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Shaggy Dog Story
In its original sense, a shaggy dog story or yarn is an extremely long-winded anecdote characterized by extensive narration of typically irrelevant incidents and terminated by an anticlimax. Shaggy dog stories play upon the audience's preconceptions of joke-telling. The audience listens to the story with certain expectations, which are either simply not met or met in some entirely unexpected manner. A lengthy shaggy dog story derives its humour from the fact that the joke-teller held the attention of the listeners for a long time (such jokes can take five minutes or more to tell) for no reason at all, as the long-awaited resolution is essentially meaningless, with the joke as a whole playing upon humans' search for meaning. The nature of their delivery is reflected in the English idiom '' spin a yarn'', by way of analogy with the production of yarn. Archetypal story The eponymous shaggy dog story serves as the archetype of the genre. The story builds up a repeated emphasizi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anecdote
An anecdote is "a story with a point", such as to communicate an abstract idea about a person, place, or thing through the concrete details of a short narrative or to characterize by delineating a specific quirk or trait. Occasionally humorous, anecdotes differ from jokes because their primary purpose is not simply to provoke laughter but to reveal a truth more general than the brief tale itself. Anecdotes may be real or fictional; the anecdotal digression is a common feature of literary works and even oral anecdotes typically involve subtle exaggeration and dramatic shape designed to entertain the listener. An anecdote is always presented as the recounting of a real incident involving actual people and usually in an identifiable place. In the words of Jürgen Hein, they exhibit "a special realism" and "a claimed historical dimension" . Etymology and usage The word ''anecdote'' (in Greek: ἀνέκδοτον "unpublished", literally "not given out") comes from Procopius of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dead Souls
''Dead Souls'' (russian: «Мёртвые души», ''Mjórtvyje dúshi'') is a novel by Nikolai Gogol, first published in 1842, and widely regarded as an exemplar of 19th-century Russian literature. The novel chronicles the travels and adventures of Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov (Russian: Павел Иванович Чичиков) and the people whom he encounters. These people typify the Russian middle aristocracy of the time. Gogol himself saw his work as an "epic poem in prose", and within the book characterised it as a " novel in verse". Gogol intended the novel to be the first part of a three-volume work, but burned the manuscript of the second part shortly before his death. Although the novel ends in mid-sentence (like Sterne's ''Sentimental Journey''), it is regarded by some as complete in the extant form. Title The original title, as shown on the illustration (cover page), was "The Wanderings of Chichikov, or Dead Souls. ''Poema''", which contracted to merely "Dead ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The J
J is the tenth letter of the Latin alphabet. J may also refer to: * Palatal approximant in the International Phonetic Alphabet * J, Cyrillic letter Je Astronomy * J, a provisional designation prefix for some objects discovered between May 1 and 15 of a year Computing * J (programming language), successor to APL * J# programming language for the Microsoft .NET Framework * J operator, a programming construct * J (operating system), an operating system for ICL's System 4 series of computers Genetics and medicine * Haplogroup J (mtDNA) * Haplogroup J (Y-DNA) * ATC code J ''Antiinfectives for systemic use'', a section of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System Mathematics * J, symbol used to denote the Bessel function * ''j'', used as the symbol for the imaginary unit (\sqrt) in fields where ''i'' is used for a different purpose (such as electrical current) * ''j'' and ''j2'' (or \bar) are also used for the complex cube roots of unity * ''j'', a numb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage leaves.Gil MarksEncyclopedia of Jewish Food p. 1052.Joseph Mercola, Brian Vaszily, Kendra Pearsall, Nancy Lee BentleyDr. Mercola's Total Health Cookbook & Program p. 227. It is one of the best-known national dishes in Germany. Although in English-speaking countries it is known under its German name, it is also widely known in Eastern Europe and other places (see below). For example, in Russia, () 'sour cabbage' or () 'fermented cabbage' has been a traditional and ubiquitous dish from ancient times. Overview and history Fermented foods have a long history in many cultures, with sauerkraut being one of the most well-known instances of traditional fermented moist cabbage side dishes. The Roman writers Cato ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Running With Scissors ("Weird Al" Yankovic Album)
''Running with Scissors'' is the tenth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 28, 1999. It was the fourth studio album self-produced by Yankovic, and his first album for Volcano Records after its acquisition of Scotti Brothers. The musical styles on the album are built around parodies and pastiches of pop and rock music of the late 1990s, largely targeting alternative rock and hip-hop. The album's lead single, "The Saga Begins", however, was a parody of the 1971 single " American Pie" by Don McLean, and it recounts the plot of the film '' Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'', which was released around the same time. None of the album's singles charted domestically, although "Pretty Fly for a Rabbi" (a parody of "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" by the Offspring) charted at number 67 in Australia. The album featured five parodies. Aside from the aforementioned "The Saga Begins" and "Pretty Fly for a Rabbi", the album also contains lampoons of "One Week" by Ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Albuquerque (song)
"Albuquerque" is the last song of "Weird Al" Yankovic's '' Running with Scissors'' album (1999). At 11 minutes and 23 seconds, it is the longest song Yankovic has ever recorded. With the exception of the choruses and occasional bridges, the track is mostly a spoken word narration about a made-up person's life in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after winning a first-class one-way airplane ticket to the city. According to Yankovic, the song is in the style of the "hard-driving rock narrative" of artists like The Rugburns, Mojo Nixon and George Thorogood. Song and lyrics Yankovic set off to write the lengthy song, considering it as a final track for ''Running with Scissors''. The long, meandering story was not expected to be popular and instead Yankovic wanted to compose a song "that's just going to annoy people for 12 minutes", making it feel like an "odyssey" for the listener after making it through to the end. Yankovic described writing the song as "free flowing," writing down a g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known for creating comedy songs that make light of pop culture and often parody specific songs by contemporary musicians. He also performs original songs that are style pastiches of the work of other acts, as well as polka medleys of several popular songs, most of which feature his trademark accordion. Since having a comedy song aired on '' The Dr. Demento Radio Show'' in 1976 at age 16, Yankovic has sold more than 12 million albums (), recorded more than 150 parodies and original songs, and performed more than 1,000 live shows. His work has earned him five Grammy Awards and a further 11 nominations, four gold records, and six platinum records in the U.S. His first top ten '' Billboard'' album ('' Straight Outta Lynwood'') and single (" White & Nerdy") were both released in 2006, nearly three decades into his career. His l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
How Late'll Ya Play 'Til?
''How Late'll Ya Play 'Til?'' is an album by David Bromberg. His fifth album, it was released by Fantasy Records as a two-disc LP record in 1976. ''How Late'll Ya Play 'Til?'' was recorded in California. The first disc was recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, the Record Plant in Sausalito, and Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles. The second disc was recorded live, on June 18 and 19, 1976, at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. The album was released on CD as two separate titles. ''How Late'll Ya Play 'Til? Volume 1: Live'' contains all six tracks from the second disc of the double LP, along with two additional tracks, "Loaded and Laid" and "Make Me a Pallet", that were not on the LP release. ''How Late'll Ya Play 'Til? Volume 2: Studio'' contains all eleven tracks from the first disc, along with three added tracks — "Kitchen Girl," "Long Afternoons" and "Nashville Again". Critical reception When the album was released, '' Billboard'' wrote, "...in his first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Bromberg
David Bromberg (born September 19, 1945) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. David Bromberg biographyat Billboard.com An eclectic artist, Bromberg plays bluegrass, blues, folk, jazz, country and western, and rock and roll. He is known for his quirky, humorous lyrics, and the ability to play rhythm and lead guitar at the same time. Bromberg has played with many famous musicians, including Jerry Jeff Walker, Willie Nelson, Jorma Kaukonen, Jerry Garcia, Rusty Evans ( The Deep) and Bob Dylan. He co-wrote the song "The Holdup" with George Harrison, who played on Bromberg's self-titled 1972 album. In 2008, he was nominated for a Grammy Award."2008 Grammy Nominations Announced" '' |
Alice's Restaurant Massacree
"Alice's Restaurant Massacree", commonly known as "Alice's Restaurant", is a satirical talking blues song by singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie, released as the title track to his 1967 debut album ''Alice's Restaurant''. The song is a deadpan protest against the Vietnam War draft, in the form of a comically exaggerated but largely true story from Guthrie's own life: while visiting acquaintances in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, he is arrested and convicted of dumping trash illegally, which later endangers his suitability for the military draft. The title refers to a restaurant owned by one of Guthrie's friends, artist Alice Brock; although she is a minor character in the story, the restaurant plays no role in it aside from being the subject of the chorus and the impetus for Guthrie's visit. The song was an inspiration for the 1969 film also named ''Alice's Restaurant'', which took numerous liberties with the story. The work has become Guthrie's signature song and he has periodically r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer-songwriter. He is known for singing songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his father, Woody Guthrie. Guthrie's best-known work is his debut piece, "Alice's Restaurant Massacree", a satirical talking blues song about 18 minutes in length that has since become a Thanksgiving anthem. His only top-40 hit was a cover of Steve Goodman's "City of New Orleans". His song "Massachusetts" was named the official folk song of the state, in which he has lived most of his adult life. Guthrie has also made several acting appearances. He is the father of four children, who have also had careers as musicians. Early life Guthrie was born in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, the son of the folk singer and composer Woody Guthrie and dancer Marjorie Mazia Guthrie. He is the fifth, and oldest surviving, of Woody Guthrie's eight children; two older hal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
