The Madness of King George: Arsenic?

There is a possibility that King George III, the man during whose reign Great Britain lost the Thirteen Colonies and later defeated Napoleon, was not suffering from porphyria, but, rather, was suffering from arsenic poisoning.

In 1969, researchers proposed the strange behavior of the monarch who reigned during the American Revolution resulted from a rare hereditary blood disorder called porphyria.

However, a study this week in The Lancet medical journal found high concentrations of arsenic in the king's hair and contends the severity and duration of his episodes of illness may have been caused by the toxic substance.

T hey do not seem to think he was deliberately poisoned, however,

The king's medical records revealed he had been consistently given a medicine containing antimony, a mineral often found in the ground with arsenic.

"The way antimony was extracted 200 years ago means that it was often quite contaminated with arsenic," Warren said. "The king was given large doses of antimony for his abdominal pains and that was probably the source of the arsenic."

Cross-posted at A Lady's Ruminations.

Fantastic!

I saw "Fantastic Four" on Thursday night, at 11:59pm, with my cousin and sister. The critics had not been very kind, but I was sure I would enjoy it from what I had seen (not to mention my favorite actor starring in it).

When we arrived, the theater was already rather crowded. This showing was in Theater 1, the biggest theater. We managed to find three seats together. By the time the movie began, the theater was full.

I promise not to give anything about the plot away. I loved the movie! It was a terrific, light-hearted summer film. It was easy to follow, had lots of great lines, and lots of laughter from the whole theater.

I have seen other comic book movies and they tend to be somewhat dark and overly heavy. "Fantastic Four" was not like that. Instead, the characters had a sense of humor about their situation, while at the same time recognizing the "seriousness" of what happened to them. I thought the special affects were great---perfect for a comic book movie.

Michael Chiklis does a good job as The Thing/Ben Grimm. You felt sorry for him because he was so unhappy in his transformed state. At the same time, there was humor in his inability to do usual things, like use a fork because his fingers are so big and rocklike.

Chris Evans plays the Human Torch/Johnny Storm perfectly. He came across as the hotshot (no pun intended, really) of the group. Johnny is the member of the group who enjoys the transformation and the spotlight it brings to them. He savors the attention. Chris Evans delivered the funniest lines in the movie and did so very naturally.

Julian McMahon was a great Victor Von Doom/Dr. Doom. He was arrogant and slightly sinister. Victor Von Doom is used to getting his way and McMahon played him well.

Jessica Alba plays the Invisible Woman/Sue Storm. She did a pretty good job. She and Chris Evans were excellent at bickering as sister and brother.

The best for last: Ioan as Mr. Fantastic/Dr. Reed Richards. Ioan's part was much bigger than one would think from the way the entertainment world and media have been treating the cast. Reed Richards is the leader of the group, so Ioan was onscreen all the time (which I certainly did not mind). He did an excellent job. The character was more serious than Johnny Storm, but still had a few funny parts. Fabulous acting! :)

My sister and cousin both really enjoyed the movie. I plan to see it again.

Go see "Fantastic Four"!!!

Cross-posted at A Lady's Ruminations

On a lighter note

Tonight my sister, cousin, and I are going to the 11:59pm showing of "Fantastic Four." I'm very excited to see Ioan as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic. The other cast members are Michael Chiklis, Chris Evans, Jessica Alba, and Julian McMahon. I hope everyone goes to see it. Ioan deserves to be a big star, as he's an excellent actor!

Fantastic Four website here.

Here are 2 pictures of Ioan Gruffudd as Mr. Fantastic:

London Attacked!

This morning London was attacked by terrorists, with four separate bombs going off, 3 in subway cars and one on a bus. This is a very horrid event and I am very upset.

While I have never been to England, it holds a very, very special place in my heart. Other than the United States, England is most where I want to be. So, England being attacked by evil cowards is only second to America being attacked.

I have been blogging on this all day at A Lady's Ruminations. We will stand firm with the British. Whoever is responsible hasn't long to live.

Here it is!!!

The Mr. Fantastic TV Guide Cover!!! Or should we say "Mr. Gorgeous"?!?!!!!

What Slanguage Do You Speak?

Your Slanguage Profile

British Slang: 75%

Southern Slang: 50%

Victorian Slang: 50%

Aussie Slang: 25%

Canadian Slang: 25%

Prison Slang: 25%

New England Slang: 0%

What Slanguage Do You Speak?

Hooray!!! 75% British Slang!!!

World's Shortest Personality Test

You are pure, moral, and adaptable. You tend to blend into your surroundings. Shy on the outside, you're outspoken to your friends. You believe that you live a virtuous life... And you tend to judge others with a harsh eye. As a result, people tend to crave your approval.

The World's Shortest Personality Test