A friend recently turned me on to this vocabulary challenge that is fun and donates (a very small amount of) rice with every correct answer you give. I plateau at level 47 and by that point I am pretty stumped half the time- I should thank Gene Wolfe and some of my other favorite authors for their broadening effect on my vocabulary. Give it a try!
I love FreeRice. 47 is impressive. I reached 42 at one point, but it's a challenge for me to get back up to that level. http://www.thehungersite.com is a similar concept. On TheHungerSite you click once daily, rather than answer an indefinite number of vocabulary questions.
There was a piece on NPR recently (Morning Edition I believe), about how some teachers are using the site to help kids study for their SATs. I thought that was a very cool idea!
I've gotten up to 45, but always get stuck there.
__________________ These are the times that try men's (and women's) souls
~~(from) Thomas Paine
livius drusus Thanks! Manimal was short-lived and pretty silly- I barely remember it as I was 12 at the time, but I could swear Manimal had a four-sided pyramid-shaped metal frame that he meditated inside, while out in the forest, though I could be splicing in some other series. Back then, anyone who could turn into a black panther was pretty cool to me. Okay actually that's still true. TV Guide put it on their worst TV shows ever list a few years ago as well. Whenever I mention it most have no idea of what the hell I am talking about. (Kind of like the show from the late 80's whose name I can't remember : the protagonist was vigilante who wore all black and carried an unloaded .357 with a laser sight, had a cat-burglar/ ninja/ the Shadow skill-set, and helped people in trouble- and looked like Michael Nouri from Flashdance- I want to say 'Sable', but I got no hits off IMDb.)
TV Guide is just hating. Sure, Manimal used the same four Werewolf-in-Londonish transformation sequences in every episode, but they rocked that stock footage, dammit!
I lived in Italy in the 80's and they showed failed American series in perpetual loops. Remember Automan? Desi Arnaz, Jr. and a "hologram" who steps out of the computer along with his trusty sidekick cursor to solve crimes and disco dance? That shit was hot.
livius drusus
Automan was great. Youtube has the opening credits. My favorite running schtick in the series (beyond Automan's bemused benevolent super-hero thing) was the 90 degree angle turns Automan's vehicles would make, smooshing the sidekick into the windows. Sledgehammer is out on dvd now and a friend lent it to me; I could only watch it in small doses but still pretty funny.
__________________ Hear me / and if I close my mind in fear / please pry it open See me / and if my face becomes sincere / beware Hold me / and when I start to come undone / stitch me together Save me / and when you see me strut / remind me of what left this outlaw torn
TV Guide is just hating. Sure, Manimal used the same four Werewolf-in-Londonish transformation sequences in every episode, but they rocked that stock footage, dammit!
I lived in Italy in the 80's and they showed failed American series in perpetual loops. Remember Automan? Desi Arnaz, Jr. and a "hologram" who steps out of the computer along with his trusty sidekick cursor to solve crimes and disco dance? That shit was hot.
I remember that! It made NO SENSE AT ALL!
I want to see it again.
And to the other person who brought it up: Sledge Hammer is a beautiful realization of all that could have been right with American Television, including killing off the entire cast at least once.
__________________ Hear me / and if I close my mind in fear / please pry it open See me / and if my face becomes sincere / beware Hold me / and when I start to come undone / stitch me together Save me / and when you see me strut / remind me of what left this outlaw torn
Vocabulary game
Linear Mode
