Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Website Wednesday 18.44 - the SPECIAL Halloween Edition
Website Wednesday
The SPECIAL Halloween Edition, 2018
a subsidiary of Skip's House of Chaos
"From the Large Intestine of the Internets, through the Sphincter of Electronic Mail..."
The SPECIAL Halloween Edition, 2018
a subsidiary of Skip's House of Chaos
"From the Large Intestine of the Internets, through the Sphincter of Electronic Mail..."
Since it IS Halloween, I took it upon myself to decorate
the place with some gravestones and skeletons. For
some inexplicable reason, though, that didn't go over
all that well with the people here at the retirement home.
Top of the heap: America's Most Haunted: Six Seriously Spooky Sites
Gruesome Halloween Party Food
Netflix & Thrills: Our Favorite Halloween TV Episodes Ever
11 Clever and Creative Halloween Costumes
Fun stuff: Halloween Chemistry
5 Scary Places and the Legends Behind Them. Would you dare to visit?
The BBC Halloween Hoax That Traumatized Viewers
The 14 Absolute Creepiest Places to Visit in the United States
15 Pumpkins That Were Clearly Carved By Hilariously Weird People
Halloween pop-up stores, explained
Advice from the CDC: Don't dress your chickens for Halloween this year
14 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Haunted House Actors
The Creepiest Thing That Ever Happened to You
~ and, finally ~
Shades of the Slack Water Drift! Witches floating down the Willamette River
Skipnote:Website Wednesday is a by-request only mailing list. If, for any reason, you don't wantto receive it, simply reply to this email and let me know. No hard feelings. Now, on the other hand, if you know someone who you think might like getting WW every week, have them drop me a line.
Love you, mean it. Let's do lunch. Have your people call my people. Ciao, bella.
- Skip ಠ_ಠ
Website Wednesday archives
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Tuesday, October 30, 2018
80 Years Ago Tonight...
On Oct. 30, 1938, future actor and filmmaker Orson Welles narrated the show's prologue for an audience believed to be in the millions. "War of the Worlds" was the Halloween episode for the radio drama series "The Mercury Theatre on the Air."
"Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt our program of dance music to bring you a special bulletin," the broadcast began. "Martians have landed in New Jersey!"
Understandably, many who heard this became overwrought with worry that an invasion from Mars actually was underway in a small Northeastern town.
"At 8:50 p.m., a huge flaming object, believed to be a meteorite, fell on a farm in the neighborhood of Grovers Mill, New Jersey," the announcer stated.
The rest of the half-hour broadcast followed the style of a typical evening broadcast as it was interrupted by news bulletins, perhaps making the story feel even more authentic, despite the broadcast announcing multiple times that it was a theatrical rendition of H.G. Wells' 1898 novel of the same name.
"I have a grave announcement to make," the broadcaster stated. "Incredible as it may seem, those strange beings who landed in the Jersey farmlands tonight are the vanguard of an invading army from the planet Mars."
A particularly alarming portion of the story occurred as aliens, apparently emerging from some sort of cylinder, were attacking people nearby with a heat ray. This fictional encounter caused a panicked reporter -- supposedly on the scene -- to be suddenly cut off from the broadcast.
The broadcast ended after returning from a break and following a survivor who fled with the alien invasion. At this point, the Martians had been defeated by microbes.
Erika Dowell, associate director and curator of modern books and manuscripts at Iowa University's Lilly Library, said Welles' first-person narratives was part of what made the broadcast feel so real.
"Even if he was switching between narrators, he was making it first person -- not an omniscient narrator guiding the storyline," Dowell said, according to the univer
People likely didn't hear much of the broadcast, instead focusing in on the urgent-sounding news bulletins that cut in, experts told ABC News in 1988, on the 50th anniversary of the radio drama.
"People were vulnerable in 1938, and they were worried about the war, worried about the economy and perhaps were a little bit upset and nervous because it was Halloween," Dr. Joel Cooper, psychology professor at Princeton University, told ABC News in 1988.
Listener Henry Sears told ABC News in 1988 that "everyone" was "going after their shotguns and going to Grovers Mill," but the mass hysteria reported after the broadcast may have actually been sensationalized.
Popular myth detailed people flooding out of their homes in a panic, but several theories have emerged in recent years suggesting that no widespread panic occurred -- especially since most people probably were listening to the comedy variety show, "Chase and Sanborn Hour," which aired at the same time, the Telegraph reported.sity. "He also did a lot of interesting things with sound effects and used those in ways to make the reporting seem believable."
The broadcast fueled skepticism around radio, a relatively new form of mass communication, according to the library, which houses a collection of Welles' work.
Every year, the town of Grovers Mill celebrates the anniversary of the broadcast that made it a household name, holding costume contests, seances and Mars-themed events.
The community even erected a monument in its Van Nest Park, marking the spot where Martians supposedly landed in 1938.
The radio show inspired the 1975 Emmy award-winning made-for-television movie, "The Night That Panicked America." Steven Spielberg also directed a 2005 film, "War of the Worlds," loosely based on Wells' novel.
In April, BBC began filming a three-part drama based on the 1898 work, but the aliens will invade Britain instead of a sleepy New Jersey farm town, Variety reported. The drama will otherwise be a "faithful adaption" of Wells' book, according to the network.
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Random Status Updates
I was born to be wild.
But only until about 9pm or so.
~~~~~
It seems to me that Donald Trump taking the credit for President Obama’s economy is like someone inheriting millions from his father and then bragging about what a smart businessman he is.
~~~~~
I was going to buy some suppositories, but changed my mind after considering all the ramifications.
~~~~~
The Ghostbusters theme song establishes who I should call in the case of a ghostly emergency, but it doesn’t provide a shred of contact info.
~~~~~
You know what’s better than singing in the rain? Just about everything.
~~~~~
I’m thinking that Fitbits are the modern equivalent of Tamagotchies. Except the stupid little creature you have to keep alive is yourself.
~~~~~
Whenever I hear someone say, “There’s a special place in Hell reserved for…”, I can’t help but think how insanely well-organized Satan must be.
~~~~~
Man, I really need to get motivated.
Maybe tomorrow.
~~~~~
I like going to Subway because I get to feel like I’m making a healthy decision when I order a loaf of bread with 12 meatballs on it.
~~~~~
I just wish Medusa would stop objectifying people.
But only until about 9pm or so.
~~~~~
It seems to me that Donald Trump taking the credit for President Obama’s economy is like someone inheriting millions from his father and then bragging about what a smart businessman he is.
~~~~~
I was going to buy some suppositories, but changed my mind after considering all the ramifications.
~~~~~
The Ghostbusters theme song establishes who I should call in the case of a ghostly emergency, but it doesn’t provide a shred of contact info.
~~~~~
You know what’s better than singing in the rain? Just about everything.
~~~~~
I’m thinking that Fitbits are the modern equivalent of Tamagotchies. Except the stupid little creature you have to keep alive is yourself.
~~~~~
Whenever I hear someone say, “There’s a special place in Hell reserved for…”, I can’t help but think how insanely well-organized Satan must be.
~~~~~
Man, I really need to get motivated.
Maybe tomorrow.
~~~~~
I like going to Subway because I get to feel like I’m making a healthy decision when I order a loaf of bread with 12 meatballs on it.
~~~~~
I just wish Medusa would stop objectifying people.
TUNESMITH TUESDAY - "Modern Monster Mash" by Key of Awesome
The Modern Monster Mash
BORIS
You remember in the 60's when I invented the mash
Well now the time is come for me to update that smash
Since I've been out of the fright game for 52 odd years
I invited a new crew to spread spooky cheer
The first to arrive was Dr. Hannibal Lecter
He brought his own date, and seemed to respect her
They hit the dance floor, with a Jive and a jitter
Then he ripped off her face! He's pulling out her liver
BACK UP SINGERS
That's really gross
BORIS
Oh my god what just happened?
BACK UP SINGERS
He ate her face
BORIS
Yes I know! I saw!!
BACK UP SINGERS
Speaking of SAW
JIGSAW
I like to play disgusting games
BACK UP SINGERS
He broke his jaw
BORIS
That is way too graphic, I'm going to faint
Surely all the other guests won't be this rude
Like this classic monster, a scary hip dude
He's got a kooky style and a spooktastic look
Oh my god he just hung the waiter on a meat hook!!! Why?
BACK UP SINGERS
He's Leatherface
BORIS
Who's Freddy Krueger?
BACK UP SINGERS
He haunts your dreams
BORIS
Oooh he sounds like a real spooker!
FREDDY
I murder teens
You can't escape me, bitch!
BORIS
Language!
In my day the monsters would just gave you a spook
Nowadays, it seems they all just want to make you puke
Ah the Human Centepede, that sounds like a hit
Wait, the ones in the back have to eat the front ones shit?!
Enough, the party's over! Everybody out!
You all have no idea what "Spooktober" is about
Here comes the Wolfman, he'll show you how it's done
He knows how to be creepy, but he always keeps it fun.
Nooo! That was my friend.
Why did he meet such a horrifying end?
Is it too much to ask to have some monsters dance
It's really quite a hoot if you'd give it half a chance
JIGSAW
This guy won't let it go, I think it's rather sad
FREDDY
Guys, I feel guilty
LECTER
And I also feel bad
LEATHERFACE
Let's give him a couple moves, it's the least we could do
JIGSAW
Okay places everybody and a one and a two
MONSTERS
Look at us dance
BORIS
You did the monster dance?
LEATHERFACE
Hey look, jazz hands
BORIS
Wait, don't twist too fast
VICTIMS
Our skulls are smashed
LEATHERFACE
Oh great, it's the girl from the ring
BACK UP SINGERS
Her heart is black
BORIS
She really knows how to swing
FREDDY
I wouldn't look directly at her face if I were you
LEATHERFACE
Oh well, we tried
FREDDIE
He died doing what he loved
JIGSAW
Monster choreography.
Hey guys, I know a game we could play
Guys?
Anyone?
No?
Cool Astronomical Photos
The Andromeda Galaxy
Backlit Saturn
The Center of Our Galaxy
The Crab Nebula
Earth and the Moon
(picture taken from Mars)
The Helix Nebula
The Pillars of Creation
The Pinwheel Galaxy
Shuttle Launch, as seen from Space
Solar Flare
Monday, October 29, 2018
MONDAY MIND GAME
A Japanese ship was making its way through the Arabian Sea. The captain felt like taking a bath and thus went to the bathroom after removing his Rolex watch and gold bracelet. When he returned back from the bathroom, he found out that his valuables were missing.
He suspected five of his crew members. He called them in and asked all of them what they were doing for the last 15 minutes. They replied as follows:
Upon hearing all of them, the captain found out who was the thief. How did he know that? Who is the thief?
Give up?
Drag your cursor between the asterisks for the answer
He suspected five of his crew members. He called them in and asked all of them what they were doing for the last 15 minutes. They replied as follows:
The French cook (with a butcher knife): I was in fridge room getting meat for cooking.
The German Engineer (with some tools in hand): I was working on the generator engine.
The Bangladeshi seaman (empty handed): I was on the mast correcting the flag which was upside down by mistake.
The American Radio officer (with his headphones in hand): I was messaging to company that we will reach the port in the next two days that is Friday morning at 1100 hrs.
The Indian navigation officer (empty handed): I was taking a nap before my night watch began.
Upon hearing all of them, the captain found out who was the thief. How did he know that? Who is the thief?
Give up?
Drag your cursor between the asterisks for the answer
*
The Bangladeshi seaman is the thief. This is because the Japanese flag cannot be identified as upside down as it is the same both ways. Thus he is just trying to escape the situation.
*
Epic Bloopers From a Bunch of Different Movies
A cold water wave ruins a scene with Gal Gadot
and Chris Pine in Wonder Woman (2017)
Nathan Fillion and Gina Torres play a prank
on Alan Tudyk in an episode where he had
a mustache while making Firefly (2002)
James Cagney and George Raft start to dance
instead of a scripted fight in Each Dawn I Die (1939)
Stuntmen and women having trouble being pulled
into place during Star Wars Episode I: The
Phantom Menace (1999)
Robert Downey Jr. messing around with
Mark Ruffalo while filming The Avengers (2012)
William Shatner has Deforest Kelly bump into
him then gets a butt slap from Nichelle Nichols
during an episode of Star Trek (TOS) (1968)
Will Ferrell improvising a scene catches John C. Reilly
off guard during a scene in Step Brothers (2008)
Bette Davis gets caught on Walter Kingsford's
clothes during a scene in Juarez (1939)
Matt Damon messing up in The Bourne Identity (2002)
Jodie Foster has a moment during filming of
Silence of the Lambs (1991)
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