Month: September 2020

Stark new imagery reveals the scary extent of West Coast wildfires

Aside Markozen.com Environment

Disturbing new satellite imagery shows the vast scope of the wildfires burning in Washington, Oregon and California. Dozens of fires have turned skies orange, rained ash on cities and towns, destroyed several million acres of land and killed at least seven people. The Sept. 8 imagery comes courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University. The GIF (graphic interchange format), posted on Twitter by meteorologist Dakota Smith, combines two types of imagery from the GOES-West Satellite: GeoColor, which shows the smoke clouds and the topography below; and Fire Temperature imagery, which uses infrared cameras to pinpoint the fires themselves.

Smoke pours and swirls from the fires. Updated imagery from Wednesday (Sept. 9) shows the blanket of smoke still enveloping the coast from the northern end of Oregon down. This smoke turned skies in the Bay Area and elsewhere along the coast an eerie, apocalyptic orange.

The severe fires this year are a result of heat and dry weather, and are exacerbated by climate change, according to climate researchers.

Barack and Michelle Obama Buy a Mansion on Martha’s Vineyard

Aside Markozen.com Celebrities

The Obamas have made tens of millions of dollars through book royalties. Speaking engagements also bring in millions of dollars.  

In 2006 the Obamas reported income of $916,000. Barack’s second book “Audacity of Hope”, released in October 2006, was a massive hit, selling millions of copies and rocketing the Obama’s income to $4.2 million in 2007. Their income continued to swell in the following years thanks to Barack’s 2008 successful campaign and election. To this day, Barack Obama earns $3.75 for every hardcover copy and $1.12 for every paperback he sells. Royalties remained healthy in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

In February 2017, Barack and Michelle Obama received a $60 million advance for the combined rights to their autobiographies.

Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have purchased a seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom home in Edgartown, Massachusetts, according to reports. The price for the 29-acre estate was $11.75 million, public records show.

 

 

 

 

‘Creepy’ Magazine Covers

Aside Markozen.com Art, Scary

 

Creepy was an American horror-comics magazine launched by Warren Publishing in 1964. Like Mad, it was a black-and-white newsstand publication in a magazine format and did not carry the seal of the Comics Code Authority. An anthology magazine, it initially was published quarterly but later went bimonthly. Each issue’s stories were introduced by the host character, Uncle Creepy. Its sister publications were Eerie and Vampirella.

 

 

 

Cultural Legacy

The back cover of Roger Taylor’s (drummer of rock band Queen) solo project album Fun in Space shows him reading the July 1980 issue of Creepy. The album’s front cover flips the image, showing the alien from that issue reading a magazine about Roger Taylor.

In 2010, New Comic Company, LLC signed a deal with mask company Trick or Treat Studios to release the first officially licensed Uncle Creepy mask in almost 20 years. The mask was sculpted by Trick or Treat Studios Art Director Justin Mabry and will be available in Halloween and costumes stores across the world for the 2011 Halloween season.

By September 2012, the apparel company Stüssy launched a line of T-shirts and hats titled “Stüssy x Creepy” featuring Uncle Creepy, the Creepy logo and graphics from the magazines.

An issue of creepy is visible on the second panel of the first page of The Immortal Hulk Issue 30.

 

 

 

 

 

Publication date: Late 1964 to 1983, 2009 – 2016.

Prankster Husband Surprises Wife with Dinosaur Statue in Their Backyard

Aside Markozen.com Offbeat

Video below.

In response to his wife’s suggestion that they improve their backyard, a clever British man surprised her by having a massive Tyrannosaurus Rex statue installed outside their home. The proverbial prehistoric lawn ornament was reportedly the brainchild of Adrian Shaw, who conceived of the idea after a conversation with his wife Deborah. “She suggested that I clear away the weeds and maybe put a gnome on the patio,” he recalled mischievously, “which got me thinking.”

Citing his wife’s love of the Jurassic Park films and David Attenborough documentaries, Shaw decided to eschew the garden gnome and opted for something considerably bigger: a 12-foot long T. Rex statue. “I thought nothing could possibly look nicer,” he jokingly said about the 224-pound piece of artwork that he purchased for approximately $2,000 and had installed by way of a giant crane. “The neighbors loved it and took lots of pictures,” he said, “it looked great in the garden.”

As one might imagine, his wife was not exactly thrilled with the new addition to their backyard, although that may have something to do with how she first encountered it. Since she was at work when the statue was installed, Shaw planned on reveal it to her the following morning and had “even set up my camera to capture her reaction, which I was expecting to be one of sheer delight.” Alas, the plan never came to fruition as Deborah had to take their dog out in the middle of the night, which is when she spotted the faux T. Rex.

“I could hear the screams and went running downstairs,” he recounted, “but even after the initial shock, she continued to scream.” While one might think that the unsettling experience would spell the lead to the dinosaur’s extinction in their backyard, Shaw declared that he has “fallen in love” with the statue, which he calls ‘Dave,’ and insisted that the piece will remain outside their home. “I’m sure Deborah will understand,” he said, “and grow to love him just as much as I do.”