Where is Garrison Keillor when you need him?

Via Best of the Web we have this quote from Reuters:

Temperatures and precipitation in the Midwest have an equal chance of being above or below normal in June, the National Weather Service said in its latest monthly forecast released on Thursday.

That pattern could linger through August for the nation's key grain growing regions, U.S. weather forecasters said.

I think I will point to this quotation the next time I hear some humanities or journalism student say they "don't need" to study math or statistics.

Tolkien rides again, the condensed version

As a service to its readers, the Guardian thoughtfully provides digested reads, quick summaries of newsworthy books. Last week, they summarized The Children of Hurin, the "new" J.R.R. Tolkien story.

The Eagles bore Húrin and Huor home to their kinsfolk, but the Elves and Men were sore afraid of Morgoth and ere long the Evil Breath took Lalaith from their midst. "Call her Lalaith no more," Morwen commanded. "From henceforth her name shall be Urwen once more."

"Please yourself," said Turin.

Some of us are such nerds that we remember this story from The Silmarillion. It, and Tolkien, are very easy to parody, but how I loved Middle Earth when I was 12.

(Link courtesy of Bookslut.)