Rosie's Diner - Rockford, MI (photo by RaeMarie) "One nervous pudding, and make it walk!" the waitress hollers. "Drag one through Georgia and sweep the kitchen floor!" Don't know what that means? If not, you need to get out to your local diner more often. The diner concept took off when lunch wagon owners found that their customers were ravenous for "sinkers and suds," "city juice," and "graveyard stew." Patrons have been visiting greasy spoons ever since, in such far-flung locations as Moscow, Milan, and Maine. What brings folks back for "Bronx vanilla" and "Noah's boy"? The convenience, the atmosphere, and of course, the food. While some diners have gone missing in recent years, plenty of others remain to introduce new generations to such treats as "dough well done with cow to cover." So the next time you have a craving for a "bucket of cold mud" or "Eve with a lid on it," just drop in -- no reservations required! Suggested Sites... American Diner Museum - everything you always wanted to know about touring, eating at, and even buying diners. Diner City - photos, reviews, and guides to diners near you. RoadsideFans - guide to classic American diners, restaurant chains, and food. Roadside Online - diner news and reviews from new and vintage eateries.

Directory categories: Diners, Roadside Attractions, Restaurant Directories

Archived under: Business, Food and Drink, History, Restaurants, Travel

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

(from Cacophony.org, created by Louise Jarmilowicz) If you ever pulled another child's hair and made them think someone else did it, you were engaging in anarchy. The Cacophony Society, a group of radical adults, are still tugging the proverbial hair of society. Banding together, they gleefully stage pranks, causing indiscriminate distress to many, but no real harm. A spin-off of the Suicide Club, a San Francisco urban adventuring fringe group, the Cacophony Society has established lodges around the U.S. Its ideas have even traveled around the world, best embodied as roving bands of drunk and disorderly Santas. One of their most legendary pranks was the Cement Cuddlers teddy bear stunt, pulled on hapless L.A. toy store clerks. And if you happen to be running in the San Francisco Bay to Breakers marathon, that group of salmon runners swimming upstream is a Cacophonist tradition. (Dis)organizing to confuse the masses, Cacophony members leave no sacred cow untipped. Suggested Sites... Start-A-Lodge Cacophony Primer - field guide to the guerilla theater, public spectacles, and hoaxes of Cacophonists. Cacophony Archives - a quirky history of pranks and acts of mayhem committed by the originating group of San Francisco Cacophonists. Chuck Amuck - an account of attempted hoaxes performed on author and former Cacophonist Chuck Palahniuk at his book readings.

Directory categories: Cacophonists, Suicide Club, Santacon, Culture Jammers

Archived under: American History, Culture Jamming, Cultures

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

S.J. Sharks' "Sharkie" (photo by Mike Lee) Inside your suit, it's 120 degrees, your visibility is limited, and it's difficult to move. You are in frequent danger. You might get shot by a CIA sniper, whacked with a baseball bat, punched by a 330-pound offensive lineman, or thrown from an outfield wall. You might even have your tongue ripped out. But it's all worth it, you say. It's worth it for the kids. So who are you? Why, you're a professional mascot! You dance, you jump through hoops of fire, and you flap your wings unceasingly throughout the entire game. Your work is as physically demanding as that of the players on the field, but you are meant to be ridiculed. And you love it. Mascot life isn't easy (unless you're a real dog), but you wouldn't trade it for the world. You live by what the San Diego Chicken once said: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the chicken." Suggested Sites... Luckiest Sausage on Earth - some folks just love to run around dressed as a wiener. A Day in the Life of a Mascot - CBS ventures inside the furry underbelly. Running Joke - when a track and field mascot misses its mark. The Official Mascot Hall of Fame - honoring the performers for their dedication to wackiness, spirit, and community.

Directory categories: Mascot Life, Sports Mascots, Famous Chicken

Archived under: Fanatics, Mascots, Sports

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

Buy Nothing Day logo Every year on the day after Thanksgiving, American shoppers stalk around malls, hunting Black Friday bargains. After the sales have been picked over and the registers close out, economists anxiously await the day's totals, hoping to forecast a strong economy for the upcoming holiday season. But there are some who believe this consumerism only forecasts damage to ourselves and our planet. Today, these critics urge you to participate by not participating. Buy nothing at all -- not even gas, bread, or coffee! Proponents of Buy Nothing Day claim that it serves as a brake on the rampant consumerism that has spoiled society. If you do decide to shop on Friday, remember that wise spending, such as understanding where purchases come from and what kind of an impact they'll have on our environment, may make all the difference between wasteful overconsumption and practical resource production on our planet. Suggested Sites... Adbusters' Kalle Lasn on CNN (.mov) - watch the creator of Buy Nothing Day argue about the waste and weaknesses of consumer capitalism. Wishing You a Merry Retail and a Happy New Economy - explains how the economy relies on consumers, giving reasons to shop on Black Friday and every other day. Money Can't Buy Happiness. Er, Can It? - economist Paul Krugman questions whether America's consumption boom is really a good thing.

Directory categories: Buy Nothing Day, Black Friday Sales, Anti-Consumerism

Archived under: Advertising, Business, Holidays, Shopping

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2003 For many, Thanksgiving is a time for families to gather, feast, and give thanks for the blessings that life has brought them. Some are thankful for health or money, but for some of us, it's a long weekend in front of the television. Between the 79th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, football games, and Thanksgiving specials, fans of the boob tube have plenty to be thankful for. Since 1924, Macy's has made a spectacle of Thanksgiving with floats, bands, and giant balloons making their way down Broadway. For football fans, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys will host Thanksgiving Day games, a tradition since 1934 and 1966, respectively. And, of course, Snoopy will host a feast for Charlie Brown and the gang, having done so since 1973. So loosen your belt, head for the La-Z-Boy, and give thanks for the remote control. Suggested Sites... Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - straight from Macy's, official info on the 2005 parade. NFL Football on Thanksgiving: An American Tradition - guide to maximizing your football viewing. Recreating Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving - a tribute to the television classic.

Directory categories: Thanksgiving, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, TV Schedules and Guides

Archived under: Entertainment, Football, Holidays, TV, Thanksgiving

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting