As we head into the holiday weekend, I hope everyone stays safe (and warm). Happy Thanksgiving.

From Zazoo: Janelle Monae’s on Sesame Street! 

 For those of you, like me, who love talking about names: Here are some Victorian-era names which could use a rebirth.

Swiped from Maura: How famous artists would plate Thanksgiving dinner. (Using “plate” as a verb cracks me up every time, for some reason.)

See you next week!

Well, today is fairly depressing all around, isn’t it?

 Digg has the full transcript of the Ferguson grand jury case.

On a literally brighter note, Repurpose Schoolbags are solar backpacks designed for kids in remote regions.

I somehow completely missed the news that poetry brothels had become a thing. Here’s New York’s version. 

In what could be related news, here’s an infographic on the aroma of books.

We still don’t have jetpacks, but we might have floating cities in the near future!

Gaudi’s La Sagrada Família won’t be finished until the 2020s, but it’s amazing as it is right now and worth a visit.

Happy Friday! Thanks to everyone who sent in links!

From Cassandra: spooky books for kids.

Also from Cassandra: a story of doing the right thing in this crazy world.

From Jack: an ancient Egyptian handbook of spells! 

From Zazoo: Scooby Doo loses the plot a bit with Daphne's so-called nightmare.

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone. See you next week.

Hi!

It's another busy Thursday here. This will calm down a bit after Thanksgiving. In the meantime, consider Bill Lucey's Thanksgiving-themed tips for journalists, and we'll be back tomorrow!

If you have a spare day or so, you could spend it perusing the World Religions Tree. It’s not complete, but wow, is it ever detailed.

Also incomplete: The World that’s being constructed in Dubai. Hey, world-creating is hard work.

Scouting NY is having a birthday, and true New Yorkers can get this great sticker/magnet to prove how hardcore they are.

The Masque of the Red Death: horror, yes. Sci-fi…well, sort of. Musical…??? Behold, the combination of all three concepts!

Gather round and listen to the story of an international con man who swindled people in the name of…margarine? It’s true!

But wait, there’s more! Watch the incredible Edith Margaret Garrud demonstrate her martial arts technique on would-be attackers. She also offered what became known as “suffrajitsu” training for suffragettes!

And finally, for those who love steam and don’t care much for people, I recommend The Moon and the Sledgehammer, a documentary on a British family who worked on machinery in the wilderness. It’s fascinating.

Okay, it’s Monday, and here is a quick summary of the (currently) important things in life.

1. It is snowing here. See, here’s photographic proof.

2. The Union in Athens burned over the weekend. This is very big and sad news. Many thanks to Jack, who linked this post on why it matters. 

3. Here are some sounds from space. The Philae has gone dark, but you can imagine some noises from it, too.

4. Existential Muppets will get us through all this, I hope.

It's Friday! It's the end of a somewhat disorganized week, and I have no links from others to share. At least, I don't think I do. I may find some at the end of the day. See? Disorganized.

In the meantime, however, David Malki has put up a mega post which begins with a propeller car and then goes off on some tangents, all of which are awesome. So go check it out, have a spiffy weekend, and I'll see you next week.

Congratulations to the Philae lander! Space is so cool.

The Internet of Things is also cool. And expansive.

The archives of the Detroit News library will be protected, thanks to Michigan’s state archives.

The Qatar Digital Library is brand new and chock-full of information on art, mathematics, history, and so much more.

The British Museum, meanwhile, will be recreated in Minecraft. Sure, why not?

Do you lose your umbrella occasionally? Not any more! 

Do you lose your luggage occasionally? Not any more! 

Do you think tricycles are just for kids? Not any more! 

Do you think Bigfoot is a hoax? Well…actually, it probably is. But scientists as well as hoaxers are on the case, and there’s even a scientific journal devoted to the creature called Relict Hominoid Inquiry.

I am back and more or less together. Let’s get to the links, shall we?

A silent Sherlock Holmes film has been rediscovered!

LightDims are for LEDs which are too bright. I never considered this would be an issue, but I suppose it’s something which will just increase over time, so it’s good to be prepared.

Behold the weapons of the Resinator Lab! 

Take a walk in London and regard the surveillance cameras…then get arrested for regarding the surveillance cameras. Follow along on The Nor.

Sick day, ugh. Back tomorrow, I hope.

Friday, hooray!

The Internet Archive is expanding geometrically. This looks like it’s going to be fun. Take some time and look around the place, it's got all sorts of wonderful things.

Brown Dog is an attempt to retrieve data in antiquated formats. Good plan!

From Cassandra: Neil Gaiman on his version of Hansel & Gretel; a Russian artist cuts off his earlobe in protest; and some space movies are actually scientifically accurate. 

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone. See you next week.

No post today means a bigger post tomorrow! See you then!

There’s something oddly fitting about a Guy Fawkes Day occurring directly after Election Day.

Did you know the University of Virginia has a Division of Perceptual Studies? And that you can participate in the studies?

A new book on the combination of rock music and the occult is out, and it looks really interesting.

And, in news which might be considered spooky but is not paranormal: Ambulance drones!

It’s Voting Day! Go out and get a sticker for coloring in some boxes. Being an adult isn’t so bad.

Kate Beaton has great new stuff for sale. Wee Edgar Allan Poe, for one!

The Beaux-Arts Ball of 1931 was a strange spectacle, filled with noted architects wearing their buildings as costumes. There’s even film of it in this newsreel, starting at the 3-minute mark.

Remember those AT&T “You Will” ads? Well, they were twenty years ago (I know, I KNOW) and Metafilter checks out how far we’ve come. I’m still waiting for voice-activated door openings to be made available to those of us in the middle class, but really, that’s a minor quibble.

Happy Monday, Happy November!

 Remember earlier this year when I linked to Amtrak’s Writer Residency program? The first group has been chosen.

Is South Korea’s Songdo the city of the future?

The Maria Callas Opera Academy is going to open in her old apartment building in Greece. 

Speaking of Greece, there’s apparently a Robin Hood-like vigilante there, who steals from banks, gives money to the poor, and escapes from prisons on a regular basis. (The authorities have a different view, of course.)