Weird

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Submitted by Melynda Sides, Digital Content Producer

Monday, September 19th, 2011, 2:00pm

Ahoy there, mateys! Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day! This holiday, celebrated every Sept. 19, began as a joke between friends John Baur and Mark Summers during a racquetball game in 1995 and has since grown to international recognition thanks to a column by humorist Dave Barry in 2002 and the viral effect of mentions online.

The official "Talk Like a Pirate Day" website, www.talklikeapirate.com, is a treasure chest full of golden nuggets of pirate wisdom, frequently asked questions about pirates (including "Is it 'Arrrrrrr,' 'Yarrrrr,' 'Yarrrrgh' or what?" and "What does 'savvy' mean?) and a list of pirate-themed parties around the planet held in honor of this day.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Photo of the Week: Reed Books, The Museum of Fond Memories

Submitted by Virginia Jones on Monday, August 8th, 2:18 pm

This is one of the best places in Birmingham to spend an afternoon. Spilling over with fabulous memorabilia and books, you won't want to leave.

2021 3rd Avenue North

For more photos of Birmingham, please visit my photoblog, Birmingham Alabama Daily Photo

View Comments | Post a Comment

Society for Creative Anachronism

Submitted by Strange Alabama, Dedicated to the state's curious and forgotten lore

Sunday, July 31st, 2011, 6:53pm

The Society for Creative Anachronism is an international non-profit educational organization, dedicated to the preservation, research and recreation of the crafts, arts, and experiences of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

The Birmingham SCA chapter, the Barony of Iron Mountain, covers Birmingham and its suburbs. For more information about the chapter, visit their website at: http://baronyofironmountain.org. For more photos of this weekend's event: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.228497180519669.57286.102244636478258&type=1

View Comments | Post a Comment

Birmingham’s Quinlan Castle

Submitted by Strange Alabama, Dedicated to the state's curious and forgotten lore

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011, 1:56pm

Was Hitler gathering national secrets via a Nazi spy headquarters in Birmingham? Were the “Reds” about to infiltrate our nation through a building located in the Heart of Dixie? Were witches practicing their strange, unworldly crafts inside its walls? What was really going on inside this strange castle standing guard over Birmingham’s Southside?

View Comments | Post a Comment

Oreo goes for Guiness world record of Facebook "likes"

Submitted by Melynda Sides, Digital Content Producer

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011, 2:45pm

Oreo goes for Guiness world record of Facebook "likes"

Oreo cookie lovers worldwide united Tuesday to put the chocolate cookie with the creamy inside on the books as the first brand to hold a Facebook Guinness World Records title.

The company's Facebook page asked fans to "like" a single post in order to earn the title of "World's 'Most-Liked' Cookie." Beginning at 10 a.m. CT, the fan page has 24 hours to generate more than 45,000 "likes" on a specific post. By 1 p.m. CT, the page had more than 50,915 "likes," so the "World's Favorite Cookie" should be well on its way to making history and setting a new record!

View Comments | Post a Comment

"MAZE" illusionist Jim Munroe performs for free at UAB

Submitted by Melynda Sides, Digital Content Producer

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011, 5:59pm

In the video apove, illusionist Jim Munroe makes a metal cane appear to float and change size.

Illusionist Jim Munroe, a 31-year-old originally from Orange County, Calif., has been on campus at the University of Alabama at Birmingham all day entertaining students with his unique form of pyschological illusions. He will be performing for free in the Great Hall tonight at 8 p.m.

The "MAZE" show claims to be more than just a magic act. According to its website, "MAZE presents a unique blend of illusion, intuition, psychology, humor, mystery, and danger. The events that take place during a MAZE show leave you entertained, bewildered, disturbed and inadvertently pondering the question, 'How can I know what is really true?'"

View Comments | Post a Comment

Lunar eclipse coincides with winter solstice

Submitted by Melynda Sides, Digital Content Producer

Monday, December 20th, 2010, 7:30pm

Lunar eclipse coincides with winter solstice

For the first time since 1638, a total lunar eclipse will coincide with winter solstice tonight. The eclipse will be visible over the Tennessee Valley beginning Monday, Dec. 20 at 11:29 p.m. CST. You’ll have to stay up until 12:32 a.m. Tuesday Dec. 21 to catch the moon in its umbra phase as it transitions from bright orange to blood red, dark brown and possibly gray. Earth’s shadow will completely cover the moon for a grand total of 72 minutes and the length of the eclipse from beginning to end will be three hours and 28 minutes.