzgIvBkLatJYfwd6aI7_R6Mg8ZP673HIRzKg/s400/hpcover-czechrepublic-1.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (Czech)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Denmark</span></b></div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-5fLGU43vRFrdqzQILWlTNPbxxobArqBsN4XBDbL3zaDBlwYulT1NN1_Qqaq5K8K40JTsRnpxgeXwfvnAB72KUGtlrY67f4zuMXpfuqIcjtDrx65vlQ3vlKkhOEp_w5am0l_DtNQLFOL/s1600/hpcover-denmark-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-5fLGU43vRFrdqzQILWlTNPbxxobArqBsN4XBDbL3zaDBlwYulT1NN1_Qqaq5K8K40JTsRnpxgeXwfvnAB72KUGtlrY67f4zuMXpfuqIcjtDrx65vlQ3vlKkhOEp_w5am0l_DtNQLFOL/s400/hpcover-denmark-5.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 5 (Danish)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFf09_2Ff45XFw5EdUy7THEDUxl1jPpSryCj9YwVDvpnpt-xYoV0zU-6rLsSc1aZaLEtmDP5PzytYSFsDJYzPVYG7LAsUMWSb7yIs8Wbntwd-3s41onaJa0zB6Sy9-MGCPmmVJvftNBDw/s1600/hpcover-denmark-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFf09_2Ff45XFw5EdUy7THEDUxl1jPpSryCj9YwVDvpnpt-xYoV0zU-6rLsSc1aZaLEtmDP5PzytYSFsDJYzPVYG7LAsUMWSb7yIs8Wbntwd-3s41onaJa0zB6Sy9-MGCPmmVJvftNBDw/s400/hpcover-denmark-7.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (Danish)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Finland</span></b><br />
<div>
<div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
Why the noses?</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdOBYragg2iJRNbZjDDAZMPbx01mdwExu_TZk5UtU4MuwmtVI1sZFvSo91oI9gzqT6a9LTVOLrgrVW9thMnnqB-vDfMH8YsyzXRt6FcviTn05vHdbptpplIf2IWakqec4zqzUwTvjYAWF/s1600/hpcover-finland-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdOBYragg2iJRNbZjDDAZMPbx01mdwExu_TZk5UtU4MuwmtVI1sZFvSo91oI9gzqT6a9LTVOLrgrVW9thMnnqB-vDfMH8YsyzXRt6FcviTn05vHdbptpplIf2IWakqec4zqzUwTvjYAWF/s400/hpcover-finland-1.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (Finnish)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmR67Xpp6ZwwNdf-SpbTwG3tmkoBy3TzWiXwWwfDJ8Ry6nbfkVPXsdvHhlAJSFIBHHXsPpds__IJKBcVYdrvQyU-00jP6JwKDXcdwFKy2PrDu1I-BMsOm8n9OtTlaSgdsx0uE8QBH5PWAg/s1600/hpcover-finland-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmR67Xpp6ZwwNdf-SpbTwG3tmkoBy3TzWiXwWwfDJ8Ry6nbfkVPXsdvHhlAJSFIBHHXsPpds__IJKBcVYdrvQyU-00jP6JwKDXcdwFKy2PrDu1I-BMsOm8n9OtTlaSgdsx0uE8QBH5PWAg/s400/hpcover-finland-2.jpg" width="264" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 2 (Finnish)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbPoiAM0_23ronTqMAJVCdwCo45MP7PCqXCc3ELeL4K8jQjZSo9Y_CcLWdYXTXiqpb7vzUYpDAl0Ov5wHObIlJSJJMfN9hTZlP-H_GWZgZCWqWaNHKsyFO4VB1np3vrNsr36gmU9OThJr/s1600/hpcover-finland-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbPoiAM0_23ronTqMAJVCdwCo45MP7PCqXCc3ELeL4K8jQjZSo9Y_CcLWdYXTXiqpb7vzUYpDAl0Ov5wHObIlJSJJMfN9hTZlP-H_GWZgZCWqWaNHKsyFO4VB1np3vrNsr36gmU9OThJr/s400/hpcover-finland-6.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 6 (Finnish)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">France</span></b></div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I really liked the French covers (especially Book 7). Very different than many of the others.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJ9p1HQNJqY7rpXebzrNCywRVIL5iatERQ1KlTWHRi76bpmiswKwbBuwr4apdZtac8mm_e71eT-DLsAlJbEWMjrlPdkChyYoToD1WU8e6fCgd5duAE-9d1Rp51aipz3YY4QrVStgKnV0R/s1600/hpcover-france-3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJ9p1HQNJqY7rpXebzrNCywRVIL5iatERQ1KlTWHRi76bpmiswKwbBuwr4apdZtac8mm_e71eT-DLsAlJbEWMjrlPdkChyYoToD1WU8e6fCgd5duAE-9d1Rp51aipz3YY4QrVStgKnV0R/s400/hpcover-france-3a.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 3 (French)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLJb5q_suLTHqrn6tR4LMEHYRhp9Cyt4JVR26IwyOlWeeM8ySah7RrlZFVbnZVFIDAQ-IuGW6Y6TRp57RdoxGRVg6ekHEXEjLKCSV_y1GKGXSF6IRdpkZ6gW82TEn4R6c91yvSZLfnC_q/s1600/hpcover-france-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLJb5q_suLTHqrn6tR4LMEHYRhp9Cyt4JVR26IwyOlWeeM8ySah7RrlZFVbnZVFIDAQ-IuGW6Y6TRp57RdoxGRVg6ekHEXEjLKCSV_y1GKGXSF6IRdpkZ6gW82TEn4R6c91yvSZLfnC_q/s400/hpcover-france-6.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 6 (French)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOkOhtR1_FCwWU53IESY2ujJ70wbzKuCAxaAUqt0rC5U0F4eQpt78r3GqQW6ousqmyPF7BLCGpENBFraTiUxn54Q3npWmVvvfzT6lcb9v8lawpHaHEEp_ZizHvl_fTMxTklM0mK362c-R/s1600/hpcover-france-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOkOhtR1_FCwWU53IESY2ujJ70wbzKuCAxaAUqt0rC5U0F4eQpt78r3GqQW6ousqmyPF7BLCGpENBFraTiUxn54Q3npWmVvvfzT6lcb9v8lawpHaHEEp_ZizHvl_fTMxTklM0mK362c-R/s400/hpcover-france-7.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (French)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Germany</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpZHWwI59RGi16GH7J75vlf6l7zNuCuMgfMWe28t4j_XwyItvjXMiFQori-0-ghHuRi9naRrhcGklLXlb76grNiEztq8J-lYNIxA00fjg3iejaLRIYP1c-KQi9Xi-4tYg6Q7xoNNUBs0E/s1600/hpcover-germany-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpZHWwI59RGi16GH7J75vlf6l7zNuCuMgfMWe28t4j_XwyItvjXMiFQori-0-ghHuRi9naRrhcGklLXlb76grNiEztq8J-lYNIxA00fjg3iejaLRIYP1c-KQi9Xi-4tYg6Q7xoNNUBs0E/s400/hpcover-germany-1.jpg" width="253" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (German)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihdwjETgG6rRMx7OkJEEr7ty9kcL2o4p2wLfbcd-5G0M09xJCobSVepqKmMUwsUzHe04FApF_fQJrMWAdsXYWz1QGFdyuqKR4OGxQKPKqyj9ohyphenhyphenDeHyI_D0K23rddxjGQmtAIBAXL7OBAX/s1600/hpcover-germany-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihdwjETgG6rRMx7OkJEEr7ty9kcL2o4p2wLfbcd-5G0M09xJCobSVepqKmMUwsUzHe04FApF_fQJrMWAdsXYWz1QGFdyuqKR4OGxQKPKqyj9ohyphenhyphenDeHyI_D0K23rddxjGQmtAIBAXL7OBAX/s400/hpcover-germany-7.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (German)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Iceland</span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Icelandic book covers were absolutely terrifying.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjf0rRXwgByAEFd9TwGOWx6w7QgHKhoPkKSGKm915x4J-lm71C4Mc_KkTO9T-V4AVIIJMihPOysqr_yG_Bx5WEypDpw3ZarSJ5_jvRsUQksoVUu3ev-8KQYS_6jwT-okPQchElg1QMnMH/s1600/hpcover-iceland-1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjf0rRXwgByAEFd9TwGOWx6w7QgHKhoPkKSGKm915x4J-lm71C4Mc_KkTO9T-V4AVIIJMihPOysqr_yG_Bx5WEypDpw3ZarSJ5_jvRsUQksoVUu3ev-8KQYS_6jwT-okPQchElg1QMnMH/s400/hpcover-iceland-1.gif" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (Icelandic)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Iran</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sbf2L5qBlhKamWzQiTl-UCgM4hm0B1Py14z2nuYqIouFON-2h1A1m9nbo3M00rRDI1G714b-nLNPB6Gu7MzlWkadUDeQRpus-8Hew3nSXkFl3oCDlUUS3N2y_TDLfBFHYicPpp3Q-Lsm/s1600/hpcover-iran-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sbf2L5qBlhKamWzQiTl-UCgM4hm0B1Py14z2nuYqIouFON-2h1A1m9nbo3M00rRDI1G714b-nLNPB6Gu7MzlWkadUDeQRpus-8Hew3nSXkFl3oCDlUUS3N2y_TDLfBFHYicPpp3Q-Lsm/s400/hpcover-iran-1.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (Farsi — <i>Iran</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Italy</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
These remind me of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0OVEzAdt_ruPC5JMt25glTIilWHo3C65C5Oj_3_4ZwCk4KoyZg7dvMF9K9J1wzF86il7OEychYwCOwkUOId0MYaVYf5SJ6OTLbf69oeO80O9OsarLnnTuqt7QKPXYX8B8bmJSUOM-oTF/s1600/le-petit-prince.jpg"><i>Le Petit Prince</i></a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5t5s-bPtamEO09gef0PUcJH2U51pufIcq0LdCqZz8cRHKS-JTgh4FrbMRSz0IjNTNPq_sL-iSEbmruN2K8vrlbZq9mpIBFvdmHEfV7HJh1LQ47ahkhSDQ0dENBiLi9mSZKoALsHwHQSAw/s1600/hpcover-italy-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5t5s-bPtamEO09gef0PUcJH2U51pufIcq0LdCqZz8cRHKS-JTgh4FrbMRSz0IjNTNPq_sL-iSEbmruN2K8vrlbZq9mpIBFvdmHEfV7HJh1LQ47ahkhSDQ0dENBiLi9mSZKoALsHwHQSAw/s400/hpcover-italy-1.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (Italian)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCdmMgrVobrLUF8-FlSMun_sFHv6Efb9kP1IZbrJIrqs9ImqXkYUi-ZJurXM8gcN90iD4ePPBIglrjYrJY5Q8lnCZflERYejFVM44-NVsvMpFuGdAt42VdWfAocDu9s7BTg-fAFLNBaRr/s1600/hpcover-italy-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCdmMgrVobrLUF8-FlSMun_sFHv6Efb9kP1IZbrJIrqs9ImqXkYUi-ZJurXM8gcN90iD4ePPBIglrjYrJY5Q8lnCZflERYejFVM44-NVsvMpFuGdAt42VdWfAocDu9s7BTg-fAFLNBaRr/s400/hpcover-italy-3.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 3 (Italian)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJElVQ6pni5OwHFRAeMgthcMdej4kqdGOtolUc6YZLXxDIg5RIt795MwG1CIT8JPlCW0mM1e5cxg4QrRTU5M0b4uBCoHP7jqt9S03lHNQLngnsGELDVSG076e5dHEiz1qY3A_8IpWi1el/s1600/hpcover-italy-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJElVQ6pni5OwHFRAeMgthcMdej4kqdGOtolUc6YZLXxDIg5RIt795MwG1CIT8JPlCW0mM1e5cxg4QrRTU5M0b4uBCoHP7jqt9S03lHNQLngnsGELDVSG076e5dHEiz1qY3A_8IpWi1el/s400/hpcover-italy-7.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (Italian)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Japan</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Very cool, very different.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6E7EtpHsdilUDvHoLM8Et9X4eFYM9EMmO7zLyx8dxGkXv-MQxC_cCEj2L4CEzutuAUzRr_-CUb3ti3Vv8GQzck6rrY7_-pI3rumcCYhXpk-mkJJj0aMFiT65l7VlRDuB9PcF_MwU1zyU/s1600/hpcover-japan-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6E7EtpHsdilUDvHoLM8Et9X4eFYM9EMmO7zLyx8dxGkXv-MQxC_cCEj2L4CEzutuAUzRr_-CUb3ti3Vv8GQzck6rrY7_-pI3rumcCYhXpk-mkJJj0aMFiT65l7VlRDuB9PcF_MwU1zyU/s400/hpcover-japan-1.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (Japanese)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18APFbeuSF8gt251kKcnnO7pCNckkI5ej7T_hM3sFAeQ8u0uu464M_ks0Pc72KoUYpIzzud_P_Drw3zwazVhyphenhyphendumX4ViVP6_ApdhvbSrLyiosAff9zyclSJDynKQOB2a_Fzi8k4gd3wQU/s1600/hpcover-japan-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18APFbeuSF8gt251kKcnnO7pCNckkI5ej7T_hM3sFAeQ8u0uu464M_ks0Pc72KoUYpIzzud_P_Drw3zwazVhyphenhyphendumX4ViVP6_ApdhvbSrLyiosAff9zyclSJDynKQOB2a_Fzi8k4gd3wQU/s400/hpcover-japan-2.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 2 (Japanese)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekTTqgdcna2YhQg5NJXh7RygJH820e_4s76daFOAZN6O0hCOv1xKGdDC56ODbzY5Y4dEHM18F5H6-wxGFa34BAhhhEGRmsr0FFHU0xVHpVQ-hmVoPwnvkjQdHCrLiuzwWvOE1Zvb_Q6_B/s1600/hpcover-japan-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekTTqgdcna2YhQg5NJXh7RygJH820e_4s76daFOAZN6O0hCOv1xKGdDC56ODbzY5Y4dEHM18F5H6-wxGFa34BAhhhEGRmsr0FFHU0xVHpVQ-hmVoPwnvkjQdHCrLiuzwWvOE1Zvb_Q6_B/s400/hpcover-japan-7.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (Japanese)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Latin America</span></b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
I believe that many of the countries in Latin America used either these covers, or they used the U.S. covers with Spanish language titles. Couldn't figure out which countries used which, but I know that both Mexico and Argentina shared this cover art. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxd-1gY2BkbMGoo3uHvzNvYlH0Yv5Hy0jGfYp7Hnf489z9rsPgkxchRYHDFqKL2j5QcqOOkvsNrX-NJ_wJ5Tes791TQ7kxL4l6g5xAJRfQpm8KVJnGgB6fOJyJt-0iqAx5ddubuCt5I0V/s1600/hpcover-spanish-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxd-1gY2BkbMGoo3uHvzNvYlH0Yv5Hy0jGfYp7Hnf489z9rsPgkxchRYHDFqKL2j5QcqOOkvsNrX-NJ_wJ5Tes791TQ7kxL4l6g5xAJRfQpm8KVJnGgB6fOJyJt-0iqAx5ddubuCt5I0V/s400/hpcover-spanish-2.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 2 (Spanish — <i>Latin America)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YfDsRyz8kInfK5wlL9x0bg3gxbwhZaDKUIV7bu62IQCxY_kZa2eSTifowhwqsaNUAY5-8pz8WaO1Oy4uP3An5_CRw6BWfjRFh05A2z-lIRUJ7CkPyM6pVjJ2PQ9zhm9EyX8SngTLDBwR/s1600/hpcover-spanish-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YfDsRyz8kInfK5wlL9x0bg3gxbwhZaDKUIV7bu62IQCxY_kZa2eSTifowhwqsaNUAY5-8pz8WaO1Oy4uP3An5_CRw6BWfjRFh05A2z-lIRUJ7CkPyM6pVjJ2PQ9zhm9EyX8SngTLDBwR/s400/hpcover-spanish-4.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 4 (Spanish — <i>Latin America</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrooZZi70fyshQiuwEc1Lm8uX836beYaIqi5P4viVPoSoaRjuv5_OduBHMz28bUkCDQ4L8OBcTYtKTUtHHlp1eqy-0kX17kfsiNwFCIRv8R7W3wXxYXOCrVWaYm5wTtxXBO2jLj9CsxtW/s1600/hpcover-spanish-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrooZZi70fyshQiuwEc1Lm8uX836beYaIqi5P4viVPoSoaRjuv5_OduBHMz28bUkCDQ4L8OBcTYtKTUtHHlp1eqy-0kX17kfsiNwFCIRv8R7W3wXxYXOCrVWaYm5wTtxXBO2jLj9CsxtW/s400/hpcover-spanish-7.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (Spanish — <i>Latin America</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Netherlands</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I found these somewhat strange, but reminiscent of <i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuFv08GEUN__8qP9bu7m9Xxnbgi3MX6RFnkZB9ICHthYnq0RuJ2kQAU7FxmB6uojJnMXPo5uRgBZI9yT-ojVfmYMqhvF_KFQ6Lff_B6vQhipYiGYEIDtB39CI7xC78E5qUVwkhVuWQ5Ee/s1600/wrinkle-in-time.jpeg">A Wrinkle In Time</a>.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUDaZv9d-GdcI5XrvupWet7bb4lVJJw3ej-ayHvVefif-zhxg3uQa7jjzW2ePg7qvmipE5sn6TCtsPPmhn5wuVB9Wl3C0w-rfa6-5XPGPInTlbrQOWcNOwIR1NTGkxbp6xhACTaRig-BK/s1600/hpcover-netherlands-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUDaZv9d-GdcI5XrvupWet7bb4lVJJw3ej-ayHvVefif-zhxg3uQa7jjzW2ePg7qvmipE5sn6TCtsPPmhn5wuVB9Wl3C0w-rfa6-5XPGPInTlbrQOWcNOwIR1NTGkxbp6xhACTaRig-BK/s400/hpcover-netherlands-5.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 5 (Dutch)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPlftlZPwZ2XLWtOnN5KrQFbt-xQPBirbghhyDc3Xt7FulHp7t37H6VUnNbZTYbcPlZ5hRNkLartWU4q3yfbuASciG94YMiN79qI4x32Mhmy3wijPKdANBeTdU8dg5q5mtw-49V5KutuP/s1600/hpcover-netherlands-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPlftlZPwZ2XLWtOnN5KrQFbt-xQPBirbghhyDc3Xt7FulHp7t37H6VUnNbZTYbcPlZ5hRNkLartWU4q3yfbuASciG94YMiN79qI4x32Mhmy3wijPKdANBeTdU8dg5q5mtw-49V5KutuP/s400/hpcover-netherlands-7.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (Dutch)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Portugal</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCEw7fJMv-wnEEaXYG7TeTdjDFiK8-HqVbcJynfhralXxoxBgC3RPkRV61DoIndpuqb5per3zQKA3ESz3XKZpMyrKMIqLS0Wb9KwItA70CS77NgfHsplPGqV79XfLcNpYWUiYcVAsptnk/s1600/hpcover-portugal-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCEw7fJMv-wnEEaXYG7TeTdjDFiK8-HqVbcJynfhralXxoxBgC3RPkRV61DoIndpuqb5per3zQKA3ESz3XKZpMyrKMIqLS0Wb9KwItA70CS77NgfHsplPGqV79XfLcNpYWUiYcVAsptnk/s400/hpcover-portugal-1.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (Portugese)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Spain</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqNBMnPNscIWQO8KDDC_UfZpaITQRCoyjPV-cQlxul2ld3cXGTVBAXC-TJnuiqzLPar6zkL5JUyW0o1fyi9hEwOAp_gnHoMRNBGg7SwGLT8dw8G4LHxErvNmtyNPquNMv0sM_FiPRMnPN/s1600/hpcover-spain-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqNBMnPNscIWQO8KDDC_UfZpaITQRCoyjPV-cQlxul2ld3cXGTVBAXC-TJnuiqzLPar6zkL5JUyW0o1fyi9hEwOAp_gnHoMRNBGg7SwGLT8dw8G4LHxErvNmtyNPquNMv0sM_FiPRMnPN/s400/hpcover-spain-1.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (Spanish — <i>Spain</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sweden</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-B5WXjTCMCJlkUyT1gXE2lg7KtSsH4DdvR0QGqTp_OWAYieBJ8i13IueMvIn-QHcOSCa4DSjaQ3n0OOI-9sSADmkYC_1MZb7hjclq8-SkTRxdMeBiPQhONw2nlCtnxcbf8UkD4H2XSLk/s1600/hpcover-sweden-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-B5WXjTCMCJlkUyT1gXE2lg7KtSsH4DdvR0QGqTp_OWAYieBJ8i13IueMvIn-QHcOSCa4DSjaQ3n0OOI-9sSADmkYC_1MZb7hjclq8-SkTRxdMeBiPQhONw2nlCtnxcbf8UkD4H2XSLk/s400/hpcover-sweden-1.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (Swedish)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuGsdP2e3hqiImyVXTFV1HD7rzcSZoUTI4GbwcC5otAnvqLVxrUf2BuHeUSZSy7neVbKy-9bY4gdX0kSIoprXWKj-MkxXvDqJhPZH1SrjgkAmUMQQmTMK4zjVFzhCDsjgYjTXWAkvRl-C/s1600/hpcover-sweden-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuGsdP2e3hqiImyVXTFV1HD7rzcSZoUTI4GbwcC5otAnvqLVxrUf2BuHeUSZSy7neVbKy-9bY4gdX0kSIoprXWKj-MkxXvDqJhPZH1SrjgkAmUMQQmTMK4zjVFzhCDsjgYjTXWAkvRl-C/s400/hpcover-sweden-7.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (Swedish)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ukraine</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Bizarre? Is that the word?<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJWiecFPdW1YWOSXbo4aYDNycS0q-UhpSH9_NIOqtJ8td30zbrWby1YIw9oX8G8d0_5PVnPRFEGQ8Mxr2o0vTLNA7twEo-cWFKrbDMG3e0uLr-P9uxewCVv9_7CfLV41OZA6PSqIS6T69/s1600/hpcover-ukrain-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJWiecFPdW1YWOSXbo4aYDNycS0q-UhpSH9_NIOqtJ8td30zbrWby1YIw9oX8G8d0_5PVnPRFEGQ8Mxr2o0vTLNA7twEo-cWFKrbDMG3e0uLr-P9uxewCVv9_7CfLV41OZA6PSqIS6T69/s400/hpcover-ukrain-2.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 2 (Ukrainian)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNzLWEfOGUFjHpLmnSRlFIz8VUqyTVr83DwLyiLayVRAqcO3PFKc9GvjIF4Gt587AlVNaY6ySHxpCg5Go2n_sScgwU8yaoHGE6PN40eFkj5O_fvmPE1E8wG92oumEw6kttpnpLMgebr1i/s1600/hpcover-ukraine-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNzLWEfOGUFjHpLmnSRlFIz8VUqyTVr83DwLyiLayVRAqcO3PFKc9GvjIF4Gt587AlVNaY6ySHxpCg5Go2n_sScgwU8yaoHGE6PN40eFkj5O_fvmPE1E8wG92oumEw6kttpnpLMgebr1i/s400/hpcover-ukraine-5.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 5 (Ukrainian)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2uAPnwTaZK1xUpKvZzaZ-OWToexXUuJQtENXPRc91C0YQZQDCveIvCF2LcOnRvYYep_APOGJGFXYnEl1larxL5b7ne1UeS9LGDbUKqZCdSMcx1vHs-LlDLrRce5Az8BdSxIdNkazJ_5i/s1600/hpcover-ukraine-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2uAPnwTaZK1xUpKvZzaZ-OWToexXUuJQtENXPRc91C0YQZQDCveIvCF2LcOnRvYYep_APOGJGFXYnEl1larxL5b7ne1UeS9LGDbUKqZCdSMcx1vHs-LlDLrRce5Az8BdSxIdNkazJ_5i/s400/hpcover-ukraine-7.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (Ukrainian)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Vietnam</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMeEgetXfVB0C6JIHz7G7jSRggplG42A058hEkB7YC6DaDoTFA_8el6a45PnL49QSjqrpFcuyaQZbJnpKjTGsU5lv6aMiV74RpzR4KF4ErzwJ7kZ57bo9oHfExiaf6kMIc_wlZAS_vgXD/s1600/hpcover-vietnam-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMeEgetXfVB0C6JIHz7G7jSRggplG42A058hEkB7YC6DaDoTFA_8el6a45PnL49QSjqrpFcuyaQZbJnpKjTGsU5lv6aMiV74RpzR4KF4ErzwJ7kZ57bo9oHfExiaf6kMIc_wlZAS_vgXD/s400/hpcover-vietnam-1.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 1 (Vietnam)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Bonus!</i></span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Check out these "Adult" covers that were widely popular in the U.K. You know, for grown-ups who didn't want the world to know that they were reading about wizards and stuff.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzE2NtEhADC3PVIyXJsPydLGWwdypGop80g0patEJRDirfIgR3Lbsc6b1EimqPlY4mcx7Ho3NfaVscpqTQHTJud1SK1Ed42HED4SKkoVDhsLatxazyZ4oxbxPJtph6f3q2VJZt2Zbw32cS/s1600/hpcover-uk-adult-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzE2NtEhADC3PVIyXJsPydLGWwdypGop80g0patEJRDirfIgR3Lbsc6b1EimqPlY4mcx7Ho3NfaVscpqTQHTJud1SK1Ed42HED4SKkoVDhsLatxazyZ4oxbxPJtph6f3q2VJZt2Zbw32cS/s400/hpcover-uk-adult-4.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 4 (U.K. Adult)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LkXdjDNKmp_nuJDKVnFa7rB7Sqd-tAu0PPlofLKzJJZOpcAtH8FYlXxnAZdQldmJgesxW1ktzdRN8pvghaNFb9wwgYRGgtwPQE1Goeg-4RZxqSOPcD5kzYyFsWQGmb4ZVT359UPZI1iq/s1600/hpcover-uk-adult-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LkXdjDNKmp_nuJDKVnFa7rB7Sqd-tAu0PPlofLKzJJZOpcAtH8FYlXxnAZdQldmJgesxW1ktzdRN8pvghaNFb9wwgYRGgtwPQE1Goeg-4RZxqSOPcD5kzYyFsWQGmb4ZVT359UPZI1iq/s400/hpcover-uk-adult-7.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book 7 (U.K. Adult)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Also, many publishers have begun to re-release the books with new "special edition" artwork. I really like the Dutch redesign. Very minimal, but still fun.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawIAEIPfJvHJyHNUX35KLrBTgoA4Yjn1AJ1PtBXFA3u8rlHrkKOrMe4ytNwLYrwzRgytAaoT0nL-ORExXex1p0cNwMrMBNZSSJUw1V1Oc8eNOrtNex9IifTfTTmvYszraNIn5fEsQywBY/s1600/hpcover-netherlands-all7-redesign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawIAEIPfJvHJyHNUX35KLrBTgoA4Yjn1AJ1PtBXFA3u8rlHrkKOrMe4ytNwLYrwzRgytAaoT0nL-ORExXex1p0cNwMrMBNZSSJUw1V1Oc8eNOrtNex9IifTfTTmvYszraNIn5fEsQywBY/s400/hpcover-netherlands-all7-redesign.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Books 1-7 (Dutch redesign)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And one more thing: here is the full, wraparound artwork for the French <i>Deathly Hallows</i>. Probably my favorite of the bunch.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RxrkGvJMS2YWGNLufFeSRTIvDvACKi1URBuIcjLA28PCvzhdkyz8M3iWNjOTsAjf3R0LgTUCmxW01NS3yQtpHG4hhNssnOTc8dSE5a6Ade_ITHoSKvbnZ1LUd9jO_uo6Rxc3vqOggSl_/s1600/hpcover-france-7-wraparound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RxrkGvJMS2YWGNLufFeSRTIvDvACKi1URBuIcjLA28PCvzhdkyz8M3iWNjOTsAjf3R0LgTUCmxW01NS3yQtpHG4hhNssnOTc8dSE5a6Ade_ITHoSKvbnZ1LUd9jO_uo6Rxc3vqOggSl_/s400/hpcover-france-7-wraparound.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Finally, I couldn't have compiled this post without a couple of useful websites. Shout-out to <a href="http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Cover_art">Harry Potter Wiki</a> and the <a href="http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/rowling/editions.htm">School of Education at UWM</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>--</i></div>
<div>
<i>Did I miss your favorite Harry Potter cover art? Leave me links in the comments section!</i></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-90740326513591626462011-07-12T11:31:00.000-04:002011-07-12T11:31:29.472-04:00Maroon Monday<div>
After over a year away from College Station, I found myself back in Aggieland for a few hours yesterday. I had such a great time walking around, taking pictures of all the exciting changes on campus (<a href="http://msclivingtradition.tamu.edu/">MSC</a>, <a href="http://tamunews.tamu.edu/2010/09/13/military-walk-a-texas-am-tradition/">Military Walk</a>, <a href="http://liberalarts.tamu.edu/html/giving-giving-priorities-artsbldg-impact.html">Liberal Arts Building</a>).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Of course I can't help but feel nostalgic—life in Aggieland was such an important time for me. I think being here helped me grow a lot, and this is where I met many of my favorite people. Texas A&M wasn't the obvious choice of school for me (first generation Aggie!), but it's impossible for me to imagine my college years in any other place. <br />
<br />
<i>(Now please indulge me as I watch this emotionally manipulative advertisement, designed to make former students like me feel <a href="https://www.aggienetwork.com/donate/default.aspx">extra</a> sentimental.)</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ssTVqIgOelw?rel=0" width="534"></iframe></div>
<div>
<br />
I feel blessed to have so many great memories here, and I love trying to imagine all of the future Aggies that will create their own memories in this historic and ever evolving place.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
See photos after the jump.</div>
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My life in New York has been truly wonderful, but I really enjoyed being back here for a hot Monday afternoon—driving into College Station felt like coming <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHEOF_rcND8">home</a>.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-70857261843752248852011-07-11T21:27:00.001-04:002011-07-12T03:27:25.775-04:00Trivia & Quidditch [HP WEEK]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In anticipation of both the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NYt1qirBWg">upcoming movie</a> and the consequent <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/video/2011/jul/07/harry-potter-fans-childhood-video">end of my childhood</a>, I will be celebrating <i style="font-weight: bold;">Harry Potter Week </i>here on <i>Aspartamed.</i> </div>
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To get us rolling, I figured I would, of course, share some trivia (click to enlarge).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMk_PS-RE2IU9yqAuidjyKslCUr-6rJImA4Kqcxv4j6br0quULPlJN4DNf-dA1ruHnzvuzgauO44L_cF4yQQ3AFbZYWsMYhYfbbdvFh8Qf-mPDU3RrZUroY9KPo8-xjRxYVfPV4XzcfLFF/s1600/harry-potter-facts-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMk_PS-RE2IU9yqAuidjyKslCUr-6rJImA4Kqcxv4j6br0quULPlJN4DNf-dA1ruHnzvuzgauO44L_cF4yQQ3AFbZYWsMYhYfbbdvFh8Qf-mPDU3RrZUroY9KPo8-xjRxYVfPV4XzcfLFF/s640/harry-potter-facts-1.jpg" width="352" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://waynedorrington.blogspot.com/2011/03/infographic-no6-harry-potter.html">via</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVOlJV59g78nxnk7_9oylIiHjUB2mOX4wQFCX08BckYKAHah97quI4Ofc9VfWh9kvmQPsvzx0Oqhgm1l6lPpWFrf3LkfRYWuyiEAzC7HP992rFXtxRv2SO2B5LA2mXHw9EZ7_ZiGOA1TT/s1600/harry-potter-facts-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVOlJV59g78nxnk7_9oylIiHjUB2mOX4wQFCX08BckYKAHah97quI4Ofc9VfWh9kvmQPsvzx0Oqhgm1l6lPpWFrf3LkfRYWuyiEAzC7HP992rFXtxRv2SO2B5LA2mXHw9EZ7_ZiGOA1TT/s400/harry-potter-facts-2.jpg" width="385" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/157/numerology-harry-potter-and-the-multibillion-dollar-empire">via</a></div>
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Regarding that second infographic, you'll note the fact at the top of the image reads:<br />
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20,000 spectators watched 46 teams run around on broomsticks at the 2010 Quidditch World Cup in New York, which pays homage to Harry's favorite sport.</blockquote>
Kelsey and I were definitely there (photos by Kelsey):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFN8fFc6oYJ4AJ3-nmKEHWQ5T9ItFlHkFKlhi75w_gjQL103Yy3w-sIoAkbet6qAPqUybZBt40uoYGNWkE-I059sWZ-zB4JN5W6o_XOMnztnJsCL2EC7jTbpB5oSpH02cYJWuqJRfl6aZi/s1600/quidditch-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFN8fFc6oYJ4AJ3-nmKEHWQ5T9ItFlHkFKlhi75w_gjQL103Yy3w-sIoAkbet6qAPqUybZBt40uoYGNWkE-I059sWZ-zB4JN5W6o_XOMnztnJsCL2EC7jTbpB5oSpH02cYJWuqJRfl6aZi/s400/quidditch-1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And of course, we were there to support the <a href="http://quidditch.tamu.edu/">Texas A&M Quidditch team</a>.<br />
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See you in <a href="http://www.internationalquidditch.org/worldcup.html">November</a>, World Cup!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647165277411149585.post-53833519192052433702011-07-09T09:00:00.000-04:002011-07-09T09:00:09.476-04:00"Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century" [SMC]<img class="logo" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTo2fkxJ56Gdej33EQ_kTkpBhXytsKQUPnVe2NhIGLb_arLA-xGX0W-aruL4BDXb_0UJbdKAUboqjH3FJkYyautGeOZ7CF5CRWm-xov5fS-fgm6gYyYovnbd5DgPu7vPxey1pWKhrLTRf/s1600/SMC-logo-2.JPG" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -4px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br />
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