Dang Cats!  Trying to be healthy and creative and grow your own herbs and what happens? As soon as your back is turned, the cats jump up on the counter and start digging and munching!  What can you do?  You can’t guard your herbs every minute… or CAN you?

Check out how this clever person used a motion detector, a blender, and a strobe light to teach those cats that counter plants are NOT for *nom*!  The Blender Defender!

(cross posted on Witchytech.com)

Do you remember me nearly killing myself by participating in the 2006 24-Hour Comic Challenge?  The challenge is to make a complete 24-page comic, or 100-panel webcomic, in one 24 hour period. (Here is the result of my labors.)

Around this same time, I met a fellow comicker named “Fesworks” on various comic forums I frequent.  He is amazing. He not only does his own comics, he does artwork for other comic writers,  hosts a webcomics podcast with other comickers, contributes to Infendo.com (a Nintendo site! YAY!) and is always supportive and encouraging to those of us who dip our toes into the webcomic world.

Fesworks has stepped up to this year’s 24-Hour Comic Challenge in a big way. He is going to make a LEGO comic!  A LEGO comic means that instead of drawing panels, he will build scenes and characters out of LEGOs, photograph them, and present the photos in a sequential (comic) story! WOW!

Fesworks is starting his 24-hours this afternoon at 3PM Eastern time.  He has set up THIS WEBPAGE to allow us to watch his progress.  Please stop by and see how it’s going!  If you use Twitter, you can follow Fesworks on Twitter.

Go, Fesworks!

UPDATE!  Fesworks has started his project! Visit him on his UStreamTV show and leave some words of encouragement.

We’ve all read great books that didn’t get the recognition they deserved. These closet classics are often hidden behind the promotional materials for the current popular selection, or gathering dust in the local library or bookstore.

This sad fate is not limited to today’s books and literature. What if such a treasure had to compete with the likes of Mark Twain, Jules Verne, Ernest Hemingway…? Today’s readers are missing out on some real gems that came out at the same time as the classics we know and love!

Fortunately for us, a site called The Neglected Books Page is dedicated to shedding the light on these hidden gems.

Here you’ll find lists of thousands of books that have been neglected,
overlooked, forgotten, or stranded by changing tides in critical or
popular taste.

And that’s what you DO find. Browse through the Featured Books page and you will find a list of books worth checking out. Many have an excerpt of the book, along with the site editor’s comments, contemporary comments, where to find out more about the book and suggestions on where to find a copy. (example: Sincerely, Willis Wayde, by John P. Marquand)

Even if you are not interested in reading any of these old books, just reading about them is a fascinating way to pass the time.

If you check out The Neglected Books Page, please be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!

If you’ve read a book that you don’t think has gotten the recognition it deserves, please tell us about it below!

ALSO: Book reviews are welcome here at Densaville.com. Let us know what you’re reading!

Densafolk have proven time and time again how much they love history and mystery as well as fiction and fun. What more perfect genre for this group of people than Alternate History? Alternate histories are stories which take place in our world, but their fictional history is altered in some way from the actual history.

We already have an idea of WHAT happened, but WHAT IF something ELSE happened? That is: What would have happened if the colonies failed to win their independence from Britain? What if we have been having diplomatic relations with extraterrestrials since before the Roswell crash? Alternate history stories would be set in these “what if” scenarios.

Many of these kinds of books can be found on the science fiction/horror sections, as these themes are often explored in time travel/dimensional travel stories. However, there are several alternate history books found on the fiction and mystery shelves!

Unfortunately, such books aren’t usually labeled “alternate history” so you will have to do some reading of back flaps or book jackets. OR.. you can visit the UCHRONIA website!

Uchronia: The Alternate History List is owned by Robert B. Schmunk and is an extensive listing of books, short stories and essays involving alternate histories. The site offers summaries of the books, as well as links where you might find the book online and sometimes to the publisher’s or author’s website.

Have you ever read any alternate history books or stories? If so, please let us know in the comments! If you try out one for the first time after reading this article, please let us know your impression of the book and the genre in general.

~Witchy

The entire community of “astrophiles” (did I just coin a word?) is watching the Phoenix Lander’s activities on Mars. It’s so exciting to think that images from ANOTHER PLANET are being beamed back so clearly.

I realize that many people aren’t as into the wonders of science as I am, but even if you have a passing interest, you can surely appreciate the adventures of Steve the Cat, the first cat on Mars! The Phoenix Mission is being conducted by Steve and his adventures and observations on Mars are a fun way to keep up with the Mission’s findings. Kids (and adults) can send questions and comments to Steve who replies all the way from Mars.

You can find the above video and all the info on Steve the Cat on Steve’s website, which is maintained by ground control at NASA.

Shope to promote literacy.  Better World  and free shipping.  Used and new books.  The sales of these books go to fund literacy programs world wide.  1.8 million used books and 500,000 new titles available. 

Click the image to generate your own Warning Label! Several designs to choose from.

If you are familiar with the old PacMan games of the 80’s (and even if you’re not), here’s a fun take on the game to while away a few minutes of computer time. Try out Pac-Xon at this link! It’s very easy to figure out and fun to play.

Having the Recorder typing all the time can capture some pretty funny moments in a courtroom, like:

* Lawyer: “Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?”
* Witness: “No.”
* Lawyer: “Did you check for blood pressure?”
* Witness: “No.”
* Lawyer: “Did you check for breathing?”
* Witness: “No.”
* Lawyer: “So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?”
* Witness: “No.”
* Lawyer: “How can you be so sure, Doctor?”
* Witness: “Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.”
* Lawyer: “But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless?”
* Witness: “Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law somewhere.”

This site, Things People Said, lists a few, though I don’t know if these are ACTUAL things said since no specifics are given. But if you imagine them as genuine when you are reading, you will have a good chuckle!

Dangit!! Why does your body need so much stinking healthy food and exercise? Eating tasteless food and sweating is SO good for you, but so darn.. ICKY (can you tell I’m on a diet right now?). Well, don’t neglect your brain! Like everything else in your body, it needs good nutrition and a good workout to keep it in good fighting.. uh.. thinking shape.

You’re on your own for nutrition, but we’ve got you covered on the exercise part. (Our community was formed around Mind Games, after all!) Socyberty has collected Top Ten Websites for Brain Training. Visit a few of these sites while you are on your downtime, or as part of your morning routine or after your physical workout (did I say something funny there?).

I personally have “Brain Age” for the NintendoDS and enjoy it very much. It is fun to compete with myself for the youngest Brain Age each day. I really do think I am getting better!

If only I could have as much fun exercising the rest of me… *sigh*