Various & Sundry, July 15

Too many interesting obituaries to list here, so that will be a separate entry and probably a new feature. Something like "This week in death," perhaps. I'll post it tomorrow.

In the meantime, here are some other interesting things I saw this week.

I wish I'd seen the recipe for this cake before the 4th of July. I'll just have to remember to do it next year. Actually, I'll probably have to do some sample cakes because the technique looks a little tricky, but heck. I like cake.

Under the heading of "Things that irk me," I read this article about a woman who will potentially be sentenced to 93 days in jail because she is growing vegetables in her front yard. Yep. As opposed to “suitable, live, plant material.” Are you thinking to yourselves that vegetables are live plant material? Ah, but they are not "suitable." And what is suitable? Not vegetables, apparently. I'm glad I don't live in Michigan or I would have been thrown in the hoosegow long ago.

I cannot wait to see the new Harry Potter movie. Actually, I guess I can wait or I would have seen it already. In the meantime, I loved this profane and straight-talking piece that contends the books should be named after Hermione Granger and makes the case why.

When the time comes around to fight, the boys are like, “Oh wow, look at this thing that happened. Isn’t that crazy?” while Hermione is like, “Idiots, I figured that out like 5 books ago. CAN YOU PLEASE FOCUS.”

Awesome.  (I said something similar last year, but hers is much funnier.)

The thing about the Harry Potter movies is that they make the passage of time so clear. It seems appropriate to share with you 40 things that will make you feel old. Including this picture of Daniel Radcliffe at the time of the first movie. He's so young! I feel old all of a sudden.

Continuing our theme of the passage of time, I absolutely loved this photo of a father and son at the first and last space shuttle launch. The son posted the pair on Flickr,saying it was "The picture we waited 30 years to complete." Details here. Isn't it lovely?