TX.

Like most anthologies, the stories in the new “The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination” were of variable quality.

On the whole, however, the book was excellent. The layout, in particular, was well done, beginning with a couple of amusing parodies of the quintessential mad scientist, taking a breather with a novella in the middle of the book, and ending with a set of dark stories which make readers think.

In keeping with the title, the book — which was released in February by Tor Books — is organized almost as if it were a guide to world domination. At the beginning of each story and in the margins is an advice topic from which the budding mad scientist could learn, such as “Secret Identity Management Variables,” “Unexpected Cryptozoological Ramifications,” etc.

Today we’re going head-to-head with two bands who have recently released No. 1-selling CDs.

First up is our winner from a previous go-around, the Christian rock group Red from Nashville, which, on Feb. 5, released its fourth studio album, titled “Release the Panic.”

I’m comparing “Release the Panic” track-for-track against “Temper Temper,” the fourth studio album by the Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. This album was released on Feb. 12, just two days before Valentine’s Day. A coincidence? I think not.

Is this the time to panic or just the time to continue to wait patiently?

This question is being asked by many Utah Jazz fans and personally, I have full confidence in this organization. I believe that general manager Dennis Lindsey is the man with the plan and with the “Core Four” in the equation, I cannot see a bad ending.

The question is when will the Utah Jazz be one of the threats in the West? As of right now, we are very inconsistent. For example, we beat the Oklahoma City Thunder but we lose to the Sacramento Kings. Are we just like Oklahoma City a few years back when they were the young kids on the block? Are we just like the Detroit Pistons of old that didn’t have an All-Star but won the NBA championship?

Crazy videos, geeky pleasures and a few amazing movies are the topics of our newest installment of Trending With TX.

‘Harlem Shake’

Lately, everywhere you turn you’ll hear the words “Con los terroristas!”

“The Harlem Shake” is sweeping the globe right now, similar to Psy’s “Gangnam Style,” and the Spanish phrase meaning “with the terrorists” is its signature line. The dance craze began with a wacky YouTube star, DizastaMusic, wildly dancing in a pink body suit to the song “Harlem Shake” by Baauer. In the few days following the upload of his video, thousands of people copied the video, each one being more ridiculous than the last.

A camera shutter clicks, surprisingly audible against the speakers blaring the newest pop song, so loud that pedestrians stare.

Five different lights scattered around you flash, half blinding you. You keep changing poses until finally the photographer yells, “I love it! Keep that one! Now chin up, move your hand, relax your mouth, there it is! Hold it! Now give me more!”

The assistant holding the fan wishes he’d hit the gym a little more often, and everyone driving by on the street does a double take to stare a little longer at you, the rest of the models, and the camera crew.

Presidents Day started as a federal celebration of George Washington’s birthday, probably our country’s most revered president.

More recently, the day has become a celebration of all of America’s presidents to date, including such other famous men as Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and others.

Yet several of our top leaders aren’t so well-known. They may not have led the American Revolution, but these relatively unknown presidents also managed to distinguish themselves in other ways.