Lizts by Liz: Top 10 Turkey Facts

November 26, 2009

By Liz Suman

Here's another Lizts by Liz! She puts it all in order so you don't have to. This week in honor of Thanksgiving...Top 10 Turkey Facts!

Turkeys have lived in North America for roughly 10 million years. Native Americans have hunted wild turkey for consumption as early as 1000 A.D., and turkeys were likely domesticated by the Aztecs hundreds of years before Europeans arrived on the continent. The name "turkey" may be a deriviation from the Native American name for turkey, "Firkee."

Geeky Gift Guide: Lord of the Rings Amigurumi

November 09, 2009

By Joanna Burgess

When I think of the holidays I think of a fine stout, hot tea, seed cake, and other delightful treats all to be drunk and eaten while sitting around a crackling fire watching a Lord of the Rings (special extended version of course) marathon. If you're like me and know lots of geeky folk, here are some truly inspired Lord of the Rings Amigurumi patterns you can use to make presents that will be treasured everlastingly long. All patterns were created by and originally posted on Geek Central Station.

Frodo and Gimili. You can use this pattern make Sam, Merry and Pippin.

Legolas and Gandalf You can also use this pattern to make the feared Ringwraith King. Why not make Eowyn while you're at it and then act out the Ringwraith's death scene. "I am no man!" Stab. The end.

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Photos by Geek Central Station

Top 10 Witches

October 29, 2009

By Joanna Burgess

Baba Yaga from the Slavik tales of yore is our top pick. She flies around on a scary broomstick (or a mortar depending on the tale) and eats small kids. Best of all she lives in a house that stands on chicken legs and walks around.

A Very Geeky Halloween to You

October 16, 2009

Our Nerdabout fans weigh in with their geeky Halloween costumes for this year.

Halloween Cupcakes

October 02, 2009

By Joanna Burgess

October is finally here. We're going to be spending a lot of time this month on ghouls, ghosts, hauntings and the scientific skeptics who debunk the supernatural, crafting costumes and more. I discovered the Cupcakequeen sort of late in the evening last night and her concoctions immediately made me happy. My pick for best Halloween cupcake is bloody nude lady on disembodied zombie hand but they're all pretty fun.

Today is Apparently Astronomy Day!

May 01, 2009

Please put your hands together and welcome guest blogger Dorothy Blyskal, who seeks out weird holidays in strange places. Like L.A.! See below.

The official date of Astronomy Day actually fluctuates every year because it depends on ((insert gasp here)) the stars. Well, more accurately, the Moon. The date of Astronomy Day is scheduled sometime between mid-April and mid-May, to be either on or right before the First Quarter Moon. And since 2009’s First Quarter Moon is set to be May 1st, what better day to choose than ... May 1st?

Further research also shows that Astronomy Day began all the way back in 1973 ((isn’t that like, the Middle Ages or something?)) by Doug Berger ((mmm…burger ...)), the President of the Astronomical Association of Northern California ((I just wanted to add another parenthetical statement here to balance out the sentence)).

And so, in honor of Astronomy Day, I have decided to hike up the hill my house rests on in Los Angeles, and check out the stars. Coincidentally ((or so it would seem)), I passed Kanye West’s house on the way up, meaning I not only got a great view of the actual stars in the sky, but also caught a glimpse of the richer, less important, and angrier “stars”. A photo of his humble abode is emitted from this piece, due to the fact that the warm glow of this star was far too bright for my camera to pick up—I’ll have to look into a camera upgrade.

At any rate, the actual “Astronomy Day” stars I stumbled upon, while clearly not as “brilliant” as my neighbor Kan-yizzy, did appear…however, they did not exactly photograph well ((god, I never realized how bad my camera was…)).

I hiked higher and higher into the Hollywood Hills, and began taking pictures of Hollywood, the City of Stars.

I then became so overcome with all the stars ((real and imagined)), that I started seeing stars ((this may also have had to do with the insane incline of the hike and the typical LA heat)).

All-in-all, it was a star-studded event, that ended me with me throwing up, blacking out, coming-to in a Hollywood dumpster, and walking back home with one and a half shoes on. In summation, I give the celebration five stars ... although I’m not sure what the scale is capped at. It was just funny cause it had the word “stars” in it. Stars!

--Dorothy Blyskal