The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe

 Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe Sandwich. Yes, It’s Real.

This is what happens when we no longer have Twinkies to fry.

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

Stacy Green is hosting Kassandra Lamb at her site for Thriller Thursday, and Kassandra is asking, Narcissist or Psychopath?

We’ve all been hearing about PRISM this past week–the NSA program that collects all of our electronic data and scrutinizes it without probable cause or warrants. But it’s not just the US. Five countries, the US, UK, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, are known in the government and intelligence agencies as the “Five Eyes.” The alliances between the intelligence agencies of these five countries effectively allows them to circumvent any prohibitions against spying on their OWN citizens in that they spy on EACH OTHERS’ citizens and share the information on a “massive spy cloud.” PRISM: Concerns Over Government Tyranny are Legitimate by Kim Dotcom at The Guardian.

An interview with . . . me! Historical fiction author Susan Spann got me to spill about this month’s dystopian thriller release, FIRELANDS, and forced me to reveal my favorite childhood story. No offense, New Yorkers. An Interview with Piper Bayard!

Heather Konik is holding a contest over at Prawn & Quartered. Submit a question for her site mascot, Murdock from the A-Team, and enter to win a $20 Amazon gift card. New Contest: Interview with the Site Mascot

The fascinating Miss Violet Jessop survived not one, but 3 shipwrecks. The Face That Sunk a Thousand Ships (Well 3, Anyway) by Colin Falconer.

A Cheerios commercial with a bi-racial couple caused quite the stir, generating so many hateful, racist comments that Cheerios had to turn off the comments at YouTube. While that’s disturbing, there have been a couple of great LOL spoofs–the silver lining.

This video shows the original commercial and Deon Cole’s hysterical parody take on it:

And then we have this seam-splitter from Kenji America:

Congratulations to best selling author Kristen Lamb! She just finished her third book about social media, Rise of the Machines, and it’s outstanding. Check out her cover art by Corey Clubb of Go Bold Designs, the same fellow who did the art for Firelands. Change–Resistance is Futile

The Blessings of a Botched Piano Recital, in which Nina Badzin tells about my stage trauma and the lessons we can learn from it.

Father’s Day is this Sunday. Our guest blogger and soon-to-be regular at Social In Worldwide, K.B. Owen, shares Dad’s Secret to Great BBQ Chicken.

And if you’re still wondering about the perfect gift for Dad . . . Look no further! This will at least give him a great belly laugh. When Words Aren’t Enough–Say It With Bacon

Campaign Style Poll Daddy of the Week:

All the best to all of you for a week of tasty treats.

Piper Bayard

The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . Breast Milk Flavored Lollipops

Breast Milk Lollipops, By Lollyphile, Can Be Yours

I guess some people are bored with grape and cherry. Go figure.

imagee by Lollyphile

Maybe we could use these to wean the Congressmen and corporations that are hanging off  the teats of America.

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

FIRELANDS is out! Watch for the FIRELANDS Apocalyptic Challenge coming soon. Susan Spann has a great review at her site today. A Review of FIRELANDS

Now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iPad.

Last Friday was Susie Strong Day in honor of Susie Lindau, who is battling breast cancer and went in for a double mastectomy on that day. I’m happy to report that Susie is doing great, and her lymph nodes were all clear. Many bloggers wrote posts in support of Susie. This is a quite clever one by Jules at Go Jules Go. Susie Strong

Catie Rhodes wrote a great blog about The Servant Girl Annihilator. She’s been contacted by a TV show about it, and now she’s looking for anyone descended from anyone involved in the murder cases. Fascinating story! The Servant Girl Annihilator: A Call for Help

Navy SEALs are known for having some serious courage, and I consider this lady one of the ballsiest of the lot. Retired Navy SEAL Comes Out as a Woman, Writes Book to Inspire Others

“Should” is a limiting word, but with “can,” all things are possible. Why We Ought to Ask Ourselves “Can We” Rather than “Should We” by Marcy Kennedy.

Lisa Hall-Wilson has helped many a professional maximize their presence on Facebook. She’s holding an outstanding two part class starting on Saturday, June 15 through WANA International. Steering Through the Facebook Winds of Change

I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure how it was humanly possible to be this oblivious. Woman Unaware of Pregnancy Gives Birth Training for Half-Marathon

Don’t Make Me Turn This Plane Around: 100 Kids Kicked Off Flight. Having been on a flight with a teenage girls’ volleyball team once, I find this one more reason to love Southwest Airlines.

New York Times Best Seller and Heckuva Guy James Rollins now has his next Sigma Force novel, The Eye of God, available for pre-order.

Allison Brennan, New York Times Best Seller and Fun Lady, looks at storytelling in books and in movies at Jungle Red Writers. Allison Brennan on Storytelling

A fun read from Historical Mystery Author K.B. Owen. Historic June Weddings: Grover Cleveland

Why Tweets about Obese Doctors are Never Your Own. A very funny cautionary tale via Colin Falconer.

The Ever Clever Julie Glover takes a look at what would happen If Hitchcock Tweeted.

Hobbit Fans Alert! M.J. Wright is Sneaking a Peek at a Character from the Second Hobbit Movie.

Jeff Goins gives us the straight skinny on our relationship to work and success. The Truth About Going Viral: What I Did After 1 Million People Stopped By My Blog. Via Rhonda Hopkins.

Love those rare moments when two things that should never be together come together anyway to result in a great laugh. Jimmy Fallon edits Brian “Bri Wi” Williams newscasts and creates a Snoop Dogg Rap.

Campaign Poll Daddy Question of the Week:

All the best to all of you for a week of good taste.

Piper Bayard

The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . Dolphin-Assisted Childbirth

Dolphin-Assisted Birth: Heather & Adam Barrington Plan Cetacean-Filled Labor

I’m sure I saw these people down on Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado once. Just hope thier precious moment doesn’t turn into shark-assisted childbirth. Click on the title above for the text version.

Midwives
image by Javier Yaya Tur
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

“Susie Strong” is the phrase for the day. My friend, superblogger Susie Lindau, is having a double mastectomy this morning. After much thought and consideration, she decided to share her journey through her fight against breast cancer at her blog, Susie Lindau’s Wild Ride. The Boob Report – Laughter is the Best Medicine  Many prayers for Susie Lindau. I’m confident that she will beat this.

Screenwriter, author, and bacon connoisseur Ryne Douglas Pearson has some great insights into the current publishing world. Peeps: Ryne Douglas Pearson

The latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, known as the DSM, is out. Some folks in the business are saying it looks more like a Psychiatrists Relief Act, since pretty much everything can now be classified as a Mental Disorder, right up to and including drinking too much coffee. Drinking Too Much Coffee is Now a Mental Disorder. I guess there’s more money in labeling it than in just saying it’s bad for you.

image by Hendrike
wikimedia commons

Ellie Ann has another Bad Girl for us with her Bad Bible Stories. She certainly has a way of making theology come alive. Bad Bible Stories: The Woman Who Ended the Battle with a Rock

World War I Veteran: The Last of the Great War’s Soldiers Speak

Summer storms are worse than ever. EF-4 and EF-5 tornados, once freakishly rare, are becoming par for the course. Jenny Hansen gives us some great tips on surviving disasters. In the Wake of Tragedy: What’s the Most Important Survival Question You Can Ask?

Patrick Stewart, best known as Captain Picard or Professor Xavier, gives a passionate response to a question at Comicpalooza 2013, opening a window into his personal experience with domestic violence as a child and the connection to Shell Shock, a.k.a. PTSD.

I’m lucky enough to have an Advance Release Copy of Susan Spann’s CLAWS OF THE CAT. You could get one, too, by entering her contest over at Summer Publaw (& a contest): Conference Style. Set in 1500s Japan, CLAWS is the ultimate cozy mystery with a healthy dose of “Cool, I didn’t know that” on the side.

Fae Rowan has an outstanding series on attachment disorders and Why We (and Our Characters) Fall in Love over at Writers in the Storm. This link leads to part four in the excellent four part series. And as far as which ones we identify with, I’m taking a Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell stand.

What do you remember about prom? Renee A. Shuls-Jacobson takes a fun look back. I Remember Prom

Which of your favorite shows survived the May Sweeps? Tiffany A. White keeps us informed on the TV Scene. Spring Cleaning – 2013 Edition

Aaron Patterson of Stonehouse Ink isn’t just an awesome publisher to work with, he’s also a #1 Amazon Best Seller and a YouTube sensation. This is his take on a Mentos commercial. Mentos Commercial Spoof 2

All the best to all of you for a week of good health care choices.

Piper Bayard

The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . Severe Toilet Paper Shortage

Venezuela is one of the most oil rich countries in the world. However, for years its socialist government has “progressed” it into severe food shortages. Now, they are even having to import their toilet paper.

They must have needed it all to clean up after Hugo Chavez.

Actual photo of Hugo Chavez.

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

Kristen Lamb brings her acid wit to bear on Abercrombie & Fitch. Prepare to ROFL. A New Era in Fashion–How Abercrombie & Fitch Saves Needless Suffering

I had the pleasure of meeting comic book author and James Bond scholar, Alan J. Porter, while I was teaching at the DFW Writers Conference earlier this month. Interview: 007 Scholar ALAN J. PORTER on SKYFALL and 50 Years of Bond on Film

Does the publishing industry need New York? Mr. Patterson, Meet Mr. Patterson by J.E. Fishman.

The most distressing thing about the Benghazi Hearings is that so few people are bothering to follow them, still insisting this is nothing but partisan drama. Holmes and I are steadfastly neutral and unaffiliated with any party. We don’t spend our time playing politics. We had our say. (Benghazi: An Intelligence Perspective) Everything Holmes writes in this article is cited to public source, but he does not get his information from the media. We also recommend reading an interview with Admiral Lyons, former Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, another man with an excellent reputation for political neutrality who does not get his news from the media. Admiral James A. Lyons on Growing Benghazi Scandal. And if you don’t believe them, listen to the man on the ground, former Deputy Chief of Mission in Libya Gregory Hicks.

The Ender’s Game movie is almost here! The Ender’s Game Trailer by Ellie Ann.

You know about the “Hey, Girl” Ryan Gosling meme? Just when he thought it was safe to go back on Facebook, there is now the Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal meme. Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal and We Can Die Happy

I know Mother’s Day is past, but this is still a fun read. From Divine Secrets of a Domestic Diva, 10 Bad Mother’s Day Gifts for 2013.

Big day for Trekkies! The new Star Trek: Into the Darkness movie is out! This next video is in honor of the Spocks who have brought me so much entertainment over the decades.

Campaign Style Poll Daddy Question of the Week

All the best to all of you for a week of keeping it clean.

Piper Bayard

The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . Iranian Scientist Invents Time Machine

image from Back to the Future

Twenty-seven year old Ali Razeghi, managing director of Iran’s Center for Strategic Inventions, registered “The Aryayek Time Traveling Machine” with his agency. He claims it works up to eight years in the future. Now, if we can just get the Mullahs to use it, they’ll see the can of Whoopass they’re about to open up with their nuclear program.

Click below for the Wired article.

Iran’s New Fake Inventions: Time Machine, ‘Islamic Google Earth’

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

Best Selling Author and Bad Boy Cat Herder Les Edgerton wrote an outstanding series offering writing tips on dialogue over at Best Selling Author Kristen Lamb’s site. A Final Word from Les Edgerton–Fortune Favors the Prepared

Interesting info Queen Cleopatra by Colin Falconer at Write on the River. Was she really Liz Taylor’s doppleganger? CLEOPATRA, the Queen Who Would Be King

French President’s Gift Camel Killed and Eaten In Timbuktu. Mali gave a camel to French President Francois Hollande. Apparently, the Timbuktu family in charge of caring for the gift got hungry. But no worries. The people of Mali found a “bigger and better looking camel” to replace it.

Join Emily Cannell and check out her beautiful pictures of Cherry Blossom Season in Japan. My Corporate Failure and Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossoms by Emily Cannell

Have you got backup? Jenny Hansen has some great tips for never getting caught without your info. H is for “Help Me Computer, For I Have Sinned”

I don’t usually go for poetry, but this short piece of Smplefy’s hit the spot the other day. The Day Begins NOW

Several of my favorite people have new books out. Check out Patricia Sand’s post for the list. It’s Stacy’s Birthday Bash!

Seriously. How cool is this? Thank you to Laura Reiser Ellis for the link.

Campaign Style Poll Daddy Question of the Week

All the best to all of you for a week of living in the day.

Piper Bayard–The Pale Writer of the Apocalypse

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The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . German Flea Circus Apocalypse

German Flea Circus Hit by Freeze

Click on title above for the full story.

image by Usrien, wikimedia commons

And in case you’re wondering just what a Flea Circus might look like . . .

Germany. What an orderly country. They even discipline their fleas.

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

In Holmes’ recent blog, Iraq–Ten Years Later, he talks a bit about the new relationship between the Iraqi Kurds and Turkey. I found this related article by Julie Lenarz of The Independent. Whatever You Think of the Iraq War, for the Kurds, It Was a Liberation

Also, a congratulation to Holmes for being Freshly Pressed this past Wednesday. The North Korean Sky is Falling. Some excellent discussions in the comments, including a few remarks from a North Korean gentleman that give an excellent example for Westerners.

In case you haven’t heard, Amazon Acquires Goodreads!!! Stonehouse Ink founder and #1 Best Selling Author Aaron Patterson gives us the scoop.

The Mary Astor Blogathon is Coming In May! Dorian Tenore-Bartilucci of Tales of the Easily Distracted and R.A. Kerr of Silver Screenings are your hostesses. Come join in this fun tribute to some awesome classics.

Marcia Richards gives us some double-snap quotes from some sassy women she knows. The Redhots: Featuring Your Sassy Stories

From NYT Best Seller Bob Mayer, author of The Green Beret Survival Guide. Whidbey Island Landslide = A Warning: Are You Prepared?

Sometimes, voicing our concerns an opinions can actually change a little corner of the world. Pickle Company to Distraught Mom: Yes, We’ll Change Our Name

An fascinating piece of histo ry from M.J. Wright, The Truth Behind the Moon Landing Conspiracy–The Real Hoax Was Soviet.

I’ve always wondered this. What is the Difference Between Organic, Heirloom, Hybrid, and GMO?  Shawna Coronado, the Queen of Green, explains.

And another great question answered by Jami Gold at Best Selling Author Kristen Lamb’s site, WordPress.COM vs. WordPress.ORG — Which is Better for Writers? 

And how incredibly cool is this? From Emmy Winning Producer Brent Roske. If you only watch one video today . . . Don’t miss his original, star-studded series only available here on the internet, Chasing the Hill.

And for our Campaign Style Poll Daddy Question of the Week:

All the best to all of you for a week of appropriate flea interactions.

Piper Bayard

The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . Mind Reading Headphones

Mico Headphones by Neurowear Read Minds and Choose Music Based on Mood

Mico Headphones by Neurowear

Articles and Blogs in No Particular Order

Many people objected to the media coverage of the Steubenville rape trial and the guilty verdicts handed down, as the press seemed to forget about justice for the victim and focus on how the young men’s lives will be destroyed by the convictions. An Opportunity Isn’t a Right

Ellie Ann introduces her transmedia story, Slice of Life, a book that’s more than a book. It’s a total immersion experience. Slice of Life Introduction

Slice of Life Pirate Symbol by Biaka

Four Types of Rejection Slips, Ranked for Your Convenience by Dale Ivan Smith.

Cardinal Fashion Show: The DOs and DON’Ts of Vatican Wear This Conclave Season (PHOTOS)

F-150 and More: Evolution of America’s Pickup Truck

image by Bull-Doser, public domain

When the Hero is His Own Worst Enemy–What We Can Learn from FLIGHT by best selling author and social media jedi Kristen Lamb.

That was awkward . . . but this doesn’t have to be. In honor of “Awkward Moments Day” Susan Spann gives her tips on avoiding awkward social media moments.

CVS Pharmacy is now fining its employees $50 per month if they do not “voluntarily” participate in company funded health screenings. Obamacare at work. Expect to see more of this private sector Fat Tax in the future now that it is sanctioned and encouraged at law. For Workers at CVS, Body Fat Can Be Costly

We all love those public marriage proposals. Heartwarming events that turn entire rooms of restaurants into parties of hope and well-wishing. Apparently, the ocean likes to get in on the action, too. Yeah, you know what’s going to happen. But it’s fun to watch.

And for our Campaign Poll Daddy question of the week . . .

All the best to all of you for accepting responsibility for the small things.

Piper Bayard–The Pale Writer of the Apocalypse

The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . Sexcereal

Sex and breakfast cereal. Who’d have thought? I wonder what happens if you eat the wrong one.

Click here for the article. . . .

Does Sex Cereal, A New Breakfast Granola, Really Boost Sex Drive?

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

Jay Donovan of Techsurgeons, LLC teaches an outstanding class in Internet Safety. His next one is March 28, and I highly recommend it. Jenny Hansen at More Cowbell gives us a preview. 5 Internet Security Tips to Help You (and Your Data) Stay Safe

Most bloggers I know want to be generous in approving comments, Holmes and I included. But at what point do we say enough is enough when people leave “passionate” comments? Lisa Hall-Wilson asks, Free Speech and Trolls: Where Do We Draw the Line?

March has been a busy month in criminal history. Stacy Green gives us the recap. Thriller Thursday: This Month In Criminal History

image from Library of Congress

Espionage, The Red Planet, and Ah-nold. Catie Rhodes takes us back with Total Recall.

Wise words from K.M. Huber on being in the moment. Staying and Straying: The Tension of Two

Getting it Up, Keeping it Up: The Conundrum for Indie Authors by New York Times Best Selling Author Bob Mayer.

This one will have you laughing. Teen Running from Cop Picks Wrong House for Hiding

As someone who is techno-averse, I found this French commercial hysterical.

And just in case you’ve forgotten the ridiculous rhetoric of political campaigns, our Poll Daddy of the week.

All the best to all of you for a satisfying week.

Piper Bayard–The Pale Writer of the Apocalypse

The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . Horse Paints & Sells Work In Gallery

I always joke that Kandinsky paintings look like my kids ate crayons and barfed on the canvas. I’m definitely thinking about feeding my kids some crayons after this.

Metro the Painting Horse

Come on, kids. You want to go to college, don’t you?

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

The Most Misunderstood Writing Rule: Write What You Know by #1 Amazon Best Seller Aaron Patterson of Stonehouse Ink.

Forensic Fridays: All About Autopsies by Garry Rodgers.

Emily Cannell takes us on at trip to see the Terracotta Warriors in China. A Forced March to the Terracotta Warriors – Xi’An China

Terracotta Warriors
image by Emily Cannell

How James Bond Won the Second World War by Colin Falconer.

Our PBS history question for the day. Did Black People Own Slaves?

Jenny Hansen asks, What Lights Your Creative Spirit On Fire?

Horses aren’t the only animals exceeding the limitations of society’s concepts. I only wish I could skateboard like this dog does.

Campaign Poll Daddy Question of the Week:

All the best to all of you for a week of exceeding society’s limitations.

Piper Bayard

The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . Spanish Moms Strip to Save School Bus Route

Montserrat Moms Strip to Save their Children’s Bus Route

Far be it from the Spanish to screw around with bake sales.

From the Spanish Soccer Mom Calendar

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

New York Times Best Selling Author Bob Mayer asks How Have Things Changed in the Last 3 Years in Indie Publishing?

M.J. Wright ponders the Pope and the Russian Meteor in a piece that was Freshly Pressed. Russian Meteor Could be Pope Resignation Conspiracy, But I Prefer Science

Jess Witkins gives us a recap of the Oscars. And the Oscar for Best Party Goes To . . .

Anne Hathaway
image from Les Miserables

But the star power at the Oscars pales in comparison to Purim’s Red Carpet. Perry Block had his own celebration that night with such celebs as Anne Hathaway and Robert DeNiro in attendance.

California Student Catches Alleged Thief on Camera: A Teacher

This New Mexico treasure hunter hid his treasure . . . for you, or me, or for whoever can find it. All to get people outdoors. Want to Find His Hidden Treasure Worth Millions? Head Outdoors

You’ve seen Gangnam Style by Psy, Gandolf, Korean cowboys, NASA, and lifeguards, but have you seen it taken seriously? These ladies elevate the song to a whole different level. The Jayesslee Cover.

And now our Campaign Style Poll Daddy for the week:

All the best to all of you for a week of affordable transportation.

Piper Bayard