Wordsmith.org : the magic of words

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

The Slut-Shaming of Halle Berry

(The Daily Beast)
Halle Berry
Art: Ismail Mia

Males thus ~ slut-shame
(by Jason Lofts)

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Rupert Murdoch Lays Off National Geographic Staff

(The Guardian)
National Geographic Magazine covers display
Photo: greyloch

Rupert Murdoch lays off "National Geographic" staff = Future: Forget all dynamic photographs of Africans! = I can't afford same cultural photography offerings!
(by Dharam)

A Herder's Life

(Huffington Post)
The goat-herder
Photo: jAYkROW

A herder's life ~ feralised her
(by Robert Jordan)

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Justin Bieber storms off stage after one song at Oslo concert

(New York Daily News)
140714_MP4_4088
Photo: Disney | ABC

Justin Bieber storms off stage after one song at Oslo concert = Let's reject rottenness! Buffoon is moronic! Goof's a stage brat!
(by Maurice Goddard)

Friday, October 30, 2015

Roman Polanski to appear in Polish court for US extradition hearing

(The Guardian)
Caricatura ROMAN POLANSKI
Caricature: Rulo

Film director Roman Polanski = It's folkloric - man raped minor
(by Julian Lofts)

Fury among Muslims after backpackers strip naked on beach

(Fox News)
Sunbathing
Photo: Fergus Macdonald

Fury among Muslims after backpackers strip naked on beach = Scandal: So trekkers' graphic buff prank may become tsunami?
(by Jason Lofts)

China ends one-child policy after 35 years

(The Guardian)
穿过你的眼【through your eyes】
Photo: bblinko

China is ending its one-child policy after thirty-five years = Son definitively first choice. Tiny girls, they are handicap.
(by Julian Lofts)

Runaway Army Blimp Trails Havoc

(WNEP)

Runaway army blimp trails havoc into east PA = TV team maps balloon airship airway truancy
(by Russ Atkinson)

Thursday, October 29, 2015

New Bond Film 'Spectre' Breaks UK Box Office Records

(VOA News)

New Bond Film 'Spectre' Breaks UK Box Office Records = Cute sex bombs offer Bond carefree wild-porn kicks!
(by Maurice Goddard)

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The Anagram Times Q&A with Russ Atkinson

In his former life as an FBI agent, Russ Atkinson chased white collar criminals and rapists and everything in between. Now retired, he chases letters and tortures them until they cough up the anagrams he wants. Read on for a special Q&A with The Anagram Times's crime reporter Russ Atkinson.

Q How did you get into anagrams?
A I've always enjoyed wordplay, witty dialogue, puns, palindromes, etc. My interest in anagrams probably increased after I became active in the American Cryptogram Association (ACA) in the 1970s. Many of the cipher types they use are transposition types, in essence anagrams of the entire plaintext, so anagramming is a useful skill for the ACA. In 2007 I served as ACA president in 2007-2008. But even before that, as early as high school, I enjoyed crosswords and acrostics. My mother subscribed to The Saturday Review where there was a double-crostic at the end of every issue. Acrostics are in effect very large anagrams, of course. I still do them. I especially love the cryptic acrostics, those with tricky clues, many of which contain anagrams themselves.

Q Do you remember the first anagram you made?
A Sorry, no.

Q Do you have a favorite anagram?
A The Anagram Hall of Fame on your site is full of classics, but I can't pick a favorite from those. There are too many. Of the ones published in The Anagram Times, perhaps SHARK'S BITES HARM US is my favorite because it is short and has no forced or gimmicky words. Shorter anagrams are the most elegant in my opinion.

Q How do you pick a news headline to anagram?
A I look at headlines on the Bing or Google News pages. I try to pick a story with a quirky or humorous element to it, but sometimes a headline strikes me as having a good word or phrase possible for an anagram. I don't really have a system.

Q Describe the moment when you are working on anagramming a phrase and the last few letters just fall into place and you realize that you have an outstanding anagram on your hand.
A It's that fist pump "Yes!" moment, very much like when you get that impossible cryptic acrostic clue or solve a tough geocaching puzzle.

Q Approximately how long do you spend on an anagram?
A If I can't come up with something I like within 20-30 minutes, I usually move on to something else, but I've spent most of a day on one and given up. On some of the longer ones, like the one I did on the Republican candidates, I may stop after a few hours and pick it up the next day.

Q What do you do in your non-anagram life?
A I'm a retired FBI Agent. That usually draws a joke or a gasp. I have a blog where I often include my anagrams and other wordplay as well as book reviews. Now I write mystery novels (The Cliff Knowles Mysteries). My most popular novel, Cached Out, has an anagram as a critical clue. I also enjoy running, geocaching, playing guitar, and reading.

Q Some people use anagrams for divination. Do you think there's a mystical angle to anagrams?
A Not a bit.

Q Anything else you'd like to add?
A My wife and I do the Daily Jumble and Super Quiz in the morning paper every day. I usually can do the Jumble words and final answer in my head, which my wife can't, but she usually beats me on the Super Quiz.

Selected anagrams from Russ Atkinson:

No more naughty bits: Japanese erotica gets a prudish update

(The Guardian)
Shunga Arte ed eros in Giappone nel periodo Edo
Image: Bruno Cordioli

No more naughty bits: Japanese erotica gets a prudish update = They upturn art data to judge penis-shape origami as obscene
(by Mark McNamara)

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

The WHO's new warnings about bacon and cancer, explained

(Vox)
Ruby Sitting Pretty
Photo: Marji Beach

Maple cured bacon rashers = Samples harboured cancer
(by Jason Lofts)

Hot dogs, bacon and other processed meats cause cancer, World Health Organization declares

(Washington Post)
Too much meat
Photo: Julian Kücklich

Hot dogs, bacon and other processed meats cause cancer, World Health Organization declares = A disgrace! How can schools bend and change error to meatless patties to reduce colon hazard?
(by Dharam Khalsa)

'Human chimera': Man fails paternity test because genes in his saliva are different to those in sperm

(The Independent)
Who's Your Daddy? Drugstore Paternity Test
Photo: Mike Licht

'Human chimera': Man fails paternity test because genes in his saliva are different to those in sperm = Secretion analysis abnormalities disguise fathership... patterns mean neither have an effect, mum!
(by Mark McNamara)

Monday, October 26, 2015

Naked Rollercoaster Riders Bare Charitable Streak (NSFW)

(Huffington Post)

Adventure Island's Green Scream ride in Southend-on-Sea = Mad nudists on 'coaster here in England raised revenues
(by Jason Lofts)

Maureen O'Hara, actress - obituary

(The Daily Telegraph)
Maureen O'Hara
Photo: rocor

The actress Maureen O'Hara (played Esmeralda in 'Quasimodo') has died recently = A rare, dear, red headed colleen. O, also acted as pushy Miss Mary in 'The Quiet Man'.
(by Julian Lofts)

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Bernie Sanders Blasts Clinton Record on Gay Rights

(ABC News)
Election 2016: Bernie Sanders NYC Fundraiser Draws Campaign Supporters Who Are 'Feelin' The Bern'
Photo: Michael Vadon

Bernie Sanders Blasts Clinton Record on Gay Rights = Senator B. contending Hil's a crass, sorry LGBT denier
(by Russ Atkinson)

Who Is Adacia Chambers? Police Identify Suspect In Oklahoma State Homecoming Crash

(The International Business Times)

Adacia Chambers = A cab? I made crash!
(by Aronas Pinchas)

Friday, October 23, 2015

Reports: Giant prehistoric shark teeth wash up along North Carolina coast

(PilotOnline)
Megalodon Tooth
Photo: Jeff Bryant

Giant prehistoric shark teeth wash up along NC coast = Oceanographers know that this thing is spectacular!
(by Dharam)

Here's the RapidE, Aston Martin's extravagant electric sedan of the future

(The Verge)

The Aston Martin RapidE is an electric automobile = Oh, I detest, I ban a materialistic, nonpetroleum car.
(by Julian Lofts)