Questions? Comments? Lavish Praise? Send Them All

Hello! It's been a tough couple of weeks, but I'm back! I must admit--I haven't been reading the comments as thoroughly as I usually do. So if you sent me a note or question via the comments, I probably didn't get it. Sorry about that!

So, here's your chance. For a limited period of time, I will answer any questions posted in the comments section of THIS POST. (Within reason, of course. There's certain information that the government won't let me reveal.)

UPDATE 8-4-09: This has been fun, guys. But I'm afraid question time must end. I must go write a book or two!

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

From the people who brought you Pride & Prejudice & Zombies.

Awesome.

A Giant Blob is Threatening Alaska!

"Something big and strange is floating through the Chukchi Sea." (I stole that line 'cause it was just too awesome to pass up.)

Seems a thick, gooey blob that's 15 MILES LONG is currently floating off the coast of Alaska. No one has been able to figure out what the blob is, but scientists have made one startling discovery . . . IT'S ALIVE. Oh yeah, and it smells terrible.

For more information and a really nasty photo, be sure to check out this article.

Art You Can Cuddle

Work from artist Florentijn Hofman's latest exhibition.

The World's Biggest Alarm Clock

(Above: Just a watermelon.)

Are you a heavy sleeper? A REALLY heavy sleeper? I am. I usually have at least two alarms set to go off if I plan to wake at an early hour. Unless I'm scared senseless by a beeping, blaring, screeching alarm, my brain will happily drift back into oblivion.

So I'm thinking of investing in the handy little devise shown in this video. I think it might just do the trick.

Who Wants a Little Yogurt on Her Permanent Record?

(Above: Don't throw it, Fiorello!)

Happy Fourth of July! Yes, I know I'm a little late. I was busy exploring the sewers of North Carolina in search of new life forms. (Sorry for leaving that last, horribly disgusting post at the top of the page for so long!)

So now that we've learned about water boogers, the next topic must be . . . food! In June, a number of Wisconsin teens were frog-marched out of their school in handcuffs. What was the nature of their offense? Drugs? Violence? No. They were arrested because they had participated in a food fight.

Of course this was no ordinary food fight. Apparently, the prank had been planned long in advance, and the students had smuggled massive quantities of yogurt and other supplies into Portage High School. Then, at the appointed time, the entire school went completely mad.

"So on the count of three, we stood up, whipped it, (and) everyone started screaming, running," said sophomore Dylan Mitchell.

Within seconds, yogurt and taco salad were flying across the cafeteria. "(I) threw my milk. I picked it up, spilt it all over me, threw it," Mitchell said.

Hmmm. Very mature, Mitchell. But did he (and his friends) deserve a criminal record AND a $172 fine? I wonder.

For those of you who are hankering for a food fight, I strongly recommend this Mentalfloss list of The World's 10 Messiest Food Festivals. (Perhaps I'll see you at the West Virginia Roadkill Cook-Off?)