Joe Queenan: Why are there no happy families in Hollywood? (Guardian)
Every new film seems to be about kids looking for a new family - even if the kid is a space-travelling raccoon. I love Hollywood's obsession with divorce and dysfunction, but wouldn't it be nice to see a nuclear family on screen for once?
Olga Khazan: The Upside of Pessimism (Atlantic)
The theory of defensive pessimism suggests that imagining-and planning for-worst-case scenarios can be more effective than trying to think positively.
John C. Wright: Your Book of Gold
If you only write one book in your whole life, and only sell 600 copies or less, nonetheless, I assure you, I solemnly assure you, that this book will be someone's absolutely favorite book of all time, and it will come to him on some dark day and give him sunlight, and open his eyes and fill his heart and make him see things in life even you never suspected, and will be his most precious tale, and it will live in his heart like the Book of Gold.
Jason Bailey: The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (Flavorwire)
… this week, we have the Blu-ray release of Congo, the notorious 1995 talking-ape turkey adapted from the Michael Crichton novel. Those who haven't forgotten it (and most have) hold the movie in fairly low regard; at the time of its release, I can even recall a few tossing it in with the worst movies of all time. But let's get real: Congo is a masterpiece compared to these true terrors from Hollywood's hall of shame.
Bundling, or tarrying, was the traditional practice of wrapping one person in a bed accompanied by another, usually as a part of courting behavior. The tradition is thought to have originated either in the Netherlands or in the British Isles and later became common in Colonial America, especially in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. When used for courtship, the aim was to allow intimacy without sexual intercourse.
Traditionally, participants were adolescents, with a boy staying at the residence of the girl. They were given separate blankets by the girl's parents and expected to talk to one another through the night. The practice was limited to the winter and sometimes the use of a bundling board, placed between the boy and girl, discouraged sexual conduct.
Source
Charlie was first, and correct, with:
Bed
Alan J wrote:
In Bed
Adam answered:
A dividing board down the length of a bed.
Jim from CA, retired to ID, said:
Bundling, or tarrying, was the traditional practice of wrapping one person in a bed accompanied by another, usually as a part of courting behavior. The tradition is thought to have originated either in the Netherlands or in the British Isles and later became common in Colonial America,[1][2] especially in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. When used for courtship, the aim was to allow intimacy without sexual intercourse.
Marian responded:
in a bed
Deborah replied:
A bundling board was used in a bed, to separate courting couples. It allowed intimacy without sexual contact. Although it seems to me it would be easy to crawl over it...
This is an easy one - growing up near Pennsylvania Dutch land helps - Scrapple, anyone?
TGIF!
Dale of Diamondy Smoke, Norcali said:
In Bed….Right down the middle….to keep my ancestors (I am ¼ Pennsylvanian Dutch) from playing hide the salami, but letting them be intimate. I'll bet ya that it didn't work.
MAM wrote:
On a bed ~ A wooden plank used to keep the man and woman separate from one another in bed. There was a time when parents put their daughters in bed with a man for the night. Practiced in Colonial times in America it was called bundling, tarrying or bed courting. The idea was to allow intimacy between the couple without sex to see if they were compatible for marriage.
Randall responded:
I don't know what a bundling board is,
but I know the Amish "bundle"
and that's when unmarried couples get to sleep together.
Oh they're not supposed to have SEX,
they just get to get under the covers and "kuhnoodle".
Yeah.
Right.
Anyway- I can't BELIEVE I didn't get Asimov yesterday.
I must have had a really nasty brain fart, because I've been a HUGE
Asimov fan since Jr. High.
Joe S answered:
Aaarrrgh, it be used in bed Matey. I got me some Pennsylvania Dutch and Mennonite kin. I be hearin a bit about them strange practices, like bundling in me youth.
Aaarrrgh, Happy birfday Marty/Matey. Birfdays be good, the more ya has, the longer ya lives. Aaarrrgh!
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CBS begins the night with a RERUN'NCIS', followed by a RERUN'NCIS: The 2nd One', then '48 Hours'.
NBC fills the night with RERUN'American Ninja Warrior'.
Of course, 'SNL' is a RERUN, hosted by Andy Samberg, music by St. Vincent.
ABC fills the night with LIVE'College Football', then pads the left coast with local crap and maybe a RERUN'Castle'.
The CW offers an old '2½ Men', followed by another old '2½ Men', then an old 'Family Guy', followed by another old 'Family Guy'.
Faux fills the night with LIVE'College Football', then pads the left coast with local crap.
MY has an old 'Burn Notice', followed by another old 'Burn Notice'.
A&E has the movie 'Supermensch: The Legend Of Shep Gordon', 'Criminal Minds', another 'Criminal Minds', and still another 'Criminal Minds'.
AMC offers the movie 'Rio Bravo', followed by a FRESH'Hell On Wheels', then a FRESH'TURN: Washington Spies'.
BBC -
[6:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES UK - Season 2 - Ep 1 - Lanterna
[7:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES UK - Season 1 - Ep 1 - Bonapartes
[8:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES US - Season 1 - Ep 10 - Dillon's
[9:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES US - Season 1 - Ep 2 - Lela's
[10:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES US - Season 6 - Ep 1 - La Galleria 33, Part 1
[11:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES US - Season 6 - Ep 2 - La Galleria 33, Part 2
[12:00PM] TOP GEAR: SYDNEY SPECIAL
[1:00PM] TOP GEAR: BEST OF 11-12 - Episode 2
[2:00PM] TOP GEAR: BEST OF 11-12 - Episode 3
[3:00PM] TOP GEAR: BEST OF 11-12 - Episode 4
[4:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 1 - Ep 4 - Code of Honor
[5:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 1 - Ep 5 - The Last Outpost
[6:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 1 - Ep 6 - Where No One Has Gone Before
[7:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 1 - Ep 7 - Lonely Among Us
[8:00PM] DOCTOR WHO - Season 8 - Ep 4 - Listen
[9:00PM] DOCTOR WHO - Season 8 - Ep 5 - Time Heist NEW
[10:00PM] INTRUDERS - Season 1 - Ep 5 - The Shepherds and the Fox NEW
[11:00PM] DOCTOR WHO - Season 8 - Ep 4 - Listen
[12:00AM] DOCTOR WHO - Season 8 - Ep 5 - Time Heist
[1:00AM] INTRUDERS - Season 1 - Ep 5 - The Shepherds and the Fox
[2:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 1 - Ep 4 - Code of Honor
[3:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 1 - Ep 5 - The Last Outpost
[4:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 1 - Ep 6 - Where No One Has Gone Before
[5:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 1 - Ep 7 - Lonely Among Us (ALL TIMES EST)
Bravo has 'Below Deck', followed by the movie 'Julie & Julia'.
IFC -
[6:00AM] COMEDY BANG! BANG!-RAINN WILSON WEARS A SHORT SLEEVED PLAID SHIRT & COLORFUL SNEAKERS
[6:30AM] COMEDY BANG! BANG!-PEE-WEE HERMAN WEARS A HALLOWEEN COSTUME
[7:00AM] BATMAN-CLOCK KING GETS CROWNED
[7:30AM] BATMAN-AN EGG GROWS IN GOTHAM
[8:00AM] BATMAN-THE YEGG FOES IN GOTHAM
[8:30AM] BATMAN-THE DEVIL'S FINGERS
[9:00AM] BATMAN-THE DEAD RINGERS
[9:30AM] BATMAN-DIZZONNER THE PENGUIN
[10:00AM] BATMAN-GREEN ICE
[10:30AM] BATMAN-DEEP FREEZE
[11:00AM] BATMAN-THE IMPRACTICAL JOKER
[11:30AM] BATMAN-THE JOKER'S PROVOKERS
[12:00PM] BATMAN-MARSHA, QUEEN OF DIAMONDS
[12:30PM] BATMAN-MARSHA'S SCHEME WITH DIAMONDS
[1:00PM] GARFUNKEL AND OATES-EGGS
[1:30PM] SUPERCOP
[3:30PM] ARMY OF DARKNESS
[5:15PM] CONAN THE BARBARIAN
[8:00PM] BRAVEHEART
[11:45PM] CONAN THE DESTROYER
[2:00AM] CONAN THE BARBARIAN
[4:45AM] COMEDY BANG! BANG!-JIM GAFFIGAN WEARS A BLUE JACKET & PLUM T-SHIRT
[5:15AM] COMEDY BANG! BANG!-ANDY DICK WEARS A BLACK SUIT JACKET & SKINNY TIE
[5:45AM] COMEDY BANG! BANG!-CRAIG ROBINSON (ALL TIMES EST)
Sundance -
[6:00AM] Love Lust-Love Lust & the Bikini
[6:15AM] Shattered Glass
[8:15AM] The Contender
[11:00AM] Runaway Train
[1:30PM] The Approval Matrix-Do's & Don'ts
[2:00PM] The Legend of Bagger Vance
[4:45PM] Big Night
[7:15PM] Safety Not Guaranteed
[9:00PM] Groundhog Day
[11:15PM] Rushmore
[1:15AM] Broken Flowers
[3:30AM] Groundhog Day
[5:45AM] Love Lust-Love Lust & Make-up (ALL TIMES EST)
SyFy has the movie 'Jeepers Creepers II', followed by the movie 'Chernobyl Diaries'.
Seattle, named after a Native American tribal chief, is poised to become the next major U.S city after Minneapolis to officially change the name of a federal holiday that celebrates Christopher Columbus' 15th century arrival in the Americas.
The Seattle City Council on Wednesday set an Oct. 6 vote to redesignate the second Monday of October as "Indigenous Peoples' Day." The measure has broad approval in the nine-member council and is expected to pass.
Should the measure pass, Seattle would become the second major city after Minneapolis to officially change the state name of Columbus Day, which became a U.S. federal holiday in 1937.
Several states, including Alaska, Hawaii and Oregon, do not recognize the federal holiday. The California city of Berkeley stopped recognizing the day in 1992.
German actress Nastassja Kinski arrives for the opening of the 62nd San Sebastian Film Festival, in San Sebastian September 19, 2014.
Photo by Vincent West
Broadcaster Al Jazeera has gone to court to fight former U.S. vice president Al Gore over $65 million in an escrow account that each claims as part of the sale last year of Current TV to the Qatar-based media company.
In a countersuit filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery on Thursday, Al Jazeera is seeking to keep the money that Gore and his former partner Joel Hyatt had sought in a lawsuit filed in August.
Al Jazeera bought Current TV for an estimated $500 million in 2013, using the fledgling network to launch a U.S.-based news channel, Al Jazeera America. The deal was a way for Al Jazeera to pick up Current TV's agreements with cable and satellite operators that would give Al Jazeera instant access to American households.
Al Jazeera rejected claims in Gore's suit that it breached its contract by trying to improperly access the funds to pay cable distributors.
A collection of letters John F. Kennedy sent to the family of a lost PT-109 crewmate sold for $200,000 at an auction.
RR Auction, a Boston-based auction house, said the sale happened Thursday during a two-day auction at the Omni Parker House that also saw the sale of a collection of letters that Kennedy's younger brother, Robert F. Kennedy, wrote to a classmate at what is now the Portsmouth Abbey School in Rhode Island.
The letters from the future U.S. president were to the family of Harold Marney, who was killed in 1943 when the PT-109 boat Kennedy commanded was destroyed by a Japanese warship in the Solomon Islands.
Kennedy, who became a war hero for saving crew members, sent condolences to Marney's parents. The auction house said the letters are a rare example of Kennedy describing the PT-109 incident in his own words.
In another letter, Kennedy thanked the Marney family for a sympathy card it sent after Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., his brother and a naval aviator, was killed in action in 1944. "I know you know how we all feel - boys like Harold and my brother Joe can never be replaced - but there is some consolation in knowing that they were doing what they wanted to do - and were doing it well," Kennedy wrote.
Actor Peter Cullen, who has voiced OPTIMUS PRIME for three decades and "Transformers: Age of Extinction" stunt driver Sli Lewis, celebrate the home entertainment debut at Exotics Racing on Friday, Sept. 19, 2014, in Las Vegas.
Photo by Jeff Bottari
Being the rare kind of plant that eats living things, the Venus flytrap tends to be thought of as an aggressor, its spiked leaves trapping insects with a murderous snap before devouring them.
But in the plant's only natural home - a roughly 70-mile (113-km) radius centered on the North Carolina coast - it is increasingly seen as a victim.
Already at risk from coastal development, the estimated 35,000 remaining wild plants are now threatened by poaching so severe, that new legislation signed into law on Thursday by Governor Pat McCrory, now makes it a felony punishable by up to 25 months in prison to steal them.
The new laws, passed by both North Carolina chambers in August, were prompted by a heist last year in which more than a thousand plants were stolen from a park in the coastal town of Wilmington.
First discovered by a colonial governor of North Carolina in the 1700s, Dionaea muscipula was singled out by Charles Darwin as one of the world's most magnificent plants.
A Los Angeles attorney may have her law license suspended after a state bar investigation found that she had superimposed images of herself into numerous celebrity photographs posted on her website's "publicity" page.
In an 18-page decision, a state bar court judge recommended Svitlana Sangary be suspended for six months and remain on probation for another 2-1/2 years for deceptive advertising and misconduct stemming from an investigation of the photos.
Each of the photographs in question shows Sangary posing with political figures or celebrities, including President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, and actors George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Anne Hathaway.
Sangary, a graduate of Pepperdine University law school, promised a fuller reply to the ruling within 30 days.
Pearly Kings and Queens plant poppies at the Tower of London in London, Friday, Sept. 19, 2014. 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' is the evolving art installation at the tower, and 888,246 poppies will be planted in the moat by volunteers with the last poppy being planted on Nov. 11 2014. Each poppy represents a British or Colonial fatality in the First World War.
Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth
Last month was the hottest August on record for global average temperatures over land and ocean surfaces, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.
If the trend continues, 2014 could set records for planet-wide heat, raising fresh alarm at the pace of global warming and the burning of fossil fuels.
The month's temperature was 1.35 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average, the agency said in its monthly climate report.
"It was the largest departure from average of any month on record," said Jake Crouch, a climate scientist at NOAA, noting that record-keeping began in 1880.
A Republican leadership aide confirmed reports that BakerHostetler had bowed out due to "political pressure" from its other clients. The lawyer that had been handling the case, David Rivkin, had been retained in part because it was his writings that gave Speaker John Boehner (R-Orange) hope that the House could succeed in bringing a largely unprecedented lawsuit against the president for circumventing Congress and exceeding his constitutional authority.
The terms of the contract remain the same: The House (i.e. taxpayers) will pay Burck $500 an hour and a maximum of $350,000 to file a lawsuit in federal court against the president over his decision to unilaterally delay implementation of the employer mandate in the Affordable Care Act without permission from Congress.
A Lebanese Harley Davidson rider wears a helmet decorated with an animal pelt during the Beirut Bike Festival, at Beirut waterfront, Lebanon, on Friday Sept, 19, 2014.
Photo by Hussein Malla
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts (R-1%) expressed concern Friday about growing partisanship in the judicial confirmation process and a public perception that politics factor into the court's rulings.
Roberts told an audience at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law that the partisan atmosphere in Washington would make it unlikely for justices such as Antonin Scalia, widely viewed as a conservative, or Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is seen as liberal, to win confirmation today.
He pointed to the most recent U.S. Senate confirmation of Justice Elena Kagan in 2010, which fell largely on party lines. Roberts said the politics displayed through the process feeds the public's belief that the court is a political body akin to Congress and the White House. His remarks came during a public question-and-answer session sponsored by the university's Roman L. Hruska Institute for the Administration of Justice.
Roberts was appointed by resident George W. Bush in 2005, in an era when the court is increasingly viewed as political and has broken in many rulings along liberal and conservative lines. But he said the nation's founding fathers "knew what they were doing" when they provided lifetime tenure for justices, without elections or partisanship.
The maker of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer is being sold to Russian company Oasis Beverages for an undisclosed sum.
Oasis is buying Pabst with TSG, an investment firm known for its work with consumer products companies. TSG Consumer Partners will take a minority stake in Pabst.
In addition to its namesake beer, Pabst Brewing Co. makes Colt 45, Old Milwaukee and Schlitz, in addition to regional brews such as Lone Star, Rainier and Old Style. Pabst was acquired in 2010 by C. Dean Metropoulos & Co., which is known for investing in food brands, including Twinkie maker Hostess.
Pabst Brewing traces its roots back to 1844 in Milwaukee. Pabst Blue Ribbon in particular has also grown in popularity among people in their 20s and 30s in part for its blue-collar and retro appeal, as well as for its cheap price. Metropoulos has in recent years enlisted comedian Will Ferrell to market the company's beers.
A worker talks on a mobile phone in front of decorations at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, Friday, Sept. 19, 2014. Hundreds of thousands foreign and domestic tourists are expected to flock to the square to celebrate National Day, the 65th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China, on Oct. 1.
Photo by Vincent Thian
Paris may have found a solution to their love lock problem: glass panels.
This week the city replaced sections of mesh fencing on the city's iconic footbridge, Pont des Arts, with two shatter-resistant and anti-glare glass panes, reported No Love Locks, a group that has been campaigning for an end to the practice of affixing 'love locks' onto the bridge.
The glass panes are treated with a special coating that prevents graffiti tagging. A third panel will also be installed.
If the pilot proves successful, love birds will no longer be able to pledge their undying love for each other via lock and key, as all 110 sections of the bridge's metal fencing would be replaced.
An Indian TV news anchor has been sacked after she referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as 'Eleven' Jinping, apparently confusing Xi's name with the Roman numerals XI, a senior official at the state television channel said on Friday, .
Xi left India on Friday after a visit to boost trade and economic ties that have been marred by a long-standing border dispute.
The blooper occurred on a show on Doordarshan news on Wednesday.
"It is an unpardonable mistake," the official told Reuters on the condition of anonymity, saying the anchor was employed on a casual basis. "We have debarred her from news reading for a few months."
The incident comes at a time when Doordarshan news is trying to reinvent itself to compete with private broadcasters. Its programmes are often a matter of public ridicule for their poor production quality.
Young Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus) walks in the water in 'Gondwanaland' in the zoo in Leipzig, Germany, Friday, Sept. 19, 2014. The tapir was born on Sept. 10, 2014. The Malayan tapir, also called the Asian tapir, is the largest of the four species of tapirs and the only one native to Asia.
Photo by Jens Meyer
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