Featuring Sid Caesar and Nanette Fabray
Interesting
Why popcorn costs so much at the movies
New research from Stanford and the University of California, Santa Cruz suggests that there is a method to theaters’ madness–and one that in fact benefits the viewing public. By charging high prices on concessions, exhibition houses are able to keep ticket prices lower, which allows more people to enjoy the silver-screen experience.
The findings empirically answer the age-old question of whether it’s better to charge more for a primary product (in this case, the movie ticket) or a secondary product (the popcorn). Putting the premium on the “frill” items, it turns out, indeed opens up the possibility for price-sensitive people to see films. That means more customers coming to theaters in general, and a nice profit from those who are willing to fork it over for the Gummy Bears.
Indeed, movie exhibition houses rely on concession sales to keep their businesses viable. Although concessions account for only about 20 percent of gross revenues, they represent some 40 percent of theaters’ profits. That’s because while ticket revenues must be shared with movie distributors, 100 percent of concessions go straight into an exhibitor’s coffers.
150 pound hamburger
Yesterday, Mallie’s Sports Bar and Grill in Detroit tried to break the Guinness World Record for the world’s biggest commercial burger with their amazing 150 pound hamburger.
No report on whether it’s official yet.
Thanks Ray C
Oddest book titles
The Bookseller magazine has announced the shortlist for the Diagram Prize for Oddest Book Title of the Year:
- I Was Tortured By the Pygmy Love Queen
- How to Write a How to Write Book
- Are Women Human? And Other International Dialogues
- Cheese Problems Solved
- If You Want Closure in Your Relationship, Start With Your Legs
- People who Mattered in Southend and Beyond: From King Canute to Dr Feelgood
Twining motions of morning glory vines in slow motion
Filmed at 10 second intervals.
This movie shows the extreme nutational movements of morning glory vines. Climbing vines need to find a suitable support on which to grow. Shortly after germinating, the young plant begins what appears to be a hunting motion in which the shoot tip rotates in a nutational movement. This swinging around of the tip is thought to help the plant bump into a support. If the shoot rubs against a support with the right shape, the rubbing induces a thigmotropic response (tropism induced by touch) and the shoot begins to curl around the support. This movie shows three morning glory plants at the stage where they have just begun “looking” for a support to climb. Vines typically show the most extreme nutational movements.
