LKL's Blog

Even if you don’t speak French, this is kind of fun. See how well you know how to use French terms like déjà vu, carte blanche, and je ne sais quoi in English with this quiz: French terms in English

Someone sent me this link, and I can never repay her, because it’s pretty much the funniest thing I’ve read/seen all year:
JCPenney catalog from 1977.

This is a time waster, but only a little one – see how many people there are in the US with your first name, with your last name, and with your full name: How Many of Me

Note: You have to be at least 13 to use this site. I’m not sure why, but I have seen a couple of PG-13 ads on the page.

“I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen.”

Here are some weird laws in the US. You can see that some of these have a certain twisted logic to them, but a few are really funny. My favorites:

– In Seattle, Washington, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon longer than 6 feet. (Last I checked, it was illegal to carry any concealed weapon. Plus, how could you conceal a weapon that is taller than most people?)

– In Pennsylvania, any motorist who sights a team of horses coming toward him must pull well off the road, cover his car with a blanket or canvas that blends with the countryside, and let the horses pass. If the horses appear to be skittish, the motorist must take his car apart piece by piece, and hide it under the nearest bush. (Wouldn’t that be a drag?)

– In Trenton, New Jersey, it is illegal to throw a bad pickle in the street.
– In Rhode Island, it is illegal to throw pickle juice on a trolley. (OK, what’s the deal with throwing pickle-related items? Why are they worse than throwing other things?)

Here’s a fun little marketing demonstration: the rebranding of national flags.

An acquaintance of mine sent me this video, and I almost didn’t watch it, but I’m glad I did. The first half is a little dull, but the second is hilarious: How to Shower

(BTW, there’s no nudity; it could be rated PG.)

My agent sent me this joke:
  A mother mouse and a baby mouse are walking along, when all of a sudden, a cat attacks them.
  The mother mouse yells, “BARK!” and the cat runs away.
“See?” says the mother mouse to her baby. “Now do you understand why it’s important to learn a foreign language?”

Now that I’ve convinced you how important foreign languages are here are some links:
  * Learn French
  * Learn Spanish
  * Learn English
  * Apprendre l’anglais
  * Aprenda inglés

My new Spanish books for kids are out:

• The Everything Kids’ Learning Spanish Book
• The Everything Kids’ First Spanish Puzzle and Activity Book

They’re both aimed at ages 6-9 and can be used separately or together, though they really are a set. If you’d like to buy an autographed copy, please click here: Everything Kids’ Spanish books

Yet another fun timewaster… draw a slope and try to keep the rider from crashing (or not ): Line Rider