Monday (er, Sunday) Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Shark Week is Here!

     Can I be the only one who finds these sometimes silly, often gory movies amusing?  The Brick thinks they're mostly silly.  Well -- he's right. 

P.S. If you can only stomach one, try Deep Blue Sea or The Meg. Or that great equalizer, Sharknado. But skip Jaws, or watch it last -- 

I always thought the people who got munched deserved it, for being so foolish.

Meanwhile:

Years later, have any of the 51 'former intelligence officials' who signed a letter implying that Hunter Biden's laptop was a Russian fake taken any public stance to apologize? The answer: nope. Here they are, individually named, just in case you're curious.

What's it like to live in Phoenix right now?  They've had more than 20 days of recordbreaking heat -- their all-time high is 122, and temps hit 119 last week.

Background on Barbie -- the story of the doll's two inventors. (And it ain't pretty, folks.) 

The best part of the movie 'Barbie?' I'm seeing this over and over: Ryan Gosling, in a splashy wardrobe and "full idiotic authenticity." It takes courage to be a Ken!

" As the absolute best thing about “Barbie,” he also proved that if your movie is about superficial things, it’s better to celebrate those things, rather than superimpose depth."

    I have a soft spot for Gosling, anyways. The only man who can beat him is the Brick.

Dylan Mulvaney, after supposedly fleeing to Peru for their safety, is now shilling for 'speaking opportunities' around the country.  I have this funny feeling that The Terrified One made reservations for Peru before the Bud Light fiasco...but hey, that's me. Cynical.

Doctor Fauci has retired from the WHO -- yet he's still getting free 24-hour security details, including a limo. Why?? (This is supposed to expire in September. We/'ll see.)

'Ring My Bell:'  Song's weird, dance is great.

And...some very funny SNL dance scenes:

So the FBI acknowledged that the Hunter Biden computer was authentic...then tried to quash it publicly?  I don't get this.

The whitest white paint every made...so far, at least.

This is wacky...but if you've ever purchased A&W Rootbeer or Cream Soda between 2016 - 2023, you may be eligible for a settlement payment! Apparently A&W's claim to 'aged vanilla' was not true -- and now they're having to pony up for it. WARNING: You must apply by late August to get the credit. Go here to apply. A few minutes time yielded two $5.50 payments for us. 

A trove of giant hand tools found in Kent, England...WAY bigger than the average human hand would use. Does this mean that a family of giants lived in England way, way back?

Ten Bigfoot sightings caught on tape...except I think a few of these, at least, are just people viewed long-distance. 

Broccoli-bacon salad. Perfect for picnics.

A beautiful crochet leaf-stitch cowl - free pattern.   (If you prefer knitted cowls, go here for free patterns.)

Unusual facts about the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony. (Still curious about this, Gentle Readers.)   Speaking of:

Is a Mr. Browne a direct DNA link to the Lost Colonists? This scientist thinks so...

Architecture secrets around the world.  Including Notre Dame. (See below.)

Odd discoveries in unexpected places. Including a real-life Sharknado!  (I must be on a roll -- quite a few of these 'oddball' posts have popped up this week.)

Living in a silo. As a farmer's daughter, I have always wanted to do this.

Homemade raspberry (or strawberry) syrup.  (From One Hundred Dollars A Month)

Haunted stories about Disneyland.  Apparently Walt hasn't left yet...

An EIGHTEEN-DOLLAR Big Mac Meal?  Yup, in Connecticut...

Ancient tombs (14th century) found underneath Notre Dame. Their presence had been forgotten! Fires can reveal things in more than one way.

Is Harry's "Spare" the most-dumped book of the summer?  If that's true... ouch.

So what happens to your body when you die?  A mortician dishes on details. A little creepy...but fascinating.

A second IRS whistleblower steps forward about Hunter Biden...and the rest of the family.   Million-dollar question: why in the world do we need to know that the second man is gay...and a Democrat? We weren't told that the first man was hetero and a Republican. Ridiculous. Just ridiculous.

Spend less -- dine in!  (From My Tireless Retirement)

The highest peacetime heroism award given - to a U.S. soldier.  He deserved it, too.

Very funny plot twists.

The two major women in Robert Oppenheimer's life.

An especially weird UFO experience story -- by a veteran Marine.

Americans living in Paris -- an overview.

'Stranger than fiction' nature moments

The Department of Education announces that $39 BILLION in student loans will be cancelled -- provided you've paid steadily for 20-25 years. (I still don't think this is fair, but it's more fair than their previous decision. Look for this to be argued about in court.)

Charles Dickens and artist George Chinney -- what did they have in common? The answer is more surprising than you would think.

Is a Mr. Browne a direct DNA link to the Lost Colonists? This scientist thinks so...

Have a great week. Watch some shark movies!