The Shadow: Greatest Radio Adventures (From Amazon.com) July 31, 1930. A hot, muggy summer night. New Yorkers who could afford nothing else stayed home and listened to the radio. Those who tuned in to the new "Detective Story Hour" on WABC at 9:30 that evening heard a startling and mysterious voice telling thrilling detective stories. Manhattanites stormed their newsstands demanding more -- but they didn't want just any stories, they wanted to read about the narrator: The Shadow. The only problem was, those stories didn't exist. Pulp magazine publisher Street & Smith hired writer Walter Gibson to create the Shadow's adventures. The stories proved so popular that Gibson soon had to write two Shadow novels a month to keep up with popular demand. While the literary Shadow defeated criminals by shooting them, the radio Shadow took a less physical approach and "clouded their minds." The radio program lasted until 1954 and spawned more than a dozen movies and a television show. It's been almost three-quarters of a century, but to this day, there is only one man who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men -- The Shadow! Suggested Sites... Dail B for Burbank - the history of The Shadow, his agents, and the chroniclers of his many adventures. Wikipedia: The Shadow - history of the Master of Darkness in all media. The Shadow's Sanctum - adventures of the Shadow and Doc Savage, as well as video interviews with Walter Gibson. Walter B. Gibson - Wizard of Words - personal memories of The Shadow's creator. Internet Archive: The Shadow - listen to some of The Shadow's radio adventures.

Directory categories: The Shadow, Pulp Fiction, Old-Time Radio, Mysteries, Walter B. Gibson

Archived under: Anniversaries, Authors, Detectives, Entertainment, Fiction, Media, Nostalgia, Radio

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(Photo by Gaetan Lee) On this day in 1857, Thorstein Veblen was born. Who, you might ask, is Thorstein Veblen, and why are we spending precious pixels on him? An American economist, Veblen is most famous for his 1899 book, "The Theory of the Leisure." While it may sound like an invitation to sleep in and slack off, it's actually a critique of class hierarchy and how the ruling class becomes the leisure class by subjugating lower classes through menial work. Veblen coined the terms "conspicuous consumption" and "conspicuous leisure" to describe the waste of money and time by people striving to obtain a higher status. If that view of leisure has you feeling guilty about calling in "sick" today, you may appreciate a philosophy that celebrates the idle life. In 1937, Chinese philosopher Lin Yutang penned (from a comfy sofa, no doubt) "The Importance of Living." It hails the joys of lying in bed, loafing, and lounging. And today, through frequent pub visits and a not-so-frequent journal, Tom Hodgkinson is doing his best to promote all things idle. He and his fellow loafers are swinging back at the culture of work and the fast life by doing, well, not much. Today, go slow. Sleep in and don't forget that siesta. Suggested Sites... The Idler - fighting the work ethic. Idle Idols: Lin Yutang - a profile of the icon of idlers, Chinese philosopher Lin Yutang. International Institute of Not Doing Much - do less... slowly. The Cloud Appreciation Society - be sure to look up at the clouds today. Anxiety Culture - offering a wealth of ideas to help you navigate the crazy, work-obsessed life.

Directory categories: Travel, Walking, Hobbies, Dreaming, Cocktail Recipes

Archived under: Hobbies, Sleep, Society and Culture, Travel, Work

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Lumberjack World Championships It's time to drop what you're doing and get your axe to Hayward, Wisconsin, for the Lumberjack World Championships. This weekend, brawny folk and sensitive lovers of the great outdoors will be on hand to fight for lumberjack glory. Even if you've never heard of timbersports or don't know the difference between a block chop and an underhand chop, the competition will have you hollering "timber!" before you know it. This is not your garden-variety lumberjack show. These hearty lumberjacks -- some of whom work day jobs as lawyers or school teachers -- mean business. They will be sawing and chopping with dash, climbing with vigor, and spinning like busy beavers. While the competition is fun for the spectators -- especially if you're a fan of watching guys fall off logs -- the purse is serious stuff. With nearly $50,000 in prize money, some lucky logger is going to come away with a few more bucks in their overalls. Just beware of guys running around with chainsaws. Suggested Sites... Lumberjack World Championships - sawing, chopping, and spinning their way to glory. U.S. Log Rolling Association - we dare you to tell them it's not a sport. Stihl Timbersports - these folks wield large chainsaws. American Lumberjack Association - dedicated to getting us all to enjoy timbersports. Lumberjack Water Sports - it's never too late to get into log rolling.

Directory categories: Lumbering, Lumberjack Shows, Logging, Paul Bunyan

Archived under: Entertainment, Events, Lumberjacks, Outdoors, Sports, Trees

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Robert Baden-Powell founder of scouting When Robert Baden-Powell founded the scouting movement 100 years ago, he probably didn't envision scouts earning merit badges in nuclear science, space exploration, or cinematography. Maybe he'd be surprised how much his idea -- teaching young people practical skills to improve character and citizenship -- has really taken off. This weekend, tens of thousands of scouts from around the world will converge in England for the 21st World Scout Jamboree. They'll do the things scouts do best -- camping, first aid, being "clean in thought, word and deed" -- but more importantly, they'll bond over the principles of Baden-Powell's Scout method. The founder, a Boer War hero, originally wrote guides for military scouts and later adapted them for civilian youth. He tested his methods July 29 to August 9, 1907, on Brownsea Island, creating the first scout camp with a small group of boys from different social backgrounds. The camp was such a success that the scouting movement boomed: Today there are over 28 million scouts. In honor of the centenary of the Brownsea camp, Jamboree scouts will revisit the original campsite this weekend. That lucky group will be bringing Baden-Powell's ideals of discipline, chivalry, patriotism, observation, woodcraft, life-saving, health, and endurance into a new century of scouting. Suggested Sites... Scouts - the home of international scouting. 21st World Scout Jamboree - the centenary event runs from July 27 until August 8, 2007 -- almost exactly 100 years after the Brownsea camp. Pine Tree Web - a huge collection of images and documents on scouting history and Robert Baden-Powell. Scouting Milestones - a detailed history of the scouting movement. U.S. Scouting Service Project - an online community for Boy Scouts of America scouts and leaders.

Directory categories: Scouting, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts

Archived under: Anniversaries, Camping, Events, Kids, Outdoors, Recreation and Travel

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(Photo by MysteryFaery) This week, the U.S. Open of Surfing turns Huntington Beach, California into Surf City, USA, as it has each year since 1959. Formerly known as the Op Pro, the event has hosted some of the biggest rivalries in surfing, notably the '80s-era showdown of Mark Occhilupo and Tom Curren. Last year's winner, Rob Machado, can expect challenges from rivals like CJ Hobgood, already top dog of two events this year, and maybe even old man Kelly Slater, the sport's only eight-time champ. But while there's no doubt that the men and women from the professional World Championship Tour will make some waves, the real focus will be the hungry youngsters of the Qualifying Series. They'll make use of Huntington Beach's small, consistent waves to launch into that upper tier -- if they can avoid being too distracted by the skating, biking, and jamming at the Festival Village set up for the surf contest. Most importantly, though, we hope everyone can avoid using the tour's new emergency shark-spotting rule! Suggested Sites... The U.S. Open of Surfing - longboarders, groms, skaters, bikers, and the pros. International Surfing Museum, Huntington Beach - world class collection of surf music, movies, posters, boards, and memories. Waverider Foundation - dedicated to the preservation and protection of coastlines around the world. The Perfect Wave - in 1966, Bruce Brown's movie "The Endless Summer" found the perfect wave: small, consistent, and not in LA. The Riptionary - what does "hang ten" mean, anyway?

Directory categories: Surfing Competitions, Surf by Region, Surf Gear, Surfing

Archived under: California, Events, Outdoors, Regional, Sports, Surfing

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