From Prof. Oddfellow's sketchbook:

Is it true, as Momus suggests, that there are "few tales which would not be improved by the addition of the phrase 'suddenly, a shot rang out'"?  Decide for yourself as we alter the opening lines of . . .

EMMA by Jane Austen

Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her. Suddenly, a shot rang out.

FIRST QUARTER (PROGRESSIVE)

"A semicolon of twinkling starlight against a uniform background glow."

—Stephen James O'Meara, Steve O'Meara's Herschel 400 Observing Guide (2007)

 

From Prof. Oddfellow's sketchbook:

Today's Question:

Was King Ludwig II of Bavaria declared insane just days before his mysterious death in 1886?

With hindpsych, the regrettable answer is "yes."  On the left side of our striking Tarot spread, the Moon card speaks of Ludwig's vivid imagination and his shadow self.  Indeed, Ludwig was famous for his moonlit excursions and night owl schedule.  His enemies would have used this card as evidence of chasing after fantasies (at best) and entertaining distorted thoughts.

In the central card, the hands of the lovers don't touch—Ludwig's connection to love isn't through physical union.  Rather, a higher ideal (the angel) governs a mountaintop in the clouds—home of Neuschwanstein castle.  This card would have reminded Ludwig's enemies of the king's failure to secure an alliance through marriage, not to mention the rumors of the king's homosexuality.

On the right, the young man of the Two of Pentacles skillfully juggles a couple of gold coins.  This of course symbolizes the king's playful nature as well as his confident investment in personal projects.  His enemies would have used this card as evidence of reckless spending—note the infinity symbol around the coins.

The moon faces left; the juggler of coins faces right; the lovers in the middle don't touch.  We see an unmistakable polarity in this spread of cards.  Is it evidence of a strong Anima/Animus personality or of mental instability?  Ludwig's enemies saw imbecilic dancing in the juggler and heard mad howling from the moonlit wolves.  They declared the king insane and deposed him in 1886.

Which character from children’s literature is funnier: Stuart Little or Peter Churchmouse?

Clue:  This is according to The Journal of Educational Research

Answer:  Stuart Little  (The answer is in black text on the black background.  Highlight it to view.)

Citation:  The Journal of Educational Research (1920), p. 518. 

Here's Jesse's spot-on Prof. Oddfellow impression!  And it's true: our dictionary of magic words looks best when viewed through novelty eyewear.  Thanks for putting the hologram back into grammar, Jesse!

It seems a rare thing to encounter a source citation within song lyrics.  The first time we noticed the phenomenon was back in 1988, in They Might Be Giants' song "Ana Ng":

 

See our analysis of archetypes from a long time ago in the Star Wars series over at MysteryArts.com.

And Irish whiskey is a limerick?

Yes!  And did you know that after a few shots it doubles as an anapestic?

I thought tequila would be a lime-rick.

FIRST QUARTER (FUTURE)

"The day is again punctuated."

—Tony Banham, Not the Slightest Chance (2003)