Friday Varia and Quick Hits

It’s the cold before the colder here on the Northern Plains as we move toward springtime. It’s -4 now, but supposed to be -30 by first thing tomorrow morning. I am not sure if March is arriving like a lion or not, but it sure will be cold.

Fortunately, I have a few writing assignments, some reading for class, and a bunch of other odds and ends to keep my occupied indoors this weekend.

And, I have a little gaggles of quick hits and varia to keep you guys distracted no matter what the weather is where you’re from.

• My graduate student, Stephanie Steinke, is presenting at this conference this week (.pdf).

• A Roman school for gladiators in Austria. 

• Byzantine Money: The Politics and Aesthetics of a World Currency.

• A bit more on the Apollo of Gaza. 

• The curious case of some Early Christian papyrus in Iowa.

• Along similar lines, there is lots of good stuff going on over at Charles Miller’s blog.

• Olives and Akrokorinth.

• Along similar lines, some Corinthiaka from David Pettegrew.

• Unity between Greek and Turkish Cypriots in Kontea, Cyprus.

• How do Muslims pray in space?

• A Google Map of London in 1746.

• North Dakota’s loneliest places.

• A huge mango was stolen in Australia.

• And here is a dot matrix printer playing “Eye of the Tiger”.

• The photography of jazz musicians by Aram Avakian. 

• I like these photographs too.

• Congratulations to my good buddy Paul Worley on the publication of his book.

• I’ve probably posted this before, but Raymond Chandler’s “Ten Commandments for Writing a Detective Novel” are useful tips for any writing.

• I watched Ghost Busters this week (see below) and was struck by the scene in the movie which showed the Ghost Busters on the cover of Omni Magazine. Well, here’s something about Omni Magazine.

• And here is an oral history of Ghost Busters.

• Along similar lines, here’s a visual history of the Warner Brothers’ logo. 

• What I’m reading: C. Honoré, In Praise of Slowness. HarperSanFrancisco 2004.

• What I’m listening to: Beck, Morning Phase; St. Vincent, St. Vincent.

A North Dakota Bike Ride