(Photo by Jason Meredith) Back in the good ol' days, county and state fairs celebrated a region's agricultural achievements and drew folks in from the fields for a day of fun. Even though fewer of us live on farms nowadays, a day at the fair is still one heck of an occasion. As soon as you arrive on the midway, that unmistakable smell hits you: equal parts hot asphalt, deep fryer, and livestock. The fairgrounds reek of summer -- and everything else. Whatever your penchant, the fair's got it: prize-winning veggies and crafts, animal races of all sorts, stinky livestock pens, carnival rides, good-time music in the band shell, and lots and lots (and lots) of food -- most of it deep-fried. (Deep-fried latte? Gross!) The mind boggles at how many types of food can be served on a stick. Corn dogs are so passé! Cutting-edge fairgoers save the sticks for such nouveau delights as teriyaki ostrich, roasted alligator, and fried Twinkies. But, if you prefer your animals uncooked and without sticks, you can always count on the 4-H kids to parade the fluffy bunnies, pink piglets, and cute cows. Suggested Sites... State Fair Dates - find out when your fair is happening. Exhibiting and Judging Garden Vegetables - key techniques for blue-ribbon veggies. Meet Me at the Fair - Flickr Photo Group - it's almost like being there. How to Beat Carnival Games - better your chances of winning a prize. Deep-Fried Fair Food - mac-n-cheese, peanut butter and jelly, Oreos, hard-boiled eggs? Is there nothing they won't deep-fry?

Directory categories: State Fairs, Deep-Fried Dessert Recipes, 4-H, County Fairs, Livestock

Archived under: Amusement Parks, Animals, Awards, Celebrations, Contests, Crafts, Entertainment, Events, Festivals, Food and Drink, Fried Food, Junk Food, Regional, Summer, Tourist Attractions, Travel, United States

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We agree. Make it stop! (Photo by Morgan Sherwood) Legal disclaimer: What you're about to read, listen to, and watch will spoil at least the next few hours of your life, and if you start to sing, will also spread to your co-workers, friends, and family. Neither Yahoo! nor The Spark can be held responsible for any resulting earworms. Silly moves, stupid lyrics, a hammering beat, or an irritating chorus. There's a veritable plethora of songs that you can't help humming, even if you've heard them only once; songs that keep your booty shaking, whether you want them to or not. Take "The Macarena" (please!), by Los del Rio: it hit Number One the Billboard charts thirteen years ago today, but who among us doesn't remember those moves? (C'mon, you know you do ...) For 14 terrifying weeks, this song about a girl in love with men in uniform topped the charts, earning simultaneous places on VH1's lists of the Greatest One-Hit Wonders (where it was ranked #1!) and Awesomely Bad No. 1 Songs. As bad as it is, the Macarena is far from being the worst song ever. We've compiled a playlist of the most insistent (or should we say "annoying?") songs that will keep you singing and dancing (or shuddering and screaming) all summer long. In order to protect the innocent, we haven't named the offending songs, so their stickiness will hit you by surprise -- and we've also included some exotic "gems." # 10: A techno hit from 1972 that is best enjoyed with salt and hot butter. # 9: A song that never ends -- no matter how much you want it to. # 8: Rodents adore this sped-up sample from Disney's "Robin Hood" soundtrack. No one else seems to. # 7: That whole Jerry Lewis thing aside, the French have really bad taste. # 6: The current walk-up music of New York Mets shortstop José Reyes and Cleveland Indians third baseman Andy Marte. (Which could explain their teams' current records.) # 5: A blonde bimbo who topped the charts in 1997. # 4: ¿Usted tienen gusto de un poco de salsa de tomate? (Would you like some ketchup?) # 3: Little dogs are annoying. # 2: Rihanna loves Moldavian boy bands. (At least the latter had a great video clip!) #1: Between amphibians and candies, which is worse? Suggested Sites... Why Do Songs Get Stuck In Your Head? - how earworms work. More Annoying Songs - Rolling Stone magazine wants us to suffer even more. The Most Annoying Song Ever - two Russians artists put together people's worst musical nightmares into one painful song. Earplugs, anyone? Songs Stick in Everyone's Head - according to WebMD, earworms most annoy women and musicians. The Annoying Music Show - Chicago's Jim Nayder dares to play the worst of the worst.

Directory categories: Music, Charts, Music That Sucks, Lyrics

Archived under: 1990s, Anniversaries, Awards, Disasters, Entertainment, Music, Music History, Musicians, Rock and Roll, Songs

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Original cover of Michael Jackson's Thriller (Editor's Note: In light of the events of last week, we were reminded of this Spark from 2007.) After more than 15 years as a child star with The Jackson 5 and five successful solo albums, Michael Jackson hit new levels of superstardom in 1982 with "Thriller." 27 years later, Michael's sixth solo album is still an all time record-breaker, with 104 million copies sold worldwide, 80 consecutive weeks in the Billboard Top 10 (including 37 at number one), and seven Grammys. Michael earned top ten hits with seven of the album's nine tracks, including the Paul McCartney duet, "The Girl is Mine," and "Billie Jean," in which he denied allegations of fathering the child of an obsessive fan. "Billie Jean" also introduced the public to Michael's signature "Moonwalk" dance, said to be inspired by mime Marcel Marceau. The "Thriller" single went a (dance) step further with a 14-minute video directed by John Landis and narrated by the spooky voice of Vincent Price. In this horror movie spoof, Jackson turns into a werewolf, threatens to kill his date, and leads a chorus line of dancing zombies covered with grape jelly blood. Many -- especially Filipino prisoners -- cite it as the best music video ever, and there's no denying that both the album and the single made musical HIStory. Suggested Sites... Michael Jackson.com - official site of the late King of Pop. Thriller Videos - the best and the worst of aspiring Michael Jacksons, including performances by those Filipino inmates and Bollywood dancers. A Photographic History of Michael Jackson's Face - the "Thriller" makeup was frightening, but Michael's scariest face was yet to come. Thrill the World - learn how to dance like a zombie, and help break the record for simultaneous worldwide "Thriller" performances at the same time!

Directory categories: Michael Jackson, Rock and Pop Music, The 1980s, Michael Jackson Memorials and Tributes, R&B and Soul Music

Archived under: 1980s, Awards, Dance, Entertainment, Horror Films, Michael Jackson, Music, Music History, Thriller, Videos, Zombies

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Hello, Directory fans! Once more, it’s time to take a look at all the exciting happenings in the Yahoo! Directory -- the world’s favorite source for aggregated and categorized Internet information for more than a tenth of a century. Today, though, we’re changing our focus a little. In past installments of this feature, we’ve focused on the past; that is to say, things we’ve recently added. But, just for a change of pace, we’re going to put on our swami hats and predict the things you’ll be looking at in the future. We may not be Kreskins or Criswells, but we think our crystal ball is pretty accurate. Of immediate interest is next week’s inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. We’re always on the lookout for information about inaugural activities, as wek as what to do in Washington D.C. once the dust has settled, and you’ll find it all here. And, hey, the NFL playoffs are proceeding apace, and you can find everything you want about all the teams, players, and odds. (Personally, we’re rooting for the Steelers, but you can learn about the other teams, too.) With the Super Bowl around the corner, you’ll be wanting to know about the ads -- and what to cook for your parties, won’t you? And it’s almost prom season, isn’t it? Now, our own prom was more than a few years ago, but we know the gals will be trying to find the latest and hottest fashions and hairstyles, won’t they? And fellas, don’t forget, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner -- you’d better have tips on gifts and things to do -- if you know what’s good for you, that is. (And for guys without a Valentine’s date, well, there’s always the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue …) Awards season is in full swing, and with the Oscars, Grammys, and even the Westminster Dog Show -- coming up, you’ll want to have all that information about nominees and winners at your virtual fingers, won’t you? So, come on into the Yahoo! Directory; the info’s fine -- and you’ll be proud to be the most informed surfer on the block. Suggested Sites... Yahoo! Directory: Super Bowl Commercials - from "1984" to the "GoDaddy" girl, they're all here. Yahoo! Directory: Prom and Homecoming - they're getting closer, after all. Yahoo! Directory: Valentine's Day - sweets for the sweet. Yahoo! Directory: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue - we buy it strictly for the articles. Yahoo! Directory: Dog Shows - canines on parade.

Directory categories: Presidential Inaugurations, Barack Obama, Mentalists, National Football League, Super Bowl

Archived under: Advertising, Athletes, Award Shows, Awards, Barack Obama, Celebrations, Dogs, Entertainment, Events, Football, Gambling, Hair, History, Inaugurations, Models, NFL, Paranormal, Parties, Presidents, Prom, Prophecy, Psychics, Recipes, Romance, Safety, Sports, Super Bowl, Swimwear, Valentine´s Day, Yahoo!, Yahoo! Directory

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Welcome back to our occasional feature on what's happening in the exciting world of the Yahoo! Directory. Even though it's been a while since we've updated you, don't think our work has stopped: There's always new stuff to be added. For example, in less than two weeks, we'll mark the start of the Beijing Olympics. Folks from all over the world are preparing for their visits, so we've expanded our categories on Beijing hotels, tourism, and restaurants, to provide even the fussiest traveler with information on where to go and what to see. Of course, there are other aspects to the Games that we all find fascinating, and so we've boosted our information on such performance-enhancing drugs as Atenolol, GHB, and Rohypnol. And we're not sure if this relates to the sometimes-questionable air in the capital, but we've added sites about treatment of persistent coughs, pneumonia, and sore throats (not to mention the traveler's traditional bane: diarrhea). But it's not all athletics and pollution here. When you wanted good information on Hurricanes Bertha and Dolly, we went out and found it (and will continue to do so throughout the storm season). And when the good people at the Television Academy announced the Emmy Award nominations, and we added information about all the nominated shows and actors. There's always room in the Directory for stuff that's oddball or off-center, so say hello to Live Action Role Playing Games and (our personal favorite) Chess Boxing, a competition that combines the brain-straining aspect of chess with the brain-addling power of the Sweet Science. If that sounds as interesting to you as it did to us, give it a click. That's all for now, but please join us next time, as we continue to delve into the more than one million sites that make up the Yahoo! Directory. Suggested Sites... Yahoo! Directory: 2012 Summer Olympics: London - we know you'll be wondering. Yahoo! Directory: 2010 Winter Olympics: Vancouver - and here, too. Yahoo! Directory: Chess - checkmate your opponent with a left hook. Yahoo! Directory: 2008 Emmy Awards - the best in television -- for one night, anyway. Yahoo! Directory: Specific Drugs and Medications - from Abbokinase to Zyvox.

Directory categories: 2008 Beijing Olympics, Olympic Games, Chinese Travel, Beijing, 2008 Emmy Award Nominations

Archived under: Actors, Asia, Athletes, Award Shows, Awards, Beijing, Boxing, Celebrities, Chess, China, Cities, Disasters, Disease, Emmy Awards, Entertainment, Events, Gamers, Games, Medicine, Olympics, Recreation and Travel, Role-Playing Games, Sports, Summer, TV, Tourist Attractions, Travel, Women's Sports, Yahoo!, Yahoo! Directory

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