Marc Dion: No Angel Food, No Devil's Food ... Just Caramel (Creators Syndicate)
Once everybody has one African-American grandmother and one Asian-American grandfather and a Hispanic wife, it's gonna get a lot tougher to spit out those old, hard words. America's race problems are old, old, old, hashed out in legislatures and on battlefields, in squad rooms, boardrooms, barrooms and courtrooms. It'd be something if they got solved in the bedroom.
Emily Bazelon: Rachel Maddow proposes solutions to decades of American military bloat (Slate)
The appeal of Rachel Maddow lies in her ratio of comedian to wonk. On TV, she dives into charts and graphs and long, winding fact trails, unafraid of geeking out because she can depend on her funniness to save her. She connects the dots from fact to fact, or statistic to policy, and along the way a parachute of jokes opens.
Mark Coker: Does Agency Pricing Lead to Higher Book Prices? (Smashwords)
According to a March 9 story in the Wall Street Journal, The U.S. Department of Justice is considering suing Apple and five large US publishers for allegedly colluding to raise the price of ebooks. At the heart of the issue, I suspect, is concern over the agency pricing model. Agency pricing allows the publisher (or the indie author) to set the retail price of their book.
Carolyn Kellogg: Self-publishing trend hits a new high (Los Angeles Times)
Amanda Hocking was one of those authors who wanted to be heard. Hocking - who now has a deal with St. Martin's - initially went the self-publishing route. From Austin, Minn., far from the publishing industry, she self-published 10 urban fantasy, paranormal romance and vampire novels, grossing about $2 million. But most such authors won't reap Hocking-style financial rewards. In fact, they risk losing money on their books.
14 Batman Window Cameos
In the 1960s TV series 'Batman,' celebrities often made short cameos by popping their heads out a window when Batman and Robin climbed up and down the walls of tall buildings. How many of the 14 can you name?
David Bruce has 42 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $42 you can buy 10,500 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," "Maximum Cool," and "Resist Psychic Death."
Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush as an accessory to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it serves as an abrasive that aids in removing the dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing halitosis, and delivers active ingredients such as fluoride or xylitol to help prevent tooth and gum disease (gingivitis). Most of the cleaning is achieved by the mechanical action of the toothbrush, and not by the toothpaste.
By 1900, a paste made of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda was recommended for use with toothbrushes. Pre-mixed toothpastes were first marketed in the 19th century, but did not surpass the popularity of tooth-powder until World War I. In 1892, Doctor Washington Sheffield of New London, Connecticut manufactured toothpaste into a collapsible tube, Dr. Sheffield's Creme Dentifrice. He had the idea after his son traveled to Paris and saw painters using paint from tubes. In New York City in 1896, Colgate & Company Dental Cream was packaged in collapsible tubes imitating Sheffield. The original collapsible toothpaste tubes were made of lead.
Source
Alan J was first, and correct, with:
Lead
mj wrote:
Like so much of the stuff around us
Lead.
Charlie replied:
Lead. I haven't researched this in detail, but there are indications that the practice was ceased not because lead is poisonous, but because of lead shortages due to the manufacture of bullets. That figures.
Marian responded:
lead
Sally said:
The first toothpaste tubes were made of tin and lead.
Click on picture for larger version
I remember Ipana, but we had the 'tooth power.' Whew, missed that bullet, huh?
On my way out to the kitchen to prepare my Tamale Pie...
Adam answered:
Lead Foil.
Lead being a popular additive to food and consumer items for hundreds of years.
Dale of Diamond Springs replied:
The original toothpaste tubes were made of lead. Yuck!!! It was in paint, gasoline, in the soil and air around smelting plants, foods. Let us not forget the lead still used to create bullets.
MAM wrote:
Lead ~ Pre-mixed toothpastes were first marketed in the 19th century, but did not surpass the popularity of tooth-powder until World War I. In 1892, Doctor Washington Sheffield of New London, Connecticut manufactured toothpaste into a collapsible tube, Dr. Sheffield's Creme Dentifrice. He had the idea after his son traveled to Paris and saw painters using paint from tubes. In New York City in 1896, Colgate & Company Dental Cream was packaged in collapsible tubes imitating Sheffield.
Click on picture for larger version
Dr. Sheffield's toothpaste in a tube. An advert from the 1890's
And, Joe S answered:
I know this one, tin and lead. I learned that somewhere waaaaaay back in time, I don't know when, but I'm sure I learned it from my mother. It's the sort of thing she would know and tell me about. We never used toothpaste when I was a kid, we used tooth powder. Colgate or Dr. Lyons when we were flush and home-made tooth powder when we weren't. We made our own powder from baking soda and salt. Those were the days my friend.
In the mail - Re: Joe's list of words on Sunday's page.
Sally says:
I have a degree in church History, worked for agency of the Archdiocese of Denver, and attended 12 years of Catholic school. Therefore I submit the following for JoeS (whom I love):
Absolution: Forgiveness of your sins.
Acolyte: Altar boy/girl/adult (anyone who performs ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles...)
Baptism: Formal admission into a church, and (in the Catholic Church at least) taking away your 'original' sin.
Beget: Bring (a child) into existence by the process of reproduction.
Canonization: Rite making a dead person a saint - officially.
Catechism: Book for the study of a particular religion or faith belief.
Deacon: Ministry in the high Christian Churches (fake priest).
Diaspora: Jews living outside Israel.
Diocese: Office that decides the areas covered by their priests and/or ministers. (Primarily Catholic, Episcopal, and Orthodox churches).
Disciples: Followers.
Ecumenical: Representing a number of different Christian churches. Usually a body of faith leaders coming together on a subject, faith related.
Epiphany: A Christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi. Celebrated on January 6.
I also think of it as, "Enlightening" as in, "He had an Epiphany."
Eucharist: Communion, a wafer or piece of blessed bread representing the body and blood of Christ.
Episcopal: Name of a faith system (religion).
Evangelical: Bible believing.
Evangelize: Preach the bible, or testify about it.
Excommunication: Getting formally kicked out of your church!
Mass: Ritual.
Messiah: Savior (usually of the world).
Sabbath: Holy Day of the week, as chosen by each Church or belief system.
Sacraments: A sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance.
Salvation: Being assured of going to Heaven by a particular faith. Usually come with conditions...
Sanctification: The act or process of acquiring sanctity, or being made or becoming holy. Ditto, conditions...
Rapture: Being taken straight up to Heaven, bodily, on a day designated by Jesus...
Redemption: Being saved from your sins!
Repentance: Being sorry for sinning and making up for them...
And, Evangelical: (If said by any politician) NUT!
If you count the number of times a cricket chirps in 14 seconds, then add 40, you can get a close estimate of the air temperature in Fahrenheit; for example, 25 chirps in 14 seconds plus 40 equals 65 degrees F...
Love them there crickets... 'cept when they get in the house...
CBS fills the night with LIVE'2012 NCAA Basketball Tourney - The Big Dance', then pads the left coast with local crap and maybe a RERUN'2 Broke Girls', and maybe a RERUN'2½ Men'.
On a RERUNDave (from 1/20/12) are Dana Carvey, Jon Fisch, and ¡Los Campesinos!
Scheduled on a FRESHCraig are Julie Chen and Pau Gasol.
NBC begins the night with a FRESH'The Voice', followed by a FRESH'Smash'.
Scheduled on a FRESHLeno are Betty White, Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio, and Eric Hutchinson.
Scheduled on a FRESHJimmy Fallon are Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jim Breuer, and Emeril Lagasse.
Scheduled on a FRESHCarson 'The Scab' Daly are Angie Johnson, Moshe Kasher, and Bombay Bicycle Club.
ABC starts the night with a FRESH'Dancing With The Stars', followed by a FRESH'Castle'.
Scheduled on a FRESHJimmy Kimmel are Seann William Scott, Christa Miller, and Eli Young Band.
The CW offers a FRESH'Gossip Girl', followed by a RERUN'Hart Of Dixie'.
Faux has a FRESH'Bones', followed by a FRESH'House'.
MY recycles an old 'L&O: SVU', followed by another old 'L&O: SVU'.
A&E has 'The First 48', another 'The First 48', 'Intervention', followed by a FRESH'Intervention'.
AMC offers 'CSI: The 2nd One', another 'CSI: The 2nd One', 'The Killing', and another 'The Killing'.
BBC -
[6:00AM] BBC WORLD NEWS
[7:00AM] BBC WORLD NEWS
[8:00AM] TOP GEAR TOP 40-Episode 1
[9:00AM] TOP GEAR TOP 40-Episode 2
[10:00AM] TOP GEAR TOP 40-Episode 3
[11:00AM] TOP GEAR TOP 40-Episode 4
[12:00PM] TOP GEAR TOP 40-Episode 5
[1:00PM] TOP GEAR TOP 40-Episode 6
[2:00PM] TOP GEAR TOP 40-Episode 7
[3:30PM] TOP GEAR TOP 40-Episode 8
[5:00PM] TOP GEAR-Episode 1
[6:00PM] TOP GEAR-Episode 2
[7:00PM] TOP GEAR-Episode 3
[8:00PM] TOP GEAR-Episode 4
[9:00PM] TOP GEAR-Episode 5
[10:00PM] TOP GEAR-Episode 6
[11:00PM] TOP GEAR-Episode 1
[12:00AM] TOP GEAR-Episode 2
[1:00AM] TOP GEAR-Episode 3
[2:00AM] TOP GEAR-Episode 4
[3:00AM] TOP GEAR-Episode 5
[4:00AM] TOP GEAR-Episode 6
[5:00AM] BBC WORLD NEWS (ALL TIMES EDT)
Bravo has 'Shahs Of Sunset', 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta', another 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta', and 'Bethenny Ever After'.
Comedy Central has '30 Rock', another '30 Rock', 'South Park', another 'South Park', 'It's Always Sunny In Philly', another 'It's Always Sunny In Philly', still another 'It's Always Sunny In Philly', and yet another 'It's Always Sunny In Philly'.
Scheduled on a FRESHJon Stewart is Mohamed Nasheed.
Scheduled on a FRESHColbert Report is Gov. Gary Johnson.
FX has '2½ Men', another '2½ Men', followed by the movie 'The Proposal'.
History has 'American Pickers', 'Pawn Stars', another 'Pawn Stars', 'American Pickers', 'Pawn Stars', and another 'Pawn Stars'.
IFC -
[6:15AM] Strangers in Good Company
[8:30AM] Where God Left His Shoes
[10:45AM] Portlandia-Grover
[11:15AM] Tumbleweeds
[1:30PM] Strangers in Good Company
[3:45PM] Where God Left His Shoes
[6:00PM] Malcolm in the Middle -Charity
[6:30PM] Malcolm in the Middle -Health Scare
[7:00PM] Malcolm in the Middle -Christmas
[7:30PM] Malcolm in the Middle -Poker
[8:00PM] The Last of the Mohicans
[10:30PM] From Hell
[12:45AM] House Party
[3:00AM] The Dreamers
[5:30AM] Action -Mr. Dragon Goes to Washington (ALL TIMES EDT)
Sundance -
[6:00A] Police, Adjective
[8:00A] THE MORTIFIED SESSIONS - Ed Burns & Paul Feig
[8:30A] THE MORTIFIED SESSIONS - Alanis Morissette & Blake Mycoskie
[9:00A] Worlds Apart
[11:00A] What Would Jesus Buy?
[12:40P] Kavi
[1:00P] MY SO-CALLED LIFE - Pilot (Episode 1, Season 1)
[2:00P] MY SO-CALLED LIFE - Dancing in the Dark (Episode 2, Season 1)
[3:00P] Police, Adjective
[5:00P] On The Line
[5:30P] Treeless Mountain
[7:00P] Love Lust & Little Black Dress
[8:00P] Full Grown Men
[9:20P] Teleglobal Dreamin'
[9:40P] Manon On The Asphalt
[10:00P] Coffee and Cigarettes
[11:45P] Mad Bastards
[1:30A] Full Grown Men
[2:50A] Coffee and Cigarettes
[4:25A] Treeless Mountain (ALL TIMES EDT)
SyFy has the movie '30 Days Of Night: Dark Days', 'Being Human', followed by a FRESH'Being Human', then a FRESH'Lost Girl'.
TBS:
Scheduled on a FRESHConan are Neil Patrick Harris, Kate Micucci, and Yuna.
Adam Sandler and friends have scored a new high - or low - among voters of the Razzies, an Academy Awards spoof that presents prizes for the year's worst movies.
Sandler's "Jack and Jill" managed a Razzies first on Sunday, claiming 10 awards to sweep every single category. Along with the movie's worst-picture award, Sandler won for both worst actor and actress for his dual roles in "Jack and Jill," in which he plays a family man and his own pesky twin sister.
Sandler also shared the "Jack and Jill" Razzies for worst ensemble, worst screen couple opposite either himself or co-stars Al Pacino or Katie Holmes and worst screenplay as a co-writer on the movie.
Pacino won as worst supporting actor for playing himself in "Jack and Jill," while Sandler pal David Spade was named worst supporting actress for his own cross-dressing role in the movie.
It's the only movie in the 32-year history of the Razzies to win every prize.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (L), founding chairman of the Clinton Global Initiative, and Jon Stewart, host and executive producer of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," participate in the closing session of the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting at George Washington University in Washington, March 31, 2012.
Photo by Chris Kleponis
An atheist-themed festival drew hundreds of people to an Army post in North Carolina on Saturday for what was believed to be the first-ever event held on a U.S. military base for service members who do not have religious beliefs.
Organizers said they hoped the "Rock Beyond Belief" event at Fort Bragg would spur equal treatment toward nonbelievers in the armed forces and help lift the stigma for approximately 295,000 active duty personnel who consider themselves atheist, agnostic or without a religious preference.
Defense Department policy holds that all service members have the right to believe in any or no religion. But those gathered at the event described being ostracized and harassed in the military community for not believing in God and worried about getting passed over for promotions if their secularist stances were widely known.
"We're sending a message," said Justin Griffith, an Army sergeant stationed at Fort Bragg who spearheaded the event. "Foxhole atheists are out there fighting for your rights. Please return the favor."
The majority of U.S. adults consider themselves Christian, though there are signs the country is becoming less religious. The American Religious Identification Survey in 2008 showed a growing number of people identified as atheist, agnostic or having no stated religious preference, with 15 percent in that group in 2008 compared to 8.2 percent in 1990.
Former Alaska half-term governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin (R-Quitter) will guest-host NBC's "Today" show this Tuesday.
The move may be the Peacock network's response to ABC's upping the stakes in the morning news show ratings poker game. Last week, ABC announced that Katie Couric will be filling in for Robin Roberts on ABC's "Good Morning America" this week.
"I see this as a good opportunity to bring an independent, common-sense conservative perspective to NBC. We're 'going rogue' and infiltrating some turf for a day," Palin told Breitbart "News".
Asked about the fact that she'll be going head-to-head on Tuesday with Couric -- with whom she squared off in a controversial interview on the 2008 presidential campaign trail Palin looked at the notes on her hand and said simply, "Game on."
Well-known atheist and best-selling author Richard Dawkins speaks to the crowd during the "Rock Beyond Belief" festival at Fort Bragg army base in North Carolina March 31, 2012. The atheist-themed festival drew hundreds of people to Fort Bragg on Saturday for what was believed to be the first-ever event held on a U.S. military base for service members who do not have religious beliefs. Organizers said they hoped the "Rock Beyond Belief" event at Fort Bragg would spur equal treatment toward nonbelievers in the armed forces and help lift the stigma for approximately 295,000 active duty personnel who consider themselves atheist, agnostic or without a religious preference.
Photo by Chris Keane
Often accused of ripping off plot lines from Hollywood, it was perhaps only a matter of time before India's Bollywood launched its own "Walk of Fame" in the style of Los Angeles' iconic boulevard.
Indian cinema's "Walk of the Stars" was officially opened Wednesday on a seaside promenade in the Bandra district of Mumbai, the country's entertainment capital -- the first of two competing projects under way in the city.
Like the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Mumbai's new pathway will bear handprints and signatures of numerous actors -- along with a handful of life-size brass statues depicting some of the Indian greats.
From one of Bollywood's acting dynasties, movie star Kareena Kapoor was the main guest at the launch in a nearby hotel, where she unveiled a statue of her legendary grandfather, the late Raj Kapoor, sitting on a bench.
Britain is to allow one of its intelligence agencies to monitor all phone calls, texts, emails and online activities in the country to help tackle crime and militant attacks, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday.
The proposed law already has drawn strong criticism, from within the ruling Conservative Party's own ranks, as an invasion of privacy and personal rights.
"What the government hasn't explained is precisely why they intend to eavesdrop on all of us without even going to a judge for a warrant, which is what always used to happen," Member of Parliament David Davis told BBC News.
Currently, British agencies can monitor calls and e-mails of specific individuals who may be under investigation after obtaining ministerial approval, but expanding that to all citizens is certain to enrage civil liberties campaigners.
Internet companies would be required to install hardware which would allow the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), referred to as Britain's electronic 'listening' agency, to gain real-time access to communications data.
Actor Chris Rock and actress Jada Pinkett Smith speak on stage at Nickelodeon's 25th annual Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California March 31, 2012.
Photo by Mario Anzuoni
Who doesn't love a little April Fool's Day fun? Apparently, not Google News. The algorithmic aggregator of the web's top breaking headlines confused a spoof story for a serious one on Sunday morning, slating it in the page-view-driving top spot.
Business magazine Forbes published a fictional dispatch from the Republican campaign trail, "Romney Drops Out of Race, Endorses Santorum."
The media company must have rethought its prank, once the story landed in Google News's coveted number one spot, and removed the story.
You can read the full text of the removed story on Short Form Blog.
Forbes didn't beat buzz-blog Gawker, which captured a screenshot while the story was trending on Google News.
Recording artist 'deadmau5' poses with Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers on the red carpet during the 41st Juno Awards in Ottawa April 1, 2012.
Photo by Patrick Doyle
Tribune Broadcasting television stations in 19 markets across the country were pulled from DirecTV at midnight Saturday because of a dispute over retransmission fees.
Tribune is seeking retransmission compensation from DirecTV to carry 23 local stations -- including KTLA in Los Angeles and WPIX in New York -- and WGN America, Tribune's national network. Seeking to pressure DirecTV, Tribune set up a website for viewers to complain to the satellite TV company, and listed upcoming baseball games that fans will miss if no agreement is reached.
Tribune Broadcasting's contract with DirecTV expired at midnight, and stations began doing dark at midnight Eastern time. DirecTV has never compensated Tribune for the rebroadcast of its television stations, and Tribune is seeking an agreement that it says would be similar to those of "hundreds of other broadcasters and program providers."
DirecTV said it had hoped Tribune would allow its programming to continue during negotiations. It said earlier that it had accepted financial terms from Tribune, but Tribune later denied that was the case.
Tribune noted that their shows remain "available for free in HD with a TV antenna or through an alternative pay-TV provider."
A congressional candidate in California's Central Valley can note on ballots that he used to be an astronaut.
A Sacramento County judge ruled Thursday that Democrat Jose Hernandez can use the ballot designation "astronaut." Hernandez is challenging freshman Rep. Jeff Denham, a Republican from Turlock, for California's 10th District seat.
A Sacramento law firm had argued in a lawsuit that Hernandez's use of the moniker would violate state elections law because Hernandez has left NASA. Hernandez had flown aboard the shuttle Discovery in 2009.
The Sacramento Bee reports that Superior Court Judge Lloyd Connelly ruled that ballot designations apparently can reflect a profession or vocation held during the previous calendar year. Hernandez spent two weeks at NASA in 2011 before leaving the agency.
Hindu devotees worship young girls dressed as Kumaris during rituals to commemorate Navratri festival inside Adyapith temple, on the outskirts of Kolkata, April 1, 2012. Hindus worship Goddess Durga and her different forms, such as Kumari, are taken as the symbols of purity during the festival whose name literally means nine nights.
Photo by Rupak De Chowdhuri
Disneyland Paris celebrated its entry into adulthood in spectacular style this weekend, with a 20th birthday extravaganza replete with celebrities, parades and a new state-of-the-art show.
The resort 35 kilometers (about 22 miles) east of Paris has a lot to celebrate. After overcoming a rocky childhood, the "Magic Kingdom" now makes up a chunk of the French economy and of Disney's own revenues.
Beyond the glitz, however, there is a real story for Disneyland Paris to crow about after some volatile years and a rumored brush with bankruptcy.
The resort - 40 percent owned by the Walt Disney Co. - has come a long way under the marketing mantra "slowly but surely."
Five years ago, the resort finally started to make operating profits. Building on its fortune, Disneyland Paris became the most visited tourist destination in Europe in 2008. It broke its record for ticket sales last year, marking its 250 millionth visitor since its creation.
Romanian artist Lucia Condrea shows an egg she decorated at an exhibition at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, March 29, 2012.
Photo by Yves Logghe
A common class of pesticide is causing problems for honeybees and bumblebees, important species already in trouble, two studies suggest.
But the findings don't explain all the reasons behind a long-running bee decline, and other experts found one of the studies less than convincing.
The new research suggests the chemicals used in the pesticide - designed to attack the central nervous system of insects - reduces the weight and number of queens in bumblebee hives. These pesticides also cause honeybees to become disoriented and fail to return to their hives, the researchers concluded.
Just last week activists filed a petition with more than a million signatures asking the government to ban the class of pesticides called neonicotinoids. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it is re-evaluating the chemicals and is seeking scientific help.
Signs in support of atheism are seen during the "Rock Beyond Belief" festival at Fort Bragg army base in North Carolina March 31, 2012. The atheist-themed festival drew hundreds of people to Fort Bragg on Saturday for what was believed to be the first-ever event held on a U.S. military base for service members who do not have religious beliefs.
Photo by Chris Keane
"The Hunger Games" is still the first item on the menu for movie fans, taking in $61.1 million to remain the No. 1 film in its second weekend.
Studio estimates Sunday put Lionsgate's "The Hunger Games" well ahead of Sam Worthington's action sequel "Wrath of the Titans," which opened in second-place with $34.2 million.
That's far below the $61.2 million opening of its predecessor, "Clash of the Titans," two years ago. But distributor Warner Bros. opened "Clash" on Easter weekend, when young fans already were off school and in holiday mode. With Easter coming next weekend, the studio expects "Wrath" to catch up to "Clash" in the next few weeks.
Julia Roberts' comic "Snow White" reinvention "Mirror Mirror" debuted at No. 3 with $19 million. Released by Relativity Media, the film casts Roberts as the wicked queen opposite Lily Collins as Snow White.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Hunger Games," $61.1 million.
2. "Wrath of the Titans," $34.2 million.
3. "Mirror Mirror," $19 million.
4. "21 Jump Street," $15 million.
5. "Dr. Seuss' the Lorax," $8 million.
6. "John Carter," $2 million.
7. "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen," $1.3 million.
8. "Act of Valor," $1 million.
9. "A Thousand Words," $915,000.
10. "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," $835,000.
A competitor guides his reindeers during a reindeer race at the Festival of the North in Russia's arctic seaport of Murmansk April 1, 2012. Residents of Russia's north celebrate the annual festival to welcome spring and mark the end of the long winter with various winter sports competitions.
Photo by Andrei Pronin
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