Tuesday, August 14, 2012
In its 25th year, the shark-centric TV event is poised to make even bigger waves.
In the summer of 1987, the Silver Spring-based Discovery Channel unleashed a lineup of shark-centric shows that, a quarter century later, sends millions of fin-atics and land lubbers alike into a full-on feeding frenzy. The 25th anniversary of Shark Week, which started Sunday, opened with “Air Jaws Apocalypse,” a follow-up to last year’s Emmy-winning program on the famously airborne Great Whites of Seal Island, South Africa. This year, viewers can also vote via Twitter and Facebook for what they want a mechanical megalodon—that most fearsome of extinct dino-sharks—to chomp with its hydraulic jaws. Tweets tagged #SharkWeek might even get on the air. So whether you marvel at the beauty of the ocean’s top predators or watch transfixed in …
Monday, August 13, 2012
A tad more than 500 words on the 500 square miles of that miracle called Montgomery County. Did you know your cops were funny?
There may be bigger news fish to fry but when what's hot and battered is a Twinkie or a funnel cake, we must start this week's column with a tribute to the one, the only, Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, which continues through Saturday, Aug. 18. Where else can you celebrate the fact that a third of the land in Montgomery County is designated for farming by participating in a toilet-decorating contest? In addition to fried food, there are carnival rides, live music, monster trucks, a children's theater and, of course, live animals, including racing pigs. More than 200,000 people are expected to pay the $10 entrance fee to attend. Speaking of farming, it's the new cutting edge career in these parts. Montgomery County Executive Isiah …
Friday, August 3, 2012
See Chompie from the air.
While Shark Week airs nationally on the Discovery Channel, many people don't know that Discovery Communications is right here in Montgomery County. On the building of its Silver Spring headquarters, just a short drive from the north side of the county, Discovery lets "Chompie" - its Shark Week mascot - out of his tank every couple of years to help celebrate Shark Week. Ever wonder how Chompie was created or how long it takes to install him on the Discovery Communications’ headquarters building? Here are some fun facts to get you started on learning more about your favorite shark friend in Silver Spring! Get the full effect of Chompie's presence in the aerial view on the accompanying video. Shark Week kicks off Aug. 12, featuring Air Jaws …
Monday, July 30, 2012
The traffic disasters on Rockville Pike and I-270 were enough to make you wish for an ATM that dispenses cupcakes.
If you weren't caught in massive backups on Rockville Pike or I-270 last week, consider yourself lucky. If you were –– heads up –– Montgomery County planners would like to change your usual view of the ubiquitous strip malls on your commute. It started Wednesday during rush hour when a fire at Marlo Furniture closed the Pike at Wootton Parkway and forced traffic into downtown. Flames were seen shooting through the roof of the giant box full of kindling in the form of mass-produced home furnishings. Then Thursday, a truck hauling thousands of gallons of Budweiser rolled over and hit a guardrail near the Old Hundred Road exit on I-270. Crews spent nearly seven hours cleaning things up, perhaps while crying over spilt beer. Where would …
Monday, July 16, 2012
A Discovery Channel documentary about the existence of mermaids has people talking, and not just about mermaids.
If you’re heading to the ocean for vacation, you might be on the lookout for more than the usual sea creatures. And, we're not talking about the typical summer shark scare. Mermaids made a recent splash – no pun intended – this week when the Discovery Channel aired its documentary, Mermaids: The Body Found, which originally was shown May 27. Currently, the search term “mermaid body found” is No. 1 on Google Trends with over 100,000 searches, but USA Today reports that the scene in which a mermaid’s body is found by a young boy was staged. The Discovery Channel, which is headquartered in Silver Spring, is known as “the world’s #1 nonfiction media company,” according to its website. The show’s website asks: “What if there’s a kernel of …
Political Punnery
12:21 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Americans have begun the annual Shark Week festival in hopes of minimizing the culling of the human herd during the next harvest season. As has been tradition for the last 25 years, various TV personalities from the Discovery network lead adherents in nationally coordinated rituals designed to appease the unstoppable water demons. They include praising sharks for their jumping ability, expressing… more ›