I came across this defense of JRR Tolkien and his work and found it quite fascinating.

I’m a big fan myself, having first read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy as a teenager.  And many times since.  Including out loud to someone, which is a whole ‘nother to get into the story BTW.

After reading the books the first time me and my buddy Rod Headlee got it into our minds that we should have a Bilbo-like adventure as well.  So we hitchhiked across the Pacific Northwest.  Visited the 1974 Spokane World’s Fair and had an amazing time in Big Sky Montana.  That was also the trip where I was not allowed to enter Canada.  And I’ve never been back.

Ah, memories.

Apparently.

UPDATE:  The movie Jenn and I were trying to remember is Final Destination.  and yeah, it’s a lot like that.

I’m talking Frankie Laine.  Er, singin’ Frankie Laine.

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This video is making the rounds of the internet today, so what the hell, I’ll share it with those of you who might have missed it…

UPDATE: A contrary opinion:

Not to be a grump, but am I the only one who finds this a little over-the-top and, frankly, a little condescending? Plenty of big-voiced PYTs sing their hearts out every week on American Idol (not to mention onstage in Broadway shows) without getting this kind of reaction. But Susan, because of her looks, because of the fact that people were snickering at her before she opened her mouth, becomes a sensation simply by being able to carry a tune. She has a decent voice, sure. But let’s not get carried away. She’s no LuPone, and her talent is only really shocking if you’ve already counted her out as a squawker on account of her granny hairdo and pre-fame Julia Roberts eyebrows. Once the element of surprise is gone, we’re all going to be stuck with the fact that she’s a capable, but by no means extraordinary singer. And is that really worth all the fuss?

Adam Markovitz in EW.com

The Little Prince and the Fox.

Hat Tip: Althouse.

Also: From the comments:

From Tales of Saphhrion by Saint-Arthas:

A frog that lives in Alaska will freeze solid like a rock. There are no snakes in Alaska to eat the frog because they would freeze also. The frog who lives in Alaska is safe yet frozen.

I mentioned my Scottish friend Alisteir a few posts back and how I don’t get a lot of what he says because his English is, well, from Scotland.  One of the words he uses is “Stone” which is apparently some measure of weight back home in the British Isles.  I guess to avoid confusing the monetary unit with the weight of things.  Whatever.  I mention this only to provide context for this newspaper account of a sad family in the motherland: “They weigh 80 stone, claim thousands in benefits – and can’t work. Who do they blame? Anyone but themselves”.  Fascinating read.  I’m not sure how many ‘stones’ I’m up to these days, but it ain’t pretty.  At least I’m employed though.

I had to create a new category “assorted misc.” for this post ’cause it didn’t fit anywhere else.  Nothing like breaking new ground and keepin’ it fresh.  Not that I’d mix metaphors.
Hat Tip: Andrea Harris (The Twisted Spinster)