You know you want one…

Life-size Yeti statue!

There are smaller, cheaper versions. If, you know, you’re like a weenie and all…

17 Famous literary characters almost named something else

Article here.

Catch some of the other links at “Mental Floss” too.

Classics in disguise

Publishers are trying to get young people to read the classics by dressing them up in modern, “Twilight-style” covers. Since many of these classics are in the public domain, the only expense is printing and the new covers. Not bad for the publishers, and if kids get sneakily introduced to some good books it sounds to me like a win all around.

News story here.

Terry Pratchett’s new book and Mysterious Potato Science

The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter (Amazon link)

I haven’t picked it up yet since I like to get books from my local indie bookstore when I can, but if Pratchett’s name is on it, I’m there.

The key to space-time travel seems to be the common potato (see diagram of the book’s “stepper” technology below on the left).  In the original Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy television series, a nice hot cup of tea was used to create the Infinite Improbability Drive, but the actual Drive had something spinning inside it that certainly looked a lot like a potato (cheesy screen capture below right).

I’m waiting for the episode where the Doctor reveals the hidden spud in the center of the drive mechanism of the TARDIS.

These aren’t the only examples of mysterious potato science…