Weekend Links 5-1-20

Hard to believe we have already reached the first of May. This year certainly has flown by. Here are a few things of interest I found this week.

What do Alfred Hitchcock and Quentin Tarantino have in common? For one thing, they could have both directed James Bond films. Here's the story of films from the long-running franchise that didn't get made.  If you're new to the franchise and not sure where to begin these seven films are a good place to start.

The story of the enduring appeal of Scooby-Doo. We just introduced this series to our daughters not long ago and they immediately became fans.

Kansas City is famous for its barbecue. Now it has a vending machine to provide your late night barbecue fix. 

The Ironbridge Bookshop is one my favorite book stores. Even though I have never visited I have spoken to the owner, Meg Prince, a number of times. She's helped me expand my Penguin collection which you can see on my Instagram feed. Meg's story is an interesting one as she became a bookseller as a teenager and has been working hard to make her shop a success. She's also a delight to work with.

While we are in the midst of the coronavirus crisis it may seem like all the answers are obvious. The truth is that they aren't. .That pretty much applies anytime we are in the fog of a crisis.

Aficionados of yard sales will tell you the fun is in the unexpected things that you will find while shopping. It's safe to say that these shoppers had no idea they would find these items while perusing yard sales. 

Fake news is a commonly used term these days. However, the idea of reporters sometimes fabricating stories is not new. Here's the true tale of one false newspaper report that nearly derailed one of the most infamous murder cases in American history. 

Steve Dalkowski, who passed away last week, was known in baseball circles as the hardest thrower to ever pitch. He was even the inspiration for Nuke Laloosh in Bull Durham. Despite the fact he never pitched in the major leagues (he blew out his pitching arm while in the minor leagues) he was still known by many to be a pitcher like no other. The problem is the lack of documentary evidence besides those who actually saw him pitch. But if you listen to the eyewitnesses it's hard to dispute that he truly was the fastest pitcher ever. 

Weekend Links 4-17-20

Congratulations on making it through another week. Here is a collection of items for your weekend enjoyment.

During Prohibition, breweries had to engage in other businesses in order to survive. For example, Pabst made cheese.

This seems somewhat ill-advised but I can see how current circumstances provide a unique opportunity. A Cannonball team set a new cross-country record. This story naturally makes me think of The Cannonball Run although I have always thought The Gumball Rally was the better film. This guide to the New York locations from The Gumball Rally is a lot of fun.

Folks are doing a lot more cooking these days and some places are sharing their recipes. For example, Disney has shared the recipe for their iconic Dole Whip treat sold in the theme parks. Meanwhile, Doubletree by Hilton has shared the recipe for their signature chocolate chip cookies. 

Last weekend marked the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Apollo 13 moon mission. How NASA turned what could have been its greatest failure into a triumph.

In every baseball box score you will see runs/hits/errors. Why those statistics used to define the game but don't any longer. 

I really miss baseball. I agree with this columnist's thoughts. 

Video of the week: why are ballparks all different dimensions? The answer might surprise you.


These are tough times for independent booksellers. However, thanks to Bookshop there is a way for them to sell their merchandise on line.

Some recommendations of classic detective novels to read while quarantined. Quite a few of my favorites made this list.

Lots of folks are baking while quarantined but are having trouble finding yeast. Here are a collection of yeast free recipes to try. Beer Bread has been a staple in our household for years. Also, here's an easy recipe to make your own bagels with just a few ingredients. My oldest daughter made these the other day and they were terrific.

What I am listening to: my current favorite podcast is the Shedunnit Show. Author Caroline Crampton discusses classic crime fiction as well as some of the real cases that inspired golden age fiction.

Weekend Links 3-27-20

It's been a struggle finding articles of interest that are not related to coronavirus. Some of this week's selections are somewhat related to the pandemic while others are not. Hopefully they will be of sufficient distraction.

Last week I mentioned that Capitol Hill Books in Washington, DC was allowing customers to browse through the store by themselves. Now they are going one better by sending mystery packages to customers. 

The pandemic has been hard on independent booksellers. Here are some great ways to show them some love during these difficult times.

What is it like to be an independent bookseller in a remote part of the country? Check out this article: Bookselling at the End of the World.

You can't get out of the house and the libaries are closed anyway. Not to worry you can still borrow books online. 

Stuck at home? Get caught up on some classic mysteries. If you prefer to stream your mysteries, check out this list of classic cozy British mysteries.

It's also a good time to join an online book club. Here's the information on the P. G. Wodehouse Book Club. We'll be discussing The Inimitable Jeeves this week.

You can now virtually explore the Smithsonian Institution museums. 

Did a letter from a boy with  toy bullet enclosed lead to a famous publicity photo by Don Knotts in his Barney Fife uniform? You decide.

This is neat: an architect repurposed an old baseball stadium into apartments.

If you are missing baseball (like me) you can always check out the MLB Vault on YouTube. 

Yesterday was supposed to Opening Day for the 2020 baseball season. Thomas Boswell has some thoughts on missing Opening Day as well as other sports. 

There's no doubt in my mind that Vin Scully is the voice of hope and optimism that we need. (audio embedded in the article)

If you've seen The Natural you are familiar with the scene where Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) knocks the cover off a baseball. But what do the rules say about when that actually happens? It has and the answer might just surprise you. 

Podcasts of the week: with so many people now working from home for the first time I thought these two podcasts would be particularly helpful. In the latest episode of Focus on This tips are shared on how to be more productive at home. The latest episode of Lead to Win addresses the challenges of working from home while balancing family responsibilities.

Tweet(s) of the week: take time to read this whole thread. I love that this guy felt compelled to get answers to his questions.