Allison Keene

Allison Keene

@keenetv
Writes about: Links
A long-time mental_floss contributor, Allison is also a TV critic for The Hollywood Reporter, Collider and Creative Loafing Atlanta. When not obsessively analyzing television shows, media, and pop culture, Allison works as a beat writer covering the Atlanta film industry ("ATLwood") and is a CitySearch scout. She enjoys urban exploring, napping, chuckling knowingly at New Yorker cartoons, fangirling, and supporting the Falcons and Liverpool FC.

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Dietribes: Vim and Vinegar

• Vinegar is, essentially, fermented fruit, though it can be made from anything containing sugar. "Typical retail varieties of vinegar include white distilled, cider, wine (white and red), rice, balsamic, malt and sugar cane. Other, more specialized types include banana, pineapple, raspberry, flavored and seasoned (e.g., garlic,... READ ON

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Weekend Links: Aerial Photos of the World's Busiest Airport

I'm almost positive I have posted this link before, but you should be watching it more than once! Be sure you have the HD option selected and are in full-screen mode for this Earth Time Lapse from Space, from a NASA flyover. Look at the storms! So beautiful and amazing. * What do vinegar and the fainting couch have in common? Per 19th century customs, vinegar was used to revive ladies (like smelling salts) as well as help mask the stench of the putrid streets (I think I would hate the smell of vinegar... READ ON

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Weekend Links: The Least Helpful Things Found in Textbooks

It was a favored pastime of mine, and I'm sure most of you, to ridicule the absurd drawings and bizarre quotes from school textbooks. But just because I'm out of school, the fun doesn't have to stop! Thanks to Matt, I now know about Thanks, Textbooks. The chuckling in the back of the room continues! (It's fairly new but I'm bookmarking it). * "Tommy Edison has been blind since birth and now producing videos online that reveal a glimpse into his life and the challenges that he faces daily, such as what... READ ON

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Weekend Links: Why Daylight Saving Time May Kill You

I am no fan of Daylight Saving Time, and now I have even more fuel to add to that fire, because apparently ... springing forward could kill you. My parents have started ignoring the time shift and exist on Central Time during these months while living in the Eastern zone. Heroes! * The most insane letter ever written by a child to a TV weatherman. Also the most awesome. This kid has a lot of creative talent! (Thanks Paul for the link!) * Whether you enjoy football soccer or not, you may still... READ ON

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Weekend Links: Christopher Walken's "Where The Wild Things Are"

There are plenty of videos out there with Christopher Walken reading things from "The Raven" to Gaga lyrics, but I particularly like his improvisation of "Where the Wild Things Are" mostly because of how far off script he goes! * Anti-Robot Revolution update: this ark may take them in ones instead of twos, but Brewster Kahle is hoping to keep a repository of every book ever published. Yes, even Snooki's. * As is pointed out, "the cat's point of view is written so truthfully it must be real": Excerpts... READ ON

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Dietribes: Lima Beans

• Though we have come to pronounce them differently, Lima beans were indeed named for the capital of Peru where they have been growing for over 7,500 years. Through trading and cultivation, limas became popular throughout the world, spreading across central America and the United States to Europe and Africa via Spanish and Portuguese ships!   • Lima beans also have a dark secret: raw limas should never be consumed because they contain a cyanide compound that is part of the plant's defense... READ ON

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Weekend Links: The Very Best and Worst of Movie Science

Not many of the fantastic crop of Oscar-nominated short films are available online, but animated winner "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" is and it is a must-watch! * Another round of The Very Best and Worst of Movie Science. Can they not pay to have a consultant on these things? Likely the rule is "the science should matter unless it just looks awesome, in which case ... we just go with that." * Of all of the issues with cryogenically freezing one's body, have you considered, say,... READ ON

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Weekend Links: Pink? It's All In Your Mind

I am legitimately concerned about this - I think the headline says it all: "They Did It To Pluto, But Not To Pink! Please Not Pink!" Apparently the very conception of "pink" is all in your mind ... * Now some fluff to make you forget such things: Time Waster Central (but it's so CUTE)! A hummingbird webcam (Thanks Holly!) and a penguin webcam. * Getting the camera to focus just right can be a trial for amateur photographers (it is for me, anyway!) but what about focusing after the fact? The best thing... READ ON

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Weekend Links: Kids Perform the Best Pic Oscar Nominees

Happy Academy Awards Sunday! Haven't seen all of the Best Pic nominees? Don't worry, these two short videos of kids reenacting the films is all you need (and they are fantastic). * More from the Oscars: what it would look like if this year's Best Picture nominees had a hostile conversation on Facebook (and you totally know they would). * Speaking of hostile, someone has made an entire page full of GIFs of the Actor and Actress winners (and more interesting, losers) through the years at the Moment of... READ ON

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Weekend Links: The Spookiest Places On Earth

What were your favorite literary characters intended to look like? Casting directors will have their own ideas that sometimes do (and many times don't) add up with what we imagined in our minds. But what did the authors intend? "The Composites" takes literary descriptions and plugs them into law enforcement software to get an idea of the faces as described. Very weird and definitely in the uncanny valley! * It may not be near Halloween, but it is dark and wintry, and a good time to snuggle up reading... READ ON

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