Chocolate NYTimes, barbies, trip the light fantastic, groundhog's day, dancing sharks, singular measles

i've always found it interesting how folks regard religious icons, so here is an article discussing a chocolate shop that produces chocolate religious statutes, and how a few devout respond. While i'm linking articles regarding chocolate from the NYTimes, here's one about folks who make their own bean-to-bar chocolate, and another about a Texan chocolatier who produces something that might be considered barbecued chocolate (he smokes the beans).


Here is a collection of some highly creative Barbie dolls. Although, i was walking through the dolls aisle at Target this Christmas, shopping for my goddaughter, and it seem like most of the dolls these days are just as alternative, illustrated by the popularity of the Monster High dolls.

The terrific semi-bluegrass band The Punch Brothers have just released a new album, and the last song on said album had a crowd-sourced chorus. This is actually pretty nifty, given that the song itself is kinda about how people currently use technology to filter their worlds and be connected. However, one of the opening lines paraphrases the term 'to trip the lights fantastic'. i was curious about that phrase's origin, and googled around. Turns out, the citation that comes up is a John Milton poem (masque) from 1645, and a line from Shakespear's tempest is also cited, " "Before you can say come, and goe, / And breathe twice; and cry, so, so: / Each one tripping on his Toe, / Will be here with mop, and mowe."". Whoa. Older origin than i thought. Also, the album cover is Belgium artist Rene Magritte's The Lovers II. i've seen it in multiple places recently, and had to track it down. He's better known for his work Son Of Man, and Golconda.

So, it was recently Groundhog Day, that strange day in the US where we attempt to predict whether the weather will take a turn for the warmer, or if, should the groundhog fail to see his shadow, we've got another 6 weeks of winter. Why? Turns out, it's a Pennslyvanian German thing, adapted from earlier European traditions involving a badger ("Wenn sich der Dachs zu Lichtmeß sonnt, so gehet er wieder auf vier Wochen in sein Loch. (If the badger is in the sun at Candlemas, he will have to go back into his hole for another four weeks.)", from the wikipedia article. Candlemas is the Christian feast day commemorating the day Jesus was presented at temple, and met by Simeon, who had been promised that he would see the Lord's Christ (there's more to that, for those interested; it's kinda a big Catholic deal). It's called Candlemas as it's traditionally the day where all the church candles for the year are blessed. Some folks tie it to the Gaelic holiday Imbolc, held on the same day. (Special thanks to Kate B for putting up with me going off on this to her.)

As a fairly ardent (though non-competitive) runner, i'm not sure how i feel about a one step race. Although, having clicked on that, the NYTimes was quick to recommend an article called "No, More Running Probably Isn't Bad For You". Also, There are different ways to lace one's running shoes, depending on what foot problem you might be having.
Today, my labmate linked a whatshouldwecallgradschool gif today, and the question at hand became, "really though, who was in those dancing sharks during the 2015 Superbowl Halftime show?" To the internet! As it would seem, those dancers were actually two of Katy Perry's usual back-up dancers, one of whom tweeted a picture of himself in the suit so there's a bit more evidence. It's nice that the dancers didn't have to learn a new dance, just don a shark suit that hinders both movement and visibility.

Levitation photography is when you take a picture of yourself or someone else not touching the ground. This can be done by jumping (obviously), but also via photoshop. It sounds pretty interesting, and i'm putting it here so i try it sometime.

i was part of a discussion about the plurality of the word 'measles' the other day. A friend made the argument that it's frequently treated in the plural, when it refers to the disease (which is singular). The entymology is clear; "infectious disease, early 14c., plural of Middle English masel, perhaps from Middle Dutch masel "blemish" (in plural "measles") or Middle Low German masele, from Proto-Germanic *mas- "spot, blemish" (cognates: Old High German masla "blood-blister," German Masern "measles"). There might have been an Old English cognate, but if so it has not been recorded. Form probably influenced by Middle English mesel "leprous" (late 13c.). ", from here. So, it's a singular word for symptoms (manifestions of infection?) that are plural.

Bryan: but the e-mail says "measles have made a strong comeback" 

   you wouldn't say "HIV have made a strong comeback"

me: even though you should, given that HIV totally exists as a quasi-species 

  and even though measles is pretty stable (thus, the excellent vaccine) 

  look, clearly they don't let scientists control grammar for diseases

And finally, in honor of the upcoming holiday which commemorates the martyrdom of a Roman (or more than one; side tangent, don't try to convert Claudius to Christianity, it might end poorly) who may or may not be buried on the Via Flaminia, here is a somewhat risque article that starts with "i like my men like i like my..."