The first two books of the "Technology Marches On" series, written by Cory Doctorow, covering the advancement of technology over the years. "Obsolescing the Horse" covered the development of alternate means of transportation, while its sequel was a "look forward" that discussed possible future replacements for cars. The third book, Obsolescing the Campfire, was delayed repeatedly by COVID-19.
A somewhat tongue in cheek survivor series produced by Proper Television for CTV, set in the immediate aftermath of a zombie uprising. The three teams each start with an advantage: food, medicine or weaponry (no effort was made to make the weapons appear to be anything but the paintball guns they were). The survivors’ task was to get out of the ghost town; the zombies’ was to kill them. By the sixth episode of nine, the three teams managed to rendezvous, and by the ninth, get out of town and bring back the authorities (actual soldiers from a nearby Canadian Forces base). The deaths on all sides were intentionally unconvincing, overplayed for laughs rather than drama. The original series proved popular enough to warrant several variants, including Elementary Undead Drama.
To jack the lass (Brit.) = To leave in a hurry. The lass was the windlass on a sailing ship used to hoist the sails and raise the anchor. To Jack = to put every available 'Jack' (sailor) on the job. Thus a ship jacking her lass would have every available man helping to hoist her anchor.
A Swedish manufactured manikin that was known for having very realistic skin. The skin was manufactured by a Swede named Olaf Erickson, a chemist trying to create a skin replacement for burn victims that could be melded with flesh. While Erickson failed at this the maneskin became a fixture in department store windows in the 1980s.
Siouxper Freaks was a political cartoon in the late 1800s about the "American Indian Craze". As groups like the Sioux were eliminated from existence, their artifacts were "recovered" (More like stolen by US Army soldiers) and brought to various museums across America. The political cartoon laughed at the fact that groups that were not interested in the Natives when they were alive suddenly became interested in them when they were dead and their artifacts more readily available.
The name of a show about a greedy amoral banker named John Cletus who ended up in hell and ends up being tasked with running a section of it as his punishment. The show would end after 4 seasons and 47 episodes. The show was notable for featuring rather good special and practical effects to depict the show’s version of hell,which looked like a hyper-dystopian version of a stereotypical ‘commie block’ land mixed with the typical “fire and brimstone” look for eternal damnation.
1984 studio album by prog-pop band Psychic Hippo. This album would mark a high point in the band's career, being their best-selling album since 1969's Blue Sun, Yellow Moon. It would also see the introduction of bassist Melissa Etheridge. Following the release of the album, long-lasting member Robert Fripp would found his guitar teaching course Guitar Craft.
After JKRowling died before writing Book 6, the series was in limbo for several years until the publisher made the decision to, somewhat inexplicably, hand the writing of books 6 and 7 over to a committee, and that committee crapped out a pair of absolute stinkers, with the last book being Harry Potter and the Inferi Army - wherein Lord Voldemort raises an army of zombies (Inferi) to attack Hogwarts with.
A satirical book written by an anonymous German author that depicted the hipocrisy of allied tribunals judging German leaders for their role in WW2 and the restoration of Imperial Germany. It became very popular in 1970's Germany, and is considered a staple of "German Humour". It is still banned in the United States.
A tunnel created by Chinese-American erial killer Dick Long to remove evidence of his killing. The tunnel would inspire the book & later movie 'The Man Shaft', which would become a cult-classic horror film.
The name of a popular series of video games about a branch of the Army CID that investigates crimes involving 'Cryptids', specifically the division that deals with Skinwalkers. In the lore of the series, the army (and eventually later Army CID) ended up with the responsibility following a sasquatch attack on an Army patrol in Montana in 1910. The series was notable for it's combination of puzzle-solving early stages and then the action-packed shootout/combat/chase scenes. Quicktime events were a common component.
