Sadly, I couldn’t hear the noise reported by Jason. It would have been simple for Jason or an assistant to crawl on the floor out of camera and manipulate the closet door. Having said that, I was impressed with the shattered glass.

While there may have been several ways to duplicate this illusion, I believe that the simplest way would be the “Devil’s Bottle” or “Bologna bottle”. The glass is heated, the interior is subjected to rapid cooling, resulting in a shattered bottle or glass.

Enjoy the demo of the “Devil’s Bottle”.

Wouldn’t it be cool, if when asked what the client wanted, Amy replied that they want us to plug their haunted tours. Well, I can dream can’t I?

While I am sure that the, as Zak called it, damn dam was the scene of many tragedies, I was disappointed in the lack of historical documentation. Was any effort made to discover the names of the alleged men who fell into the cement? It would seem to me that an interview with a local historian could have cleared up a lot. Maybe a few headlines from the newspapers of the era would have been a nice touch.

When Ghost Adventures visited the location, they mentioned the Cherokee War Chief Dragging Canoe several times. However; the Ghost Hunters didn’t call him by name. Was that a lack of research on their part or a dig at GA’s focus on the curse? Grant tossed out the curse idea while on the way to investigate the damn dam.

Our professional team of crack ghost hunters quickly found themselves overwhelmed by the amount of “activity”. I have to admit that it does look and sound like a haunted place. I think that the high point was the flooded grave investigation.

Britt puts a camera in a water-tight box and with the use of a pole probes into a flooded brick structure. A bird flies out of the building scaring everyone. Just imagine if it had been Steve, he would have died of fright!

Of course, Steve and Tango had their moments. At one point, they started slapping their faces after feeling something on them. I was reminded of the Stooges. Amy got all worked up over a fish and Britt investigated by himself (I thought that a TAPS no-no???).

The most interesting sound recorded was what was described as an Indian flute. The wind can do that with a coke bottle, pipes, etc..

All in all, I enjoyed the episode. I have to say that in a head-to-head match Ghost Adventures had the more entertaining investigation.

This has got to be one of the funniest shows on TV.

From this show I have learned that Bigfoots behave very much like drunken frat boys. They will throw rocks at and pee on your tent. They catch ducks by swimming underwater and grabbing their little webbed feet. Bigfoots like candy bars and will walk on a fours to trick us into thinking that they are bears. They can imitate coyotes. The make tree knocks — because who doesn’t like tree knocking. Bigfoots only have black noses but have a variety of hair color. Power-line clearings are Bigfoot superhighways. Skunk apes sleep/hide in underground gator caves and absorb methane.

Oh those wacky Bigfoots!

Camelias in the front yard

Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons

Product description:

From the author of Mansfield Park and Mummies…

NORTHANGER ABBEY AND ANGELS AND DRAGONS

Dragons in the skies of Regency England!

Gothic horrors collide with high satire in this elegant, hilarious, witty, insane, and unexpectedly romantic supernatural parody of Jane Austen’s classic novel.

Young and naive Catherine Morland is constantly surrounded by angels only she alone can see. Leaving her country home for the first time, to embark on a grand adventure that begins in fashionable Bath, our romantic heroine must not only decrypt the mystery of the Udolpho Code but win her true love Henry Tilney.

Meanwhile she is beset by all the Gothic horrors known to Impressionable Young Ladies — odious demons, Regency balls, elusive ghosts, pleasure excursions, temperature-changing nephilim, secret clues, ogre suitors, and a terrifying ancient Dragon who has very likely hidden a secret treasure hoard somewhere in the depths of Northanger Abbey.

• TempleCon – Feb 3-5, Warwick, RI
• Anachrocon - Feb 24-26, Atlanta, GA
• AnomalyCon – March 23-25, Denver, CO
• Florida Steampunk Exhibition East – April 13 – 15 – Daytona Beach, FL
• Steampunk Empire Symposium – April 27-29, Cincinnati, Ohio
• AetherFest – May 4-6 , San Antonio, Texas
• Gaslight Gathering II – May 11-13, San Diego, CA
• Steampunk World’s Fair -May 18-20, Piscataway, NJ
• World Steam Expo – May 25-28, Deerborn, MI
• Clockwork Alchemy - May 25-28, San Jose, CA
• Steampunk Industrial Revolution – June 8-10, Nashua, NH
• ConTemporal – June 21 – 24 – Raleigh, NC
• San Diego Comic Con- July 12-15, San Diego, CA
• Portland GEAR Con - Aug 17-19 , Portland, OR
• The Alternative History Track at Dragon*Con - Aug 31 – Sept 3, Atlanta, GA
• Upstate Steampunk Extravaganza And Meet-Up – Sept 30 – Oct 2, Anderson, SC
• Four Winds/The Wild, Wild West Steampunk Fest – Oct 13-14, Troup, TX
• OctopodiCon 2012 – Oct 5 – 7, Oklahoma City, OK
• Steamcon IV : Victorian Monsters  – Oct 26-28, 2012 Seattle, WA
• Emerald City Steampunk Expo – November (dates TBA), Wichita, Kansas
• Teslacon III : “A Trip to the Moon” – Nov 30 – Dec 2, Madison, WI

If you have a steampunkish convention in your area, and it is not listed, leave the info in the comments below. This looks like a great year for steampunk!

Through the haze…I remember her. I feel a strange sense of forboding. I think I have made some terrible mistakes. I don’t want to face them…but I don’t want to repeat them either. -Elgin

Was my love more real than the girl?
Was my love more real than the girl?

Was she a product of my own imagination?
Cold constructed fabrication?
Was my love more real than the girl?

We were never more
Than just the sum of our parts
I gave her everything
But never gave her a heart

We had a cold steel conversation
And I could see the dead in her eyes
My love was more real than the girl!

Her gaze was transfixed on a point far beyond…

I tried to fix her
But I was broken and bled
Broken and beaten
And mistaken for dead

I never gave her a chance to be human
The only place she ever lived
Was inside my mind

Was my love more real than the girl?
My love was more real than the girl!
I swear!

Music Copyright 2011 The Melting Clock

Product description:

As Paula Deen will tell y’all, there’s just no satisfying way to finish a delicious meal without a scrumptious, mouthwatering dessert!

In this beautiful hardcover edition of The Lady & Sons Just Desserts, Paula — author, restaurateur, and Food Network star — devotes her trademark southern charm to a tempting collection of more than 120 delightful recipes, guaranteed to indulge any sweet tooth. Whether you’re baking for the holidays or an after-dinner treat, there are crowd-pleasers here for any occasion.

These are the classic down-home recipes that have made Paula beloved to her fans everywhere, from her signature Gooey Butter Cake and Key Lime Grits Pie to Pecan Shortbread Bars, Hidden Mint Cookies, and Iron Skillet Brownies. Whether you’re whipping up an Old South Jelly Roll Cake for a weekday treat or baking the Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie or Christmas Nut Pie for a holiday celebration, these treats are as easy to create as they are to enjoy. The Basic 1-2-3-4 Cake — in coconut (Jamie’s favorite), caramel (Bobby’s favorite), or chocolate — makes a wonderful birthday surprise, and the Tennessee Banana-Black Walnut Cake with Caramel Frosting is a southern favorite sure to become one of yours as well. There is also a wide array of cookies, bars, and candy, including Savannah Cheesecake Cookies, Orange Brownies, Chocolate Brickle, and Creamy Caramels. Even the most time-pressed cook will find it a snap to create these from-scratch recipes, using Paula’s tips for reliable convenience ingredients and time-tested shortcuts that will impress and delight family and friends.

Filled with warm baking memories and family stories, The Lady & Sons Just Desserts is already a kitchen classic. There are also helpful baking tips for measuring ingredients, storing leftovers, and even cutting a few calories, as well as tasty flavor variations and unique serving suggestions throughout. So bring the folks together to create your own memorable meals and occasions and remember to save room for dessert!

Thumbing through The Lady & Sons Just Desserts: More Than 120 Sweet Temptations from Savannah’s Favorite Restaurant

My thoughts:

Recently, Paula Deen has been taking some heat after announcing that she suffers from diabetes. While I understand questions about some of the dishes that she prepares, I struggle to understand to understand the personal attacks.  Being one of the most politically incorrect people you will ever meet, I decided to review Paula Deen’s dessert cookbook.

I enjoyed the glossy color pictures of what the desserts could look like, but I would like to have seen a lot more of them. The desserts were fabulous and I couldn’t help but think of some of the desserts served at my own family gatherings. Paula gives you more than just recipes, she also shares her personal anecdotes.

Douglas’ Dark Rum Pecan Pie 

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup dark Karo syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 to 2 cups pecan halves, according to taste
2 tablespoons Myers Original Dark Rum (1 for the pie and 1 for you!)
1 unbaked deep-dish 9-inch pie shell

Preheat oven to 375F.
Combine sugar and butter in a bowl; stir in syrup, eggs, pecans, and rum. Pour into unbaked pie shell; place on heavy-duty cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 10 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350F and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until pie is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

I was surprised to read the section on healthier calorie cutting tips. “You may substitute skim milk for whole milk [...]  A great substitute for sour cream is nonfat plain yogurt [...] Lean towards angel food or sponge cake instead of butter cake.”

All in all, I really enjoyed the book, and I highly recommend it.