NPR Topics: Games & Humor http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1052&ft=1&f=1052 Games, puzzles, and contests plus odd stories from comedy, art, and society. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:25:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Games & Humor http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1052&ft=1&f=1052 A Tale Of Turkey, Full Of 'Blobs' This is a game called "Blobs" that Will Shortz found in an old book of party games. Will talks about his recent trip to Turkey, and the account has a number of intentional errors. Every time there's an error of fact, logic or word usage, the player says "blob." Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:25:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120652503&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120652503&ft=1&f=1052 This is a game called "Blobs" that Will Shortz found in an old book of party games. Will talks about his recent trip to Turkey, and the account has a number of intentional errors. Every time there's an error of fact, logic or word usage, the player says "blob."

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]]> How I Recorded A Song In One Weekend Last weekend, NPR Music gave its followers two days to write and produce a song: any kind, any length, any genre. More than 150 submissions poured in, including one from composer Brad Mossman. Here, he speaks with Scott Simon. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:25:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120635739&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120635739&ft=1&f=1052 Last weekend, NPR Music gave its followers two days to write and produce a song: any kind, any length, any genre. More than 150 submissions poured in, including one from composer Brad Mossman. Here, he speaks with Scott Simon.

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]]> 'The Onion': Mocking All Who Deserve It Since 1988 America's Finest News Source has released a book celebrating its 21 years of satire (with a wink). <em>Onion</em> editors Joe Randazzo and Joe Garden talk with Renee Montagne about the serious business of being funny. Also: See the fun <em>The Onion</em> has had at NPR's expense. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114206357&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114206357&ft=1&f=1052 America's Finest News Source has released a book celebrating its 21 years of satire (with a wink). Onion editors Joe Randazzo and Joe Garden talk with Renee Montagne about the serious business of being funny. Also: See the fun The Onion has had at NPR's expense.

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]]> Comedian George Carlin's 'Last Words' Before his death in June 2008, comedian George Carlin spent 10 years working on a memoir, <em>Last Words,</em> with his longtime friend Tony Hendra. Hendra, a writer and comedian, talks with Rebecca Roberts about Carlin's life and legacy. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120502583&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120502583&ft=1&f=1052 Before his death in June 2008, comedian George Carlin spent 10 years working on a memoir, Last Words, with his longtime friend Tony Hendra. Hendra, a writer and comedian, talks with Rebecca Roberts about Carlin's life and legacy.

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]]> How Do You Say 2010? In 45 days, there will be a mob at Times Square counting down. But what do we call the year that kicks in when the ball comes down? The four digits &mdash; 2,0,1,0 &mdash; are not in dispute, but how we say them evidently is. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120470656&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120470656&ft=1&f=1052 In 45 days, there will be a mob at Times Square counting down. But what do we call the year that kicks in when the ball comes down? The four digits — 2,0,1,0 — are not in dispute, but how we say them evidently is.

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]]> Scared Of Planet Nibiru? NASA Would Like To Help According to numerous sources on the Internet, three years from now a planet called Nibiru will collide with Earth, resulting in the extinction of the human race. This and other apocalyptic myths have NASA stepping up to soothe our fears. Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:40:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120436493&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120436493&ft=1&f=1052 According to numerous sources on the Internet, three years from now a planet called Nibiru will collide with Earth, resulting in the extinction of the human race. This and other apocalyptic myths have NASA stepping up to soothe our fears.

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]]> Memory Champ An Unforgettable Winner Losing your car keys, forgetting an anniversary, leaving water running in the bathtub; there are countless ways our memories can fail us. But when you put your mind to it, your brain can do amazing things. Take, for example, Ben Pridmore. He just won the World Memory Championships, held Saturday in London. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Pridmore, who had to memorize hundreds of numbers, dates and even decks of cards in order to prove his mental prowess. Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120431130&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120431130&ft=1&f=1052 Losing your car keys, forgetting an anniversary, leaving water running in the bathtub; there are countless ways our memories can fail us. But when you put your mind to it, your brain can do amazing things. Take, for example, Ben Pridmore. He just won the World Memory Championships, held Saturday in London. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Pridmore, who had to memorize hundreds of numbers, dates and even decks of cards in order to prove his mental prowess.

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]]> Familiar Phrases Starting With 'T' Every answer in today's puzzle is a familiar phrase in the form BLANK of BLANK, where the first word starts with the letter "T." Given the last word of the phrase, the player must give the first word. Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:05:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120424022&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120424022&ft=1&f=1052 Every answer in today's puzzle is a familiar phrase in the form BLANK of BLANK, where the first word starts with the letter "T." Given the last word of the phrase, the player must give the first word.

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]]> Rufus Wainwright Plays 'Not My Job' Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright comes from a musical family, so we're asking him to play a game called: "They had style, they had rhythm, they had perfect teeth." Three questions about the Osmonds. Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:53:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120369408&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120369408&ft=1&f=1052 Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright comes from a musical family, so we're asking him to play a game called: "They had style, they had rhythm, they had perfect teeth." Three questions about the Osmonds.

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]]> Facebook's 'Farmville' Gets Users To Pay For Play More than 63 million people play the Facebook game called "Farmville" every month, and some even shell out real money to get ahead in the virtual reality. Host Scott Simon speaks to Dean Takahashi, who writes about gaming for the technology news blog VentureBeat, about why the game is so popular. Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:48:08 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120416321&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120416321&ft=1&f=1052 More than 63 million people play the Facebook game called "Farmville" every month, and some even shell out real money to get ahead in the virtual reality. Host Scott Simon speaks to Dean Takahashi, who writes about gaming for the technology news blog VentureBeat, about why the game is so popular.

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]]> Feats Galore On World Record Day Bakers in Norway cooked up the world's biggest gingerbread man, at 1,500 pounds. In Fort Worth, Texas, 23 people swirled lassos simultaneously. In London, Manjit Singh pulled a double decker bus with his hair. It was all part of the official Guinness World Record Day. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120375904&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120375904&ft=1&f=1052 Bakers in Norway cooked up the world's biggest gingerbread man, at 1,500 pounds. In Fort Worth, Texas, 23 people swirled lassos simultaneously. In London, Manjit Singh pulled a double decker bus with his hair. It was all part of the official Guinness World Record Day.

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]]> On Sesame Street, 'C' Is For Controversy The beloved television show has been educating children for 40 years &mdash; but not without plenty of grown-up controversy. From Cookie Monster's unbalanced diet, to Elmo's bad grammar, to Grover's civil disobedience, <em>The Week</em> magazine explains why some days aren't sunny days on Sesame Street. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120355663&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120355663&ft=1&f=1052 The beloved television show has been educating children for 40 years — but not without plenty of grown-up controversy. From Cookie Monster's unbalanced diet, to Elmo's bad grammar, to Grover's civil disobedience, The Week magazine explains why some days aren't sunny days on Sesame Street.

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]]> Unlikely Word Origins Defined In 'Anonyponymous' Did you know that the word "Frisbee" is derived from Mary Frisbie, a woman who made pies in Connecticut? Or that "silhouette" originated with Etienne de Silhouette, an 18th century French finance minister? John Marciano shines light on these and many other etymological mysteries in <em>Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words.</em> Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120018497&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120018497&ft=1&f=1052 Did you know that the word "Frisbee" is derived from Mary Frisbie, a woman who made pies in Connecticut? Or that "silhouette" originated with Etienne de Silhouette, an 18th century French finance minister? John Marciano shines light on these and many other etymological mysteries in Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words.

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]]> Man Crowned Youngest World Series Of Poker Champ A 21-year-old Michigan poker professional who chose cards over college won the World Series of Poker main event in Las Vegas early Tuesday, winning $8.55 million and becoming the youngest player to win the tournament in its 40-year history. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:43:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120270475&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120270475&ft=1&f=1052 A 21-year-old Michigan poker professional who chose cards over college won the World Series of Poker main event in Las Vegas early Tuesday, winning $8.55 million and becoming the youngest player to win the tournament in its 40-year history.

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]]> Gamers Line Up For 'Call Of Duty' Sequel Thousands of videogamers stayed up late Monday to buy &mdash; and probably play &mdash; a new videogame called <em>Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2</em>. The game, a sequel to one of the most popular first-person shooter games, went on sale at midnight at stores around the country and in the U.K. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120266818&ft=1&f=1052 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120266818&ft=1&f=1052 Thousands of videogamers stayed up late Monday to buy — and probably play — a new videogame called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The game, a sequel to one of the most popular first-person shooter games, went on sale at midnight at stores around the country and in the U.K.

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