Natalie.ayerdis

 

What do pizza, French onion soup, buffalo wings and chiles rellenos all have in common? They all belong in your grilled cheese. Yes, you heard us right: Just about any of your favorite savory flavor combinations, from mozzarella, tomato, and basil to buffalo sauce, blue cheese and ranch, translate exceptionally well into warm, cheesy sandwiches. Don’t believe us? These five examples are sure to convince you.

 

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese   Usually we have to come up with an excuse to eat jalapeño poppers, like hosting a game day party. Thanks to Buns in My Oven, who transformed the prep-heavy appetizer into lunch form, we don’t have to anymore.

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese   This hot wing-inspired work of sandwich art—sourdough, buffalo wing sauce, gorgonzola, beer cheese fondue—created by How Sweet Eats just might be better than the real thing.

Margherita Pizza Grilled Cheese   As Cooking for Keeps discovered, the combination of fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil and olive oil—all the ingredients that comprise a margherita pizza—translates exceptionally well to handheld sandwich form.

French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese   Sweet caramelized onions and umami-rich Gruyère cheese are a classic combination, but sometimes it’s just too warm outside to reach for a bowl of hot soup. This is where Tastespotting’s grilled French onion soup sandwich comes into play.

Chiles Rellenos Grilled Cheese   Chiles rellenos are poblano peppers that are roasted, filled with cheese, battered with egg, and deep-fried; Cooking Classy took the traditional Pueblan dish and grilled cheese-ified it.

The post Yes, Your Favorite Flavor Combos Do Belong in Grilled Cheese appeared first on Williams-Sonoma Taste.

I told someone today that I was pregnant and the person said, “Congratulations!” and I politely nodded and continued eating.  And they said, “That’s so exciting.  Are you excited?” and I said, “Yes, sort of,” the way you might respond if someone congratulated you on landing a brand new job that was much more stressful […]

"Fly fishing for trout, trying to catch a fish in a minute ... or less:)"..(Read...)

Warning! This song is about to be that earworm you don’t want to get rid of and that will likely have you craving eggs and steak. In the style of every Disney song that tells you exactly what the character is doing as it’s being done (here’s looking at you “Whistle While You Work“), “Steak & Eggs” is a timeless classic–well, it will be. Watch the story unfold before your eyes below.

What started out as a Snapchat video has become a YouTube sensation inspiring fan art, spin-off stories, and more. Aaron Ridge is a talented artist and/or a yummy breakfast cook who made a funny Snapchat video that people seemed to enjoy, so he put it up on YouTube. Once it hit Reddit, the internet went crazy and well, here are the results.

 

Image Credit: Reddit / sokatovie

Like every Disney song, this breakfast needs a happily ever after. So someone came up with a backstory and then someone else drew it because the internet is a beautiful place.

Image Credit: Reddit/ numskan

And what does every prince charming who cooks a meal of steak and eggs need? A cape of course! So someone created that too. What a talented bunch lives out there on the internet.

Image Credit: Reddit / LordMcMutton

Wow. With a catchy song and some creativity, the next Disney prince is born. And it all started with a Snapchat story. So spend the rest of the day thinking about “Steak & Eggs,” then go home and get this song stuck in everyone’s head. Or, create your own Snapchat hit to finally stop craving steak and eggs!

What Disney parody song do you want to see next? Let’s come up with some ideas in the comments!

Featured Image Credit: Reddit / sokatovie

By Wrong Hands...(Read...)

With the extraordinary range Tatiana Maslany shows in "Orphan Black," we thought she would be the perfect person to create a bunch of reaction GIFs...(Read...)

On the sixth day, God (allegedly) created Man. Then he created Woman, and then He proceeded to punish that woman for not explicitly following his instructions, thereby setting a precedent in which women are punished for every little infraction or, sometimes, for no reason at all.

Several D.C. lawmakers are currently in the process of introducing a bill that will lift taxes on tampons and other feminine hygiene products. Experts estimate that women in California alone spend $20 million annually on taxes for feminine products. Which is clearly ridiculous. Getting taxed on your period is kind of like going to a restaurant, being served something you didn’t order, and then being told that you have to tip anywhere between four and nine percent.

Americans are not exactly known for being chill about unfair taxes, and yet women have thus far refrained from dumping crates of tampons into Boston Harbor. Primarily because we actually use those things and secondarily because each individual tampon can only absorb between six and eighteen milliliters, so they’d be largely ineffective against the entirety of the Atlantic Ocean.

For women, getting a period constitutes many things: a feminine rite of passage, a normal biological function, a monthly excuse not to wear real pants. One thing menstruating is not, though, is a “luxury.” And yet, women who use food stamps are forbidden from using their federal aid towards buying feminine hygiene products, as these are not considered necessities.

For as much as our society disdains women on their periods, we sure are reaping the benefits of their bloody, bloody suffering.

So while we wait for 40 states to get their respective acts together and stop punishing women for doing what women are biologically programmed to do, here are some suggestions of what women in California could have spent their $20 million on.

• Covering some of the wage gap. I’d have to do the math on this, but I imagine every woman in the country will get at least a few fractions of a cent in restitution. 
• Buying 571 Tesla Model 3s. And then crashing them into each other in the desert.
• Building more abortion centers for all their pals over in Texas. You know, because the fully functioning ones they had in place weren’t cutting it by idiot standards. 
• One very kick-ass, cross-country pool party.
• Electing more female politicians into office. Laws like this one are only upheld because women are still not accurately reflected in government. 
• A really sweet pad in a centralized location.

____________________________________________________________

Ilana Gordon is a Chicago improviser, actress and writer. You can find her published works on McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Reductress, Mashable and bathroom stall doors across America. You can follow her on Twitter and catch her web series “Real Home Workouts” here.

The post A Plea for Menstruation Without Taxation appeared first on The Second City - 50 Years of Funny.

Touted as the BBC’s version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Class is shaping up to be an exciting show. It is a young adult series based at the Coal Hill School, which has been a regular destination in the Doctor Who universe since its creation. Our favorite time lord did a few stints as school’s caretaker, Clara Oswald worked there as a teacher, and even the Doctor’s granddaughter attended Coal Hill.

Image Credit: Need to Consume

With the TARDIS popping in and out of Coal Hill’s timeline, the walls of space and time are wearing down and dark things are beginning to slip into our world. The only thing standing between us and the other side are the students of the infamous high school.

Image Credit: BBC America/Instagram

Recently the BBC announced the cast for Class. Katherine Kelly is set to star as a teacher at Coal Hill. Will she be the next Giles or is her presence something more sinister? I’m hoping Giles! The students of Class will include relatively new actors: Greg Austin, Fady Elsayed, Sophie Hopkins, and Vivian Oparah in her debut role. The students will, or course, have to deal with all of the normal aspects of being a teenager; homework, friends, parties, sex, and a few monsters from beyond the pale.

Image Credit: BBC

Patrick Ness, the creator of Class and acclaimed YA author, is really excited about the series. He said, “We searched far and wide for this amazing cast, fantastic actors who understand what we’re aiming for with this show. And how lucky we are to get Katherine Kelly! She’s been stunning in Happy Valley, The Night Manager and Mr Selfridge, just wait until you see her here.”

Image Credit: BBC America

Steven Moffat also has his hands in the show as the Executive Producer. He said, “There’s nothing more exciting than meeting stars that nobody’s heard of yet. We had the read through of the first few episodes last week, and there was a whole row of them. Coal Hill School has been part of Doctor Who since the very first shoot in 1963, but this new show is anything but history. Class is dark and sexy and right now. I’ve always wondered if there could be a British Buffy – it’s taken the brilliant Patrick Ness to figure out how to make it happen.”

The show looks like it is going to be an exciting new take on the Doctor Who universe. We can’t wait to see what sort of evils are descending upon the school.

So who do you think will become the equivalent of a BBC Buffy? Will we get a British Willow or Xander? What shenanigans do you think the Class of Coal Hill will get into? Let us know in the comments below!

Amongst my most cherished memories of my career as a stand-up comic was the time I was working with a comedy juggler, and the stage turned out to have a 6’5” ceiling. A tall man would have had to duck. I could stand upright, but couldn’t put my hands above my head. The juggler had to do his entire show barely throwing the balls into the air at all, meaning that his act was much more difficult than usual and much, much less impressive to watch. Good times.

There was another enjoyable evening when I worked with a magician who forgot to load his jacket with all of his props. His entire act that night consisted of him introducing a trick, patting his pockets, apologizing for not being able to do the trick, then moving on to the next trick, which he could not do. The only problem was that I had to follow him, and there was no nothing I could say that would be funnier than what he’d done.

 

You can comment on this comic on Facebook.

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

This was written shortly after we moved to Florida, when I broke out in a terrible rash. I won’t get into the details of the rash, but it was not fun.

At first I was worried that I might be allergic to something in the environment which would make life in Florida unbearable for me. Then I went to the first doctor I ever visited in Florida. His examination room was furnished with folding chairs, and he spent most of the appointment telling me about how his mother had fallen in with a con artist who was cheating the doctor of his inheritance. He assured me that the rash was not an allergic reaction, but I still walked away concerned that life in Florida would be unbearable for me.

Note from Missy: And now that we don’t live in Florida anymore, we can say with confidence that it was only … partially unbearable.

 

You can comment on this comic on Facebook.

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

Jennifer Lopez Carpool Karaoke..(Read...)

Star Wars’ greatest ability isn’t the ability to print money. The movie series has an uncanny ability to plunge us into a galaxy far, far away (perhaps because it draws upon the “collective unconscious” as Carl Jung would say).

Because of this, it inspires us in different ways. If you’re an artist like Craig Davison, Star Wars inspires you to draw art about the inspiration that Star Wars gives us.

Davison’s paintings effortlessly send us back to our childhoods and how we related to the series when we were young. Here, we see children playing with sticks, canes, and umbrellas—but from their certain point of view, they’re striking out against the Rebellion or the Empire.

Pow, right in the feels.

If his work seems familiar, it’s because Davison used a similar framing that artist and illustrator Norman Rockwell used in his painting, “The Age of Romance” back in 1923. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace’s teaser poster likewise used shadow to suggest a reality beyond the subject.

Check out the gallery. But you can find more of his fabulous work, much of which is available as limited edition prints, here. Davison doesn’t only focus on Star Wars. He also touches on such other childhood (and adult) favorites as Batman, Spider-Man, and Ghostbusters.

Feature Image Credit: Craig Davidson

 

Various patterns are generated in Matlab using mathematical equations similar to ones describing Spirograph (or harmonograph) and Phyllotaxis. The patterns are calculated in such a way that when rotated under a stroboscopic light of suitable frequency or when recorded by a camera, they start to animate. It is kind of zoetrope--- early device for animation...(Read...)

I went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens on the night it premiered. I decided to treat myself, and bought a box of Whoppers. I don’t know why I thought spending five bucks on a box of a candy I would never consider buying in any other setting struck me as a treat, but I guess I was just swept up in the moment.

Anyway, the movie starts, I throw a Whopper in my mouth, bite down, and become convinced that the sound of me chewing is so loud that I must be ruining the movie for everyone within a four seat radius. I spent the first quarter of that movie trying to time my chewing with loud noises. You might think it would spoil the film for me, but it kind of turned the movie into a game.

 

You can comment on this comic on Facebook.

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

Con season is officially ramping up. While there are LOADS of different conventions you can go to this summer–and all year round, really–there are a few important things that you always need to bring to make sure you’re ready to have an awesome time at your con.

The truth is conventions are a bit nuts. Sometimes they’re packed with people, lines can be long, the reception in the events center or hotel can be crappy, and the food can be expensive. It’s important to make sure you’re ready for a convention environment from the start, which will ensure all of your energy can be spent enjoying the event. To help you get ready for whatever adventures are ahead, I’ve compiled a bit of a convention essentials starter pack. Get ready to make a checklist, kids:

Bottled Water

I’m gonna sound like my mom here, but y’all need to drink more water. Seriously though, bringing water to a convention is incredibly important. While you might be able to track down a water fountain, it isn’t guaranteed to work, and you aren’t guaranteed to not catch mono from the litany of people who grabbed a drink before you. Just sayin’

Snacks

While you can usually find a reasonably priced lunch spot around the convention hall, you’ll likely get peckish if you’re spending an entire day at a con. If you’re not up for paying the high snack prices at the con, pack yourself a quiet, non-greasy, non-smelly snack (seriously, don’t be the guy who packs a tuna sandwich for a snack) that you can eat throughout the con.

 

Sharpie

You never know who you’ll meet on the con floor. While you won’t need to provide a pen if you’re paying for an autograph, you want to be ready should you come across one of your faves as you’re exploring the hall. Just be sure to be polite when asking for autographs in the wild.

Phone Charger

Seriously. If you plan on using your mobile device at any point, bring your charger. If you have a charger that doesn’t need to be plugged into a wall, even better–because everyone and their mom will be hunting for and using any wall plugs available. But even a traditional wall-plug charger will work great. You’ll be surprised how much juice you use spending a day at a con, trying to live-tweet, meet up with your friends, and snap pics.

Hand Sanitizer

With so many humans mushed into the same spot, the accidental exchange of germs is almost inevitable. It’s not uncommon to catch “con crud” after the convention wraps. Try to avoid getting sick by packing some hand sanitizer. And wash your hands. Please.

Storage

This requires a bit of foresight, but if you’re planning or open to the idea of buying swag at the con, make sure you’ve got a way to carry it around and keep it safe. Whether you’re bringing something as low-key as a bag to keep swag, a tube for a poster, a box for a collectible, or going all in with some wearable storage like the Nerdist Ultimate Convention Hoodie, make sure you have the means to keep whatever you buy with you safe and sound.

A Meeting Spot

Larger conventions can be a bit crazy–in a good way, of course. However, that craziness can mean it’s occasionally tough to get in touch with your friends should you get separated. A phone dies, you can’t hear your phone, poor service, or a litany of other issues could stop you from getting in touch with your buddies. To prevent you having to roam around the con yelling, “I NEED AN ADULT!” designate a spot with you and your group to meet up should you get separated.

A Schedule–with a Plan B

Plan what panels you’d like to attend ahead of time, and make sure you bring your schedule to the convention. Of course, it’s always possible that life will interrupt your plans, so be sure you have a plan B just in case you miss your first choice.

Cash

Having cash on hand is incredibly important. Most vendors at conventions accept a card, but technology is prone to break and nothing is worse than having to pay service fees at an ATM. Plus, if you go into the con with a set amount of cash, it can really help you stick to a budget and not overspend. You may think you’re strong-willed, but it is SO EASY to overspend at the amazing stuff you can buy at a convention.

Emergency Mending Kit and Band-aids

The mending kit mostly pertains to cosplayers. It’s almost inevitable that something on your costume will need a little help. Having a mending kit will help you address any tears while they’re still small. Band-aids are also incredibly helpful for cosplayers or any con-goer in the fight against blisters. It’s so easy for a day of walking to result in several painful blisters, and having a band-aid on hand can stop the situation before it gets rough.

Bonus – Sunscreen

This is especially important if you’re attending a convention like San Diego Comic Con where there are lots of activities to participate in direct sunlight. Nothing ruins a convention faster than accidentally turning yourself into a lobster.

Ultimately, have fun this convention season, but be prepared! What are your con essentials? Let me know in the comments!

  Image credit: Kevin Dooley/Flickr.com

GIFs via Giphy

"This is the best breakfast you'll have all year. Made using an In-N-Out 4x4, eggs, fries, cheese and a tortilla. "..(Read...)

I know it’s supposed to be better for a number of reasons, but I still can’t get used to the idea of coughing into my elbow. Aside from it looking weird, I would point out that we are raised from an early age to wash our hands often. When was the last time you heard any mother tell her children to wash the inside of their elbow?

 

You can comment on this comic on Facebook.

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

Privacy, when you have young kids, is like a unicorn from Neverland, carrying a mermaid on its back with a leprechaun in her palm.

It just ‘aint gonna happen.

 

 

I swear kids come with a built-in homing device, because the moment I sneak into the bathroom by myself or sprint to the shower for a quick rinse, they’re right there, up in my business, initiating a full-scale investigation.

“Mom?”

“Mom?”

“Whatcha doing?”

“When you gonna be done?”

“Mom, can you get me a popsicle?”

“Mom, Johnny’s teasing me…”

“Mom…what is that?”

With kids ages 7, 5, 3, and 1, my bathroom door is open more times than I’d like to admit, my showers are peppered with peering eyes and 20 questions, and my dressing room is an invitation for all to frolic in and out as they please.  I’m probably ruining them, I’ve thought on many occasions.  I’m probably scarring them for life.

When should parents begin teaching privacy?

When should parents stop being naked in front of their kids?

I’ve asked myself this a hundred times.  I’m so used to my babies toddling in and out of bathrooms and closets that I’ve almost forgotten how big they are getting.  There must be an age when kids should definitely NOT see mom or dad naked, right?

Scarring them for life…

I think I’ve been a little lax in terms of teaching my kids about privacy because, frankly, they were so young that it barely seemed to matter.  But now that they are growing, I know that privacy is a very important lesson for them to learn.  Teaching privacy is the first step to arming kids with the defense they need to prevent sexual abuse.  It teaches them respect for bodies and respect for individuals.

Children should understand that there are certain times people need privacy.

So, when should you stop being naked in front of your kids?

Teaching privacy is a process, not a single talk you’ll have with your kids.

I’m not sure there is an exact age, but here’s what I’ve noticed: around ages 3-5 is when kids start to notice nakedness.  Before then, you could prance from the shower to the closet without a towel and they are utterly oblivious.  But around 3-5 years old, they see you in the shower and start to point out your lady or gentleman parts.  The blinders that they used to have are replaced by curiosity to the tenth degree.

By ages 3-5, kids are capable of honoring privacy.  But it’s easier said than done, right?  Here are 3 ways to teach privacy that have been immensely helpful in our house.

3 Ways To Teach Privacy

1. Honor Closed Doors.

Always knock on a closed door before entering.  Always.

Teaching and enforcing this rule is HUGE in learning privacy.  Parents, don’t be afraid to close and lock the bathroom door.  As long as knives are out of reach, your littles will be fine for the few minutes you are in the bathroom.  It’s okay if they cry for a moment.  If mom’s closet door is closed, kids should knock first and wait for her to say it’s okay to enter.  Same goes for honoring your children’s privacy.  Parents and siblings should knock first and wait for affirmation before entering (unless of course your parent instincts tell you otherwise).   When getting dressed or using the restroom, we’ve gotten into the habit of saying:

Tip: Use “Privacy please,” as a cue phrase.

When the door is closed, “Privacy please…” is a great phrase to remind the other person to give you a moment.  Visual reminders are another great tool.  Hang a sign on your bathroom or closet door that reminds children to knock first.

Enforcing this one rule will take your children far.  At grandma’s house, at a friends house, and at your house.

2. There Are Certain Things We Don’t Do in Front of Others.

This is a great concept to start with.  Putting on shoes is okay to do in front of others.  Putting on underwear is not.  Washing your hands is okay to do in front of others.  Using the bathroom is not.  Have this discussion with your kids; you can even make a game out of it by quizzing them on different scenarios.  As your kids get older, the situations will be different, but the conversation should always be open.

 

3. The parts of your body that your swimsuit covers are private.

A good way to teach children how to honor the body is to teach them about modesty.  A fantastic way to explain this is that the parts of your body that your swimsuit covers are private.  Is also a good idea to teach them correct anatomical names to indicate they are private, but not so secret that you can’t talk about them.

Children should emphatically understand that NO ONE has the right to touch their bodies in those places.  No one, not even the doctor should touch those private places unless mom or dad is there.

Privacy may be different in your house, depending on the ages of your children, your culture, and your beliefs; but the bottom line is that children are capable of understanding and honoring privacy.  This is good news for parents like me who know all too well the squished face of a toddler peering under the bathroom door, carrying on a vivid conversation as if nothing were amiss.

And this is fantastic news if you’ve ever had a five-year-old call your bum “wobbly.”

Peace, love, and privacy!

Asking yourself those tough questions is all part of the parenting “package”. A lot of times it’s guess work, but we are always happy to share what works for us! Check out of few more of our secrets to winning at the parenting game:

5 Things Every Parent Should Know Before Talking to Kids About Sex

What a Six-Year-Old Taught Me About Honesty

STOP FIGHTING! 24 Ways To Help Your Kids Stop Fighting

The post When Should You Stop Being Naked in Front of Your Kids? appeared first on How Does She.

Most of my novels are available as unabridged audiobooks, and some are also available from Graphic Audio as dramatized editions. So far they’ve put out Elantris, Warbreaker, and the Mistborn trilogy, with The Alloy of Law coming in May. Well, this week also marks the release of their production of the first part of The Way of Kings, and they will follow that up with the rest of the book and Words of Radiance. Graphic Audio’s slogan is “A Movie in Your Mind,” and it’s a very different listening experience from traditional unabridged audiobooks. If you have never experienced a dramatized novel, check out the link or scroll to the bottom of this post to listen a sample.

There are two conventions in April that I will be attending:
April 8–10: Odyssey Con in Madison, WI.
April 22–24: JordanCon in Atlanta, GA.

Preregistration is closed for Odyssey Con, but you can register at the door. There’s less than a week remaining to preregister for JordanCon; the last day is March 27th. (You can register at the door, but it’s a bit more expensive.) See my full list of events here.

For those who didn’t know I was out of the country, I just got back from an incredible trip to the UAE. I met some wonderful people and made extraordinary memories. I may do a more thorough post on this later, but for now here’s a photo from my trip. For those who have always wondered what I would look like holding a falcon, here you go!

In this week’s new Writing Excuses episode, Idea as Subgenre, With Nancy Fulda, Nancy Fulda joins us again for a second episode on the Idea elemental genre. We cover some tools for exploring an idea, and then drill down a bit on how to use that exploration, or even multiple explorations as “seasoning” elements for a larger work.

Last week, in Tor.com’s continuing reread posts for Words of Radiance, we sat out a highstorm while Shallan and Kaladin exchanged backstories. This week, in Chapter 75, they finally return with a vital contribution to the upcoming expedition.

My assistant Adam has updated the Twitter post archive for March.

Not watched season 1 of Jessica Jones? Well, go watch it and come back and read this article because there are absolutely spoilers ahead. 

They had us worried, and writers, show runners, and actors were a bit coy about the return of Netflix’s mega-hit series, Jessica Jones, but the show has officially been renewed for a second season. Of course, we don’t have a premiere date just yet, and there’s questions of logistics with the second season airing in conjunction with Defenders. Regardless, the fact remains that we will definitely get more of Jessica Jones and Alias Investigations.

HELL. YES.

That’s awesome and crazy exciting, but the question that is lurking over season two is what could possibly be next for Jessica? After all, Kilgrave was a pretty gnarly villain. He wasn’t just a formidable foe, though his gifts did make him a tough one to fight. What made Kilgrave a truly unforgettable villain was how terribly creepy and frightening he was. Not only did he suffer from the classic villain “I’m not evil, I’m just misunderstood” complex, but he was disturbingly charming in the midst of stealing someone’s personal agency. Maybe it was the fact that David Tennant was employing what Whovians were calling his “Ten accent” (which is really just an English accent), or maybe it’s because Tennant just has one of those faces you want to trust which makes it really tough to accept that he’s forcing people to do something awful like put a bullet in their brain or cut their own ears off. Still, I am completely confident that when Jessica Jones season 2 hits Netflix, the story will suck us in just as quickly as the Kilgrave storyline. So what are some possibilities that we could see next?

Post-Kilgrave Jessica

Like Jessica said in season one, Kilgrave and dealing with the trauma of her time with Kilgrave will likely be something she has to fight and process for the rest of her life. However, it’s got to feel pretty empowering for Jessica to have not only found that she could finally overcome Kilgrave’s powers, but she overcame them enough to kill him and save her best friend. While I certainly don’t expect for Jessica to stop drinking and swearing and to start wearing more sparkly pastels, I think there could be some really cool and exciting character development for Jessica after defeating Kilgrave. Who knows, maybe she’ll largely be the same, but I think there is a potential for Jessica’s character to really evolve in season 2.

Investigating IGH

Understandably, Jessica didn’t have a lot of time to help Trish investigate IGH and the drug Simpson took to hulk out (metaphorically, of course–no green guys in this show). We don’t know anything behind IGH, and we don’t even know what IGH stands for. However, after learning about the connection Simpson’s Dr. Koslov had with IGH as well as learning that her powers may be thanks to IGH as well, it is pretty logical that Jessica will be hunting after them next. What will be very interesting to learn, should IGH be the next focus of Jessica’s investigatory skills, would be if Kilgrave and Jessica both have IGH to thank for their abilities. Personally, I hope not, but it could be an interesting theory if it gets addressed.

Crossover Story From Daredevil or Luke Cage

Since we’ve already seen Daredevil‘s Rosario Dawson on the show, and obviously Luke Cage had a huge role on the first season of Jessica Jones, it’s clear that those universes are very much intertwined (unlike Agents of SHIELD and the MCU). Since Jessica doesn’t have many villains that she fights with exclusively in her comics, it’s possible that Jessica’s next season could borrow a villain from one of the other Netflix/Marvel properties. So we could possibly see a villain that was more prevalent in Daredevil or with Luke Cage. Especially since they plan to smush the three worlds together in The Defenders, it would make sense that a baddie for Jessica would also present problems for both Luke and Matt. Speaking of The Defenders…

Fallout from The Defenders

We don’t really know what to expect from The Defenders, but it’s very likely that we won’t get a second season of Jessica Jones until after The Defenders airs. So like we see Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage–and Hell’s Kitchen as a whole–dealing with the fallout from “the event” in New York (the first Avengers film), Jessica may have a new Big Bad to deal with thanks to the craziness coming from The Defenders. 

Ultimately, I’m just excited to see more Jessica Jones, and I cannot wait to hear an official season 2 premiere announcement. What do you think we’ll see in season 2? What are you most excited to see as Netflix expands their Marvel world with season 2 of Daredevil, introductions to characters like Elektra and The Punisher, and new properties like The Defenders and Luke Cage? Let’s talk about it in the comments! 

 

Image credit: ratscape/DeviantArt.com

This is the $200 Braava jet, the latest Roomba style robot from iRobot. It sprays cleaning juice out of the front and mops it up with different cleaning pads."Just press 'Clean' and Braava jet automatically knows what to do. The precision jet spray loosens dirt, while the vibrating cleaning head gently scrubs stains. Braava jet uses iRobot's advanced navigation software and a full suite of sensors to map and track where its been, helping it mop in an efficient and systematic cleaning pattern. It keeps going until the whole room is clean. Braava jet is great for kitchens and bathrooms. It's small enough to work itself into tight spots, it carefully cleans around obstacles so it won't harm furniture, rugs or walls. When it's done, simply eject the pad, your hands never touch the dirt. Braava jet features three cleaning modes. It recognizes the type of cleaning pad, and automatically adjusts the way it cleans."..(Read...)

Because we’re fans of baked goods and love any excuse to fill our bellies with carbs and sugar, we’re big fans of Pi Day, which is today, March 14, and is the perfect excuse to make and eat pies.

Here are 3 pies you might want to consider making at home for Pi Day, or just because pie is awesome.

MILLENIUM FALCON-SHAPED PIE

Nothing gives us a hankerin’ for the Corellian homestead more than homemade apple pie, particularly when it’s it in the shape of a ship that did the Kessel Run in less than 12 pie-sects (sorry).  Anyways, this recipe is pretty straightforward, but the real gem is the instructions for creating a Falcon-shaped vessel using two 9-inch disposable aluminum pie/cake tins. Don’t feel stuck with apple pie, either. The possibilities for the kinds of filling you can smuggle are endless.

If you’re feeling less than crafty, but still like the idea of Star Wars pie, you can always just decorate the top of a pie with extra pie dough cut in various shapes, either by hand or with Star Wars cookie cutters. We’re not picky provided you save us a slice.

KLINGON BLOOD PIE

Usually consumed on the Day of Honor, this recipe for Rokeg Blood Pie is for the most hardcore Star Trek fans. Be aware, the name isn’t a misnomer – this recipe uses real blood (pig’s blood) as it’s based on a blood pudding recipe that ultimately tastes like “a very rich sausage roll.”

If blood isn’t your thing, you could probably just use this Pioneer Woman chocolate pie recipe instead, but you’ll risk getting called a gutless petaQ.

THE 20-SIDED PIE

This one is pretty involved. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the d20 pie isn’t from a cooking blog, but rather on Instructables, as things like hardware and custom-cut pie plates are used.

With that said, it doesn’t seem too much of a stretch to reduce this pie down from a d20 to a d4, and if you eat the whole thing, you won’t risk stepping on it.

What pie will you be enjoying this Pi Day? Let us know in the comments what filling you’d hide away in a Millennium Falcon pie!

 

Featured Image Credit: Olds Family Blog (Fair Use)

Image Credit: Turkey_Tek | Instructables (Fair Use), Food Replicator Tumblr (Fair Use),  Geeks With Curves (Fair Use)

Looking at the first panel again, years after I wrote it, I could have it worded better. People like compliments. Women do as well, in that they are people, but they are not the only people who like compliments, which is what the first panel narration implies.

On the other hand, this comic delivers two panels’ worth of Lando Calrissian humor! I believe that’s what we in the business call a “Double-Calrissian.”

 

You can comment on this comic on Facebook.

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

Here’s a fun fact: today is International Women’s Day! That’s 24 hours dedicated to celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

Here’s another fun fact: It’s also National Pancake Day! On the one day focused on the collective group of contributing members of society that make up over half the population, just as much press is going to my favorite hangover breakfast.

In honor of this insane pancake marketing snafu happy coincidence, let’s consider these eight ways that pancakes have it better than us ladies, today and every day.

1. It takes 20 minutes to make pancakes. It takes 388,800 minutes to make (gestate) a human baby.

2. The Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity Pancakes at IHOP have been described by consumer reviewers as “light…and I was able to eat all four of them without that heavy feeling some pancakes can give me.” Just last month, an actual Twitter user posted, “I hate Kim Kardashian pregnant. Such an ugly fat asshole.” She isn’t even pregnant anymore.

3. Pancakes are made up of 80% flour. Women make up 37% of all MBAs, but only 8.1% of top earners. There isn’t really a correlation, but I have a point to make.

4. On the campaign trail last fall, Donald Trump attended a jovial and delicious “pancakes and politics” town hall meeting with voters in New Hampshire. In his 2005 book “TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald” he wrote, “My favorite part [of “Pulp Fiction”] is when Sam has his gun out in the diner and he tells the guy to tell his girlfriend to shut up. Tell that bitch to be cool. Say: ‘Bitch be cool.’ I love those lines.” So that’s fun!

5. There are 36 IHOP locations within 50 miles of Chicago. There are 30 Fortune 500 companies based in the Chicago area. Women make up less than 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs. So by the numbers, there are 24 times the number of pancake houses as female CEOs in Chicago. The moral: it’s way easier to get a pancake than to get a lady in charge.

6. The pancake has been featured in cookbooks dating as far back as 1439. 577 years later, we still haven’t had a female President of the United States.

7. Pancakes are topped with syrup. Women are topped by men in average annual earnings by 30%.

8. Pancakes are food. Women are people. Both get an equally trending hashtag.

*Note: Research for this list was done via Google. If you want to check my facts, feel free. If you’d rather do something to prove that women are more important than pancakes, let’s talk about Second City Works’ brand new leadership program, 2095 Today.

_____________________________________________________

Becca Stahl is Content Development Manager at Second City Works.

The post 8 Ways Pancakes Totally Have It Better Than Women appeared first on The Second City - 50 Years of Funny.

These are the crocheted X-wing fighter blankets designed and crafted by Michelle of MJ's Off The Hook Designs. You actually put your legs into the body of the X-wing, and you can keep your hands warm in the engine pockets. If you're good with a needle you can find the pattern to make your own HERE...(Read...)

Darth Maul: Apprentice - A Star Wars Fan-Film. Check out the behind-the-scenes footage below...(Read...)

By now you’ve probably seen one of the latest mashups, taking the Star Trek fandom and joining it to the voracious Hamilton fandom, which turns “My Shot” and turning it into “My Spock.” If you haven’t, never fear, I’ve got it for you right here. Don’t throw away your shot and watch it!

You’ve got to admit, this is a pretty well done fan mashup. “My Shot” is super catchy all by itself, and “My Spock” manages to keep the catchiness of the original song and infusing Star Trek into the entire thing in just the right ways. It’s almost weird how perfectly it fits, but is this really the best Star Trek musical out there on the interwebz? After all, couldn’t one of the most famous space operas out there be its very own space opera [Editor’s note: it is!]? Or at least it’s own middle school musical? Honestly, after watching this, I’m a little offended that I never had the opportunity to participate in my own Star Trek musical back in my awkward middle school theatre days. Behold the awesomeness that is Star Trek: The Middle School Musical.

Be honest. You’re a bit jealous that your high school theatre teacher made you put on a production of Annie rather than a musical version of Star Trek, aren’t you? With such a rich musical history behind one of the most iconic space operas ever, it’s not surprising how well it’s able to be blended into popular modern musicals or turned into a musical of its very own.

[Editor’s note: Back in a 2009 episode of Robot Chicken, the show featured a sketch of an operatic version of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, titled Le Wrath di Khan, which was later preformed live by students from Indiana University.]

Did you know about the musical roots to Star Trek‘s theme song? Do you have a favorite fan-made musical based on Star Trek other than the two I posted? Tell me all about it–in song, if you choose–in the comments!

Image credit: geraldford/Flickr.com

"A baseball game nearly turned into a disaster this weekend when an errant bat almost hit a little boy in the face. The near-miss happened Saturday when the Pittsburgh Pirates were playing the Atlanta Braves in a spring training game and a Pirates' player lost his grip on a bat that headed toward the stands. "..(Read...)

So regardless of whether you have or even want kids, you have vague ideas about what you’d be like as a parent.  We ALL had ideas about what we’d be like as parents and most of those ideas were about how we’d be a thousand times better than the idiots we saw walking around being […]

Flavor Flav stops by Good Day Utah to give a weather forecast for Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas...(Read...)