SPOTD #166 (and my 1000th Post)

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We did. Here is the 166th SPOTD e-mail, the 1000th post on the SPOTD blog.

Today's Phrase:
I don’t know if there is an author for today’s phrase, but it may be the key to success.

Actual
La perseverancia marca la diferencia entre el fracaso y el éxito.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable
Lah pare-sair-vare-ahn-see-ah mar-kah lah dee-fair-aince-ee-ah ain-tray ell frah-ca-so ee ell ex-ee-toe.

Translation (roughly)
Perserverance is the difference between failure and success.

Movies
Unstoppable: I thought it was great. The pace was consistent, the action was constant, and it was a fun movie.
Tangled: We took the kids and they loved it, and we did too. It doesn't break any new ground in the fairy tale genre, but it was fun and the vocal performances were great.
Alice in Wonderland (2010): I was watching it via Netflix streaming and fell asleep. What I saw didn't make me anxious to give it a second try, despite my consistent enjoyment of Tim Burton's work.

Getting There
With the holidays upon us, you may need to ship some precious cargo. Popular Mechanics has a rundown of which shipping option provides the smoothest ride.

Stories from the Naked City
I like that line from the Jay-Z song, but I’m pretty sure he wasn’t referring to the Charmin-sponsored public restrooms in New York City. I’m sure you are dying to know what they are like, so here goes.

Engage!
This is an interesting interview with Patrick Stewart, a Shakespearean actor who did not find success until he was cast as Captain Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Lost & Found
This is an article about an original print of the 1933 King Kong, found hidden in London.

Smooth Sailing
There is a snake that is able to glide through the air by actively manipulating the shape of its body. As cool as that is, there are some, such as the Pentagon, that would like to adapt the design to suit various purposes.

False Destiny
I think anyone that feels deeply about a team that has enjoyed great success has a hard time contemplating the end of that success. I think about Miami after the 2002 Fiesta Bowl as my personal example. Here in Gainesville, the Gators have experienced a huge letdown after 2 dominant years. Here is a rundown of a few other teams that had moments of greatness but failed to truly capture their full potential, as measured in championships.

Link of the Day
I put this video on the blog a few weeks ago, but I think it is clever enough to merit a repeat.