tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3599592293899993692024-03-13T16:13:42.359-07:00The Typing Monkeya s d f j k l ;The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comBlogger562125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-45033778683577451782015-01-21T17:02:00.001-08:002015-01-21T17:02:27.359-08:00Finally a FinaleSeven years ago today, Typing Monkey International launched a subsidiary publishing effort known as Typing Monkey Industries. Thus <b><i>The Typing Monkey</i></b> began with a <b><a href="http://thetypingmonkey.blogspot.com/2008/01/monkeys-first-post-leyode-review.html" target="_blank">music review</a></b> and all was right with the world.<br />
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In the years that followed, we went through four interns, coped with the death of two animals dearly loved by all at TMI, and this blog gradually degraded from critical voice on corners of the pop culture world both bright and dark, to a YouTube video re-posting machine.<br />
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The time has come for <i>The Typing Monkey</i> to turn off the lights (except for the one above the stove), draw the shades and cancel our subscription to <b><i><a href="https://www.highlights.com/" target="_blank">Highlights</a></i></b>.<br />
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As far as we know, former publisher and editor-at-large, S.L. Kreighton has taken a job as a docent in the <b><a href="http://www.dollywood.com/themepark/rides/Chasing-Rainbows.aspx" target="_blank">Chasing Rainbows</a></b> museum. He didn't even say good-bye. [<i>Curiously, the petty cash box is missing</i>. -- ed.]<br />
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Custodian and sometime-contributor, Kris Kendall, has volunteered to auction off the furniture. And should he decide to post anything here, reader, you'll be the only one who cares.<br />
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All inquiries may be directed to typingmonkeyATlive.com. Thanks for reading. You've been great. G'night!The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-70986916733491096952014-12-30T16:04:00.002-08:002014-12-30T16:04:26.266-08:00Got a HabitIt's a dodgy game, declaring your goals toward self-improvement on a night designed for hedonisitc pursuits and letting go of sense. Make any resolutions achievable, but not too easy. You don't want to be patting yourself on the back come February then have nothing to work on for the remaining 10 months.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0BAtMlXdvbc" width="480"></iframe><br />
[courtesy of Demins]<br />
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Happy New Year sweethearts. Take it easy on yourself.The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-66746510888165683722014-12-24T12:05:00.000-08:002014-12-24T12:05:04.173-08:00Holiday Heroes & VillainsWhatever you're celebrating, have a good time and be safe. Maybe you're not celebrating a danged thing. That's okay. Everybody likes cartoons, so let's celebrate the fact that we can watch this obscure bit of Christmas cheer pretty much where ever we want to, whenever we want to.<br />
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The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-60231285378008863202014-12-06T10:26:00.000-08:002014-12-06T10:26:27.535-08:00"Wouldn't marry the pres-i-dent"The <b><a href="http://vimeo.com/thenfb" target="_blank">National Film Board of Canada</a></b> has a Vimeo channel. Want to get lost in a land of cinematic wonder, we ask, rhetorically? It's one of the best places on the Web to spend some time being entertained and educated.<br />
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Here's a great example of what NFBC does with its money, and reader, we think that's money well spent.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="375" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/65057683" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/65057683">Mr. Frog Went A-Courting</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/thenfb">National Film Board of Canada</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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And we highly recommend <b><a href="http://vimeo.com/thenfb/blinkity-blank" target="_blank"><i>Blinkety Blank</i> by Norman MacLaren</a></b> (1955).The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-92196111670297221242014-12-04T18:14:00.001-08:002014-12-04T18:14:43.384-08:00Raymond the LibrettistHoly double-crossing dames! Writer Kim Cooper recently discovered that famed noir novelist<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Chandler" target="_blank"> Raymond Chandler</a></b> wrote a libretto for a proposed operetta "The Princess and the Pedlar."<br />
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Read <i>The Guardian's</i> article about the <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/dec/02/raymond-chandler-libretto-library-congress" target="_blank">discovery here</a></b>. And if you want to see this work staged, there's a <b><a href="http://www.goblinwine.com/p/home-page.html" target="_blank">website detailing</a></b> the efforts to try to make that happen.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Song and dance man?</td></tr>
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<br />The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-88027449425184359992014-11-27T10:08:00.000-08:002014-12-31T09:10:36.252-08:00Into the DrinkNeed a new holiday tradition? Of course you don't. So do this instead:<br />
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Get your hands on two science fiction films from the 1950s, specifically, <b><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046876/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Creature from the Black Lagoon</a></i></b> and <b><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051948/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Monster on the Campus</a></i></b>. Then get your hands on a few of your favorite alcoholic beverages. Don't drink yet!</div>
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First a few words about these films.</div>
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<i>Creature</i> and <i>Monster</i> are united by their director, <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Arnold_(director)" target="_blank">Jack Arnold</a></b>. But they're two very different movies. </div>
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Much like watching James Whale's <i>Frankenstein</i>, any reasonable viewer will root for the monster in <em>Creature. </em>The story concerns a crew of scientific researchers who find evidence of a missing link-type beast, an amphibious humanoid swimming the waters of the Amazon River. The men decide they need to bring the creature -- popularly referred to as the Gillman -- back to civilization for further research.</div>
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Naturally, Gillman does everything he can to avoid being kidnapped. Trouble is, Gillman can't stop oggling Julie Adams, the token damsel who enjoys leisurely swims in the Amazon.</div>
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About those swims: The underwater photography in <i>Creature</i> is just lovely. Arnold and cinematographer William E. Snyder use the swimming sequences like tension-filled ballets. <i>Creature </i>is fun on it's own, but it's also fun to look at.</div>
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<i>Monster on the Campus</i> packs a big mess of fun too, though it's hard to imagine, once you've seen it, that the same man directed this and <i>Creature</i>. The plot of <i>Monster</i> is simple: A scientist studying a <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coelacanth" target="_blank">coelacanth</a></b>, the primitive fish long thought to be extinct, cuts his hand on the beast's fangs. Yadda, yadda, yadda, he transforms into an equally primitive primate and proceeds to terrorize various co-eds.<br />
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Modern sensibilities may cause us to giggle at Gillman's appearance. But the brute running around in <i>Monster</i> prompts guffaws. He's a sloppy blend of werewolf and Neaderthal. And that's cool. <i>Monster on the Campus</i> never reaches beyond it's B status. Audiences surely laughed when it raged across drive-in screens in 1958.</div>
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Now you have the movies and know a little bit about them, what to do with that booze? Reader, you are in for a treat as we instruct you in the ways of <b>Jack Arnold's Double Feature Monster Creature Drinking Game</b>. [caps ours]</div>
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Gather some friends and the liquor. Watch <i>Creature</i> first, because it's worth your (mostly sober) attention. Every time Gillman appears and that terrifying blast of trumpets plays, take a drink. When the scientist throws his cigarette into the Amazon, do a shot. Did Julie Adams just scream? Drink. Has she fainted in the grip of Gillman? Shot.</div>
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By the time the credits roll, your team will be properly lubricated to take on <i>Monster on the Campus</i>. No rules at this point, just make sure there are some snacks too and craft your own commentary as you go, or maybe try to remember how to spell coelacanth.</div>
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<b>***BONUS CREATURE STUFF***</b></div>
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Though <i>Creature from the Black Lagoon</i> was released in 1954, the appearance and design of Gillman has become iconic enough that he's often referenced in popular culture as if he were part of the roster of classic <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Monsters" target="_blank">Universal Monsters</a></b> of the 1930s and early '40s. </div>
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How iconic? He was painted by the amazing <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Gogos" target="_blank">Basil Gogos</a></b>:</div>
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The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-34858443504538748652014-11-24T17:42:00.000-08:002014-11-24T17:44:40.527-08:00(We Can't) Stop Talking About Monsters (Already!)Listen buster, a good article about the less popular creeps from horror writing is not going to escape our attention. Neither will it escape yours. Here's a little taste:<br />
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"Next time you need to name check a novel about a prostitute impregnated with the sperm of a hanged man by a mad geneticist so that she gives birth to a vengeful nymphomaniac written by a homosexual Nazi, you’ll be glad we had this chat."<br />
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JW McCormack wrote the piece and it taught us several things about monsters we thought we knew, and clued us in to some reading material we are now obligated to seek out.<br />
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Read <b><a href="http://electricliterature.com/31-fairly-obscure-literary-monsters/" target="_blank">"31 Fairly Obscure Literary Monsters"</a></b> and chances are we'll be fighting you for the last copy of Ambrose Bierce's <i>The Damned Thing</i> at the library.<br />
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Now, look at this cat:<br />
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<br />The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-37575261576628802122014-11-18T17:41:00.000-08:002014-11-18T17:41:17.124-08:00From the Science Desk: Virus Snuffing Out Sea Stars Identified"Identifying what virus is to blame is particularly difficult because a drop of seawater contains about 10 million viruses."<br />
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That's what scientists had to sort through in order to find the virus that's responsible for sea star wasting syndrome, the awful infection that's been causing sea stars (that's starfish) to lose limbs and in extreme cases, simply dissolve, along the West Coast of the North America for a few years.<br />
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But now that we've identified the culprit, how do we stop it? Or do we stop it? Many of the sea stars the virus affects are alpha predators within their specific ecosystem. That is, they're in the highest reaches of the food chain and help keep the population of prey animals under control.<br />
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Yet some say the virus may be nature's way of culling a population of sea stars that's become too large for sustainability, so we let it work itself out.<br />
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Read the PBS/News Hour story: <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/scientists-solve-mystery-of-west-coast-starfish-deaths/" target="_blank">"Scientists solve mystery of West Coast starfish plague"</a><br />
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Or be a lazy sod and watch this video:<br />
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The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-45096382306667393512014-11-02T09:48:00.003-08:002014-11-02T09:48:41.693-08:00The Morning After the Night BeforeThere's always next year, skeleton.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqm55YXY9qYWfVm0swr6DxrAM5kcrzYaUQ0wzsQGfr85UAEh8RPWrTVXph_XrXmSFQNyWI_7Crk_Q843uwXzmi_APITMbcbJCJzNFasB-fzl_uyzm2KMvgg3oBgjczh3iP806vlqyLtxlI/s1600/CarlosTorres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqm55YXY9qYWfVm0swr6DxrAM5kcrzYaUQ0wzsQGfr85UAEh8RPWrTVXph_XrXmSFQNyWI_7Crk_Q843uwXzmi_APITMbcbJCJzNFasB-fzl_uyzm2KMvgg3oBgjczh3iP806vlqyLtxlI/s640/CarlosTorres.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By <b><a href="http://www.carlostorresart.com/" target="_blank">Carlos Torres</a></b></td></tr>
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<br />The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-36214489768516118212014-10-31T08:44:00.000-07:002014-10-31T08:44:22.149-07:00Like, Boo, ManBe safe and have fun, whatever you do. Tonight we open the gates of the TMI offices, turn on the fog machine, and listen to Screaming Jay Hawkins.<br />
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And because we like you a whole lot, we're puttin' two treats in your bag. Check it:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3iA0osfPJabRH6NCjM24Em76USciqTtDFRZpYRhBhUSi_k3s09zJK-jKbRv9wNJYt_Z7eBgpkfUR8jhzbNTaL8sjuPCCrW4ddeiSZ1LdOw5KwjSG2XdftcZHHV3UEQHkThh_89fu8WhF/s1600/HalloweenClock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3iA0osfPJabRH6NCjM24Em76USciqTtDFRZpYRhBhUSi_k3s09zJK-jKbRv9wNJYt_Z7eBgpkfUR8jhzbNTaL8sjuPCCrW4ddeiSZ1LdOw5KwjSG2XdftcZHHV3UEQHkThh_89fu8WhF/s400/HalloweenClock.jpg" height="640" width="459" /></a></div>
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It's Halloween o'clock! Artist unknown, or at least uncredited, where we found it. If we figure out who did this orange and black dream, we'll edit accordingly.<br />
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Next up is Frank Frazetta's cover art for <b><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creepy" target="_blank">Creepy</a></i></b> magazine, issue no. 7 (published by Warren):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCbEn7nrv3xca87lkbqLS0a_QRO9A9plPah7H3mqdXUhexeof17-Hg4Bk8AAp6iFfZMf-llsKEzaYivwRtDLr6r0oGyzGa9HVad3FwMVZd0IUGWck7MtWRiHCq2zZxUVOVavj05EUFVcf/s1600/Frazetta_WarrenCreepy%237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCbEn7nrv3xca87lkbqLS0a_QRO9A9plPah7H3mqdXUhexeof17-Hg4Bk8AAp6iFfZMf-llsKEzaYivwRtDLr6r0oGyzGa9HVad3FwMVZd0IUGWck7MtWRiHCq2zZxUVOVavj05EUFVcf/s400/Frazetta_WarrenCreepy%237.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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Great googly-moogly! It's a werewolf fighting a Dracula! Our publisher-at-large, S.L. Kreighton brought us this one, and over-shared the following: "I'm pretty sure when I first saw this, I got an erection. Ah, to be nine again."<br />
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Now we're really scared.The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-6006502921652923662014-10-30T17:29:00.001-07:002014-10-30T17:30:37.972-07:00Movie Time!Spare seven minutes and some change for today's short feature, in which a pink mountain lion with a flair for drama (ahem) meets a cheap knock-off of The Addams Family.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Jg5YxYDXrvY" width="480"></iframe>
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<br />The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-38843903598686732812014-10-30T16:40:00.001-07:002014-10-30T16:41:27.644-07:00Fry Your Eyes, Melt Your Brain, Love Your EarsIt's nearly go-time, people. And we know it's been a skint year for genuine reflection, critical examinations, or philosophical pondering from <i>The Typing Monkey</i>. So let us point you to some Halloween treats we frequent:<br />
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<i><b><a href="http://theyearofhalloween.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">The Year Of Halloween</a></b></i> -- A Tumblr that says what it does and does what it says. This is the Halloween-nut equivalent of finding a roll of quarters outside the arcade. Each post can send you down a rhizomatic path of creepy delights. Go now.<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://jamminjasounds.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Distinctly Jamaican Sounds</a></i></b> -- John, aka Reggaexx is at it AGAIN. Surely the man must dig deeper and deeper in his vaults every year to bring the world custom-made mixes of spooky dub, reggae, ska, rocksteady, and if memory serves, even some lover's rock. Now, we say "dig deeper and deeper" because you'd think he'd run out of material. But no. Every year there are new discoveries, fun sound effects, and even custom artwork. Download piecemeal, or wait for the full set on the 31st. But leave a comment of appreciation no matter what. It's a party soundtrack you didn't have to make, and not a "Monster Mash" in sight.<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://gravesandghouls.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Graves and Ghouls</a></i></b> -- We pointed at this last year when we first discovered it, and it's up and running again this year. Like <i>Year of Halloween</i> above it will show your eyeballs a good time. And, like YoH, there's some mild nudity, so approach with caution if you're at work.<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/AVvXsEio72OBWtd7CHCooXRgPAuXPbg8lIDZ9u3O04kqRi0MapbNEQWS5Oo0u1r1mbd-RXV2hHJ4Up124SSd9wrzQAz9bFecBZldaUyqrgju3nJ0tRuJalotDv5wPu6Zr67JTzkXQopqZ9F_8OVq/s1600/LookOutHusband.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio72OBWtd7CHCooXRgPAuXPbg8lIDZ9u3O04kqRi0MapbNEQWS5Oo0u1r1mbd-RXV2hHJ4Up124SSd9wrzQAz9bFecBZldaUyqrgju3nJ0tRuJalotDv5wPu6Zr67JTzkXQopqZ9F_8OVq/s400/LookOutHusband.jpg" height="640" width="489" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Originally posted on <i><a href="http://the-weird-wide-web.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">The Weird Wide Web</a> </i>which we would not know about if we hadn't seen it first on<i> The Year of Halloween.</i></td></tr>
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<br />The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-3929685179380420642014-10-28T18:06:00.000-07:002014-10-28T18:07:38.642-07:00Is There Any Other Kind?Reviews for this paperback from 1971 range from straightforward to snarky. Well, pretty much either one or the other. And those are just the reviews from a bunch of modern resources.<br />
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Who knows how this book was received during it's original time as a new release on the shelf? The point is, copies are for sale and if you're terribly interested in rising to the challenge of the title, don't let us stand in your way. The authors, we assume, knew what they were talking about. </div>
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As for the rest of us, there's so much to study here:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VB2aim4swzxP_-aIq-SpE5wI9TG85ISazMSxRGPnoyTMQlPlBz3ZcdLh2QRXp7c5wXm4O0bNGlDSek_sDtt963UbtXu2JkK7wDWYXLJ43TbXuZIHvfoVdX5JNTl1L_tfV8vVZOaxIdCV/s1600/SensuousWitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VB2aim4swzxP_-aIq-SpE5wI9TG85ISazMSxRGPnoyTMQlPlBz3ZcdLh2QRXp7c5wXm4O0bNGlDSek_sDtt963UbtXu2JkK7wDWYXLJ43TbXuZIHvfoVdX5JNTl1L_tfV8vVZOaxIdCV/s400/SensuousWitch.jpg" height="640" width="388" /></a></div>
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For real, just put the title of this book into the search engine of your choice and find out what's inside. Then tell us.</div>
The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-19657495188285005522014-10-27T21:26:00.000-07:002014-10-27T21:26:56.050-07:00That Ol' Drac Hand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyyaAVCvR9tU9i548oB3r5nyCmlBMcd7OF6M97FAyV7F12PMe_vBbUpayPNZ5G-hQiQlHGTmRwH63Tys-5AvtNWtUVbPKWguMvHZnwmrrueSkPFMjT2NLDvwkqn925ehIDxSmFMrMDPa6/s1600/DracHand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyyaAVCvR9tU9i548oB3r5nyCmlBMcd7OF6M97FAyV7F12PMe_vBbUpayPNZ5G-hQiQlHGTmRwH63Tys-5AvtNWtUVbPKWguMvHZnwmrrueSkPFMjT2NLDvwkqn925ehIDxSmFMrMDPa6/s400/DracHand.jpg" /></a></div>
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Ultimate source unknown on this one, though we found it via the <i><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/weirdtalesmagazineonline" target="_blank">Weird Tales</a></b></i> Facebook feed. It has to be a book cover, VHS sleeve or movie poster. And if there's more too the image, we don't want to see.<br />
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The simple image of the vampire's hand, a French cuff, the scarlet interior of the casket planting the idea of blood in the viewer's mind -- it delivers a slow, but steadily unfolding fear. Awake now, the Count will rise and disappear into the night, hungry.<br />
<br />The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-64675761989887384282014-10-20T14:54:00.000-07:002014-10-21T13:03:11.137-07:00Everybody Wants a Moon Monster Of Their Own<em>The Typing Monkey</em> digs the short films of <b><a href="http://vimeo.com/jasonwillis" target="_blank">Jason Willis</a></b>. And the rascal's back again with another seasonal effort:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/106296197" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/106296197">Moon Monster - Animated Horror Fan Club Spot (Comic Book Ad, 1970)</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/jasonwillis">Jason Willis</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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It's good fun and took a lot of work, as you might imagine. Read about the making of <i>Moon Monster</i> <b><a href="http://jasonwillis.com/moonmonster" target="_blank">here</a></b>. And check out Mr. Willis' <b><a href="http://jasonwillis.com/" target="_blank">website</a></b> for more neat stuff.The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-91342093443805849982014-10-17T17:33:00.000-07:002014-10-20T15:03:56.816-07:00Cranium Not IncludedWashington Irving’s <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Sleepy_Hollow" target="_blank">“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”</a></b> may be the birth of American fiction but the lore of a headless horseman roaming the woods of upstate New York was not his original creation. Mind, we do not begrudge Irving for taking an urban legend and running with it toward lasting fame. Shakespeare himself re-purposed myth and legend for many of his great works.<br />
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headless_Horseman" target="_blank">Headless horseman folklore</a></b> varies slightly from region to region. One German variant (there are several) casts the specter as a benign force, whose appearance warns hunters to take the day off, lest tragedy befall them.<br />
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Most Celtic stories lean on more sinister depictions of the rider from the great beyond. By far the most gruesome of these is the Irish dulachán (dark man) who carries his own head tucked under his arm and wields a whip made from a human spine. A human spine!<br />
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Irving perhaps combined some of these iterations to arrive at his famous Hessian soldier who died in an unnamed battle during the American Revolution. And thanks to numerous paintings, illustrations and a really terrific <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Ichabod_and_Mr._Toad" target="_blank">Disney cartoon</a></b>, most of us Yankees envision a black-caped, barrel-chested horror on a sturdy black steed, ready to lob a flaming Jack-o’-lantern at timid Ichabod Crane.<br />
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That’s pretty much what’s happening in the U.S. Postal Service stamp from 1974:<br /><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/AVvXsEh28K8newjXy1OgVQs4iGSG4eHjaFQbK_PNxzFhBJ4JR2m6-B0qmDMgRRuZIUA3J_yhoYZaHrCa53Nq-1RkpchCNc5zAK9fWJbTcaEW1HEKj62hqys-xYc9MCEW0xn18pb46XEaADiFgfNt/s1600/Legend_of_Sleepy_Hollow_U_S__Stamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28K8newjXy1OgVQs4iGSG4eHjaFQbK_PNxzFhBJ4JR2m6-B0qmDMgRRuZIUA3J_yhoYZaHrCa53Nq-1RkpchCNc5zAK9fWJbTcaEW1HEKj62hqys-xYc9MCEW0xn18pb46XEaADiFgfNt/s400/Legend_of_Sleepy_Hollow_U_S__Stamp.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Designed by Leonard Everett Fisher</td></tr>
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For no extra charge we offer two more artistic interpretations of the Headless Horseman:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3h8QhkhqD8fGnFhcA5cVihI0kIIBmV61F2buAbvhvb_mtNxcfx59OlFl1GAsyct8sZ0LTOnnuCihzj8VD8IEY5M1dzJM50uOjYhyphenhyphenfk9iFMgP_bmjMT5bTUN-WZNm7f-fOA7gtmBA_BYW/s1600/AbigailLarson_DeviantArt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3h8QhkhqD8fGnFhcA5cVihI0kIIBmV61F2buAbvhvb_mtNxcfx59OlFl1GAsyct8sZ0LTOnnuCihzj8VD8IEY5M1dzJM50uOjYhyphenhyphenfk9iFMgP_bmjMT5bTUN-WZNm7f-fOA7gtmBA_BYW/s400/AbigailLarson_DeviantArt.jpg" height="400" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By <b><a href="http://abigaillarson.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">Abigail Larson</a></b></td></tr>
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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/AVvXsEhXQyBNo2-OCHeO1CZLSerTvtV297paljkwLWqaLy_SZiqe-lzzV-opaeyFHFf80MUEuzG7IW_byJiApvsj9FQz8b14O_rTo_CWRfz0hWvdW78jGqMhsiaRA3QUDmFIbidlKlJcr1waPqHY/s1600/GilKaneErnieChan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQyBNo2-OCHeO1CZLSerTvtV297paljkwLWqaLy_SZiqe-lzzV-opaeyFHFf80MUEuzG7IW_byJiApvsj9FQz8b14O_rTo_CWRfz0hWvdW78jGqMhsiaRA3QUDmFIbidlKlJcr1waPqHY/s400/GilKaneErnieChan.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover art by Gil Kane and Ernie Chan</td></tr>
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[Tip o' the jack-o'-lantern to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/weirdtalesmagazineonline" target="_blank">Weird Tales</a> for the Larson and Kane/Chan artwork.]</div>
The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-47468613332769962342014-10-14T17:55:00.001-07:002014-10-14T17:55:25.605-07:00Cliff's Notes For Dummies, Ya Dummy!Forgive us for just discovering <i><b><a href="http://betterbooktitles.com/" target="_blank">Better Book Titles</a></b></i>, the Tumblr that sums up classic literature by re-titling the books with, well, take a look at the <b><a href="http://betterbooktitles.com/post/64392461814/halloween" target="_blank">Halloween set</a></b> and you'll get the idea.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNDV21Cl_092qx7sUVhNo3Vc5_pCXX8Dfi4QtEKwLkprtqdF3L8f8qm6smhbJ5ktJWk1tDYYTEaLPguRptWbIcM_jeVcRBuphylgaLyG27NoPkIvQkT1mqVqWB5eJO55e8UPJWRVTQhRV/s1600/DracHousing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNDV21Cl_092qx7sUVhNo3Vc5_pCXX8Dfi4QtEKwLkprtqdF3L8f8qm6smhbJ5ktJWk1tDYYTEaLPguRptWbIcM_jeVcRBuphylgaLyG27NoPkIvQkT1mqVqWB5eJO55e8UPJWRVTQhRV/s400/DracHousing.JPG" /></a></div>
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[Hat tip to <b><a href="http://beatonna.tumblr.com/" target="_blank"><i>Hark A Vagrant's</i> Tumblr</a></b>.]The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-42812391814711052342014-10-10T17:01:00.005-07:002014-10-20T15:05:11.356-07:00Alas, Poor YorickFrom the most wonderful <b><a href="http://www.artofmikemignola.com/" target="_blank">Mike Mignola</a></b>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVyaDQ44WNn8eg40EfJItqvtAuV66zFk3U2w_V8SwuMm2V_Y6T8CHm88aWm3CJO_DoP6OW438DcVY7XrZvwJhTyPO6kQYNmfmrpAd-xof_qEEdQwaiJqQ9g9oTmk3BD7jq3gpD4UQzhyphenhyphenc/s1600/MikeMignola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVyaDQ44WNn8eg40EfJItqvtAuV66zFk3U2w_V8SwuMm2V_Y6T8CHm88aWm3CJO_DoP6OW438DcVY7XrZvwJhTyPO6kQYNmfmrpAd-xof_qEEdQwaiJqQ9g9oTmk3BD7jq3gpD4UQzhyphenhyphenc/s1600/MikeMignola.jpg" height="640" width="420" /></a></div>
<br />The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-4624997737173712462014-10-09T17:32:00.001-07:002014-10-09T17:32:18.288-07:00Witch Folklore From the Midwest<b><i><a href="http://mysteriousheartland.com/" target="_blank">Mysterious Heartland</a></i></b> "focus[es] on unsolved mysteries, true crime, ghost stories, folklore, and books and movies about those topics." Yah, sure, you betcha!<br />
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Tradition holds that most tales of witchery in the United States center around New England, thanks to Salem, Massachusetts and those buzzkilling Puritans who pretty much thought everyone who wasn't a Puritan fellated the Devil on a regular basis. Only the sweaty bayous of Louisiana rival New England in terms of black magic stories set in the U.S.<br />
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But <i>Mysterious Heartland</i> editor and writer Michael Keen says hold on to your scrapple for five minutes. The American Midwest has some witch lore too. And he dug up ten good ones. Now, most of them read as pure urban legend, and that's okay. There's nothing wrong with having a few new weapons in your ghost-story telling arsenal next time you need to scare your nephew.<br />
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Read <b><a href="http://mysteriousheartland.com/2014/09/15/top-10-tales-of-witchcraft-in-the-midwest/" target="_blank">Keen's list</a></b> and enjoy the common themes it shares not just with other witchcraft yarns, but scary stories in general. There are false accusations, angry mobs, ghosts, curses, and lots of evil revenge. Sound familiar?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYmZ2rd2ib0il0jT1clCgR3_GAmzqq_9DHkYHOzruN8if15LtWUCivk0MZ6oTmwsYJv8bnfx9LodETWpVTTQ0L3ZrBNu05Iwk9t2QceykWsGWk05f15eV-bXbIpxM1PehlzVEVPEmQ39a/s1600/Winsome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYmZ2rd2ib0il0jT1clCgR3_GAmzqq_9DHkYHOzruN8if15LtWUCivk0MZ6oTmwsYJv8bnfx9LodETWpVTTQ0L3ZrBNu05Iwk9t2QceykWsGWk05f15eV-bXbIpxM1PehlzVEVPEmQ39a/s400/Winsome.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Yooper?</span></b></td></tr>
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<br />The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-13519679018217344622014-10-07T21:05:00.000-07:002014-10-07T21:05:11.454-07:00A Splotch, A Blotch The 1958 horror/sci-fi movie <i>The Blob</i> gets tossed into the pile of it's kitsch/camp peers too often. It's a surprisingly funny and self-aware film that still delivers the cheap thrills of a good drive-in distraction.<br />
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<i>The Blob</i> probably isn't the first movie of the era to have adults doubting teens who deliver stories of wild goings-on. But it executes the trick well, and in doing so, must have endeared a fair portion of its target demographic by saying: "Yes, new social class, you teenagers, you. We believe you. We think you have something to say."</div>
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Perhaps that's giving the filmmakers too much credit. But it's hard not to think that way when Steve McQueen, in one of his first big screen roles, does such a sly impression of James Dean in <i>Rebel Without a Cause</i> -- the ultimate in teen validation cinema. </div>
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In <i>Rebel</i> it was the need to be understood -- that the violence the teens were engaging in was a cry for attention, a cry for help. With <i>Blob</i>, it's the need to be believed -- for the adults to accept that two teens saw a protoplasmic monster crawl out of a meteorite and eat a hobo.</div>
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And if all else fails, watch <i>The Blob</i> for the nifty opening credits music -- a beach-blanket pop treat written by Burt Bacharach and pretty much designed to get teen feet on the dance floor.</div>
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The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-31185942685032849652014-10-06T13:52:00.000-07:002014-10-06T13:52:10.950-07:00Skatin' DeathThe Grim Reaper don't even look twice at your "No Skateboarding" sign.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVPbsZcLNYUAqeGNHMP0kkYYlhxaN3eYA1IixlAGo7-ZZA521LU0F846orsdYie40CvMks3bPiTmIbmp7F-WaUg-QrVnSHo91sE_swmlp53GuFkl4B886tyiv4E6hPGPDIJw1OTa3SIZ4/s1600/SkatinDeath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVPbsZcLNYUAqeGNHMP0kkYYlhxaN3eYA1IixlAGo7-ZZA521LU0F846orsdYie40CvMks3bPiTmIbmp7F-WaUg-QrVnSHo91sE_swmlp53GuFkl4B886tyiv4E6hPGPDIJw1OTa3SIZ4/s400/SkatinDeath.jpg" /></a></div>
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[A note: If you're not following <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WeirdTalesMagazine" target="_blank">Weird Tales</a></i></b> on Facebook, you're missing out on tons of fun artwork, photos and writing. We swiped this image from their feed. Whenever possible, if we re-post their selections, we give credit to <i>WT</i>, and more importantly, the artist.]The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-85966680351388650102014-10-06T13:44:00.000-07:002014-10-06T13:44:01.166-07:00SquashWe may snicker when a teen in Hot Topic goth gear waxes philosophic on the beauty of decay, but reader, that teen is on to something.<br />
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In popular depictions, the crackle of autumn leaves and the twilight passage of migrating birds hog the cozy glow of October. But it's the slowing pulse of nature getting comfortable in her sleep that moves the pens of poets. Clouds nudge closer for warmth and the scurrying feet of insects send Morse code to the soil: Good night and thank you for everything you've done. Now rest.</div>
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Shh.</div>
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Lean in close to carnival mouth of the jack-o'-lantern. His turnip breath exhales a whisper: None of us were meant to last.</div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/102778394">halloween pumpkins 2014</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user15227858">Thomas Vespermann</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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If you'd like to see another slightly creepy time lapse video from Thomas Vespermann, check out <b><a href="http://vimeo.com/104089272" target="_blank">"Vintage Flower Dolls."</a></b></div>
The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-41033995274365741132014-10-02T18:17:00.000-07:002014-10-02T18:18:22.603-07:00Daily Planner ... of Horror!Mark Anderson of <b><i><a href="http://www.andertoons.com/" target="_blank">Andertoons</a></i></b> discovered something wonderful. The "Mighty Marvel Calendar for 1975" can be repurposed for 2014. That is, all the days and dates line up exactly with the current year. It's not a black swan event, it happens three times during any given 28-year cycle.<br />
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Anderson just happened to have the 1975 calendar. So he scanned it and <b><a href="http://www.andertoons.com/cartoon-blog/2014/01/2014-1975-marvel-desktop-calendar.html" target="_blank">made it available</a> </b>to us plebes. We didn't mention it back in January because we figured you already knew that was a thing and were all over this.<br />
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October's artwork provides a nice peek into what mainstream comics were doing at the time, and 1975 was a boom year for Marvel's horror titles:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEmIryYD-V2mIA7xWKg___FZ3dkZMIsQBk-9RtlALQhgORZtYTcG9WO1ERnIllU-XaoUpqEfjJ_nmLBll8RAd2OPbf3oEOJNxuG67SJBIisT0vOGjkWfq2BxmEwrYmJH3ipxDrcAPaADp/s1600/1975MarvelOct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEmIryYD-V2mIA7xWKg___FZ3dkZMIsQBk-9RtlALQhgORZtYTcG9WO1ERnIllU-XaoUpqEfjJ_nmLBll8RAd2OPbf3oEOJNxuG67SJBIisT0vOGjkWfq2BxmEwrYmJH3ipxDrcAPaADp/s400/1975MarvelOct.jpg" height="187" width="400" /></a></div>
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Go get the whole thing at Anderson's site (linked above) and live out the last quarter of 2014 like the stylish gadabout you are.<br />
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[Hat tip to <a href="http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/01/02/calendar-man-says-its-1975/" target="_blank">Bleeding Cool</a> a way back in January.]The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-67223224995671852432014-10-01T17:21:00.000-07:002014-10-01T17:21:01.151-07:00Hello, It's OctoberReader, <b><a href="http://thetypingmonkey.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html" target="_blank">you</a> <a href="http://thetypingmonkey.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html" target="_blank">know</a> <a href="http://thetypingmonkey.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html" target="_blank">what's</a> <a href="http://thetypingmonkey.blogspot.com/2011_10_01_archive.html" target="_blank">about</a> <a href="http://thetypingmonkey.blogspot.com/2012_10_01_archive.html" target="_blank">to</a> <a href="http://thetypingmonkey.blogspot.com/2013_10_01_archive.html" target="_blank">happen</a></b>.<br />
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Here, drink these. Eat this. Then you'll be ready.<br />
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The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359959229389999369.post-34991683500028083502014-09-30T17:23:00.000-07:002014-10-02T18:17:51.197-07:00September Heaved a SighThe following sentence is the abstract from an article on MSN.com:<br />
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"Wildlife numbers have plunged by more than half in just 40 years as Earth's human population has nearly doubled, a survey revealed Tuesday."<br />
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Are you able to read that sentence and not feel the bottom drop out of your stomach? If so, we envy you.</div>
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This is the part where we would link to the MSN piece, but in digging around, we found the survey was done by the London Zoo, so here's the <b><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29418983" target="_blank">BBC piece on the findings</a></b>, if for no other reason than the BBC is ostensibly closer to the source.</div>
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Is there hope? There is no hope. There is hope. Is there hope? Mm. We've already pulled all the petals off the daisy. Time to pick another one.</div>
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Let's take a breath and recalibrate our brains with a bold idea from evolutionary biologist E.O. Wilson, who recently told Smithsonian Magazine that "p<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">eople haven’t been thinking big enough -- even conservationists."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What then, does Mr. Wilson propose? Half of the world should be returned to wildlife. Oh you sweet, 85-year-old dreamer of golden dreams. If only, Mr. Wilson. It's a wonderful thought.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Read the <b><a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/can-world-really-set-aside-half-planet-wildlife-180952379/?all&no-ist" target="_blank">interview here</a></b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, here's your reward:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;">photo © Brian W. Schaller</b><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;"> / License: CC BY-NA-SA 3.0</span></td></tr>
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This frog lives in the <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Mountain_National_Forest" target="_blank">Green Mountain National Forest</a></b> in Vermont. She gives zero fucks about your social media presence.</div>
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The Typing Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092803551886181336noreply@blogger.com